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Paul Cohen撰稿，1999年5月29日
本文所討論的內容，來自過去九年中，推動Tlholego發展計畫(Tlholego Development Project，TDP)所獲得的經驗，該計畫是可持續的性土地關懷作業方式的訓練與展示的中心。雖然Tlholego的經驗只反映了南非鄉村發展的一小部份，(屬於Rustenburg西部鄉村農業社區的部分)，但是這個經驗的可貴之處在於它是從整體性、生態性出發，來發展基本人類生活維生系統。
政府與學界意識到南非需要以整體性的角度落實"土地關懷"。土地關懷是一項農業部維持自然資源基礎的特別策略，著眼於一些所有權與管理由社區與民間共同分擔的土地、水，與植物資產。
類似重建與發展 (Reconstruction and Development, RDP)的土地關懷，是一項極佳的可持續發展計畫，但是一直無法執行。土地關懷與RDP都包含長期與短期的可持續的遠景。TDP和許多鄉村計畫一樣，都和RDP與土地關懷的倫理與目的契合，但都持續面臨資金不穩定的問題。
Tlholego的經驗明顯的反映了鄉村計畫籌措資金方式的問題，特別是為了類似改善土壤肥力、發展水資源、種植樹木，以及在鄉村培植人力等長期目的的計畫。典型的狀況是，資金的來源是短期的，但希望以此發展長期的工作機會，以支援長期的目的。
實際上，此種策略運用在社區系統上往往會失敗，因為除非適當的長期可持續發展已經成型，否則資源通常會為了短期生活而耗盡。這也造成現在的狀況，我們無法執行像RDP與土地關懷的國家計畫，同時我們持續消耗土壤、水、植物與工作。為了要從貧窮與資金不可持續的的狀況中獲益，我們需要投入一項計畫，以整合籌措資金與設計計畫的長期與短期策略。
我們現在了解土地、水源、植物與人類是維持我們與孩子們生活，以及我們國家資產管理與發展的核心。然而，這些資產正在逐漸衰退，而且被認為是負擔。有關我們國家資源可持續的的問題持續增加，這些在南非土地關懷文件裡有所陳述 [1]。
以Tlholego經驗為例，現在的執行花費，每月約為南非幣15,000.00元，包括支持一個教育中心，與10個農業家庭 (約50人)，他們投資了將近10年，學習如何建立一個生態村的種種過程[2]，做為21世紀鄉村可持續的生活的基礎。
TDP可持續的的主要長期策略，是著重在管理2000棵需要10~20年時間成熟的棗子、橄欖與角豆樹。這些樹木可持續發展的基本設計，在於確保它們被納入一個生態的土地關懷系統，使經濟價值，社區互助，與土壤、植物，水資源的發展能達到適當的平衡。
簡單來說，以現在的市場價值，可持續的農業一年的收入為南非幣12,000,000元[3]，且可維持幾百年的可持續的經濟。以Tlholego來說，這項策略將創造10~20個鄉村家庭 (70~150人)的可持續的生計，以及120公頃自然資源的生態管理。由於有這樣的長期基礎，未來在教育、觀光，與有機生產系統的投資也極具潛力。
有了穩定的基礎，類似Tlholego的計畫，可以開始支援附近地區類似的可持續發展策略。以Tlholego為例，這包含多達3000人的農業社區與殖民計畫，至少相同面積的土地，其中還包含Bakwena鐵器時代的遺址，野生動物保護區與混合使用的農業地區。
從Tlholego的角度看來，似乎有數千個社區計畫準備接受這樣的挑戰，但是沒有資金配置來支援這樣的計畫。資金的提供通常是短期的，3~5年期就被視為長期計畫。
這種短期策略只能維持人們的短期生活，對於新發展的幫助卻不大。我們所尋找的是階段性的目標，一個有部分長期性，同時著眼在短期活動的策略，而長期的活動與短期生活相互依存。
要在實際上維持長期過程，需要投資部分的資金以保障在可持續的的管理之下，土壤、水與植物等未來資產的價值。部分資金可以投資到實體的資源，另外一部分的特殊基金，可用於持續產生獲利。
舉例來說，若是將100萬投資在"村級社區資金"，則在10到20年之內，每個月可以獲利10,000~15,000元，且不會損害基礎[4]。這項投資創造出對土地、生物與人類過程的信任，可以經由它們的生活循環，建立、培育而開花結果。所建立的一個健康的環境也有助於創造出新的商業，與學習成為可持續的的企業家。
有了可持續的的資金籌措策略，類似Tlholego計畫，就可以長期自我維持，並實現長期投資的回收利益。這個例子告訴大家，由鄉村社區合作管理的土地、土壤、水源與樹木，在他們可持續的生活，擁有並以符合生態系的生產方式管理下，每年生產的產值至少可達南非幣12,000,000元。另外，一個擁有這樣能力與經驗的社區，可以將類似的模式散播到附近的流域，而有提昇10~30倍價值的潛力。
對國家而言，若是這個策略可以散播到1000個社區，則在生態管理下的土壤、水源與樹木等主要土地關懷系統的產值潛力，每年至少有10億。隨著這個體系下游地區的產物與發展不同，產值甚至可能提高10~100倍。無論如何，這項策略可以幫助建立很好的基礎，在未來的10年間，發展出可持續的經濟。
也許更廣泛的策略可以經由公司的架構推動，與可持續的經營土壤、水源與樹木的社區長期合作。未來10~20年間，可持續的管理下自然資源的價值，是很難估算的。目前已有所謂的碳帳(carbon-credits)[5]，可以在全球市場上交易。此外，美國、歐洲與澳洲有機食品與健康產品的成長，在過去一年已達20~30%，顯示出這些地區眾多新機會的潛力。
以上所描述的策略，是累積近10年的實際經驗，將生態發展模式引進Rustenburg西部的農業社區與南非西部族群的結果。這些想法源自於了解什麼適合在這片土地上運作的親身經驗，以及相信如果真心關愛，假以時日，土壤、水源，樹木與人們就有能力成長與繁榮。
這項策略成功的可能性對於所有南非人民，特別是對於還沒有察覺可持續的危機的孩子們，具有顯著意義。本文試圖以土地關懷與RDP的目標為基礎，對所有有關籌措鄉村發展計畫資金長期策略的構想，做初步的介紹。
執行這樣的策略，可以確保並擴展這種和可持續發展的鄉村社區合作，建立土壤、水資源，與高價值生態系統，並且可以推動經濟活動，使可持續的真正能落實的過程。為了我們的生存與繁榮，我們越早開始投資，落實可持續的性，我們的花費愈低，而未來的回收愈高。
如需更多的資訊，請點選這裡。
1.南非土地關懷計畫實行架構－討論文件(1999年2月) 聯絡人: Dr M B Molope, Chief Director, Resource Conservation and Quality Control, National Department of Agriculture. Tel: 012-319
6446
2. 全球生態村發展的資訊，請查閱： http://www.gaia.org
3. 1200萬元南非幣是以在可持續的管理下，2000棵樹每年每棵樹生產量是20公斤，1999年每公斤30元的零售價，做為基準。
4. 這個例子是以銀行12%到18%的現金利息，做為這項模式的潛在資金結構。然而，基本原則是現在投資的資金是為了確保實未來能現可持續的的環境、人類與社會。
5. 溫室氣體排放管制制的國際法律，強制污染者付出罰金，或是購買碳帳(carbon-credit)，以協助可持續的管理森林系統，因為森林能吸收排放出來的碳。
原文與圖片詳見: http://www.sawac.co.za/articles/Sustainability.htm
版權歸屬 SAWAC - Southern African Water Crisis，環境信託基金會 (黃曉菊 譯，李玲玲審校)
中英對照全文：http://news.ngo.org.tw/issue/sustain/sustain-00062901.htm |
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Paul Cohen29 May 1999
The concepts discussed in this short paper come from the experience gained over the past nine years in growing the Tlholego Development Project (TDP) as a training and demonstration center for sustainable landcare practices. While the Tlholego experience covers only a small footprint of rural development in South Africa, (that of rural farming communities west of Rustenburg), it is more the experience in holistic or ecological approaches to developing basic human life support systems, that has value in this context.
The National Government and the scientific community recognize the need for using a holistic approach to implementing
'Landcare' in South Africa. Landcare is a National Department of Agriculture special strategy for sustaining the natural resource base, focussed on national assets of soil, water and vegetation where ownership and management occurs through partnerships between communities and civil society.
Landcare like Reconstruction and Development (RDP) is an excellent plan for sustainable development but struggles to be implemented. Both Landcare and RDP include a long-term and short-term vision for sustainability. TDP as with many rural projects, falls directly in line with the ethics and objectives of RDP and Landcare but continues to struggle with financial stability.
The experience at Tlholego reveals a clear fault in the way rural projects are financed especially for those involved with long-term objectives like improving soil fertility, developing water resources, growing trees and building human capital in rural areas. Typically what happens is that funding is structured on a short-term basis with the intention that sustainable jobs will be created which will support long-term objectives.
In practice this strategy fails for community systems because without long-term sustainability already in place, resources generally drain toward short-term survival. This gives a current scenario where we are failing to implement national programmes like RDP and Landcare while we are continuing to consume soil, water, vegetation and jobs. In order to realize value from this pattern of poverty and financial unsustainability, we need to invest in a plan that brings together long and short-term strategies for funding and project design.
We now understand soil, water, vegetation and people to be the core that sustains our lives and those of our children, our national asset to manage and develop over years. The reality however is that this capital, which is currently degrading, is mostly experienced as a liability. This problem with sustainability of our natural resources is on the increase, as is outlined in Landcare South Africa Document [1].
Taking an example from the Tlholego experience. The current running costs are around R15,000.00. per month. This supports an educational institute and ten farm worker families (+/- 50 people) who have invested nearly ten years in learning the processes involved in forming an Eco-village [2] as a foundation for 21st century sustainable living in rural areas.
The primary long-term strategy for sustainability at TDP is focussed on the management of 2000 date, olive and carob trees maturing over a 10-20 year period. The basic design for sustainability of these trees ensures they are planted into an ecological landcare system that optimizes economic value, community self-reliance and the development of soil, vegetation and water resources.
Simplified, at current market prices this amounts to a sustainable business with an annual revenue of R1.2 million [3] and economically sustainable for many hundreds of years. In the case of Tlholego, this strategy will create a sustainable livelihood for at least 10 and 20 rural families (70 to 150 people) and ecological management for around 120ha of natural resources. With a long-term foundation locked in place, there is ongoing potential for investment in education, tourism and organic systems of production.
Based on a stable foundation, projects like Tlholego can begin to support similar strategies for sustainable development within the local watershed. In the case of Tlholego this would include up to 3000 people in farm-worker communities and resettlement projects and at least the same number hectares of land including a Bakwena iron-age heritage site, wildlife conservancy and mixed-use farming lands.
From the perspective of Tlholego, It seems there are thousands of community projects that are ready to take up this sort of challenge, but no financial instrument available to support such a programme. Funding is often available in 'one off' amounts and three to five-year time frames are considered long-term.
This strategy at best keeps people alive in the short-term but achieves little in the way of growth of new capital. What we are looking for is a goal between the posts - a strategy that has a certain long-term stability as well as focussed short-term activity and where the long-term activity is interdependent with short-term viability.
To sustain the long-term process in practice it will be necessary to invest a certain amount of capital up front against the future asset value of soil, water and trees under sustainable management. This capital would be invested in part for physical resources and in part into a special fund that would produce a sustainable revenue stream.
As an example, if R1million were invested in a 'village level community fund', it could generate between R10,000.00 and R15,000.00 per month for 10 to 20 years, with the principle still intact [4]. This commitment creates a sense of trust on the ground and biological and human processes can be set up and nurtured through their lifecycles to fruition. A healthy environment is also created for spawning new businesses and living the learning of becoming sustainable entrepreneurs.
With a sustainable financial strategy in place, a project like Tlholego would sustain itself long enough to realize profitable returns on long-term investment. This would register as land, soil, water and trees under management in partnership with rural communities who live sustainably and own and manage ecological systems of production worth at least R1.2 million in revenue per year. In addition a community with this capacity and experience would be capable of spreading a similar pattern to the surrounding catchment, 10 to 30 times the potential in value.
On a national level if this strategy were to spread to 1000 communities, the collective revenue producing potential of the primary landcare system of soil, water and trees under ecological management, could be worth at least R1Billion per year. Possibly 10 to 100 times larger depending on what is grown and developed in the downstream of this system. Either way this strategy will result in a very strong foundation to grow a sustainable economy on in the decades to come.
Perhaps a wide spread strategy could be implemented through a company structure, which forms long-term partnerships with communities around sustainable management of soil, water and trees. The value of natural resources under sustainable management in 10 to 20 years is hard to imagine, already carbon-credits [5] can be traded in the global marketplace. Additionally, growth in the organic food and health products industry in the USA, Europe and Australia has grown 20 to 30% this past year indicating the potential of massive new opportunities in these areas.
The strategy described above has emerged from nearly a decade of practical experience in introducing ecological development patterns to the farming community west of Rustenburg and the South African population in general. These ideas have come from a gut experience of what works on the ground and a trusting in the ability for soils; water, trees and people to grow and flourish when cared for over time.
The potential success of this strategy has significant implications for all South Africans, especially for the children who are not yet aware of the sustainability crisis before them. This document is intended as an initial introduction of ideas around a long-term strategy for financing sustainability in rural development projects, based on the objectives of Landcare and RDP.
Implementing such a strategy would ensure an ongoing and expanding process develops around building soil and water resources and high value eco-systems in partnership with rural communities with the capacity to drive an economic engine that can make sustainable development work for us. For our survival and prosperity, the sooner we begin investing in making sustainability work, the lower the costs and the greater the returns will be.
For further correspondence click here
1. Implementation Framework for the Landcare Programme in South Africa - Dicsussion Document (Feb 99) Enquiries: Dr M B Molope, Chief Director, Resource Conservation and Quality Control, National Department of Agriculture. Tel: 012-319
6446
2. Information on Eco-village development globally can be found at http://www.gaia.org
3. R1.2 million is based on an average retail price for dates in 1999 being R30 per kg and a tree production of 20kg per tree per year for 2000 treess under sustainable
management.
4. This example uses 12% to 18% interest rates on cash in the bank as one potential financial instrument that coud work for this model. The principle however is that financial capital is invested now in order to ensure the realization of sustainable environmental, human and social capital in the
future.
5. International law around green house gas emission controls are forcing polluters to pay fines or buy the carbon-credit rights to sustainably managed forest systems, which are net absorbers of carbon emissions. |
