Organizational Descriptions and Procedures

Transcription

1 COMMUNITY MARKETS FOR CONSERVATION Organizational Descriptions and Procedures Building links to last: small farmers, markets, conservation, and partners 15 August

2 Contents Key elements of the COMACO model process... 3 Producer Group Pledge Agreement... 4 COMACO Values Statement... 5 Key Elements of the Community Conservation Plan (CCP) Process... 6 District-level organization of COMACO and its partners... 7 COMACO's Farmer Support Services: the role of Lead Farmers... 8 Lead Farmer Checklist for Capacity Building and Program Development Producer Group Service Contract Company Organization

3 Key elements of the COMACO model process: defining the business and farmer support service sections of the company Lead farmer training: mobile schools Producer group training: Better Life Book, Farm Talk radio program Producer Group Cooperative training Advanced learning centres Field days, demonstration plots Seed growers, recoveries, storage District advisory committees supporting conservation compliance Farm input shops Consolidation of product processing (Chipata, Serenje) Full use of by-products into value-added products Outsourcing trucks, seasonal workforce Increased warehouse storage Batch processing and shrinkage controls Automated and scaled-up processing Increased regional export market penetration Product diversification 3

4 Producer Group Pledge Agreement On this day of, 20, we as producer group members have formed a producer group or agree to form a new group named and hereby pledge to adopt the conservation practices outlined below: a) Membership of people in the group b) Encourage gender awareness and support an active role for women c) Establish written by-laws that define commitments group members will make for farming practices and natural resource conservation, codes of discipline for group members (regular attendance of group meetings). etc. Members should sign their names to these by-laws. d) Shall abide by the following rules and practices (i) Good soil management practices (low tillage, rotation with legume, legume cover crop, non-burning of crop residue hence less spread of destructive bush fires, use of mulch, etc. (ii) Make compost manure to improve soil fertility and avoid use of chemical fertilizers (iii) No Poaching or illegal hunting of wildlife (iv) No ownership of illegal firearms (v) Practice crop diversification and crop rotation for good soil management (vi) Adopt agroforestry and local woodlot (vii) No charcoal-making for commercial sale For group members who fish: (i) Use of gazetted fishing net size only (ii) Restrict fishing to non-breeding seasons for fish (iii) Non-interference with wild animal movements (iv) Reduce and control bush fires (v) No use of poisons for killing fish (vi) Observe fishing regulations For group members who are bee-keepers: (i) Stop wild honey gathering because it contributes to bushfires, tree cutting and disturbances to safari hunting or tourism (ii) Commitment to regulate /manage fires where the use of hives is practiced (iii) Sole use of recommended bee hives for honey production (iv) Develop good apiary management practices As group members, we have read this pledge and will henceforth make these pledges a way of our life. We also wish to honor this pledge in order to build a better community through our traditional leader, our Producer Group Cooperative, our partner COMACO and in support of our Government. IN WITNESS THEREOF, Producer Group enters into this Pledge Agreement on this date of / /20 with the following signatures: Name: Sig: Producer Group chairperson Name Sig: WITNESS (Chief s Induna) Name Sig: WITNESS (Cooperative representative, if formed) Name Sig: COMACO Area Manager 4

5 COMACO Values Statement We, as COMACO employees, shall commit ourselves to helping small-scale farming communities in Zambia achieve food security and increased income through improved technologies, farming practices and markets that contribute to increased environmental protection. Our motivation is to help support small farmers, both men and women, overcome risks of crop loss, attain improved market stability and prices, and have greater access to affordable farm inputs and life skills. Through such efforts, COMACO expects participating communities to respond with full cooperation in the protection of natural resources and the production of food crop surpluses that COMACO will buy at above market price if such conservation compliance is verified. In building this relationship with small-scale farmers, we as COMACO will strive to uphold the following values: highest ethical and professional standards at all times respect for traditional values and customary land ownership financial accountability and transparency in accordance with Zambian law regard our partners as equals with respect for their views and concerns commitment to the highest nutritional, health and safety standards for It's WIld! products a dedicated spirit of service to promote community benefits for achieving conservation. In living up to these values, we as COMACO expect to achieve a year-round presence of effective farmer extension services a farmer-based organization led by local producer group cooperatives capable of enhancing COMACO's impact on small farmers and conservation improved transfer of technologies for increasing crop yields, reducing waste, improving energy savings, and diversifying income and food sources for small farmers increased economic value of food-crop surpluses through value-added processing technologies and market development new market opportunities that will reward conservation compliance net revenue capable of sustaining COMACO's operational costs and annual conservation dividend payments to participating communities when conservation compliance is verified an alliance of partners and stakeholders to bring additional strengths and benefits to COMACO effective collaboration with government and local authorities for the development and effective implementation of community conservation plans. As an employee of COMACO Ltd., I do hereby agree to uphold the values and aspirations contained in this document. Name: Sig:, Date: 5

6 Key Elements of the Community Conservation Plan (CCP) Process STAGE ONE: Household level Producer group cooperative and all its members commit to household-level conservation practices in a formal document signed by every producer group chairperson and copy of document given to local chief and district government authorities. Essential requirements include: Good soil management practices (low tillage, rotation with legume, legume cover crop, nonburning of crop residue, use of mulch, etc. Adoption of agroforestry and local woodlot Compost-making as fertilizer substitute Diverse food crops No ownership of illegal firearms No poaching or snaring with wires No charcoal-making for commercial sale STAGE TWO: Chief/Headmen level Local chiefs with his/her headmen/women agree on a land use governance code to be appended to the STAGE ONE document that to help prevent depletion of natural resources with clearly stated intentions to enforce the code with penalties for people who violate them. Examples of the code include: Restrictions of fishing net mesh size, where to fish No bush burning after a given date No making of charcoal for commercial sale No possession of snares or illegal firearms STAGE THREE: Community level The CCP is further amended through consultation among community leaders and residents, with the help and support of the local chief and district government authorities, to establish a long-term land zoning of agreed settlements, land use practices and conservation targets. This part of the CCP is in map form and may require resettlement for selected households. 6

7 District-level organization of COMACO and its partners 7

8 COMACO's Farmer Support Services: the role of Lead Farmers The Lead Farmer takes on special meaning in COMACO. He/she ensures information and commodities flow to and from the Farmer Support Centre and the COMACO farmer. This process is referred to as a two-way supply chain, through which inputs, skills, technologies, knowledge, markets, and commodities flow. In the COMACO set up a Lead Farmer is a local community leader elected or appointed by the community to be the link person between COMACO management and producer group members. He/ she is a leader of 2-3 producer groups, each with 15 to 20 people and is a technical person who attends trainings and imparts the same knowledge to his or her group members. There are a number of duties of a lead farmer: distributes inputs to members in his group collects seed recoveries for next season's farming needs directs training of all skills provided by COMACO ensures effective use of COMACO Better Life Book in some cases, oversees the use of a radio for producer group listening to educational programs establishes demonstrate sites for farmer day trainings monitors compliance of COMACO recommended farming practices: sustainable agriculture; minimum tillage, compost making, crop rotation, crop integration, etc holds bi-weekly meetings with producer group members meets with area manager every other week promotes producer group compliance to conservation guidelines in the producer group pledge coordinates the uplifting of produce group member crops to bulking stations for purchasing by COMACO. Who can be a Lead Farmer in COMACO The Lead Farmer can be either a male or female but must possess these qualities: Integrity should must be a person who is influential and commands respect. Honesty required to handle company equipment, goods and sometimes money. Courage- able to withstand pressure from their members Commitment- understands the COMACO mission and determined to keep group member compliant to it Must able to read and write. Practical able to translate the acquired knowledge into practice. Classification of Lead Farmers There are 4 types of Lead Farmers: Crop Lead Farmer: lead farmer for 2-3 farmer producer groups Lead Beekeeper: lead trainer of bee keepers in a prescribed area Lead Transformed Hunter: group leader of fellow transformed hunters to encourage adoption of skills and alternative markets Senior Lead Farmer: selected crop lead farmers who excel in their work, show strong leadership and administrative skills, and provide leadership for crop lead farmers to achieving annual work plan objectives 8

9 Motivating Lead Farmers Lead farmers are not employees of COMACO but to the best of its abilities, COMACO provides the following to its Lead Farmers for the work they carry out: Free bicycle Spares for old bicycle Free inputs Commission on purchases Commission on recoveries to encourage faithfulness T- shirts with COMACO prints Free trainings to expand knowledge and skills Stationary Entitled to COMACO transport within area of operation And other incentives that management may decide from time to time 9

10 Lead Farmer Checklist for Capacity Building and Program Development Lead farmer database: name, year recruited, sex, education, village, etc. Equipment issues: name of equipment, date issued Training agenda for specific year and by Chief's area Demo plots: GPS, focus interest by year, lead farmer Input distribution, role of lead farmers to monitor use, etc. Bulking responsibilities: pre-harvest training Pre-harvest crop assessment Use of rain gauge by selected lead farmers Producer group visits and use of Better Life Books, COMACO farm talk radio program Verbal exams on learning pages Rapid reporting on illegal activities to appropriate Government authorities Individual farmer visits with notebook Role in recruiting new farmer members Commodity targets Role in helping transform charcoal-makers, poachers, etc. Emphasis on gender issues and promotion of women as lead farmers Special training interests: conservation topics, family planning, family budgeting, group credit schemes, etc. 10

11 Producer Group Service Contract As select Producer Group Cooperatives demonstrated organizational skills, leadership and resolve to comply with COMACO's conservation guidelines, COMACO will offer these cooperatives service contracts that will enable them to better support their own administrative costs. SERVICE Producer Group Cooperative ===== COMACO CONTRACT Annual payment for services provided: 1) Agreed tonnage of selected commodity delivered to bulking stations 2) Joint supervision of lead farmers and farmer support work plan 3) Joint management of community depot (seed input storage, farmer input shop, meeting place, etc. 4) Implement Community Conservation Plan Annual benefits to Producer Group members 1) Premium price for commodities sold to COMACO 2) Conservation dividend payment at end of farming season 2 3) Market services 4) Extension services (inputs, training, new skills and income sources) 5) Community support fund (disaster management response, credit loan for producer groups, scholarship fund, etc.) 3 Partner strengths: 1) Agrobusiness, food processing company focused on providing economic benefits to small farmers for rewarding food production and conservation 2) Longer-term interest in diversifying company interests in more direct conservation-related revenue sources for incentivizing community compliance to conservation targets 3) Strong background in appropriate technologies and ways to transfer these technologies to small-scale farming communities 4) Growing alliance of partners supporting small-scale farmers 5) Commercial unit of COMACO selfsustaining 1 6) Management skills to sustain company strengths and future growth 7) Commitment to small-scale farmer welfare and environmental protection 1 COMACO's commercial unit derives most of its revenue from the product of It's WIld! sales and will be self-supporting by the end of Its farmer support services unit is entirely dependent on donor assistance. 2 Conservation dividend fund is conditional on COMACO's cash flow capacity to reward communities for their compliance to their Community Conservation Plan and meeting specific conservation targets. Other funding sourcessourced by COMACO and its partners could be used for this purpose. 3 Community support fund will be supported from carbon market revenues COMACO is currently developing on behalf of its producer group cooperatives as well as other funding sources it may secure for this purpose 11

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