Effective Monitoring of Land Access - Term Paper Example

Land monitoring Name Institution Subject Instructor Date Abstract Land management systems involves putting land resource into excellent utilization and, includes the entire aspect of managing land and natural resources with an objective of achieving development that is sustainable. Land consists of the entire built and natural settings including natural resources and all the properties associated with land. Land management structures involving organization vary from country to country and from region to region globally. This paper elucidates the land management system that involves that are resources found in farm. This would mainstream on the environment resource such as water resource. Table Contents Table Contents 4 1 Introduction 5 1.1 Sustainability aspect addressed by MERI 6 1.2Taking stock of progress in Land monitoring of environmental resources 7 2 Organizations in Land Monitoring 8 2.1Functions of monitoring 8 2.1.1 Monitoring by IGOs 9 2.2 Evaluation 9 2.3 Reporting 10 2.4 Improvement 10 3 Significance of MERI 11 4 Commonwealth Environmental Water 11 4.1 The MERI framework on CEW has an approach that 12 4.1.1 Proper governance and accountability 12 4.1.2 Constitutional obligations 12 4.1.3 CEW use of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement framework 13 5 Discussions 15 6 Conclusion 16 1 Introduction In monitoring and evaluating the land management system, MERI provides a framework based on monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement and is a key aspect in handling and controlling important assets including natural resource as noted by Gurran (2011). Financial, social, human, physical and natural assets are the major elements in natural resource management (NRM). Monitoring consists of the gathering and examination of information to aid in the making of decisions, guaranteeing responsibility and giving the ground for learning and evaluation. It involves measuring of the essential factors of NRM projects especially in very critical natural systems there is uncertainty of the results from exploits. Monitoring and evaluation enables people to be conversant with previous experiences, to allocate and control the resources and to show the outcomes. Evaluation comprises of the evaluation of the results from monitoring compared to the objectives with a view to establish the development made and to identify whether the used frameworks are the right measures. Moreover, it includes time to time determination of the suitability of a project, program or policy by assessing the research methods used to prepare orderly information that can aid in performance improvement. As noted by Moudon (2000), specific reports are needed to demonstrate the level to which the intervention or the investment has realized development towards the set outcomes or targets. There is a need to continuously improve the results of the programs or the projects from continuous adaptation, analysis and discovery and to create an atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to reflect essentially on the efficiency of certain activities and investments. 1.1 Sustainability aspect addressed by MERI It gives details on the extensive conceptual framework that is used for accountability, continuous improvement and learning by assessing the NRM frameworks. Secondly, it’s meant to act as a roadmap used to implement and develop plans for evaluation both at the investment and program levels. Ideally, Land remains a crucial national asset thus thorough and comprehensive monitoring remains an important development policy. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting provide the feedback which makes it possible for implementers of projects to be held accountable thus building success for the project and preventing recurrence of failures later. Evaluation and monitoring also provide the platform for democratic governance, participation by the society, informed policy making and ensure the accountability by policy makers and implementers of projects (Moudon, 2000). Land monitoring comes in handy where issues of land access and tenure are disputable and politicized since It helps promote a constructive , all inclusive and a dialogue based on evidence about land thus acting as a tool for empowerment and enabling public participation. Taking ties broader view, it is prudent that land monitoring remains a fundamental part for the process of land governance. Effective monitoring of land access and tenure has proved to substantiate policy reform cases and policy design. It makes it possible for the state to carry out assessment of performance in administration, implementation of policies and the evaluation of policy effectiveness. It is thus a tool to gauge the outcomes like tenure security, land access for the impoverished in the society and gauge the effects of land policies on sustainability, food security and poverty levels. 1.2Taking stock of progress in Land monitoring of environmental resources Monitoring of issues related to land remains at its infancy stage compared to other developed policies in the country. Previously, the issues about land had remained sidelined but currently they are regaining the needed attention courtesy of the growing recognition of the need to have clear and effective land tenure for improved food security and sustainable development. The recent emergence of large scale international land acquisition has necessitated attention to the issue of land. There has been a greater threat posed by commercial land tenure to the poor in developing countries where most of the poor residents hold customary land tenure not recognized by the law. The contentious issue is the fact that land harbors most of natural resources such as water. However, this pressure is acting for the good of the poor peasants in regions where their tenure is recognized in the tenure since they can open informed negotiations freely with commercial developers for joint investments. Therefore, land monitoring and tenure is very important since it is needed for the provision of information about well informed investment decisions by all concerned parties and gauging the impacts of such commercial pressures. 2 Organizations in Land Monitoring There has been clamor for a standardized monitoring system which would act as the reference point for the variant sectors and organizations around the globe (Wallace & Williamson, 2006). The LGAF (land governance assessment framework) is seen as the basis for such activity with other collaborators like the civil society and intergovernmental organs through the network provided by ILC. However, this has never been arrived at since LGAF is not in a position to meet all the variant monitoring needs across all sectors by the organizations. In the report we look at the different monitoring reports done by various organizations, their limitations and effects, how they are performed and what they require (UN ECE , 2005). A number of international organizations are currently being involved in development of issues about land, to add on this, quite a number have gathered substantial data on the issue of land. However, the global initiatives are minimal and are spearheading by IGOs. At the national and local spheres, a number of small-scale and innovative initiatives are being carried out by the civil society. 2.1Functions of monitoring Land monitoring is spoken by many as if a single monitoring system and a number of indicators could be applied universally but it should be recognized that land issues are designed by different organizations to serve different purposes and to be used in different ways. For comparability, it needs different requirements, data and geographical scopes therefore there is no set of indicators and data can suit all the indicators. 2.1.1 Monitoring by IGOs The land initiatives implemented by IGOs are intended for three functions; State monitoring: the focus of the IGOs include human rights and the non binding commitments by the state which include declaration by conferences and other international conventions. In this area, they have explicit and uncontrolled mandate to engage in the process (Andersen, 2000). This monitoring is focused mainly on the performance by the country and the global scope.tis monitoring method relies on official statistics and other reporting mechanisms. Policy advocacy monitoring-these have a global scope and they rank states as per their performances on the standardized indicators. In this, a number of systems like Human Development Index, official statistics are used while others like the DBS rely on expert assessment panels. The IGOs implement programmes which support the specify national systems of monitoring. Fund Allocation monitoring- data is gathered to inform fund allocation. The monitoring exercise results are either made public 2.2 Evaluation Evaluation of land management system is an essential factor to consider when managing and planning natural resources. At every stage of the investment, planning and carrying out of the necessary programs is critical. MERI provides a basis for fine tuning, reviewing, assessing and strengthening NRM’s plans and practices to make sure that continuous and sustainable improvement is achieved (Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010). It facilitates the guidelines for the assessment of performance of the outlined programs and changes experienced over duration of time, especially in the long term, short term and intermediate periods. In addition, MERI gives the prospect or the framework of enabling project design or program improvement with the aim of revising policy or strategy of the investment all over its entire life. As noted in World Bank (2003), this framework, stresses on assets and its significance to human beings as regards its opportunities and ensuring the wellbeing and resources for consumption by man. Measuring of preservation, replenishment, conservation and repair of natural resources is carried out through an asset based framework (Young, 2000). Moreover, it consists of a plan to improve the condition of an asset by creation of a logic or theory of adjustment to direct the deed. This in addition aids in coming up with dimensions for controlling and assessing the variance in the asset during some given time, effectiveness, relevance and efficiency of varying interventions and the impact of the deed. 2.3 Reporting It is the requirement of the commonwealth to maintain high levels of transparency in the operations as stipulated in the statutory and non-statutory reporting .in this; we have a regular reporting as part of the broad public service requirements to achieve accountability and proper governance. In the Murray Basin and reserve, all monitoring and evaluation work results are published and continuously producing annual environmental reports summarizing all the environmental outcomes. 2.4 Improvement An adaptive management driven by an effective monitoring and evaluation system is used. It is usually based on the various works done by research institutions and other results from Commonwealth Environmental Water. It is usually based on evaluation of the ecological outcomes and is affected through the refinement of future watering actions and the yearly and long term portfolio plans. The Murray Basin improvement process includes a thorough review of the mechanisms and the multi discipline stakeholder involvement, activity selection to test the hypothesis using ecosystem-scale experiments and the incorporation of new knowledge into management, planning and decision making. 3 Significance of MERI MERI creates the connection between the monitoring, planning and evaluation of programs and adaptive management in natural resource management. Secondly, it facilitates a framework to direct the development of comprehensive evaluation questions with regards to the impact, efficiency, suitability, usefulness and legacy of natural resource management programs and policies (McKenzie, 2008). Thirdly, it guides the development of sensible investment initiatives involving timeframes and scales and through generating targets that can be achieved. The capacity of reporting of the performance of the natural resource management programs can be advanced through MERI. Improvement of the programs performance, targets and projects as a result of progress of the measurement of the success and limitations of strategies facilitates the growth of advanced policies and systems for sustainable management of the resources. 4 Commonwealth Environmental Water The water act 2007 of the commonwealth formed an autonomous legislative position used to monitor and control the CEW asset with an aim to conserve, restore, preserve and protect the assets in the environment along the basin of the Murray-Darling. MERI are essential factors of the NRM and more so in immensely important natural structures where the results the deeds present great uncertainty (Maliva & Missimer, 2012). MERI in Commonwealth environmental water is used to: first, it’s used to direct on the procedure and means through which the CEW utilization is prioritized. Secondly, it’s used to inform the progress and enhancement of the models used for prediction of the reaction of the eco-system, upon which assessment of the environmental watering is made. Finally, it directs the determination of the fields in which more scientific knowhow might be needed to assist in execution and planning of the programs. 4.1 The MERI framework on CEW has an approach that Assists in putting up knowledge based on the foundation. Encourages appropriate governance and accountability Facilitates management which is adaptive. 4.1.1 Proper governance and accountability CEW complies with certain obligations and conditions of the policy and legal structure such as the 1999 act dealing with public service. MERI system makes sure that CEW maintains good standards of transparency, governance, integrity, accountability and efficiency of the public sector. 4.1.2 Constitutional obligations The Act dealing with the MERI for CEW contains the following provisions: A report on the management of the CEW is submitted every year to the minister for environment who tables the report in the parliament and thereafter all the ministers of state of the relevant basin states are provided with a copy of the report (Commonwealth of Australia, 2013). The report illustrates the accomplishments of the environmental watering strategy of the Murray-Darling Basin as compared to the set goals. Societies of the commonwealth are obligated to execute their duties in a way that commands change as regards the basin plan. The Authority of the Murray Basin is obligated to constitute a plan of the basin which will lie down. Sustainable limits for diversion to enable the water to be exploited from the ground and surface for consumption. CEW is mandated to give information on water relating to the held right and operation to the meteorology bureau of Australia. 4.1.3 CEW use of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement framework The execution of MERI is done in line with NRM- natural resource management of the Australian government which aids the assessment of the development in achievement of the purpose of the CEW. Various approaches are used for assessment at three levels: the long term, short term and intermediate scales. Major aspects of the MERI system as outlined by the Australian government include: Evaluation which develops sustainable NRM through the promotion of key assets by targeting and through an approach that is asset based. Reporting is essential in MERI as it insists on the impact and the results which also consist of result stage at the middle level. The act of determining the condition of assets and the variation in their state over time through monitoring program. The processes of assessment, research and adaptive management is achieved through engaging all the partners and also through an approach to investment that is integrated. The evaluation and monitoring of the CEW of the basin plan applies the following principles: a) Program logic is the framework used in the evaluation and monitoring. It refers to the planning process which gives a foundation on the way the CEW gives to the long term, mid-level and intermediate result by the basin plan. It facilitates the grounds upon which making decisions and planning is done. b) The countries involved in the CEW work together on operational and the technological aspects of assessment and monitoring so as to encourage ownership. c) This may be evaluated in a risk based method. d) To enable improvements to be carried out easily in the future the findings of the evaluation and of the basin monitoring is carried out through an adaptive management approach. e) Additionally, MERI frameworks for the programs are implemented through sharing of duties among the states involved. Monitoring of the commonwealth environmental water of the Murray-Darling basin is carried out in three stages across different scales so as it can line with the program logic and is done through a program, operational and intervention level. Designing is done for each method of monitoring so that it can align with the expected results of the environmental watering program. 5 Discussions This monitoring is used to give yearly report giving information on the direct environmental response and assessment of the amount of the water delivered as per the arrangement, the volume of flow, location and frequency of the flow. Through proper governance, reporting is based on adherence of timelines and the content standard through operational monitoring (Lindenmayer & Gibbons, 2012). The operational monitoring is agreed by all the development partners in the project and includes extend and the depth, the connectivity changes in the environmental assets and the hydrologic components of the flow regime. The monitoring tools used include remote sensing, gauging and photo point monitoring. The use of intervention monitoring focuses mainly on the knowledge and understanding of the response of the ecology to the environmental water at the catchment. on this, we have the targeted intervention monitoring which is undertaken for the selected water catchment and involves a detailed monitoring of the main indicators to enable the assessment of actions where there might arise discrepancies in the outcomes and allow the linking of ecological outcomes to water delivery. On the other hand, we have the intensive intervention monitoring which asses the ecological responses to environmental waters over different times and the extrapolation of results for future cost effectiveness by the use of aid models. The intensive monitoring is usually guided by the possibility of receiving timely application of commonwealth water in future and biological, hydrological and physiochemical monitoring systems which are cost effective. The monitoring and indicator sites are mostly needed for the establishment of confidence to help achieve objectives at every planning scale. The design of the intensive monitoring including the selection of the site and the predictive models is usually designed following a planning process which is program logic mainly to establish the causal effect relationships and the objectives. The intensive monitoring seeks to permit sequence assessment of the watering events over a period of years in the reserve relative to the objectives to allow the reporting of the processes to help achieve the ecological objectives of EWP. 6 Conclusion In conclusion, implementation of land management system is usually undertaken at different timescales aligning with the program logic in periods of less than five years. It is usually based on the monitoring discussed and guided by the planning required as stipulated in the Basin plan Schedule. It usually aggregates the results of the monitoring and incorporates the contextual information in order to indentify the information gaps existing to build new knowledge, support the improvement in the conservation of environment in order to meet the commonwealth objectives and lastly demonstrate the outcomes and how it has helped achieve the Basin plan objectives. This aids in monitoring the natural available resources and ensuring that they are sustainable. References Andersen, A. N. (2000). The ants of northern Australia: A guide to the monsoonal fauna. Collingwood, Vic: CSIRO Pub. Commonwealth of Australia (2013). Monitoring evaluation reporting and improvement (MERI) Gurran, N. (2011). Australian urban land use planning: Principles, systems and practice. Sydney: Sydney University Press. Economic Co-operation and Development. (2010). Trends in urbanization and urban policies in OECD countries: What lessons for China. Paris: OECD. Lindenmayer, D., & Gibbons, P. (2012). 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