Project Proposal to the Global Environment Facility by the United Nations Development Programme's Regional Bureau for Africa and the Lesotho National Environment Secretariat

Biodiversity Conservation and Watershed Management in the
Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho in Southern Africa

1. Country/Sector Background/Context

The land-locked southern African Kingdom of Lesotho occupies an area of some 30,400 square kilometers, much of which is rugged mountainous terrain, with peaks of the Drakensberg and Maloti mountains rising to 3,482 meters (11,424 feet). Local climatic conditions are largely altitude dependant, and subject to wide seasonal and geographical variation. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 600mm in the southern and western lowlands to 1,600mm in the north-eastern highlands, where frost, heavy snowfall and hail storms are common during winter months. Precipitation levels are amongst the highest in the region. Nevertheless, the country remains vulnerable to recurrent periods of drought, as has been the case in recent years.

 Centre of Endemicity

The Drakensberg and Maloti mountains are a wilderness area of outstanding natural beauty and a centre of regional biodiversity, with extensive zones of Afro-Alpine[1] and Afro-Montane[2] vegetation, unique wetland habitats[3] and high levels of endemicity[4]. The Afro-Alpine zone is the principal location of this type of vegetation in southern Africa, and its unique floral composition merits distinction as a separate phytochorion, the Austral Afro-Alpine, which is transitional between the temperate floras to the south, and the tropical floras to the north, and is characterised by its range of endemic species.

 High mountain systems are recognised as biogeographical islands, and typically support plant and animal communities found nowhere else. The highlands of Lesotho and the Drakensberg range are no exception. Recent field studies[5] confirm the presence of at least 1,375 species of plants, 250 species of birds, 50 species of mammals and 30 species of amphibians and reptiles. An unusually high proportion of plant species (30%) are endemic to the area[6]. In addition, 20% of the birds found in the area, two antelope species, and a variety of small mammals, reptiles and fish species are endemic to southern Africa.

 There is also an abundance of archaeological and palaeontological sites of major scientific importance, which form part of a wider natural and cultural heritage worthy of protection. Considerable scope, therefore, exists for development of tourism and ecotourism, but this will require careful management, sensitive to the needs and aspiration of local, mainly pastoral, communities.

 Strategically Important Water Resources

The highlands are also the location of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), a major multilaterally funded scheme for the capture and transfer of water to the industrial heartlands of South Africa, and the generation of hydro-electricity in Lesotho. The scheme is planned for implementation in phases over a thirty year period, and should provide substantial royalties for Lesotho well into the next century. Construction work on Katse dam and Phase 1A of the project began in 1990, with various components due for completion during 1996-8. Phase IB is currently at the design stage and an environmental impact assessment is being prepared. Advance infrastructure for Phase IB is currently being built and construction of the Mohale dam, Matsoku weir and associated tunnels is planned for 1997 - 2003.

 Increasing Competition for Finite Resources

Lesotho has a human population of approximately 2 million, increasing at a rate of 2.6% per annum. If current trends continue, numbers will double by the year 2020. Less than 10% of the land area is suitable for arable farming, and agricultural productivity is generally low. Most of the population is concentrated in the less mountainous western third of the country, where competition for limited land resources is intense, and soil erosion is widespread. 90% of household energy needs for cooking and heating are derived from biomass, in the form of fuelwood, shrubs, dung and crop residues. As a consequence, stocks of woody vegetation have been severely depleted, and the beneficial effects of manuring crops are limited. Livestock outnumber people by a substantial margin, and are maintained at stocking levels well above long term carrying capacity, resulting in extensive degradation of rangelands.

 Renewable natural resources are under increasingly severe pressure throughout Lesotho. There is an urgent need to initiate a concerted programme of action to conserve biodiversity, protect habitats and promote sustainable forms of development and resource management. Highland areas are particularly vulnerable and require special attention. An integrated long term programme of watershed management is required.

 NEAP, Agenda 21 and the National Environment Secretariat

In 1989, Lesotho was one of the first country’s in Africa to prepare a National Environmental Action Plan[7], which was revised, in 1994, to reflect the principles of Agenda 21[8] and is co-ordinated by the Prime Minister’s National Environment Secretariat (NES). Lesotho ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity on 10 January 1995, and a conceptual framework for the conservation and management of biodiversity[9] has been endorsed by the Secretariat. The global environment objectives of this project are to: support the principles of Agenda 21; strengthen capacity for biodiversity conservation; and support the management and sustainable development of the Senqu (=Orange) river basin in southern Africa.

Global environmental benefits anticipated for this project will be: the protection of unique Afro-Alpine and Afro-Montane habitats; the conservation of associated communities of rare and endangered species; and the adoption of sustainable land management practices in head water catchments of the economically most significant international river systems in the region.

The long term goal of the project is to establish sound foundations for an integrated and well co-ordinated programme of effective biodiversity conservation, land use planning and watershed management in Lesotho. Specific project objectives to achieve this goal include:

·       strengthening biodiversity conservation and watershed management capacity;

·       promotion of trans-boundary and regional co-operation;

·       consolidation, updating and dissemination of information;

·       awareness building and educational outreach;

·       participation of local communities; and

·       oversight and monitoring compliance of component field project activities by the National Environment Secretariat.

3. Project Description

The project will strengthen national capacity for biodiversity conservation and watershed management in Lesotho and promote their effective implementation, through provision of technical support to the National Environment Secretariat in the Prime Minister’s Office. A core management unit will be established to initiate, co-ordinate and oversee an umbrella programme of inter-related project activities, supported by various agencies. Key components of the overall programme are summarised below:

 Programme Management, Co-ordination and Training Unit

Lesotho’s National Environment Secretariat was established in 1994, with the support of UNDP, and has broad responsibility for overseeing implementation of Agenda 21 initiatives, including the conservation of biological diversity and the promotion of sustainable mountain development. The Secretariat is, however, severely stretched and under-resourced for the wide range of responsibilities that are being trust upon it. The project will, therefore, provide much needed technical and material support for the establishment of a core biodiversity programme management, co-ordination and training unit within the Secretariat. The unit will provide a focal point for all activities related to biodiversity conversation and watershed management. It will also be responsible for the designation of collaborative links and establishment of a National Biodiversity Database and Geographical Information System, fully compatible with regional hardware and software standards.

 Trans-Boundary Collaboration, Community Participation and Land Use Planning for Alpine and Montane Biodiversity Conservation - Precursor to Watershed Management

The Drakensberg-Maloti Mountains Conservation Programme[10], currently being considered for funding by the European Union, will eventually cover some 5,000 square kilometers of the highest Alpine and Mountain zones on the north-eastern border region between Lesotho and South Africa. The twin aims of this initiative, which is endorsed by the Kwazulu-Natal Parks Board, are to integrate the conservation of a unique environment in southern Africa, and the development needs of the people whose lives depend on it. The project includes participatory rural appraisal, conservation of natural resources, ecotourism management and development, education and training, and production of an integrated land use plan for the area.

 In the first instance, it is envisaged that a two year pilot phase will concentrate on an initial target area of some 1,000 square kilometers, one fifth of the total project area. Comprehensive strategies for husbandry of livestock, conservation of natural resources, ecotourism, environmental education and extension and sustainable land use will be prepared during the pilot phase. A vehicular track up Sani Pass will be upgraded and three trekking huts will be constructed between Sehlabathebe and Sani Top. During the initial two year pilot phase it is also envisaged that Lesotho will become a signatory of the World Heritage and Ramser Conventions, and that Sehlabathebe National Park will be designated as a trans-frontier World Heritage and Ramser site, together with the Natal Drakensberg Park.

 Private Sector and Community Participation in Nature Reserve Development and Biodiversity Conservation - Precursor to Watershed Management

As part of its overall mandate to implement the LHWP, the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has responsibility for promoting and assisting developments within the project area, including environmental conservation and ecotourism. Four areas have been identified for conservation and development: Bokong, Ts’ehlanyane, Muela and Liphofung Cave. All activities relating to the planning, implementation and management of these sites are to be contracted out to the private sector for a minimum period of five years[11]. Contractual responsibilities will include:

·       Provision of complete management services, including hiring and management of all staff, provision of all administrative, supervisory, educational, scientific and other required services, and liaison with all concerned bodies and communities;

·       Promulgation of the reserves as fully protected areas in terms of all appropriate legislation and regulations, and with the full concordance of all local communities and authorities;

·       Preparation of detailed conservation, development and management plans of all reserves;

·       Construction of all necessary facilities for management and utilisation of reserves according to approved plans;

·       Development and management of ecotourism potential, including advertising and marketing; and

·       Organisation of local community participation in all phases of nature reserve development and management.

If successful, the delegation of such management responsibilities to the private sector has far reaching implications for the future of biodiversity conservation, both within Lesotho and further afield, in the wider region of southern Africa.

 Inventory of Plant Genetic Resources and Ethno-botanical Survey

A recent review of Lesotho’s plant genetic resources[12] stresses the need to rehabilitate and upgrade facilities at the National Plant Genetic Resources Centre in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Herbarium at the National University of Lesotho. The review also emphasises the importance of training, and the establishment a cadre of knowledgeable and experienced staff. To this end, the review gave high priority to the implementation of a two year pilot project to prepare the ground for an inventory of plant genetic resources, strengthen national capacity in this regard, and assist in policy formulation. A review of ethno-botanical literature relating to Lesotho, and a survey of current usage are also required.

 The proposed GEF project will provide technical and material support to strengthen the National Plant Genetic Resources Centre and the University Herbarium, reinforce regional links, and assist in the design and implementation of a national inventory of plant genetic resources. Networking and technical backstopping arrangements will established with the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre based in Lusaka, Zambia, and the GEF supported Regional Capacity Building Network for Southern African Botanical Diversity[13], co-ordinated by the National Botanical Institute of South Africa.

 Curriculum Development, Awareness Building and Outreach

The management and conservation of biological resources require a sound knowledge of biology and the principles of ecology. Greater emphasis is to be given to training and expanded coverage of these subjects, both at school and university. The project will support NES in its endeavours to promote appropriate forms of curriculum development, through the Ministry of Education and the National University of Lesotho.

 In the final analysis, biodiversity conservation depends on the attitudes and activities of people and local communities. People are the de facto managers of biodiversity and land resources in Lesotho. It is, therefore, essential that local communities understand the purpose, and recognise the value, of sustainable management and conservation of these resources. Land tenure and resource ownership are central issues, which must be addressed. Pitsos(=public meetings), media campaigns and school education programmes are vitally important channels of communication for the dissemination of ideas, promotion of environmental awareness at all levels of society, and consideration of the complex, interrelated issues of land management and sustainable use of resources. Lesotho’s Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation includes a comprehensive outreach programme, to be co-ordinated by NES and supported by the project, which will make use of these channels to promote environmental education, sustainable resource management and public awareness.

4. Rationale for GEF Financing

The project addresses a range priority concerns to GEF, including: biodiversity conservation in a regional centre of endemicity; trans-boundary co-operation; capacity building; Agenda 21 initiatives to support sustainable watershed management and mountain development; and regulation of international waters. Considerable potential exists for synergy between project components and the amplification of benefits through integrated programme implementation.

 Private sector, community-based, biodiversity conservation management will be explored during the course of the project. If successful, lessons learnt form this novel approach to nature conservation might well be applied elsewhere in southern Africa.

 Specifically concerning the Convention on Biological Diversity, the project will support: co-operation between parties (Article 5); development of integrated national conservation strategies; (Article 6); identification and monitoring of biological diversity (Article 7); in-situ and ex-situ conservation (Articles 8 & 9); research and training (Article 12); public education and awareness (Article 13); and technical and scientific co-operation (Article 18).

5. Sustainability and Participation

Government Commitment

Lesotho was one of the first countries in Africa to prepare a National Environmental Action Plan[14], and a National Environment Secretariat (NES) has recently been established in the Office of the Prime Minister. Amongst many other functions, the Secretariat is responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing implementation of Agenda 21 initiatives in Lesotho, which have been incorporated in a revised action plan[15] and include the Conservation of Biodiversity and the Promotion of Sustainable Mountain Development, as priority concerns of Government.

 At a recent national workshop[16] on environmental awareness and public participation in the environmental impact assessment of the next phase of LHWP, the Minister of Natural Resources reconfirmed Government’s commitment to successful implementation of the project, and emphasised the importance of resolving outstanding environmental and social issues.

 Financial

The primary purpose of the LHWP (paid for by South Africa) is to deliver quality water to the population centres and industrial heartlands of South Africa, for which Lesotho will receive royalty payments, currently projected to be in the order of US$55 million per annum, when the project becomes fully operational. A secondary “spin-off” of the delivery process is the generation of electricity (paid for by Lesotho), which in due course will provide additional revenues.

 Effective watershed management, including biodiversity conservation, land use planning, zonation of activities, reduced soil erosion and pollution control will maintain water quality and extend the useful life of the project, through reduced levels of sedimentation and will, thus, contribute to the sustained flow of benefits to both Lesotho and South Africa.

 The key to long term sustainability of project impact and the financing of future recurrent costs, is the allocation of a proportion of water export royalties from LHWP to the maintenance of an integrated biodiversity and environmental management programme. A tax might also be levied on future hydro-electric power generation and tourism. However, these possibilities remain very much in the future, and there is an obvious need to commence the process of biodiversity conservation and watershed management sooner, rather than later.

 Given that it will be some time before these revenues come fully on stream, an innovative form of project finance to be considered is the establishment of a 10-20 year “sinking” fund[17]. Such a fund would extend the security of project financing beyond the regular 5-8 year Bank-GEF project life, and could be progressively replaced by a levy on increasing revenues from the export of water and development of tourism.

 Stakeholder Commitment

In common with others of its kind, the project has a wide range of potential stakeholders, with a variety of concerns and differing levels of commitment. These include: affected groups of both consumptive (farmers, herdsmen and gathers) and non-consumptive users (tourists and recreational users); implementing agency staff (NES, LHDA, Ministries of Agriculture, Education and Natural Resources, consultants and contractors); national and regional policy makers; national and international NGOs (Lesotho Council for NGOs; Highlands Church Action Group, Wildlife Society of South Africa and the World Wide Fund for Nature); international donors - multi-lateral and bilateral (European Union, World Bank, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom); the commercial banking sector funding LHWP; national and regional universities and research organisation; and private sector groups: hoteliers and tour group operators.

 Directly affected community stakeholders, living in and around the four LHWP areas to be developed as nature reserves, or utilising the resources of the Alpine and Montane zones, are of particular significance. Precise estimates of the number of directly affected families are not currently available, but population densities in highland areas are relatively low and poverty levels are worse than elsewhere in Lesotho[18].

 General public and local community participation and support are recognised to be of critical importance to the long sustainability biodiversity conservation and watershed management in Lesotho. Three of the main components of the proposed programme, specifically address this issue: Trans-Boundary Collaboration, Community Participation and Land Use Planning for Alpine and Montane Biodiversity Conservation; Private Sector and Community Participation in Nature Reserve Development; and Curriculum Development, Awareness Building and Outreach.

 Incentive and Regulatory Systems

An appropriate incentive and regulatory system for biodiversity conservation and watershed management has not yet been established in Lesotho, although draft legislation for an Environmental Policy and Protection Order[19] has been prepared, and is currently being revised. One of the many duties of NES is to ensure the passage of effective environmental legislation in Lesotho, as a matter of urgency.

6. Lessons Learnt and Technical Review

Lesotho has yet to receive direct project support from GEF, although it is one of ten countries participating in a regional network to train botanists and plant taxonomists in Southern Africa[20]. Recent strategic reviews of Lesotho’s biodiversity priorities[21] and environmental concerns[22] have emphasised the need for co-ordination of environmentally related activities and equitable representation of interest groups in the decision making process.

 The proposed project will build on the experiences and achievements of successful community based projects[23], which have demonstrated the efficacy of demand driven participatory development and support for grass-roots initiatives involving village/district level land use planning, production through conservation and range management[24]. Regional co-operation, private sector participation and technical back-stopping are also of paramount importance to the success and long term sustainability, and will be actively promoted by the project.

 7. Project Financing and Budget

Detailed funding arrangements have yet to be established, but various contributors to the LHWP, including the European Union and the World Bank, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, are potentially interested in supporting the programme. Some of the larger regional and international NGOs, including the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa and the World Wide Fund for Nature, may also be willing to participate. An indicative budget is presented in the following table: 

 8. Incremental Cost and Cost Effectiveness

For the purposes of establishing the incremental cost of the programme[25], the most appropriate baseline for such calculations is considered to be the predicted future outcome without the project. Proposals for private sector management and development of four nature reserves are currently being evaluated by LHDA and a contract is due to be signed by April 1996. It is also understood that proposals for a pilot study of community participation and land use planning for alpine and montane biodiversity conservation are soon to be approved by the European Union for implementation in early 1996. Under prevailing economic circumstances in Lesotho, however, it is most unlikely that other capacity building activities of the programme will be implemented in the foreseeable future, unless they are fully funded from external sources. Hence, the baseline for remaining components of the programme is effectively zero, and the incremental cost is put at US$2.225million.

 The proposed project will address a range of issues of fundamental importance to the sustainable development of southern Africa: biodiversity conservation; watershed management; capacity building; and regional co-operation. As such the project is considered to be a sound and justifiable investment. In the long term, it is anticipated that recurrent costs will be met from royalties on the export of water from Lesotho to South Africa. Cost-effectiveness is difficult to assess under such circumstance and very much depends on the future price of water. However, an early, formal start to the integration of biodiversity conservation and watershed management is clearly desirable.

 9.  Issues, Actions and Risks

·       Biodiversity conservation and watershed management promoted through community participation, regional co-operation and international support;

·       Nature reserves established and development through private sector management, community participation and international support;

·       Limited national capacity for biodiversity conservation and watershed management enhanced through curriculum development, environmental awareness and regional networking;

·       Sustainability of project impact will very much depend on continuation of the LHWP and establishment of an effective mechanism for funding recurrent expenditure to maintain a long-term integrated programme of biodiversity conservation and watershed management.

10. Institutional Framework and Project Implementation

The National Environment Secretariat was established in the Office of the Prime Minister with the support of UNDP, and has the specific purpose of overseeing and co-ordinating environmental affairs in Lesotho. The Secretariat is, therefore, the obvious location for a core unit, to plan and run the Biodiversity Conservation and Watershed Management Programme, with local supervision from UNDP.

 A comprehensive plan of programme activities has yet to be formulated, but it is worth noting that two of the proposed programme components: Trans-boundary Collaboration, Community Participation and Land Use Planning for Alpine and Montane Biodiversity Conservation, proposed for EU support, and the LHWP sub-contracted project for Private Sector and Community Participation in the Development and Management of Nature Reserves, are both due to commence in early 1996. A draft environmental impact assessment of Phase IB of the LHWP and a draft environmental action plan of mitigation measures are currently being prepared, and should be available for review by mid 1996.

 Definition of specific programme milestones must await more detailed project formulation. Specific status indicators would be established for each component of the programme and monitoring and evaluation arrangements would conform with GEF guidelines.

11. Bibliography

[2] White, F., 1978. The Afro-Montane Region. Chapter 11, pp 463-514 in Werger, M.J.A., (editor) Biogeography and Ecology of Southern Africa. The Hague: Dr. W. Junk B.V.

[3] Davies B.R., J.H. O’Keeffe and C.D. Snaddon, 1993. A Synthesis of Ecological Functioning, Conservation and Management of South African River Ecosystems. Water Research Commission, Pretoria, South Africa. WRC Report No. TT62/93.

[4] Talukdar, S. 1994. Botanical Diversity and its Conservation in Lesotho. pp75-92 in: Huntley, B.J. (Editor), 1994. Botanical Diversity in Southern Africa. Proceedings of a Conference on the Conservation and Utilisation of Southern African Botanical Diversity, Cape Town, September 1993. Strelitzia 1. Pretoria, South Africa: National Botanical Institute.

[5] Bainbridge, W.R., B. Motsamai and L.C. Weaver, 1991. Report of the Drakensberg/Maloti Conservation Programme. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa: Natal Parks Board.

[6] Hilliard, O.M. and B.L. Burtt, 1987. The Botany of the Southern Natal Drakensberg. Natal Botanic Gardens; Cape Town: CTP Book Printers.

[7] National Environmental Action Plan. Government Printer, Maseru. June 1989.

[8] National Action Plan to Implement Agenda 21. Ministry of Economic Planning and Manpower Development, and National Environment Secretariat, Maseru. May 1994.

[9] Conceptual Framework for Biodiversity Management in Lesotho. Mission report by David Bourn to the Forest Resources Division of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. April 1995.

[10] Outline Project Proposal for European Union Funding for the Drakensberg-Maloti Mountains Conservation Programme. Natural Resources Institute of the U.K. Overseas Development Administration. August 1995.

[11] Contract LHDA 604: Development and Management of Nature Reserves in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 1A Area. Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, Maseru. 25 September 1995.

[12] Draft Country Report of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the International Conference and Programme for Plant Genetic Resources.  National Plant Genetic Resources Committee, Maseru. 1995.

[13] Regional Capacity Building Network for Southern African Botanical Diversity. Global Environment Facility Project Brief. 1995.

[14] op. cit. 7

[15] op. cit. 8

[16] Proceedings of National Workshop on Environmental Awareness and Public Participation in the Environmental Impact Assessment of Phase IB of Lesotho Highlands Water Project. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and National Environment Secretariat, Maseru 11-12 October 1995.

[17] Financing Innovation and Instruments. Paper presented by John Newcombe, Chief, Global Environment Co-ordination Division of The World Bank to the Regional Conference on Biodiversity Conservation, Asian Development Bank. 6-8 June, 1994.

[18] Sechaba Consultants, 1994. Poverty in Lesotho, 1994, A Mapping Exercise. Government of Lesotho Working Paper, funded by the European Community and the World Bank.

[19] Witzsch, G. and D. Ambrose, 1992. Lesotho Environment and Environment Law. Roma, Lesotho: National University of Lesotho, Faculty of Law, Environmental Law Project.

[20]op. cit. 13

[21]op. cit. 9.

[22] Strengthening Lesotho’s National Environment Secretariat. Mission Report by David Bourn and Seeiso Liphuko to United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme. December 1993.

[23]Project Success Stories: Lessons from Lesotho. United Nations Development Programme, Maseru. April 1994.

[24]A Review and Analysis of Land Tenure in Lesotho with Recommendations for Reform. Report by D.R. Phororo and P.P. Letuka. United Nations Development Programme, Maseru. June 1993.