INTERNATIONAL WATERS
EXPERIENCE NOTES

http://www.iwlearn.net/experience








2006-005

Lessons-learned Reporting on
Stakeholder Involvement: Pantanal and
Upper Paraguay




Abstract: The new Brazilian Water Law placed special emphasis on the implementation of decentralized
and participatory management of water resources at the basin level. The approach taken during the early
project preparation phase was based on the assumption that the most effective way to actively involve
main stakeholders in the project is to involve them directly in the formulation and execution of project
activities. The established collaboration with universities, research institutes, NGOs, consultants, local
governments, and governmental institutions during the SAP formulation phase creates the basis for the
institutional arrangements required to implement the SAP, and ensures the active and effective participation
of local stakeholders in the implementation process. The Pantanal experience in involving basin
stakeholders was implemented in the conditions of a single country and in the context of relatively well-
established and qualified institutions, social organizations, and water users which were capable of
mobilizing technical and research resources for their direct participation in the proposed demonstration
projects and feasibility studies.

Isabelle Vanderbeck, isabelle.vanderbeck@unep.org
Nelson da Franca, nelsonf@oeabrasil.com.br
Maria Apostolova, mapostolova@oas.org
Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Practices for
the Pantanal and Upper Paraguay River Basin
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Lessons Learned Reporting on Stakeholder Involvement: Pantanal
and Upper Paraguay

Experience of the GEF sponsored

"Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Practices for the
Pantanal and Upper Paraguay River Basin"
GEF Project ID: 583



PROJECT DESCRIPTION
ISSUE AND CHALLENGE


The main objective of the Project was to
(a) Transboundary Water Management (TWM)
promote the formulation and implementation of a
Issue: Demonstration Site Selection
Strategic Action Program (SAP) for the

Integrated Management of the Pantanal and
The project was conceived at the time of the
Upper Paraguay River Basin (UPRB). Project
discussion and subsequent approval of the new
activities were designed to enhance the
Brazilian Water Law, which is based on five
environmental functioning of the predominant
basic principles in water resources
ecological system, protect the wetland
management: hydrographic basin as a planning
biodiversity, and implement strategic activities
unit; multiple water uses; water as a limited and
that address the root causes of environmental
vulnerable resource; economic value of water;
degradation. The strengthening of basin
and decentralized and participatory
institutions responsible for water resources
management. The law placed special emphasis
management in the basin, the generation and
on the implementation of decentralized and
dissemination of information, and the integration
participatory management of water resources at
of environmental concerns into economic
the basin level. In this context, the project
development activities on a sustainable basis
represented an excellent opportunity to set the
were key elements of this project.
basis for the implementation of National Water

Resources Policy in the Upper Paraguay River
The project was composed of six components:
Basin and the Pantanal through hands-on
(i) water quality and environmental protection;
stakeholder involvement and active institutional
(ii) conservation of the Pantanal; (iii) soil
and organizational strengthening with the view
degradation; (iv) stakeholder involvement and
of the basin as a primary planning unit.
sustainable development; (v) organizational

structure development; and (vi) watershed
The National Water Resources Plan (NWRP)
management program implementation. The
provides for the National Water Resources
activities (or sub-projects) related to these
Management System, the principal functions of
components resulted from the proposals
which are the establishment of policies, plans,
presented by the relevant basin actors during
and regulations for the control of water use and
the project design phase.
the preservation and restoration of water

resources. This system comprises the National
The project total funding was US $ 16,403,000
Water Resources Council (CNRH), the National
with US$ 6.61 million of GEF grant and US $
Water Agency (ANA), the Water Resources
9,788,000 of co-financing primarily from the
Councils of the States and the Federal District,
Government of Brazil. It was executed in Brazil,
the Basin Committees, and the Basin Agencies.
from January 2000 to March 2006. The project
Due to the multinational character of the Basin,
has been executed with the participation of the
the CNRH has a special Technical Chamber
National Water Agency-ANA (National Executing
(CT-GRHT) that has held meetings and carried
Agency), UNEP (GEF Implementing Agency),
out activities in the Upper Paraguay River Basin,
OAS (International Executing Agency), the
in collaboration with Bolivia and Paraguay, to
States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul,
address common problems and shared
and various stakeholders and organizations of
interests.
civil society.

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In the UPRB, differences exist in the legal and

institutional frameworks in effect in the States of
ˇ Direct participation in the project design
Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.
phase. During the project design phase, the
Nonetheless, these state systems are based
Technical Coordination organized three
upon the same principles and rely upon the
regional workshops in the UPR Basin,
same policy instruments as the National
involving the participation of more than 200
Management System.
persons representing 60 social, academic,

private, non-governmental, and
The Upper Paraguay/Pantanal Project
governmental institutions, including all public
conception and design were based on the
sector levels. All relevant basin stakeholders
guidelines and priority actions identified in the
presented proposals for pilot projects and/or
Plan for the Conservation of the Upper
studies, and many of them were selected to
Paraguay Basin (PCBAP) approved by the
be included in the project document as part
Government of Brazil in 1996. Activities for the
of its 44 decentralized activities.
control of land degradation due to urban,

agricultural and mining activities, wetland
ˇ Coordination and execution of
conservation, support to popular participation in
demonstration projects and feasibility
the management of natural resources, and
studies. All demonstration projects and
control of water-borne contaminants, including
studies remained under the coordination of
persistent organic pollutants, identified as
the institutions that originally formulated and
priority actions under PCBAP, were selected to
presented them. Among the executing
integrate the GEF project in order to catalyze
partners there were governmental agencies
implementation of specific actions
(federal, state, and municipal), academic
recommended in PCBAP. This selection, on the
and research institutions, and NGOs.
other hand, conditioned the involvement of

certain institutions responsible for the issues at
ˇ Recruitment of local experts for the
stake.
project activities. For the execution of its

activities, the project counted on
(b) How was the issue addressed
consultancies that provided additional

opportunities for stakeholders' involvement,
Overall strategy
especially in terms of involving pertinent

academic and research institutions, civil
During the project development phase, a
society organizations, the private sector, and
specific component on public participation was
individual experts active in the area.
designed and agreed. Although not a

Stakeholders Involvement Plan per se, this
ˇ Organization of thematic events and
component oriented the activities aiming to
technical meetings, education and
involve basin stakeholders in the project
training activities. A total of 116 public
execution and, ultimately, in the management of
events involved more than 4,530
the basin resources. The approach taken during
participants representing a total of 258
the early project preparation phase was based
federal, state, and municipal bodies, NGOs,
on the assumption that the most effective way to
research institutions, and private
actively involve main stakeholders in the project
enterprises. A number of educational
is to involve them directly in the formulation and
programs were developed and implemented,
execution of project activities. This approach
such as the Environmental Education
was coupled with a number of strategies aiming
Program for the Tourism Sector in the
at broadening the stakeholders´ participation
Miranda River Sub-Basin and the
modalities and seeking to make a step further
Environmental Education Program for local
from information and consultation to participation
environmental agents, carried out in local
in decision-making.
schools and communities.


The comprehensive approach used in the
ˇ Public consultations and validation of the
context of the Upper Paraguay/Pantanal Project
Strategic Action Program-SAP process.
included a wide range of modalities to promote
The public consultation process comprised 5
the targeted high levels of involvement and
public events, with the participation of 363
commitment from basin stakeholders, including:
basin stakeholders representing almost 60
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organizations and institutions. A special
recognition of the professional category of the
effort was also made to coordinate actions
live bait collectors and their participation in the
with the already existing or planned
re-formulation of the State Law regulating
programs, plans, and initiatives within the
capture and transport of live baits in the State of
Upper Paraguay Basin.
Mato Grosso do Sul, as well as ensured their

representation as members of the State Fishing
ˇ Dissemination of information and project
Council. The project was also catalytic in
results through video documentaries,
promoting the involvement of NGOs in the
printed material, publications, and web
execution of some key project activities related
page. Although time and funds consuming,
to eco-regional planning, biodiversity
the three documentaries (Introducing the
conservation, and sustainable tourism.
Pantanal/Upper Paraguay Project;

Ecological Corridor Pantanal-Cerrado; and
Pros and cons of adopted approach
Taquari River: Problems and Solutions)

produced at and reflecting different stages of
The approach of integrating the processes of
the project execution, proved very useful in
project design and execution with the direct
terms of conveying problems, strategies,
participation of basin actors proved extremely
and solutions as well as raising awareness
positive for the establishment of a dynamic
among a broad range of basin stakeholders.
relationship of feedback and active commitment
Another important element was the
from the basin actors and the subsequent
feedback to all participating stakeholders at
success of the project activities. Moreover, the
the end of the project activities. The final
involvement of basin stakeholders in the
documents were published and first sent to
structure of project execution provided for the
all institutions that took part in the process.
first time in the UPR Basin a common space and

a meeting point for interaction and discussion
ˇ Promotion of public-private and
among the different sectors involved in the
government-community dialogues and
basin. At the same time, the process contributed
partnerships. A number of project activities
to the local institutional capacity building and
were designed and carried out in a way to
strengthening.
promote partnerships. For example, a

public-private partnership was implemented
The established collaboration with universities,
in the area of sustainable tourism, by
research institutes, NGOs, consultants, local
developing and implementing a detailed
governments, and governmental institutions
methodology and training courses for the
during the SAP formulation phase created the
management of buffer zones and nesting
basis for the institutional arrangements required
grounds areas in the Pantanal.
to implement the SAP, and ensured the active

and effective participation of local stakeholders in
ˇ Coordination with neighboring countries.
the implementation process. In addition, these
lthough the project has been implemented
institutions can help to organize grass-root/
as a single-country initiative, during its
beneficiaries groups as they work directly with
execution an effort was made to promote
local communities.
cross-border coordination, in view of future

joint initiatives in the Pantanal. In this
From a management standpoint, the highly
context, four international workshops with
decentralized structure adopted during the
the participation of competent authorities
project design phase demanded an additional
from Bolivia and Paraguay were held
effort in order to organize and unify
between 2003-2005.
administrative and approval procedures as well

as adapt the budget structure to the project
During the process, the project sought to
format. In order to maintain the cohesiveness of
recognize the specific characteristics of the
the project objectives and aimed results, the
social, economic, and cultural groups in the
Technical and International Coordination also
basin, adopting different approaches to involve
planned and convened periodic Coordination
and promote their participation in the project and
Workshops with all Sub-project Coordinators.
in the management of the basin. For example,

the project organized and empowered the local
During the second year of project execution, an
fishermen communities, promoting the
adjustment was made to the way the institutions
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responsible for the execution of the activities
Isabelle Vanderbeck
related to the project management structure.
isabelle.vanderbeck@unep.org
Initially, the only formal link between them were

the activities' Terms of Reference, which in
Nelson da Franca
some cases did not translate into the necessary
nelsonf@oeabrasil.com.br
commitment to the timely execution of the sub-

project and responsibility for the equipment
Maria Apostolova
being acquired with project funds. During 2001,
mapostolova@oas.org
the new National Executing Agency- ANA

negotiated and signed Agreements of Technical
KEYWORDS
Cooperation with all institutions responsible for

sub-project coordination. A total of 13
S Stakeholder involvement
Agreements with federal, state, municipal, and
S Project design
non-governmental organizations were signed,

establishing an inter-institutional articulation

model to be replicated by ANA in the process of
The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
the implementation of the Agency's mandates
International Waters Experience Notes series
related to the National Water Resources Policy.
helps the transboundary water management

(TWM) community share its practical
The strategy of actively involving basin
experiences to promote better TWM.
stakeholders into the SAP formulation process
Experiences include successful practices,
for the Pantanal and the Upper Paraguay River
approaches, strategies, lessons, methodologies,
Basin has raised significant expectations in
etc., that emerge in the context of TWM.
relation to the implementation of the SAP.

Currently, due to financial and other constrains,
To obtain current IW Experience Notes or to
the implementation phase has been delayed and
contribute your own, please visit
a growing sense of frustration has been sensed
http://www.iwlearn.net/experience or email
in the basin.
info@iwlearn.net.

REPLICATION

The Pantanal experience in involving basin
stakeholders was implemented in a single
country and in a context of relatively well-
established and qualified institutions, social
organizations, and water users which were
capable of mobilizing technical and research
resources for their direct participation in the
proposed demonstration projects and feasibility
studies. A relatively little mobility of the people
responsible for coordinating sub-project
activities was experienced, thereby ensuring
continuity and coherence of the process.

In order to replicate the experience, it would be
important to consider the need for an additional
management effort and funds for coordinating
project activities and orienting the specific sub-
projects towards the overall project strategy and
outcomes.

REFERENCES

Pantanal and Upper Paraguay website:
www.ana.gov.br/gefap

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