Project News

In June 2009, our Project published an “Extension Guidebook (First Edition)” in Spanish as a tool to promote watershed management (watershed conservation) with the participation of inhabitants. (It can be downloaded from Extension Guidebook (First Edition) - Spanish.)

We have now also published an English version of the Guidebook as a means to encourage the exchange of information with interested persons that work outside the Spanish-speaking countries. (This can be downloaded from Extension Guidebook (First Edition))

In view of ANAM’s (Panama’s National Environmental Authority) policy to develop watershed management projects nationwide, the Guidebook’s fundamental outline is that it be “useful (applicable) in other watersheds in Panama.” The Guidebook is structured to assist persons in charge of participatory watershed management (watershed conservation) projects to plan the activities that would be necessary for their project, from its inception onward in a consecutive manner. Each chapter in the Guidebook is composed of basic sections including “Objectives and Procedural Outline”, “Methodology”, “Inputs Needed”, and “Pending Issues for Future Revision of Guidebook.” For the convenience of readers, lists of related manuals and educational material that are available inside and outside of Panama are included in the Annex.

Some sections of this first edition require compiling further knowledge or conducting technical research on their subject. Therefore, we plan to publish a second edition of the Guidebook by the end of the Project, which will incorporate these new findings.

The chapter headings of the Guidebook are given below. (A detailed Table of Contents can be downloaded from here: Cover Page.) (PDF/44KB).

【I. Introducción】

1. Orientation of the Fundamental Institutional Policies of ANAM and JICA Regarding Watershed Management
2. Objective of the Guidebook and the Extension Process
3. Composition of the Guidebook

【II. Proceso de Planificación Inicial】

4. Approaching the Community Inhabitants
5. Obtaining Basic Data
6. Forming Groups and Creating an Activity Plan for the Initial Phase
7. Farmland Use Plan (FUP)

【III. Etapa Básica de Extensión】

8. Strengthening the Groups and Their Self-Management Ability
9. Awareness Creation and Environmental Education in Watershed Conservation
10. Introduction of Conservation and Environmentally Friendly Farming Techniques

【IV. Fortalecimiento de Actividades】

11. Sales Promotion of Products and Services
12. Economic Administration and Coordination
13. Monitoring and Evaluation
14. Adoption of Techniques on Individual Farms and Horizontal Dissemination
15. Exit Strategy

• Annex 1　Forms
• Annex 2　List of available guidebooks and manuals on conservation and environmentally friendly farming
• Annex 3　List of available guidebooks and manuals on participatory development tools
• Annex 4　List of available material on creating environmental awareness of farmers and providing environmental education to students
• Annex 5　List of groups and contact persons who provide personnel to conduct training sessions
• Annex 6　List of groups that provide support in obtaining outside funds
• Annex 7　Case studies from experiences of Alhajuela Project

(Chief Advisor / Community Development, SAKAI Isao)