Good Practices and Innovative Experiences in the South

Vol.1 (of 3 volumes): Economic, Environmental and Sustainable Livelihood Initiatives

Edited by Martin Khor and Lim Li Lin
ISBN: 983-9747-58-4
Year Published: 2001
Co-publishers: Zed Books, UNDP
No. of pages: 256
Price: US$15.00

These volumes constitute a unique, inspiring and practically useful compilation of the rich variety of innovative good parctices being pioneered at governmantal, NGO and community levels in so many Third World countries. They provide a wealth of information on a large number of particular policies, projects and organizations in Asia, Latin America and Africa. The 50 cases included focus on economic and environmental policy and practice, including community-based sustainable livelihood projects; social policy, the utilization of indigenous and traditional knowledge, and appropriate technology experiences; and innovative social service delivery and education organizations and experiments.

The project is the result of an initiative by UNDP's Special Unit for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries. This part of the project was implemented by the Third World Network (TWN), whose secretariat is based in Malaysia. TWN coordinated the selection, research and writing up of the case studies.

The practical importance of this 3-volume collection is to contribute to the process of replication across the South of the best ideas, practices and ways of organizing. These are based on a number of common principles, including respect for local cultures and knowledge systems; genuine harmony with the natural world; quality outcomes of real benefit to local communities and countries; and equity and democratic involvement.

In political terms, this richly variegated and inspiring collection shows us all what some remarkable communities, organizations and governments in the Third World are achieving.

Contents:

Part 1: Economic policies and management

1. CPF: Mobilising domestic savings for development
2. Regulation of foreign capital flows in Chile
3. SAPRI: Organizing civil society to review structural adjustment policies

Part II: Environmental policies and management

4. Capacity development in plant sciences in Ethiopia
5. India's policy for protecting the coastal environment for sustainable use
6. The Conservation Strategy of Ethiopia project

Part III: Community-based sustainable livelihoods

7. Water-efficient sugarcane farming
8. Small-scale textile production using natural dyes
9. Sustainable rice production by indigenous women
10. Community statutes on sustainable rural development
11. The Irula tribal snake venom extraction cooperative
12. Handmade paper from rags and trash

Part IV: Environmentally-sound practices and techniques

13. Nayakrishi Andolon: A community-based system of organic farming
14. Auroville: Wasteland reclamation through rehabilitation of eroded soil
15. SIBAT: Training farmers to regain traditional seeds
16. Agrobiodiversity and coping with variability in weather and soils
17. Raising of earthworms (vermitech) for environmentally-sound uses