This document discusses the role of NGOs in disseminating scientific knowledge about land degradation. It notes that NGOs can help scientists better define research questions by providing local knowledge and stakeholder perspectives. NGOs also know the range of factors influencing land management decisions and can ensure research results continue to be used. The document recommends that scientists actively engage with civil society organizations and learn from local experiences and traditional practices to tackle obstacles to sustainable land management.

1. NGOs Role in Disseminating
Scientific Knowledge on Land
Degradation
Duygu Kutluay (TEMA)
Nathalie van Haren (Both ENDS)
Nahid Naghizadeh (CENESTA)
11.04.2013, UNNCD2nd Scientific Conference

3. Volunteers
Over 450.000+ volunteers

4. Advocacy

5. Plantation Sites

6. Campaigns& Education Programs

7. Scientific Committee
Food Security and
Land governance
Seeds
Agriculture and
Biological Diversity Rural Development
Policies
Grazeland
Energy
Vegatation
Water Policy and
Climate Change
Management
Law Forestry

8. DRYNET

9. Three Platforms of Cooperation
Cooperation on the Ground
Cooperation in the Policy Arena
NGOs in Academic Discussion

10. Lessons Learnt
DRYNET II TÜRKİYE
•Participation in joint research projects can help scientists better define their research questions.
•NGOs working in an area for a long time have an overview of the relevant stakeholders and can
complete the picture in the study site by adding the reality of the field to the scientific model or
system.
•NGOs know the range of stakes in the area, and are able to give an integrated picture of all the factors
influencing decision-making on land management issues.
•At the end of the research the NGOs will remain in the area and can ensure that research results
continue to be used.
•Policy makers consult scientists for fact- based, objective advice. NGOs can provide insights on the
social context, which may prove useful to complement the facts.
•For research purposes, scientists generally prefer to avoid having to deal with politics and having to
keep themselves constantly informed about policy developments. By working with NGOs, scientists can
feed their scientific results into on-going dialogues with decision makers without having to engage
themselves.
•Although scientists often think they need to retain their independent position by remaining politically
neutral, their research results can be used for a variety of political purposes once published. An open
debate with NGOs about the current political debates, and the possible use or misuse of scientific
material would prevent a situation where scientific results are misused or remain covered up when
they would not fit the mainstream policy view.

11. Policy Recommendations
DRYNET II TÜRKİYE
•Actively engage with civil society organisations working on dryland issues. Instead of
giving CSOs the sole responsibility to advocate for the recommendations coming from
research projects, include CSOs from the beginning in research projects.
•Get a better insight into the realities in the field and learn from local experiences.
Invest in things that have proven to be a success. Support participatory knowledge
development and exchange on agro-ecological farming, including economic and social
impact studies of agro-ecological farming.
•Tackle the obstacles to up-scaling sustainable land management by improving
stocktaking, documentation and communication of good practices and local success
stories.
•Invest in participatory research systems on local knowledge, sustainable land
management and agro-ecological practices to improve the livelihoods and production
in drylands. Combine the best of two worlds: traditional practices and knowledge with
scientific and formal knowledge.
•Learn from the process of the development of the Voluntary Guidelines as a
participatory process with broad acceptance.

12. Thank you for your attention!