Economic and Social Council

 Distr. GENERAL
20 April-1 May 1998
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Economic and Social Council

Commission on Sustainable Development

Sixth session

20 April-1 May 1998

         Progress in the implementation of the programme of action

     for the sustainable development of small island developing States

                    Report of the Secretary-General

                               Addendum

           Land resources in small island developing States *

(* The present report has been prepared by the Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations in accordance with arrangements agreed to

by the Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable Development; it is the result of

consultation and information exchange between United Nations agencies,

interested government agencies and a range of other institutions and

individuals.)

Contents         

                                                      Paragraphs   Page

  I.  Land resources issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   1-3         3

 II.  Actions taken to address the issues. . . . . . .   4-22       3-9

      A.  Information systems, integrated land planning 

          and management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   5-10       3-5

      B.  Farming systems and soil management. . . . .  11-13       5-7

      C.  Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14-15       7-8

      D.  Water resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    16         8

      E.  Natural areas protection and coastal area 

          management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  17-18        8

      F.  Participatory research and development . . .    19        8-9

      G.  Natural disasters. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  20-21        9

      H.  Physical planning and development. . . . . .    22         9

III.  Conclusions and recommendations for future action 23-30       9-11

      A.  National level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  23-26        9

      B.  Regional level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  27-29       9-11

      C.  International level. . . . . . . . . . . . .    30         11

        I.     Land resources issues

1.   Human settlements, agriculture, commerce, industry

and tourism development have historically been the major

competing uses for limited land resources in many small

island developing States. As human needs and population

grow, the pressure on land and other natural resources

continue to increase. The most significant issues for land

and related resources identified for the South Pacific are

outlined in box 1.

2.   Many factors and causal relationships influence the

management of land resources. Increased demand for

monetary income has led to greater production of cash

crops for export and to inappropriate tourism development.

For agriculture, this has meant increased areas under

cultivation and more mechanized production systems. Land

pressures in some small island developing States have been

further worsened by the intensification of animal

production, particularly high-input production chains that

are dependent on concentrate feed. Unsustainable

agricultural practices have contributed to deforestation;

changes in cropping pattern, with consequent losses of

biodiversity across the landscape; loss of soil fertility; and

agrochemical pollution of soils, freshwater and coastal

resources downstream. Furthermore, land tenure and other

policy issues critically affect land management, as do a

multiplicity of socio-economic factors, such as trade and

the influence of outside markets, traditional and cultural

practices, and demographics. Small island developing

States rarely have an extensive and stable cadre of

professional expertise. For this reason, there is a lack of

information on land resources and appropriate tools, best

practices and technologies for implementing sustainable

land-use options and making informed policy decisions.

3.   National decisions and the capacity to manage land

resources sustainably can also be constrained by other

factors, including a lack of institutional capacity to properly

negotiate rights to exploit natural resources by foreign

companies. Poorly designed projects financed by donors

have sometimes been based on purely economic

considerations, without taking due account of local

environmental conditions and national priorities, as a result

of inappropriate forestry and tourism policies. The

substantial degradation and depletion that has occurred has

begun to focus the attention of communities to implement

sustainable management of the remaining resources.

       II.     Actions taken to address the issues

4.   Efforts have been undertaken to address the key issues

identified in the Programme of Action for the Sustainable

Development of Small Island Developing States by multiple

stakeholders, including international agencies, national

Governments; international, national and local non-governmental 

organizations; and small island developing

States communities. Regional efforts supported by these

different stakeholders have been successful in coordinating

collective needs, strategies and information flow. Some

examples of efforts at addressing key issues are outlined

below.

        A.     Information systems, integrated land

               planning and management

5.   The World Bank, the Inter-American Development

Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, the United States

Agency for International Development (USAID) and the

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

(FAO) have funded projects in several small island

developing States for the following purposes: the design of

policy instruments; environmental impact assessments; the

preparation of guidelines and draft legislation for several

aspects of land use planning and management; institutional

strengthening; surveys and resource assessments; and

watershed and protected areas management.

6.   The United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) and the United Nations Centre for Human

Settlements (Habitat) have been assisting small island

developing States in the Caribbean with the development

and expansion of computer-based geographical information

systems (GIS). Regional training needs have been assessed

and a programme of assistance formulated. One outcome

of a ministerial meeting in Barbados in 1995 was the

establishment of a task force comprising Barbados,

Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the

Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States/Natural

Resources Management Unit (OECS/NRMU) and Habitat

to initiate work on a harmonized regional database. In

addition, institutional strengthening and capacity-building

measures have been undertaken at the national level in

many countries, with the support and assistance of Habitat

and UNDP. These include technical cooperation programme

initiatives, fellowships, and in-service training.

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   Box 1. Land resources issues specific to South Pacific small 

          island developing States (FAO/SPREP, 1996)

     Land. High population growth rates (as high as 4.2 per cent in the

Marshall Islands) has increased the pressure on land and has led to an

intensification of land use. The availability of agricultural land in hectares

(ha) per head of population has been on the decline in most small island

developing States. The ratio of agricultural land to agricultural

population has varied widely, from 7.63 ha in Samoa to only 0.36 ha in the

Solomon Islands in 1994. Customary land tenure disputes and difficulties

hamper access (non-availability, no titles, no security) to land for better

management. Islands with sloping land areas have little access to appropriate

technologies to extend land use, for example, for sustainable farming on steep

slopes. Stakeholders are in conflict over farming, infrastructure (in

particular road-building) and residential uses, especially in coastal areas.

     Forest resources. The rate of logging or loss of tree cover is relatively

high. The current use of logging practices is often unsound and unnecessarily

destructive. Forest areas are cleared for farming. Consequently, there is

increasing soil erosion. In countries where the forest resources are already

fragile, the destruction of forests by cyclones is serious. There is little

sound forest development or reforestation.

     Water resources. The availability of water resources is directly linked

to the land-use patterns and utilization of land resources. Insufficient

watershed management and logging of forests has led to uncontrolled water

flow, and thus to the destruction of land areas through more frequent floods

and droughts during wet and dry seasons, respectively. The availability of

water resources is in sharp contrast with the constantly increasing water

demand from rapid urbanization, new industries, changing lifestyles and more

extensive reticulation. In the atoll countries, the balance of supply and

demand is critical. Freshwater stocks are subject to contamination from

industrial and agricultural wastes, chemicals and rising sea levels. In

addition, population pressure, expanding tourism and reduced precipitation in

recent decades have resulted in the overexploitation of groundwater and

seawater intrusion, with consequent further deterioration of water quality and

quantity.

     Soil/sand and gravel. Inland soils suffer from an increasing depletion of

nutrients and other forms of degradation due to overuse of available land and

insufficient land conservation and management practices. The cropping systems

are not adapted to the new conditions. In all small island developing States,

the most important minerals currently being mined are sand and aggregated

materials, for use in construction and landfill.  Demand is outstripping

traditional supplies in places and causing environmental damage.

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7.   OECS/NRMU has been sensitizing national

Governments in the Eastern Caribbean on the concept of

island systems management (ISM). This approach

recognizes the need for a holistic approach to the use of

island resources. The ISM approach seeks to eliminate

sectoral boundaries through the establishment of a

multisectoral multidisciplinary mechanism which links a

partnership arrangement of public and private sectors, 

non-governmental organizations and community-based

organizations in the decision-making process.

8.   FAO is promoting an improved approach to land

resources management based upon successful experiences

as well as existing approaches developed by other

institutions. The approach emphasizes the integration of

physical, socio-economic and institutional aspects of land

use, and stresses the need for the active participation of all

stakeholders in decision-making. Although not specifically

developed for small island developing States, this approach

is highly appropriate for them. Guidelines and frameworks

have been developed, including structural and institutional

guidelines on natural resource management in the twenty-first 

century, and a forthcoming implementation manual for

natural resources management (see box 2).

9.   A specific project has been completed in Grenada to

assist decision makers and land users in sustainable land

resources planning and management at the national and

parish levels. A critical component of the project is the

development of a national computerized land information

system to increase the effectiveness of planning and

implementation of development activities as well as to

address the needs of multiple agencies. This is done through

the establishment of GIS and a comprehensive and quality

database (see box 3). Land use planning, management and

information systems workshops for Caribbean countries

have been held in Grenada, resulting in the development

of agro-ecological zoning and land use planning guidelines.

Similar efforts have been made in Trinidad and Tobago,

Saint Lucia and Belize. Information and corporate software

(FAO/Soil Profile Database, Ecocrop-1) have been

distributed to institutions working on land use

characterizations and classification in Fiji, Tonga and

Vanuatu.

10.  The International Institute for Environment and

Development has documented a strategic approach to island

development, drawing on its own experience and the

experiences of the World Bank and the World Conservation

Union.

        B.     Farming systems and soil management

11.  The farming systems approach to development (FSD)

is considered to be potentially useful for improving

planning and analytical capacity in identifying, developing

and implementing ways to improve the productivity and

therefore welfare of those involved in agriculture in a

manner that is equitable and sustainable. FAO is currently

working with the Institute of Research and Extension

Training in Agriculture, of the University of the South

Pacific in Samoa to implement FSD training sessions and

to produce regionally specific training and extension

materials. Seven countries in the South Pacific are

associated with the project -- the Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua

New Guinea, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa.

Envisaged outputs include an introduction to the farming

systems development for the South Pacific and a study on

the farming systems approach to sustainable agriculture

development in the South Pacific. Recommendations to

institutionalize FSD into national programmes, build further

awareness of this approach and train extensionists in the

methodology are integral components of the project.

12.  Sustainable land stabilization and soil conservation

programmes have been undertaken within the broader

framework of the protection and enhancement of the fragile

island environment in selected small island developing

States. A soil erosion control programme was formulated

in Jamaica. In Samoa, the preparation of an initiative

entitled "World overview of conservation technologies" has

been completed. In Barbados, a development programme

has been formulated for the stabilization and conservation

of the scarce and highly erosion-prone arable lands in the

Scotland District and general rehabilitation of agriculture

in the area. Training efforts and the strengthening of human

resource capacity within the local soil conservation unit

have been made. The work resulted in a project entitled "A

new framework for conservation-effective land

management and desertification control in Latin America

and the Caribbean". Sponsored by the Fertilizer Advisory

Development Information Network for Asia and Pacific,

a subregional workshop on environmentally sound

fertilization in the Pacific islands has been held in Samoa.

13.  Many Pacific island countries have embraced a

project entitled "Framework for action on the conservation

of lands in Asia and the Pacific".  Among the collaborators

are the International Board on Soil Resources and Management

(IBSRAM) Pacificland Network and the European Union

funded Pacific Regional Agriculture Programme. Through

the Pacificland Network, the issues related to steep lands

and land intensification are being addressed in Fiji, Papua

New Guinea, Vanuatu and Samoa. The work is seeking to

assess the extent of the problems of land degradation and

to develop acceptable technologies for sustainable

agriculture based on existing systems and local technical

knowledge.

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Box 2.  Integrated land use planning and management: a pragmatic programme 

        for land management and land use  planning (FAO/UNEP, 1996)

     - Installation of a national task force, comprising technical expertise

to deal with the various problems and with the power to take decisions and

legal actions. Experience has shown that it is difficult to create such a

group. In practice, the task force should be composed of high-level decision

makers, who generally do not have the necessary technical expertise, assisted

by ad hoc technical groups for specific issues.

     - Awareness creation at all levels of the society about the need to

increase production while conserving natural resources. The major goal should

be to generate debate on these issues, to receive feedback from experience at

the grass-roots level and to convey the message that Governments cannot be

expected to resolve every local conflict.

     - Creation of a national resource database, containing information on

physical, economic and legal dimensions of land use planning and management.

     - Identification of the natural resource potential and its particular

constraints for a range of possible agricultural and non-agricultural land use

scenarios.

     - Provision of information to land users (top-down) and solicitation of

feedback on their objectives, aspirations and priorities (bottom-up). As it is

often difficult to hold discussions with all individual stakeholders, this

exchange of ideas can be organized through the creation of platforms for

negotiation and discussion. This requires the involvement of identified local

resource management groups, local chiefs, non-governmental organizations

working at the village level and planners.

     - Identification of the needs for production and conservation of local

communities, and constraints faced by them. Local communities usually have

already interesting solutions in hand but lack means and technical support to

implement them.

     - Development of land management plans based on long-term objectives of

both government agencies and stakeholders. Action should be decided through

negotiation. The plan should outline needed actions, define the

responsibilities and the involvement of the different parties, and lay down

ground rules. Follow-up actions should monitor the application of the plan so

as to ensure that rules are followed and assess the need for modification of

the plan.

     - Provision of personnel and means to implement the plans, and enactment

of enabling legislation. Enforcement of management plans or rules may be

achieved through social sanctions.

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      Box 3. Grenada: Land Resources Information System (FAO, 1994)

     Grenada is highly dependent on agriculture, deriving 90 per cent of its

export earnings from this source. The agricultural development strategy of the

Government is to improve the productivity of traditional export crops while

diversifying into non-traditional crops for export and for agro-industrial

integration into the expanding tourist sector. On the island of Grenada, 77

per cent of the land area has slopes exceeding 20 degrees. Only 33 per cent of

the soils are deep, well drained and free of cultivation constraints. The rest

are rocky or have seasonal drainage problems. The main objectives of the

project were to create the technical basis to support rational development and

conservation of the country's natural resources information systems.

     The Grenada Land Resources Information System (GLRIS) is a computer-based

system intended to assist decision makers and land users in land resources

planning and management at the national and parish levels. The system,

established by the Land Use Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands,

and Surveys, in conjunction with FAO, provides a service to a wide range of

users, including planners, researchers, natural resource and agricultural

managers. GLRIS comprises four components which interact closely to generate

needed outputs: (a) a geographically referenced database containing

data elements for land resources analysis; (b) models to analyse the data in

the database; (c) hardware and software to process models and data; (d)

trained staff to operate the system.

     The GLRIS database contains information on agro-climate, soils/terrain,

hydrology, land use and vegetation, protected areas, topography, plant

environmental requirements, crop production systems and forestry production

systems. The result is a user friendly and easily updated system which can be

used to rapidly provide land suitability assessments, environmental impact

assessments, land degradation assessments, land use optimization,

planning and natural resource management.

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        C.     Forestry

14.  A number of initiatives have been undertaken at the

national and regional levels, with the support and

involvement of the donor community, including agencies,

funds and programmes of the United Nations system in the

area of sustainable forestry. In collaboration with UNDP,

FAO convened a regional meeting in Barbados in

September 1997 to discuss a strategy for supporting the

establishment of national forestry policies in Caribbean

small island developing States. As a result of the meeting,

work has been initiated for elaborating such policies in a

number of Caribbean small island developing States, with

technical support from FAO. In addition, the UNDP forest

capacity-building programme is currently supporting

initiatives for the development of national forestry action

plans. A project for Jamaica has been recently approved by

UNDP's Capacity 21 Management Committee. Watershed

management and conservation education projects (see box 4), 

integrate conservation farming systems and agroforestry

practices in addressing the interrelationship of 

upstream-downstream aspects.

15.  Financial assistance and advisory technical services

have been provided to support a working group on

agroforestry for the Pacific to document the wealth of

indigenous and technical knowledge and experience

associated with such systems. The agroforestry information

toolkit, prepared at a regional participatory workshop in Fiji

in 1997, targets extension-level personnel, and will be

published as a joint effort of, inter alia, FAO, IBSRAM,

UNICEF, and 60 national resource persons.

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Box 4. Watershed management and conservation education in Samoa (FAO, 1994)

     This UNDP/FAO project (1992-1995) looked at the interrelationship between

the management of upstream and downstream areas within a given watershed. This

relationship has been demonstrated through the implementation of soil

conservation and watershed management measures, such as conservation

plantation, agroforestry practices, plantation of forest and fruit trees by

farmers, conservation farming systems, and extension and education programmes

for different target groups. A monitoring system has also been developed to

increase understanding of the impact of upstream management on water

quantity and quality and other downstream resources. The destruction of

vegetative cover by frequent tropical cyclones has led to accelerated soil

erosion and landslides, with a direct impact on the watershed, agricultural

production, water supplies, hydropower generation, lagoons and reefs. The

rehabilitation of upstream areas and the participation of local population in

conservation of downstream areas are integral parts of the project.

The objective is to facilitate the conservation of flora and fauna and improve

the socio-economic condition of watershed dwellers.

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        D.     Water resources

16.  FAO activities in Fiji have addressed sedimentation

control and flood mitigation, as well as watershed

management and river improvement. Dredging activities

in the main rivers in Fiji have resulted in an improvement

of poorly drained and underutilized land and led to an

agricultural development programme for an area of 6,300

ha in the Central Division. A subsequent project identified

the major causes for erosion and the high sedimentation of

the Rewa River, and elaborated a detailed programme

combining legal aspects, flood control, river regulation and

appropriate land management practices for sustainable

development of agricultural lands. FAO also put in place

a project to increase food production through the expansion

of arable land by reducing flood risks and improving the

drainage capacity of the major rivers. A water resources

assessment was commissioned in February 1997 to provide

technical options for introducing small-scale low-cost

supplementary irrigation and water control schemes into

rainfed cropping sites of a special programme for food

security in Papua New Guinea. This is a multidisciplinary

project, which is also doing an analysis of socio-economic

constraints.

        E.     Natural areas protection and coastal area

               management

17.  A number of small island developing States are

beginning to develop innovative programmes to save their

forests and coral reefs. Through these programmes, island

peoples can still use their forests and reefs as a traditional

source for food, fish, renewable wood products and the

sustainable harvesting of the vast majority of species of

plants in the forests that are not trees. Small island

developing States like Saint Kitts and Nevis and Aruba have

planned for the expansion of protected areas.

18.  In 1997, FAO completed a draft document that is

planned for publication in 1998, entitled "Agriculture,

forestry and fisheries and integrated coastal area

management", which is applicable in large measure to small

island developing States. It covers the issues, perspectives,

policy and planning process for integrated coastal area

management (ICAM), as well as more specific advisory

documents on integrating agriculture, forestry and fisheries

in coastal area management and conflict resolution in

ICAM.

        F.     Participatory research and development

19.  A USAID-funded programme brought universities,

national programmes, non-governmental organizations and

farmers together in Cape Verde. The programme resulted

in changes in the national agricultural research system of

Cape Verde, the establishment of an institutional

framework for long-term research planning; the

establishment of a participatory monitoring and evaluation

programme; the establishment of inter-institutional

collaboration and implementation of interdisciplinary

research; the establishment of linkages with farmers and the

extension service; and conduct of on-farm research.

        G.     Natural disasters

20.  An important consideration in the use of land

resources is to identify the susceptibility of specific land

areas to the impact of natural disasters. During the period

under review, USAID and the Office of Disaster

Preparedness in Jamaica undertook one of the first efforts

at natural hazard mapping in the Caribbean. The

Organization of American States, with financial support

from USAID, carried out landslide hazard assessment in the

OECS countries, and is continuing with coastal storm surge

hazard assessment, in conjunction with the Caribbean

Meterological Institute. The Government of Jamaica has

recently adopted new guidelines for land use planning,

which calls for special zoning regulations.

21.  The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency,

in conjunction with FAO, is working with Eastern

Caribbean States in developing the details of national and

regional hurricane disaster preparedness and impact

mitigation strategies related to agriculture, forestry and

fisheries. Components include a review of information

management in the sector, sector hurricane preparedness

and mitigation action plans, and public education and

awareness.

        H.     Physical planning and development

22.  A number of initiatives have been pursued at the

national and regional levels with the support of agencies,

including Habitat/UNDP and the Organization of American

States. Technical assistance to physical planning units has

been supplied for the preparation of physical development

plans, and for institutional strengthening through training

of personnel and provision of GIS equipment. Initiatives

include the preparation of building codes and guidelines,

planning and infrastructure standards, physical planning

legislation, national physical development plans and

housing and land management policies.

      III.     Conclusions and recommendations

               for future action

        A.     National level

23.  Critical efforts to better address land resources

include the need to better understand land use objectives,

land use options and trade-offs between uses; the need for

institutional collaboration and coordination of ministries;

the need to implement land dispute resolution systems; and

the need to use technologies as a basis for land use

decision-making.

24.  Institutionally, there is a need to take an intersectoral

approach to addressing the complex issues of land

resources, wherever this is not already being done. This will

entail the adoption of an integrated planning process, with

an enhanced collaboration on the part of the government

and all relevant non-governmental stakeholders to make the

best use of the comparative advantage of each.

25.  Numerous tools, approaches, techniques and

guidelines have been developed by relevant United Nations

and non-United Nations organizations, which small island

developing States can take advantage of to address issues

of land resources. A number of these modalities are

currently being utilized or tried in individual small island

developing States. There is a need, however, for training

in the use and institutionalization of these tools, approaches

and guidelines in all small island developing States.

26.  Natural resource conservation should be strongly

promoted by rehabilitating traditional attitudes and value

systems, and by making people aware of the finite and

fragile nature of those resources in today's conditions,

particularly in small island developing States.

        B.     Regional level

27.  Mechanisms must be put in place to enhance the

communication networks that have been developed, as well

as to develop those which are still needed. In view of the

complexity and diversity of the natural resource

management task and the difficulty and financial burden

associated with the provision of the required

multidisciplinary teams of professionals in each country, 

the establishment of an appropriate regional mechanism 

within one of the existing regional organizations might 

be considered. Such a mechanism would provide resource 

management services to small island Governments, make 

available skills and experience that would be much more 

difficult to build at the national level, and facilitate 

the transfer and sharing of technical information and 

research results.

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Box 5.   The way forward: outcome of a Caribbean ministerial meeting on the

         Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Caribbean

         Small Island States, Barbados, 10-14 November 1997 

            In the chapter of its report on land resources, the meeting

recommended:

            (a)  To encourage the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements

(Habitat) to continue and expand assistance to the Caribbean Human Settlements

Programme Office, in collaboration with other partners. This office will

support elements of the Programme of Action and establish cooperative linkages

with the implementation of the Caribbean Human Settlements Plan of Action. The

Plan of Action has already been considered by the ministers responsible for

housing and human settlements. Within this framework, Habitat should provide

additional support for the improved availability, affordability and

environmental quality of shelter in human settlements, in accordance with

chapter 7 of Agenda 21;

            (b)  To support efforts by Caribbean small island developing

States to further develop human settlements and environmental

information/databases, which would also enhance the introduction or expansion

of computer-based geographical information systems to inform policy decisions

for sustainable development;

            (c)  The need for comprehensive land use plans recognizing the

philosophy of island systems management, paying special attention to

anthropogenic activities, particularly farming, settlements and industry, and

their impacts on coastal and marine resources and biodiversity conservation

needs;

            (d)  To support the systematic assessment and mapping of hazardous

areas, and to incorporate this information in the formulation of land use

regulations and building standards for the purpose of ensuring the safety of

the population, reliability of infrastructure and sustainability of land use;

            (e)  To examine the integration of national forestry policies into

larger frameworks for natural resources management at the national level;

            (f)  To explore the promotion of the Iwokrama rainforest programme

(Guyana) as a model for appropriate land use and natural resource management

policies at the national, regional and international levels;

            (g)  To pursue at the national and regional levels an approach for

integrating human settlements, land use, disaster mitigation and other related

programmes, projects and policies, as appropriate;

            (h)  To support the development of a land registration and titling

system throughout the region, and consider the use of land dispute resolution

systems in addition to the courts, improve training for lawyers, especially

legal draughtsmen, on land titling and related issues, establish electronic

registers for legal documents (as opposed to paper registers), and develop

legislative and regulatory frameworks for information technology policy,

administrative dispute resolution, and land tenure and distribution at the

national level;

            (i)  To invite support for related integrated information

initiatives by the UNEP Global Resource Information Database and the United

Nations Centre for Regional Development at the international level; and the

University of the West Indies, the Trinidad and Tobago GIS Association, and

OECS/NRMU at the regional level.

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28.  Effective coordination of measures designed to take

an integrated approach to the planning and management of

land resources between regional institutions, including

universities and relevant international programmes or

initiatives, should be encouraged in all small island

developing States regions where such measures have not

yet been taken.

29.  At a recent Caribbean ministerial meeting on the

Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of

Caribbean Small Island States (Barbados, 1997), specific

recommendations were made regarding land resources (see

box 5). Similar recommendations pertinent to each region

would be helpful in other regions.

        C.     International level

30.  International agencies and organizations must better

coordinate their efforts in assistance to small island

developing States; assist in the strengthening and support

of regional networks; facilitate the adoption and

implementation of appropriate integrated planning

processes for natural resources as a means of ensuring their

sustainable use; provide technical assistance in support of

information systems for effective decision-making

regarding land resources, as well as to assess and revise

national legislation, if needed; implement appropriate

training programmes; and facilitate the application of

databases in integrated land use planning and management.

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Date last posted: 8 December 1999 15:15:30
Comments and suggestions: DESA/DSD