Messara Valley and Asteroussia Mountains, Crete

Messara Valley and Asteroussia Mountains, Crete
The Greek study sites
The gap between formulation
and implementation of
European and national policies
Presenters K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Introducing the Study Sites: Human system
Messara Valley
Asteroussia Mts.
Population
38,772 (2011)
5,535 (2011)
Decrease > 3,000 since 1961.
Population
density
Around 55 inh./ km2
Around 15 inh./km2
Ageing
76.4% in 1991 – 124% in
2001
107.9% in 1991 – 160.6% in 2001
Dependency
ratio
Around 60%
Around 70%
Occupation
Agriculture: 56%
Secondary sector: 10%
Services: 30%
Agriculture: 67%
Secondary sector: 6%
Services: 23%
Education
Very low; 60% primary
education or less
Very low; 70% primary education
or less
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Introducing the Study Sites: Human system
Land use structure and change
Messara Valley
Asteroussia Mts.
Cropland
75% (private)
30% (private)
Grazing land
16% (private)
60% (94% private, 6% municipal)
Forests
2% (state)
2% (state)
Urban areas:
5%
2.5%
Other
2%
5.5%
Number of
holdings
10,548
1,810
Avg. holding
size
4.2 ha
8 ha
Arable and
fallow land
Decreased by 70.5%
(1961-2000)
Decreased by 89% (1961-2000). It was
converted to olive groves /pastures
Other
71% of cultivated land is
olive groves
37% of cultivated land is
irrigated (from 5% in 1961)
Number of livestock (sheep and goats):
tripled between 1961 and 2000 (from
30.000 to 90.000)
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
LEDD problems
Study site
LEDD Problems
Soil erosion
Messara Valley
Ground water pollution
Water stress / Seasonal water scarcity
Water stress
Asteroussia Mts.
Soil erosion
Land desertification
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
LEDD drivers and responses to LEDD
In both sites:
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Post-war migration until late 1970’s (abroad, Athens, Heraklion)
The importance of tourism in Northern Crete, supported by various
national policies from the 1960’s onwards
Subsidies and agricultural price support, under the EU CAP since 1981
Available technologies (e.g. greenhouses, groundwater extraction)
Messara Valley: the main story
•
•
•
Conversion from grain to olive groves (1970’s onward) (suitable also for
absentee landowners)
Changing olive grove management (fertilisation, water)
Conversion to horticulture, greenhouses (mainly “full-time” farmers),
intensification
Asteroussia Mountains: the main story
Decreasing numbers of professionals, increasing number of animals (since 1980)
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Evolution of Responses to LEDD
The current picture
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•
•
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•
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Population stabilizes, ageing continues. Small rise in formal educational
level despite better infrastructure. Immigrant labor after 1990
Past links with the Asteroussia shepherds (transhumance) now weakened
New breeds of “productive” sheep
Patronage and clientelist relationships in the allocation of subsidies CAP
subsidies
Low trust within the area and between farmers and institutions, weak
collective organisation
Limited advice through agricultural extension services
Limited attempts at bottom-up development (LEADER approach)
Full-time professionals, cultural meanings of husbandry are preserved
Limited growth of the tourism sector by the sea
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
The role of policies
NATIONAL
POLICIES IN
PLACE
POLICIES
ANALYSIS
LOCAL/ REGIONAL LEVEL
IMPLEMENTATION
IMPACTS
EFFECTIVENESS
Horizontal
Administrative

Spatial planning
policy

Strength of informal
Strong but
institutions
unforeseen resulting
Affects implementation from weaknesses in
of all other policies
implementation
Strong but
unforeseen resulting
Weak (lack of demand)
from weaknesses in
implementation
Low-Medium
Low-Medium
Development
Regional
development
incl. Tourism policy

Mixed
Agricultural/Rural
development
policy

Mixed
Economic growth
Unforeseen
environmental and
social impacts
High
Medium-High
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
The role of policies
NATIONAL
POLICIES IN
PLACE
POLICIES
LOCAL/ REGIONAL LEVEL
ANALYSIS
IMPLEMENTATION
IMPACTS
EFFECTIVENESS

Weak
Limited impacts.
Low
Low
Environmental
Horizontal
environmental
policy
Water policy

Weak (lack of demand)
Strong but
unforeseen
resulting from
weaknesses in
implementation
Nature protection
(biodiversity)
policy

NO
Yes, from nonimplementation
Low
Forest policy

Weak (lack of demand)
Yes, from nonimplementation
Low
Soil policy

NO
Yes, from nonimplementation
NO
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Policies and instruments: Case Study 1
Spatial planning policy
National level: General Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable
Development (2008) conflicts with sectoral Frameworks
The Regional Framework for Spatial Planning of Crete (2003) identifies Messara
and Asteroussia as "an area with significant natural and cultural capital"
The above are “strategic” guidance documents for local regulations: General
Town Plan (GPS/SHOOAP). Small fraction of the area is covered (3 settlements)
RESULT: General laissez-faire
•
•
•
Licensing on ad-hoc basis
•
Lack of any containment through spatial planning undermines all
Lack of political will to undertake and enforce spatial planning
Regional policy (incentives for tourism, road construction etc) drives land-use
change
environmental issues
•
Weak link between spatial planning and rural development policy, despite
the importance of the agricultural sector
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Policies and instruments: Case Study 2
Water policy (mainly Messara)
Implemented instruments:
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Water monitoring programmes (until 2010)
Water use and water works license:
Reservoir construction, and public works (after 1999)
Ban on new groundwater drilling
Non-implemented instruments:
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Water management plans (local or regional)
Inspections, fines and other sanctions, data collection (administrative
policy)
Nitrate pollution prevention: Nat. government does not consider olive
groves as "vulnerable”
Cost recovery
Urban wastewater treatment: study site rivers not on Sensitive Areas List
Water stress and conflict during July and August
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Policies and instruments: Case Study 3
Biodiversity policy (mainly Asteroussia)
All the study site/mountain range in the NATURA2000 network (2 SCI’s, 1 SPA)
2 Co-financed LIFE projects mainly for bearded vulture (1998-2006)
Proposed policy measures not formally adopted (no presidential decree,
no formal recognition of land use zoning, no participatory management
body and no biodiversity spending)
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Lack of bottom-up demand (i.e. from local actors); perception has been
negative, BUT biodiversity policy (and planning) instruments now seen
as a way to cancel proposed developments for large-scale renewable energy
installations (windparks)
Lack of top-down enforcement (national government)
Biodiversity protection mainly implemented through horizontal policy
(environmental licensing)
Through awareness-raising, poisoning of the vulture (common until the late
1990’s) has receded and the population has grown since the early 2000's
Lack of policy implementation also hinders rural development measures (e.g.
agri-environment, NATURA2000 payments etc).
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Need for policy and further action
Challenges
CAP reforms still problematic (Single Farm Payment, cross compliance and RDP
measures)
Public finance crisis: administrative constraints, budget cuts, taxation
Private finance crisis: limited amount for investment or even day-to-day
operations, particularly for husbandry.
Political crisis: legitimacy of institutions and political personnel. Possible
replacement?
Outmigration (brain drain)
Return to rural areas?
Environmental crisis: Carrying capacity? e.g. water conflicts escalating
Export-led growth?
Connection with tourism?
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014
Actions
Need for policy and further action
Not necessarily new policies: implementation, enforcement, evaluation
(indicators for quality of life)
Technical support, applicable science, skills, agricultural extension services
Need for (access to) data
Skills
Collective action –for commercial purposes, then for environmental
Agri-environment incl. simplification (terraces, planting, selective grazing
(Messara), rangeland management)
Management plans (spatial, water, biodiversity, rangelands) with regulatory
force
Integrated planning for Asterousia: biodiversity, improving rangeland
productivity with use of biomass (waste treatment, compost), local
varieties, cooperation of farmers with stockbreeders (complementarity of
agriculture and grazing)
Self sufficiency –local supply chains
Tourism: tourists or visitors?
Leadership
Presenters: K. Damianakis, D. Psarras, E. Stylianou
Policy Conference: Research on Responses to Land Degradation and Desertification Berlin, March 17-18, 2014