Karst Environment Rehabilitation Project

Objectives: The project aims to assist the Chinese Government to restore and protect the environment and alleviate poverty in Karst mountain areas. The project will demonstrate a community-based model for the sustainable restoration of degraded karst mountain areas in nine poor townships in Xincheng County.

Australian Contribution: A$9.1 million

Duration: 2001 - 2008

Location: Xincheng County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Project Components:

Component 1 - Integrated SV demonstrations. To demonstrate a community based participatory approach to sustainable natural resource management and poverty alleviation in selected SVs.
Component 2 - Capacity Building (CB). Increased capability of counterparts and institutions to achieve sustainable development in rural communities.
Component 3 - Project Management. To provide efficient, effective and collaborative Project management.

Planned outcomes:

KERP demonstrates an excellent balance in its approach to the management of environmental degradation and poverty alleviation.
The Project has produced good outcomes (the principle one being KERP's model) and identified a sustainable mechanism for working with poor people in difficult natural resource management areas
The Project has adopted the participatory approach with the involvement of the community, government agencies and other relevant institutions in the planning and implementation, in particular, there is a high levels of community involvement in KERPs processes

Achievements:

The community based sustainable resource management approach has been proven effective and is well received by the regional government, mainly the poverty alleviation office and the regional development and reform agency. This approach is being used in the pilot area of a new government rural development program. The regional agency has indicated that this approach would be used in a new environment rehabilitation program which is under design.
A significant outcome of the KERP approach is the ongoing closer working relationships between the project sub villages and the township technical agencies. Strong commitment to the principles of community-driven activities was evident.
The Project has supported the target population to diversify and increase income sources. Average per capita incomes have approximately doubled (RMB600 in 2003 to RMB1200 in 2007) due to KERP activities.

Managing Contractor: URS (AACM International/ ACIL)

Chinese Counterparts:

Xincheng Project Management Office

AusAID Contact:

Gao Ying
Senior Policy Officer
No 21, Dong Zhi Men Wai Dajie, Beijing, PRC
Tel: +86-10 5140 4407
Fax: +86-10 5140 4199
E-mail: ying.gao@dfat.gov.au

May 2008