Knowledge and learning network

The Nature & Poverty Knowledge and Learning Network (Natureandpoverty.net) brings together 17 Dutch-based conservation, developmental and research organisations and their respective extensive NGO networks in the South. This initiative is uniting a vast experience in nature conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, poverty alleviation, social and environmental justice and organisational capacity building.

Background

The relationship between the natural environment and human livelihoods is a complex one. The potential of using natural ecosystems to support the eradication of poverty is even more complex. Yet this complex relationship contains the key that leads to sustainable development. There is a need to better understand, learn from and use knowledge rooted in field experiences of practitioners working at the crossroads of ecosystem management and poverty alleviation.

Many Southern as well as Northern organisations from both the conservation and the development sectors have by now acquired considerable practical, on-the-ground experience in the area of ecosystem management in relation to poverty reduction efforts and vice-versa.

History

The Nature & Poverty Knowledge and Learning Network (Natureandpoverty.net) evolved out of the natureandpoverty* programme, which was carried out by WWF-NL, IUCN NL and Friends of the Earth Netherlands together with their Southern network partners between 2002 and 2006.

In September 2006, the Directorate-General for International Co-operation (DGIS) of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved the 'Ecosystems and Human Well-being Programme', developed by the IUCN Netherlands Committee. A key component of the Programme is the set up and co-ordination of this Natureandpoverty.net.

Network of partners

Natureandpoverty.net is founded by the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands, in close cooperation with 17 Dutch-based organisations and their NGO partners in the South, to support a process that helps organisations better learn from each other to improve their work. Natureandpoverty.net started its first activities in 2007.

 >> See the list of partner organisations

Goal and objectives

The overall goal of Natureandpoverty.net is to, through knowledge exchange and mutual learning, enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of project interventions and of participating organisations. Whereby interventions could be field-based projects, advocacy work, education & capacity building, resource mobilization, research or policy making. Natureandpoverty.net wants to create a learning environment for all concerned and supports projects/initiatives that foster and stimulate collaborative learning between network partners.

Focus

Focus of the network is on capturing practitioner knowledge and to advance appropriate and effective intervention strategies that are based on this knowledge. Our priority setting has its base in civil society organisations in developing countries that are part of our network of networks. Yet, we think that learning for sustainability goes beyond the South-North divide. Not only because relevant knowledge can be found everywhere, but also because of the impacts of Northern economic behaviour, policies and donorship on economic justice and biodiversity conservation in the South.

Specific objectives of Natureandpoverty.net:

• To improve the exchange of field-based knowledge and lessons, especially between Southern organisations, but also South-North.
• To create thematic and strategic partnerships based on knowledge sharing and collaborative learning.
• To enhance the documentation of informal and formal knowledge and create access to relevant knowledge sources.
• To generate practice-based inputs for policy development and advocacy work.
• To establish a vibrant Natureandpoverty.net community through productive interactions, trust, and a stronger voice in the public debate.
  
  

Coordination

IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL) functions as a coordinating host to this network, but seeks to share responsibilities for Natureandpoverty.net activities with its network partners and befriended organisations. Natureandpoverty.net has created this platform for channelling knowledge flows to support the work of the connected organisations. Natureandpoverty.net also initiates collective learning trajectories. Natureandpoverty.net pro-actively engages in discussions and exchanges with other existing initiatives and seeks to identify possibilities for complementarities and collaboration.

Read more About the Natureandpoverty.net online platform >>

Global Priority Themes

The global priority themes for learning piloted in 2008/2009, are:

• impacts of biofuels on land use and livelihoods,
• learning from multi-stakeholder commodity initiatives,
• local ownership of conservation agendas, and
• biodiversity and livelihood impacts of climate change.

Natureandpoverty.net plans for regional learning trajectories with focus on these and other themes, such as conflict transformation, leadership and mining advocacy.

Programme Team

IUCN NL is responsible for the overall management of Natureandpoverty.net. The programme team currently consists of:

• Peter van Sluijs – Coordinator Natureandpoverty.net
• Heleen van den Hombergh – Coordinator Natureandpoverty.net
• Warden van der Woude – ICT Project Leader
• Pieter van der Gaag, Head of Unit External Relations