P Process

1
Environmental Protection and Sustainable
Development of the Guarani Aquifer System Project
-Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay / GEF, WB,
OAS- Notes on Communication and Public
Participation in the Guarani Aquifer.
Roberto Montes, Reston, VA, April17th
2007 www.sg-guarani.org
2
Assumptions

• Communication as tool to promote public
  participation
• Information,
• Consultation,
• Involvement,
• Collaboration,
• Ownership / Empowerment.

3
Guarani special features / Resource

• unknown (aquifer?),
• groundwater physical nature invisible.

4
Guarani special features / Project

• preventive (issue important but not urgent),
• strongly scientific knowledge-building aimed
  (communicating sciences problems)
• design failure late (mid term) systematic
  communication inclusion.

5
Guarani special features / Institutional setting

• 4 countries (AR, BR, PY, UY),
• 3 areas involved in each country Water
  Resources, Environment, Foreign Affaires,
• 12 points of view!

6
Guarani Communication

• Strategic option a mix among
• Institutional communication (Project, GS),
• Countries level communication (NPEUs),
• Participatory communication (local level).

7
Local Communication

• It is sound with resources physical nature and
  with its management (local by definition)
• It is able to address concrete conflicts (real
  or potential) and to involve specific actors
• It allows the development of materials with
  particular contents (that could be appropriated
  and followed by countries)
• Its scope is affordable in terms of resources
• It contributes to a participatory process
  towards the development of Project TDA and SAP.

8
Local Communication (2)

• Pilot Projects

• Answer to local problems,
• Takes advantage of local experience / expertise,
• Sound with local values, traditions, and points
  of view,
• Instrumental goal development, application, and
  assessment of tools that could be appropriated
  and continued by countries.

9
Challenges at local level

• Participatory communication instead of
  dissemination. Goals

• Environmental education and GAS knowledge
  promotion,
• Groundwater culture development,
• Promotion of suitable water (and land) uses,
• Awareness creation and ownership on the aquifer
  (as a condition for its sustainable management).

10
Guarani Citizenship Fund

• 24 grass-rooted regional NGOs information /
  education / communication projects
• High level of local commitment
• About 2.3 million people reached

11
Guarani Citizenship Fund (2)

• High value activities execution and materials
  production
• Participatory strategies (high level of public
  involvement)
• Groundwater problems set in regional civil
  society regional agenda.

12
Guarani Website

13
Guarani TV spot

14
Guarani Publications

• Universities Fund book
• Serie of technical documents and manuals