Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
As discussed, an RBF scheme could be used to tackle issues like resistance to
change crops or improve fertilizer and pesticide application practices to contribute
to reduced water resources pollution and improve farm productivity.
No matter what particular schemes are needed and how they are funded, the idea
of cascading the incentives through a trickle down of the RBF funds put in play
could serve well the purpose of securing the achievement of the higher level
objectives as de
ned with focus on the nexus.
It is important to mention here that the link to the nexus when thinking about
these lower level interventions would be established at the design stage of the
intervention. This will require as clear an understanding as possible of the inter-
relations between the different subsectors affected by the intervention. In the case of
solid waste being disposed in creeks and streams, the link is clear with the
oods
and water resources pollution, but other interactions may not be as clearly de
ned.
Whenever some uncertainties arise regarding the full impact of some interven-
tions, more investigation and studies might be needed or, the intervention may go
ahead while foreseeing the need to monitor certain parameters to measure those
unknown effects and modify the intervention if needed.
In all cases, the IVA could prove a useful link in the data gathering chain to
assist in improving the understanding of the interaction between the different
components of the nexus. The scope of their work could be modi
ed beyond what
is merely needed to trigger the RBF payments and expanded to make sure that all
the data considered necessary to improve such understanding are collected during
the intervention and, may be, beyond.
5 Conclusions
The nexus and RBF approaches are relatively new concepts intended to improve the
way development policies and interventions are designed and implemented. Both
have a long way to go before they mature and become more integrated in the way
governments and development institutions approach the issues they try to solve. At
the same time,
t between the two
approaches as they could be combined at different design and implementation levels
to achieve results that contribute to a more balanced development. Supporting the
nexus approach could provide some of the existing RBF tools with opportunities to
prove their effectiveness on a larger scale than what has been done so far. RBF tools
and approach to the design of development interventions could support advancing
the nexus approach at different levels.
When aiming to solve speci
there are opportunities for mutual bene
c problems where the most relevant interactions are
known, but some obstacles do not allow a straightforward solution to be imple-
mented, one or more RBF mechanisms could assist in setting up incentive schemes
to overcome those obstacles and achieve those results that are in line with a more
balanced development approach as shown in the discussion concerning aquifer
protection and farm productivity improvement.
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