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Transformative practices

Because of their close relationship with their living environment, local communities often have the best ideas for sustainable use and management of land, water and forests. As all of these practices have the potential to change the global system, they are, in our view, transformative.

Both ENDS aims to massively upscale and mainstream these transformative practices. Transformative practices are bottom-up, planet-friendly practices that use and govern the environment and its natural resources in a sustainable, just and inclusive way. They are rooted in local realities, respect the environment, and work to ensure collective well-being. As such, they counterbalance prevailing unsustainable practices, and provide inspiration for a transition towards socio-economic models that promote social and gender justice and respect our planetary boundaries.

By strengthening and eventually up-scaling transformative practices geographically and politically, Both ENDS and counterparts build evidence of the net positive benefits of these practices for people and planet as opposed to business as usual. With a whole range of transformative practices worldwide, Both ENDS and partners show tangible examples that can inspire and promote a radically different system that places human and environmental well-being at its core.

In order for such initiatives to grow, flourish, scale up and spread, several conditions must be met. For example, land (use) rights are extremely important. Who will invest time and energy in land that can be taken away at any moment? Also, the potential of collaboration and knowledge exchange among communities, scientists, private sector and policy makers should be explored when trying to strengthen the practices and to unleash their potential for replication elsewhere. Last but not least, access to technical and financial resources is crucial to let these initiatives develop to their full potential as viable alternatives to business as usual (like industrial agriculture) which is responsible for the multiple crises we're facing.

In short: there is a myriad of inspiring and promising transformative practices worldwide that Both ENDS and partners are building on. These practices will thrive in a system that upholds and promotes environmentally sustainable and social and gender just practices, but we simply cannot wait for systems to change. By strengthening and replicating transformative practices worldwide today and tomorrow, we are showing that a different world is possible.

  • Transformative Practice

    Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)

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    About one in every six people, particularly women, directly rely on forests for their lives and livelihoods, especially for food. This shows how important non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and forests are to ensure community resilience. Not only as a source of food, water and income, but also because of their cultural and spiritual meaning.
  • Transformative Practice

    Analog Forestry

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    Analog forestry is a transformative approach to the ecological restoration of degraded lands. Natural forests are used as guides to create ecologically sustainable landscapes, which support the social and economical needs of local communities.
  • Transformative Practice

    Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration

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    In various countries in the Sahel, vast tracts of degraded land have been restored by the local population by nurturing what spontaneously springs from the soil. They do this using a method called 'Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR)'.
  • Transformative Practice

    Agroecology

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    Agroecology is a diverse set of agricultural practices, a field of science and a social movement. It aims to transform food systems towards greater ecological sustainability, social justice, and resilience. Both ENDS and CSO-partners around the world support farmers and pastoralists practising agroecology, both on the ground and in gathering political and financial support.
  • Transformative Practice

    Inclusive Land Governance

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    Both ENDS works with partners around the world to ensure that land is governed fairly and inclusively and managed sustainably with priority for the rights and interests of local communities.
  • Transformative Practice

    A Negotiated Approach for Inclusive Water Governance

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    A Negotiated Approach envisages the meaningful and long-term participation of communities in all aspects of managing the water and other natural resources on which their lives depend. It seeks to achieve healthy ecosystems and equitable sharing of benefits among all stakeholders within a river basin. This inclusive way of working is an essential precondition for the Transformative Practices that are promoted by Both ENDS and partners.