CONSULTATIONS WITH LAND OWNERS AT SADŽAK
CONSULTATIONS WITH LAND OWNERS AT SADŽAK – POLL CONDUCTED ON SADŽAK 1st – 3rd April 2016, ACTION PLAN WORKSHOP IS FOLLOWING
Within the Zasavica Flooding Pilot Project (Zasavica FLOPP Pilot Project), in the last week of March, a field survey was conducted of all land owners in the Sadžak area (local communities Noćaj and Radenković). The survey of the owners was conducted as the continuation of activities of the first Workshop of all stakeholders to resolve the conflict over the establishment of adequate water regime in the area of the Reserve ( “Dialogue for compromise”, held on 25 February 2016). The purpose of the survey was the collection of data, opinions and attitudes of the owners in connection with the creation of conditions for redemption or conversion of critical agricultural parcels on Sadžak, which are flooded during periods of high water. The interviewing was attended by representatives of the reserve and the local community.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
- Consultation with land owners – 30 land owners approached, 22 interviewed. Information regarding exact location of land, land surface, land use types, soil class, type of crops, annual yield, frequency of flooding, … vision of the future development of the Zasavica SNR were collected (24 questions at all).
- Perception of risk from flooding (8 questions) – The land owners’ experience of past flooding (occasionally, frequently, every year) also had an influence upon their perception of the risk and how they should deal with this risk.
- With 1/3 of respondents, the risk of flooding influences their intentions regarding their use of land in the future
- Yet, only 15% of them are considering a possible change of land use (10% to organic production and 5% turning to SRP Zasavica tourism), others operate on a more ad hoc basis
- 1/3 of them were not informed about the workshop “Dialogue for compromise” held at SRP Zasavica, others informed and attended.
- There appeared to be a consensus of opinion about the interest for information, cooperation with the Reserve and finding an acceptable conflict solution, as well as about a participation in the development of a joint Action Plan by 2020.
- Their vision of long-term development of the Reserve is „a compromise between nature conservation and agriculture /water management that would respect both sides, with the aim of good and sustainable governance“. According to them, what should be taken immediately (this year) is to agree and decide on the currently acceptable
solution to the conflict.
- The results show that the flooding issues have become less significant for land owners at Sadzak area in the last 5 years, for the following reasons:
- number of owners decreased from 30 to 22 because of enlargement and the change of land use.
- 5 owners with about 25 ha of land turned to the production of biomass (energy cane Miscanthus)
- „Zasavica FLOPP“ project helped establishing the exact situation and a dialogue with stakeholders
- Action plan, to be developed in the 2nd phase of the project, will contain proposal of alternative activities that would bring more money than existing agriculture at Sadzak which is under constant threat of flooding
- ANNOUNCEMENT: Workshop with the theme on the Action Plan will be held in mid-August 2016, followed by a detailed notice!
