PILA: A Participatory Approach Linking Extension and Landscape Governance to Tackle Climate Change

 

PILA: A Participatory Approach Linking Extension and Landscape Governance to Tackle Climate Change

Climate change and deforestation are today’s greatest challenges. Forests provide water, regulate local climates, protect biodiversity, and support millions of people with food, wood, and livelihoods. But agricultural activities, logging, and human expansion continuously threaten these vital ecosystems. 

To address these challenges, innovative approaches are needed. One such approach is the Participatory Informed Landscape Approach (PILA), developed and promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

What is the Participatory Informed Landscape Approach (PILA)?

PILA is a multi-stakeholder, evidence-based method for integrated landscape management.

It collects and analyzes data from satellite imagery and household surveys to understand the real situation on the ground.

It creates platforms for dialogue, where farmers, governments, local communities, NGOs, and the private sector can plan together.

It links farming and forestry goals, ensuring that land is used sustainably while reducing conflicts between sectors.

Thus, PILA is a governance and collaboration mechanism that helps countries design and implement climate-resilient, sustainable land-use strategies. It brings together farming, forestry, communities, and governments to develop sustainable solutions.

 

When Can PILA Be Used?

PILA is particularly useful in situations where:

Agriculture and forestry compete for land, leading to deforestation or degradation.

Policies are fragmented, and sectors work in isolation, creating conflicts and inefficiency.

Communities face livelihood pressures, pushing them toward unsustainable practices such as illegal logging or farm expansion.

Countries seek long-term solutions that balance conservation, food security, and rural development.

 

PILA in Action: Nigeria and Kenya

In Nigeria, cash crops such as cocoa and palm oil have played an important role in boosting rural incomes. However, their expansion has led to serious deforestation and the loss of vital ecosystem services, putting both forests and communities at risk.

In Kenya, the Mount Elgon water tower—one of the country’s most important sources of water and a lifeline for local communities—has come under increasing pressure. Expanding farms, illegal logging, and other human activities have degraded the landscape, threatening both livelihoods and biodiversity.

Both countries share a common challenge: a lack of coordination among sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and land-use planning, making it difficult to balance development goals with conservation needs. This often leads to conflicts and unsustainable land use.

How PILA is applied: Nigeria and Kenya

The initiative led by FAO under the GEF-7 Impact Program (FOLUR), in partnership with:

National agencies (Kenya Forest Service, Nigeria’s REDD+ units); Research institutions; NGOs like Solidaridad Network

Step 1: Bringing People Together
Farmers, community groups, government departments, and producer organizations were united in participatory workshops. Instead of working in silos, all sectors planned jointly.

Step 2: Collecting Evidence

Household surveys captured local livelihood and land-use information.

Satellite imagery and FAO’s Open Foris geospatial suite mapped deforestation and identified restoration opportunities.

Data was shared back with communities and governments for decision-making.

Step 3: Building Capacity

Local officials and communities were trained to use geospatial tools.

Producer organizations were supported to develop sustainable, deforestation-free value chains for crops like cocoa and palm oil.

Step 4: Implementing Solutions

Kenya (Mount Elgon):

Created integrated land-use and restoration plans.

Formed local forest committees to monitor illegal logging.

Identified and began restoring degraded areas.

Nigeria:

Strengthened REDD+ units (a global climate change initiative under the UNFCCC) with better geospatial data and planning capacity.

Designed land management plans balancing farming and conservation.

Linked farmers to sustainable finance and markets.

Step 5: Reforming Governance
Cross-sectoral committees were established, ensuring that agriculture, forestry, and planning continue to coordinate beyond project timelines.

 

What They Achieved

Deforestation & Illegal Logging: Improved monitoring, community engagement, and restoration reduced forest loss.

Agricultural Expansion: Farmers gained access to sustainable practices and markets that reward deforestation-free commodities.

In both Nigeria and Kenya, PILA created a new way of working: one where data, collaboration, and inclusiveness replace fragmented decisions and sectoral conflicts.

PILA is a landscape governance and planning approach that borrows from extension principles such as participation, capacity building, information sharing, and multi-stakeholder learning. By linking farmers, communities, and governments, it provides a practical, scalable method to tackle deforestation, improve livelihoods, and address climate change.

 

 

Source: FAO. 2024. The State of the World’s Forests 2024 – Forest-sector innovations towards a more sustainable future. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd1211en