The Development of a Diagnosis Indicator-Based Assessment Tool and Its Application to Rural Settlements in the Region Montes de Maria in Colombia

Abstract

One of the most affected regions in Colombia in terms of social conflict, deforestation and loss of biodiversity is the region called Montes de Maria. In view of the current land restitution plan the trend of the environmental degradation is most likely to increase due to a higher demand of natural resources caused by the returning population that was displaced during the conflict. With the objective to develop a simple and quick method to diagnose the inefficient and environmentally unsustainable consumption and management of resources for domestic and agricultural purposes from households in that region, the most inclusive method is approached supported by a literature review. As a result, the indicator-based assessment tool pro.eraa was developed with the help of the reference certification tool Green Villages by IGBC of India, the Technical Advice by the One Planet Development of Wales, the local NBA as guidelines and the SDI’s of the SDGs. Pro.eraa consists of a total of 51 indicators in the four resource themes: water, energy, waste and activity. The fourth resource “Activity” was necessary to be added during the process due to the agricultural context of the region. Pro.eraa was validated and pre-tested on two sites (Huamanga and Chalan) in Montes de Maria. The tool serves as a decision-aid tool to support the selection of tailored and effective interventions that benefits efficiency and environmental sustainability in regard to the human well-being of the rural population as well as the local biodiversity. Apart from the design and validation process, the work includes a showcase application and evaluation of a site and instructions for implementation. During the literature review, it was particularly noted that the current state of the art literature lacks adequate indicator-based assessment or certification tools that lay the focus on sustainable rural development.