REPORT OF 1ST AND 2ND QUARTER ACTIVITIES REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENT PROJECTS
Prepared as synthesis of project review meeting
Held on Saturday 29th August 2015
At Ibis Gardens 1. Background...... 2 2.1 Low emission capacity building project...... 3 2.2 GEF V...... 4 3.0 China renewable project...... 5 4.0 UNREDD program...... 6 5.0 Early warning system project...... 6 6.0 Forest Regeneration project...... 7 7.0 Adaption to effects of climate variability and change in agro-ecological region 1...... 8 Closing Remarks...... 9 UNDP...... 9 Director Environment -Ministry of Lands Natural Resources and Environmental Protection...... 9 Annex: list of participants quarter 1 &2 project review meeting held on Saturday 29th AUGUST 2015....11
2 | P a g e 1. Background
Within the UNDP support context, the Environment, Natural Resources Management, renewable energy and Climate Change Sector covers five ministries: Ministry of Land, Natural Resources and Environment Protection (MLNREP), Ministry of Mines, Energy and water development, Ministry of Transport, Works Supply and communication, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Agriculture, and one Quasi Government: Zambia Wildlife Authority and Interim Climate Change Secretariat. The sector deals with environmental protection, natural resource management, renewable energy and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Currently UNDP support to the sector is within six projects as listed below:
Environment and Natural Resources Management sub sector
i. GEF V
Climate Change sub sector
i. Early warning project
ii. Adaptation to Climate variability and Change in Agro-ecological regions I & II of Zambia ( Adaptation in Agriculture)
iii. Low Emissions Capacity Building Programme ( Low emission )
iv. Promoting climate resilient community based regeneration of indigenous forests
Energy sub sector
i. UNDP China Renewable Energy project
As per UNDP project management procedures Quarterly review meetings are to be held for each project so as to assess the progress against set targets. In this regard, quarterly review meeting was held on 29th August, 2015 at Ibis Gardens in Chisamba. The meeting was attended by key representatives from the seven projects listed above -see annex 1 – participants list.
3 | P a g e The Meeting was Co-Chaired by Mr. Lungu Principal Natural Resource Management Officer, at Ministry of Land, Natural Resources and Environment Protection and Ms. Winnie Musonda, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP. Mr. Lungu welcomed participants to the meeting and informed them that, the chair, Mr Gondwe was attending to urgent matters and as such he would join the meeting later. Mr Lungu highlighted the importance of the review meeting in contributing to improved implementation of activities. He further underlined that it was essential for projects to attain improved catalytic interventions in order to contribute to improved livelihoods of vulnerable communities and the environment. Mr Lungu concluded his remarks by urging all participants to make the best use of the meeting in order to strengthen the realization of government vision to deliver improved wellbeing of rural vulnerable communities as well as environmental protection.
Ms. Winnie Musonda in her remarks outlined the purpose of the quarterly review meetings in supporting project management and monitoring infrastructure. She underlined that as a management and monitoring the tool, quarterly review meetings provided important supplement to other management and monitoring tools for UNDP and GEF supported initiatives. She further highlighted other general project management and monitoring instruments to which the quarterly review meeting endeavored to strengthen and this included; field visits, project annual reviews, project implementation reports, mid-term and terminal evaluations. The importance of steering committee meeting could not be over emphasized. In this regard MLNREP as a supervising agency was requested to ensure that steering committee meeting are held at list twice a year.
Ms Musonda also recalled to the meeting that most of the projects supporting environment initiatives in Zambia were supported by GEF. In addition, she noted that it was within the mandate of MLNREP as a supervising agency to obtain implementation perspective of activities in order to foster strengthened delivery. The review meetings further encouraged initiatives to learn from each other. It was the mandate of the review platform to institute corrective actions where there was inadequacy in implementation in order to foster improved delivery and resource absorption.
She concluded her remarks by urging project managers to submit the quarterly reports and revised work plans 15 days into the next quarter.
2. STATUS OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR PLANNED 1st And 2nd QUARTER ACTIVITIES
2.1 Low emission capacity building project The project is aimed at establishing a multi-sectoral Coordinating mechanism for climate change response and strengthening the system for greenhouse gases (GHG) emission inventories
Status
4 | P a g e Recruitment of consultants to develop the 4 NAMAs concepts has commenced. The prioritized NAMA`s are Small hydro-under energy sector, Integrated crop and livestock farming-under agriculture sector, Sustainable charcoal production and end use-under forestry(industrial processes), and Integrated solid waste management-under waste sector
Capacity building and sensitization on sustainable National Greenhouse gas Inventory System in responding to the climate change challenge as well as a number of other benefits to Zambia in areas related to natural resource management
Recommendations
It is important to draw linkages and synergies with other ongoing projects e.g. the GEF V and UNDP China initiative so as to ensure efficiency.
There was also a call to speed up downscaling impacts to beneficiaries as well as capture and profiling of some stories coming out of the project.
The project was encouraged to develop a strategy of inclusion of private sector actors as a way to have a buy in the mitigation initiatives and possible financing. In order to achieve this it was suggested that the project considers hiring of a communication person to speed up engagement with private sector as well as simplify the language contained in the NAMA’s in order to attain wider stakeholder absorption.
The project Manager was called upon to consider the need to deposit the NAMA concepts with the UNFCCC registry through climate change focal point as possible matching with strategic funding opportunities
The project manager and the IP were requested revise the work plan and budget down so as to prioritize the activities that can be realistically achieved by end of December.
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2.2 GEF V The project aims at ensuring that the biodiversity and carbon sinks of Zambia – particularly those critical forest landscapes in selected protected areas (including core National Parks and buffer Game Management Areas) – are better protected from threats through improved management effectiveness at the institutional level
Status
Sensitization and awareness raising workshops conducted in Kafue and West Lunga GMA
Monitoring visits and site selection completed.
5 | P a g e Challenges
Slow take off due to the complexity of the project
Encroachment was still high in areas like Mumbwa
Recommendations
There was need for active engagement with various stakeholders in view of the complex dynamics of the project.
Need for early warning system to detect encroachment and strengthened monitoring systems to address the issues of encroachment. The need to engage the community could not be over emphasized as this will ensure ownership.
Further it was submitted that the project should take advantage existing resource such as the forest surveys that were done in 2003 and new Forest Act that had provided community participation forest management including fire.
On the implication of delayed start and possible extension, the Project Manager informed stakeholders that possibilities of extension could be considered at mid-term review. The project Manager was urged to start with the low hanging fruits and tap into partnerships to accelerate activity implementation.
UNDP urged the project manager to rework the activities and budget for the next quarter and resubmit for approval processes.
3.0 China renewable project The project aims to support the access to electricity for rural communities in Zambia. It will do so through the creation of an enabling environment for renewable energy technology deployment by removing market barriers and through the strengthening of South-South Cooperation between Zambia and China.
Status Terms of references for consultants to finalize the review of the implementation of policies and legislations for rural electrification using off grid systems finalized and published on the website Draft work plan for the solar energy center developed and equipment’s also procured. Selection criteria for the renewable energy rural electrification developed awaiting PSC approval Project implementation unit established and the project manager on board.
Challenges The recruitment process lengthy thus leading to the delay in the implementation of activities
6 | P a g e Space for PMU still a challenge at department of energy Communication between UNDP China, PMU China, UNDP Zambia, and PMU Zambia can be improved through a better technical solution as current internet connectivity is unreliable
Recommendations Department of energy requested to attach dedicated officers in the project so as to hasten implementations
Regarding the selection of target areas, the meeting agreed that this should be informed by renewable energy master plan rather than creating a separate selection criteria. The Climate change focal point applauded the initiative as it would directly strengthen Zambia’s Cop negotiation aspirations as well as aspirations elucidated under the INDC being developed.
The project urged to commence on other tangible outputs since outputs on policy reform measures takes long and the project will be accountable for delivering draft policy. This was in appreciation that in practice finalization of policy processes are often long and beyond the influence of the project mandate.
4.0 UNREDD program The aim of the project is to strengthen the Zambian institutions and stakeholders to prepare and implement the national strategy for reducing deforestation and forest degradation mechanism (REDD+). The project came to an end in June 2015
Status
Draft REDD+ strategy in place
Targeted support proposal submitted to the UNREDD secretariat to support the development of the investment plan
Recommendations
There is need to finalize the strategy and publish it so that it can be used for fundraising at the upcoming International convention and events e.g the UNREDD policy board meeting and the Cop21 in Paris.
Participants observed that there was need to strengthen dissemination and publicity of the product to stakeholders including communities. Hence it will be important to bring it into public domain. One action that was considered to be useful in attaining this was deployment of active awareness activities.
7 | P a g e 5.0 Early warning system project UNDP-GEF’s Multi-country Support Programme to Strengthen Climate Information for Resilient Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa (CIRDA) comprises 11 country-led projects that focus on strengthening climate information and early warning systems (CIEWS) for climate resilient development and adaptation to climate change in Africa. The fundamental problem in Zambia that this project seeks to address is that coordinated and complete climate information systems and early warning systems are weak. This limits the effectiveness of long-term development planning and the delivery of timely climate/weather- related warnings to key sectors and communities vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as increase in frequency and intensity of floods and droughts.
Status
Procurement processes for automatic weather stations and for instruments required at the manual weather stations are both near completion. For the automatic weather stations, UNDP Procurement Support Office (PSO) has made arrangements for ZMD to be able to make use of an existing long-term agreement with Adcon Telemetry, to order directly from them. This is a great benefit to ZMD, as 31 of ZMD’s current 32 AWSs were supplied by Adcon Telemetry.
For the instruments required at the manual weather stations, a supplier has been selected and an order is soon to be issued. The delivery period is 14 weeks; thus, the instruments are likely to be received within the early weeks of the fourth quarter of 2015
The CIEWS project baseline study is to be concluded by 31 July 2015. Surveys were undertaken in the quarter under review, in order to develop a national snapshot on the current status of climate information systems and early warning systems in the country, and provide a basis for monitoring and evaluation of the CIEWS project.
Terms of Reference and an advertisement for a communications consultancy were issued in the quarter under review. The consultants’ ToR is to develop a CIEWS communication strategy and to facilitate national climate outlook forums in Lusaka and the three EWS pilot districts, to give a detailed forecast of the 2015-2016 rainy season.
Challenges
Ministry of Health had not yet been come on board despite attempts to invite them for meetings
Recommendations
Participants encouraged the Project Manager to consult with other actors on how to address the slow buy in by important partners such as Ministry of Health. Measures like making presentation
8 | P a g e to the top management of Ministry of Health may help them appreciate the importance of participating and supporting the project
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6.0 Forest Regeneration project The LDCF project on Promoting Climate resilient community based regeneration of indigenous forests in Zambia’s Central Province was approved by GEF on 25th of May 2015. The regeneration project in central province will focus on the following: Piloting of community- based, climate adaptive agro-forestry and assisted natural Regeneration (ANR) techniques, enhancing capacity of foresters and communities in Central Province to implement appropriate climate-resilient agroforestry and natural regeneration practices in designated zones and Increase knowledge about and uptake of appropriate supply-side, biomass energy production technologies
Challenges
The commencement of the project took long due to the length of time taken to make important decisions on recruitment.
Recommendations
The Forestry Department was called upon to ensure speedy attention to the constraints observed so that project implementation can gain sufficient momentum.
7.0 Adaption to effects of climate variability and change in agro-ecological region 1 The Climate Change Adaptation Project was designed for the purpose of ensuring improved food security through enhanced adaptive capacity to respond to the risks posed by the effects of climate change (including variability) in Agro-ecological Regions I and II of Zambia. The adaptation project came to an end in June 2015.
Status
At the end of the project, 250 government planners and extension staff were trained in the interpretation of climate information and its application in planning to reduce risks in agriculture activities and make small scale farming more resilient to climate shocks.
Early warning system needs were assessed and documented for the 8 sites where both modern and indigenous EW needs were documented
9 | P a g e Seasonal forecasts were given to farmers and translated in the local languages to give an indication of the likely start of the effective rains and how this could affect crop production after taking into account soil type and land preparation method.
1500 farmers were trained in crop diversification practices that is, early maturing, and drought tolerant, alternative crop species and seed multiplication.
A total of 423 (208M; 215F) seed growers were trained in the production and marketing of drought resistant seed locally. So far 150 farmers were practicing seed production.
Following its successful conclusion, project terminal evaluation and report had been undertaken and compiled respectively. The latter awaited clearance by the steering committee in order that it can be shared with wider stakeholders
Recommendations
In order to improve weather information dissemination discussions with mobile service providers to provide an SMS service to farmers on either weekly or daily dissemination of weather indicators could be tabled or considered in phase II (if any).
Phase II (if any) should address the position of the project M and E officer to ensure consistent M and E reporting formats and data collection tools.
Any project on disaster risk reduction and climate change should not be less than three (3) implementation year period and could include mitigation measures during the first to second year.
On-farm trials would be critical to providing localized climatic conditions to enable easy adaptation of considered interventions.
With the support of the project climate resilient agriculture has been integrated in the revised agriculture policy, climate change policy, revised forest policy and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Strategy
Closing Remarks
10 | P a g e UNDP UNDP through Ms. Musonda appreciated the convening of the review meeting as it provided a platform and avenue that will enhance project implementation whilst addressing any challenges that may be encountered during implementation.
In her submission she re-emphasized the need to ensure that project steering committees were in place and functional in all the projects in order to provide the required implementation and monitoring infrastructure.
She further commended Project Managers and implementation partners for running the race of activity implementation effectively this far and called for sustaining the positive momentum.
Director Environment -Ministry of Lands Natural Resources and Environmental Protection The Director of the Department of Environment and Management observed that despite the teething challenges that had been incurred in the initial phases of implementation of the various projects, it was pleasing to note that project implementation had accelerated. He noted that it remained important to ensure that projects exhibited enough absorption and implementation capacities in order to provide momentum for further initiatives.
He emphasized the need to strengthen the flow and sharing of information in order to profile what the country was doing to stakeholders. In this regard all project Managers and partners were encouraged to ensure that there was strengthened commitment and collaboration for effective implementation of the projects.
Further, he expressed appreciation to the UNDP for maintaining support to the development agenda of Zambia
Sign by ------Sign------
Richard Lungu, MLNREP Winnie Musonda, UNDP
Date ------
11 | P a g e Annex: list of participants quarter 1 &2 project review meeting held on Saturday 29th AUGUST 2015 No Name Organization
1 Mr. Godwin Fishani Gondwe MLNREP
2 Mr Richard Lungu MLNREP
3 Mr Hartley Walimwipi LECB
4 Chibesa Pensulo Early Warning
5 Lloyd Ngo UNDP-China initiative
6 Simbotwe Mwiya GEF V
12 | P a g e 7 Moses Kahumba MLNREP/ FD
8 Biston Mbewe Adaptation project
9 Ann Chandipo MMWED/ Energy department
10 Dr. Nyaganga Met Department
11 Evaristo Nyanoka MAL
12 ZAWA
13 Winnie Musonda UNDP
14 Ignatius Musopelo MLNREP
15 Velice Nangavo UNDP
16 Noah Zimba facilitator
13 | P a g e