TECHNICAL FINAL REPORT (Reporting Period: 16 February 2015 to 28 February, 2016)
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Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) TECHNICAL FINAL REPORT (Reporting Period: 16 February 2015 to 28 February, 2016) Name of the Implementing Organization: Myanmar Environment Rehabilitation-conservation Network (MERN) I. Title of the project: Establishment of Regional level Community Forest Products Producer Association in Rakhine, Supporting MERN Membership Process for Forest and Farm Producer Groups and Developing an Effective Communication and Engagement Strategy II. Description of the site where the project was implemented: The project was implemented in Southern Rakhine State, specifically based in Gwa township and Kyeintali sub-township where MERN implemented a project from 2011 to 2014. Gwa and Kyeintali are situated in Rakhine State of Myanmar (see annex-1). The project area is one of the less developing regions in Rakhine State which is also less developed compare to other states and divisions in Myanmar. Food security and livelihood conditions are, although, not the worst due to not too much dense population but it is still far from satisfactory level. Coastal mangrove forests which are nesting place for fish, prawn, etc., wood and energy source for local people and also contributing for Disaster Risk Reduction are degrading at alarming rate in southern part of Rakhine. Gwa Township covers the total area of 885.11 sq.miles in which Kyein-ta-li Sub-township contributes 300.08 sq. miles. Over 75% of the area in Gwa Township is covered with forest, total extent of 434,592 acres, including mangrove area. According to the forest management classification by Forest Department there is, although, no Reserved Forest in Gwa, two Protected Public Forests are existed and the others are Public Forest. Forest areas in Kyein-ta-li are also Public Forest with the total extent of approximately 349,015 acres in which about 15,000 acres of mangrove area is included. Under the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Assets Restoration in Rakhine-CLEARR project which was implemented by MERN, 42 small holder producer groups, mainly CFUGs (Community Forest User Groups), have been successfully established. Therefore, it is in need of establishing a regional level sectoral-platform to be able to join community level to national level, specifically to CFNWG. III. Participants / Beneficiaries: This project will cover over 42 Community Forest User Groups in consist of about 1200 members IV. Objectives of the Letter of Agreement (LoA) The objective of this LoA is to establishing a state level producer association from existing community forestry user groups to engage in a national level cross-sectoral platform, while simultaneously strengthening MERN’s membership and communication strategy The expected outcomes of this LoA are:- 1. Strengthened human resources capacity of MERN and MERN membership process for forest and farm producer groups is operational 2. Communication strategy for existing and new members, including for the engagement and development of forest and farm producers groups, is established 3. Existing Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in Kyeintali and Gwa in Southern Rakhine region are strengthened for business development planning 4. Regional level Community Forest Products Producer Association (CFPPA) is well functioning in Rakhine region Technical Final Report by MERN (16 Feb 2015 -28 Feb, 2016) Page 1 V. Brief Description of project implementation (as per proposed activities) 1.1. Support to existing Service Provider staff members and recruitment of one year program staff responsible for communication and membership development, under the overall leadership of the MERN CEO Aung Thant Zin (ATZ), the CEO of MERN is taking the responsibility of FFF-Myanmar Facilitator for the FFF Myanmar Program since its’ starting days. Under his supervision, the Program Manager of MERN also assisted in FFF Program activities, especially in market-led activities. Furthermore, a Program Officer was recruited for communication and member coordination under FFF support. The organization chart of MERN is given in Annex 1. In the beginning of network formatin, MERN composed of 17 local environmental NGOs. In 2015, It reached up 21 members and brief information is given in Annex 2. Now, Five local NGOs applied for membership: Myanmar Forest Association (MFA), Chin State-based Myanmar Enhancement to Empower Tribal (MEET), Ayeyarwady Delta-based Nature and Environmental Rehabilitation Network (NERN), Community Development Action (CDA), and Karuna Mission Social Solidarity (KMSS), a Karen organization. At least two other NGOs, from Karen State, China State, and Sagaing Division, have expressed interest in joining, reflecting a move to diversify MERN’s membership away from Yangon. According to the MERN Charter, CBO-Community Based Organizations can be a member of Observer status or Associate member status. The Central Executive Committee of MERN sees the Community Forest Products Producer Association as CBO so that they can be a Observer or Associate members of MERN if they applied. Due to focusig on formation of township and regional level CFPPAs, they haven’t apply yet to MERN for membership. Under the leadership of CEO-MERN, the Program Manager and Program Officer (Communication and Network Coordination) worked for FFF program implementation, coordination & collaboration with government, specifically with the Forest Department and Implementing Partners (ECCDI, SDF, SVS, MHDO, MCS, AYO, FREDA, etc.). They also participated in FFF Retreat/Annual Program Planning Meeting, Regional Training on Market Analysis & Development and the exchange visits. MERN team coordinated for FFF mid-term evaluation. During this project period, MERN team organized 2 trainings, 1 follow up training and 1 national exchange. CEO prepared and sent the Facilitator’s monthly reports and contributed in reports of trainings and national exchange with the assistance of Program Manager and Program Officer. CEO involved in FFF Country Coach’s Mission including meeting with the Director-General and senior officials of the Forest Department. 1.2 Drawing up a FFF program work plan, coordination of existing FFF projects and meetings in Myanmar Before the FFF 2015-Retreat, CEO, Program Manager and Program Officer (Communication and Network Coordination) discussed and prepared the draft Workplan-2016. On behalf of Aung Thant Zin (ATZ), CEO-MERN and FFF-Myanmar Facilitator, Ms. Khin Nyein Nyein Mon, Program Officer (Communication and Network Coordination) attended at the FFF 2015-Retreat and she presented the work plan 2016 for Myanmar. According to the comments given on her presentation and with the support of Mr. Jhony Zapate, Country Coach for Myanmar, the draft work plan-2016 was further updated with the inputs of CEO-MERN and Program Manager. Then, the work plan was finalized with the FFF implementing partners in January 2016 in Yangon, Myanmar. The final work plan finalized with the FFF-IPs are given in the Annex 3. Technical Final Report by MERN (16 Feb 2015 -28 Feb, 2016) Page 2 1.3 Field visits to emerging forest and farm producer organizations at township level in at least three states Three field visits were made to Southern Shan State in November 2015, to Ayeyarwady Delta in December 2015 and to Southern Rakhine in January 2016. The first visit was made to the Southern Shan State by leaving on 6 November, 2016 from Yangon. On 7 November, the FFF MERN team, comprising of FFF-Myanmar Facilitator, Program Manager and Program Assistant from MERN met with FFF-ECCDI Assistant Project In-Charge and the committee members of CFPPAs in Aungban. The progress of the project was discussed and holding the event of Southern Shan State level CFPPA formation was also discussed to be happened in December 2015. Then, the team visited to FFF-MCS project villages on 8 December and monitored the development of producer groups formed under FFF-MCS project. The trip was ended by going back to Yangon on 9 December, 2016. The second visit to Ayeyarwady Delta was done on 30 December 2016. The team comprised of 4 members; CEO-MERN & FFF Facilitator ATZ, Program Officer, Program Assistant and an Intern person. At first, the team visited to field office of Network Activity Group in Pya Pon Town and discussed about progress of a small grant project implemented by MERN & IUCN funded by EU. Then, the team proceed to Bogalay. The team met with FFF-SVS project in-charge and CFPPA members from project villages in Bogalay. Formation of sub-township level East Meinmahla CFPPA was discussed to be happened in first quarter of 2017 and business development and linkages for the CFPPAs were also discussed. The last trip to Gwa and Kyeintali in Southern Rakhine was undertaken from 15 to 18 January, 2016. The team comprised of 3 members; CEO-MERN & FFF Facilitator ATZ, Program Officer, Program Assistant. The team met with FFF-RCA-ECCDI project in-charge and CFPPA members in Kyeintali sub-township on 16 January and visited to two CFPPA villages. The team also met with CFPPA members in Gwa Township on 17 January and discussed to form Southern Rakhine CFPPA. Progress and other issues were also discussed. From three field visits it could support the CFPPAs for the approaches for business development and encourage them to be happened the formation of regional CFPPAs. 2.1 Setting up a communication strategy together with forest and farm producer organizations, as part of a broader the Service Provider’s communication strategy The communication strategy was drafted by the FFF-Myanmar Facilitator with the support of Program Officer