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Terminal Evaluation of the project supporting Improved Management Effectiveness of the Chobe-Kwando Linyanti Matrix of Protected Areas (PIMS 4624) June 2018 Undertaken by: Sophie van der Meeren, International Evaluation Expert For: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and Government of Botswana Country: Botswana PIMS No 0004624 Project ID 00087781 Atlas Award: 76326 ProDoc Signature Date 20th December 2013 GEF Period GEF 5 Project Timeframe 48 months Project Start Date 1st January 2014 Project End Date 31 December 2017 LPAC meeting 13th November 2013 Implementing Agency UNDP Botswana Management Arrangement NIM Executing Partner Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism GEF Focal Area Biodiversity Total Resources US$10,829,227 Total Allocated Resources GEF US$1,818,182 UNDP US$250,000 Co-Financing Government (MEWT: DFRR & DWNP) US$6,711, 806 Kwando Safaris: US$615,450 Botswana College of Agriculture: US$411,725 University of Botswana ORI: US$1,022,064 Focal Area Strategic Objectives To: a) improve the sustainability of protected area systems; b) mainstream biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into production landscapes/seascapes and sectors Acknowledgements The Final Evaluation consultant would like to express her appreciation to all people who contributed their time, perspectives and information to this Terminal Evaluation. Special thanks are due to Ms Martha Marenga, Bio-Chobe Project Finance and Administration Officer, for her time in efficiently organising all meetings and for providing key information; and to Mr Bame Mannathoko, UNDP Monitoring & Evaluation Analyst, for his support throughout the project evaluation process, including the provision of relevant project documents and in translating at consultation meetings with Chobe communities. Acronyms and abbreviations used in the Report APR Annual Project Report AWF African Wildlife Foundation AWP Annual Work Plan BTO Botswana Tourism Association CARACAL Centre for Conservation of African Resources: Animals, Communities & Land Use CBNRM Community Based Natural Resource Management CECT Chobe Enclave Community Trust CHA Controlled Hunting Area CKL Chobe-Kwando-Linyanti CLB Chobe Land Board CNP Chobe National Park CPAP Country Programme Action Plan (UNDP) CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CECT Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust CO Country Office DA District Administration DAP Department of Animal Production DCP Department of Crop Production DDC District Development Committee DDP District Development Plan DLUPU District Land Use Planning Unit DEA Department of Environmental Affairs DFRR Department of Forestry and Range Resources DOT Department of Tourism DTRP Department of Town and Regional Planning DWNP Department of Wildlife and National Parks EWB Elephants Without Borders EOP End of Project FR Forest Reserves HWC Human Wildlife Conflict KALEPA Kazungula-Lesoma-Pandamatenga KAZA Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) M&E Monitoring and evaluation MOU Memorandum of Understanding MTR Mid-Term Review NBSAP National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan NGO Non-governmental organisation PA Protected Area PAC Problem Animal Control PCU Project Coordination Unit PIR Project Implementation Review PM Project Manager PMC Project Management Committee RCU Regional Coordination Unit (of UNDP/GEF) SMART Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound SRF Strategic Results Framework TAC Technical Advisory Committee TRG Technical Reference Group TE Terminal Evaluation TOR Terms of Reference UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance Framework UNDP United Nations Development Programme VDC Village Development Committee WMA Wildlife Management Areas CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Terminal Evaluation……………………………………………………………………………………1 Summary of Evaluation Findings……………………………………………………………………..3 Conclusions, Lessons Learnt and Recommendations……………………………………………19 Overall Ratings………………………………………………………………………………………..26 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Evaluation and Methodology………………………………………………………27 Structure of the Evaluation Report………………………………………………………………….28 PART TWO: THE PROJECT AND ITS DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT Project Rationale and the Project Area…………………………………………………………….30 PART THREE: FINDINGS 3.1 PROJECT DESIGN………………………………………………………………………………33 Strategic Approach and Alignment……………………………………………………………….…34 Strategic Results Framework………………………………………………………………………..38 Monitoring and Evaluation Plan Design………………………………………………………….…40 Assumptions and Risks………………………………………………………………………………41 Implementation Arrangements………………………………………………………………………42 UNDP Comarative Advantage……………………………………………………………………….44 3.2 ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT RESULTS Outcome 1: Summary of Results Achieved……………………………………………………..…45 Outcome 2: Summary of Results Achieved……………………………………………………..…76 Country Ownership…………………………………………………………………………………...94 Mainstreaming…………………………………………………………………………………………97 Impacts…………………………………………………………………………………………………97 3.3: PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION Project Management, Execution and Implementation Modalities……………………………….98 Financial Management and Cost Effectiveness………………………………………………….104 Co-Financing…………………………………………………………………………………..……..109 Monitoring and Evaluation to support Results Based Management……………….………..…111 Rating of UNDP Implementation and Executing Partner Execution……………………………115 3.4 SUSTAINABILITY Institutional and Governance……………………………………………………………………….116 Financial………………………………………………………………………………………………116 SocioPolitical………………………………………………………………………..…..……………116 Environmental…………………………………………………………………………………...…...116 3.5: OVERALL RATING OF RELEVANCE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY………...118 PART FOUR: CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………...….119 PART FIVE: LESSONS LEARNT AND RECCOMENDATIONS………………………………125 ANNEXES……………………………………………………………………………………………133 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Bio-Chobe Project Terminal Evaluation 1. GEF-financed projects receive a Terminal Evaluation (TE) at project end in order to meet GEF accountability requirements, and to promote operational improvement, learning and knowledge sharing amongst project partners. A project’s Terminal Evaluation draws on information from consultation with stakeholders, visits to project sites to see impact on the ground and review of relevant literature including project reports, financial and monitoring data, key products, communication and awareness raising material as well as national and local strategic documents. 2. The Project supporting ‘Improved Management Effectiveness of the Chobe-Kwando-Linyanti Matrix of Protected Areas’ (known as the Bio-Chobe Project) is a full-sized project, supported under the GEF Biodiversity Focal Area, Objective 1: ‘Improve Sustainability of Protected Area Systems’, within Programme 1: ‘Improving Financial Sustainability and Effective Management of the National Ecological Infrastructure’. 3. The project received GEF CEO endorsement on 27th August 2013. Total project value is US$10,829,227, comprising GEF allocated financing of US$1,818,182, UNDP funding of US$250,000, and national co-financing of US$ 8,761,045. The timeframe for project implementation was 4 years, between 20th December 2013 and 31st December 2017. A request was made by UNDP to GEF for a no-cost extension, with project end date expected to be in mid-2018. The national Executing Agency for the Bio-Chobe project is the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism and the Implementing Agency is UNDP Botswana Country Office. 4. The Bio-Chobe project aims to strengthen protected area management within the Chobe- Kwando-Linyanti (CKL) matrix of protected areas, and to put in place measures to ensure that land use in buffer zones around the CKL matrix is compatible with overall biodiversity conservation objectives. The Project Document highlights the global significance of the CKL complex, a 24,177sq km area which lies at the heart of one of the largest unfenced protected areas in Africa, within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). Interconnected ecosystems across the CKL matrix harbour many species of high global biodiversity conservation significance. The wildlife and natural resources of the CKL area are renowned internationally and are attracting increasing numbers of tourists. The expanding tourism sector is recognised by the Government of Botswana as an important engine of growth nationally and presents economic opportunities for both the country and communities in Chobe District. 79% of Chobe District falls within three categories of protected areas: Chobe National Park (9,540km2), Forest Reserves (4,555km2) and Wildlife Management Areas (2,305km2). Wildlife also occurs throughout the 20% of the district (4,080km2) outside the Protected Areas where the main land-use is subsistence agriculture and residential. Freehold commercial farms (320km2) make up the remaining 1.5% of the area. The areas outside the protected areas contain important wildlife corridors, which enable wildlife to move from one area to another, in particular between the river and foraging areas. 5. The Project Document identifies a number of existing and emerging threats to globally significant biodiversity across the Chobe complex and the Bio-Chobe project aimed to address the root causes of these threats which can be summarised as follows: ! Inappropriate or conflicting land uses in PA buffer zones, threatening wildlife corridors and species losses through human-wildlife-conflict (HWC). A key causal factor is identified as being uncoordinated planning of land-use and