JANUARY 2009 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development and was prepared by ARD, Inc. LAND RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
OCTOBER 2010 ThisAPRIL publication 2009 was produced for review by the United States Agency for InternationalThis publication Development was produced and was for preparedreview by by the Tetra United Tech States ARD. Agency for International Development and was prepared by ARD, Inc.
PREFACE
The Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (LRCFP) is a USAID program assisting the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and forest-based communities to jointly manage Liberia’s forest lands. Recent policy and legal reforms in Liberia’s forestry sector mandate FDA to empower and assist Liberian communities to manage their forest resources sustainably. LRCFP works with FDA and other stakeholders to develop this capacity at the national, county, and community levels. LRCFP works with Zor and Gba communities, north of Sanniquellie in Nimba County, and with Nitrian and Nimopoh communities, east of Greenville, in Sinoe County. The program helps these communities understand their rights and responsibilities regarding forest resources in their customary lands and how to undertake forest management activities that sustain these resources. The term “forest resources” encompasses all plants and animals in forest landscapes and how they interact to sustain the forest “ecosystem” that provides important environmental services that moderate climate and ensure fertile soils and water quality and quantity. Another term for this variety and assembly of biological and ecosystem properties is “biodiversity”. LRCFP recognizes that communities already manage forest resources and that community members also understand that some of these resources are declining due both to overexploitation by community members and to factors outside community control. Communities therefore see a need to improve their land rights and forest resource management capabilities to ensure that future generations retain the benefits their forests provide. Reasons for overuse of these resources include poverty (lack of money for alternative products), lack of clear rights to resources and a mandate to manage them, and lack of capacity and resources to improve their management. LRCFP works with FDA’s support to help communities overcome these obstacles by establishing representative forest management committees and providing training and resources for them to govern and carry out forest conservation and economic use of forest resources for improved livelihoods—in other words, developing a model for community forestry in Liberia. LRCFP uses this community-based experience to help FDA develop a national institutional framework for community forestry in Liberia. We provide support to FDA for training, technical analyses and recommendations, based on our experiences in Sinoe and Nimba and experience in other countries, that will enable communities to increasingly assume rights and responsibilities for managing their forest resources. LRCFP also works with the newly mandated Land Commission to assist in developing policies that will lead to legally defined customary tenure rights in forest lands. This report is prepared for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID Contract No. EPP-I-00-06-00008, Task Order No. EPP-I-05-06-00008-00, Technical, Advisory and Assistance Services in support of Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (LRCFP) of the Republic of Liberia, under the Prosperity, Livelihood and Conserving Ecosystems Indefinite Quantity Contract (PLACE IQC).
Tetra Tech ARD Contacts:
Allen Turner, Chief of Party ([email protected]) Vaneska Litz, Senior Technical Advisor/Manager ([email protected]) Anna Farmer, Project Manager ([email protected])
Tetra Tech ARD P.O. Box 1397 Burlington, VT 05402 Tel: 802-658-3890
Cover photo: Saye Thompson, Chairman of the local Joint Community Forest Management Body (JCFMB), signs Liberia’s first-ever Co-Management Agreement for the management of a protected area—the East Nimba Nature Reserve. Other signatories present are Moses Wogbeh, Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority, and District Commissioner John P. Quato. (Photo credit: Nobeh, Jackson)
LIBERIA LAND RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
OCTOBER 2010
DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.
CONTENTS
ACRONYMS ...... III EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...... 1 Component 1–Community Forestry Framework ...... 1 Component 2–Land Tenure and Property Rights ...... 1 Component 3–Community Pilot Sites ...... 1 Program Management ...... 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ...... 2 2.0 WORK PLAN ACTIVITIES ...... 5 2.1 COMPONENT/PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 1: LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED AND STRENGTHENED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN FORESTS ...... 5 Activity 1.1: Support implementation of the CRL ...... 5 Activity 1.2: Strengthen understanding through public outreach on LRCFP and the community forestry framework ...... 6 Activity 1.3: Build capacity in community forestry at the national level under the enabling framework ...... 7 Activity 1.4: Support “alternative” approaches to forest conservation through community forestry ...... 8 Activity 1.5: Advise implementation of “social agreements” between concessionaires and communities ...... 10 Activity 1.6: Participate in forestry sector coordination ...... 10 2.2 COMPONENT/PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 2: LAND TENURE AND PROPERTY RIGHTS SYSTEMS FOR FOREST LANDS DEVELOPED AND STRENGTHENED TO SECURE RIGHTS FOR NATURAL RESOURCE USERS/OWNERS ...... 12 Activity 2.1: Develop working relationships with the Land Commission, relevant national-level agencies, and other donor efforts ...... 12 Activity 2.2: Strengthen working relationship with local governments ...... 12 Activity 2.3: Build capacity in LTPR ...... 13 Activity 2.4: Provide demand-driven STTA to support the Land Commission ...... 13 2.3 COMPONENT/PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 3: MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY FORESTS AND CONSERVATION OF THEIR BIODIVERSITY IMPROVED, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES INCREASED FOR COMMUNITIES AND OTHER USER GROUPS ...... 14 Activity 3.1: Carry out threats analysis and supporting activities to ensure significant biodiversity objectives are met ...... 14 Activity 3.2: Establish and strengthen management institutions ...... 14 Activity 3.3: Build the capacities of community organizations ...... 17 Activity 3.4: Prepare community forest management plans ...... 21 Activity 3.5: Develop livelihood improvement opportunities ...... 23 Activity 3.6: Strengthen community-level understanding of land rights and community forestry ...... 26 3.0 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ...... 29 3.1 USAID AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT ...... 29 3.2 IMPLEMENTATION STAFFING AND STRUCTURE ...... 29 3.3 LOCAL SUBCONTRACTS ...... 30 3.4 COUNTY OFFICE DEVELOPMENTS ...... 30 3.5 PROGRESS AGAINST PMP INDICATORS ...... 30
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4.0 RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT ...... 34 ATTACHMENT A: WORK PLAN SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES AND DELIVERABLES–MAY TO DECEMBER 2010 ...... A-1 ATTACHMENT B: LRCFP STAFF AND ORGANOGRAM ...... B-1 ATTACHMENT C: CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT ...... C-1 ATTACHMENT D: SUCCESS STORY: FDA AND COMMUNITIES SIGN FIRST FOREST CO- MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT IN LIBERIA ...... D-1
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ACRONYMS
AGRHA Action for Greater Harvest ASNAPP Agribusiness for Sustainable Natural African Plant Products BOTPAL Botanical Products Association of Liberia BSMWG Benefit Sharing Mechanism Working Group CAF UL University of Liberia’s College of Agriculture and Forestry CFDC Community Forestry Development Committee CFMB Community Forestry Management Body CI Conservation International CJPS Center for Justice and Peace Studies CMFP Community Forest Management Plan COP Chief of Party COTR Contract Officer’s Technical Representative CPOP Commercial Palm Oil Producer CRL Community Rights Law with Respect to Forest Lands DQA Data Quality Assessment ENNR East Nimba Nature Reserve FaaB Farming as a Business FAO UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization FDA Forestry Development Authority FED Food and Enterprise Development FFI Fauna and Flora International FFS Farmer Field School FMB Forest Management Body (an oft-used shortened form of CFMB) FMC Forest Management Committee (a term used for CFMBs before passage of the CRL) FRC Farmer Resource Center FTI Forestry Training Institute GIS Geographic Information System GoL Government of the Republic of Liberia GPS Global Positioning System GTZ German Technical Coordination Agency IP Implementing Partner IPM Integrated Pest Management IQC Indefinite Quantity Contract
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IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature JCFMB Joint Community Forest Management Body JFMB Joint Forest Management Body (a shortened form of JCFMB) LC Land Commission LFI Liberia Forest Initiative LMI Liberia Media Initiative LOP Life of Project LRC Learning Resource Center LRCFP Land Rights and Community Forestry Program LTPR Land Tenure and Property Rights MOA Ministry of Agriculture MOU Memorandum of Understanding MTA Mid-Term Assessment NAEAL National Adult Education Association of Liberia NBST National Benefit-Sharing Trust NGO Nongovernmental Organization NRM Natural Resource Management NTFP Non-Timber Forest Product PLACE Prosperity, Livelihoods and Conserving Ecosystems PMP Performance Monitoring Plan Q (Calendar) Quarter REDD Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation RRC Rules Review Committee SADS Skills and Agricultural Development Services SBA Subah-Belleh Associates SDI Sustainable Development Institute STTA Short-Term Technical Assistance TO Task Order TOT Training of Trainers USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Eleventh Quarterly report of the USAID Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (LRCFP) in Liberia covers the period 1 July to 30 September 2010. COMPONENT 1–COMMUNITY FORESTRY FRAMEWORK Under Component 1, which strengthens the enabling environment for community forestry, LRCFP supported a joint Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and community effort to demarcate the boundaries of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR). At the end of the quarter, following the demarcation, LRCFP facilitated the signing—for the first time ever in Liberia—of a co-management agreement between the communities and FDA (see Attachment C). At the national level, LRCFP helped the FDA develop a plan for regional consultations to review and finalize implementing regulations for the Community Rights Law with Respect to Forest Lands (CRL). LRCFP helped the Benefit-Sharing Mechanism Working Group (BSMWG) set forth in appropriate legal language the proposed regulation for the national benefit-sharing trust, to ensure its establishment and that it operates in accordance with Liberian law and in a manner consistent with the decisions and intent of BSMWG, which brought together community, NGO, and FDA representatives to develop the procedures. LRCFP has also helped the FDA develop a series of radio discussion programs with community forestry stakeholders. LRCFP partner Virginia Tech helped the University of Liberia’s College of Agriculture and Forestry (CAF UL) and the Forestry Training Institute (FTI) complete self-assessments. LRCFP helped the FDA and FTI begin discussions with GTZ to support a process of curriculum development through an outside team of “mentors”, to build a new curriculum that reflects Liberia’s “Three Cs” policy and current best practices for the forest sector. The CAF self-assessment proposed redesign of the college, developing leadership within the CAF UL to coordinate the restructuring and establishment of an external CAF advisory board. COMPONENT 2–LAND TENURE AND PROPERTY RIGHTS Under Component 2, LRCFP renewed its dialog with the Land Commission through meetings in September and plans for land commissioners to visit pilot communities in Nimba, and as road conditions improve, Sinoe. Local government authorities in pilot communities have continued to be closely involved in program activities. In Nimba, district authorities attended the planning and launching of the demarcation of the ENNR and Blei Forest boundaries and attested the signing of the ENNR co-management agreement. In Nimba, they led the induction into office of forest management body (FMB) members (as they had in Sinoe last quarter). The revised FMB constitutions and by-laws have been submitted to a legal expert who is facilitating their probation. At the end of the quarter, pilot community FMB representatives attended a national-level meeting of the Community Forestry Working Group for the first time. COMPONENT 3–COMMUNITY PILOT SITES Under Component 3, in preparation for forest management plan development, FMBs are developing rules to ensure sustainable resource management practices are applied for commercial activities and negotiating agreements with resource user groups. To strengthen the legitimacy of FMBs within their communities, LRCFP facilitated their writing of traditional and new rules and regulations on use of forest lands and resources and on monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. The FMBs incorporated old rules regarded as useful into the new rules, which focus on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), hunting of wild animals, forestland resources and shifting cultivation, control of wild fires, and water resources and fishing. FMBs now take part in and provide progress updates at the county-level, biweekly, coordination meetings. They apply facilitation skills in community decision-making
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processes in, for example, making resource use rules, preparing memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with commercial palm oil producers (CPOP) groups with respect to exploitation of wild palms and palm oil processing, and carrying out biodiversity and threats awareness activities in their respective towns/villages. Communities are taking ownership of the forest management planning process. In Nimba, a cadre of local cartographers demarcated the Blei Forest to serve sustainable and profitable forest management and use objectives, using GPS and applying participatory mapping skills, with technical backstopping by LRCFP staff. LRCFP partner, Conservation International (CI), provided additional analysis of forest cover, land use, and changes in land cover for Sinoe County. At the suggestion of the County Superintendent, LRCFP translated key clauses of the CRL into Mano and Gio for airing on Radio Nimba in Sanniquellie. A similar exercise will be carried out in Sinoe County. Following last season’s experience with marketing NTFPs, collectors in Zor community helped form an association of forest product collectors, the Botanical Products Association of Liberia (BOTPAL), which has organized other groups of collectors/harvesters in Bong, Grand Gedeh, and Lofa Counties and has 68 members. The collectors have drafted by-laws and a constitution and plan to register their organization in October. In addition to nurseries for NTFPs, which provide alternatives over the longer term required under forest management systems, community members are testing more immediate livelihood options through Farmer Field Schools (FFSs). FFS participants are testing 12 cassava cultivars and a short-season rice cultivar, planting local plantains, and planting out hot pepper from their nurseries. Thirteen FFS sessions have been carried out on such topics as site selection, land preparation, crop trials of traditional versus improved varieties and methods, basic principles of crop rotation, integrated pest management (IPM), and compost preparation and application. Earlier in the season, groups tested an oil palm processing technology, which they are eager to use again next season. In August, a farmer-to-farmer volunteer provided Training of Trainers (TOT) to local team and partner field staff to help FFS participants, palm oil processors, and NTFP collectors learn basic business management skills to participate more effectively in local markets for these products. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT In the Eleventh Quarter of implementation (July-September 2010), the USAID COTR suggested exploring a further extension of the program through August 2011, beyond the original option year period presently in effect (through December 2010). ARD welcomed this more forceful response to the Mid-Term Assessment (MTA)’s earlier recommendation and submitted a notional budget at the end of the quarter for USAID review. Through such an extension, USAID will be able to ensure an effective transition to its follow-on investments in the forestry sector, which are likely to continue to focus on community forestry. If an extension is approved, it is expected that LRCFP will maintain its “two-track” policy and practice approach and its balanced programmatic focus on natural resource governance (community forestry and property rights) and improved livelihoods, market access, and market relationships. LRCFP would coordinate with relevant USAID and/or other US government (USG) upcoming activities in food security, enterprise development, and property rights. As this report coincides with the end of the US fiscal year, data on Performance Monitoring Indicators has been updated and presented in the following table.
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SUMMARY TABLE. LIFE OF PROJECT PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN TARGETS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE Results Hierarchy – Indicators End of Program Total Target (2008-10) A. Custom Indicators Result 1: Institutional framework for 1.0.1. Community Rights Law (CRL) enacted 1 1 community forestry established 1.1 Enabling framework for 1.1.1. Regulations and procedures to support 5 5 community forestry developed implementation of CRL developed and approved
1.2 FDA and assisting agency 1.2.1. Number of FDA and NGO trainers trained on 37 153 capacity to carry-out community community forestry framework and its forestry programs strengthened implementation 1.2.2. Number of community members and other 700 1,552 stakeholders reached with information on the CRL, regulations, procedures and related policies Result 2: LTPR Systems to improve 2.0.1. Number of requests made by communities to 30 8 (see security of tenure for natural resource FDA to assist establish community forestry Table 5) owners/users in forest lands programs improved 2.1 A model for community LTPR in 2.1.1. Number of pilot community forest land areas 10 (4; see community forest lands defined and zoned in agreed management plans Table 5) demonstrated 2.2 A cadre of trained individuals to 2.2.1. Number of national and local government 20 84 address land and resource issues in officials trained on community rights in forest lands forest lands supported 2.2.2. Number of community forest land 8 5 management bodies functioning at level 3 in at [5] least 3 of the 5 basic competencies Result 3: Community Forest 3.0.1. Value of agricultural and forest products sold 25 TBD (See management provides improved through supported value chains percent Table 5) biodiversity conservation and livelihoods 3.0.2 Number of hectares of biologically significant 13,600 (See habitat under improved management Table 5) 3.1 FDA and assisting agency 3.1.1. Number of community forestry-related 16 16 capacity to support community-based disputes engaged by FDA and assisting agencies natural resource management and (between community members or between biodiversity conservation community members and third parties) strengthened
3.2 Sustainable pilot market 3.2.1. Number of agricultural and forest product 8 (5) opportunities developed value chains developed
B. USAID Standard Economic Growth Indicators
EG 8.1: Natural Resources and Number of hectares under improved natural 8,000 1,030 Biodiversity resources management as a result of [United (>13000) States Government] USG assistance (See Table 5) Number of policies, laws, agreements or 16 20 regulations promoting sustainable [natural resources management] NRM and conservation that are implemented as a result of USG assistance Number of people receiving USG-supported 330 2,514 training in NRM and/or biodiversity conservation Number of people with increased economic 1,500 498 benefits derived from sustainable NRM and [600] (See conservation as a result of USG assistance Table 5) EG 7.4: Inclusive Economic Law and Number of proposed improvements in laws and 4 5 Property Rights regulations affecting property rights of the urban and rural poor drafted with USG assistance EG 5.2: Agricultural Productivity Number of new technologies or management 5 10 practices made available for transfer as a result of USG assistance
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1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
The Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (LRCFP) is a task order (TO) initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Prosperity, Livelihoods and Conserving Ecosystems (PLACE) Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC). USAID signed the TO with ARD, Inc. in December 2007, as a two-year pilot initiative. Following a Mid-Term Assessment (MTA) in July 2009, the end date was extended to May 16, 2010 through a no-cost extension. The MTA strongly recommended that USAID continue to support community forestry in Liberia and this pilot initiative in particular. In May 2010, USAID extended the program period through December 2010 with additional funding. Activities under the Third Work Plan (October 2009–May 2010) were revised and extended under a Fourth Work Plan. LRCFP assists the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and forest-based communities to manage jointly Liberia’s forest lands. Recent policy and legal reforms in Liberia’s forestry sector mandate FDA to empower and assist Liberian communities to manage their forest resources sustainably. LRCFP works with FDA, the Land Commission, and other stakeholders to develop this capacity at the national, county, and community levels. LRCFP works at four pilot sites in Nimba and Sinoe Counties to help communities understand their rights and responsibilities regarding forest resources in their customary lands and how to undertake forest management activities to sustain these resources. LRCFP uses this community-based experience to help FDA develop a national institutional framework for community forestry. The program provides support to FDA for training, technical analyses, and recommendations—based on our experiences in Sinoe and Nimba and experience in other countries—that will enable communities to increasingly assume rights and responsibilities for managing their forest resources. LRCFP also works with the Land Commission to assist in developing policies that will lead to legally defined customary tenure rights in forest lands. ARD has been working with several international and Liberian organizations to assist directly in implementing the program, including Conservation International (CI), World Resources Institute, ACDI/VOCA, and Virginia Tech University (US-based organizations that are subcontractors under the PLACE IQC); as well as the Liberian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) Center for Justice and Peace Studies (CJPS), National Adult Education Association of Liberia (NAEAL), and Action for Greater Harvest (AGRHA). To encourage synergy and avoid duplication, LRCFP regularly exchanges information with several other international and national NGOs that carry out donor-funded programs that engage with the FDA in community forestry. These include FDA programs implemented by CI (outside the LRCFP subcontract), Fauna and Flora International (FFI), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Bank, and drawing on the services of the local consulting firm, Subah-Belleh Associates (SBA). USAID identified three components for LRCFP as follows: • Component 1—Objective: Legal and policy framework developed and strengthened to support community management and sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation, particularly forests. Emphasis is on support to development, strengthening and harmonization of a legislative framework that supports community management and increased economic growth options from the sustainable use of natural resources, along with capacity building for implementing this evolving community forestry framework. • Component 2—Objective: Land tenure and property rights systems developed and strengthened to assure property rights for all natural resource users/owners. Emphasis is to
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support the sustainable and equitable management of land, forests, and other natural resources. To achieve these conditions, individuals and communities require clearer access, use, and ownership rights. The Government of the Republic of Liberia (GoL) is in the early stages of a thorough review and reform process of the institutional basis for land tenure and property rights (LTPR). • Component 3—Objective: Management of community forests and conservation of their biodiversity improved, and economic opportunities increased for communities and other user groups. Activities promote a multifaceted approach to community forestry including developing community capacity to implement forest management practices, improving opportunities for livelihoods through sustainable management of natural resources, and fostering economic linkages between smallholders (and communities) and market opportunities. ARD’s approach to achieving these objectives has engaged Liberian men, women, and institutions at national, local, and community levels through experiential and formal learning and transparent sharing of information. LRCFP—at all times—has worked to build capacity of local partners and to encourage collaboration of all governmental, nongovernmental, academic, and private sector organizations related to the program. Throughout implementation, we have mainstreamed equity issues for women and other disadvantaged ethnic and social groups. Outcomes include: • An improved legal and policy environment for secure and equitable community rights to forest lands, through the Community Rights Law with Respect to Forest Lands (CRL), the Land Commission, and locally developed guidelines and rules; • Emerging models and improved capacity of communities and their governmental and nongovernmental partners for incorporating LTPR approaches into sustainable community-based natural resource management (NRM); and • Improved and environmentally sustainable and socially equitable options for greater economic security and increased incomes in pilot communities. LRCFP’s Performance Monitoring/Management Plan (PMP) contains a Results Framework for the program, presented in Figure 1. A TO Modification approved in August 2008 took into account that significant future funding would come from USAID’s congressional earmark for biodiversity conservation. A Biodiversity Code defines requirements for compliance in all USAID programs worldwide. During the final months of the present contract, LRCFP will complete ongoing activities and consolidate accomplishments. Under the one-year extension, activities will continue to focus on: • Economic benefits from improved community forest management and strengthened market relationships; • Development of community forest management plans; • Consolidation of a government/community co-management plan for the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR); and • Capacity building for FDA and the new Land Commission, e.g., in supporting community forestry through application of the new CRL and in applying financial benefits from logging concessions. LRCFP will continue to engage with Liberian partners—including the FDA, Land Commission, our Liberian NGO partners, and pilot communities—for implementation. However, LRCFP will concentrate on strengthening relationships that will endure—i.e., among the partners themselves and between these partners and other stakeholders. This Eleventh Quarterly (Q10) report covers the period 1 July–30 September 2010. Section 2 summarizes what was achieved during the quarter for each LRCFP component and activity from the Fourth Work Plan. Section 3 describes program management activities and progress toward PMP targets. Section 4 provides an overview of accomplishments and expected progress in and issues related to Q12. The Fourth Work Plan timeline, emphasizing Q11 activities, is presented as Attachment A, and the staffing configuration in Attachment B.
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NOTE: The term “senior advisors” in this report denotes the Chief of Party (COP), Senior LTPR Specialist, and the Senior Community Forestry Specialist. Where one of these individuals is mentioned separately, the term encompasses the other two. FIGURE 1. LRCFP RESULTS FRAMEWORK (“F” Objective and Program Areas refers to USAID’s worldwide Foreign Assistance Framework)
F Objective 4: USAID/Liberia Strategy: SO 669-010: Restore and Maintain Basic Economic Growth Economic Activity and Livelihoods
F Program Areas IR 10.2. Increased Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Natural Resource Resources Management Practices in Target Communities Management & Biodiversity Conservation Inclusive Economic Law and Property Task Order Overall Objective: To advance the policy and practice of land Rights and forest management, within Liberia’s forest lands, through the introduction of adaptive management and learning-based approaches in pilot sites located within targeted areas of the country.
Component 1: Legal and Component 2: Land tenure Component 3: policy framework developed and property rights Management of and strengthened to support systems for forest lands community forests and community management, developed and biodiversity conservation sustainable use of natural strengthened to secure improved, and economic resources and biodiversity rights for natural resource opportunities increased for conservation in forests lands users/owners communities/user groups
Work Plans
Result and Activities Result and Activities Result and Activities
1. Institutional Framework 2. LTPR systems to 3. Community Forest for Community Forestry improve security of tenure Management provides (CF) established for natural resource improved biodiversity owners/users in forest conservation & livelihoods 1.1 Implement CRL lands improved 1.2 Strengthen understanding of 3.1 Analyze biodiversity threats CF framework 2.1 Support Land Commission and trends 1.3 Build capacity in CF 3.2 Strengthen forest framework 2.2 Strengthen local management bodies 1.4 Develop alternative government relations 3.3 Build capacities of approaches to forest community organizations conservation 2.3 Build capacity in LTPR 3.4 Prepare community forest 1.5 Advise on “social management plans agreements” 2.4 Analyze LTRP issues 3.5 Develop livelihood 1.6 Participate in Forestry improvement opportunities Sector learning 3.6 Strengthen community-level understanding of LR & CF
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2.0 WORK PLAN ACTIVITIES
Headings and activities in this section are taken directly from the LRCFP Fourth Work Plan (May– December 2010). For each activity with proposed inputs and outputs during Q10, a shaded box is presented below the activity title, reproduced from the Work Plan. Activities not programmed or implemented in Q11 are not elaborated in this report. Attachment A contains the implementation schedule presented in the Work Plan formatted to emphasize Q11 activities and outputs.
2.1 COMPONENT/PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 1: LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED AND STRENGTHENED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN FORESTS ACTIVITY 1.1: SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CRL Expected Outcome: Implementing regulations developed that clarify ambiguities, mitigate risks of abuse, and fully support the requirements of a Community Forest Management Plan (CFMP) under the CRL.
Inputs: • Prepare final legal analysis and interpretation • Continue to support FDA-led consultation process, encouraging multi-stakeholder engagement Outputs:
• Report that integrates the results of the earlier analyses, including compilation of stakeholder comments and perspectives, and presents a final list of regulations with synopses of their content LRCFP continued to work with the legal expert, Willie Belleh, who facilitated consultations and carried out analysis on the CRL of 2009 in April and May 2010, as described in the Tenth Quarterly Report. The European Union provided funding through Fauna and Flora International (FFI) in July 2010 for him to draft implementing regulations based on the earlier consultations, which LRCFP circulated for comment to selected stakeholders. In September, the FDA and LRCFP agreed on a plan and LRCFP support to carry out public Regional Consultations in October consultations on the draft regulations at four two- • Tubmanburg: for Bomi, Cape Mount day workshops in each of four regions, to be held and Gbarpolu in October 2010 (see box at right). The public • Kakata: for Grand Bassa, Margibi, views will be incorporated into the final Montserrado, River Cess, and Bong regulation, following which LRCFP will help the • Gbarnga: for Bong, Lofa, and Nimba FDA promulgate the CRL Regulation. LRCFP has funded a draft translation of the CRL into • Zwedru: Grand Gee, Grand Gedeh, simple Liberian English and, if appropriate, is River Gee, and Sinoe Counties prepared to do the same for the regulations.
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ACTIVITY 1.2: STRENGTHEN UNDERSTANDING THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH ON LRCFP AND THE COMMUNITY FORESTRY FRAMEWORK Expected Outcome: Increased public understanding, oversight, and support for an enabling community forestry and forest resource rights framework and for its implementation at four pilot sites.
Inputs: • Prepare regular communications of program experience, including lessons learned • Help the FDA Public Relations and Community Forestry Departments articulate and communicate community forestry and LTPR themes [including gender and social inclusion] among the FDA staff and other agencies, forestry sector stakeholders, and the general public • Facilitate visits to LRCFP pilot communities by personnel of FDA’s PR and CF Departments • Commission radio program that hosts representatives of key stakeholder organizations to discuss community forestry and LTRP themes • Prepare lessons learned from LRCFP activities
Outputs: • Lessons learned distilled into policy briefs • Regular reports on LRCFP activities oriented to policymakers • Capacity of the PR Department of the FDA strengthened to promote community forestry • Simplified version of the CRL distributed to regions where Community Forestry Development Committees (CFDCs) or community forestry activities are ongoing • 12 radio discussions on critical aspects of the CRL and other legal/policy frameworks produced and aired on national and community radio stations
On 18 September, LRCFP supported the FDA’s request to organize a formal program to mark the demarcation and signing of a co-management agreement between the FDA and the communities for management of the ENNR. (See Activity 1.4 below for details on this agreement). LRCFP and the FDA carried out an awareness and mobilization campaign before the signing event, which attracted national and local media organizations and brought together an estimated 500 participants from Monrovia and across Nimba. Through this campaign and event, community forestry and LTPR messages were widely circulated throughout this diverse and wide-ranging audience. Under the integrated outreach strategy, LRCFP helped FDA publicize the ENNR event through mass media, including five radio stations, one television station, and nine local newspapers. A live interactive (phone-in) show on Radio Nimba hosted FDA’s Technical Manager for Conservation Theo Freeman before the event and generated intriguing comments from the community concerning park management with respect to community participation. In the coming months, the FDA’s LRCFP- supported outreach strategy will help local and national radio stations bridge communication gaps— first, between communities and the FDA, and then between communities and the FDA on the one hand and other sector leaders and policymakers on the other. As a result of the media publicity that preceded the event, the program began receiving invitations to mobilize resource people to participate in public radio and television discussions focusing on forestry issues. In response to a further request by the FDA and the Joint Community Forest Management Body (JCFMB), LRCFP supported the design and installation of two signs at the newly cut demarcation lines for the ENNR and the Blei Forest, which has reawakened the interest of community people and stakeholders in the community forestry sector. During a recent tour of the ENNR and Blei, a FFI representative expressed the desire for FFI to be included in Blei Forest efforts, as well as the ENNR activities to which it has contributed. In early September, LRCFP responded to a request by CFDCs through the FDA to provide 500 copies of a simplified version of the CRL developed by LRCFP for distribution in communities outside the program’s pilot sites. To date, the FDA reports having distributed over 300 copies of the simple English version of the law, most recently during FAO-funded consultative meetings to review social agreements between concessions and CFDCs. Aside from using the simplified CRL as a tool to raise awareness, leaders of CFDCs and communities believe the law will help inform the upcoming regional CRL regulation consultations (see Activity 1.1, above). To strengthen understanding of the
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CRL further, LRCFP is translating key clauses of the CRL into local languages, to be disseminated through community radio stations in the 15 counties. Giu and Mano versions were developed for the ENNR celebration described above. In continued efforts to articulate community forestry and LTPR themes for a wider audience, the program has facilitated six television and radio discussions through an arrangement with the Liberia Media Initiative (LMI). Guests participating in these discussions have included the Managing Director of the FDA, two FDA Technical Managers—for Conservation and for Community Forestry—and the LRCFP’s Community Forestry Specialist, among others. Gender and social inclusion in FDA-supported community forestry activities remains a challenge, in large part due to the absence of a gender focus person. Nonetheless, persistent calls for the inclusion of women in activities that involve LRCFP collaboration with the FDA are paying off. Recently, the FDA recruited four females, including a graduate of the College of Forestry at the University of Liberia, who are now serving in various departments. LRCFP will remain focused on ensuring equity and inclusion in all FDA activities. ACTIVITY 1.3: BUILD CAPACITY IN COMMUNITY FORESTRY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL UNDER THE ENABLING FRAMEWORK Expected Outcome: Increased institutional capacity, commitment, and leadership for effective, equitable, and inclusive community stewardship under an enabling framework.
Inputs: • Carry out institutional assessments of the forestry program at the Forestry Technical Institute (FTI) and the College of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Liberia (CAF UL) • Support the FDA Public Relations department in communicating community forestry and LTPR themes and promoting gender and social inclusion in community forestry Outputs: • Institutional assessment report, with recommendations for curriculum development • Lessons learned disseminated in policy briefs and documents made available to the public
LRCFP partner Virginia Tech facilitated a process of self-reflection and assessment of forestry programs at the FTI and the University of Liberia’s CAF. Virginia Tech encouraged faculty at each institution to draft self-assessment reports that were discussed during two-day working sessions at each institution. FTI developed a clear mission statement—to train middle-level personnel with the requisite skills and knowledge to enhance the “Three Cs” of the GoL’s forest sector policy: Conservation, Commercial and Community Forestry. After closure due to the war and the consequent occupation by peacekeeping forces, the FTI campus is open again and recreating itself as a learning institution. There is great hope and enthusiasm among the faculty, students, and staff—and its new parent institution, the FDA—as they pursue together a new mandate to provide a trained workforce for middle-level positions in Liberia’s forestry sector. Reestablished in 2007, FTI has graduated one cohort of diploma students. The self-assessment set forth a road map for the institution’s future development, beginning with a curriculum development process, the objectives of which are to: • Build a new curriculum that reflects Liberia’s “Three Cs” policy and current best practices for the forest sector; • Enable the faculty, students, and graduates of FTI to implement this new program; • Develop a support structure that facilitates continual updates; • Determine the resources needed to implement this new curriculum; and • Institute a comprehensive program of annual curriculum development. In meetings on August 9 and 19, LRCFP has helped the FDA and FTI begin discussions with GTZ to support this process through an outside team of “mentors”, who will guide the direction and set the pace, and coordinate any other organizations that may be helping during this process. USAID’s
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FORECAST program for capacity-building is supporting the selection of appropriate supporting institutions. The proposed process includes the following steps: • Develop and conduct workshops to restructure and expand the FTI curriculum and to develop new syllabi for all courses in the revised curriculum. • Help the FDA and FTI engage stakeholders, include NGOs working in conservation, community- based organizations, forest industry representatives, and others that hire or work in the natural resource sector in Liberia. • Prepare a staffing plan (including training and capacity building) and plans for physical and financial resources. • Help constitute an Advisory Board for the FTI. • Help FTI faculty and staff implement the new curriculum, through continued mentoring. The CAF self-assessment led to recommendations for the redesign of the CAF at UL. If the CAF accepts this challenge, success will depend on continued commitment to the process. During this process, staff teams will need to coordinate the planning and implementation of changes leading to a better CAF, and adopt the “Three Cs” (Commercial, Conservation, and Community) of forestry in all of CAF’s programs. The objectives of this process of restructuring would be the following: • Develop leadership within the CAF UL that will coordinate the revision of the college structure. • Establish an external CAF advisory board to assist the college in prioritization for long range planning. • Consolidate the college structure so that it best serves Liberia’s 3Cs policy, promotes current best practices in the forest and agriculture sectors, and fosters rural development. • Develop a comprehensive plan to revise the curriculum so that it reflects the new CAF structure and the 3 Cs. Needed support for this process would include: • A new structure to facilitate college growth and development; • A stakeholders’ workshop to determine new direction for CAF, leading to member organizations committed to serving the CAF; and • Funding to support redesign of CAF and its curriculum. ACTIVITY 1.4: SUPPORT “ALTERNATIVE” APPROACHES TO FOREST CONSERVATION THROUGH COMMUNITY FORESTRY Expected Outcome: Co-management between FDA and communities underway for the ENNR; co- management in other areas under discussion.
Inputs: • Facilitate workshops and develop agreements on the contested boundary and toward collaborative management of the ENNR • Support forest management bodies and the FDA in demarcation of the ENNR boundary • Engage with Arcelor Mittal, CI, and FFI for declaration of West Nimba Nature Reserve • Coordinate as appropriate with tri-national initiatives to conserve the Nimba Mountains Outputs: • Demarcation of the boundary of the ENNR completed through FDA and community collaboration • Co-management plan developed
Building on the progress of the preceding quarter (see Tenth Quarterly Report), LRCFP organized and facilitated a planning meeting of 48 community, FDA, and other primary stakeholders at Zorgowee on 9 July 2010 that planned the official launch of the demarcation of the ENNR boundary. One hundred and thirty-three persons attended the official launch held in Zortapa two days later. The district
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statutory superintendent of Gbehley-Geh district chaired the meeting, which was attended by FDA senior managers, JCFMB, and chiefs. The cutting of the boundary line began 19 July 2010 and was completed 11 September 2010. Seventeen persons from the communities joined five persons from the FDA. The line cutting began fitfully, with one of Zor community’s 18 towns (Zortapa) reiterating its long-standing position to the FDA survey team that they had the rights to decide on the commencement point of the line and adding, “We own the forest. We don’t trust the FDA to decide on where the line will pass.” An interesting intervention provided an opening for a peaceful resolution. LRCFP, and its partner CI, had helped to provide GIS and GPS training to selected youths from Gba and Zor. The skills acquired were used during the demarcation of the boundaries of the ENNR and the neighboring Blei Forest, allowing community representatives to work alongside the FDA. Representatives on the demarcation team from the JCFMB successfully managed the above-noted conflict by encouraging the citizens of Zortapa to allow the process to move forward, noting that they were using GPS units to collect the waypoints along the boundary. The demarcation of the ENNR boundary was successfully completed through FDA collaboration with the Gba and Zor communities. The exercise lasted for 55 days without interruption. No community members complained of property being taken away as a result of the demarcation. The 17 participants worked on a weekly basis to allow the participation of all 30 towns of Gba and Zor communities. Following the completion of the demarcation, on 18 September 2010, for the first time ever in the history of Liberia, communities and the government signed a co-management agreement (see Attachment C). FDA represented the government and the JCFMB represented communities for the joint management of the ENNR. Following the signing, the communities and FDA celebrated the successful implementation of the exercise. The celebration was attended by 326 people. Among the participants were FDA Managing Director Moses Wogbeh, Sr.; USAID representatives Michael Boyd and Daniel Whyner; officials of government, national, and international organizations; and community leaders, among others. USAID Mission Director Pam White, who was meeting with Congress in Washington that day, prepared special remarks for the occasion, which were projected by video to the group. The FDA and communities agreed to move forward immediately on co-management, beginning with a series of workshops to take place by mid-October 2010. On 26 August, Arcelor Mittal hosted a meeting of the Nimba Mountain Biodiversity Conservation Initiative, of which LRCFP is an integral member. The initiative members established a “small group”, which includes LRCFP, to plan public consultations leading to the drafting of a bill declaring West Nimba as a nature reserve. On 28 August, the LRCFP COP visited Yekepa with the ENNR Chief Warden and met with the Director of Arcelor Mittal’s operations in Nimba County. In addition, LRCFP team members met with the Community Liaison Officer of Arcelor Mittal at Yekepa and also discussed land tenure issues with communities and moves toward the declaration of the West Nimba Nature Reserve. The COP presented LRCFP’s community-level experience in natural resource governance to more than 100 stakeholders at a national REDD workshop on 10 August. On 11 August, LRCFP participated in a meeting with FDA, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and FFI on certification as a means for decentralizing and legitimizing community forest management. LRCFP shared its experience in developing forest management bodies under the CRL, which provides a framework for such legitimization.
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ACTIVITY 1.5: ADVISE IMPLEMENTATION OF “SOCIAL AGREEMENTS” BETWEEN CONCESSIONAIRES AND COMMUNITIES Expected Outcome: A benefit-sharing trust established for communities affected by logging concessions and, if opportunity arises, improved “social agreements” between timber concessionaires and communities. Inputs:
• Plan return visit by the short-term specialist to review implementation of trust fund procedures and, if the opportunity presents itself, develop and/or review a test agreement with a concessionaire and pilot community Outputs:
• Lessons learned and recommendations to inform FDA policy and practice As noted in the Tenth Quarterly Report, the BSMWG agreed on a final set of proposed regulations on 25 June 2010 for the establishment and operation of a national trust fund to manage the revenue- sharing aspect of community benefits. Following an initial legal review, some stakeholders pointed out a few areas of continuing potential ambiguity. Following meetings with the FDA counsel and interested donor members of the Liberia Forestry Initiatives, LRCFP provided additional legal drafting assistance to ensure that the proposed regulation is set forth in appropriate legal language so that the national benefit-sharing trust fund may be established and operate in accordance with Liberian law and in a manner consistent with the decisions and intent of the BSMWG. To ensure the latter, the FDA convened a final meeting of the BSMWG with the legal specialist on 16 September 2010. The group agreed on final changes and the regulation was submitted to the FDA Board of Directors for approval on 22 September 2010. The FDA has invited all organizations on its stakeholder registry to submit nominees for election as Board Members of the National Benefit- Sharing Trust (NBST). Following review of nominations in October, the NBST Board is expected to be established in November. At the request of FDA, LRCFP is making arrangements to provide orientation and training to the new Board. ACTIVITY 1.6: PARTICIPATE IN FORESTRY SECTOR COORDINATION Expected Outcome: Experience shared and lessons learned through participation in forestry sector coordination.
Inputs:
• Design and conduct of at least one meeting of the Community Forestry Working Group (CFWG) • Help the CFWG define priorities and develop an action plan to strengthen multi-level dialogue and learning • Include local LRCFP implementing partners, and at times pilot communities, in CFWG meetings Outputs:
• Presentations of LRCFP experience and lessons learned
LRCFP participated in meetings of the CFWG on 29 July and 26 August 2010. (The meeting planned for September was held postponed until 7 October) The CFWG seeks to define for a new role from its current focus as a clearinghouse (talk shop) to an organized group that champions the cause of community forestry as an effective model for sustainable forest management in Liberia. LRCFP hosted the 29 July meeting and presented its work in the community forestry sector. Other stakeholders have followed suit, including IUCN and the Liberia Democratic Institute in August, and Birdlife International at the beginning of October. Other members of the working group comprise national and international institutions, including the FDA, Skills and Agricultural Development Services (SADS)—which serves as Secretariat, FFI, LRCFP, and USAID, among others.
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At the July meeting, LRCFP gave a detailed presentation to the other members of its experience, focusing on approach and methods LRCFP employs to identify issues and challenges, as a critical step toward achieving its goals and objectives. LRCFP proposed a range of activities for the CFWG to undertake to fulfill a new mission. LRCFP presented a summary of key approaches and methods, including the following: • Interactive participation of Liberian NGOs and subject-matter specialists in program formulation, from the very beginning; • Community profiling, a participatory situation analysis that also serves as an entry point; • Inclusion of natural resource user groups in planning program activities on a monthly basis; • Constant (monthly) dialog with implementing partners (national NGOs) and core LRCFP staff at both local and national levels to capture progress at first hand, assess performance, and determine next steps for following month(s); • Appreciative inquiry to elicit communities’ perceptions and impressions of program strength(s) and community contributions to the program’s success; • Conflict mitigation and management, tapping into both traditional and acquired/learned mechanisms for dealing with conflict situations; • Forest management that values the participation of all resource user groups and their contribution to defining issues and priorities; and • Participatory assessment of direct threats to biodiversity by resource user groups themselves. LRCFP also presented its expectations regarding contributions that the CFWG should make, including: • Timely and informed response to community forestry issues and opportunities as they arise, e.g., carbon trading, communities’ role in the definition of logging concessions, benefit-sharing, financial management, leadership, tapping ecosystem services to reap commercial benefits, community involvement in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD), and others; • A lead and strong advocacy role in helping communities articulate their interests with respect to laws and regulations concerning access and ownership rights over forest lands, benefit sharing, and property rights; • Creation of a national platform to discuss community forestry issues openly, as an approach to educating the public, communities, political leaders and policy makers, and other leaders; and • Organization of field trips to various community forestry projects and programs in Liberia to ascertain they are in the fold of best practices or globally acceptable standards. The LRCFP Acting COP attended USAID’s meeting of Implementing Partners (IPs) to review and discuss USAID’s new country strategy for Liberia in early July. LRCFP took part in several other donor meetings and events: • USAID held a summit on the forestry sector in Liberia, from 13 to 14 September 2010. • A USAID team headed by Vickie Sigman and Dan Whyner toured LRCFP project sites in Gba and Zor communities beginning 30 August. Areas visited include FFS demonstration site in Zor, and the NTFP farm in Gba. In Zor, they interacted with members of the FFS, the FMB of Zor, and CPOPs; and in Gba it was a replica of the exercise in Zor. During the team visit, Ms. Sigman expressed delight over the level of work carried out by LRCFP in Nimba. • A team from USAID, headed by David Miller, visited LRCFP pilot communities, including a consultation in Zor on 23 September with community members, FMBs, JCFMB, NTFP collectors, farmers, and local leaders. On 24 September, a similar meeting was organized in Gba and on 26 September, the team helped organize a county-level consultation in Sanniquellie with 25 persons. • LRCFP met with the World Bank on 11 August, and teams of African Development Bank consultants on 27 September, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) design consultants on 28 September.
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2.2 COMPONENT/PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 2: LAND TENURE AND PROPERTY RIGHTS SYSTEMS FOR FOREST LANDS DEVELOPED AND STRENGTHENED TO SECURE RIGHTS FOR NATURAL RESOURCE USERS/OWNERS ACTIVITY 2.1: DEVELOP WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LAND COMMISSION, RELEVANT NATIONAL-LEVEL AGENCIES, AND OTHER DONOR EFFORTS Expected Outcome: Improved balance in the priority the LC gives to developing policy responses to rural land issues, with LTPR issues in community forest lands forming a significant part of the Land Commission’s ongoing agenda. Inputs:
• Ongoing engagement by the LRCFP’s long-term LTPR Specialist • Short-term technical assistance (STTA) as described under Activity 2.4, below
Outputs:
• Complementary approaches developed for the multiple rural land tenure studies planned or underway through multiple donors and other stakeholders
The LRCFP COP and LTPR Specialist met with the Chairman of the Land Commission on 15 September 2010 and presented an overview to Land Commissioners on 23 September of LRCFP work on community forestry and land rights in the forestry sector. The LTPR Specialist met with the Land Commissioners for Nimba and Sinoe on 28 September, followed on 1 October with a meeting with the Chairman of the Land Commission, the Land Commissioners for Nimba and Sinoe Counties, USAID COTR Daniel Whyner, and David Miller—the leader of USAID’s consultation with stakeholders to help identify future programming in the forestry sector in Liberia. A plan was developed for the Land Commissioners to visit pilot communities in Nimba. Planning for a visit to Sinoe has been postponed until roads are more passable. The Land Commissioners’ visit are designed to help them appreciate key land issues in the pilot communities that may have significance for other rural communities in Liberia and to inform complementary approaches to land studies. ACTIVITY 2.2: STRENGTHEN WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Expected Outcome: Traditional and local leadership structures and customary land management contributing to more sustainable forest and land management through engagement with county and national-level decision makers.
Inputs:
• Strengthen local partner engagement at the county level • Promote forest management body participation in local government systems through transparent and accountable representation • Strengthen the capacities of forest management bodies to link traditional and local leadership structures with county and national-level decision makers Outputs:
• Forest management bodies restructured to meet CRL requirements • Forest management bodies represent their community constituents in local and national contexts
Local government authorities in pilot project areas have continued to be closely involved in project activities, and continue to attend important program meetings. In Nimba, district authorities attended the planning and launching of the demarcation of the ENNR and Blei Forest boundaries and attested
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the signing of the ENNR co-management agreement (see Activity 1.4). In both Sinoe and Nimba, they led the induction into office of FMB members. LRCFP is planning to facilitate acquaintance meetings between FMBs and county and district officials in both Nimba and Sinoe. As indicated in previous reports, the forest management bodies in Nimba and Sinoe were restructured to meet the requirements of the CRL. They now have community assemblies, executive committees, standing committees, and forest management committees. Pilot community representatives of forest management bodies attended a national-level meeting of the CFWG for the first time. LRCFP has extended its support to CFDCs to attend meetings of the BSMWG to cover CFDC representatives’ attendance at CFWG meetings. Until county forest fora are well established, these meetings are the only platform through which the FDA and other stakeholders exchange experiences and lessons and explore issues relevant to successes and challenges in community forestry. ACTIVITY 2.3: BUILD CAPACITY IN LTPR Expected Outcome: A cadre of trained individuals that can begin to address LTPR issues in forest lands.
Inputs: • Scale up experience in forest management body development through workshop discussion and policy at FDA and LC Outputs: • Constitutions and by-laws of each of the forest management bodies approved and probated • Forest management bodies inducted as the legal representatives of the communities in community forestry • Guidelines developed for relationships between traditional and formal local governance institutions, taking into account the CRL
As pointed out under Activity 2.1 above, LRCFP will facilitate visits to pilot communities by Land Commissioners. During these visits, workshops will be held on key land issues in pilot communities. Land Commissioners will visit the county offices and project sites to observe firsthand, in Nimba, the demarcated boundaries of the ENNR and Blei Forest and resource governance and livelihood activities in both counties. Constitutions and by-laws of CFMBs are now with the legal expert and awaiting probation at the law courts in Nimba and Sinoe. As noted above, FMBs in Sinoe and Nimba counties were inducted into office in July and August 2010, respectively. Traditional institutions have been incorporated into the FMBs in Nimba and Sinoe in compliance with the requirements of the CRL. ACTIVITY 2.4: PROVIDE DEMAND-DRIVEN STTA TO SUPPORT THE LAND COMMISSION Expected Outcome: Improved understanding by the Land Commissioners and LC staff of rural land tenure and ownership issues, helping them make connections between land, gender, and rural poverty.
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Inputs: LRCP will offer STTA in land-based conflict assessment, transformation, and monitoring and evaluation to the LC, FDA, LRCFP implementing partners, and/or communities. Specific topics presently under discussion for technical assistance for the LC include the following:
• Develop cost-effective methodology for the conduct of applied research on customary tenure in Liberia, drawing on African and other relevant developing country experience • Identify and prioritize key tenure issues in Liberia and characterize those most likely to lead to conflict Outputs:
• Assessment of rural land issues as related to community forestry and community rights, including the gender implications and demonstrating that rural land conflicts are as salient as urban land issues
The Chairman of the Land Commission reaffirmed its interest in the STTA offered by Mark Freudenberger, who also serves as ARD’s home office COP of the Property Rights and Resource Governance Task Order (under the PLACE IQC). LRCFP will make concrete plans during a visit by Mark Freudenberger in late October 2010 for assistance to enable the Land Commission to develop and/or consolidate a methodology for conducting action research on land use issues in pilot and other communities in Liberia. A clearer understanding of women’s access to community forestland and its relationship to poverty and land conflicts will be developed.
2.3 COMPONENT/PROGRAM OBJECTIVE 3: MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY FORESTS AND CONSERVATION OF THEIR BIODIVERSITY IMPROVED, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES INCREASED FOR COMMUNITIES AND OTHER USER GROUPS ACTIVITY 3.1: CARRY OUT THREATS ANALYSIS AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE SIGNIFICANT BIODIVERSITY OBJECTIVES ARE MET Expected Outcome: Community- and forest user-defined, research-supported mechanism(s) to monitor threats to biodiversity and natural resources. The Tenth Quarterly Report described analysis of land use, land cover, and forest cover change for Zor and Gba communities in Nimba County. These data have begun to be used to support decision making and planning by advisory groups, collaborating partners, and local community members concerning community forest management and the co-management of the ENNR. LRCFP extended its partner CI’s STTA for an additional four days to produce GIS maps and initial desk analysis of land use, land cover, and forest cover change for Nitrian and Nimopoh communities in Sinoe county. Data was limited to Landsat imagery and waypoints from selected locations in both communities. LRCFP will carry out further ground verification during the coming quarter and budget has again been proposed for acquisition of SPOT imagery during the 2010-2011 “dry” season for the Sinoe pilot sites. (A cloud-free SPOT image was not available last season.) ACTIVITY 3.2: ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS Expected Outcome: Forest management bodies and community assemblies have developed core competencies that include legitimacy, participatory processes, regulatory authority, and conflict resolution (as described in the LRCFP PMP).
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Inputs:
• Assess and help build the capacity (knowledge, skills, and relationships) of community forest management bodies • Formalize the FMCs to create the conditions for them to evolve into genuine community-based institutions that draw their internal legitimacy and authority from organic community processes rather than from project support • Formalize the external legitimacy of community-based institutions’ control over forest lands and resources (see Activity 2.1) Outputs:
• Community-level action plans and agreements for program-supported activities • Forest use rules and regulations drawn up that reinforce existing customary land use and management arrangements and community processes, intentions, objectives, and strategies • Community institutions’ control over forest lands and resources formally legitimized by relevant higher-level authorities
Progress in building the capacity of community forest management bodies is shown in Table 1. As a capacity-building step, the LTPR Specialist carried out visioning exercises with FMBs in Nimba and Sinoe from which action plans were developed for August through December 2010. LRCFP and FMB leaders in Nimba met to plan the induction of CFMB member into office. The LTPR Specialist met with the Clan Chief of Gba on July 17 and with Paramount Chief of Zor on 19 July to understand the competing claims on Bassa Village by Gba and Zor communities. As noted under Activity 2.3, the constitutions and by-laws of FMBs are now with the legal expert who will facilitate their probation. As a way of increasing internal legitimacy of FMBs, LRCFP facilitated the writing of traditional and new rules and regulations on use of forestlands and resources as well as monitoring and enforcement mechanisms in pilot communities in Nimba and Sinoe. Old rules that are regarded as useful were incorporated into the new rules, which focus on NTFPs, hunting of wild animals, forestland resources and shifting cultivation, control of wild fires, and water resources and fishing. In Sinoe, LRCFP finalized the MOUs between the CPOP groups and the CFMBs concerning the exploitation and production of palm oil using the freedom mills. Many of the activities to help strengthen management institutions are shown in Table 2, under Activity 3.3, below. These included a range of interesting activities. For example, in Nimba County, on 10-11 August, 40 CFMB members (33 men and seven women) engaged in focus group and plenary discussions to gather information on existing traditional rules on NTFPs and other uses of natural resources, and the existing sanctions and the monitoring and enforcement mechanisms available on the access and uses of forest. During the meeting, the CFMB constitutions were reviewed, logos and mottos developed, and the geographical limits of the CFMB’s jurisdictions agreed. On 14 August, the Nimba County Inspector officially inducted the officers of the Gba, Zor, and the joint CFMBs, which serves as an opening for stakeholders to recognize these forest management institutions, their work, and their significance. The following week, on 18-20 August, NAEAL conducted training for 30 participants (24 men and six women) on community-level facilitation. This activity followed on a national-level TOT workshop on facilitation skills for implementing partner field staff. Following the identification of old rules and areas that required new rules on the access to forest and forest resources, the CFMBs developed draft rules and a vision at the end of August. On 11 September, LRCFP local partner staff helped them establish a 12-member committee to review the rules with stakeholders. The Rules Review Committee (RRC) conducted two community-wide meetings, with 167 community members (in Gba, 24 women and 65 men and, in Zor, 13 women and 65 men). Conflict mitigation activities in Nimba County included the resolution of disputes over boundaries and over the distribution of benefits from LRCFP activities. Kpolay and Zortapa towns resolved their dispute regarding participation in the FFSs. Gbobayee—a neighboring community newly included as part of Gba community—clarified involvement and benefits of the LRCFP program. At the end of
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TABLE 1. CHANGES IN COMMUNITY-LEVEL INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY Indicator Time Blei Forest Gba FMC Nimopoh Nitrian Zor FMC Average JFMC FLMC FLMC Overall Capacity Index Score1 Baseline 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Overall Capacity Index Score October 2010 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 Legitimacy—Ability of management Baseline body to act as an independent 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 community organization2 October 2010 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.3 Participatory processes—Ability to Baseline 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 garner wide participation and gain consensus3 October 2010 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Regulatory authority—Ability to set Baseline 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 and enforce NRM practices and October 2010 regulations 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 Conflict resolution—Ability to facilitate Baseline 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 and adjudicate conflicts over resource October 2010 access and use4 2.5 2 2 2 2 2.1 Community forestry management Baseline 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 plan5 October 2010 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5
1 Note: The capacity index is described in detail in the LRCFP PMP. 2 FMBs are increasingly being recognized by their community and even local authority and county level authorities; able to take independent decision on major issues such the use of the operational funds by project; also interact with other national/legal structures (FDA) on forest, land & forest resource uses, demarcation. 3 FMBs able to hold and facilitate meetings with some challenges; also able to carry out partial outreach activities on forest use rules making and demarcation. 4 During Q10, CFMBs demonstrated skill and potential in intervening in conflict issues. However, they are not yet able to guarantee enforcement of the decisions. 5 FMBs have developed community action plans to move forward on forest management planning processes.
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August, LRCFP’s local partner CJPS helped resolve Zortapa’s disagreement with the other of Zor’s 18 towns regarding the ENNR demarcation at a meeting that included 46 men and 14 women. On 14 September, CJPS co-facilitated conflict mitigation on Zolowee community’s dissatisfaction with the Blei Forest demarcation. The two-part meeting first identified issues and then agreed to go ahead with demarcation but to review and adjust the line to leave more area for farming and other livelihood activities in ways compatible with conservation of the forest. LRCFP began design of an assessment of community-level institutional capacity that will also review the FDA and other national agencies’ engagement at the community level. The assessment will be carried out during the coming quarter. ACTIVITY 3.3: BUILD THE CAPACITIES OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS Expected Outcome: Community-level capacities consolidated to implement community-based NRM and biodiversity conservation.
Inputs:
• Build capacity of CFMBs in facilitation, leadership, conflict assessment and management, resource management, and outreach and communication skills • Design and conduct four TOT programs for 40 core staff of LRCFP implementing partners and the FDA and 60 community members to support and strengthen applied learning and practice (see next bullet) • Implement learning-by-doing and hands-on testing and application of improved practices and technologies through community forestry plans and management, FFSs, nursery operations, and processing enterprises Outputs:
• Integrated training manual developed • Cadre of 100 community facilitators developed skills in facilitation and participatory methods • Lessons learned from training sessions documented and shared • Lessons learned from previous implementing partner experience documented and shared (see also Activity 3.6)
Sustainable forest management depends on the development of capacities of established community organizations. During the period under review, community organizational capacity has been built in several ways. These include various livelihood trainings and such activities as the establishment of CPOPs, an NTFP collector organization, and FFSs, as well as training and participatory approaches that involve CFMBs and other groups, conflict management and supporting training, and meetings involving community and civil society organizations at both local and national levels. FMBs now make their own records of major achievements. They take part in and provide progress updates at the county-level biweekly coordination meetings. They apply facilitation skills in community decision-making processes (e.g., in making resource use rules, preparing MOUs with the CPOPs, and carrying out biodiversity and threats awareness activities in their respective towns/villages). Highlights of capacity building during the Eleventh Quarter included: • Local partner NAEAL’s leadership training and coaching for FMBs, CPOP, FFS, and NTFP group members in all pilot communities; • NAEAL’ s facilitation skills training for 25 core program staff, including the FDA and partners, and 60 community facilitators; • NAEAL’s training of more than 70 group members in finance, budgeting, procurement, assets management, recording and accountability for community-based activities; • CJPS’s ongoing training in and facilitation of conflict transformation;
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• Continued GPS training to core program staff, FDA, partners, and community members in Monrovia, and Nimba and Sinoe counties; • A facilitation skills manual including such topics as facilitator’s fundamentals, teaching vs. facilitation, facilitator’s roles, mock facilitation of a community meeting, and bio-significant data analysis; and • A FFS manual, including session plans for implementation and incorporation of FaaB. Some of these activities in Nimba County have been described above (see Activity 3.2). In Sinoe County, activities have included conduct of: • Training for CFMBs and other community stakeholders in community forest management planning; • A community forest resource inventory in Nitrian and Nimopoh; • A two-day facilitation skills TOT workshop for field staff; • Facilitation skills TOT for CFMBs; • A two-day forest demarcation awareness training; • A TOT workshop for LRCFP staff in small business management skills; and • An integrated training for CFMBs in community leadership; conflict resolution; and finance, procurement, and recordkeeping in both Nitrian and Nimopoh. TABLE 2. ELEVENTH QUARTER CAPACITY BUILDING (JULY–SEPTEMBER 2010) Name of Learning Provider/ Activity Objectives Participants Facilitator Dates Location Male Female Total BSMWG Information sharing FDA, CFDCs, FDA 16 Sep Monrovia 21 0 21 national Level on Benefits with partners in Consultation Affected forest sector communities Community To exchange FDA & FDA, SADS 29 July Monrovia 17 2 Forestry experience among partners in Working Group community forestry forest sector 26 Aug 19 4 23 stakeholders ENNR To launch the ENNR FDA, LRCFP LRCFP, 11 Jul Zor 114 19 133 Demarcation demarcation team and FDA, FFI, CI partners, To define boundary 19 Jul Nimba 21 1 22 international of ENNR with Gba to 11 NGOs, and Zor Sep communities Demarcation To celebrate the FDA, LRCFP FDA, 18 Sep Gba 84 22 106 celebration completion of the team/partner, LRCFP ENNR demarcation national/ county stakeholders, communities Training in use To introduce GPS LRCFP Training 16 Aug Nimopoh 4 1 5 of Global skills and partners staff Specialist Positioning applications in Sinoe, 22 Aug Nimopoh 12 1 13 System (GPS) CFMBs, CPOP, FFS etc. Blei Forest To raise awareness County 11-13 Zor 13 12 25 Demarcation among community Team Aug dwellers FDA, LRCFP Team and To define Blei Forest CFMBs and 18 Aug Gba & 24 2 26 boundary with Community - 4 Sep Zor community farm reps. lands of Gba & Zor Biodiversity & To ground truth data CFMBs & LRCFP 25-28 Nimopoh 9 3 12 Ecosystem of bio-significant and other Sep other land use and resource user 21-24 Nitrian 11 1 12 forest categories groups Sept
18 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
Name of Learning Provider/ Activity Objectives Participants Facilitator Dates Location Male Female Total Community To facilitate CFMB CFMBs, Training 24 Sep Nitrian 23 3 26 Forestry action planning CPOP, FFS, Specialist Management prepare budgets to Other forest county Team Planning develop CFMPs and user groups demarcate forests 28 Sep Nimopoh 21 8 29 Community To raise awareness CFMBs, CJPS, other 20-21 Nitrian 25 13 38 forest on community forest CPOP, FFS, LRCFP Aug Demarcation boundary CPG, Local Partners 31 Aug Nimopoh 32 15 47 demarcation authority, 1 Sep Nitrian 36 14 50 resource user groups 2 Sep Nimopoh 35 17 52 Outreach on To increase CFMBs, CJPS, other 1 Aug Nimopoh 33 15 48 community community CPOP, FFS, LRCFP rights law (CRL) understanding of the CPG, Local partners, 2 Aug Nitrian 28 14 42 CRL through a authority Local version in simple authorities, 28-29 Nitrian 39 20 59 Liberian English Community Aug elders 23 Sep Nimopoh 14 18 32 26 Sep Nimopoh 25 7 32 CFMB induction To formally induct 1 Sep Gba 61 19 80 members of the CFMBs 6 Sep Zor 63 23 86 Development of To develop criteria CFMBs, Training 22 Sep Nitrian 36 24 60 criteria & leading to selection resource user Specialist, selection of of members of the group, Elders, County 25 Sep Nimopoh 42 21 63 participants Cassava Processing local authority Team Head Group Relationship- To self-asses and CFMBs, Training 22 Sep Nitrian 24 9 33 building among strengthen CPOP, FFS, Specialist, established relationships among Elders, County 29 Sep Nimopoh 42 23 65 targeted groups community-level Team institutions Natural To develop MOUs CFMBs, LRCFP 26 Sep Nimopoh 25 7 32 resources use & on benefit-sharing CPOP, FFS Team management between CFMBs and local 12 Aug Nimopoh 34 15 49 and CPOPs authority 15 Aug Nitrian 32 12 44
Facilitation skill To introduce basic Core Training 21-23 Sanni- 10 1 11 TOT facilitation skills, program, Specialist, July quellie approaches, FDA, and NAEAL 16-18 Green- 13 1 14 practices, local partner Aug ville techniques staffs TOT for To introduce basic CFMBs, Training 16-18 Gba 25 5 30 community facilitation CPOP, FFS, Specialist, Aug facilitators approaches, skills, NTFP groups NAEAL 22-24 Nimopoh 24 6 30 practices, and Aug techniques Finance & To introduce CFMBs, NAEAL & 20-22 Nitrian 22 7 29 Procurement community-based CPOP, FFS, Training Sept management, NTFP groups Specialist 13-15 Gba 26 5 31 budgets, and Oct accountability Conflict To develop rules for CFMBs, County 1 Sep Nitrian 30 1 31 Mediation NRM forest and resource CPOPs, FFS, Team Rule Making access cassava processing groups (CPGs), Local authorities, resource user groups
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Name of Learning Provider/ Activity Objectives Participants Facilitator Dates Location Male Female Total Conflict To mitigate conflict CFMBs, CJPS, 15 Aug Zor 18 1 19 Mediation arising from the JFMB, Elders LRCFP --Kpolay and definition of ENNR and Parties Partners Zortapa demarcation and --Zortapa and selection of JFMB, Elders CJPS, 29 Aug Zor 23 9 32 other Zor towns participants and Parties LRCFP Partners NRM Rule To develop rules for CFMBs, County 31 Aug Nimopoh 25 6 31 Formulation & access to forest CPOP, FFS, Team Conflict areas and forest CPG, Local Management resources authorities, other resource user groups Conflict To identify issues & JFMB, Elders CJPS, 23 Aug Zor 46 14 60 Intervention develop means of and Parties LRCFP Mechanisms managing conflict Partners Development over the Blei Forest demarcation Conflict To mediate JFMB, Elders CJPS, 12 Sep Nitrian 14 2 16 Management differences and Parties LRCFP between Upper regarding criteria Partners and Lower and selection of Nimopoh participants in CPG Community To strengthen CFMBs, LRCFP 20-22 Nitrian 23 7 30 Development: community-based CPOP, FFS, Partners Sep Conflict skills and resources CPG, Local Training Transformation, for conflict authorities Specialist Finance, management, Procurement financial management, and accountability NTFP To improve NTFP ASNAPP & 22-24 Gba 12 4 16 collection, understanding and collectors, county team Aug harvesting, and skills for collection, nursery 22-24 Zor 6 8 14 marketing harvesting, and groups, Aug marketing of NTFPs community 29 Aug Gba 61 18 79 To prepare for representatives - 1 Sep Griffonia collection 26-28 Zor 62 12 74 and marketing Aug Farmer Field (See session-by- FFS AGRHA July- Gba 17 8 25 Schools session objectives in participants AEDOs Sep Table 3) Nimopoh 15 17 32 Nitrian 8 10 18 Zor 19 6 25 Small business To introduce basic LRCFP ACDI/VOCA 28 Jul- Sanni- 12 2 14 management skills for “farming as including Farmer-to- 1 Aug quellie TOT a business” (FaaB) ACDI/VOCA Farmer Green- 8 1 9 5-9 and partners volunteer ville Aug
Small business CPOP, FFS, LRCFP and 2 Aug Gba 15 4 19 management and NTFP partners Nimopoh 15 8 23 training groups 10 Aug
20 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
ACTIVITY 3.4: PREPARE COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANS Expected Outcome: Communities enabled to manage and use their forests and forest resources efficiently and sustainably (see also Activity 1.4, regarding co-management of the ENNR). Specifically, four communities have delineated forest management landscapes from farm lands to secure their old growth forests (and degraded portions thereof) totaling about 100,000 hectares (of which at least 25,000 hectares are biologically significant) under a community-based forest management system (rather than the current situation of open access).
Inputs:
• Apply threats and ecosystem services valuation assessments (see Activity 3.1) as inputs for community forest management plans • Work with the FDA and community-level stakeholder groups to define the forest management planning process and agree with FDA on required contents and process of community forest management plans • Train selected community members and FDA and implementing partner staff in the use of GPS and GIS techniques and participatory mapping • Train 300 community members, especially members of forest management bodies and community assemblies, in various aspects of forest management • Apply a learning-by-doing approach to engage with forest users and the FDA: to conduct reconnaissance and carry out resource assessments to map community land and forest uses to zone selected management units to develop management rules, regulations, and sanctions to develop monitoring and evaluation plan • Help forest management bodies to prepare and begin to implement four forest management plans (three community forest management plans and one co-management plan [see Activity 1.4]) • Design and develop agroforestry systems and component technologies • In coordination with Activity 3.5, help selected community members prepare sites and establish nursery stock and out-plantings of various valued NTFPs Outputs:
• Simple and practical forest management plans developed • Cadre of local cartographers using GPS/GIS and participatory tools to serve forest management objectives • Community-proposed rules, regulations, and enforcement mechanisms agreed upon for forest resource use and management • Community agreement to limit open access to forest lands and resources, with FDA-community agreement on implementation (enforcement) of four agreements (including the ENNR [see Activity 1.4] and Blei forest in Nimba and two pilot communities in Sinoe) • Agroforestry systems developed and component technologies established for regenerative forest management , food security, and income generation
During the past quarter, community forest management planning continued in both Nimba and Sinoe pilot sites. In Nimba, a cadre of local cartographers demarcated the Blei Forest to serve sustainable and profitable forest management and use objectives, using GPS and applying participatory mapping skills, with technical backstopping by LRCFP staff. The formation of an association of forest product collectors (see Activity 3.5, below) heralds a fundamental and potentially far-reaching change in the forest sector, creating new opportunities and challenges for forest industry (commercial), forest conservation, and the rural communities that account for most of Liberia’s population. This ongoing transition could make the forest sector a much greater contributor to rural livelihoods as an asset for wealth building, with positive impacts on cultural and social well-being and forest conservation. In the two pilot sites in Sinoe County, the Eleventh Quarter witnessed the launching of participatory community forest management planning process that entailed, among others, consultative dialogue
LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010 21
with a range of stakeholders for resource use and management, commencement of action plan implementation, creation of space for community ownership of the planning process and its outputs (the action plans), and facilitation of a community-led and driven strategy of awareness creation. Facilitating a consultative dialogue for resource use and management planning. In Sinoe, 164 representatives of all forest user groups, traditional leadership (men, women, and youth), local government (county and community-level) officials, and the FDA participated actively in assemblies for resource dialogue in the two pilot sites. LRCFP facilitated a two-day planning process that culminated in a community-defined community forest action plan. Representatives to these assemblies were identified and selected by the 61 towns and villages in Nitrian and Nimopoh, with CFMB facilitation. While it was not possible to involve every individual in the community in this process, representatives of all user groups and traditional and statutory decision makers were involved. This broad-based representation is critical if for conflict management and to address credibly issues of ownership and sustainability. Implementing initial planned activities. Immediately after planning, a preliminary assessment of the community forests of Nitrian and Nimopoh was undertaken. A team of 15 members for each forest, identified by the CFMBs of the two pilot communities and jointly selected by the CFMBs and LRCFP staff (including the program’s implementing partners), carried out a four-day reconnaissance in each of these pilot communities. A series of transect walks in Nitrian community forest identified 37 timber tree species, of which 54 percent have high commercial value. Sixteen animals and 17 plant species were recorded as NTFPs. In Nimopoh community forest, the team identified 33 tree species, of which 58 percent have high commercial value. As for NTFPs, 15 animals and 13 plant species were recorded. Building the foundation for community ownership of the planning process and its output. Community forest management planning is, for practical purposes, land use planning. In many land and natural resource use and management plans, emphasis is placed on the plan itself as the goal. In such situations, planning facilitators often fail to prepare the community to begin taking responsibility to implement the plan. In the case in point, honest attempts were made to help community members to “own the process”. Activities to create awareness, demarcate the community forest, and conduct inventory and detailed assessments are being planned by communities in Sinoe, with LRCFP and the FDA serving as supporters and facilitators. In fact, individuals in each community have been selected to begin writing the history of their various forests and LRCFP and the program’s implementing partners are standing by to assist when needed. Catalyzing community initiative in awareness creation. Those who participated in the reconnaissance from Nitrian and Nimopoh, encouraged by their various CFMBs, convened a series of meetings with people in their respective towns and villages after the exercise. In these meetings, lessons learned from the reconnaissance were presented and discussed. The conveners, on their own initiative, used these meetings to heighten public awareness of the opportunities and challenges sustainable forest use and management pose. Also during these meetings, activities that communities do not welcome in their forests were discussed, including chainsaw logging; farming; mining; trapping animals as a form of hunting; and the use of poison, fine-mesh fishing nets, and damming. As LRCFP continues to encourage full community involvement in sustainable forest management and community forestry, community members have been able to articulate and implement activities with LRCFP staff in Nimba. Following are activities conducted by the CFMBs, with focus on the Blei Forest management planning activities. On 13 July, a consultative forum was held in Zolowee with farmers farming in the Blei Forest to understand clearly the purpose of the forest management planning and to harmonize issues of the Blei Forest demarcation and zoning exercises. The meeting brought together 138 participants from Gba and Zor communities, with the involvement of commissioners, paramount and clan chiefs, and the statutory superintendent among others.
22 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
On 17 August 2010, LRCFP’s Nimba office donated 50 copies of revised version of the CRL to the learning resource center (LRC) in Sanniquellie. The donation was intended for readers or community people to access the information on the CRL. Beginning 11-13 August 2010, JCFMB conducted awareness-raising on Blei Forest management planning activities⎯created to inform all stakeholders of the Blei Forest who are directly engaged in farming, hunting, and other activities to be aware of the community forest demarcation and zoning and to come together for consultation on the activity for implementation. The demarcation of Blei Forest began on 18 August and successfully ended on 4 September, after a series of interruptions by Zolowee town citizens demanding their full inclusion in LRCFP program activities and redefining participation to add Sehyi to the program’s original pilot collaboration with Gba and Zor communities. They demanded that two segments of Blei Forest be excluded from the Blei management zone. On 14 September, the JCFMB and the head of the LRCFP Nimba team conducted a one-day dialog with stakeholders of the Blei Forest about the Zolowee disagreement on the demarcation line. Following this meeting, the demarcation continued successfully. Twenty-five community members selected from the communities worked alongside one FDA staff and two NAEAL staff to demarcate the Blei Forest and collect GPS waypoints. The area set aside as Blei Forest now stands at about 1,584 acres. ACTIVITY 3.5: DEVELOP LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Expected Outcomes: • Community groups are producing, processing, and marketing more consistently, competitively, and sustainably. Farmers and resource users are developing relationships with traders. • Farmers and resource users are testing and adapting improved technology and exploring livelihood options “entrepreneurially”. • Master farmers are teaching other farmers improved technologies within the communities.
Inputs:
• Continue weekly FFS programs on four main agricultural crops through the remainder of the production season; establish demonstration plots in the four pilot communities for improved cultivars • Help each of the FFS, processing, and resource user (NTFP) groups to identify solutions to key production and marketing constraints and/or interventions at key points in the value chains • Provide small business management training and provide a Farmer to Farmer volunteer to strengthen enterprise skills • Depending on demand, support the testing of cassava mills • Identify and engage Master Farmers, traders, and other “champion” stakeholders active in each of the four pilot communities • Strengthen market relationships for pepper, wild palm oil, and NTFPs. Introduce 100 FFS participants, 48 processing group members, and 50 nursery operators to traders interested in buying their products and facilitate regular trader visits • Set up a market information system that provides FFS and CPOPs with current pricing data for priority commodities • Engage forest management bodies in discussion with livelihood activity participants to address livelihood and sustainability issues • Organize an in-country study tour to other ACDI/VOCA-supported farms
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Outputs:
• Local palm oil producers are processing and selling increased volumes of oil at higher yields of oil extraction from nuts • Commercial processing groups are providing processing services to other community members • One hundred farmers adopt improved technologies or management practices for cassava, hot (chili) pepper, plantain, and rice • Nursery operators have improved propagation and cultivation of selected NTFPs, including black pepper and grains of paradise (see also Activity 3.4) • Resource users have strengthened their capacities to collect, control quality, and market selected NTFPs, including Griffonia, during the coming season
A significant milestone linking livelihoods and participatory forest management was the birth of an association of harvesters/collectors of natural plant products in Nimba County. Efforts to register this association with the appropriate government ministry are in full swing and are expected to be completed in next quarter. This amalgam of resource-dependent families, the Botanical Products Association of Liberia, has organized other groups of collectors/harvesters in Bong, Grand Gedeh, and Lofa Counties. Covering four counties at this time, BOTPAL has 68 members. There are indications that the association will grow in experience and membership in and beyond the counties it currently covers. Last season, communities began to realize some of the benefits from forest products. Agribusiness for Sustainable Natural African Plant Products (ASNAPP) organized buying NTFPs (Griffonia) within the communities last February, and at the end of a season beginning in November, which nonetheless helped community members generate income from forest resources. During the previous quarter, LRCFP had helped the communities’ nursery groups select and propagate or domesticate NTFPs based on community members’ demand and the relative scarcity of these products in the forests around them. Out-planting was carried out throughout this quarter (July to September), including brushing, clearing, fencing, weeding, and planting and watering of live trees. These activities were carried out by 15 members from each NTFP farm in Gba and Zor, which have a total membership of 45. ASNAPP provided training to guide these activities. ASNAPP guided the out-planting of Grains of Paradise and black pepper in both Nimba and Sinoe counties and provided training in Nimba County to prepare for a second season of Griffonia collection, expected to begin in late October or November. ASNAPP provided training in best harvesting and management practices for NTFPs and other forest resources, including training 153 NTFP collectors from Zor and Gba communities on collection practices, post-harvesting, and marketing. ASNAPP followed up on NTFP nurseries and farm management. In Nimba, the following crops were transplanted from the nurseries: • Birds eyes chili, total planted: 540 in Gba only; • Black pepper, total planted in both Gba and Zor: 3,991; • Grains of Paradise: 10,306; • Wolor (Beilschmieadia manii) planted in both Gba and Zor: 621; and • Plantain Suckers planted in both Gba and Zor: 1,650. In Sinoe, pepper seedlings are being transplanted from nursery onto raised beds in Nitrian, while those in Nimopoh are awaiting maturity. A cross visit between Sinoe and Nimba is being planned during this time to enable the different counties to exchange their experiences with NTFPs. The second phase of the Farmers Field School began in June 2010, with communities selecting sites and 100 farmers in Nimba and Sinoe counties, most of whom had been participants that had previously participated in the late season (first phase) FFS in 2009. Four sites were selected (two in
24 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
Nimba and two in Sinoe): Kpoley, Zor community and Zolowee, Gba community in Nimba County and Tweh’s Town, Nitrian Community and Charles Village, Nimopoh Community in Sinoe County. Thirteen sessions have been carried out on improved cultural practices of four basic crops: rice, cassava, plantain, and hot pepper (see Table 3). Session topics have included site selection, land preparation, crop establishment (plantings compared traditional versus improved methods side-by- side to demonstrate to farmers clearly the difference between the two methods), basic principles of crop rotation, integrated pest management (IPM), and compost preparation and application. TABLE 3. FARMER FIELD SCHOOL SESSIONS AND ATTENDANCE Session Topic Date Male Female Number of parti- cipants Site Preparation and Field Layout 12-13 July Gba 17 8 25 Zor 19 6 25 Nimopoh 15 17 32 Nitrian 8 10 18 Layout for Plantain Cultivation 14 July Gba 17 8 25 Zor 19 6 25 Nursery Construction 12 July Nimopoh 15 17 32 21,22,28 & Nitrian 8 10 18 29 July 5 Aug Gba 17 8 25 Farm maintenance (weeding) Zor 19 6 25 25 Aug Nimopoh 15 17 32 Planting upland rice; compost making 26 Aug Nitrian 8 10 18 Weeding practices; crop management 16, 23, 31 Gba 17 8 25 routines Aug Zor 19 6 25 Application of "Best Practices" of 17 Sept Gba 17 8 25 integrated pest management (IPM) Zor 19 6 25 Introduction to Farming as Business; 1-2 Sept Nimopoh 15 17 32 Application of "Best Practices" Nitrian 8 10 18 Compost box construction (Practical 13 Sept Gba 17 8 25 demonstration) Zor 19 6 25 Introduction to insecticide preparation 15-16 Sep Nimopoh 15 17 32 (neem & pawpaw Leaves) 17-18 Sep Nitrian 8 10 18 Compost application to soil (Practical 20 Sept Gba 17 8 25 demonstration) Zor 19 6 25 Introduction to insecticide preparation 27 Sept Gba 17 8 25 (neem & pawpaw Leaves) Zor 19 6 25 Hot Pepper Insecticide preparation 22 Sept Nimopoh 15 17 32 (pepper solution) - IPM Nitrian 8 10 18 Introduction to insecticide preparation 29-30 Sep Nimopoh 15 17 32 (Pawpaw Leaves) Nitrian 8 10 18
The program introduced improved varieties to test against local varieties. These included 50 bundles of cassava, 700 bundles of improved plantain suckers, one kilogram of hot chili pepper seed, 40 kilograms Nerica 14 seed rice, and 250 kilograms of other seed rice. Twelve different cassava varieties were introduced: • Bassa girl, Carica 1, 3, and 25, 0027, Time one, Tatta, Gbatoe, Boe lakey, Matilda, Pounbe wuly, and SQ Girl. LRCFP also helped farmers distribute local varieties, including 150 bundles of cassava; and • Six hundred plantain suckers. The commercial palm oil producer groups, comprising 48 members in Nimba and Sinoe counties, are involved in the production of palm oil using hand-operated freedom mills. The mills have reduced labor, increased volumes of palm oil processed from a given quantity of palm nuts, and increased incomes in the pilot communities. While it requires up to a whole day to process a drum of fresh palm fruit when done traditionally, and at least five men, to produce four to six gallons; processing by the
LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010 25
freedom mills takes only an hour to process the Table 4: Palm oil processed (gallons) same quantity (one drum) of palm nuts, yielding Sinoe County Nimba County 12 gallons of oil. July to September is the off- season for palm oil processing, as yields from Kabada Kilo Gbapa Gbobaye wild palm are low and farm families are engaged July 8 0 0 0 heavily in farming their staple crops. Nonetheless, CPOPs processed some oil during August 0 25 0 0 this period (see Table 4). September 0 42 13 19 Cassava is one of the four crops prioritized by all of the pilot communities, and a focus crop of the FFS. Because cassava increases in value when it is processed and thus has potential to increase farmers’ incomes, LRCFP responded to requests in all four communities to procure and deliver a cassava grater for each community. Cassava processing groups have constructed shelters in all communities (one in each community). Four MOUs, four constitutions and by-laws have been drafted for the operation and maintenance of the cassava graters. LRCFP assessed a number of graters, and procured medium motorized cassava graters that use one gallon of gasoline to process 15 bags of cassava within a day, taking approximately five hours, which promises to be profitable for the communities. The groups will sell cassava processed into gari to generate income and the community at large will have access to the graters for individual households to process their cassava. Marketing has received increasing attention over the years in Liberia. Attempts to resolve marketing issues in the program began by linking FFS participants, and CPOP and NTFP groups to buyers. Trader’s directories have been developed that identify buyers of rice, cassava, plantain, hot pepper, and palm oil. This directory helps strengthen links between producers in the communities and traders. Marketing information boards are under design to keep our communities informed of prices of the priority commodities at county and Monrovia levels, to better set their own prices at the community level. As noted above, NTFP groups were already linked to established markets in Ghana last season and, moving toward sustainability, collectors in Zor community helped establish a group for the collection of NTFPs. The collectors have drafted by-laws and a constitution and plan to register their organization in October, as a formal institution for the collection and marketing of NTFPs. The senior livelihood specialist from ACDI/VOCA’s home office facilitated a two-day livelihood planning workshop in Monrovia that brought together ACDI/VOCA and AGRHA field staff to review progress since the June workshop and plan accordingly for the rest of the season’s technical and material support to the pilot communities. ACTIVITY 3.6: STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY-LEVEL UNDERSTANDING OF LAND RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY Expected Outcome: Communities empowered and community forestry bodies legitimized to take up stronger roles and assume the larger responsibilities offered them under the CRL and other legislation, through practical understanding of and skill in applying forest governance, land rights, conflict management, and co-management principles.
26 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
Inputs:
• Organize meetings to communicate LRCFP objectives, approaches, and activities at community and county levels • Conduct four outreach and communication training for the forest management bodies in the four pilot communities • Develop and disseminate visual aid materials/media, including video, informing pilot community stakeholders about the community rights law, biodiversity conservation and other aspects of community forestry, for example, inter alia, sharing of experience from other communities and/or other countries; explaining opportunities and parameters of the CRL in easily understood language, particularly regarding implementation; or sharing lessons learned in applying improved practices (see Activity 3.3) • Engage communications service provider Flomo Theatre to build awareness of LTPR and sustainable forestry messages • Build relationships between forest management bodies, the FDA, and local community radio stations • Conduct four workshops on gender and social inclusion at all pilot sites
Outputs:
• Strengthened capacity of forest management bodies, local authorities, and other local partners to use traditional and new methods of communication to reach out to constituents • Target beneficiaries better informed about the CRL and other legal and policy frameworks • Improved community understanding on equity and inclusion (gender equity) • The 17-page version of the CRL translated into simple Liberian English and disseminated as a user-friendly handbook in all four pilot communities • Twelve radio dramas in simple Liberian English produced for dissemination through local radio stations • Twelve spot messages produced in local languages (Mano, Gio, Kru, Sapo) for broadcast on local media in Sinoe and Nimba • Success story documentaries of the awareness theater and other project activities
During the last quarter, LRCFP continued the development of user and listener-friendly outreach materials and distributed them through organized events, community meetings, and public media. Messages reached an estimated combined population of 2,500 community members in pilot sites in Nimba and Sinoe through events, meetings, and local radio messages. This has not only strengthened community understanding, but has also deepened community members’ understanding to the extent that they have begun requesting support to increase their capacity in community outreach to enable them assume stronger roles in articulating the costs and benefits of sustainable community forest management and biodiversity conservation. New ideas have spread beyond particular events through messages on t-shirts, banners, and signs, and through local theater troupes during the CFMBs’ demarcation awareness campaigns at all four sites. Toward strengthening community capacity, the program has finalized an outreach training plan for local media service provider Flomo Theater Production Inc. (FTP) to train 80 community members across the four pilot sites. Of this number, the FTP and LRCFP training team will select a group of 12 community members in each community and equip them with traditional theater instruments and costumes to lead outreach activities in their constituent communities. Initially planned for the Tenth Quarter, the training was delayed due to overlapping activities in the pilot communities that involved beneficiaries of the training and staff. The program is grappling with the challenge and reality of changing the mindset of a male-dominated society, especially at the community level to encourage men to accept and embrace women as partners. Of the 59 restructured CFMBs in all four pilot communities, only eight (or 13 percent) of the overall composition of the CFMBs are women. LRCFP recognizes this is as a gross underrepresentation of women in governance and institution building and has since taken concrete
LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010 27
action to address the situation. On 20 September, at a recent meeting to review CFMB rules in Gbobayee, Gba Community, women and youth participants were the overwhelming majority of the 88 community members attending the meeting. Voices of women, youth, and disadvantaged groups have begun to resonate more clearly across pilot communities in decisions that have a bearing on their wellbeing. This is in part an outcome of increased appreciation by their male counterparts of their contributions as useful inputs in CF management activities and a general outcome of the persistent efforts of program staff to ensure gender equity and social inclusion. Recently, gender has taken center stage in program activities with women and youth groups beginning to contend for leadership positions in community organizations and representation in discussions at community, county, and even national levels. Existing community institutions, including CPOPs, FFS, and the newly formed cassava producer groups are setting or revisiting selection criteria to allocate positions for women and youth group representatives. In early September, the Superintendent of Nimba County requested increased public outreach on the benefits and advantages of the CRL, suggesting it would increase local understanding of community forestry issues and the relevance of the law. In response to her request and the need to increase awareness on the law, key clauses of the CRL were translated into Mano and Gio for airing on 150 radio spots procured through Radio Nimba in Sanniquellie. A similar exercise is planned for Sinoe. In the coming months, LRCFP will consolidate engagements with communities in outreach, capacity, and gender. Through outreach, the program will help to build links between pilot communities and the Land Commission, putting a spotlight on the evolving context through the program has mitigated inter-community conflict over forestland and how such experience could be used to initiate outreach support to the Land Commission under the present or new dispensation. During the period in review and following the national -level support to the CRL, Nimba county pilot site had achieved the distribution of the simplified version of the CRL to major stakeholders in Nimba. The CRL was distributed to a broad range of local stakeholders with a plan of conducting town hall and dialog meetings with towns in Zor and Gba communities to explicate on the relevance of the law. As the concept of community forestry in Liberia is new, the pilot communities are also faced with the challenge of understanding the importance of the different activities. To address these challenges, the Gba and Zor communities have been provided training, coaching, and specific guidance to enable them to carry out awareness-raising activities. The CFMBs identified and selected an awareness team and cultural troupe from their communities, which were provided training to enable them to conduct community-level outreach activities. During the training, these objectives were achieved: • To sensitize communities connected to the Blei forest about the demarcation of the Blei Forest; • To increase people’s awareness of the implications of farming, hunting and other activities as threats to biodiversity in the protected forest areas; • To create awareness that enabled the community to avoid obstruction of the demarcation exercise; • To ensure that surrounding communities understand the cost and benefits of protecting the Blei Forest; and • To inform communities of key environmental issues and their impacts. Other training provided to community members is shown in Table 2, above, under Activity 3.3.
28 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
3.0 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
3.1 USAID AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT On 29 September, ARD submitted a proposed budget to the USAID Office of Acquisition and Assistance to extend the program through August 2011. If such an extension is approved, the LRCFP team is prepared to carry out community-level discussions in November and December and to meet with partners to prepare a Fifth (eight-month) Work Plan for the extension period, in line with an anticipated scope of work developed by USAID. Activities during the eight-month extension period are expected to focus on: • Consolidation of livelihood activities and relationships among traders, producers, and local intermediary organizations/associations; • Finalization and implementation of community forest management plans; • Finalization of a government/community co-management plan for the ENNR; • Documentation of models and lessons learned for implementation of community forestry in Liberia; and • Related capacity building for the FDA and the Land Commission in strengthening the framework for community forestry and its implementation. LRCFP will concentrate on strengthening relationships: among the FDA, the Land Commission, Liberian NGO partners, and pilot communities; between these partners and other stakeholders; and on those relationships that USAID intends to continue to support following the end of the program. In August, ARD completed an internal audit of the LRCFP that included reviewing internal controls, testing financial transactions, and checking compliance with ARD/USAID policies, procedures and contractual requirements. The audit determined that “LRCFP project's internal controls comply with ARD’s policies and procedures, and do not need any change or improvement.” The audit noted that the project has no record of USAID having received a response to its request to the Minister of Finance of February 27, 2008, for tax exemption status for its projects in Liberia.
3.2 IMPLEMENTATION STAFFING AND STRUCTURE There were no significant changes in staffing and implementation structures during the Eleventh Quarter. If an eight-month extension is granted, ARD will propose to add one additional long-term position to support consolidation and documentation of livelihood activities related to community forestry and in light of anticipated new USAID investments in enterprise development and food security. The first chart in Attachment B has been adjusted to show the present LRCFP staffing and reporting structure. It is expected that grants will be dropped as an option if an extension is approved. The Grants/Procurement Officer position is being redesigned to encompass administration of local subcontracts and planning and coordination of LRCFP team activities. Throughout most of July, the participatory planning specialist who designed and facilitated the review and consultative work planning process carried out in March 2010 to inform the Fourth Work Plan served as Acting Chief of Party. The Chief of Party returned from leave on July 28, 2010.
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3.3 LOCAL SUBCONTRACTS If an extension period is approved, LRCFP will continue to strengthen local NGO capacities to provide day-to-day support in institutional and technical capacity building, conflict management, and livelihood activities. ARD will develop new subcontract agreements for the extension period with each of the LRCFP partners active at the community level. Coordination among local partners and international partners and specialists continues to require intensive management to integrate program implementation. Local partners are demonstrating exceptional patience and flexibility while awaiting a clear indication of USAID’s commitment to an extension. Local partner field staff (one staff member from each partner in each of the four pilot communities) have the following roles: • AGRHA staff focus on technical support and training for production and marketing of selected agricultural and NTFPs, under the guidance of the LRCFP ACDI-VOCA Monrovia- and county- based staff and with technical support from international advisors and ASNAPP’s US and Ghana- based staff. • NAEAL staff support strengthening of the management and governance capacity of the community forest management bodies and producer groups, as well as participating in community-wide outreach on sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. • CJPS staff focus on strengthening stakeholder relationships and conflict management. SBA has provided national-level support for the development of regulations under the CRL and related activities. LRCFP’s new procedures for giving communities significantly greater voice in community-level activities have been met with enthusiasm on the part of those groups that have responded to opportunity. NAEAL, for example, reports that CFMB members are holding regular meetings and providing feedback to the larger community on their activities. They are organizing their own awareness meetings, engaging to discuss forestry issues with local authorities, including participation at county and national-level meetings, and explaining to the larger community the rationale for community forestry activities. They are managing the funds for community-level workshops without major problems. These are all evidence of latent potential in communities throughout Liberia.
3.4 COUNTY OFFICE DEVELOPMENTS LRCFP continues to work to increase opportunities for staff and community members from the two counties to interact with one another, including a second livelihoods workshop with ACDI/VOCA’s home office Senior Technical Advisor in September. County Office heads joined in the monthly coordination meetings in July, 6 August, and 3 September, 2010.
3.5 PROGRESS AGAINST PMP INDICATORS As in prior work plans, the Fourth Work Plan requires reporting on PMP indicators every six months, corresponding to the USAID reporting schedule at the end of the fiscal year and at the half year. The year-end update for FY 2010 is provided in Table 4 below, with updated figures for the numbers of persons reached through LRCFP training activities during the fourth quarter of FY 2010 (shown as Q11 in parentheses). The numbers of people receiving training this quarter have been included in Section 2 (see Table 2).
30 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
TABLE 5. FY 10 PMP TARGETS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The upper section (A) comprises LRCFP Custom Indicators and the lower section (B) USAID Standard Economic Growth (EG) Indicators A. Results Indicators 2010 Actual EOP Actual Notes Hierarchy – Target (Final Q, Target (2008- Custom Indicators FY 2010) 2010) Result 1: Institutional 1.0.1. Community Rights Law 1 1 Signed in mid-October 2009 framework for (CRL) enacted 0 0 community forestry established
1.1 Enabling 1.1.1. Regulations and 5 5 1. Community profiling guidelines framework for procedures to support 0 2 2. Guidance for community forest community forestry implementation of CRL management bodies developed developed and approved* 3. NTFP regulation 4. Affected communities benefit- sharing regulation 5. ENNR co-management agreement 1.2 FDA and assisting 1.2.1. Number of FDA and NGO 37 153 Includes conflict management and agency capacity to trainers trained on community 0 38 facilitation skills training carry-out community forestry framework and its forestry programs implementation strengthened 1.2.2. Number of community 700 1,552 The data quality assessment (DQA) members and other 0 932 to be carried out in November will stakeholders reached with review life-of-project (LOP) records information on the CRL, to eliminate any double counting. regulations, procedures and related policies Result 2: LTPR 2.0.1. Number of requests made 30 8 The actual figure is understated. Systems to improve by communities to FDA to assist 0 30 Since the passage of the CRL, security of tenure for establish community forestry communities are only beginning to natural resource programs make requests, sometimes through owners/users in forest intermediaries rather than directly to lands improved the FDA. 2.1 A model for 2.1.1. Number of pilot 10 (4) Four management plans, including community LTPR in community forest land areas 2 (4) the ENNR co-management plan are community forest defined and zoned in agreed still under development. lands demonstrated management plans 2.2 A cadre of trained 2.2.1. Number of national and 20 84 The DQA to be carried out in individuals to address local government officials 0 44 November will review LOP records land and resource trained on community rights in to eliminate any double counting. issues in forest lands forest lands supported 2.2.2. Number of community 8 5 See details in Table 1 forest land management bodies 2 5 [5] functioning at level 3 in at least 3 of the 5 basic competencies Result 3: Community 3.0.1. Value of agricultural and 25 TBD Marketing season will begin in the Forest management forest products sold through TBD TBD percent coming quarter. See footnote.6 provides improved supported value chains biodiversity conservation and 3.0.2 Number of hectares of Target based on area of ENNR, livelihoods biologically significant habitat 13,600 06 using a threshold7, but without under improved management expectation of a management plan (see also footnote 8) finalized until 2011
6 The 2010 season is the first full season for livelihood support in agricultural and forest products, with the marketing season just beginning now, in November. Griffonia provided the best returns last season. Given a conservative estimate that each of the collectors estimated to participate this season (see Note 11, below) will gather five kg of dried and sorted seeds, there is a potential collection of 7.8 tons for market this season. At the average price last year of four US dollars per kg, this would amount to over US $30,000 and an average cash income of US $30, over one-third more than the average annual cash income. 7 Under the PMP’s definition in the FACTS Indicator Reference Sheets, more than 16,000 hectares is already under improved management—the combined areas of Blei Forest (more than 3,000 hectares) and the East Nimba Nature
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A. Results Indicators 2010 Actual EOP Actual Notes Hierarchy – Target (Final Q, Target (2008- Custom Indicators FY 2010) 2010) 3.1 FDA and assisting 3.1.1. Number of community 16 16 Includes project-influenced disputes agency capacity to forestry-related disputes 2 7 related to benefit-sharing support community- engaged by FDA and assisting based natural agencies (between community resource members or between management and community members and third biodiversity parties) conservation strengthened 3.2 Sustainable pilot 3.2.1. Number of agricultural 8 (5) Palm oil and Griffonia chains market opportunities and forest product value chains 2 2 strengthened developed developed Improvements in pepper, cassava, rice, and other NTFPs underway
B. USAID Standard Indicators Indicators EG 8.1: Natural Number of hectares under 5,000 306 8,000 1,0306 Blei forest joint management Resources and improved natural resources committee (minimum estimate)8 Biodiversity management Number of policies, laws, 7 9 16 20 --ENNR co-management agreement agreements or regulations --4 FMB constitutions promoting sustainable NRM and --FMB-sanctioned rules for conservation that are sustainable NRM in 4 communities implemented as a result of USG (See footnote for life-of-project list9 assistance Number of people receiving 330 970 330 2,514 Custom indicators 1.2.1 + 1.2.2 USG-supported training in NRM The November DQA will eliminate and/or biodiversity conservation any double counting. Number of people with 300 244 1,500 498 100 FFS participating farmers increased economic benefits [600] 48 CPOPs derived from sustainable NRM 96 NTFP collectors and conservation The above numbers do not include the family members of these beneficiaries.10 EG 7.4: Inclusive Number of proposed 1 2 4 5 --Procedures for establishing the
Reserve (ENNR, more than 13,000 hectares). The Third Work Plan proposes a more rigorous definition—that the forest areas “under improved [sustainable] management practices” be defined using a capacity threshold—as the sum of the below land area categories measured in hectares. • The area in each pilot community: (1) that has a land/resource management and/or use plan, and (2) where institutional capacity to implement the plan meets a threshold of at least 3 on the four other institutional capacity competency indices. • Any additional area in the pilot community where participating farmers have applied at least one improved practice in their agricultural lands. Forest management plan preparation only began following passage of the Community Rights Law last October and the FDA’s agreement on a draft community forest management plan “template” in May/June 2010. Hence, at this time, the hectares under improved management include only the latter—i.e., agricultural lands. Nonetheless, with the signing of the first-ever FDA-community co-management agreement in Liberia for a protected area in September 2010, the entire area of the ENNR is expected to pass that threshold by mid-2011. 8 Although the Q5 Report reported 1,000 hectares under improved management based on changes in capacity alone, the Third and Fourth Work Plans apply the capacity threshold described in the preceding footnote. 9 FY 10: ENNR Co-Management Agreement (1) signed between FDA and communities, Four (4) constitutions that restructure forest management bodies (FMBs) in accordance with the CRL; FMB-sanctioned rules developed for sustainable NRM in four (4) communities, Four (4) agreements between FMBs and commercial palm oil processing (CPOP) groups FY 09: Blei forest agreement between Gba and Zor, National Forest Reform Act implemented, National Forest Policy implemented, Land Commissioners confirmed, CRL provisionally implemented FY 08: Agreements from Zor & Gba communities to work with LRCFP 10 The 2010 season is the first full season for livelihood support in agricultural and forest products, with the marketing season just beginning in November. The cumulative total of 498 for FY 2010 includes 350 people with increased incomes from sales of NTFPs (Griffonia) in early 2010, which was the last part of the 2009 marketing season. It is anticipated that each of the 100 Farmer Field School participants and the 48 CPOP members will also increase their level of economic benefits. However, the most exciting potential the coming season will again be that from NTFPs. Interviews with participants at the September trainings to prepare NTFP collectors for the coming season indicate that as many as 900 collectors may participate in this income-generating initiative this year.
32 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
A. Results Indicators 2010 Actual EOP Actual Notes Hierarchy – Target (Final Q, Target (2008- Custom Indicators FY 2010) 2010) Economic Law and improvements in laws and benefit-sharing trust finalized by Property Rights regulations affecting property working group and submitted to rights of urban and rural poor FDA Board as a proposed drafted regulation --Regulations for implementation of the CRL drafted based on public consultations (joint support of LRCFP and FFI) EG 5.2: Agricultural Number of new technologies or 0 10 5 10 Harvest and post-harvest practices11 Productivity management practices made available for transfer through USG assistance
11 LOP target met. Three technologies have been introduced this quarter: • Integrated pest management, in particular use of local botanical products • Compost preparation and application • Introduction of 12 varieties of cassava for testing. Seven technologies had been introduced in previous quarters: • Proper harvesting and post-harvest handling of cash crops (NTFPs and pepper) to ensure highest quality at time of harvest and maintenance of that quality as it enters the marketplace • Proper extraction, selection, and saving of seed to ensure viability of the seeds and vigorous seedlings • Harvesting, drying, and storage of rice to prevent foreign material, keep dry, and avoid fungus and insect damage after harvest • Proper harvesting of cassava to limit damage to tubers (improving yields and increase shelf-life) • Hand-operated “Freedom Mill” for higher yields of extracted oil • Propagation of higher-yielding NTFPs to enable cultivation (in addition to and/or to replace wild collection) • Sustainable collection processes for NTFPs (especially Griffonia).
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4.0 RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT
Approval of the USAID COTR’s suggestion to extend the program through August 2011 will enable USAID to bridge effectively to its follow-on investments in the forestry sector. These are likely to continue to focus on community forestry. The proposed extension will enable LRCFP to respond to the growing interest in LRCFP’s approach for building stakeholder relationships in Liberia’s forest sector while the follow-on program is put into place. LRCFP’s on-the-ground initiatives for community-based resource management have been limited in scale and have depended on the skills and insights of a small number of practitioners. This number is growing through the program’s sharing of its expertise, lessons learned, and hypotheses at meetings of the CFWG and other stakeholder fora. Nonetheless, wider replication will require deepening and broadening understanding of the approach. Exchanging experience and sharing ideas on participatory approaches to strengthening dialog and understanding (i.e., strengthening relationships) among diverse forest stakeholders is more than compiling “best practices”, and “lessons learned.” During the extension period, LRCFP will help community members, forestry stakeholders, and policy makers share experience, expertise, ideas, and practices in situ and around the table, to better link policy and practice and optimize donor investment. Strong and mutual relationships between the hinterlands and Monrovia are essential to success across a wide range of GOL priorities— including decentralization, concessions, and land conflicts, among many others. Under LRCFP, communities are helping to redefine the terms of engagement in these relationships. Among the most promising outcomes are the emerging examples of this nascent capacity in “champion” groups that are beginning to define and articulate their interests more clearly and cohesively—both with respect to community rights and lands and in market dealings. It is these groups that will sustain any achievements that LRCFP has been fortunate to catalyze. Examples include: • The JCFMB, which signed a co-management agreement with the FDA for the management of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (see Activity 1.4 above and Attachment D) and completed the demarcation of both the ENNR and the Blei Forest. • CFDC, FDA, and NGO representatives—in on-going consultation with communities—developed procedures for the national benefit-sharing trust through which the community portion of concession land rental fees will be distributed. The procedures will allow for future initiatives, such as REDD, that can broaden the economic value of forests far beyond the value of the round logs that can be cut from it. • Keen community interest in the CRL, at pilot sites and elsewhere. The FDA has finalized plans for regional consultations on draft regulations for its implementation. The County Superintendent in Nimba expressed her appreciations for LRCFP’s outreach efforts, and asked for wider distribution of the version in simple Liberian English and increased broadcast of radio messages in local languages. • Community-level benefit-sharing agreements between CFMBs and commercial palm oil producer groups. The CPOPs keep daily records of production and sales of palm oil, collect user fees, and pay agreed taxes to the FMBs. Following this example, cassava processing groups have constructed their own shelters to begin testing cassava processing machines during the coming quarter. • A just-formed association of NTFP collectors and buyers, which is setting up quality management standards and methods for the coming season. A related example is the nursery management
34 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
groups, which have developed community nurseries of different species of timber and non-timber forest products and planted them out onto community and individual plots. • FFS participants’ identification of Master Farmers to share their experience in testing new varieties and practices.
Perhaps the most important contribution of LRCFP’s approach to the above models is its focus on building local ownership. Its approach creates openings for community dwellers to make their rights real by crafting their own agendas and rules that ensure inclusion, transparency, and adherence. Communities recognize that LRCFP hears their views on the nature of problems and opportunities, their causes, and what should be done. Communities recognize that LRCFP takes their views seriously and helps them set the agenda for negotiations among themselves and with outsiders or “strangers” from government and the marketplace. Through this role as “honest broker”, LRCFP has helped develop inclusive community representation and more effective community engagement and government outreach on the interface of customary and statutory law. The program is now ready for the challenge of systematizing this experience for more cost effective out-scaling and up-scaling. In these efforts, LRCFP will maintain its adaptive learning focus and continue to: • Review and clarify the essential principles and practices, • Define essential steps and their sequence, • Identify and develop local skills and capacities, and • Strengthen the enabling framework and institutions—especially with respect to understanding and adherence to the essential principles and practices. During the coming quarter and throughout the extension period, LRCFP will focus on understanding the lessons learned in policy and practice through national and pilot-level experience—how to strengthen Liberia’s legal, policy and institutional frameworks for protected areas, community forestry, and market-oriented models—with respect to: • Community (and other forms of) land tenure and property rights for forest lands, • Participatory community forestry management planning and implementation, • How benefits and costs are distributed among and between key stakeholders, • Livelihoods from sustainable agriculture, agro-forestry and NTFPs, and • Capacity building, outreach, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms LRCFP is keenly aware of the costs of assemblies, fora, and other forms of consultation, and of the limitations of representation—which takes repeated practice, initially, for voices to be heard and then for polyrhythm to emerge and ripple across Liberia’s communities. LRCFP will strengthen skills for facilitative leadership and peace-building, strengthen representative county-level fora, and facilitate community exchange visits to link diverse experience with participatory principles.
To further support this learning, LRCFP will lead a study tour to Nigeria in November to draw lessons from Cross River State's community forestry, co-management, and “carbon economy” (REDD-plus) policies and institutions and the experience of its forest dependent communities in market-linked approaches to improving livelihoods—and to apply lessons learned to Liberia's context. The tour will involve community members, implementing partners, and government collaborating agencies, including the FDA and the Land Commission.
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TABLE 6. MODELS, POST-PROGRAM CHAMPIONS, AND EXTENSION PERIOD SUPPORT Implementing Partners and Model, Framework, or Cross-Cutting Theme Collaborating System Key Elements of the Models Areas Stakeholders to Date Potential Champions LRCFP Support Needed Component 3: Pilot community forest management, conservation, and livelihoods Community forest Participatory development Gender and social CFMBs, JFMB, CJPS, CFMBs, JFMB, SBA (local subcontract) management bodies of constitutions and rules inclusion NAEAL, FDA FDA Ongoing long-term (CFMBs) Representative governance Conflict technical assistance management (LTTA) Governance Short-term technical assistance (STTA) in Conflict Transformation Community forest/land use Formalization of customary Biodiversity FMCs, FLMCs, JFMC, FDA, FFI, IUCN STTA in Community- plans practices conservation CJPS, NAEAL, FDA based NRM and Conflict Gender and social Transformation inclusion Sustainable NRM Conflict management Farmer Field Schools Production and post-harvest Equitable economic AGHRA, ACDI-VOCA MOA, FED IPs, LT & STTA (ACDI- practices for rice, growth, including AGRHA VOCA) cassava, plantain, pepper gender and social Group management of tools inclusion and inputs Market linkages Palm oil processing and CPOP group operation of Equitable (inclusive) Winrock, TR Enterprises, Winrock, TR LT & STTA (ACDI- marketing Freedom Mill economic growth Moonlight Metal Works Enterprises, VOCA) Cassava group mill FED IPs NTFP collection, Griffonia collection and Equitable (inclusive) ASNAPP, AGRHA ASNAPP, FED ASNAPP, with Rutgers propagation, and marketing sales economic growth IPs, FDA, IUCN (subcontract) Nursery establishment and operations Enterprise development Community forestry as a Equitable (inclusive) ACDI-VOCA ASNAPP, FED LT & STTA (ACDI- business training course economic growth IPs, FDA VOCA) Outreach and awareness Community outreach Gender and social NAEAL, CJPS ENNR Co- Flomo Theater capacity-building Social mobilization and inclusion Management Production, Liberian awareness Committee, Media Initiative (local CFMBs, FDA service providers) STTA Conflict transformation
36 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
Implementing Partners and Model, Framework, or Cross-Cutting Theme Collaborating System Key Elements of the Models Areas Stakeholders to Date Potential Champions LRCFP Support Needed Component 1: Community forestry framework and other enabling environment interventions Community Rights Law Working group Equitable FDA, SBA, FFI, Sustainable FDA, CFMBs, SBA (local Public outreach, consultation, (inclusive) Development Institute (SDI) Legislature, subcontract) and constituency-building economic growth; USAID, World Ongoing LTTA Drafting of regulations Governance Bank, other Mechanisms for Gender and social Liberian Forest transparency and feedback inclusion Initiative (LFI) donor partners East Nimba Nature Community-FDA co- Biodiversity FDA, Zor and Gba Co-Management STTA (ARD HO) Reserve management conservation communities, CJPS, NAEAL, Committee (FDA & Climate change CI, FFI communities) FFI, CI, CJPS, NAEAL West Nimba Forest Working group toward private Equitable FDA, FFI, CI, Arcelor Mittal, FDA, FFI, CI, Arcelor Periodic support from Reserve (and proposed sector-community-FDA co- (inclusive) Ministry of Lands, Mines, and Mittal, Lands, LTTA nature reserve) management economic growth Energy Mines, and Energy Biodiversity conservation Climate change Tri-national co- Occasional multi-level Biodiversity Steward, FFI, Darwin Initiative FFI, FDA, USAID, Periodic support from management of Nimba partner engagement conservation LTTA Mountains Climate change Benefit-sharing Working group with Equitable FDA, Ministry of Finance, FDA, Ministry of STTA (ARD HO) mechanisms and social community representation (inclusive) CFDCs, FFI Finance, CFDCs, agreements Drafting of regulations economic growth SDI, LFI donors; Mechanisms for Climate change international transparency and feedback Biodiversity conservation conservation NGOs Component 2: Land Tenure and Property Rights Systems Analysis of rural land Informed decision-making, Equitable (inclusive) Land Commission Land STTA (ARD HO) issues Participatory analysis, economic growth Commission, Ongoing LTTA Community-to-community Gender and social LRCFP pilot exchanges inclusion communities County forestry fora Mechanisms for transparency Governance FDA, County FDA, forest STTA (ARD HO) and feedback Gender and social Superintendents, District management Periodic support from inclusion Commissioners bodies, Ministry of LTTA Internal Affairs
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FIGURE 2. PILOT COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY FORESTRY FRAMEWORK, LTPR SYSTEMS, AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES
38 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
ATTACHMENT A: WORK PLAN SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES AND DELIVERABLES–MAY TO DECEMBER 2010
In the table below activity numbers (1.1, etc.) correspond to those in Section 2; activity titles are abbreviated in some cases. Beneath the activity line, deliverables are listed (right justified). Lead responsibility for activities and deliverables within the LRCFP team are in bold-face followed by subsidiary responsibilities. Lead responsibility for activities and deliverables within the LRCFP team are in bold-face followed by subsidiary responsibilities. Key:
Intensive continuing activity ======
Intermittent low intensity activity ------
Deliverable X
LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010 A-1
Q10 Q11 Q12
(2010) (2010) (2010) LRCFP WORK PLAN MONTHS A MJ JA SONDLead Responsibility (others) COMPONENT 1: Community Forestry (CF) Framework Activities and
Deliverables 1.1 Support Implementation of CRL LTPR Specialist, team Prepare final legal analysis and interpretation = = = = LTPR Specialist, team Support FDA-led consultation process ======LTPR Specialist, team Guidance documents for CF management bodies X LTPR Specialist, team CRL implementing regulations X LTPR Specialist 1.2 Strengthen understanding through public outreach on COP, PIE Specialist LRCFP/Community Forestry Framework Regular communications of program experience and lessons learned ------COP, Senior Advisors Develop and disseminate user-friendly materials by print and radio ------PIE and Training Specialists Simplified version of CRL for dissemination X PIE Specialist Support FDA Public Relations and Community Forestry departments to = = = PIE Specialist communicate CF and LTPR themes Commission radio program to discuss CF and LTPR themes = = PIE Specialist 12 radio programs aired X X X PIE Specialist Prepare lessons learned X PIE Specialist (other team advisors) 1.3 Build capacity in community forestry framework at national level COP, Training Specialist Support FDA to promote gender and social inclusion in CF PIE Specialist Finalize assessment of training institutions (FTI and University of Liberia = Va Tech STTA College of Agriculture and Forestry) Curriculum development recommendations X Va Tech STTA Senior Advisors; Training & Conduct exchange visits across pilot sites = = = = Livelihood Specialists Lessons learned workshop; lessons learned policy briefs publicized X Senior Advisors, team 1.4 Develop “alternative” approaches to forest conservation and LTPR Specialist and CF Specialist community forestry Carry out workshops on co-management = = = ARD STTA Facilitate agreement between communities and FDA for ENNR = = = ARD STTA Develop co-management agreement X ARD STTA Support demarcation of ENNR = = = COP, Nimba County Head Engage with stakeholders for declaration of West Nimba Nature Reserve = = = = = LTPR Specialist, CF Specialist
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Q10 Q11 Q12
(2010) (2010) (2010) LRCFP WORK PLAN MONTHS A MJ JA SONDLead Responsibility (others) Coordinate with tri-national initiatives to conserve Nimba Mountains = = = = = LTPR Specialist, CF Specialist 1.5 Advise and support “social agreements” COP Review implementation of trust fund and/or social agreements = = = ARD STTA Finalize agreement on procedures COP, Senior Advisors Lessons learned and recommendations for FDA policy and practice X COP Senior Advisors 1.6 Participate in Forestry Sector coordination COP, Senior Advisors Participate in and/or support regular and/or special meetings of CFWG -- X ------COP, Senior Advisors Participate in regular and/or special meetings of LFI ------COP, Senior Advisors Presentations of LRCFP experience and lessons learned X
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Q10 Q11 Q12
(2009) (2010) (2010) LRCFP WORK PLAN MONTHS A MJJA S ONDLead Responsibility (others) COMPONENT 2: LTPR Systems Activities and Deliverables 2.1 Engage with, develop working relationships with Land ------LTPR Specialist, COP Commission Complementary approaches developed for rural land tenure studies ------LTPR Specialist 2.2 Strengthen working relationship with local governments Senior Advisors, County heads Participate in monthly county coordination meetings ------County heads Promote forest management body participation in local government FMB capacity building ------Restructure forest management bodies under CRL - - --- 2.3 Build capacity in LTPR LTPR Specialist, Training Specialist Design and conduct briefings for Land Commissioners on key issues ------LTPR Specialist Organize site visits with Land Commissioners and staff and others -- -- LTPR & Training Specialists Develop guidelines for relationships between traditional and formal ------LTPR Specialist governance institutions CFMB constitutions and by-laws probated X LTPR Specialist, STTA CFMBs inducted X LTPR Specialist, County Heads 2.4 Provide demand-driven STTA to support the Land Commission LTPR Specialist Provide STTA and other support in specific areas consistent with ------ARD STTA, LTPR Specialist LRCFP
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Q10 Q11 Q12 (2009) (2010) (2010) LRCFP WORK PLAN MONTHS A MJJ A S ONDLead Responsibility (others) COMPONENT 3: Community Forest Management Activities and
Deliverables 3.1 Carry out threats analysis and supporting activities CF Specialist FMCs carry out participatory threats analysis in Nimba X CF Specialist, County teams Identify indicators - - - - - CF Specialist, County teams Monitoring strategy and plan developed - - - - - CF Specialist, County teams Carry out assessment of ecosystem values - - - CF Specialist, CI STTA 3.2 Establish and strengthen management institutions LTPR Specialist, County heads Develop community-level action plans X LTPR Specialist, County teams Assess and build the capacity of CFMBs ------LTPR Specialist, County teams Finalize constitutions = = = = LTPR Specialist, County teams Develop use rules = = LTPR Specialist, County teams 3.3 Strengthen the capacities of community organizations Senior Advisors, Training Specialist Build capacity of FMCs/FLMCs ======LTPR Specialist, County teams Design and conduct four training-of-trainer programs = = = = Training Specialist Learning-by-doing and hands-on testing and application of improved ------Training Specialist practices and technologies Integrated training manual developed - - - - X Livelihood and Training Specialists Design and conduct training for facilitators X X Training Specialist, Team Develop/conduct training in communities to support ======Training Specialist, Team Activities 3.2, 3.4, and 3.5 Lessons learned documented and shared X Training Specialist 3.4 Prepare community forest management plans CF Specialist and LTPR Specialist Carry out Forest Management Planning workshops and activities with ==== = CF & LTPR Specialists communities and FDA Draft Forest Management Plan template X CF Specialist First community land use/forest management plan developed X Draft Community Forest Management Plans X CF Specialist, LTPR Specialist, County teams GPS Training = = CI, Training Specialist Design and develop agroforestry systems ------CF and Livelihoods Specialist Out-planting of nursery grown NTFPS === CF and Livelihoods Specialist
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Q10 Q11 Q12 (2009) (2010) (2010) LRCFP WORK PLAN MONTHS A MJJ A S ONDLead Responsibility (others) Prepare co-management plan for East Nimba (Activity 1.4) = = CF and LTPR Specialists Develop Sinoe, FDA/community agreements = = CF and LTPR Specialists 3.5 Develop livelihood improvement opportunities Livelihood Specialist Develop community-level action plans X County teams Introduce/test improved technologies through FFS ======PDMS, AGRHA FFS curriculum developed for remainder of season X Introduce/test improved wild palm oil processing technology ======PDMS, AGRHA Establish market information boards - X - - PDMS, AGRHA Establish relationships with interested market traders - - - = = = = PDMS, AGRHA Conduct CF as a business training = = Livelihood Specialist, ST TA In-country study tour = = End of season review X 3.6 Strengthen community-level understanding of land rights & CF Senior Advisors, PIE Specialist Develop and disseminate outreach materials ------PIE Specialist Simplified version of CRL X PIE Specialist Organize meetings to communicate LRCFP objectives and activities ------PIE Specialist Conduct workshops on gender and social inclusion = = PIE Specialist Develop and disseminate visual aid materials/media = = = = PIE Specialist Success story documentaries = = = X PIE Specialist Build relationships between FMBs, FDA, and local radio stations ------PIE Specialist Spot messages in local languages = = = PIE Specialist Radio dramas aired = = = = PIE Specialist Program Monitoring and Reporting COP, M&E Specialist Fourth Work Plan X COP PMP X X COP, M&E Specialist Quarterly reports X X COP Program close-out plan X COP Final report XCOP
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ATTACHMENT B: LRCFP STAFF AND ORGANOGRAM
Below is the complete LRCFP staffing list, with an organigram of primary reporting relationships on the following page. Program Staff (September 2010) NAME DESIGNATION MONROVIA Allen G. Turner Chief of Party Solomon Mombeshora Senior Land Tenure Specialist Samuel N. Koffa Senior Community Forestry Specialist Jackson S. Nobeh Information/Advocacy/Gender Specialist Noorie E. Dudley Livelihood & Income Generation Specialist (ACDI/VOCA) Abubacar M. Conneh Training/Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist Vera R. Tarr Administrative Manager Joshua M. Williams Financial Specialist Mark T. Wilson Grants & Procurement Specialist Benjamin J. Koffa Receptionist/Office Assistant Fredrick F. Johnson Senior Driver Abraham M. Dukuly Driver Moses D. Saylee Office Attendant NIMBA Nuah Biah Head of Office/Forestry/Natural Resources Specialist-Nimba (on leave from FDA) Martin A. Vesselee County Livelihood Officer Dominic D.N. Kweme County-based Community Capacity Development Specialist (through CJPS) Edward A. Paye Finance/Administration Officer Jallah G. Johnson Driver SINOE Robert Sayweah Head of Office/County-based Community Capacity Development Specialist Nelson T. Mentroe County Livelihood Officer Koko Dennis Forestry/Natural Resources Specialist–Sinoe (seconded from FDA) Amos F. Nyuma Finance/Administration Officer Joel M. Boykai Driver
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USAID ARD Home Office Dan Whyner Senior Technical Advisor/Manager – Vaneska Litz Government of Project Manager – Anna Farmer Corporate Backstop – Peter Hetz Liberia
MONROVIA COP – Allen Turner Admin Manager – Vera Tarr LTRP Specialist – Community Forestry Finance Manager – Solomon Mombeshora Subcontracts Manager, Specialist – Sam Koffa Joshua Williams Planning, and Procurement Specialist – Mark Wilson Admin Assistant Public Information/ M&E Specialist & Livelihood Promotion & Communications & Training Coordinator – Income Generation Disadvantaged Group Abubacar Conneh Specialist – Noorie Dudley Specialist – Nobeh Jackson Drivers Office Assistant
COP Head of Office COUNTY LTPR Specialist Community Development Admin/Accounts
Community Forestry Specialist Forestry/NRM
Driver Livelihood/Income County Livelihood Generation Specialist
Community-Resident Field Staff PILOT COMMUNITY AGRHA CJPS NAEAL
B-2 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
AGRHA/CJPS/ ARD NAEAL
PROGRAM
Admin & Admin & tech tech support support
Day-to-day program supervision/coordination
FUNCTIONS OF THE PLANNING AND COORDINATION TEAMS Program Planning & Coordination Admin & Contract Program Planning Field Implementation/ Management (meet monthly) Coordination (meet as needed) (meet every 2 weeks) • Contractual/ financial • Progress review/issues arising • Progress review/issues issues • Agree on monthly agenda arising • Personnel management (starting with review of the • Agree on 2-week agenda issues previous month) • Assess and communicate • Any USAID issues • Field visit coordination support needs to Monrovia • Agree on coordination with • Agree on coordination with other parties (FDA, etc.) other parties (local • Inter-county government, community coordination/integration organizations, etc.)
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ATTACHMENT C: CO- MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
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ATTACHMENT D: SUCCESS STORY: FDA AND COMMUNITIES SIGN FIRST FOREST CO- MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT IN LIBERIA
LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010 D-1
FDA and Communities Sign First Forest Co- Management Agreement in Liberia The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the people of Gba, Seyhi, and Zor Communities in Nimba County reached agreement for the first time ever in Liberia to collaborate in the management of a conservation area. The co-management agreement was signed at a formal ceremony in Gbapa, Yarmein District on 18 September 2010 following the demarcation of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) in August. Less than three years ago, community members in Sehyi-Gba and Zor communities were threatening FDA staff with cutlasses. Earlier this year, Paramount Chief Joseph Yormie, leader of the Zor Chiefdom's 18 towns recalled, “When FDA first came to this community, we did not agree to work with them because we never understood anything what they were doing...They made promises they never fulfilled. We were worried and asked them to leave our forest. When we asked them to leave, they asked us, ‘Do you people have deed for the forest you’re asking us to vacate?’ Then I said, ‘Yes! Our deeds are our old fire hatch, kola trees, old huts, and such. Not mincing his words, Chief Joseph Yormie, tells the So, if you do not treat us well, we will not story of the conflict and the “way for us and the FDA agree. If you do not treat us peacefully, we will people to be sitting together today.” not cooperate… ” Chief Yormie further acknowledged support from the USAID-funded Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (LRCFP), which helped bring the communities and the FDA together: “Today, we are glad for you people who have made a way for us and the FDA people to be sitting together today.” Vital to this collaboration in the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) are the recent policy and legal reforms in Liberia’s forestry sector, which mandate the FDA to empower and assist Liberian communities to manage their forest resources sustainably. Liberia’s new policy seeks to enable balanced investment and capacity across “Three Cs”: commercial, conservation, and community forestry. The LRCFP has been working closely with the FDA and other partners in the Liberia Forestry Initiative (LFI) to develop this capacity at the national, county, and community levels. With support from the LRCFP, the leaders of Gba and Zor communities carried out an awareness campaign that reached citizens in each of the 30 towns surrounding the reserve. The campaign helped community members understand their rights and responsibilities regarding forest resources in their customary lands and how to undertake forest management activities that sustain these resources. Community fears surfaced again when demarcation began last July, with some community members still adamant that “We own the forest. We don’t trust the FDA to decide on where the line will pass.” Community members of the demarcation team who had received training in geographic information systems (GIS) convinced others to allow the process to move forward by noting that they, too—not only the FDA staff—were wielding GPS units to collect the waypoints along the boundary. The FDA recognizes that communities already manage forest resources and that community members also understand that some of these resources are declining due both to overexploitation by community members and to factors outside community control. Communities therefore see the need to improve their forest resource management capabilities and to set aside special forest areas for the benefit of future generations. Reasons for overuse of forest resources include poverty (lack of money for alternative products), lack of clear rights to resources and a mandate to manage them, and lack of capacity and resources to improve their management. The LRCFP works with the FDA and communities to overcome all of these threats to sustainable forest management.
D-2 LRCFP: ELEVENTH QUARTERLY REPORT: 1 JULY–30 SEPTEMBER 2010
Under the ENNR deal, over thirteen thousand hectares of biologically significant forest land will be conserved and managed by the FDA and the communities through an initial five-year agreement renewable at the option of the parties. Communities have expressed the hope that through the agreement, they will be able to improve their living conditions and the lives of their children’s children. Signatories to the agreement are Saye Thompson, Chairman of the Joint Community Forest Management Body (JCFMB); Gabriel Gbanlon, Commissioner of the Administrative District of Sanniquellie-Mah; John Quato, Commissioner of the Administrative District of Gbehlay–Geh; Samuel Bontor, Commissioner of the Administrative District of Yarmein; and Moses Wogbeh, Managing Director of FDA. In the keynote address at the signing ceremony, USAID/Liberia’s out-going Mission Director Pamela White congratulated and acknowledged the efforts of the communities and the FDA, which she said was vital to the signing of this first co-management agreement in Liberia. She recalled the relationship crisis between FDA and the communities that preceded the signing of the agreement. Madam White called on the FDA and the communities to cherish the richness of their forests and its biodiversity. “One of my favorite lines in your National Anthem is ‘Green be Her Fame’, and green is what makes Liberia, Liberia; and so I am asking you to take green to be your name”, she said. Also speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of the FDA, Moses Wogbeh described the agreement as a milestone achievement and the first in the history of Liberia. “In the history of Liberia, no community and the FDA have ever sat down together to sign this kind of agreement. My people of Seyhi-Gba, Zor, and the whole of Nimba County, we guarantee that the FDA will commit and live by every word written in this document just signed”, he emphasized. He further noted: “This is a test for all of us, if we fail, other communities around Liberia will also fail. This is a challenge, and we hope that all of us will stand the test of time in the implementation of the reform law that paved the way to this agreement”. In his closing statement, he thanked partners of the FDA for their support which he said led to the signing of the agreement. “We want to give special thanks to all of our partners especially the USAID-funded LRCFP which served as a catalyst is the process. They helped to neutralize the conflict between FDA and the communities around the ENNR. Now our relationship with the communities has been built and there is trust and confidence between us and the communities represented here today,” he concluded. The ENNR celebration was graced by the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNDP, USAID-Liberia, UNMIL, Conservation International (CI), Fauna & Flora International (FFI), Birdlife International, the County Administration of Nimba, chiefs, elders and community leaders.
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U.S. Agency for International Development 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20523 Tel: (202) 712-0000 Fax: (202) 216-3524 www.usaid.gov
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