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FAO/GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY PROJECT DOCUMENT PROJECT TITLE: Mainstreaming the use and conservation of agrobiodiversity in public policy through integrated strategies and in situ implementation in four Andean Highlands provinces. PROJECT SYMBOL: GCP/ECU/086/GFF Recipient Country: Ecuador Resource Partner: Global Environment Facility (GEF) FAO project ID: 615694 GEF/LDCF/SCCF Project ID: 4777 Executing Partner(s): National Autonomous Agriculture Research Institute of Ecuador Expected EOD (starting date): June 2014 Expected NTE (End date): May 2017 Contribution to FAO’s a. Strategic objective/Organizational Result: Strategic Framework SO-2 (OR-1, OR-2, OR-4), SO-3 (OR-2) b. Regional Result/Priority Area: Biodiversity, Family Farming, Food Security1 c. Country Programming Framework Outcome: Priority area 2. Food and Nutritional Security and Sovereignty; Outcome: FAO contributes to improve the nutritional conditions of the population; Output: In situ and ex situ conservation strategies of plant genetic resources GEF Focal Area/LDCF/SCCF: Biodiversity GEF/LDCF/SCCF Strategic Objectives: BD-2, BD-4 Environmental Impact Assessment Category (insert √): A B C√ Financing Plan: GEF/LDCF/SCCF allocation: USD 1 250 000 Co-financing: FAO USD 667 000 INIAP USD 652 260 Heifer Foundation, Ecuador USD 600 000 Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, USD 95 207 Aquaculture and Fisheries Decentralized Autonomous Governments USD 2 755 300 Local Organizations USD 194 568 Universities USD 1 631 900 Subtotal Co-financing: USD 6 596 235 Total Budget: USD 7 846 235 1 Based on the priority areas for action in Latin America and the Caribbean for the biennium 2014-2015, which are part of 32nd FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 2012. (Http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/025/md100s.pdf) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The abundant wealth of Ecuador’s biodiversity includes a rich agrobiodiversity, which is key to food security and economic development. The Ecuadorian highlands are the center of origin and diversity of globally important crops such as potatoes, beans, tomatoes and peppers. The genetic resources contained in these plants are fundamental to improve global agriculture, and in particular to address the challenges of changes such as variations in climate. The diversity in production systems not only provides benefits to farmers in the form of the resilience of these systems, the potential for income generation and increased quality of nutrition, but also delivers important environmental services such as pest and disease control, soil fertility and pollination. This diversity is endangered due to: i) the lack of knowledge and recognition of the multiple values of native plant species and varieties; ii) limitations in agrobiodiversity management and conservation strategies regarding the link between in situ management and use with ex situ conservation and research, as well as deficiencies in the development and dissemination of new varieties needed for diversified cropping systems, which would involve collaboration between in situ and ex situ systems; and iii) insufficient inclusion of agrobiodiversity values in public policy at all levels. In response to this situation, the National Agricultural Research Institute of Ecuador (INIAP) and the Foundation Heifer-Ecuador have proposed this project in collaboration with FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture, and Fisheries (MAGAP), local community organizations UNORCAC (Western area of the Imbabura province), CEPCU (canton Otavalo), La Esperanza Water Board, CEDEIN (canton Colta), CORPOPURUHA (canton Guamote), UCOCP (canton Paltas) and The Ecological Network of Loja, the local autonomous decentralized governments (GAD) of Chimborazo, Imbabura and Loja, and the municipal governments of Guamote and Saraguro. The overall objective of the project is to integrate the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity (ex situ and in situ) in policies, farming systems and education and awareness programs of Ecuadorian highland provinces of Imbabura, Chimborazo, Pichincha and Loja, with the aim to contribute to the sustainable management and resilience of agro-ecosystems in the Andean and other similar mountain dry-land regions. With this aim, the focus of the project will be the scaling-up, development and systematization of activities and good practices that local and indigenous organizations are currently developing with the support of public institutions and civil society organizations, for the conservation and development of biodiversity-based productive systems. The Project will also take into consideration the policies and legal frameworks directly affecting this area, as well as raise awareness in society on the values of agrobiodiversity for food and nutrition security, conservation of ecosystems, subsistence of cultures and traditional knowledge, and income generation. Specifically, the objectives and components of the project are to: (i) incorporate the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity in public policies and promote their implementation (component 1), (ii) scale-up existing good practices of in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity (component 2) and; (iii) create awareness among decision-makers, teachers, and consumers of the ecological, nutritional, cultural and economic values of agrobiodiversity (component 3). The Expected outcomes of the project are: 1.1 Public policies and national plans incorporate measures for the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity (Target: Policy (1), plan of action (1) and related tools (3) developed and under initial implementation); 1.2 Progress on the implementation at the national level of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (IT-PGRFA), which facilitates access to and the benefit-sharing of plant genetic resources (Target: Article 9 of the IT-PGRFA on the Rights of the farmer under implementation); 1.3 Land managed under Development and Land Use Plans (DLUP) and GAD regulations that integrate the assessment, conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity (Target: Three (3) DLUP and three (3) GAD regulations from Loja, Chimborazo and Imbabura 2 managing 9,000 hectares); 2.1 The diversity of species and varieties of the Andean National Germplasm Bank has been expanded factoring in the abiotic and biotic pressures for overcoming future climate challenges. The exchange of genetic materials between the bank and farmers has been strengthened (Target: 210 accessions collected, new genetic material from fifteen (15) major crops to respond to pressure factors in the Andean highlands and similar areas are accessible to local farmers and research centers in Ecuador and other countries); 2.2 Farmers and indigenous organizations have incorporated the management and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity in agricultural systems for increasing the agricultural diversity and standard of living of farmers. (Target: Five (5) organizations incorporating management of agrobiodiversity in one thousand five hundred (1,500) hectares, and increasing diversity by 40% and the standard of living of women and men (measured through qualitative surveys and disaggregated by gender); 2.3 Productive land under participatory guarantee systems (PGS) is cultivated in situ under agrobiodiversity best practices, supported and preserved by local networks of small and medium-sized farmers and indigenous producers (Target: one thousand nine hundred (1,900) hectares of productive land (representing 7% of the agricultural area of the cantons where the project operates) under PGS with the support of five (5) local networks. At least 50% of the participants are women); 2.4 Family income is raised by the increase of value-added products derived from agrobiodiversity and other economic activities linked to it. (Target: The average annual income of the 1000 participating families will be increased by 15% at the end of the project (measured through questionnaires disaggregated by gender and filled out by all the participating families at the beginning and end of the project); 3.1 Decision-makers of governmental bodies are aware of the ecological nutritional, cultural and economic values of agrobiodiversity (Target: 60 decision-makers (at least 40% women) of 4 government bodies (National Assembly, MAGAP, Ministry of Education and MIES) are informed and aware); 3.2 Local schools and technical colleges have strengthened capacity to provide educate and create awareness on the value and use of local agrobiodiversity in local diet (Target: Thirty (30) educational centers educating and raising awareness among 2,000 students); 3.3 Urban and rural populations from the target area recognize the value of agrobiodiversity and consume their local products (Target: 28.5 % increase in sales of 7 local market fairs of products derived from agrobiodiversity (achieved together with outcomes 2.3 and 2.4 )) 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS (ENGLISH/SPANISH) ...................................................... 6 1.1.1 Rationale ...................................................................................................... 14 1.1.2 FAO’s comparative advantages ................................................................ 27 1.1.3 Participants and other stakeholders ......................................................... 28 1.1.4 Lessons learned from past and related work, including evaluations ..... 32 1.1.5 Links to national development goals,