FAO/GEF PROJECT DOCUMENT ANNOTATED TEMPLATE Note that the guidance/annotations under each heading and subheading is for guiding formulators only and should be deleted during the drafting of the document. Project Title: Revitalising Oasis Agro-ecosystems through a Sustainable, Integrated and Landscape Approach in the Draâ-Tafilalet Region (OASIL) FAO Project symbol: GCP/MOR/051/GFF GEF Project ID: 9537 Recipient Country(ies): Morocco Executing partners: Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture (MAPM, including ANDZOA, ADA), INRA Expected EOD (Starting Date): 1st December 2016 Expected NTE (End Date): 31st December 2021 Contribution to FAO’s Strategic Framework: 50% to Strategic Objective 3; Organizational Outcome 301 The rural poor have enhanced and equitable access to productive resources, (Indicate as appropriate) services, organizations and markets and can manage their resources more sustainably; Organizational output 30102 Support to the promotion and implementation of pro-poor approaches to policies and programmes which improve access to and sustainable management of natural resources and output 30103 Support to improve access of poor rural producers and household to appropriate technologies and knowledge, inputs and markets. 50% to Strategic Objective 2; Org. Outcome 201 Producers and natural resource managers adopt practices that increase and improve agricultural sector production in a sustainable manner. Output 20102: Integrated and multi-sectoral approaches for ecosystems valuation, management and restoration are identified, assessed, disseminated and their adoption by stakeholders is facilitated Country Programming Framework Output: Sustainable management of natural resources and development of effective and inclusive food systems BD -3 Programme 7 Contribution to GEF TF Focal Area Strategic Objectives and Programmes: LD-1 Programme 1 CCM-1 Programme 1 CCM-2 Programme 4 Moderate risk Environmental and Social Risk Classification Gender Marker1 G1 1 See Guidance Note on ‘Gender Mainstreaming in project identification and formulation’. 1 Financing Plan: GEF allocation: GEFTF: USD 8,631,050 Co-financing: MAPM/ADA/ANDZOA: USD 39,570,000; INRA: USD 1,000,000; and FAO: USD 700,000 Sub-total co-financing: USD 41,270,000 Total budget: USD49,901,050 Executive Summary Oases are important socio-agro-ecosystems providing economic, ecological, social and cultural services throughout the world’s drylands. Moroccan oasis agro-ecosystems cover a total area of 115 563 km2 (15% of the country’s surface), and are home to over 1.7 million people (5% of the population). As a refuge for biodiversity, climate regulation, and agricultural products, they are the last line of defense against a progressing Sahara desert. The resilience of these once sustainable and sustainably managed agro-sylvo-pastoral ecosystems has been challenged by a number of recent transformations, directly and indirectly putting pressure on the natural resources oasis agro-ecosystems nurture and rely on. Despite investment and interest in oasis development by a number of partners, further efforts are needed to ensure sustainable natural resource management and agricultural production intensification. Without a GEF intervention, continued survival of highly diversified oasis agro-ecosystems is at stake, threatened by various factors such as the abandonment of the traditional cultivation and farming systems; conversion of land and habitat in and around traditionally managed fields to alternative uses such as unsustainable intensive farming, plantations; and the displacement and dilution of traditional varieties cultivated in these systems. The overall objective of OASIL is to revitalize oasis agro-ecosystems in the Drâa-Tafilalet region to be productive, attractive, and healthy and to sustain and make more resilient the livelihoods of the local communities. OASIL intends to achieve this objective working along 4 components, and adopting an integrated landscape approach which is rooted in multi-level, multi- sector and multi-stakeholder participation, and considers the carrying capacity of the natural resource base of the oasis agro-ecosystem (land, water, biodiversity). Component 1: Policy dialogue - Support policy dialogue at the national and regional levels on the sustainable management of oasis agro-ecosystems Public and private stakeholders at the national and regional levels will be sensitized and offered actionable knowledge, data and tools to make informed and fact-based decisions in support of the sustainable development of oasis agro-ecosystems. Policy dialogues will be backed by an interactive multi-stakeholder platform hosted by ANDZOA. Large scale commitment to a ‘Declaration on sustainable oases’ is hoped to be the result of this component. Component 2: Planning and monitoring – Improvement of Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Production Intensification planning and monitoring systems at regional and local levels Information on the state and level of degradation of oasis agro-ecosystems will be complemented and updated at the regional and local levels (4 pilot oases). This information will feed into a comprehensive typology study of oases in the Drâa- Tafilalet region and support the participatory design of sustainable oasis agro-ecosystem management and investment plans. Component 3: Demonstration - Sustainable and integrated oasis agro-ecosystem management and investment plans are implemented in pilot oasis ecosystems in at least 2 sub-drainage basins For a selection of representative oasis agro-ecosystem types, the management and investment plans will be implemented in order to demonstrate the potentials for natural resource management and sustainable production intensification in oasis, while creating and sustaining decent rural employment and adequate levels of nutritious food for the local oases populations (women and youth in particular). A forth component will ensure lessons and best practices emanating from the project are captured and disseminated, while also ensuring the effective monitoring and evaluation of the project. OASIL is a 5 year project, executed by the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, ANDZOA, INRA and FAO, with the support of a large number of regional and local stakeholders. 2 ACRONYMS ADA Agency for Agricultural Development AL Agricultural Label AMABO Moroccan Association of Organic Production ANDZOA National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Areas APDESPS Agency for the Promotion and the Economic and Social Development of the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom AREP Regional Agency for Project Execution Drâa-Tafilalet AWP/B Annual Work Plan and Budget BH Budget Holder DDFP Directorate of Production Chain Development EP Executing Partner FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FPMIS Field Project Management Information System GEBs Global Environmental Benefits GEF Global Environment Facility GEFSEC GEF Secretariat GI Geographic Indication GEI Economic Interest Group GPI Public Interest Groups IAV Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Sciences Institute INRA National Institute for Agricultural Research LTO Lead Technical Officer MAPM Ministry of Agriculture andMarine Fishery M&E Monitoring and Evaluation ODECO Office for the Development of Cooperatives OMPIC Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property ONCA Office for Agricultural Advisory Services ONSSA National Food Safety Authority ORMVAO Regional Office for Agricultural Development of Ouarzazate ORMVAT Regional Office for Agricultural Development of Tafilalet PIF Project Identification Form (GEF) PAR Regional Agricultural Plans PIR Project Implementation Review PPG Project Preparation Grant (GEF) PPR Project Progress Report PMV Plan Maroc Vert (Green Morocco Plan) PRODOC Project Document PMU Project Management Unit PSC Project Steering Committee PY Project Year STAP Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel TCI Investment Centre Division (FAO) TOR Terms of Reference USD United States Dollar 3 Index ACRONYMS 3 SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION 7 1.1 THE DRAA-TAFILALET REGION.............................................................................. 7 1.1.1. The socio-economic context ............................................................................ 7 1.1.2 The natural resource base on which oasis agro-ecosystems depend ............... 10 1.1.2.1 The biodiversity ....................................................................................................... 10 1.1.2.2 The agro-biodiversity ............................................................................................... 15 1.1.2.3. Water ressources........................................................................................................ 19 1.1.2.4 Soils and desertification .......................................................................................... 23 1.1.3. Description of policies, legal framework and the institutional context of the project..................................................................................................................... 25 1.1.3.1 National, regional and local policies for oasis development ....................................... 25 1.1.3.2 Oasis management legal framework analysis ............................................................. 26 1.1.3.3 Analysis of the institutional framework of oasis management ................................... 28 SECTION 2 – PROJECT RATIONALE 31 2.1 THE BASELINE SITUATION .................................................................................