Kalahari Namib project: Enhancing Decision-making through Interactive Environmental Learning and Action in Molopo-Nossob River Basin in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL INCEPTION MEETING 22 – 23 March 2011, Pretoria Prepared By Cathrine Mutambirwa and Irene Hungwe IUCN Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa P a g e | 2 Table of Contents Kalahari Namib Project Regional Inception Meeting Proceedings ......................................................... 4 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Day 1: Tuesday 22 March ........................................................................................................................ 8 1 Welcoming Remarks/Official Opening ........................................................................................ 8 2 Introductions ............................................................................................................................... 8 3 Background to the KNP Project and GEF Project Development Process .................................... 8 4 KNP Project Objectives and Key Activities .................................................................................. 9 4.1 Plenary Discussion Summary ............................................................................................ 11 5 Presentation of the Project Implementation Arrangements/Modalities including Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................................................. 11 5.1 Report Back and Plenary Discussion ................................................................................. 13 6 Presentation of Proposed Regional Implementation Arrangements ....................................... 13 6.1 Group Discussion Questions ............................................................................................. 14 6.2 Group Report Back ............................................................................................................ 14 6.3 Plenary Discussion............................................................................................................. 16 7 Presentation on Project Budget and Capturing/Recording of Finance..................................... 17 7.1 Plenary Discussion............................................................................................................. 17 8 Presentation of Year 1 Workplan .............................................................................................. 18 8.1 Group Work ....................................................................................................................... 18 8.2 Group Report Back on Year 1 Workplans ......................................................................... 19 8.3 Plenary Discussion............................................................................................................. 22 Day 2: Wednesday 23 March ................................................................................................................ 23 9 Recap from Day 1 ...................................................................................................................... 23 10 Presentation of Experiences from Regional Projects and Opportunities for Collaboration . 23 10.1 The Institutional Support to NEPAD and RECs for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) scale up in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Project ................................................................................ 23 10.2 Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification. An Integrated Assessment (PRACTICE) ................................................................................................................ 24 10.3 SCI-SLM Project Overview ................................................................................................. 24 10.4 Demonstration Project on Community Based Rangeland Management in Botswana ..... 25 11 Gaps in the Baseline Studies ................................................................................................. 25 11.1 Group Work ....................................................................................................................... 26 P a g e | 3 11.2 Report Back on Group Work ............................................................................................. 26 11.3 Plenary Discussion............................................................................................................. 28 12 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................. 28 12.1 Dates for National Inception meetings ............................................................................. 28 12.2 Proposed Project Management Structure ........................................................................ 29 12.3 Reporting ........................................................................................................................... 29 13 Closure .................................................................................................................................. 30 List of Annexes ...................................................................................................................................... 31 Annex 1: Meeting Agenda ................................................................................................................. 32 Annex 2: List of Participants.............................................................................................................. 35 Annex 3: The Institutional Support to NEPAD and RECs for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) scale up in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Project .................................................................................... 37 Annex 4: Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification. An Integrated Assessment (PRACTICE) ........................................................................................................................................ 39 Annex 5: SCI-SLM Project Overview .................................................................................................. 43 Annex 6: Demonstration Project on Community Based Rangeland Management in Botswana ...... 45 Annex 7: Kalahari Namib Knowledge and Information Gaps ............................................................ 47 P a g e | 4 Kalahari Namib Project Regional Inception Meeting Proceedings Executive Summary The Kalahari Namib Regional Inception Meeting was convened from 22 – 23 March 2011 in Pretoria, South Africa. The meeting was attended by government delegations from each of the three participating countries namely Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, representatives from UNEP, ORASECOM, IUCN and Regional Projects working in the project area. The main objectives of the Inception Meeting were: 1. Clarify and agree on Project Management arrangements a. Clarify the project implementation arrangements/modalities including roles and responsibilities b. Agree on implementation arrangements at the Regional level c. Agree on capturing/recording of co-finance 2. Schedule immediate activities a. Identify gaps in the baseline studies carried out during the project preparation phase b. Share experiences and lessons from Regional Initiatives in the project area c. Plan for the National Inception Meetings The first day of the workshop focused on clarifying the project objectives and implementation arrangements. Presentations and discussions were held on the background to the project, the objectives and key deliverables, the roles and responsibilities of the project partners and the project budget and co-financing arrangements. The first year workplan was also discussed in detail. The main outcomes of the first day was the need to develop agreements between IUCN and the project government focal ministries to ensure that roles and responsibilities are articulated, understood and implemented and also to ensure that co-finance by the Government departments is adequately captured. The second day of the workshop started with the sharing of experiences from regional projects and opportunities for collaboration. Presentations were made on the following projects: The Institutional Support to NEPAD and RECs for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) scale up in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Project Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification. An Integrated Assessment (PRACTICE) SCI-SLM Project Overview Demonstration Project on Community Based Rangeland Management in Botswana Gaps in the baseline studies were also deliberated on during the second day. Actions items and corrections to the project document agreed on include: P a g e | 5 Correction 1 to project document - The project National Focal Department is the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Implementing Department is Department of Agriculture (DAFF & PDACMC). Correction 2 to project document - There is need to correct the Ministry stated on Pg 32 paragraph 108 and pg 40 paragraph 141 to Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism Action Item 1: SCI/SLM project will share its ToRs for its Project Steering Committee Action Item 2: Government of Namibia have experience in