INSTRUCTIONS: The reporting officer shall complete this 4-page PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT report, and submit the original duly signed and two copies to the Funding Liaison Officer in the Field Programme Development Service, TCAP. The Technical Support Officer or task force members, as appropriate, shall receive a copy for comments to be sent directly to the TRUST FUND PROGRAMME Funding Liaison Unit, with copy to the reporting officer, within two weeks of receipt of the report. IMPORTANT : In order to adhere to the schedule of submission of presenting progress reports to Donors the reporting officer should strictly comply with the following requirements, Irrespective of the project starling date : Funding source Reporting periods Progress reports due at FAO HQ Government of Italy March – August 30 September September - February 31 March Project symbol Title Reporting period GCP/MYA/012/ITA Support to the immediate rehabilitation of farming, coastal fisheries and March–August 2010 aquaculture livelihoods in the cyclone Nargis-affected Areas of Myanmar Operating Unit Technical Unit Starting date NTE date Total Project Budget TCES till 31 May 2010 AGPM Previous: 1.07.2008 Prev..1.12.2010 USD 2,785,515 FAOR from 1 June 2010 Revised: 11.06.2009 Rev.:10.12.2011 A. PROGRESS AND OUTPUTS Please use extra sheets if necessary Recall briefly the immediate objectives and describe progress towards their achievement and in particular the outputs produced during the reporting period as outlined in plan of operation/work plan under all headings and sub-headings. A. Background The GCP/MYA/012/ITA incorporated the progress made under the emergency project “Immediate rehabilitation of farming, coastal fisheries and aquaculture livelihoods in the cyclone Nargis-affected Areas of Myanmar (OSRO/MYA/807/ITA)”, funded (EURO 2,000,000) by the General Directorate for Development Cooperation (DGCS) - Office V of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), and with an implementation period of 24 months (from July 2008 to June 2010). Following the confirmation of an additional contribution of USD 2,5 million from the MAE-DGCS-Office II in support of Cyclone Nargis recovery and development needs in Myanmar, in consultation with the Italian Embassy in Yangon, the MAE-DGCS and concerned units within FAO, it was agreed to formulate a comprehensive “umbrella programme” entitled Environmentally Sustainable Food Security Programme (ESFSP) for a total value of USD 5.3 million. The ESFSP consists of the following three projects: 1) GCP/MYA/012/ITA, Support to the Immediate Rehabilitation of Farming, Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Livelihoods in the Cyclone Nargis-affected Areas of Myanmar (USD 2.79 million), which replaced the initial OSRO/MYA/807/ITA; 2) GCP/MYA/011/ITA, Support for Special Rice Production (USD 1.25 million); 3) GCP/MYA/010/ITA, Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture Livelihoods in Coastal Mangrove Ecosystems (USD 1.25 million). All three projects were signed in Yangon in May 2009, with GCP/MYA/012/ITA maintaining the Coordination provisions as the host project for the Programme Management Coordination Unit (PMCU) that oversees the implementation of the other two initiatives. The ESFSP initial activities started in June 2009 with the preparation of the Inception Workshop, held in Yangon during September 2009. The implementation of the Programme started in January 2010, after the arrival of the CTA. This report is concerned with the implementation of GCP/MYA/012/ITA. Key coordination and management functions of ESFSP are nested in this project which will ensure that the impact of the other two projects - “Support for Special Rice Production” and “Sustainable Small- Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture Livelihoods in Coastal Mangrove Ecosystems” - is achieved through the provision of technical and managerial support under the “programme” approach. The Project aims at: Sustainable improvements in household food production, nutritional status and income generating activities among households and communities comprising landless, marginal and small-scale farmers and fishers in the cyclone-affected townships of Bogale, Labutta and Pyapon . The outcome is anticipated to be achieved through four major outputs: Output 1: Impoverished rural communities mobilised to benefit from improved agricultural support services. This is envisaged to be produced by strengthening implementing partners and CBOs and by training of service providers and community leaders. Output 2: Enhanced long-term productivity of land, reduced food insecurity, and improved household nutritional status of impoverished farming communities; This will be achieved mainly by provision of seed of improved local varieties of rice, pulses and other crops, and farm tools and equipment; transfer of improved technologies through the implementation of Farmer Field Schools (FFS); adoption of improved farming systems; formation and strengthening of farmers’ groups; establishment of revolving funds and matching contribution; training. Output 3: Sustained coastal, estuarine, riverine and inland fishing practices adopted, improved quality of fish and shrimp products, and improved household nutritional status of impoverished fishing communities; Fishing boat design and construction will be improved through capacity building of local boat builders and carpenters; fish and shrimp hatcheries will be rehabilitated; improved techniques will be transferred through training of small-scale fishers and fish farmers. Output 4: Effective & co-ordinated agriculture (crops, livestock fisheries and forestry) sector recovery; Needs assessments will be undertaken to guide the work and inputs of the project; information on the project and its mission will be disseminated; technical assistance will be provided to Government institutions and to national and international agencies through existing co-ordinating mechanisms; contributions will be made to the development of medium-term livelihood rehabilitation plans through these mechanisms and effective management of ESFSP. B. Progress from March to August 2010 B.1. General Three Implementing Partners (IP) 1 have been engaged under LOA arrangements to assist in the establishment and strengthening of FFSs and in the delivery and utilization of seed, fertilizers, machinery, etc. during a period of 8 months from May 2010. The target village tracts were selected in consultation with MAS and the IPs. These areas have received relatively little or no rehabilitation support for agriculture from external agencies after the cyclone. A fourth Implementing Partner, the Department of Fisheries, has been engaged through an LoA to assist with the monitoring of the rehabilitation of fish and shrimp hatcheries for 4 months, starting from June 2010. The rehabilitation of hatcheries is being implemented in Kyauktan, Hlegu, Mingalardon, Thar Ke Ta, Insein, Taik Gyi, Twan Te, Kyimyindaing townships in Yangon Division and Pathein, Pantanaw, Ma U Bin townships in Ayeyarwady Division. Monitoring and Evaluation : an international consultant has assisted in identifying M&E indicators. Those related to field activities in the villages are included in the reporting requirements of the IPs under the LOAs. The consultant has also proposed follow-up surveys which will be considered at a later date. B.2. Implementation Output 1: Impoverished rural communities mobilised to benefit from improved agricultural support services Forty-five Farmer Field Schools (FFS) have been established in 45 different villages with a few of th em covering more than one village. All together 53 villages, located in 17 different village tracts, are participating in the FFS activities. The number of FFS by township and IP is shown in Table 1 and details are given in Annex 2. Table 1: Number of FFS established during the 2010 Monsoon Season Number of FFS / villages Implementing Partner Pyapon Bogale Labutta Total Mingalar Myanmar 8 / 8 12 / 12 - 20 / 20 Relief International 2 / 7 3 / 6 - 5 / 13 ADRA&MHDO - - 20 / 20 20 / 20 Total 10 / 15 15 / 18 20 / 20 45 / 53 The 53 villages were selected on the basis of the farmers’ interest in replacing existing paddy varieties with improved ones; strategic location in the village tract for dissemination of quality paddy seeds; good access to/from other villages/townships; representativeness of agro-ecological zones and cropping patterns in village tracts; and not being covered by other projects or programmes providing the same type of livelihood rehabilitation and agriculture support. Each FFS is composed of 25 farmers. The main criteria applied for selection of participants were the following: farmers resided in the village; had no more than 12 acres of paddy land; have sufficient implements and draft power to utilize the inputs provided by the project; and be able and willing to attend the FFS regularly and follow recommendations given during the school sections. Prior to the establishment of the FFS, two Orientation Workshops were held by ESFSP staff in May and June 2010 for 21 facilitators of the three IPs. The following subjects were covered during the workshops: - Crop cycle management - Conservation agriculture 1 Adventist Development and Relief Agency & Myanmar Heart Development Organization (ADRA/MHDO); Mingalar Myanmar (MM); Relief International (RI) - Integrated plant nutrient management system - Integrated pest management - Post harvest technology for reducing the pre- and post-harvest losses, and on-farm storage techniques - Establishment and functioning of Paddy