STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 1

BULLETINBULLETIN

he STEWARD Partners rdMeeting 2013 closed on 23 TAugust after four days of

thoughtful and rich deliberations in Mamou, Republic of Guinea. 35 participants drawn from all six STEWARD partners and the STEWARD coordination office attended the meeting. Other participants included representatives from USAID/West Africa and Guinea , US Fores t Se rv ice International Programs, the Forestry Department in Guinea , and the Mano River Union.Participants reviewed and reflected on the implementation of the 2013 work plan, and discussed and agreed on the integrated work plan for the Program for the 2014 Financial Year, which starts in October 2013. The Mamou Meeting set the agenda for project targets, deliverables and indicators in line with the core program objectives of biodiversity conservation, climate change

STEWARD Partners' Meeting 2013Concludes Successfully

STEWARD Family Photo

adap ta t i on , c l ima te change mitigation and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).The meeting venue, L'Ecole Nationale des Agents Techniques des Eaux et Forets (ENATEF) right in the heart of the Guinean forest provided a good setting for some of the core themes discussed - forests and biodiversity conservation, and interaction with nature. As expressed by STEWARD Director Jan Broekhuis in his welcome message there was “never a dull

moment” as the sessions and discussions were very lively, and productive.Implementing partners AUDER, BioClimate, CARE International, Flora and Fauna International, PCI Media Impact and Thomson Reuters discussed and shared their successes and challenges in their different intervention areas. The meeting ended with partners agreeing to e n h a n c e c o o r d i n a t i o n a n d collaboration to ensure the continued success of the STEWARD Program.

STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 8

Nico TchamouUSAID/ West Africa

* June 27 to July 6, 6 staff and 19 volunteers were trained on agro-forestry techniques, alley cropping, live fencing and improved fallow, as well as simple silvicultural and pruning techniques that they will pass on to communities in the area.

* 8 to 10 July CARE field agents, volunteers and three staff from Bioclimate were trained on conservation agriculture in Sanya, Sierra Leone. Participants learnt the advantages and disadvantages, as well as the technical principles of conservation agriculture. These newly learned techniques will be disseminated in targeted villages.

* 25 people were trained on improved beekeeping techniques using Kenyan hives in Sanya (Sierra Leone) from 11 to 15 July. During the five-day theoretical and practical training, participants learned about beekeeping as a source of profit, as a response to food security and as an effective way to conserve biodiversity.

Participants learnt the process of establishing beekeeping Kenyan hives, the advantages and disadvantages of traditional beekeeping practices, and the benefits of improved farming practices and protection of bee colonies. They also learnt about pollination and its importance in the management of natural resources (biodiversity conservation), harvesting, extraction, storage, processing, food and therapeutic value of honey. These techniques will be further disseminated in the communities.

CARE MONTHLY UPDATE July – August 2013

* An environmental sensitization campaign using the Tabulay Theater Group based in Fintonia was carried out in ten different communities in both Sierra Leone and Guinea from 26 July to 4 August. The theme was “the effect of wildfire as a threat to chimpanzees, humans and biodiversity as a whole”. The purpose of this sensitization campaign was to teach communities to conserve biodiversity and natural resources and protect them against wildfire in their respective areas and environment. The campaigns also sensitized communities about the social life of chimpanzees, and the necessity to preserve them.

* From 20 to 21 August a workshop on the value chain of non-timber forest products (NTFP) was organized in Badet Kanty (Guinea) for 33 NTFP actors including 18 women involved in the exploitation and marketing of NTFPs. They learned about the concepts of value chain, challenges and opportunities.

* CARE launched training sessions on five natural resources management (NRM) topics in VSLA groups: improved Stoves, Moringa association of crops, composting, poli-culture and live fence. Improved stoves reduce the need for firewood, which in turn will reduce deforestation, smoke-related diseases, and the economic burden on households. 149 improved stoves were built in the month of July, 101 in Guinea and 48 in Sierra Leone. In addition 1505 forest trees were planted by members of VSLA groups at Kanssèma, an action initiated voluntarily by members of five VSLA groups as their contribution to environmental protection.

STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING

September, 2013

What I am expecting from the STEWARD Program

is that at the end, local communities and institutions are empowered enough and have the capacity to take the driving seat in

managing their natural resources for their own good and for the economic

development of the region and well being of the

entire world.

AUDER

AUDER

o r k i n g w i t h women is key to the success of a W

Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) project. They need to be involved in project activities, in decision-making and be recipients of benefit sharing.In the communities in which we are working, Sumata and Kansema, the governance structures – traditional tribal authorities – are almost exclusively male. We are concentrating on community forests and the decision making group for the forest is the Forest Management Committee (FMC) and is therefore the focus of our efforts to involve women. We are trying to encourage the FMC to involve more

WHAT PARTNERS’ HAVE TO SAYWHAT PARTNERS’ HAVE TO SAYBIOCLIMATE:

sharing their experiences in the field with other partnerssharing their experiences in the field with other partners

women and we are going to empower women by giving them technical and financial management skills. One way of doing this is to use the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) model to link women's involvement with the forest, by issuing membership cards that show the roles and responsibilities

of each member. Just like women, youth have not been formally engaged in forest management activities. Youth have recently shown willingness and interest in contributing to several activities including fire breaks, forest monitoring, tree planting, planting live hedges and also supporting

the FMC with secretarial tasks such as writing meeting notes and also assisting with project planning activities. Youth can also start fires so they should be brought in to contribute to stopping fires. It is crucial to have youth fully involved in all activities because they are strong and have the literacy capacity, which most members of the FMC lack. Youth are not only the present of these communities, but they are also the future. It is important to take advantage of their interest and involve them i n f o r e s t m a n a g e m e n t activities. By involving youth, we wi l l be l ay ing the foundation to sustainable project activities. Youth can assure the longevity of projects being implemented today.

The harmonisation of policies, laws, agreements and regulations across MRU countries will allow trans-boundary sustainable management arrangements to be formulated and supported. This is important when we are dealing with a site (such as Nimba) that crosses international borders. There has to be agreement between countries first as to how to sustainably manage such a site, and such agreements can only really happen through the harmonisation of policies between the countries concern: Guinea, Ivory Coast and Liberia. These agreements will enforce environmental protection and thus combat deforestation,

FAUNA AND FLORA INTERNATIONAL

which in turn will tackle climate change and promote biodiversity conservation. Further to this, a tri-partite trans-boundary management

entity for Mt. Nimba will create a management zone within which these agreements can be implemented.

Bioclimate Team

* Including women and youth in program activities helps them become more proactive.

* Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) activities have helped community women realize that they can contribute to their own development, and that of their children.

* The establishment of forest co-management committees has encouraged community members to play a leadership role in natural resources management.

* Non Timber Forest Products increase the economic status of community people.

sharing lessons learnt during program implementation

CI Media Impact provides communication support for all STEWARD Program activities. P

Specific communication activities focus on: Internal communication among partners and funding (USAID/WA) and executing (USFS) agencies

PCIMedia Impact

talks about its role within the STEWARD partnership

to enhance program effectiveness and collaboration amongst and between STEWARD partnersEnhanced visibility and publicity of the STEWARD program, its objectives and its work and impact on the ground to form and strengthen partnerships, collaboration, coalition

building with governmental and non-governmental institutions, and entities in the four MRU countries, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra LeoneBehavior change communication for beneficiary communities in PZ1 and PZ2 to promote a sense of ownership and self-efficacy leading to effective biodiversity conservation.Media Impact is an international leader in Entertainment Education (E-E) supporting social change through communication by designing and implementing media messages that both entertain and educate. A 52-episode radio drama series targeting all four MRU countries will soon go on air in four different languages. The drama will highlight biodiversity conservation issues present in target communities, and sensitize and encourage communities to adopt good practices and behavior in order to conserve biodiversity and mange their natural resources sustainably.

* Regular coordination of meetings among partners in the field and STEWARD

management, as well as harmonization of activities and intervention strategies on the ground will lead to better implementation of the STEWARD Program.

PCI Media Impact Team

STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 7STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 2

talks about how harmonization of policies, laws, agreements and regulations across MRU countries contribute to biodiversity conservation, climate change, and deforestation. CARE International

CARE International Team

FFI Team

Impact of mixed rice /fish farm cultivation on the lives of community members in Pz2

In the long term mixed rice/fish farms will ensure food security, make up for the deficit in animal protein in households and increase farmers' earnings.

ur work consists in trying to inventorize Rural Land Rights in a bid to give equity to rural people when engaging with O

external investors. External investors such as individuals, businesses (mining and logging companies) and government authorities. Rural land titling helps communities negotiate better terms and conditions in situations involving land

have shown that the rice/fish farms are very popular with most of the farmers in the project area, as they encourage growth, and reduce poverty in rural settings.

ixed rice/fish farms cultivation is the combination of rice and fish cultivation in one place. M

Perennial crops such as oil palm, rubber, cacao, coffee are planted on slopes not only to protect the soil from different types of erosion, but also to nourish the forest soil. The objective is to limit the amount of surfaces cleared annually for small scale farming, increase the duration of fallow periods and the level of soil fertility. Farmers are encouraged to adopt new practices that enable them to use swamp lands for income-generating activities to improve their livelihood. The mixed rice/fish farms are an effective local method of protecting and conserving biodiversity resources. Results achieved in the last few years

compensation, crop destructions, among others. We look into how the land is utilized, how much is used for agriculture, housing , illegal mining, community forests etc. Land is a finite resource so we can have a sustainable use of the land and all its encumbrances (what is on and what is under the land). This helps to identify land vulnerability such as soil fertility, surface water, geology, proper agronomic techniques, better land use and infrastructure planning.Before we start mapping, we first sensitize community members so they understand the purpose of the mapping, and they are assured that the

intention is not to take over their land but to help them better manage their land resources . For example community mapping helps to answer questions like: where will roads, markets, hospitals, police stations, and other social amenities services go? Through the forest, fertile grounds, swamp lands, or through allocated mining concessions? Community Mapping and Property Rights facilitates better decision-making process for a more efficient use of community land and resources. Community Mapping and Property Rights also helps to reduce conflicts or prevent them, and where they exist, provides measures to address them.

I thank Mr. Jan Broekhuis, Director of STEWARD for inviting me to this very important meeting.

Protecting the environment and conserving

A Word from the Guinea Water and Forestry Authorities...

A Word from the Guinea Water and Forestry Authorities... Excerpt from the speech of the representative

of the Kindia Prefectoral and Technical Authorityn a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s a r e indispensable for humanity, as man's development and very survival greatly depend on the environment in which he lives, and the natural resources that are available for his use.Environmental development is closely interconnected with social economic development, and it is therefore essential to promote lasting development that takes into account the effective involvement of the people concerned as well as government technical services to ensure the continuation of achievements and sustainable management of resources. Often in the past in the Republic of Guinea, several projects and programs have failed because of the non-involvement of beneficiary communities and government structures in the implementation

Mr. Nyankoye KPOGHOMOU, Head of the Prefectural Water & Forestry

Department, Kindia, Guinea

he MRU, as the political umbrella for al l sub regional projects and T

programs implemented within the Mano River Union countries, can lobby with the statutory bodies of the Organization (Council of Ministers, Summit of Heads of State) for political support for the implementation of projects that strive to achieve conservation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems and water resources and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Union can also facilitate the

harmonisation of Member States' policies, laws and regulations on conservation and management of ecosystems and biodiversity, as wel l as on envi ronmenta l governance; encourage and facilitate cooperation between countries for a better management of trans-border natural resources; coordinate the establishment of trans-border forest ecosystems management committees; and contribute to the development of the WASH component of the STEWARD Program

AUDER Team

Thomson Reuters Team

Mr. Alpha Ahmadou BaldeProgram Director

and from the Mano River Union

of activities. It is for this reason that we express, here at this meeting and elsewhere, our total satisfaction with the STEWARD Program and all implementing partners who have always involved both the community and the government in program implementation. We a c k n o w l e d g e w h a t STEWARD has been doing here in Guinea and the positive impact of their activities on the environment in general, and on forest resources in particular in the intervention zones. We recommend that all other projects and programs cultivate STEWARD'S method of work in order to promote the lasting development desired by our governments. I thank you and wish STEWARD continued success.

STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 3STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 6

WHAT PARTNERS’ HAVE TO SAYWHAT PARTNERS’ HAVE TO SAYAUDER

Talks about the benefits of Community Mapping and Property RightsThomson Reuters

MAMOU MEETING THROUGH THE LENS

USAID W/A STEWARD Director making a point

MRU, & Kindia Water & ForestryAuthority Representative

The STEWARD Team

he Mamou Meeting came out as planned. Partners expressed appreciation that expectations T

were met, especially with the definition of indicators. At the last partners' meeting in 2012 partners and stakeholders did not seem to understand the various facets of the STEWARD Program. This year the partners' meeting clearly addressed all implementation issues

Some Reflections from the Meeting

he Mamou Meeting has been a huge success . Accord ing to the evaluation forms received, over T

90% of participants indicated that their expectations were met, while the workshop sessions were rated 4 on a scale of 1-5.The partners are well placed to continue their efforts to make the STEWARD Program a success, and I am confident that next year’s partners’ meeting will provide proof of that.

STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 5STEWARD PARTNERS’ MEETING 4

USAID & USFS - IP in discussion

Fun and laughter after the meeting

his was my maiden Partners' meeting, and I believe we achieved set objectives - pulling together all work plans and T

establishing rules clearly. Now every implementing partner knows what is expected. Overall, the Mamou meeting was very positive and productive.

Mrs Ada Oka WilliamsSTEWARD Assistant Director

Jan BroekhuisSTEWARD Program Director Mr. Foday S. Kanu STEWARD

Monitoring & Evaluation Officer