General

In southwestern Bhutan special biodiversity and ecosystem services worthy of protection exist (High Conservation Value Areas), which are, however, without any formal protection status. For their long-term protection at national, regional and local level, they should be considered as an integral part of comprehensive land use planning as well as in management plans of the District Forestry Offices. In addition to building up knowledge and capacities within the forest administrations, the project also provides them with technical equipment to monitor and implement the management plans. It also supports local communities in reducing human-wildlife-conflicts, securing water resources and developing business plans to generate additional income. The development of guidelines, pilot projects and the exchange of experience between districts and authorities are intended to enable multiplier effects in other landscapes and districts.

General

The Environmental Governance program aims to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in Indonesia by addressing the drivers of forest and land fires through better land management practices. It is part of Australia's $16 million Land Care package aimed at helping countries in the Southeast Asia region meet their emission targets.

Objectives

To reduce rates of agricultural driven deforestation and biodiversity loss and to establish a sustainable system of land-use planning to guide future land development activities, sustainable and resilient commodity/crop production and farming systems across Papua New Guinea.

Other

Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency.

Target Groups

The project is targeting the delivery of significant socio-economic benefits. Through Component 1 the project will support the establishment of an effective system for integrated land use and development planning that will help to address conflicts over land use, enhance the engagement of women and vulnerable members of communities in land use decision making, provide increased security of tenure and access to resources for rural communities as well as to help safeguard environmental services through the provision of information on their value and their inclusion in land use plans. Under component 2 the project will target significant increases in productivity within the target commodities (100% and 45%, in cocoa and oil palm production respectively) as well as increasing the price per unit paid for cocoa through enhanced access to premium markets. Improved extension support will also help support development of more diversified farming and livelihood practices within commodity producing areas helping to support enhanced livelihood and income security for farmers. A focus on ensuring the engagement of women in training and capacity building activities as well as development of more effective payment systems for cocoa will also help to ensure that female farmers are able to benefit more effectively from commercial farming. Under component 3 the project will help to deliver enhanced land use management practices that will benefit communities through strengthening community conservation initiatives and integrating them into government budgeting systems, as well as working to support the development of self-financing approaches to woodlot development that will help to provide merchantable timber for communities as well as taking pressure of local forest areas. Through these interventions the project will address the key drivers of land degradation and deforestation as well unsustainable expansion of agriculture and will direct benefit over 66,000 people with the majority of these being small holder farming families. The economic benefits gained by these groups will help to strengthen commitments to SLM approaches that will help to preserve key forest areas and areas of environmental importance within the production landscapes. The integration of these groups within global supply chains committed to sustainability will also help to provide more direct market signals as to both the immediate commercial as well as long term sustainability benefits of such SLM practices. Through increases in production and exports of key commodities as well as enhanced partnerships between government and private sector key decision makers.