The Saoluafata Village Council manages their own water catchment reticulation scheme and is a member of the Independent Water Scheme Association (IWSA) with the Ministry of Women and Community Development (MWCD). The IWSA provides assistance with the management of the water reticulation scheme however water supply has been a problem in the village and at many times access to quantity and quality water has been limited. The IWSA together with the SVC have developed a draft Water Safety Plan which has identified a serious concern for the water catchment due to the fact that the management is fragmented and is being threatened by national hazards, deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices. The unpredictability in the climate as a result of climate change has deemed it necessary to conserve and protect water catchment area. This year 2015a declaration of the el-nino period and predictions of extreme droughts have led to household water shortages and increasing stress on water resources as well as land and natural resources. Deforestation contributes to landscape and soil erosion polluting water catchment area. There is appropriate application of manure, fertilizer, herbicide, pesticides and other agrochemicals or waste. The rivers and streams are contaminated from cattle farms and seepage of chemical pesticides from various plantations. This was evident during the site visit with the technical team from MNRE during the planning grant scheme phase of the project as well as the SVC in which Ministry of Health representatives presented and indicated a serious concern regarding the high bacteria (e.coli count) for drinking water. There are also limited sustainable measures in place for wider landscape management such as communal forests, grazing lands and wetland. The local community lacks the capacity or strong incentives for effective sustainable water catchment management.
The Saoluafata village council therefore have prioritized water catchment rehabilitation and sustainable management in order to ensure quality and quantity water supply to meet the basic environmental, economic and social needs of our village people.
Primary and secondary objectives
The main objective of the project is to sustainably manage and develop the Saoluafata water catchment area, to reduce land degradation and promote conservation and increase awareness as well as land productivity to strengthen sustainable livelihoods for Saoluafata village.
Specific objectives include: 1) To promote the rehabilitation and sustainable management of the Saoluafata catchment with local communities through appropriate plans and regulations by finalization of the Saoluafata Water Safety Plan with the IWSA, the development of the MNRE Saoluafata Watershed Management Plan as well as Saoluafata water by laws to; 2) To implement activities for the Saoluafata Water Catchment through surveying of the water catchment area to develop zones for protection and conservation. To rehabilitate the degraded area and provide alternative practices to the community to support the protection and conservation of the catchment area and at the same time improve the livelihoods of the people of the village through eco-tourism, agro-forestry and etc. 3) To increase the knowledge management and communication of the Saoluafata village through awareness programmes, sharing of best practices and lessons learnt with other similar SGP GEF UNDP projects in Samoa and if applicable to the pacific and international level through the development and implementation of a community communication strategy to be available in both Samoan and English languages.
Rationale (Justification)
Secondary Focal Areas include Land Degradation through addressing land use issues in the upper and lower catchment areas and promoting sustainable land and water resources management practices and ecosystem based adaptation measures. The International waters focal point through the rehabilitation and sustainable management of the Saoluafata Water Catchment. The project has successfully implemented the planning grant phase of the project and as per recommendation from SGP and consultations with the community by the Saoluafata Village Council this project will focus on the Saoluafata Water Catchment rehabilitation and sustainable management. The project is designed to fully support the development of the Saoluafata Watershed Management Plan prepared pursuant to Part VIII of the WRM Act 2008 and this plan is in line with the Strategy for the Development of Samoa (2012-2016) and the National Water Resources Management Strategy 2007 -2017. The project will be ensuring the finalization of the Saoluafata Water Safety plan with the IWSA and MOH. It will sustain activities of the GEF UNDP ICCRIFS project which completes in April 2016. The project will be able to mobilize further resources to ensure sustainability of the water catchment as well as natural resources for Saoluafata.
Specific Results or outcomes
The main outcomes to be achieved at the end of our project activities would be 1) finalized Water Safety Plan with the IWSA, MNRE Watershed Management Plan and Saoluafata Village by laws developed and enforced by the Saoluafata Village Council. 2) zoning of the catchment area for protection and conservation as well as measurable changes/increase in forest cover areas because of tree planting initiatives for rehabilitation of the watershed; 2) enforced by-laws for the setting-up of a community-based protected area by the Village Council and 3) increase awareness of the Saoluafata community in eco-tourism activities as well as local farmers adoption of agro-forestry and to mitigate negative impacts on the Saoluafata Water Catchment.

The project will be designed to be implemented through a participatory planning approach with the bottom up approach management to target stakeholder awareness and engagement workshops and on the ground management. This will be through a series of training which will include the support from technical focal areas from the government including MNRE, MOH, MAF, STA and MWCSD ( IWSA). Awareness and trainings will empower the community to support the development of management plans and implement activities for rehabilitation and sustainable management of the Saoluafata Water Catchment.

? Participatory Three Dimensional Model (P3DM) for the Saoluafata Village to ensure a participatory planning approach for
the project.
? Develop Project procurement and monitoring and evaluation plan;
? Develop a community communication strategy to ensure project results are communicated at all levels and include all
gender men, women, boys and girls.
? Implementation of the community communication strategy which include stakeholder awareness and engagement
workshops.
? Planting of native and climate resilient tree species to rehabilitate degraded areas for land and water catchment, create
wind breakers and green corridors.
? Build upon the baseline ecological survey for the Laulii-Falevao area under the ICCRIFS project.
? Demonstration and training of participant farmers in sustainable land-use practices and agro-forestry techniques
? Finalization of the Saoluafata Water Safety Plan with MWCSD IWSA and MOH
? Support the development of the MNRE Saoluafata Watershed Management Plan
? Develop and implement Water By Laws to regulate the sustainable management of Water Resources with the WRD section
of MNRE.

The project will be sustained through the following key areas;

1.Water Catchments Plans:
Through this project 3 key documents will be developed and implemented; The Saoluafata Water Safety Plan, The Saoluafata Watershed Management Plan and the Saoluafata Water by laws. The project will provide the guideline for the sustainable management of the Saoluafata Water Catchment through these three key documents that will be made available in both English and Samoan language and will be the responsibility of the Saoluafata Development Committee to sustain the project activities through the integration of project work into the existing Saoluafata Water Committee and the support of the Government and relevant stakeholders.

2. Participatory planning: The project will develop a P3D Model which is an effective community participatory planning tool and has been successful for government projects as well as SGP projects for Faleaseela and Vailele/Letogo Water Catchments. The project will follow the lesson learnt and best practices to ensure community ownership of their project which will lead to successful implementation.

3. Improved livelihoods: The project will include activities which will improve the daily living standard of a person in the village through tree planting activities, althernative practices which include agroforestry demonstration plots per farmers using the model set by the 1 agroforestry demonstration plot from the ICCRIFS project, this project will ensure most farmers will benefit as well as rain water harvesting through the supply of water tanks for vulnerable communities and long term benefit will be a protected water catchment with improved quality and quantity supply of water for the Saoluafata Village.

4. Awareness and Communication : The project will maintain awareness campaigns and invite stakeholders to workshops to improve the knowledge and understanding of the community in issues related to water catchment management and how to address it.

5. Financial sustainability: The project will integrate the project into the existing village water committee and funds from the water committee will assist with sustaining the project. The water Committee and Saoluafata Village Council will be able to mobilize funds from various partners and donors with the development and implementation of the Saoluafata Water Safety Plan, Saoluafata Watershed Management Plan and the Saoluafata by laws. The Saoluafata Village Council will maintain a close relationship with key stakeholders as well as government ministries for the ongoing maintenance and sustainable management of the Saoluafata Water Catchment.