Project Detail

Enhancing Capacity of Green Creek Farmers Cooperative to Manage Community Conserved Area for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods

This project will be accomplished through the supply of infrastructure (road improvement), farmers? capacity, raise awareness and provide training that will enable subsistence farmers to integrate and adapt smart agricultural practices, biodiversity protection, and conservation. The intervention will include the 1) development of forest zoning schemeto include a community conservation area through demarcation and zoning of the Cooperative?s land; and 2) road access improvement and capacity building of farmers in sustainable agricultural practices. The Green Creek Farmers? Cooperative has opted to initially concentrate its efforts with community members of San Jose village.

This project harmonizes with GEF/SGP?s OP6 Community Landscape/Seascape Conservation. Land Degradation Focal Area and complements other projects in the region being co-funded by GEF/SGP within the MGL managed by Ya?axché Conservation Trust. The importance of an integrated community forest management project as echoed by existing organization such as Friends for Conservation and the wider Key Biodiversity Areas Project (KBA) is to reduce deforestation. Biodiversity and ecosystems conservation is also important for the management and protection of the Southern Forest Corridor of Belize. Therefore, this project aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the socioeconomic benefits of community-based forest conservation to drive future sustainable development.

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Ya'axche Conservation Trust

Country:

Belize

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity
CapDev
Land Degradation

Operational Phase:

OP6 - Y5 (Jul 19-Jun 20)

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 11,837.83

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 17,485.00

Project Number:

BZE/ICCA-GSI/2019/01

Start Date:

8/2019

End Date:

7/2021

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

For this project, the appropriate governance and leadership model will be re-enforced for the proper project activities oversight from within the Cooperative. In phase one (development), the farmers will form part of the planning team along with Ya?axché for the preparation of the full proposal. This will entail several planning sessions to have key indicators established for the success of the project. Phase two: implementation of the project by GCFC will be in partnership with Ya?axché Conservation, who will collectively be granted oversight of the project by the Cooperative. Project members and key stakeholders will be involved in a) the development of a zonation schemeto demarcate and zone the 2,500 acres of land, and b) road access improvement and building the capacities of GCFC farmers by adopting climate-smart, sustainable agricultural practices. Men, women and youth of the cooperative and San Jose community will be targeted to take an active and participative role in this project. Assessing and monitoring the project will involve all key stakeholders to ensure that the project is being implemented in a sound and timely manner. Implementation of the project also takes into consideration the recruitment of volunteers, both local and international, as a partnership to be established with the University of Belize, The Resolution Project and Delaware State University.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Information about the project will be shared with community members during community meetings and other events that occur within the region. These will include videos, photographs, publication of results of the project, participation in community-based events such as Village Bazaar, earth day and other public events. This project is as a result of the major conservation project in Belize which will not only be a new existing project but a venture that would encourage the establishment of a similar project for biodiversity protection and conservation.

Project sustainability

Overall, participants felt that the project met their priorities and so this provides a good basis for sustainability of project activities. The bridge and access road that was improved will continue to benefit the community and members of the Green Creek Farmers? Cooperative for a long time to come. There is easier access to their farming lands and will be able to monitor any illegal activities in their lands given the time efficiency brought on by the road improvements. The project had excellent participation not just from members of Green Creek Farmers? Cooperative but also from community members from the wide community. Group members were actively involved, and the leadership of the group showed tremendous leadership skills in building consensus around key project activities. The leadership of the village on a whole were also actively engaged by Green Creek Farmers? Cooperative. Farmers and community members will continue to use the upgraded road and will put their newly acquired knowledge and skills in sustainable farming practices to use.

Gender Focus

Subsistence farming is a family activity for the Mayan populace of southern Belize which accounts for the participation of women, youth and children. For this project, women and youths are key elements considered in the planning and execution which is evident in the development of this proposal. This project encompasses training without the limitation of women attending and even more key objectives are developed for the empowerment of women in the area of agribusiness in the long-term. Encouraging women participation in this project will increase the moral and interest of other farming families? participation to adopt improved technology to boost productivity on the farm while contributing to sustainable land management.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The project aims to spread the knowledge of community-based forest management, reforestation, biodiversity conservation and protection, climate change mitigation and food security. The demarcation, training on conservation and sustainable agriculture will give farmers and the wider public a better understanding on the importance of forest protection. This highlights the necessary balance with income generation and livelihoods sustenance dependingforest services and goods to alleviate poverty. Governance, leadership, and communal-based ownership (stewardship) and protection of natural resources are key characteristics of a responsible and accountable community thriving to improve their way of life and conserving wild places, simultaneously. Knowledge-sharingwill be channeled and transferred to other buffering communities such as Jalacte and San Vicente, which to date are communities evident of mass deforestation, chemical use and demand of land for cattle rearing. The overall achievements and expected impact will be captured through the monitoring and evaluation of the Coopertaive?s land, crop production, and diversity. Documentation of results will be key to the potential project expansions and infrastructural development of the area such as the conversion of the area to an Agro-tourism destination. At the end of the project, a technical report on the advances, and the results will be published. Further knowledge and expectations management will include the dissemination of information through posters, flyers, and encourage participation at local and international fairs. Exchange farmer visits planned for in this project is one effective way of disseminating knowledge among farmers.

Notable Community Participation

This project has as an outcome :Five individuals will be trained to learn the use of GPS and mapping skills. Green Creek will develop a basic Terms of Reference (ToR). This will be publicized within the San Jose Community to recruit 5 interested individuals to be part of the capacity building sessions. The training is projected to be accomplished within a week with the GIS Specialist from Ya?axché. The Mobile Mapping App for ICCAs will be utilized to map, monitor and document the Community Conserved Area - https://www.sgp.undp.org/resources-155/our-stories/579-a-mobile-mapping-app-for-iccas.html

Replication of project activities

This project invested in activities that were identified as the priorities and aligned with the interests of community members through a consultative process. The project was targeted to meet some of the various needs of the farmers. Both objectives 1 and 2 of the project were carried out with much success. The project can be expanded or replicated in other communities taking into consideration the challenges and lessons learned in this project. The project was much focused on facilitating the activities of farmers as well as some capacity building and not on agricultural production itself. This means that farmers will not see immediate impact on their productivity however, given that this build their capacity to manage their lands and access their productive areas, increase production benefits can be expected later. The nursery aspect of the project faced the most challenges however this is mainly due to circumstances beyond the control of the group. With some improved planning this can easily be achieved.

Project Results

The planned activities of the project were executed though some were not fully completed. Objective 1 of the project was fully executed. The training in mapping was completed as well as the zonation scheme. Objective 2 was not fully completed mainly due to challenges brought about by the effects of COVID-19 on public gatherings and poor germination at the nurseries. The following table provides more details of the status of project activities.

Project participants benefited at various levels. On one level, they benefited at a practical level. Additionally, the knowledge and skills in sustainable agriculture can benefit the famers over the long term. All participants felt that the project was very beneficial to them.
Some of the more specific benefits of the project include:
a) Greater knowledge of sustainable farming techniques among members.
b) Greater knowledge of mapping techniques and technology among community members.
c) Zonation of lands allows for better use and management of group?s forest and lands.
d) Farmers? road rehabilitation benefits the entire community.
e) Construction of bridge benefits families, and school children who live on the other side of the river.

Overall, the project was implemented well on the part of Ya?axché and the Green Creek Farmers? Cooperative. The Cooperative demonstrated impressive autonomy and were able to execute the project activities on their own with only oversight by Ya?axché. The community members were fully engaged with excellent participation. Project activities were carried out as planned and the Cooperative, gained new experience in project management. There are a few recommendations that can help to ensure the long-term success of the investments made as well as when there is project replication. These are:
a) Develop new plans to focus on sustainable agricultural production to put the training received to use.
b) Complete the remaining approach to the bridge.
c) Complete the remaining mile of the road that was not upgraded and maintain regularly.
d) Coordinate and plan carefully the development of nursery for timber trees as they may be different from cultivated fruit trees.

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