The primamry aims of the planning grant are to promote the participation of key stakeholders of the proposed project, including local authorities and relevant agencies and communties, and provide scientific assistance for the project development. Major activities of the project include conducting surveys on socio-economic conditions of the proposed project site, identifying proposed project objectives and activities and assessing their feasibility, and providing needed technical assistance in project design and writing project proposal which will be submitted to GEF/SGP for review and appraisal; and identifying possibilities for project synergies and resource mobilisation. The proposed project is intended to be carried out in the four communes located in the reservoir area. Its primary purpose is to develop a model of sustainable management of a reservoir ecosystem. It promotes community involvement and participation in natural resource management by ensuring community ownership in managing water and forestland resources through accelerating the Government process of land and forest allocation to the community. The proposed project will test a joint management mechanism of water resources of the reservoir for fisheries exploitation and development. Technology transferred to the community in managing natural resources and economic production in agriculture and fisheries development will be given high priority.