Project Results
I. The first progress report was received on 2 May 2006 with the following details:
Activities carried out:
1. Launching conserving , rehabilitating and campaigning activities through seed and Sapling Bank,bee raising, community rights forum, Reforestation and youth camp
2 Launching exchange forums and training on environmental impact
Immediate Results and indicators:
1.Emergence of the followings:
- 15 families planting herbs with lower cost
- four families raising bee increasing garden product
- Two herb and agro-product drying facilities
2. Additional 30 species of herbs into the ecosystems
3. 30 youth leaders learning then planning to put what were learnt into practice
4. Core leaders planning household level environment management
Project Communication: The project modestly communicated at community level by making cloth posters and posting in the villages.
II. During 18-20 October 2006, leaders of the project participated in the mid-course evaluation. The observation is as follows:
Baan(village) Busai, one of the target village of an OP2, year-4 project, was a venue of the workshop where 45 attendants from 13 projects of OP3 year 2, NSC members, NC and PA gathered together to meet. Literally, these 13 projects were dubbed among SGP Thailand as GEF SGP Class 7/1 with project number starting from THA-05-01 to THA-05-13.
Workshop AT-A-Glance
As the venue was situated in target area of a back project THA-02-18 and adjacent to that of THA-04-22 which had been launching activities to reverse land degradation in watershed area of Lower Mekhong ecosystems, participants had learnt and shared experience with leaders of the two projects during field visits and briefing session. That was the first day.
First session of the following morning saw the NC occupying the floor confirming strategy of GEF SGP: Environment Protection , Community Empowerment, and Poverty Reduction. Then the floor was handed over to participants to conduct the session on sharing and discussion. Each project was given 30 minutes to relate background, activities undertaken and immediate results, problems/issues as well as questions and answers. The session was able to effectively cover 10 projects. That was the second day.
The morning of third day was given to the three remaining projects to cover their stories, to the NSC for observation and suggestion , to the NC to remind the grantees of what to do next according to the MOAs and finally to the grantees to collectively plan activities to strengthen this fledgling SGP environmental network and friendship. At the end, the chairperson , vice-chairperson and coordinator of Thailand GEF SGP class 7/1 emerged to take up coordinating role for all 13 projects. That was the final day of the workshop.
Each grantee was capable of articulating details of undertaken activities and their immediate results to the audiences. Project results were rated as promising. Some even gained recognition and financial supports by other stakeholders. Community members of two projects were able to increase their technical capacity in biogas technology. At an average, three projects were ahead of their proposed timeline , three a little bit behind, and seven just on time.
Nine projects presented through Power Points and audio-visual equipment, even though they are of Community ?Based Organization and not a national, tighter organization. There were four projects who accomplished their jobs by sets of photos and detailed documents.
III. The second progress report was received on December 15, 2006 , a two-page write up , with one photo album. The detail is as follow:
Activities carried out:
1. Launching conserving , rehabilitating and campaigning activities through
- Seed and Sapling Bank
- Bee raising
- Disseminating data and information
- Planting trees of medicinal value
- Youth camp
- Developing local tools and knowledge
2. Building environment capacity of women through study tour and training on participatory environment management
Immediate Results and indicators:
1. Emergence of the followings:
- Environment learning network with 70 members
-Increased over 50 species and 1,000 of medicinal plants in project area
-Increased capacity of 20 members being demonstrated through compost production , ability to
reduce planting cost and increased yields
-Evinced instilled conservation awareness in 30 youth leaders
2. 52 members learning about water power and environment management leading to further planning
for putting into practice
Project Communication:
1. Making signboards and announcing within the villages
2. During an exchange forum among network members in five provinces (Nakhornsithammarat, Surathani, Phangnga,Krabi and Songkhla), the issues on sustaining Thai traditional medicine was put forwarded for discussion.
Emerging issues and experience gained:
The project outlined various issues and relevant solutions on maintenance of seed banks, promotion of quick cash mono-crop , bee keeping and probable ecotourism.
IV. On July 1, 2007, three NSC, NC, two PAs visited the project. Findings and observations are as follows:
Situated in lowland next to the Khao Luang National Park, the project location was once a paddy fields but now gradually turned into orchards. However, areas of para-rubber trees occasionally came into view. In a plot of one member in Muang District, both old and new native species were seen standing. Listed on a board was some 120 species of medicinal quality many of which were thriving and well taken care of in the plot. A set of equipment for producing organic fertilizer , and a pile of essential raw materials were also there , ready to produce a new batch and be distributed to members. Also in the plot, a bee hive was seen attracting natural bees from the national park to reproduce - proving increased biological diversity.
The second plot, also in Muang District, belonged to another project member. In addition to existing standing trees of various native species, a nursery of seedling with medicinal quality was also seen appearing well functioning and maintained. The nursery was dubbed a ?seedling bank, supplying its products to members under the project and beyond.
This second plot was also a meeting place for project members and also members of the Thai Traditional Medicine Network in the province. Twice a month, members would gather together to share experience on Thai Traditional Medicine. Members planned to turned this premises in to a Thai Traditional Poly Clinic , where members specialized in different special disease would be able to provide treatments together , instead of separately, individually at home ? a more participatory process.
During this brief interaction with only a few project members, it was sensed that the project results, to a great extent, had met with expectation of project members. It was said that some 80 members had registered with the Ministry of Public Health?s Department of Thai Traditional Medicine where 12 had passed the examination and awarded certificates to practice.
V. Note: on a participatory evaluation upon completion with other contemporary projectrs:
GEF Small Grants Programme: Evaluation upon Completion Workshop At-a-Glance
Country: Thailand
Project Number: THA-05-01 to THA-05-13
Date of Workshop: November 7- 9, 2007
Location: Boy Scout Camp, Khao Khitchakut District, Chanthaburi
1. BACKGROUND OF THE WORKSHOP
Specified in the Country Programme Strategy and long encouraged by Thailand GEF SGP, the workshop aimed to strengthen the participatory evaluation process, build capacity of target communities, and contribute to the formation of a strong network of GEF SGP grantees. The 3-day workshop provided an opportunity for these 13 projects?all nearing completion after 24 months?to present overall results, problems/issues and their solutions, to share lessons learned and to forge partnerships for sustainability.
2. WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
The Chanthaburi Boy Scout Camp in Khao Khitchakut District, the venue for the workshop, hosted 45 participants from 11 projects of OP3 Year One, a GEF SGP team (composed of a NSC member, the National Coordinator, and Programme Assistants), and a few other major stakeholders. The 11 projects were dubbed ?GEF SGP Class 7/1,? and assigned a project number between THA-05-01 and THA-05-13. In addition, four members from THA-06-02?a project of OP3 Year Two or ?GEF SGP Class 8/1??were present to share experiences. The participants showed great geographical diversity; they had traveled from Nan, Tak, Loei, Mahasarakharm, Kanchanaburi, Ayudhaya, Phayao, Nakhornsithammarat, Songkhla and Pattani Provinces.
3. Workshop At-a-Glance
Beginning in the afternoon of November 7th, several project members began preparing dissemination materials. Photos depicting project activities were posted in the meeting hall; brochures, completion reports, instruction manuals and project products were also available.
To allow all parties to arrive and set up, the exhibition did not commence until the morning of the second day. November 8th began with the official opening ceremony, in which the chief of district officers of Khao Khitchakut District presided and gave an encouraging keynote speech. Following the chief, the GEF SGP National Coordinator delivered his welcoming remarks by reviewing the history of GEF SGP and how he felt about this get-together. After the official opening, the chief spent almost half-an-hour visiting and conversing with project members at their respective dissemination stations in the hall. Also in attendance were other district officers, including staff from local schools and the Provincial Corrective Department, which was a major stakeholder of the host grantee (THA-05-13). The chief, when requested to give his reaction regarding what he had seen and heard, offered relevant and enthusiastic feedback.
The sharing of project summaries and results then began. Throughout the day, ten projects were presented, eight of which used PowerPoint and audio-visual equipment, (an impressive feat considering the limited resources and IT skills of most community-based organizations). Three projects relied upon sets of photos and detailed documents. The remaining session of the day was spent on a site visit to the host grantee?s project.
On the third day, the National Coordinator and his team took the floor to explain the future plan of GEF Phase 4, during which the grantees would work to upscale their current activities, and build and solidify their network. Advice on using interactive online mapping to strengthen the network was also given.
It will be interesting to follow how this group would proceed with their future plans. It is notable that during the workshop, the term global warming was often heard, even from two projects whose activities did not directly address this issue.
VI. The completion report was received on 7 December 2007, five-page write-up with three photos showing participatory evaluation upon completion. The detail is as follows:
Date of Participatory Evaluation: 26 November 2007
Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 500
Men: 300
Children: 200
Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 100
Men: 100
Children: 70
Expense:
Total: Baht: 857,386
Amount received from SGP: Baht: 728,829.77
Amount received from other : Baht: -
Amount contributed by grantee/community: Baht: 231,000
Undertaken activities:
1. Demonstrating conservation and rehabilitation of biological diversity through sharing lessons learnt among network members in five provinces, establishing seeds banks of medicinal species, and developing relevant local tools and equipment
2. Launching environmental campaigns through human right forum, reforestation of native species, disseminating relevant data & information, and youth camp
Descriptive results:
1. Network and project members of 100 persons participating in activities and increasing cultivating area for native species
2. The seed bank storing seeds of native species, with additional 200 species being distributing to members in three locations
3. Five solar driers for processing traditional medicine and agricultural products operating satisfactorily - reducing labour and time at least 50 %
4. Approximately six tons of organic compost being produced and used in target areas
5. Network members of 30 persons learning about the value of natural resources and collectively reforesting additional 1,000 more trees in nearby forest ecosystems.
6. Over 200 native species with medicinal value being grown in public marginal lands
7. Energy conservation technology being disseminated with three members putting into practice through application of high-efficiency charcoal ?producing kiln , reducing fire-woods consumption by 50 % at an estimate
8. Observable more harmonious community lives through better cooperation in overseeing community environment, such as solid waste issues and the use of charcoal ? producing kilns
Some notable experience:
Due to the promotion from both public and private sector, 10 members were interested in raising bee of modern species at the beginning of project. The members had undergone technical training then put into practice. After sometimes, complication of raising technique , in conjunction with higher first cost, caused these member to give up the activities and turned to a native species which is naturally available. The two supporting factors for the native species are the reduction of chemical substances and increase plant diversity to ensure natural richness. Target communities of the project learnt about the value of biological diversity and were ready to share their experience on native bee raising in the vicinity of Khao Laung National Park.
Future plan:
1. Promoting plantation of herbal species in cultivated area using seedling from the seed banks and nurseries.
2. Collectively reforesting up-scaled area and other type of marginal land in other district , i.e. Changklang and Ronphibul
3. Up-scaling the application of local tools and equipment devised by the project ( solar dryer, charcoal-producing kiln and bee hives)