The Small Eco-Social Grants Program (PPP-ECOS) was the pioneer and remains as the only program with exclusive attention to the Cerrado, a rich and globally significant biome due to its extension, ecological and socio-cultural diversity. However, it is highly threatened by the expanding agricultural frontier and still neglected by government and international organizations.
A great number of projects approved and monitored by the PPP-ECOS is aimed at conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, integrating activities such as native fruit and flower wild collection, medicinal plants, wild animal breeding, beekeeping and native beekeeping, handicrafts, tourism, ecological agriculture.
Throughout the years, numerous internal evaluations have been carried out, as well as workshops and academic production, but so far no independent external evaluation has been undertaken, and neither has a systematic and qualified discussion about the program been put into effect. Impacts of the projects after their conclusion have not been assessed after their conclusion. A comprehensive evaluation of the program as a whole, carried out by a consultant external to the program, from beginning to present, seeking to discuss difficulties and results, is important for adjustments to PPP-ECOS strategies and could serve as subsidies for other programs.
Some effects of implementation of the GEF/SGP in Brazil can already be identified: the relative invisibility of the Cerrado in the federal Government and society as a whole is no longer the case; there has been an increase in the area under sustainable use; the biome is increasingly appreciated for its national and global importance, be it for its biologic diversity, or its cultural diversity; an increase in sustainable production of native biodiversity has also been detected.
All experiences supported by the Program generate positive results. On the other hand, none of the experiences has reached sufficient scale to generate widespread positive impacts. One of the means to go from the experimental local scale to far-reaching solutions is the production of critical mass. A participative reflection is necessary, systematizing what has been done so far in an evaluation and information circulation process of PPP-ECOS lessons learned, in a way that other Programs targeting the Cerrado may make use of these lessons in the future.
With this objective in mind comes the idea of publication of a book about the 10 years of existence of PPP-ECOS. The process for production of this book will on the one hand create the discussion and evaluation of activities and results, and on the other become a qualified source of diffusion. The program will be strengthened, as well as new ideas for sustainable thinking and acting in the Cerrado.
The idea is to (1) promote communicaton activities which will bring more visibility to the Program and (2) hire a qualified consultant for external and independent evaluation of the Program. The result of these two activities is the organization of a book containing 10 years of PPP-ECOS experience.
More specifically, the project will:
Evaluate in a systematic and qualified manner the program as a whole, independently and participatively;
Assess the extent to which the Program is reaching its objectives;
Suggest adjustments to the strategy for better efficiency and efficacy;
Influence local communities, public policy and international cooperation;
Strengthen information and news network of interest to the PPP-ECOS grantees;
Guide organizations in the appropriate management of their projects (according to Program guidelines)