Mozambique 2006 ESF Project Proposal

UNCLAS MAPUTO 000473 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR HTREGER AND JMALONEY USAID FOR AA/AFR AND AFR/SA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AFIN AMGT EAID ECON EINV ITRD PGOV PHUM PREL XA, KTER, MZ SUBJECT: Mozambique 2006 ESF Project Proposal Ref: State 00059002 ¶1. US 350,000.00 is requested to establish a community nature reserve that will support good governance, private sector initiatives, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability. The partner, African Wildlife Foundation (AWF),signed a Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement with USAID in June 2004. That agreement was for USD 250,000 to provide support to Cubo and Banhine National Park. The 2006 request (the 2006 AWF ESF proposal) is intended to build on the progress achieved under the 2004 ESF-funded project, specifically focusing on the 53,000 hectares of land secured by the communities of Cubo, Chivovo and Mbindzo. The focus of the 2006 AWF ESF proposal is to create the first-ever community nature reserve in Mozambique. The reserve is linked to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP). ¶2. The community nature reserve will advance many USG and GRM objectives, including: (i) diversification of community economic development opportunities through biodiversity conservation and tourism development; (ii) development of community (democratic governance) capacity to manage natural resources and the environment; (iii) community-private sector partnership; (iv) increase entrepreneurial skills and business opportunities; (v) preserve the transnational environment and environmental resources via sustainable development strategies. This 2006 AWF proposal will specifically fund the following: (i) a 53,000 hectare community nature reserve; (ii) construction of 30 km of fence (this portion to be co-financed by other sources, including the private sector); (iii) training and empowerment of 10 community representatives in participatory natural resources management; (iv) provision of technical assistance to the communities and training to ten community representatives to identify appropriate wildlife-based business opportunities, develop business plans, select partners, develop partnership agreements, and form links to local government; (v) the signing of at least two community- private sector partnership agreements, establishing revenue flows to the immediate beneficiary communities of approximately 2,500 people; and (vi) creation of a long-term plan for the reserve's development. The success of this proposal will be measured by whether it successfully meets these objectives. ¶2. This 2006 AWF proposal will contribute to the Mozambican government's delivery on the UN Millennium Development Goals numbers 1 and 7, and to its Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth Strategy. In addition, this proposal supports the Mission Performance Plan (MPP) by promoting both Economic Growth and Development (MPP Goal Paper 1) and Democratic Systems and Practice (MPP Goal Paper 3). The project proposal has been discussed with USAID Mozambique and USAID is willing to be the implementing agency, as it is for the AWF's 2004 ESF funding. Promotion of democratic governance and community involvement in the preservation of transnational and national environmental resources is in line with U.S. national interests in democracy and the environment. In addition, by advancing the private sector and entrepreneurship within local and rural communities, this proposal directly advances U.S. interest in developing democratic market economies. La Lime