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.


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