Document Type: Progress Reports

Chemonics International initiated implementation of the three-year USAID Land Reform and Farm Restructuring Project (LRFRP) in Tajikistan on October 1, 2013. LRFRP is designed to continue the successful initiatives implemented by the USAID Land Reform Project in Tajikistan (2010-2013).

During the reporting period (October-December 2014), LRFRP continued momentum achieved in year one and rigorously began implementation of the year two work plan. Among our accomplishments are the following:

Accomplishments:

Task 1. Land Policy and Legislative Drafting

• LRFRP hosted a working group meeting of the Development Coordination Committee (DCC) on Land attended by World Bank, EU, GIZ FFPSD, FAO UN, DFID, ADB and USAID on October 7, 2014 to discuss issues related to rights of for the land use certificates alienation rights. As the result of the meeting, the USAID submitted the official letter to the Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon on behalf of the DCC members, addressing the concerns on rights of alienation issues.
• LRFRP’s in cooperation with the inter-ministerial working group finalized three pieces of legislation (i) Draft Regulation on Establishing Public (Involuntary) Easements; (ii) Draft Rules on Transacting with Land Use Rights in the Land Use Rights Market; (iii) Draft Regulation on Use Rights to Lands Located within Coastal Lines and Public Territories and submitted them to the GoT for consideration and approval.
• LRFRP participated in the extended working session of the GoT and Donor Development Partners on Agrarian Reform on December 11, 2014 to discuss implementation of the Agrarian Reform in Tajikistan. Following the discussion, Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon confirmed that the issues related to the right of alienation is under GoT consideration.
• LRFRP hosted and facilitated a working group meeting that included representatives from State Land Committee, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture, Parliament of Tajikistan, State Unitary Enterprise “State registration of immovable property and rights on it”, the Presidential Office on December 12, 2014, to develop the work plan for 2015.

Task 2. Build Capacity of Stakeholders to Capitalize on Land Reform

• LRFRP’s grantee public organization Sabzbahor organized a focus group discussion on women’s land use rights on October 1, 2014, in the Vakhsh district for 14 leaders/heads of female dehkan farms, women activists, and female farmers who wish to create their own dehkan farms. The U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan, Susan Elliot, also participated in the event.
• On October 20-26, 2014, LRFRP organized an internal, in-country study tour to the Sughd region for 24 female heads and shareholders of dehkan farms from the Khatlon region to exchange knowledge and experience of the successful land reform and farm restructuring process in the north of Tajikistan. During a six day trip the participants visited Khujand, Jabbor Rasulov rayon, Bobojon Gafurov rayon, Asht rayon, Kanibadam, and Spetamen.
• Legal Aid Centers (LACs) participated in a structured training on roles and responsibilities of Water User Associations organized by the USAID Family Farming project on October 23, 2014.
• LRFRP conducted a quarterly meeting with tashabuskors in Qurghonteppa on December 17-18, 2014.
• LACs established by Arbitrazh, Navzamin, Ilhom, and Zanoni Dehot concluded 111 trainings, and 431 focus groups meetings in addition to individual advisory services in support of increased land use rights awareness and protection. The services were provided by the LACs with a network of tashabuskors in 9 districts. In first quarter of second project year by 991 individuals received consultations, two court representations were provided and 18 conflicts were resolved by LACs lawyers.

Task 3. Land Rights and Farm Restructuring Public Information and Awareness

• On October 21 and 28, 2014, LRFRP produced two fifteen-minute radio programs (7th and 8th) on the farm restructuring process in Jilikul, Khuroson, and Qabodiyon rayons and women’s rights to land for local government authorities in Khuroson and A.Jomi rayons.
• Also in October, LRFRP produced two 10-minute TV programs (7th and 8th) focused on women’s rights in dehkan farms as well as recent project activities in A.Jomi, Khuroson, and Yovon rayons.
• In October, the project produced 6th newsletter, 3000 copies of which were distributed to farmers, local authorities, tax bodies, and land committees through the LAC and Tashabuskor network. Content included information on land taxation, results of the survey on women’s rights to land in the Khatlon region, cotton purchasing prices and cotton-related challenges that arose in Khatlon.

Task 4. Support the provision of legal advice and other assistance to promote farm restructuring and the development of a market in land-use rights

• On December 16, 2014, LRFRP’s LAC Sustainability Expert Tiernan Mennen, conducted a sustainability training for 10 LACs (Yovon, Khuroson, Shahritus, N. Khisrav, Bokhtar, A. Jomi, Sarband, J. Rumi and Qumsangir) to discuss comments and offers regarding sustainability business plans presented by each LAC.

Challenges:

This quarter, the project faced passive NGO participation and weak applications to its grants and subcontracts competitions. The project is seeking additional opportunities to raise awareness among NGOs of solicitations and enable NGOs that are interested to better understand the competition process and meet requirements.

The Feed the Future Tajikistan Land Market Development Activity (LMDA) promotes market based principles for land tenure and aims to establish a functional agricultural land market that allows for the transferability of land use rights (such as buying, selling, or leasing land use rights), to ensure a simple and transparent land registration process, while promoting gender equality in rights and processes. The project focuses on land policy and legal development, private sector development, simplification of land registration procedures, and expansion of knowledge surrounding land use rights to rural governmental administrations and citizens, especially female landholders.

Highlights during this reporting period include the approval for establishing the IMWG on June 6, 2017, by the Head of the Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan (EOP), Ms. Ozoda Rahmon. The IMWG works with the project to develop draft regulations related to land policy development; and the Government of Tajikistan’s (GOTJ) approval of the draft amendment to the Law on State Registration, which was developed with project support and includes simplifications to the registration procedure for immovable property, on June 23, 2017, after which it was sent to the Parliament for final approval.

The project’s third quarter focused on engaging and collaborating with the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Land Policy (IMWG) on promotion and facilitation passage of the legal and regulatory framework governing market transactions, LMDA conducted an analysis on current appraisal activities in Tajikistan; promoted the establishment of a Council on Appraising and an Association of Independent Appraisers; simplified land registration procedures through the establishment of single-window principles in SUERIP registration offices in A. Jomi, N. Khisrav, Shahritus, and Khuroson districts, and trained the staff in these offices on simplified procedures for registering immovable property; analyzed the roles and responsibilities of SUERIP and the SLC; and conducted activities to increase beneficiary knowledge of the land market and protection of land use rights.

Under LMDA’s objective to increase the public knowledge and protection of land use rights, the project began work with grantee PO “Network of Tashabbuskors” to provide informational services on land reform to rural populations; grantee PO “Neksigol Mushovir” to prepare and publish the monthly Agroinform TJ newspaper on land reform; and subcontractor LLC “Simoi Mustaqili Tojikiston” to prepare and broadcast television and radio programs on land reform. LMDA also updated and printed informational brochures to distribute to beneficiaries via project partners and conducted a landscape assessment of innovative public outreach approaches – including social media, the Internet, and mobile technologies – that will inform future provision of information on land issues to rural populations. With project support, seven grantee POs also began conducting trainings on the Law on “Dehkan farms” and rights and responsibilities of members of dehkan farms for farmers and local governmental officials in the 12 target districts to increase the knowledge of rural farmers on land-related issues.

The Feed the Future Tajikistan Land Market Development Activity began on November 1, 2016, and is a three-year, nine-month project with an estimated completion date of August 1, 2020. The purpose of the Feed the Future Tajikistan Land Market Development Activity is to promote market based principles for land tenure and to establish a functional agricultural land market that allows for the transferability of land use rights (such as buying, selling, or leasing land use rights), and that ensures a simple and transparent land registration process, while promoting gender equality in rights and processes. The project focuses on land policy and legal development, private sector development, simplification of land registration procedures, and expansion of knowledge surrounding land use rights to rural governmental administrations and citizens, especially female landholders.

The project’s first two quarters focused on administrative and technical start-up, including recruiting staff, identifying and securing office space, developing the activity’s initial work plan, writing the AMEP, creating the grants manual, and planning initial technical activities. During the reporting period, the project quickly mobilized technical staff, including the chief of party and component leaders. By the end of March 2017, 27 staff members were on-boarded, including 24 local specialists and three Third Country Nationals (TCNs). Currently, three positions are open or under recruitment, including a Gender Specialist, Training Coordinator, and Financial Product Specialist. In December 2016, staff developed critical documents for project implementation, including the Year 1 Work Plan and Activity Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, approved on December 23, 2016; and the Grants Manual, approved on January 27, 2017. In January 2017, the project team finalized the selection of the main office in Dushanbe and the regional office in Qurghonteppa, and they equipped both offices with furniture and office equipment.

The project rapidly initiated technical activities, facilitated by project staff’s familiarity with the work of the USAID Land Reform and Farm Restructuring Project (LRFRP) and their current network of contacts with project stakeholders. This allowed staff to conduct critical meetings with project partners beginning in month two, including key stakeholders from the government, NGOs, parliamentary deputies, and business community representatives. As a result, the project signed Cooperation Agreements with 12 State Subsidiary Enterprises “Registration of Immovable Property” (SSERIP) in the Khatlon region, which define responsibilities for SSERIP and the project in establishing 10 registration offices based on the “single window” principle, including trainings on registration simplification procedures for SSERIP staff. In the reporting period, the project also conducted four roundtables and workshops with tashabbuskors and legal aid providers to analyze the current situation on provision of legal and informational services on land issues. Based on these analyses, LMDA developed the new Strategy for Legal Aid and Informational Support to Farmers, which stipulates that the tashabbuskors network will provide informational consultation to farmers; legal aid will be provided by active organizations called “legal consultation”; and training will be conducted by NGOs. All of these activities will be implemented through grant support.

By end of March 2017, LMDA had issued three grants to support SSERIP offices implementing singlewindow principles for land registration in Jomi, N. Khisrav and Shahritus districts. The project coordinated three trips by international short-term technical experts in land appraisal and registration. Results of the trips are described comprehensively in the body of this report.

On February 7, 2017, the project conducted the official launch ceremony for the Feed the Future Tajikistan Land Marked Development Activity. A total of 72 representatives from the GOTJ and US Embassy participated, including Ms. Elisabeth Millard, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic Tajikistan; Mr. Rajabboy Akhmadzoda, the Chairman of the State Land Committee; Mr. Rahmon Umariyon, the Director of the SUERIP; Mr. Akram Kakhorov, Deputy Director of the SUERIP; Mr. Rustam Latifzoda, Parliament Deputy; NGO representatives; farmers, and the media.

To build on previous United States Government investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007–2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011–2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012–2017) entitled People, Rules, and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas; and
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

September 30, 2014, marked the conclusion of the second full year of PROSPER program implementation. The entire year brought the program many unique challenges that had not been anticipated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Annual Work Plan. In late December 2013, two of PROSPER’s Liberian staff, the Tappita Field Office Administrator and the Monrovia Administrative Officer, unexpectedly left the program. This was followed by the departure of both Chief of Party (COP) Steve Reid and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) Vaneska Litz in January and February, respectively. In order to assist with the transition in management, Tetra Tech ARD’s Senior Technical Advisor/Manager, Jesse Buff, arrived in early January with the new DCOP, Paul Meadows. In April 2014, Paul Cowles arrived in country as the new COP for the program. Despite less-than-favorable management re-shuffling, the program was able to continue to deliver on the USAID contractual objectives and to fully implement all three contract components.

FY 2014 HIGHLIGHTS

Component 1: Education, Outreach, and Awareness

1. Lessons learned from the first outreach campaign were documented and submitted to USAID in fulfillment of Deliverable 5.
2. Efforts to develop and finalize the 72 environmental education lesson plans continued and were field-tested (Deliverable 3). The deliverable was submitted to USAID for approval after initial questions by the Contracting Officer’s Representative were addressed.
3. In November 2013, Tetra Tech’s Communication Specialist facilitated two behavior change communication (BCC) capacity-building activities for 15 members of the Community Forestry Working Group (CFWG)/Forest Development Authority (FDA) on behalf of PROSPER:
   1. A BCC workshop for the design of the Second Annual Outreach Campaign on Community Forestry; and
   2. A film editing workshop.
4. A three-day Community Forestry Curriculum and Teacher Training Review Workshop was held at the Forestry Technical Institute (FTI) in November 2013. The workshop provided faculty with a review of participatory teaching methodologies, and attendees were oriented in the use of the FTI website and database, developed with PROSPER support (Deliverable 8, submitted to USAID). The project printed and distributed the Participatory Teaching Techniques Guide at the end of March 2014.
5. Activities commenced in Western Liberia with a pilot program that extended throughout a number of other non-PROSPER counties. The pilot assists communities that had already submitted applications to gain Authorized Community Forest status and help them understand the Community Rights Law and application process.
6. The Second Annual Outreach Campaign was launched in Monrovia in April.
7. Ken Bauer, a US-based consultant, provided guidance and support to help with the improvement and re-launch of the FTI Community Forestry teaching website with all new materials online.
8. In April, the FDA Board of Directors approved the removal of the moratorium on community forest (CF) creation.

Component 2: Forest Management and Biodiversity

1. In Northern Nimba, negotiations continued throughout the year between ArcelorMittal (AML) and the Gba Community Forestry Management Body (CFMB). An agreement signed in September 2014 gave the CFMB $150,000. The funds will allow the group to manage and profit from the harvesting of timber from the remaining area of land that AML intends to clear for the Tailings Management Facility.
2. Community Assembly elections and CFMB appointments proceeded in Northern Nimba for the Gba and Zor CFs as part of a restructuring process of the governing bodies.
3. Community Forest Organizing Committees and Community Awareness Teams were organized and mobilized in all of the PROSPER proposed CF sites.
4. At the national level, PROSPER developed three policy briefs and presented these to stakeholders at a one-day workshop (Deliverable 29).
5. With the lifting of the CF moratorium, the Component 2 team continued to collaborate closely with the FDA and CFWG regarding the process for obtaining Community Forest Management Agreements. In April, the FDA created a committee facilitated by the nongovernmental organization (NGO) coalition and tasked it with harmonizing the Community Rights Law (CRL) and the CRL Regulations. PROSPER is working closely with the Voluntary Partnership Agreement Support Unit in supporting the process.
6. In Southern Nimba, the 30-year land dispute between the Gblor and Kparblee communities was finally resolved with PROSPER facilitation. Tetra Tech home office Geographic Information System Specialist, Nick Thomas, assisted the Component 2 lead with a four-day meeting between the two communities and used global positioning software coordinates to explain the demarcation process.

Component 3: Livelihood and Enterprise Development

1. In November 2013, PROSPER concluded its contract with Action for Greater Harvest (AGHRA), a local subcontractor working on Component 3 activities. The strategy for the livelihood and enterprise development component was re-worked, and in January 2014, PROSPER subcontractor ACDI/VOCA hired eight community mobilizers and two Monrovia-based staff to implement Component 3 activities.
2. In February, the program signed a subcontract with WIENCO Liberia, Ltd. to commence the Cocoa Rehabilitation Program in Zor and Big Gio communities in Nimba. However, the submission and approval of the Pesticide Evaluation Report and Safer Use Action Plan (PERSUAP) took longer than expected, making it impossible for WIENCO to provide cocoa growers with necessary fertilizers and pesticides in a timely manner. Additionally, the Ebola crisis delayed activities when WIENCO pulled its staff from Liberia. It is expected that the program will resolve the issues with the contract or will find another way to implement this important activity in FY15.

During the 2014 fiscal year, the PROSPER team adjusted to many challenges. In addition to the change of key personnel, several other factors presented difficulties in delivering upon the scheduled work of the 2014 Annual Work Plan (AWP). The CF moratorium remained in place through March 2014, which precluded the FDA from assisting PROSPER with the development of proposed CFs in PROSPER’s three sites. The FDA underwent significant changes in its senior management that directly impacted PROSPER activities. Technical Manager for Community Forestry Lawrence Green died and was replaced by Gertrude Nyaley. The FDA also brought on a new Deputy Managing Director for Operations, Darlington Tuagben. To compound difficulties, the first case of Ebola was discovered in Liberia in April. The ensuing state of emergency issued by the Government of Liberia, the departure of many NGOs and other businesses with whom PROSPER works, and fear among the general population made it much more difficult to conduct many of the activities scheduled for the later part of FY 2014, particularly in August and September. As a result, a number of deliverables scheduled in the 2014 AWP were delayed. However, a number of deliverables were completed and approved by USAID.

To build on previous investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007-2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011-2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012-2017) entitled People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas;
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

This quarterly report presents the activities undertaken and results obtained during the third quarter fiscal year 2015 (FY15Q3) which covers April 1 – June 30, 2015.

During the April – June period, the effects of Ebola were unremarkable as far as carrying out PROSPER activities in the field. In May 2015, Liberia was declared Ebola free. Several STTAs were able to travel to Liberia in order to assist with the completion of PROSPER deliverables. Considerable progress was made during the quarter through the collaborative work with FDA, PROSPER and the CFWG to begin the process for a community to gain Community Forest status with the implementation of tools developed to complete the nine-steps of the process to becoming a Community Forest.

Summary and Highlights

Component 1 activities for the quarter included: finalizing prototypes of the EE booklets and posters in easy-to-use electronic formats for submission to MoE; designing and conducting Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors (KABs) baseline on threats to Biodiversity; launching of the third annual outreach campaign with the FDA; purchasing mobile public address system unit with portable electricity generator for each of the three PROSPER areas in order to conduct outreach activities; training of the Regional Foresters from the FDA in the CRL and related CF themes; updating the Community Forestry Curriculum at FYI in fulfilment of Deliverable #8a; Supporting the implementation of the Community Forestry Curriculum and use of Digital Learning Platform at FTI.

Component 2 activities for the quarter included: supporting the communities to effectively monitor activities in their CFs; supporting the updating of the legal documents of the Blei and Zor CFMBs; supporting the Gba CFMB in the implementation of their MoU with AML; providing specific support to Community Assembly Management Activities; participating in and presenting to the Northern Nimba Biodiversity Stakeholders’ Forum; conducting a capacity assessment for business development among local institutions, including the CFMBs; consulting with CI on the potential for piloting Conservation Agreements in the Gba and Zor Communities; supporting communities to facilitate the posting of Notice and mobilizing for the Socio-economic and Reconnaissance Survey; posting Notice for demarcation in all CF pilot communities; signing of the Boundary Dispute Resolution between Doe (Gblor) and Kpablee Districts; training for FDA personnel in conducting SER Surveys for Community Forestry; supporting the FDA to update required documentation against the Checklist to acquire CFMAs; supporting STTAs in the development of Policy Briefs; supporting STTA in the Harmonization of the CRL and its regulations; collaborating with stakeholders on REDD initiatives.

Component 3 activities during the quarter included: training of CFMBs in Best Practices of NTFP harvesting; developing local NTFP Market Analysis/Trade Networks in District 4 and Barconnie; support to develop and foster wood-based enterprises in the three PROSPER sites; maintenance and operations training to the Cassava Processing Groups (CPGs) and Community Palm Oil Processors (CPOPs) in Northern Nimba; supporting Oil Palm-Based Enterprises with the continued development of Oil Palm Nurseries and processing support; improving Market Information through the development of SMS pricing availability for local products; creating bushmeat alternatives through beekeeping pilot program.

Deliverables Summary:

Significant progress was made with the submission and approval of contract deliverables. Much of this progress can be attributed to the return of STTAs to the program following the end Ebola crisis.

To build on previous United States Government investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007-2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011-2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012-2017) entitled People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas;
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

September 30, 2013, marked the conclusion of the first full year of PROSPER program implementation. Like many large programs in their first year, PROSPER dealt with some growing pains associated with setting up and equipping three field offices, establishing effective administrative, financial, and logistical support and coordination systems, and orienting and training a team of more than 60 full-time project and subcontract staff (many of them new to community forestry) with regard to USAID-PROSPER’s objectives, technical approaches, monitoring system and reporting requirements. The PROSPER team struggled with a number of other program-specific and contextual challenges in FY13, notably a heavy first-year deliverables schedule, an insufficient number of experienced Liberian technical staff (which in some cases required PROSPER to rotate them from one work zone to another to lead activities and ensure quality control), and a largely dysfunctional Government of Liberia counterpart (Forestry Development Authority – FDA) which was thrown into even greater disarray in 2013 by fallout from the explosive Private Use Permit (PUP) scandal. The scandal revealed deep-seated problems in the forestry sector related to the issuing of timber licenses on community lands and resulted in the dismissal of several senior FDA staff.

Despite the various challenges faced in FY13, the PROSPER team was extremely active and persistent, and ultimately succeeded in executing a high percentage of planned first year activities. PROSPER also attained or exceeded targets for 10 of the 15 results indicators tracked in FY13. Helping to create new attitudes, skills, educational materials, governing bodies, and policies, and catalyzing action with regard to sustainable forest and natural resource management are extremely labor-intensive endeavors in the Liberian context. As a measure of intensity, it is worth noting that during Year 1, the PROSPER team organized 173 meetings and workshops in the program’s target zones, involving more than 6,600 stakeholders (not including an estimated 3,000 persons who participated in the “Make Rights Real” outreach rollout campaign. Twenty-seven percent of the meeting and workshop participants were women. Gender integration is a key facet of PROSPER’s approach, and practical measures for achieving it were defined in a gender integration plan that served as a practical guide to PROSPER teams in activity design and implementation in FY13.

At the national level, PROSPER helped to resuscitate the Community Forestry Working Group – a joint FDA-civil society group – and strengthen its outreach and watchdog capacities. Throughout the year, PROSPER was a frequent participant in high-level forestry sector and land policy review meetings, contributing information, insights and ideas gleaned from practical experience in PROSPER’s 10 field sites. PROSPER staff were regularly consulted for information and advice on forest, land, and livelihoods matters by a wide array of actors and institutions ranging from community organizations outside PROSPER’s work areas to multilateral donors.

While the PROSPER team managed to execute the majority of planned field activities in Year 1, the often frantic pace of the first year caused it to fall behind schedule in the preparation and submission of several report deliverables associated with these activities. In consultation with USAID, the submission dates of several deliverables (#9, Community Forestry Management Handbook , and #27, Year-end education workshop) have been deferred with a view to enable the program to provide better products by integrating additional information and experience gained from Year 2 activities. Nevertheless, PROSPER will tackle an ambitious Year 2 work plan in October 2013 with a backlog of reports to submit, including five for Component 1 (Deliverables 3 and 26, under Activity 1.1; Deliverables 5 and 11 under Activity 1.2; and Deliverable 7 under Activity 1.3).

Throughout the year, Tetra Tech ARD kept USAID apprised of progress made in implementing the FY13 work plan through monthly and quarterly reports that detailed activities carried out, results achieved, indicator targets attained, etc. Those written reports were complemented by regular meetings between the USAID COR, Assistant COR, and PROSPER senior management team as well as joint field missions. The present Annual Report is provided as a complement to the monthly and quarterly reports. It provides a succinct summary of PROSPER’s major achievements in FY13 by component and by activity. The Annual Report also presents several of the important lessons learned during the first year, and the principal strategic adjustments made on the basis of the first year experience.

To build on previous investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007-2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011-2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012-2017) entitled People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas;
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

This quarterly report presents the activities undertaken and results obtained during the second quarter fiscal year 2015 (FY15Q2) which covers January 1 – March 31, 2015.

During the January – March period, the restrictions and effects of Ebola began to subside and Liberia began to return to normal. There were some difficulties with the submission of contract deliverables due to the Ebola crisis, however, the project is almost back to normal and STTAs are once again able to come to Liberia. This will significantly improve PROSPER’s ability to timely submit the deliverables scheduled for the remainder of FY2015.

Summary and Highlights

Component 1 activities for the quarter included: formatting prototypes of the Environmental Education (EE) booklets and posters in easy-to-use electronic formats for submission to MoE; identifying School EE/nature/conservation clubs and teachers within PROSPER communities; conducting situation analysis on threats to biodiversity in the three PROSPER sites; conducting a matrix of change workshop to support the development of a communication strategy for the third annual outreach campaign; developing site-based outreach activities for CF leaders; presenting results of the impact assessment of the second annual outreach campaign to FDA and the CFWG; developing radio programs in collaboration with PCI Media Impact and CFWG for nation-wide broadcast, with specific media support activities in the PROSPER sites; deploying PROSPER staff to FTI to provide regular support and to monitor teacher development at FTI; and conducting workshops with staff and students of FTI to improve their capacity to access and effectively use FTI website.

Component 2 activities for the quarter included: supporting the Gba CFMB to implement the MOU signed between Gba CFMB and AML; revising CFMP’s for Gba, Zor and Blehi CFs; coordinating support to the Community Forest Management Bodies in Northern Nimba with AML; training Community Forest Guards in Northern Nimba; resolving the issue of recognition of PROSPER supported sites by FDA Board of Directors as CF Pilots; developing training manual and tools for CSOs and FDA in Socio-economic Reconnaissance Survey methods; supporting the FDA/CFWG/ CSOs to define and document CF steps to becoming an authorized CF, and; supporting the FDA and the NGO Coalition with the Harmonization of the CRL and its regulations.

Component 3 activities during the quarter included: training CFMBs in Best Practices of NTFP harvesting; Working with local NTFP Market Analysis/Trade Network in District 4 and Barconnie; providing support to develop and foster wood-based enterprises; providing maintenance and operations training for CPGs in Northern Nimba; monitoring processing volume of CPGs & CPOP; continuing Oil Palm processing support, Freedom Mill demonstrations, and the development of Oil Palm Nurseries; discussing possibilities of an eco-tourism pilot in the Barconnie area with other Buchanan entrepreneurs that have attempted similar projects; crop diversification activities and training in Farming as a Business (FaaB); providing technical assistance in crop production; and identifying eight new groups in the PROSPER sites.

Deliverables Summary:

There were several deliverables expected to be submitted during FY15Q2. While none were approved, significant progress has been made with each of them and many are expected to be submitted for approval in FY15Q3.

To build on previous United States Government investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007–2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011–2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012–2017) entitled People, Rules, and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas; and
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

September 30, 2015, marked the conclusion of the third full year of PROSPER program implementation. The entire year brought the program many unique challenges. During Q1, Liberia continued to feel the full effects of the Ebola crisis. Fortunately, PROSPER had anticipated the continued difficulties of interacting with local counterparts and had developed its AWP accordingly, but it was impossible to have predicted when work would continue unhampered. Consequently, many STTA visits were postponed until late in Q3, while others were put off until FY16 due to the rains during Q3 and Q4, causing slight delays with some of the Deliverables. As one of the few USAID contractors that remained on the ground during the entire Ebola crisis, PROSPER worked closely with the communities to provide several Ebola training sessions that were worked into our normal outreach activities.

During Q3 and Q4, the effects of Ebola were unremarkable as far as carrying out PROSPER activities in the field. In May 2015, Liberia was declared Ebola free. Several STTAs were able to travel to Liberia in order to assist with the completion of PROSPER deliverables. Considerable progress was made during the quarter through the collaborative work with FDA, PROSPER and the CFWG to begin the process for a community to gain Community Forest status with the implementation of tools developed to complete the nine-steps of the process to becoming a Community Forest. However, the entire year was marred with the several occurrences of the FDA requesting for PROSPER to stop work on the CF status process. This caused considerable delays that were unnecessary and would have been easily avoided with better communication within the FDA Community Forestry Department. Better lines of communication have opened up with more involvement from the Deputy Managing Director of Operations at the FDA and FY16 Q1 should see significant progress with the CF process.

Of the 18 Deliverables scheduled to be submitted during FY15, PROSPER submitted 10. The remaining 8 deliverables were delayed almost exclusively because of the Ebola crisis during the first two quarters of FY15. They are included in the FY16 Annual Work Plan. (See Annex 5)

This Annual Report is provided as a complement to the quarterly reports and includes the FY15Q4 data. It provides a succinct summary of PROSPER’s major achievements in FY15 by component and by activity. This report also presents several of the important lessons learned during the first three years of the PROSPER project, and the principal strategic adjustments made on the basis of past experience.

FY 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

Component 1: Education, Outreach, and Awareness

1. Seventy-two environmental education lesson plans reviewed, revised and matched with their respective Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs), in collaboration with the MoE.
2. School EE/nature/conservation clubs and teachers within PROSPER zones identified.
3. Situational analysis on threat to biodiversity conducted in the three PROSPER sites.
4. A matrix of change workshop conducted in support of the development of a communication strategy for the third annual outreach campaign.
5. Result of the FY14 KABs endline survey that measured the impact of the second annual outreach campaign presented to FDA and the CFWG.
6. KABs baseline on threats to Biodiversity developed and administered.
7. Rollout of the third annual outreach campaign.
8. Regional Foresters trained in the CRL and related CF themes.
9. Provided regular support to FTI to monitor teacher development.
10. Updated the Community Forestry Curriculum at FTI in fulfilment of Deliverable 8a.
11. Supported the Implementation of the Community Forestry Curriculum and use of Digital Learning Platform at FTI.
12. Gender Forums conducted at FTI.

Component 2: Forest Management and Biodiversity

1. Supported the Communities to effectively monitor activities in their CFs.
2. Provided coaching and regular support for CFMBs.
3. Provided specific support to Community Assembly Management Activities.
4. Conducted a capacity assessment for business development among local institutions, including the CFMBs.
5. Supported the development and adoption of Gba Business and Financial Plan.
6. Supported the boundary dispute resolution and signing between Doe (Gblor) and Kparblee Districts.
7. Supported the participation of CF pilot communities in the Socio-economic and Reconnaissance survey conducted by FDA.
8. Provided support to FDA to conduct demarcation in proposed CFs.
9. Supported the CF Governance bodies to participate in County-level Forums.
10. Presented six policy briefs developed in partnership with CSOs for Deliverables 26b & 26c.
11. Supported the FDA through the process of Harmonization of the CRL Regulations with the CRL.
12. Produced outreach materials on biodiversity, priority threats and sustainable forest management in collaboration with FFI and Component 1.

Component 3: Livelihood and Enterprise Development

1. The Gba CFMB became the first CFMB to receive business training in order to improve its own financial administration and to create transparency and accountability regarding the cost of operations and funds that are kept by the CFMB.
2. PROSPER provided operations and maintenance training for seven Cassava Processing Groups (CPGs) in northern Nimba.
3. Fourteen Oil Palm Processing Groups were established around the Big Gio Forest. Each group contributed a 30% ($300 USD) co-payment before receiving the machine.
4. Four oil palm nurseries were established in towns north of the Big Gio forest. Farmers each paid $60 for 60 seeds and have committed themselves to provide the necessary labor for running the nursery.
5. Four cocoa rehabilitation demo plots were established in collaboration with WIENCO Liberia Ltd. in four existing cocoa farms, not rehabilitated.
6. Eight groups were selected from an inventory of women’s groups that had been carried out by the PROSPER Gender Officer in 2012 to increase the number of crop diversification groups from 16 to 24. Currently these groups have 600 members trained.
7. PROSPER, in conjunction with the USDA funded LIFE III project (cocoa) and USAID SHOPS II, has embarked on building a sustainable platform that can support and implement price dissemination service via text messaging for farmers and traders.
8. A pilot beekeeping activity was launched in 5 towns close to the PROSPER supported CFs. The five groups have 10 hives each in the forest area. A total of 104 persons have been trained.

To build on previous United States Government investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007–2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011–2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012–2017) entitled People, Rules, and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas; and
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

September 30, 2016, marked the conclusion of the fourth full year of PROSPER program implementation. It was a year of great success regarding advancing the eight PROSPER pilot community forests, and many unique challenges were overcome.

In FY16Q1, PROSPER began its fourth year of program implementation, and arguably the most productive year of the program regarding developing community forest governing structures. Relations with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) noticeably improved, with steady progress throughout the year developing and finalizing the 9-Step process to forming an Authorized Forest Community. Also during Q1, following a request from USAID, Tetra Tech ARD submitted a proposal to the mission that called for expanded outreach and awareness campaigns in three additional counties, where interest in the Community Forestry program is high. The expanded scope of work was also intended to facilitate capacity building of the Community Forestry Department staff at the Forestry Development Authority, through the appointment of a dedicated FDA Advisor, and the building of a core Community Forest (CF) technical team among FDA regional staff. The modification was approved in Q2, and the FDA Advisor arrived at the end of February 2016. In addition to the FDA Advisor, a Communications and Outreach Advisor was hired to oversee the expanded outreach and awareness.

PROSPER’s extended outreach and awareness activities targeted communities in Sinoe, Gbarpolu, and Grand Gedeh, and included training of radio broadcasters in the respective counties and airing radio programs and dramas. PROSPER’s Extended Outreach Coordinator made several follow-up trips to the counties to monitor progress of outreach and awareness activities. She continues to work with the radio stations to ensure the programs are correctly monitored and that the people in the communities are receiving the intended messages from the activities. While radio-stations were originally providing reports on air-times and call-ins, based on information learned from field visits, PROSPER will be deploying two site-coordinators to each of the three counties to provide for more comprehensive monitoring and to ensure programs are being aired as planned.

Throughout the year, PROSPER and the FDA worked closely together to continue demarcation exercises in all of the PROSPER sites. While it was anticipated that demarcation notices and Socioeconomic Reconnaissance (SER) survey results would be posted in April 2016, actual postings did not commence until the end of June 2016, to ensure all necessary government agencies and officials in the respective counties were properly informed before the process commenced. By the end of September 2016 all communities had progressed to the penultimate step of the process (Step 8 of 9), wherein they must form their CF governance institutions.

Of the 21 deliverables scheduled to be submitted during FY16, PROSPER submitted 14 (12 have been approved and two are pending approval by USAID). The remaining seven deliverables are either being completed by STTA or they were combined with other deliverable assessments scheduled in the last seven months of project implementation. Deliverables 13b, 13c & 13d are all revisions to the biomonitoring handbook that PROSPER has developed with stakeholders. Because of the deliverable, it is not feasible to complete three revisions in seven months, so 13b, c, & d will be combined into one final deliverable. A complete listing of deliverables due during FY16 can be seen in the attached Annex 5 – Deliverables.

This Annual Report is provided as a complement to the quarterly reports and includes the FY16Q4 data. It summarizes PROSPER’s major achievements in FY16 by component and activity; and presents several of the important lessons learned during the first four years of the PROSPER project, and the principal strategic adjustments made on the basis of past experience.

FY 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

Component 1: Education, Outreach, and Awareness

1. Formally delivered Primary Environmental Education (EE) Curriculum materials to MoE for rollout
2. Conducted curriculum implementation orientation for MoE and primary educators
3. Provided training for community mobilizers, which enabled them to effectively engage teachers in EE clubs, using lesson plans developed with the MoE
4. Facilitated the development and implementation of EE club programs and conducted a rapid assessment of club programs across the sites in Nimba and Grand Bassa Counties
5. Organized and conducted a daylong Education Review Workshop with the CDWG to review lessons learned, best practices, and to assess the EE curriculum development process
6. Analyzed the results of the Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior (KAB) end-line surveys for FY15 annual outreach campaigns
7. Conducted end-line KAB Survey for FY16 annual outreach campaign
8. Trained local theater groups in the effective delivery of community forestry messages using dramas, skits, traditional songs, and dance
9. Developed outreach materials to promote community members’ understanding of the CRL and CRL Regulations
10. Launched the 4th Annual Community Forestry Outreach Campaign
11. Initiated community outreach on formation of CF governance institutions
12. Observation and assessment of implementing the Forestry Training Institute (FTI) curriculum, specifically focusing on the delivery of the CF curriculum. FY16 FTI roster included105 students (77 male, 28 females) and 26 staff
13. FTI students participated in Site-based Research Activities and conducted applied research on timber and non-timber forest products in PROSPER zones
14. HOO and PROSPER field staff delivered lecture on the CF curriculum at FTI
15. Handbook on the nine steps, including checklists, produced and being used by the FDA’s Community Forestry Department to guide the due diligence processes in issuing new Community Forestry Management Agreements

Component 2: Forest Management and Biodiversity

1. Supported the review, revision and implementation of CF Management Plans (CFMPs) of the Blei, Gba and Zor Community Forests
2. Supported the development and promotion of CF rules and permitting system
3. Supported the Gba, Zor, and Blei CFMBs to plan and conduct the general annual assembly meetings
4. Supported the Gba CFMB to re-clean the Gba CF boundary to prepare for zoning the CF
5. Supported the Participation of CFMBs at the Northern Nimba Biodiversity Stakeholders’ Forum in Monrovia held on Dec 8, 2015, April 5, 2016 and July 5, 2016, respectively.
6. Provided training to CFMBs in financial policy and business management
7. Supported the biomonitoring program
8. Conducted capacity building coordination and cooperation with stakeholders and other donors
9. Developed templates for CFMP, CFMA, bylaws, and constitutions in collaboration with stakeholders
10. Supported FDA to develop boundary demarcation verification process
11. Provided support to the FDA to compile demarcation data and develop appropriate maps
12. Provided support to the FDA to design and post-demarcation and SER survey results
13. Supported the FDA to interpret/explain the proposed CF demarcation maps and validate/update the SER survey results
14. Development of Forest Inventory and Planning methodology
15. Presented three policy briefs developed in partnership with CSOs, in fulfilment of Deliverable 26c
16. Supported the FDA through the CRL Regulations harmonization process
17. Supported the Zor Forest Community address violations of the community’s constitution and bylaws
18. Supported Capacity Building for Biomonitoring
19. Presented biomonitoring handbook to stakeholders
20. Supported communities to establish transects in the Gba CF for biomonitoring
21. Contributed to the development of a national strategy for biomonitoring and biodiversity Law Enforcement

Component 3: Livelihood and Enterprise Development

1. Developed, assessed, and launched CF outreach materials
2. Three agriculture training materials published
3. Kwakerdoe subcontract modified
4. Four Oil palm nurseries established in FY15 out-planted
5. Four new Oil palm nurseries established in FY16
6. Farmer-to-Farmer exchange visits conducted for new oil palm nursery groups
7. Community Forestry outreach materials developed and rolled out through PROSPER Component 3 groups
8. Scaled up cocoa rehabilitation activities and increased the number of participants
9. Wienco Liberia Limited and Cocoa farmers signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize cocoa demonstration
10. Five cocoa rehabilitation field days organized
11. PROSPER constructed four cocoa solar dryers and eight cocoa fermentation boxes
12. Nine new crop diversification groups identified and trained in farming as a business, crop diversification, and leadership
13. Six high performing crop diversification groups identified and supported for dry season vegetable production
14. All six crop diversification groups formalized as enterprises and received business training
15. More than $1,357.50 USD generated from six crop diversification demonstration groups
16. PROSPER organized farmer-to-farmer exchange visits for farmers in Buchanan and Sanniquellie to Tappita
17. Provided technical assistance to 33 crop diversification groups
18. Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF) subcontract modified and organized five new beekeeping groups
19. Beekeepers and ACDI/VOCA staff attended advance beekeeping training. 5 males from existing beekeeping groups participated.
20. Extension support provided to FY15 and FY16 beekeeping groups
21. 55 hives colonized for both FY15 and FY16 groups
22. Six gallons of honey harvested from three hives
23. PROSPER attended eight of the nine meetings of the Agricultural Coordinating Committee (ACC), organized by the Ministry of Agriculture. PROSPER presented an overview of its livelihood activities to the ACC in September, and distributed three agriculture publications. The agriculture publication distributed included crop diversification training manual, oil palm nursery management, and guide to oil palm out-planting and maintenance.
24. PROSPER participated in all meetings of the Cocoa ACC Sub-Committee and in all Oil Palm ACC Sub-Committee meetings.

To build on previous United States Government investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007–2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011–2012), USAID contracted Tetra Tech ARD in May 2012 to implement a new, five-year program (2012–2017) entitled People, Rules, and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (PROSPER). The overall goal of the program is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:

1. Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2. Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas; and
3. Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.

This Quarterly Report provides a description of the activities undertaken by PROSPER during the third quarter of fiscal year 2016 (FY16Q3), April – June 2016.

During FY16Q3, PROSPER supported the work of four (4) STTAs on the project to provide the following technical assistance:

1. Emiko Guthe – GIS Expert (June 2016)
   1. To provide follow on training in GIS skills to PROSPER and FDA GIS Specialists and field staff including spatial data management, analysis and cartography skills. An emphasis was put on working with the FDA to agree upon a map for posting demarcation results.
2. Andrew Wilson – Education and Curriculum Development Specialist (May 2016)
   1. Review of lessons learned, best practices, and assessment of the development of environmental education curriculum, in fulfilment of PROSPER Deliverable 24;
   2. Assessment of Environmental Curriculum Materials in collaboration with partners, in fulfilment of PROSPER Deliverable 4a.
3. William Cordero – Forest Resource Inventory and Land Use Specialist (May 2016)
   1. Develop a report on proposed best practices for community-based low impact timber harvesting in Liberia made available to stakeholders, in fulfillment of PROSPER Deliverable 18.
   2. Develop an appropriate methodology to inventory the timber and non-timber forest products in community forest pilot areas, for use by community-level forest management bodies in taking stock, keeping track of and sustainably using their forest resources.
4. Erica Dunmire – M&E Specialist (June 2016)
   1. Review institutional capacity assessment tools and ensure M&E staff are able to utilize the tool for annual assessment;
   2. Provide training to the M&E Specialist and Officer in data collection, management and reporting.

The community level rollout of the Fourth Annual Outreach campaign began in March, at the end of the last quarter; however, activities peaked through May and June. Driven by CF leaders, the exercise covered thirty-six (36) towns and villages in PROSPER zones in northern Nimba, fifty-four (54) towns in southern Nimba, and thirty-nine (39) towns and villages in Grand Bassa County.

The extended outreach activities to the three new PROSPER counties (Sinoe, Gbarpolu, Grand Gedeh) included training of radio broadcasters in the respective counties and the airing of radio programs and dramas. PROSPER’s Extended Outreach Coordinator made several follow up trips to the counties to monitor progress of the outreach. She continues to work with the radio stations to ensure the programs are correctly monitored and that the people in the communities are receiving the intended messages from the activities. A more detailed report will be included in the annual report.

Throughout the quarter, PROSPER and the FDA worked closely together to continue with demarcation exercises in all of the PROSPER sites. While it was anticipated that Demarcation notices and SER survey results would be posted in April 2016, actual postings did not commence until the end of the Quarter due to ensuring all necessary government agencies and officials in the respective counties were properly informed before the process commenced.

There were 13 deliverables actively worked on during FY16Q3, which included eight deliverables that were carried over from previous quarters and one submitted ahead of schedule. Seven deliverables were submitted and approved, two were submitted and are pending approval, and the remaining four are nearly complete. A more detailed summary of the deliverables is found in Annex 5, below.

In addition to PROSPER’s contractual obligations, there has been close coordination between PROSPER and the new USAID/FIFES project to ensure continuity of PROSPER’s work and progress in the Community Forestry. Bi-weekly coordination meetings between the COP’s and inclusion of FIFES staff during workplanning sessions has assisted with the transfer of knowledge to FIFES. PROSPER has also signed an MOU with FIFES regarding the shared use of PROSPER guest houses in Tappita, Sanniquellie and Buchanan.

FY16 Q3 HIGHLIGHTS

Component 1: Education, Outreach, and Awareness

• In collaboration with community mobilizers and students, PROSPER designed and supported the implementation of programs for nature clubs across the various sites;
• Organized and conducted a daylong Education Review Workshop with the CDWG to review lessons learned, best practices, and to assess the EE-curriculum development process;
• Field teams supported CF leaders to plan activities to rollout the 4th Annual Outreach Campaign across PROSPER zones in communities in Northern and Southern Nimba, and Grand Bassa Counties;
• In conjunction with the Public Awareness Department (PAD) of the FDA, PROSPER developed training materials for community radio broadcasters and national level media partners;
• Trained sixteen (16) community radio producers from PROSPER’s three (3) target zones in southeastern and western Liberia, in the design and production of interactive talk shows;
• Supported the broadcast of a forty-two (42) episode drama, and radio messages on the CRL, on community radio stations in Nimba and Grand Bassa;
• Began monitoring weekly radio drama and radio programs on community radio stations across sites through collaboration with the FDA;
• Developed three (3) core messages, a monologue, and radio content for community radio stations;
• In collaboration with FDA, conducted extended outreach and awareness in the communities in southeastern and western Liberia;
• Observed and assessed the implementation of the FTI curriculum, with a specific focus on the delivery of the CF curriculum, and documented this in an M&E Assessment Report;
• Completed the Nine Steps Handbook, and had it approved and adopted by the FDA’s Community Forestry Department, which is now using it to inform the community forestry program more broadly.

Component 2: Forest Management and Biodiversity

• Provided training to CFMBs in financial policy and business management;
• Supported the FDA to ground-truth and address issues arising from the preliminary demarcation;
• Supported the CF governance bodies to participate in County-level forums;
• Conducted exchange visit from the Golama Community with Society for the Conservation of Liberia;
• Completed Deliverable 26, for a total of 12 Policy Briefs that PROSPER has written. They will be distributed to relevant stakeholder;
• Progress on the harmonization of CRL Regulations with FDA

Component 3: Livelihood and Enterprise Development

• Completed second phase of introductory training in proposal writing skills and business plan development to the three CFMBs (Blei, Gba and Zor) in Sanniquellie;
• Completed Deliverable 18 – Report on proposed best practices for community-based low impact timber harvesting in Liberia made available to stakeholders;
• FY15 Oil palm nursery farmers begins out-planting;
• FY16 oil palm nursery farmers complete payment toward the establishment of four new oil palm nurseries;
• Farmer-to Farmer exchange visits organized for FY16 oil palm nursery farmers in Q4;
• Cocoa rehabilitation field days organized;
• 253 (59 male, 194 female) new crop diversification farmers participate in Farming as a Business and Crop Diversification trainings;
• Provided technical assistance to 33 crop diversification groups;
• Cocoa reference price launched on Tappita community radio station;
• Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF) organized five new beekeeping groups in five towns and recruited 103 farmers to participate in FY16 beekeeping activities;
• Extension support provided to FY15 Beekeeping groups;
• Three hives harvested in two communities;
• Nine additional hives colonized.