Document Type: Project Design and Implementation

This study details the feasibility of microfinance services for artisanal diamond miners in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Liberia. The research methodology focused on a desk study literature review and field visits to both countries. This report first presents the findings of the literature review and the broader global experience of artisanal miners, typical financing systems and experiences with microfinance in the mining sector. Specific findings and recommendations are then provided for CAR and Liberia.

This report presents an in-depth case study of the Post-Mining Income-Generating Environmental Rehabilitation program (POMIGER) implementation in the Central African Republic (CAR) as part of the Property Rights Artisinal Diamond Development (PRADD) project. The first chapter of this report presents the study’s mixed-methods methodology, a literature review that synthesizes academic studies and technical assistance reports related to artisanal diamond mining, land tenure, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental impact mitigation. In Chapter 2, POMIGER activities are examined descriptively and empirically, including its conceptual foundations, the current extent of adoption, and the contextual factors motivating its growth. Chapter 3 examines the project’s economic and environmental impact and viability, in addition to the replication potential of the model’s principles and practices. This report presents key empirical findings and analysis, but is also interspersed with numerous profiles, stories, and anecdotes from the field. The goal is to offer a textured, detailed, and accurate analysis that will critically bring to life both the small and larger picture of the program.

This report contains a case-study of Post-Mining Income-Generating Environmental Rehabilitation (POMIGER)–a path-breaking initiative that combines behavior change communication, technical training, clarification of land rights, economic incentives, and environmental rehabilitation. Conceived as part of the USAID Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) project in the Central African Republic, POMIGER aims to address both poverty and environmental degradation by converting old mining pits into fish ponds, vegetable gardens, or fruit orchards.

This report highlights lessons from case studies in five developing countries, each of which has been considered a leader in REDD+ readiness, even as they have taken different approaches to sharing benefits from the forestry sector.

This study examines efforts to define rights to receive benefits related to carbon sequestration at national and sub-national levels, with the emphasis on carbon payments stemming from successful forest management, from Mexico, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Nepal and Mozambique.

The PMP is a living document. First submitted in November 2010; this current PMP is revised to reflect Phase 2 of the program. Where the first PMP was formative and designed during Phase 1 (an information gathering phase); this current PMP reflects the insight and experience of staff, stakeholders, and partners to provide more concrete and nuanced performance indicators and targets, data collection methodologies and systems and auditing measures. Systems and processes that didn’t exists during the previous design of the PMP were observed and critiqued to better understand programmatic drivers and constraints which influenced and informed the changes made to this PMP. This version of the PMP, like the first one, has been done through a participatory process that brings stakeholders together to discuss anticipated results as well as solicit buy-in and collective understanding. The development of this PMP occurred over a two-week period in late July and early August 2011; see Appendix 3 for the PMP development scope of work. During the revision of the PMP; USAID/Kenya staff was consulted to clarify expectation, roles, terminology, and other technical aspects of the document. ProMara will continue to consult and work with USAID/Kenya and the PRRG team to ensure the ProMara PMP is accurate, reflects current realities, and is participatory in nature.

The purpose of this research was to ascertain the feasibility and desirability of establishing more direct trading relations between artisanal miners in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Liberia and international buyers—with special attention to the US diamond industry—on the premise that increasing the price achieved by artisanal miners may make them more able and thus likely to formalize their activities.

During the twelve months from June 2011 to May 2012 PRADD will continue work in two provinces in CAR (Lobaye and Sangha Mbaere) and, with counterpart funding contributed by the government of CAR (GOCAR) will expand into a third province, Mambere Kadei. In Liberia PRADD intends to continue work in Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu counties.

Funded under a direct United States congressional earmark supporting the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), the Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) project in the Central African Republic (CAR) is financed by the United States Department of State and managed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The PRADD CAR project commenced in 2007 with the goal to demonstrate that by strengthening property rights: (1) alluvial diamonds will be brought into the formal chain of custody; and (2) local benefits from production and marketing of alluvial diamonds will increase.

List of the participants who attended the roundtable discussion on responsible agribusiness investment and land access.