CONCURRENT FEEDBACK SESSION OP 9 PROJECTS

1. CONCURRENT FEEDBACK SESSIONOP 9 PROJECTS • Facilitator : Philip Weller • NGO : Ger Bergkamp • Rapporteur : Maryam Niamir-Fuller

2. PROCEDURAL ISSUES:TDA and SAP • importance of participatory process • OP 9 requires even more participatory work than other OPs ; we need to develop real bottom-up processes that match upstream planning • Is “TDA to SAP” a good approach ? • in some cases it has not built upon existing or previous efforts (e.g. West Africa) and local knowledge and in other cases does not link or coincide with ongoing national planning frameworks • there is no process for M&E while doing SAP

3. TDA and SAP cont. • Posting “best practices” examples for TDA, SAP and Integrated Land and Water Management on the websites • Regional SAP has to be supported by National SAPs • Recommend organizing another special session/occasion to discuss further the value of the TDA-to-SAP approach

4. PROCEDURAL:Communication • Effective communications strategy needed between project and all stakeholders • communication gap between local stakeholders and IA HQ and GEF • Best practices should be used in a timely manner, and should be disseminated between projects through exchanges. • Thematic mapping very useful tool, to determine “hot spots”, and use for dialogue and decision-making

5. PROCEDURAL: Development • rigidity of procedures • final Brief may not address real needs, because it is modified too much by GEFSEC and other reviews • Greater coordination of GEF projects with other ongoing or pipeline IA projects • Difficult to know what is coming down the pipeline; may result in duplication.

6. PROCEDURAL:Endorsements • may take a long time • some IAs require too many signatures for the same project; need to standardize process • early involvement of OFP needed

7. PROCEDURAL: Financial continuity • Funding stream from project development to implementation must be continuous

8. TECHNICAL:Sustainability • Ownership and sustainability • must get inter-sectoral coordination and buy-in early in project development; not just land and water sectors, but also finance, foreign, etc. • OP 9 projects engage both development and environmental issues • projects must be driven by regional and national priorities and have their genesis in the region

9. Sustainability cont. • need for capacity and institutional building before project start-up • Not enough work on building capacity during project lifetime (local community, counterparts) • Projects should be managed as much as possible by national and regional staff

10. OTHER TECHNICAL ISSUES • OP 9 projects are more holistic than others (biod, desertification, etc.) which is positive but it may be hard to find focus for the project, and what GEF increment should be, so we need good system boundary assessments. • Projects cannot only address technical needs, but also must be aware of political processes

11. Other Technical Issues cont. • Need better clarity and distinction between OP 8, 9 , 2 and 12

12. Lessons Learnt and M&E • Research must address project needs • Need more IA coordination, for lessons learnt • M&E systems have to be transparent, where countries report on processes and results; TPRs may not be best venue. • M&E has to cover post-project reviews.

13. SUMMARY/RECOMMENDATIONS • Put TDA and SAP best practices examples on the websites • Review TDA and SAP approach • Careful definition and assessment of system boundary needed in OP 9 projects • Multi-sectoral coordination needed early on • Participatory process must be structured, systematic, and an integral part of the planning process.