Quarterly Progress Report Fiscal Year 2021 Quarter 1: October 1 to December 31, 2020

The activity began on March 6, 2018, and is scheduled to conclude on March 5, 2023. The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is implemented by Pact, Inc. The activity is guided by a theory of change that emphasizes the importance of community-based natural resource management, data-driven decision-making, and innovative funding opportunities for conservation. The program is structured around five strategic approaches, each with specific results and indicators. Strategic Approach 1 focuses on community-based natural resource management, with results including the development of a framework and tools for managing protected areas and implementing sustainable livelihoods and environmental justice. The approach also aims to improve the capacity of target actors in natural resource management and conservation. Strategic Approach 2 focuses on data-driven decision-making, with results including the development of a data portal and the consolidation and transformation of data into useful information. The approach also aims to promote the use of the portal and data, as well as share key messages on conservation and sustainable natural resource management. Strategic Approach 3 focuses on innovative funding opportunities for conservation, with results including the identification and categorization of innovative funding opportunities and the implementation of a conservation finance strategy. The approach also aims to support the development of a conservation finance strategy. Strategic Approach 4 focuses on improving the capacity of public sector personnel and judiciary police officers to enforce natural resource management, land and marine tenure, and environmental policy and law. The approach also aims to share a governance vision for natural resource management and land, coastal, and marine tenure among all involved actors. Strategic Approach 5 focuses on empowering targeted civil society networks to advocate for conservation, natural resource management, and land and marine tenure issues. The approach also aims to strengthen the capacities of targeted civil society networks to carry out their roles regarding natural resource management and land and marine tenure. The activity also places a strong emphasis on collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA), with a focus on collaboration with external partners, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), and institutional communication. The activity uses a range of indicators to track progress and measure success, including data quality assessments, MEL capacity development, learning review meetings, and a learning agenda. Throughout the activity, Pact, Inc. has worked closely with external partners, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and private sector entities. The activity has also conducted a range of trainings, meetings, and events to build the capacity of stakeholders and promote the adoption of conservation and sustainable natural resource management practices. The activity has made significant progress in achieving its results, including the development of a community-based natural resource management framework and tools, the establishment of a data portal, and the identification of innovative funding opportunities for conservation. The activity has also improved the capacity of public sector personnel and judiciary police officers to enforce natural resource management, land and marine tenure, and environmental policy and law. Overall, the USAID HAY TAO Activity is a comprehensive program that aims to promote conservation and sustainable natural resource management in Madagascar. The activity has made significant progress in achieving its results and has the potential to have a lasting impact on the country's natural resources and the communities that depend on them.