Quarterly Report for TerresEauVie Activity, Q4, FY2019

The activity aims to enhance social and ecological risk management systems in Burkina Faso and Niger, with a focus on improving water security, sustainable productive land use, and management of shocks, risks, and stresses. The activity is part of the Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced (RISE II) project, which has been implemented in Niger and Burkina Faso since 2013. The overall goal of RISE II is to support chronically vulnerable populations in Burkina Faso and Niger in managing shocks and stresses and pursuing sustainable pathways out of poverty. The TerresEauVie Activity is implemented across 40 rural communes in the Centre-Nord, Est, and Sahel regions of Burkina Faso and in the Maradi, Tillaberi, and Zinder regions of Niger. The activity is divided into three components: Improved water security, Enhanced sustainable productive land use, and Improved management of shocks, risks, and stresses. During the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2019, TerresEauVie continued building relationships with targeted communes, local governments, and other donor-funded activities. Key activities from the quarter include holding forums with commune mayors and key stakeholders to share initial findings from thematic studies on land and water and discuss contingency planning. In Burkina Faso, TerresEauVie held joint workshops with ONF-BF and REGIS-ER to discuss lessons learned related to local conventions and land security. The activity also met with partners, including CONASUR, UNICEF, CRS, MSF, BUMIGEB, and the National Meteorological Agency, to validate Component 1 thematic studies. In Niger, TerresEauVie agreed on collaboration methodology for local convention development at the community and commune levels with WADATA and REGIS-ER and will pilot the methodology in Damagaram Takaya. The activity also held forums with commune mayors and key stakeholders to share initial findings from thematic studies on land and water and discuss contingency planning. Progress towards expected results of the Refine & Implement Period included submitting initial drafts of the FY20 workplan, commune engagement strategy, contingency plan, and communication strategy. TerresEauVie also continued work and refinement of Thematic Studies related to water, land, and resilience, in collaboration with experts in the field and in the US. Due to the turnover of both the Chief of Party (COP) and Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) in a short period of time, the in-country and home office teams needed to quickly reorganize themselves for maximum efficiency. Several staff took on new roles and additional tasks on an interim basis to move work forward, and STTA was mobilized to support programmatic work in Q4. Progress was slower than initially planned for Q4 in the FY19 workplan. The activity has made significant progress in building relationships with targeted communes, local governments, and other donor-funded activities. However, challenges remain, including the need to continue moving technical activities forward despite staff turnover and the need to mobilize STTA to support programmatic work.