Quarterly Report: Gobernanza en Ecosistemas, Medios de Vida y Agua Q1 Sept 6, 2016 – Sept 30, 2016

The activity's objective is to increase the resilience of livelihoods in Western Honduras through strong foundation natural resources management, including components of governance, biodiversity, and elements of adaptation to climate change. The activity centers on the reduction of threats in areas of biological significance to conserve biodiversity and protect water delivery, increase conservation-related income-generating activities, and increase vulnerable population's capacity to adapt to climate variability and change. The activity includes work in natural resource management, growth of "green businesses," risk reduction, clean energy, and the improvement of democracy and governance in the areas of intervention. The results of the activity are comprehended in three principal components: reduced threats in areas of biological significance and/or natural resources to conserve biodiversity and protect water delivery, increased conservation-related income-generating activities, and increased vulnerable population's capacity to adapt to climate variability and change. The Task Order for Gobernanza en Ecosistemas, Medios de Vida y Agua was signed on September 6, 2016, with a period of performance from September 6, 2016, to December 16, 2020. The first meeting with the Start-Up team took place on September 7, 2016, led by COP Carlos Rivas, HO Senior Manager Christopher Seeley, Start-up Manager Juliette Gaitan, Startup Associate Michael Goode, and DCOP Marifer Martinez. The first team meeting was held on September 12, 2016, with all key personnel, and the formal post-award conference with USAID/Honduras was held on September 22nd. The first quarter had a dual focus, with one goal being to establish a solid administrative and operational platform for the project and the other being to move from the design/bid/award stage of a project to actual technical implementation. DAI's goals for the first 90 days included forging a strong technical team, establishing a solid administrative and operational platform, beginning to nurture collegial and collaborative working relationships with partners, and transforming the strategies presented in the technical proposal into a pragmatic, actionable Work Plan. Administratively, this included setting up project offices, substantially fulfilling all staffing requirements, initiating the process for activity registration in Honduras, and submitting the subcontracts of the two principal subcontractors (Goal and Zamorano). Consent to subcontract has not been received yet. Technically, the COP and the technical team identified several implementation challenges for the future. The planning process for the 1st Annual Work Plan began the week of 9/26/2016, and technical programming will be a highly participatory and consultative process initially among the technical team and the next quarter with the USAID COR, IP, GOH, co-management groups, municipalities, the private sector, and others as appropriate. The Gobernanza en Ecosistemas, Medios de Vida y Agua design is extremely complex, with interconnected objectives and multiple levels of intervention. A priority during the start-up period will be to define coordination mechanisms with USAID IPs at the field level through a simple and practical approach to avoid delays during the implementation of the project. The technical team has identified a wide range of opportunities and constraints, including previous work from USAID|Proparque in the western Honduras, good relationships with Co-Management, Water Boards, Coffee, Cacao, and Sugarcane Producers (Panela), Tourism, and Groups related to Risk, the need for USAID IPs strong coordination, and security aspects in some potential areas as well as with some activities. As of September 26, 2016, all key personnel were in Tegucigalpa and working full-time, including all technical staff and administrative staff proposed. At the close of the quarter, the only significant position that remained vacant was that of the Climate Change Coordinator. Staffing of the La Esperanza and Santa Rosa Regional Office, as well as the selection of the Climate Change Coordinator, will continue in the next quarter.