USAID Biodiversity Quarterly Progress Report January 1 – March 31, 2023

The primary purpose of the initiative is to reduce multiple threats to ecosystem and wildlife species, conserve nature, enhance human well-being, and safeguard the future. The initiative will be implemented in four landscapes: Chitwan Annapurna Landscape, Terai Arc Landscape, Kailash Sacred Landscape, and the proposed Karnali Conservation Landscape. The initiative is divided into three mutually interrelated and reinforcing objectives: improving the health of ecosystems, strengthening environmental crime control and natural resource safeguards, and enhancing the climate resilience of natural and human ecosystems. To achieve these objectives, USAID Biodiversity will implement activities in the four landscapes, with a main office in Kathmandu and field offices in Dhangadhi, Surkhet, and Pokhara. During the second quarter of 2023, USAID Biodiversity made significant progress in launching technical activities and preparing technical start-up deliverables. The initiative's Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)/Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Team, Landscape leads, and technical team collaborated with a Short-term Technical Assistance (STTA) GIS Specialist to update the Landscape and Site Prioritization map and select priority sites for activity intervention using GIS layers. The initiative also convened a Co-design Workshop for relevant stakeholders from civil society, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, federations, and the private sector in Kathmandu on January 31, 2023. The workshop was attended by 105 stakeholders and will inform several upcoming technical deliverables, including the Year 1 Annual Work Plan. Additionally, USAID Biodiversity finalized office space in Kathmandu and selected office spaces for field offices in Dhangadhi, Surkhet, and Pokhara. The initiative also initiated the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Analysis, which will inform the GESI Action Plan to integrate GESI considerations in USAID Biodiversity activities. The initiative has also updated institutional subcontracting arrangements, negotiating framework Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) Scopes of Work (SOW) with Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB) Nepal and Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN). ANSAB will primarily support activities under Objective 1, while CMDN will primarily support activities under Objective 2. The USAID Biodiversity initiative is expected to continue making progress in the upcoming quarter, with a focus on convening the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and finalizing the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the PSC. The initiative will also continue to update the Landscape and Site Prioritization map and select priority sites for activity intervention using GIS layers. The initiative's technical achievements during the second quarter of 2023 include convening an introductory meeting for MoFE officials, finalizing the TOR for the PSC, and collaborating with a STTA GIS Specialist to update the Landscape and Site Prioritization map. The initiative's priorities for the upcoming quarter include convening the PSC, finalizing the TOR for the PSC, and updating the Landscape and Site Prioritization map. The USAID Biodiversity initiative is expected to continue making progress in the upcoming quarter, with a focus on implementing activities aligned with the three mutually interrelated and reinforcing objectives. The initiative's progress will be closely monitored and evaluated to ensure that it is meeting its objectives and making a positive impact in the four landscapes.