USAID Zimbabwe Resilience ANCHORS Annual Progress Report FY2023

The Activity began on July 20, 2020, and is scheduled to conclude on July 19, 2025. The program is implemented by ECODIT under the Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights II (STARR II) IDIQ. The Activity focuses on three primary objectives: improving economic benefits from strengthened community-level governance and oversight of conservation enterprises, increasing sustainable access to supplies of water of sufficient quantity and quality, and strengthening locally led development and private sector engagement. To achieve these objectives, the Activity engages with local communities, private sector partners, and government agencies to promote sustainable natural resource management and conservation practices. Implementation wards for the Activity were pre-delimited in 2020, covering a total of 15 wards in the Savé Valley Conservancy, Gonarezhou National Park, and Mid-Zambezi Valley. Post-delimitation, the wards were adjusted to ensure effective implementation and coverage of the target areas. The Activity has made significant progress in achieving its performance indicators, with notable gains in community-led conservation, sustainable agriculture practices, and private sector engagement. One of the key achievements of the Activity is the establishment of community-led conservation initiatives, including the Savé Valley Conservancy Wildlife Scouts participating in the Activity-sponsored Ranger Run. The Activity has also promoted sustainable agriculture practices, such as climate-smart agriculture, and has supported the development of beekeeping and non-timber forest product (NTFP) value chains. Private sector engagement has been strengthened through partnerships with local businesses and organizations, promoting sustainable natural resource management and conservation practices. The Activity has also made significant progress in addressing cross-cutting issues, including youth engagement, gender equality and social inclusion, and coordination with other projects and initiatives. The Activity has implemented various training programs and capacity-building initiatives to support local communities and private sector partners in adopting sustainable natural resource management and conservation practices. Implementation challenges have been addressed through regular monitoring and evaluation, and lessons learned and best practices have been documented and shared with stakeholders. The Activity has also made significant progress in achieving its financial objectives, with a total expenditure of $X million in FY23. The Activity has made significant contributions to the conservation and sustainable natural resource management in Zimbabwe, and its impact will be sustained through the development of local capacity and the promotion of community-led conservation initiatives.