Agency’s Project ID:

GEFSEC Project ID:

Country: MALAWI

Country Eligibility: Malawi became a Party to the CBD by ratification on 24th April 1994.

Project Title: Development of a National Clearing House Mechanism and Assessment of Capacity Building Needs.

GEF Agency: UNEP

National Executing Agency: the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD)

CBD National FOCAL POINT: Mr. Ralph Kabwaza

Duration: 18 months

GEF Focal Area: BD

GEF Operational Program: EA

GEF Strategic Priority: CB1

Estimated Starting Date: March 2007

IA Fee (if applicable):

Financing Plan (US$)
GEF Project/Component
Project (add-on)* / 130,000

Sub-Total GEF

/ 130,000

Co-financing

GEF Agency
National Contribution / 10,000
Others
Sub-Total Co-financing: / 10,000
Total Project Financing: / 140,000

* Indicate below amount and date of originally approved Enabling Activity

1. NBSAP: 1997
2. CHM
3.Third National Report- 2005 / 289,000
11,000
20,000

Record of endorsement on behalf of the Government:

GEF & CBD OFP: Ralph Kabwaza, Director of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Mines, Natural Resources and Environment: Signed 223rd January, 2007. (See attached letter on page 23).
This proposal has been prepared in accordance with GEF policies and procedures and meets the standards of the GEF Review Criteria for Biodiversity Enabling Activity approval
Shafqat Kakakhel / Ms. Esther Mwangi
OIC- UNEP- DGEF / UNEP Contact Person
Date: / Tel: 2545-20-7623717: Email

Proposal for Additional GEF Funding (Add-on)

Acronyms / Explanation
CBD / Convention on Biological Diversity
CHM / Clearing House Mechanism
EAD / Environmental Affairs Department
EIA / Environment Impact Assessment
GEF / Global Environment Facility
MEAs / Multilateral Environment Agreements
NBSAP / National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
MNRE / Ministry of Mines, Natural resources and Environment
NCSA / National Capacity Self Assessment
NGOs / Non Governmental Organizations
UNCCD / United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
UNEP / United Nations Environment Programme
UNFCC / United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

BACKGROUND

  1. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was signed and ratified by Malawi in February 1992 and April 1994, respectively. The objective of the CBD is to promote the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biological resources.
  1. Malawi has also signed and is in the process of ratifying the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which is one of the tools for implementing CBD especially with regard to the provisions to regulate, manage or control risks associated with the transfer, handling and use of Living Modified Organisms (GMOs).
  1. In Malawi, the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) is the executing agency that coordinates the implementation of CBD. Being a Party to the CBD, Malawi is obliged to make appropriate legal and institutional framework to implement and enforce the provisions of the Conventions.

ENABLING ACTIVITY STATUS

  1. In the past, Malawi has received financial support from GEF to undertake foundational activities for the conservation of biodiversity in the country. These activities which were coordinated by EAD and have been instrumental in raising the level of knowledge about the status of biodiversity in Malawi and have resulted in some practical projects.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)

  1. The NBSAP, developed for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, was prepared in accordance to Article 6 of the Convention. The overall Vision of NBSAP is “A rich biodiversity benefiting present and future generations for national development” while its goal is “To enhance biodiversity conservation, sustainable utilization and equitable sharing of its benefits at all levels”. In order to achieve this goal, four strategic objectives were identified; namely:

a. Actively protect, conserve and maintain protected areas, mountains and species within them; promote restoration of degraded and vulnerable ecosystems and habitats and recovery of rare and threatened species.

b. Enhance and improve biodiversity knowledge base through research; strengthen and build human and infrastructure capacity for effective information dissemination and research.

c. Enhance sustainable use of biological diversity including agricultural production through active protection and management of biological resources and support initiatives that encourage fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of the genetic resources.

d. Enhance community understanding and appreciation of biodiversity, and support coordinated community action and incentives to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity.

Preparations of National Biodiversity Reports.

  1. The main objective of the national reporting is to assist Malawi monitor the status of implementation of the CBD in the country and to identify gaps and constraints. The First and Second National Biodiversity Reports were completed and submitted to the CBD Secretariat in January 1999 and May 2001, respectively. Some issues identified in these reports are being implemented in form of projects currently being done in Malawi as shown in paragraph 14 below in this document..

7.  Supported by UNEP, the 3rd National Biodiversity Report has been prepared and completed in December 2005. The report preparation has been in accordance with CBD Decision VII/25 and according to the format provided at http://www.biodiv.org/world/nr-guidelines.asp?t=t.

The National Capacity Self-Assessment

  1. The National capacity Self Assessment (NCSA) Project for implementing the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) focuses on CBD, UNFCCC UNCCD and Integrated Management of International Waters. Malawi is a signatory to these MEAs and is, accordingly, required to implement the commitments of these agreements, but has limited human and institutional capacities. It is against the above background that the GEF supported the NCSA project to identify capacity needs for implementation of the MEAs and through GEF support, Malawi is undertaking a capacity needs assessment for the implementation of these MEAs. The objectives of the NCSA project are to:

(a) Identify gaps and priority areas for capacity building at various levels;

(b) Identify gaps and overlaps across the activities to enhance synergies; and

(c) Generate an action plan for implementation of capacity building activities for management of the global environment.

9.  The NCSA project has completed identification of capacity gaps in the field of biodiversity, climate change and desertification. Currently the project has advertised for a consultant to review the three thematic reports and consolidate issues reviewed into one document. This proposed project will therefore concentrate on a few areas where the NCSA did not touch.

Government policies, laws and regulations

  1. The Government of Malawi has put in place policies, laws and regulations that have relevance to biodiversity conservation in Malawi, and which are frequently refereed to in discussions and in the process of project formulation.

Laws and Regulations

  1. Although derived at in a sectoral basis, there are numerous laws and regulations that Malawi must take into consideration when strategizing for biodiversity conservation. Some of these are:

·  The Constitution of the Republic of Malawi

·  Environmental Management Act

·  Forestry Act

·  Fisheries Conservation and Management Act

·  National Parks and Wildlife Act

·  Land Act

·  Registered Land Act

·  Land Acquisition Act

·  Land Surveys Act

·  Customary Land (Development)

·  Adjudication of Title Act

·  Town and Country Planning Act

·  Local Government Act

·  Mines and Mineral Act

·  Town and Country Planning Act

·  Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act

·  Tobacco Act

·  Plant Protection Act

·  Public Roads Act

·  The National Environment (Wetlands, River Banks and Lake Shores) Regulations

Policies

13.  Likewise, Malawi has passed policies for various sectors, and which are being used by all players in the country for biodiversity concerns.

·  National Environmental Policy

·  National Forestry Policy

·  National Forestry Programme

·  National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy

·  Malawi Report on Policy, Legislation and Mechanisms for Access to and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources

·  Draft National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

·  Environmental Management Act

·  National Parks and Wildlife Policy

·  Malawi Strategy for Poverty Reduction

·  Malawi Economic Growth Strategy

·  Malawi National Strategy for Sustainable Development

14.  Since the GEF started in 1992, Malawi has been a beneficiary of GEF funds and has to date received 5 single country projects and has participated in another 9 regional or global projects. These projects are as follows:

National Projects

·  Lake Malawi / Nyasa Biodiversity Conservation

·  National Biodiversity Strategy, Action Plan and First National Report to the CBD

·  Clearing House Mechanism Enabling Activity

·  Mulanje Mountain Biodiversity Conservation Project

·  Energy Access Expansion and Development Project

·  Enabling Malawi to Prepare its First National Communication in Response to its Commitments to UNFCCC

·  Barrier Removal to Malawi Renewable Energy Programme

·  Climate Change Enabling Activity (Additional Financing for Capacity Building in Priority Areas)

·  National Adaptation Program of Action

·  National Capacity Self-Assessments (NCSA) under the CDI

·  Enabling Activities to Facilitate Early Action on the Implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

International Projects

·  Supporting Capacity Building for the Elaboration of National Reports and Country Profiles by African Parties to the UNCCD

·  Southern Africa Biodiversity Support Programme

·  Inventory, Evaluation and Monitoring of Botanical Diversity in Southern Africa: A Regional Capacity and Institution Building Network

·  Community-based Management of On-farm Plant Genetic Resources in Arid and Semi-arid Areas of Sub-Saharan Africa

·  Africa Community Outreach Programme for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Resources

·  Sustainable Management of Inland Wetlands in Southern Africa: A Livelihoods and Ecosystem Approach

·  Renewable Energy Promotion through Information and Communication Technology Introduction in Off-Grid Rural Communities

·  Pilot Biosafety Enabling Activity

·  Development of Best Practices and Dissemination of Lessons Learned for Dealing with the Global Problem of Alien Species that Threaten Biological Diversity

These GEF projects are summarized here below in Table 1

Table 1: GEF Biodiversity projects undertaken in Malawi

Single Country Projects - 4 Projects
Country / Project Name / Region / Focal Area / Agency / Project Type / GEF Grant (US$M) / Project Stage
Malawi / Lake Malawi/Nyasa Biodiversity Conservation / AFR / Biodiversity / IBRD / Full Size Project / 5.000 / Council Approved
Malawi / National Biodiversity Strategy, Action Plan and First National Report to the CBD / AFR / Biodiversity / UNEP / Enabling Activity / 0.289 / CEO Approved
Malawi / Clearing House Mechanism Enabling Activity / AFR / Biodiversity / UNEP / Enabling Activity / 0.011 / CEO Approved
Malawi / Mulanje Mountain Biodiversity Conservation Project / AFR / Biodiversity / IBRD / Full Size Project / 5.300 / CEO Endorsed
Subtotals for the Result / 10.600
Regional and Global Projects - 7 Projects
Country / Project Name / Region / Focal Area / Agency / Project Type / GEF Grant (US$M) / Project Stage
Regional / Southern Africa Biodiversity Support Programme / AFR / Biodiversity / UNDP / Full Size Project / 4.504 / CEO Endorsed
Regional / Inventory, Evaluation and Monitoring of Botanical Diversity in Southern Africa: A Regional Capacity and Institution Building Network / AFR / Biodiversity / UNDP / Full Size Project / 4.725 / Council Approved
Regional / Community-based Management of On-farm Plant Genetic Resources in Arid and Semi-arid Areas of Sub-Saharan Africa / AFR / Biodiversity / UNEP / Medium Size Project / 0.750 / CEO Approved
Regional / Africa Community Outreach Programme for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Resources / AFR / Biodiversity / IBRD / Medium Size Project / 0.750 / CEO Approved
Regional / Enhancing Local Capacities for Sustainable Biodiversity Action in Africa / AFR / Biodiversity / UNDP / Full Size Project / 4.465 / PDF B
Global / Pilot Biosafety Enabling Activity / CEX / Biodiversity / UNEP / Enabling Activity / 2.744 / Project Closure
Global / Development of Best Practices and Dissemination of Lessons Learned for Dealing with the Global Problem of Alien Species that Threaten Biological Diversity / CEX / Biodiversity / UNEP / Medium Size Project / 0.750 / CEO Approved
Subtotals for the Result / 18.688

Biodiversity Add-on Project

15.  This proposal seeks financial support from GEF for the implementation of the following key Enabling Activities: The Clearing House Mechanism, assessment of Indigenous Knowledge and Practices and Development of Guidelines for sustainable use of biodiversity, Access and Benefit Sharing, Conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity important to agriculture, Design and approaches relevant to the implementation of incentive measures. Since the NCSA process has recently touched on some of these biodiversity capacity assessment issues, this project will hold only a few thematic stakeholder workshop for each of the areas to fill in the identified gaps that were not covered by the NCSA.

The Clearing House Mechanism

16.  Article 18 of CBD requires the establishment of a Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) to promote and facilitate technical and scientific co-operation. Through the CHM, developing countries like Malawi gain access to data and technology from other countries. CBD Cop Decision IV/2 9(a) and (b) request GEF to assist Contracting Parties to establish CHM as well as the development of their National Focal Point. Malawi has not received any funding from GEF for establishment of the CHM. Indeed, there are several forums that have reiterated the fact that Malawi’s CHM should be established soon. In particular the NCSA has singled out the need of a CHM as seen in the following points:

17.  In Malawi, National Research Council of Malawi (NRCM) is the CHM National Focal Point. Besides the establishment of CHM at EAD, Guidelines for participation by other partners/institutions will be developed to operationalise and strengthen CHM activities in the country. Key partners/institutions will be equipped with the necessary equipment or their existing information facilities strengthened/upgraded to enhance their participation.

18.  In July 2005, the CBD published a notification of recommended checklist of criteria to assist in the evaluation of National Clearing House Mechanisms. Malawi will study this checklist and will incorporate the recommendations in the proposal.

19.  The CHM will constitute a website, technical and scientific cooperation, information exchange and network development. All the areas of the CHM will include the programme areas of agricultural biodiversity, dry and sub humid lands Biodiversity, Forest biodiversity, in land waters Biodiversity, Island biodiversity, marine and coastal biodiversity and mountain biodiversity. There will be climate change and biodiversity incentive measures, and ecosystems approach, protested areas, public awareness, sustainable use of biodiversity, traditional knowledge and the 2010 targets.