The process makes it possible to address problem solving from the poorest and most vulnerable sectors and to give a voice to the voiceless. The process develops tools that allow a better distribution of benefits to the most vulnerable sectors. The role of women and young people in the value chain of small-scale fisheries is clearly strengthened. The strengthening of and spaces for learning-by-doing among fisherwomen and the discussion on access and rights to the benefits derived from fishing under equal conditions has been fundamental. The agenda of women from rivers, seas, lakes and lagoons is being developed with 4 strategic axes: health, economic empowerment, decent work and sustainable use.

Through a participatory multi-stakeholder regional planning process that includes government and civil society, the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative will develop and publicly present a compelling plan backed with rigorous analysis for protecting the region's unparalleled biological and cultural wealth as a pathway for Ecuador and Peru to meet their countries’ development needs while also leading the inevitable economic transition beyond dependence on fossil fuels and towards an ecological civilization.

The purpose of the communications group is to make the Initiative favorably viewed in public opinion polls in Ecuador and Peru; to have opinion leaders, scientists, ministers and key political leaders in both countries publicly declare their support for the Initiative and their opposition to expanding mining and oil activities; to obtain significant stories in both countries’ mainstream media and on social media; and to achieve international visibility in social media and conservation/environmental publications and networks, and among private and public conservation foundations and funding institutions.

We are heavily using social media to share the findings of our project. Overall the response has been very good. Due to work and family commitments, we have had to take on a social media co-ordinator to further our cause. Currently, I am funding this project by myself but we are hoping that our online presence might later lead to some outside funding. 

Crowdfunding is a relatively new way of funding projects, the goal being to inspire individuals to want to help you achieve the project goals by donating to the project budget. There are several online crowdfunding platforms that work in different ways, some of which require a fee whilst others are free. We used a site that requires us to meet a set amount of our budget before funds were extracted from donors, if we didn’t reach that amount then the project would not go ahead. The crowdfunding site was easy to set up but requires you to write project details into sections. This should be easy because of already writing the project proposals and pitch packs. We were also able to embed the campaign video into this site. Once the site was set-up we shared it on all our social media sites and through our personal networks.

It is necessary to develop a strong, concise and attractive pitch pack, which is professional and clearly shows the project’s importance and budget. It is extremely important to make a clear pitch on how, by funding the project, the organisation or company will benefit. For example, for X amount of money the funder logo will be used on project t-shirts and the funder will be mentioned in all media coverage.  The pitch pack should include the project logo, and use visual aids to bring the point across. In this case we used images of Aldabra, it’s wildlife and the impact of the plastic pollution. Since we were distributing these packs in the UK and Seychelles it was vital to create each pack with the local context in mind, whether it was currency conversions or the use of particular quotes from recognisable figures. Alongside the pitch pack we created a campaign video which introduces the problem and the solution using strong imagery and a voiceover. With these steps completed, we could then plan the project launch. The aim of the launch was to garner a maximum amount of media coverage and engage as many individuals and companies as possible via a face-to-face event. We therefore organised events both in UK and in Seychelles, in which potential donors and supporters were invited.

Farmer groups develop business and advanced marketing plans to guide their continued activities and farm and business growth. When we initially select farmers, we ensure they are a part of a farmers group, which enhances their power as sellers, as they can sell in bulk and work as a group to market crops.. In Kaffrine, Senegal and Singida, Tanzania, some of our farmers grow higher-value crops like Hibiscus, Cashew, and Sunflower:We build capacity of farmers to approach buyers in regional capitals  export quality crops . In Kenya, we work with a dairy cooperative to offset their cattle feed costs, and give them the opportunity to sell extra tree fodder they product to other cooperative members. Ownership of the project is fully transferred to the farmer groups. After graduation, farmer groups continue to support each other as a team in the on-going development and management of Forest Gardens and marketing of products.  

After the 4-year project, farmers are expected to continue their Forest Gardens, given the significant successes they have seen and training they have received.  In the future, TREES is hoping to follow-up with farmers after the program, however we do not yet have the capacity to continue monitoring farmers outside of the 4-year program.

Farmers will learn to adopt advanced Forest Garden planting and care, integrated pest management, and conservation techniques that optimize and ensure the long-term health, productivity, and profitability of their land.

Farmers diversify the products they grow in their Forest Gardens. During this phase, farmers plant higher-value vegetables, fruit, nut, and timber trees. They also learn increasingly advanced skills and techniques that will help them manage their Forest Gardens more effectively and sustainably, such as fruit tree grafting, advanced composting, and marketing of crops.

This block consists of providing farmers with the skills and resources needed to protect their Forest Garden sites. Farmers achieve this by planting green walls – an enhanced version of a living fence that TREES has developed – around the perimeters of their sites. They then plant fast-growing fertilizer trees throughout their sites, often in alleys among their crops, to further stabilize their soils and enhance land fertility. We decide which species to grow based on which species adapt best to the agro-ecological zones where we work. We consult with the farmers themselves on what they want to grow, eat, and sell and our technicians advise farmers on the best way to plant and plant, iterating year-on-year changes that may enhance their garden, sales, and production. For example in drier climates like Senegal and Singida, Tanzania, we train farmers on growing various acacia species, which do not require much rain. We also promote nitrogen-fixing trees and crops, such as gliricidia species, acacia species, pigeon peas, and fruit trees that have a shorter maturing period (3-5) years. We also grow species based on what is culturally popular, nutritious, and marketable, like bananas, a staple food in Uganda.