A key achievement of the project is the establishment of a new technological unit within the Ministry of Agriculture, which will leverage drone technology for more efficient monitoring of agricultural practices and their impact on biodiversity. This unit will also support environmental agencies and organizations in enhancing biodiversity management.

To operationalize this initiative, the project, in collaboration with Eco Fund, has secured the procurement of two drones and comprehensive training for the first-ever drone operator unit within the Ministry. Additionally, the project has established cooperation between this unit and the Public Enterprise for the Management of National Parks (PENP), as well as managers of the nature parks Komovi and Orjen, ensuring that relevant stakeholders gain access to critical monitoring data and analysis.

Through the project’s efforts to assess the impacts of climate change on Montenegro’s biodiversity, it has become evident that bark beetles (Scolytinae) pose a significant threat to forest health across the country. These insects, which belong to the Curculionidae family, burrow into tree bark to feed and reproduce, causing severe damage that leads to large-scale tree mortality in Montenegro’s forests.

To combat this challenge, the project has procured 85 pheromone traps, which were strategically placed in National Park Prokletije and National Park Durmitor in May 2024. These traps function by attracting and capturing adult beetles, thereby reducing their population and mitigating the risk of further infestations. Initial results indicate the capturing of 12,746.015 bark beetles during three months, showcasing the effectiveness of this targeted intervention.

Recognizing urgent issues within Montenegro’s national parks—such as deforestation caused by pests, lack of reliable forestry data, and illegal logging—the project has implemented cutting-edge technology to improve forest management. In the National Park Prokletije, a pilot initiative has introduced a tree tagging system that enables the identification and monitoring of individual trees. Each tree tag stores key information, including the tree species, age, health status, and geolocation.

Through this initiative, the project has procured OKO Business connected product cloud technology, 20,000 tree tags, and associated readers while providing specialized training for employees in the PENP and National Park Prokletije. The tagging process, conducted in collaboration with PENP and NP Prokletije, resulted in the identification and tagging of 20,000 trees over three months, leading to the creation of a digital forest inventory database. This database will be accessible to PENP and NP Prokletije and will play a crucial role in future forest conservation and management efforts, particularly in monitoring the status of the forest in NP Prokletije.

In the framework of an inclusive environmental management, Togo established Communal Commissions for Sustainable Development (CCDD) which comprise decentralized consultation platforms to improve the participation of communities in environmental discussions. These commissions also deal with issues related to FLR. F4F-Togo supported the creation of CCDDs in three communes of the prefecture of Tchamba in order to improve the operational capacity to carry out FLR measures. A CCDD is a multisectoral platform composed of the mayor, canton chiefs, presidents of village committees, heads of decentralized services, women's groups and NGOs. It acts as a management committee for environmental aspects, in general, and for  FLR, in particular. Members of these commissions are resource persons for advisory support and capacity-building, enabling the commissions to assess environmental problems, propose solutions and mobilize resources.

FFS emphasizes hands-on training through demonstration days where participants practice sustainable techniques like soil conservation, agroforestry, and erosion control. These field-based sessions allow farmers to learn by doing, improving retention and adoption of new practices.

Choosing lead farmers who act as champions for FFS is a critical step. Lead farmers are selected based on community recommendations and receive additional training to guide FFS sessions. They serve as role models, facilitate peer learning, and ensure that new techniques are correctly implemented. Lead farmers help maintain motivation and act as local points of contact for any issues that arise.

The first step is to engage local leaders, traditional authorities, and respected community members. By involving them from the start, the project gains trust and ensures alignment with community values. These leaders promote community buy-in and support for FFS, reinforcing the importance of restoration activities and encouraging widespread participation. This step ensures that the lead farmers chosen are acceptable by the entire community.

A robust monitoring mechanism of the process needs to be put in place. Technical staff need to ensure that they engage with communities to explore whether there are challenges and how they can address them. During these monitoring events, communities also share their experiences.
This is part of the continuous learning cycle to improve where necessary. New techniques are also shared during these monitoring events.

This building block aims at sustaining communities with day-to-day survival options. As communities engage in restoration work, they need to engage in compensatory and beneficial economic activities as individuals or groups. The communities identified livelihoods of their choice. In this project, the communities chose goat and chicken rearing, mushroom growing and bee-keeping. So far, the project has supported them with chicken and goat rearing and bee-keeping.  The benefits from these livelihoods are used to meet household needs such as agricultural inputs, clothing and school fees for children.