Local | PANORAMA

Knowledge

The use of scientific data and analysis provides a sound and sustainable basis to develop scenarios and provide information for the design of sustainable plans, projects and activities. Given specific knowledge may not be always a working tool, particularly when GIS and scenario and data analysis is referred to, it is important to ensure and to include the need IT and specialist that may build knowledge, capacities and awareness in all development and biodiversity practitioners.

For this the project supported the technical contribution of a specialist and developed a series of power point to explain and to train the beneficiaries on its use and on the use of the provided scenarios, as development and ecosystems-based planning tools.

Software and human resources available

Capacity to present the solutions and results in a manner that is understandable by all and by each sector.

Maintenance of updated data

Focus on results and scenario analysis, including the linkages between climate change, poverty, population dynamics and biodiversity.

Capacity to demonstrate what mangrove loss impacts imply on coastal communities' livelihoods.

Systemic information sharing.

Best quality analysis and skills.

Practical examples on use of the products.

Linkages to sectors - conservation, biodiversity, climate change, water, land systems, economic activities - to ensure appropriation and use of the products at local and community level.

Partnerships

For the integration of multi-sectorial data and multiple partners databases, as well as post action awareness raising efforts, IUCN mobilised its members, donor community, conservation actors and biodiversity and GIS specialists, around the Government technical group. Along the document development, several meetings were organised to ensure engagement and participation, with the focus on wider and qualitative data. The partnerships contributed for actors coordination, integration of several studies and the inclusion and the links to biodiversity components, particularly mangroves.

The exercise facilitated a joint and common voice on mangrove protection and status to the Nairobi Secretariat, to WIOMSA and furthermore to the integration on and support to the Global Mangrove Alliance and to the Great Blue Wall.

The exercise was complimented with a training of trainers MSP workshop that built capacities in planning specialist to integrate coastal and marine components into local development plans.

Focus on mangrove and mangrove actors, IUCN membership mobilisation capacity, high level technicians and sound and transparent dialogue with Government.

Open and continuous dialogue, with focused technical content, to maintain all partners interested and engaged,

Functional database and GIS facilities to keep presenting results and how to use them,

Assure IUCN role and mandate is exercised with all members aligned and in support of the action,

Maintain decision makers aware of the results and provide evidence of how it contributes to sustainable policies and activities

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Subnational

National

Financial support for project development

Technical financial cooperation was provided to four projects in the country's Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), mobilising both public and private investment funds. Two calls were made to access non-reimbursable funds through the Urban Green and Biodiverse Fund (FRUV), administered by Fundecooperación para el Desarrollo Sostenible (Fundecooperación). Fundecooperación made non-reimbursable resources available to four public-private initiatives whose objective was to promote initiatives in the GAM that would have an economic impact on the beneficiaries while integrating the sustainable use or conservation of biodiversity.

Before issuing the call for projects, work must be done with the organisations to prepare proposals in order to have robust and effective project proposals. Working on capacity building with an economic approach and strengthened the proposals submitted. Having an organisation such as Fundecooperación streamlines the process of disbursement and follow-up of the initiatives.

For the business ideas led by complex governance structures such as development associations, where all documents and decisions regarding the project must go through approval before the board of directors, longer time frames should be considered, which may double or triple the time it would usually take with organisations with a simpler structure. For future projects whose business idea depends on having a prototype validated by the potential client and/or user, it is preferable to wait until the prototype has been developed and validated in order to complete the development of the business plan with the minimum viable product already developed. It is recommended to carry out follow-up and exchange activities between and for the executing entities.

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Subnational

Technical Training

Four organisations (Coopecabañas R.L., Parque la Libertad, Asociación de Desarrollo de Cipreses de Oreamuno de Cartago (ADICO) and Coopetoyopan) received support and technical advice to co-design a business plan under a positive economic recovery approach with nature, with achievable objectives and sufficient profitability, or a business idea that complies with this, based on the capacities of the entities executing the project proposals and existing opportunities.

The technical and business capacities of the organisations financed were strengthened to facilitate the implementation of the projects, which contributed solutions that will improve urban wellbeing and contribute to the conservation of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) of Costa Rica.

In addition, around 150 people benefited directly from training in green recovery, nature-based solutions, e-commerce, composting, and logistical and operational improvements to their organisations. The key is to provide financial support together with technical training.

The support of a project that provides technical and financial backing for the training processes is fundamental for carrying out the different capacity building activities. Collaboration between different organisations, such as the formation of public-private alliances, encouraged the implementing organisations to have more support and allowed them to successfully execute the process (more than 20 alliances were formed). Institutional support at the GAM level, such as through MINAE and SINAC, was of great relevance for the implementation of the financing.

The technical training of the people responsible for the projects, in areas such as business administration, project management and the technical specialities of the project to be developed, is key to take advantage of this type of accompaniment. Prior to the development of the business plan, it is preferable that the projects have already advanced in the development of the prototype of their business idea, which allows for a clearer mapping of the requirements for the development and scaling of the business. The modality of technical support in this type of projects that require development of a product prototype that is tangible and has specific construction and design requirements or biological processes to be developed, requires technical support that considers a mixed face-to-face and virtual modality to make constructive contributions at the site of each project.

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Subnational

Central America

Nature-Positive Urbanism: Conservation and Community Empowerment in Costa Rica's Capital Region

Anna

Klaverkamp

Technical Training

Financial support for project development

Building Livelihood Diversification Capacities

Beekeeping Training

Odisha/APOWA_

Capacity building took on various forms - while the development of networks and institutions was important for the successful design, implementation, monitoring, and maintenance of activities, so too was the provision of technical guidance for restoration measures.

In addition to direct wage support through restoration activities, community capacity building was the other pillar of green recovery activities. To provide the communities with alternative livelihood options to diversify their income, alternative sustainable livelihoods that the region could offer were designed, considering their impact on the ecosystem. These sustainable livelihoods were either already in place on a small scale and needed to be standardised or scaled up or were completely new to the region.

Training programmes on these alternative sustainable livelihoods were carried out. These included birdwatching, honey production, handicrafts, eco-guiding, and participatory videomaking. The activities also brought in youth development by equipping young people with newer skills and thus contributing to their future employability.

Such training programmes (participatory videomaking, homestay operations, etc.) were also taken up in the other pilot areas of Pong and Renuka along with Bhitarkanika and Pong to build alternate skills.

It is important to have the right trainers with the right expertise who are readily available in the region and have local connections. Having an existing government infrastructure to provide training in agriculture and handicrafts has also helped to bring the right expertise to communities with much greater buy-in.

Ensuring that alternative livelihoods either support or complement existing livelihood chains and do not disrupt them is important, e.g. the development of tourism facilities as well as backyard fishing and gardening helped create seasonal diversification of livelihood opportunities without disrupting the primary chains.

Designing upskilling programmes that are scalable is possible if the skills being introduced are anchored in the larger development plans of the region without interfering with existing livelihood measures. The pilots have also been expanded into extended programmes in some sites based on community needs.For example, eco-guide training in Bhitarkanika has been scaled up as the influx of tourists increases and as site management agencies and tourism enablers prepare for sustainable tourism development in the region.

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6. Graduation Ceremony

This ceremony marks the official end of the cycle. The graduates receive a certificate to value their successful participation. The Graduation Ceremony can be combined with a pitching event where a jury composed of representatives of financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders evaluate the entrepreneurs’ Business Improvement Plans and assess the possibility of business financing applications.

If needed, additional coaching through coaching vouchers can be offered to entrepreneurs. The vouchers allow the entrepreneurs to demand additional coaching sessions during the next three months.

The Graduation Ceremony serves as an opportunity to strengthen linkages between the entrepreneurs and financial institutions or other relevant stakeholders. This increases the probability of successful financing and implementation of the entrepreneurs’ Business Improvement Plants.
Opinions and comments of jury members concerning the Business Improvement Plans can help entrepreneurs to further optimize their planning. The additional coaching can be used to support entrepreneurs to take these comments into account.

Depending on the institutionalization of the SME Loop in the respective country of implementation, representatives of relevant stakeholders (e.g. chamber of commerce, ministry of commerce or other) should be associated during the Graduation Ceremony.
At the end of the SME Loop the coach should encourage the entrepreneurs to create a (digital) network to facilitate contact after the duration of the SME Loop.

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5. Second Coaching Phase: Business Improvement and linkages

The second coaching phase consists of three sessions per month for a duration of three months. After finalising their Business Improvement Plans, the entrepreneurs get in touch with other Business Development Services and prepare a presentation to financial institutions for credit assessment and business finance.

In the coaching process the coach strengthens the coachee by using suitable questions, techniques and instruments as well as reflecting observation to reinforce the coachees’ capacities for widely self-reliant problem-solving, enterprise and personality development. The needs, priorities and capacities of the coachee determine content and methodology of coaching.

The coach and the coachee have a relationship on equal terms.
The coachee has all required resources, skills, and experiences to improve their situation and to fix a problem themselves.
The coach doesn`t try to solve the coachee’s problems but rather provides support, feedback and guidance.

The coachees’ needs, priorities and capacities determine content and shape of the coaching process.
The coachees themselves are responsible for the results of the coaching process and the attainment of their goal(s) and therefore need to be motivated or facilitated enough to follow their goals.
The coach should not advise, preach, criticize or lecture the coaches. Instead, they should be accommodative and attentive.

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4. Second Training: Business Improvement Planning

During the second training which takes place during 3 days, the group focuses on the preparation of the Business Improvement Plan (BIP) based on the already defined business improvement strategies.

The training delivers a number of themes such as identifying business improvement strategies, formulating a business improvement plan, identifying sources of financing and business support structures, as well as additional topics relevant to the entrepreneurs such as record keeping and costing. Two SME Loop certified trainers facilitate the training while taking into account adult learning principles.

The objectives are:

To enable entrepreneurs to elaborate business improvement strategies and planning.
Introduce business planning tools such as the business model canvas.
To enhance the knowledge of various sources of financing and their implications on business operations and profit margins.
To create an understanding of necessary supporting functions in the business such as record keeping, costing, business registration, etc.

Use an appropriate mix of tools and exercises to facilitate learning.
Conduct a short evaluation exercise at the end of each day and take into account needs, expectations and feedback of participants.
Encourage entrepreneurs to be actively involved and to understand that the responsibility for learning lies with themselves.
Talk about the privacy and confidentiality policy in the course to create a positive learning environment.

Learning contract: To increase commitment of participants, the trainers should introduce the concept of the “learning contract” and set clear house rules.
Andragogy: To make training contents more palpable for participants, encourage experiential learning.
Class size: Ideally around 25 and not more than 30 SMEs form a class.

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3. First Coaching Phase: Strategy Formulation

During the first coaching phase, which consists of two coaching sessions per month for two months, coachee and coach agree on a work plan, fixing goals of enterprise and self-development. Together they identify adequate strategies for business development.

In the coaching process the coach strengthens the coachee by using suitable questions, techniques, and instruments as well as reflecting observation to reinforce the coachees’ capacities for widely self-reliant problem-solving, enterprise and personality development. The needs, priorities, and capacities of the coachee determine content and methodology of coaching.

The coach and the coachee have a relationship on equal terms.
The coachee has all required resources, skills, and experiences to improve their situation and to fix a problem themselves.
The coach doesn`t try to solve the coachee’s problems but rather provides support, feedback, and guidance.

The coachee’s needs, priorities and capacities determine content and shape of the coaching process.
The coachees themselves are responsible for the results of the coaching process and the attainment of their goal(s) and therefore need to be motivated or facilitated enough to follow their goals.
The coach should not advise, preach, criticize or lecture the coaches. Instead, they should be accommodative and attentive.

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