This building block´s approach is reflected in various activities ranging from training measures, spaces for exchange and dialogue between stakeholders and between institutions as well as support in the development of agreements. One example is the agreement between the Ministry of Environment, the protected area management unit and the university with regard to participatory monitoring and evaluation of nurseries and restoration trials. Strengthening of the protected area management committee is another key measure that aims to improve the area's governance.

In addition, the appropriation and integration of the national climate change policy in meso-level actions, such as the development of climate change plans, the implementation of adaptation measures in productive sectors and in the management of ecosystems, are reflected.

The activities that form part of this building block aim to improve knowledge about the mangrove ecosystem, the impacts of climate change and the theoretical and technical basis of mangrove restoration. It aims to articulate the compilation of scientific information with local knowledge, transferring the findings into a practical approach.

• As a preliminary step to the implementation of the measure, the preparation of the climate change plan of the Municipal Government of Esmeraldas was supported.
• In 2016 a dialogue event was held between experts and technicians from Ecuador and other countries to better understand the impacts of climate change on the mangrove ecosystem and to share experiences and lessons learned on mangrove restoration. This knowledge is used to plan the reproduction of the red mangrove (Rhizophora harrisonii), reforestation in situ and monitoring (see also building block III).
• An agreement has been established with the Pontificia Universidad Católica (Esmeraldas office) to monitor the efficiency of the trials and generate research on mangrove ecosystems linked to climate change.

In the project's lifetime, two traditional food fairs were organised at Busia's Agricultural Training Centre. The food fairs increased community participation in managing biodiversity by changing people’s mind-set and attitude towards local foods. During the fairs farmers collected and competed for the most comprehensive display of plant parts, seeds, fruit samples and traditional food items. It was also an occasion for farmers to share biodiversity-related information and associated traditional knowledge as well as planting material and seeds, while it enabled the research team to locating new custodians of biodiversity. It is felt that the fairs have contributed in encouraging consumers, schools, youth, policy-makers and farming communities to make continued use of local crops and varieties, thereby contributing to their conservation.

An urban food forest symbolizes the city's ability to be resilient regarding climate change and food security issues. Thus, this system must manifest resiliency in itself, with a minimal vulnerability (to diseases, environmental or governance issues) and a maximal autonomy (energy, nutrients, water resources).

The urban food forest relies little on external resources for water and nutrients. Rainwater is collected through a rainwater collection system and then reused to refill the pond, clean the tools, and water the plants. Deadwood, leaves, fruit peelings, or weeds are composted in several compost bins. They will be transformed into very good quality compost and be reused in the forest garden to provide the plants with all the nutrients they need.

The food forest is made up of "tree guilds" which includes several layers of vegetation who mutually collaborate and help each other to grow faster and healthier. For example, there will be nectar plants to attract pollinators, associated with nitrogen-fixing plants, ground-cover plants to protect from weeds. Therefore, the urban food forest is resilient to environmental fluctuations and needs minimal human energy to be maintained.

Community engagement is very important in order to gather leverage support, grant funding, and general involvement. To ensure continuous involvement of the community/volunteer, providing educational opportunities for personal development is crucial. In our solution, these opportunities include attending educational workshops or work parties at the food forests, taking leadership at a work party, joining the core team to learn and participate in food forest development, planning educational or fundraising events...etc. 

Technical knowledge and skills are offered through monthly work parties. People may learn new skills by doing hands-on work, and exchange problems/challenges that they face when implementing skills at home. Some topics we've held include making compost, bee hotels, turning garbage into enzymes, make-your-own toothpaste, and much more.

Providing educational opportunities can also help getting involvement from schools and universities. We receive many inquiries from schools for site visits. Teachers and students would come and learn about trends and social activities in the real world and can benefit from the holistic way of learning by balancing the use of head, hand, and heart when working in the food forests. 

Hsinchu Food Forest is a result of an open and participatory process between the municipality and several stakeholders of the city, like local residents, community groups, city agencies, schools, and even those that might not initially like the idea of an urban food forest. In order to assure public participation and support, it is essential to make every step of building the food forest an open and participatory process. We held over 30 hours of talks to educate local and surrounding communities the idea of a food forest, we even invited the co-founders of the Beacon Food Forest to share their experience with the municipal government and communities, which was a big help in getting the official to say yes. We also held a competition to collect people’s idea on the design of the site, and later asked a landscape designer to combine the ideas of the winning groups. We kept a close relationship with the managing official and local communities (and media) to make sure that the stakeholders would be informed of the latest progress of the food forest, and to modify the design in a timely manner when someone came up with concerns that had been neglected, such as people might trip and fall into the pond at night. We added a short hedgerow and lighting to prevent such possibilities.

FPP considers fundamental for the implementation of projects: achieving the basic needs and the improvement of the living conditions of the community, it has the endorsement of it. So it is essential to build bonds of trust with its participants, local authorities and community leaders.

The satisfaction of basic is necessary to improve life conditions of families and communities; which creates accurate conditions to self-sufficiency as well the design of local projects that contribute to their development beyond wellbeing.

Having these situations will generate projects oriented to the generation of income with local resources that will establish the bases to achieve self-sufficiency and their empowerment. Also, from this process the community will carry out actions for the management of high impact projects with and other instances. After having finalized the knowledge and skills for the design, execution and monitoring of local and regional development plans.

FPP intervention scheme considers the Community Organization as a fundamental catalyst because through it an active, conscious, inclusive and participative community is created that is committed to solving its problems. FPP focuses on the integration of networks and working groups, linked to the community and participants participation in their locality, in such a way that a dynamic community is achieved that learns to make joint decisions.

We seek to work with self-managed community actors that promote collective interests and raise awareness of the importance of social integration for the resolution of common problems. This allows the appropriation of projects that integrate environmental services conservation and based on social organization.

We are working for the consolidation of the community organization with a solid structure, well-defined roles and full participation of women and young people; which have high levels of trust and solidarity as well as promoters of change.

Of that it is possible a resilient community with the capacity of answer to problems or external shocks that, likewise, remain in the search of continuous improvements.

Identifying and value local knowledge and generating an exchange of it, as well as the transfer of technology appropriate with environment and community needs, which allow people strengthen its skills and abilities in order to carry out local and regional development projects.

This block is based on the recognition of local capacities, abilities, livelihoods and resources, as well as social and cultural resources specific to the community and its environment. As well as through the identification of strengths and weaknesses, it becomes possible to have the necessary information to identify and prioritize common problems.

We have a central catalyst for FPP betting: generate an exchange of knowledge and technology transfer for the environment and the problems detected, which allows the improvement of local production systems and facilitate the development and implementation of community projects. This catalyst make the bases to design projects of wellbeing, conservation agriculture, among others; that this exchange of knowledge and technologies is carried out and can be replicated and implemented in other community projects.

Soariake is an IUCN category VI MPA, that aims at protecting natural ecosystems while allowing the sustainable use of natural resources. It is currently co-managed by WCS and local community gathered in Soariake Association.

Local communities are at the same time actors and victims of overfishing.  As MPA co-manager, WCS  is in charge of scientific research and monitoring to assess the value of the site, communicate, raise awareness and support local communities to identify and implement suitable conservation measures, identifying alternatives to better manage natural resources, and identifying key partners if needed. WCS also provides capacity building in terms of project management, social organization and fishing regulation; thus ensuring the integrity of the MPA and the livelihoods of the communities.

WCS also supports the local community to define different zoning of the MPA, local conventions on resource management, ensure patrolling through Community Control and Surveillance, collect  fish catch data, and promote alternatives that are environmental friendly.

Community involvement in the management of the MPA is key to build a local ownership, one pillar to warrant sustainability of on ground activities.