USAID and Biodiversity Conservation

Biodiversity Conservation in Agriculture SymposiumPunta Cana, Dominican Republic

May 31 - June 2, 2006

USAID’s Mission

USAID contributes to U.S. national interests by supporting the people

of developing and transitional countries in their efforts to

achieve sustainable economic and social progress and to participate

more fully in resolving the problems of their countries and

the world.

What is USAID?

• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead US federal agency providing foreign assistance and humanitarian aid to the developing world.

• USAID is a key component of U.S. foreign policy.

• Total budget for 2004 was about $9.5 billion ($4.5 billion jointly managed with State Dept.)

Total 2004 U.S. International Biodiversity Funding

USAID $169,472,543

Treasury Department (GEF & TFCA) $66,000,000

Fish & Wildlife Service $17,700,000

State Department $6,360,000

Forest Service $6,000,000

National Park Service $846,000

Total $266,378,543

What USAID Does

The Agency works in 7 areas critical to achieving both economic and social development and advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives

• Economic growth & trade• Agriculture• Global health• Conservation of natural

resources• Democracy and governance • Education • Humanitarian assistance.

How USAID Does Its Work

• With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID's strength is its field offices around the world.

• USAID works in close partnership with private voluntary and indigenous organizations, universities, businesses, international agencies, foreign governments, and other U.S. government agencies.

• USAID has working relationships with more than 3,500 companies and over 300 private voluntary organizations.

USAID’s in Situ Biodiversity Program

• USAID invested over $165 million in biodiversity conservation in Fiscal Year 2005.

• 85% of funds are programmed by USAID’s field missions, and managed by environment professionals in the field. The remainder is programmed globally through Washington, DC.

USAID Biodiversity Expenditures 1987-2004

Evolution of Conservation Funding

Protection based on ecology (species)

Conservation including social considerations (ICDP)

Geographic Conservation priorities

Threats-based conservation

Ad hoc Strategic

USAID Biodiversity Expenditures 1987-2004

USAID’s Biodiversity Funding By Region- 2004

Illustrative Conservation Approaches

USAID takes a threats and opportunities-based approach to

biodiversity conservation.• Landscape-Level Conservation• Sustainable Use and Market-Based

Mechanisms• Community-Based Conservation• Protected Areas Management

• Environmental Education and Communication

• Policy Development and Reform

Biodiversity Program Principles

• Programs should apply a threats and opportunities-based approach

• Programs should be participatory and foster sustainability

• Programs should strengthen in-country capacity

• Programs should focus on priority sites

WWF Ecoregions

CI Hotspots and Wilderness areas

Biodiversity Program Principles

• Programs should be results oriented

• Programs should complement other conservation activities and fill critical gaps.

• Programs should include learning and be adaptive.

Threats

• Threats are the factors that negatively affect biodiversity, and;

• Threats should be identified at the level at which the threat abatement can be undertaken.

The Threats-based Conservation Approach

• Identify the site, scale, and conservation

targets,

• Identify direct threats to biodiversity,

• Prioritize threats,

• Develop conservation interventions to

address high priority threats, and• Apply adaptive management techniques.

Weak Example of Links

THREAT ACTIVITY

Poverty Develop alternativeeconomic activities

Lack of environmentalawareness

Distribution ofenvironmentaleducation materials

Timber concessionthreatening site

Radio programs forcommunities onenvironmentalawareness

Threat Source ofThreat

Effect onconservation

targetActivity

Conversion -Habitat

degredation

Loggingcompany

concessions

Loss of foresthabitat forelephants

Best practiceagreements between

company andgovernment

Speciesexploitation/

overharvesting

Bushmeatfor local and

urbanmarkets

Loss ofmammalspecies

Increase enforcementcapacity

Develop alternativesources of protein

Improved Links

Over-extraction of forest resources by communities

• Goal: Ecologically and financially sustainable forest management

• Mitigation: Community-based forest management

• Strength:– Inclusion of communities in all steps of the

process, including threats analysis– Communities identify and rank threats– Communities implement management

actions

Habitat fragmentation - overgrazing

• Goal: Increase area for biodiversity & wildlife migration

• Mitigation: Work with relevant stakeholders to develop large scale management plans

• Strengths:– Land-use decision-making devolved to

communities– Stakeholder participation at all levels of

planning and implementation– Conservation solutions matched with

economic opportunities

People and Conservation

• Threats develop from local, national and international needs and interests

• Whenever possible, benefits from threats-based solutions should benefit local communities

• Mitigate conservation costs incurred by local communities

USAID Biodiversity Program Profile: Madagascar

• High level of: biodiversity, threat, opportunity

• Strong Malagasy Government commitment

• USAID $8.32 mill. Biodiversity in 2004

• USAID program focus areas

USAID Biodiversity Program Profile: Nepal

• USAID $1.42 mill. Biodiversity in 2004

• Effective programs in face of conflict

• USAID program focus areas

USAID Biodiversity Program Profile: CBFP

•Congo Basin Forest Partnership / Central African Reg. Program for the Environment•USAID $16 mill. Biodiversity in 2004•Landscape scale conservation of the Congo Basin

USAID Biodiversity Program Profile: GCP

• GCP: The Global Conservation Program

• USAID $6.2 mill. Biodiversity in 2004

• Conservation in 17 priority land and seascapes globally

» Photo: The Nature Conservancy Komodo Island Land and Seascape

USAID: promoting threats based conservation

• Prioritize funding on opportunities that focus on threats-based approach

• Work with partners to develop sound emphasis on local community involvement and benefits

• Develop biodiversity activities in concert with other sectors - democracy and governance, agriculture, economic growth, and health

Websites for Further Information

USAID Biodiversity Programshttp://www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/biodiversity/

USAID LAC/Environment Programshttp://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/environment/

U.S. Forest Service International Programswww.fs.fed.us/global/

Tropical Forest Conservation Actwww.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/forestry/tfca.html

Conservation Finance Alliancehttp://www.conservationfinance.org/

Thank You!