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QUARTERLY REPORT:
July - September 1999
DOCUMENT 4
OCTOBER 1999
ii
Community
Partnerships for
Sustainable
Resource
Management in
Malawi
QUARTERLY REPORT:
July - September 1999
Prepared by:
Development Alternatives, Inc. COMPASS
7250 Woodmont Ave., Suite 200 Phekani House
Bethesda, MD 20814 Glyn Jones Road
USA Private Bag 263
Blantyre
Tel: 301-718-8699 Malawi
Fax: 301-718-7968
e-mail: dai@dai.com Telephone & Fax: 622-800
Internet: http://COMPASS-Malawi.com
In association with:
Development Management Associates USAID Contract: 690-C-00-99-00116-00
Lilongwe Activity: 612-0248
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iv
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. Background 2
3. The COMPASS Approach 2
4. Approach to COMPASS Quarterly Reporting 3
5. COMPASS Inception and Implementation 4
6.1 Targeted Result 1: Effective CBNRM Administration and Technical Services
Capacity Established 6
6.2 Targeted Result 2: Efficient Liaison, Communication and Information
Exchange Mechanisms Established 7
6.3 Targeted Result 3: Improve Community Mobilization Skills within Government,
NGOs and Community Groups 8
6.4 Targeted Result 4: Process of Policy and Legislative Reform in Favor of
CBNRM Supported 10
6.5. Target Result 5: Small Grant Management Services to Finance Special CBNRM
Opportunities Established 11
7. Summary 12
List of Tables
Table 1: Training and Workshops 13
Table 2: Short-term Technical Assistance 14
Table 3: COMPASS Publications 15
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COMPASS Quarterly Report: July 1st 1999 to September 30th 1999
1. Introduction
This first quarterly report for COMPASS covers the first three month implementation period
following approval of the first COMPASS annual workplan by USAID/Malawi in July 1999. The
first workplan covers the period July 1st 1999 to December 31st 1999: this quarterly report covers
the period July 1st to September 30th.
COMPASS is funded through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
and is being implemented by Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) based in Bethesda, Maryland,
and Development Management Associates (DMA) based on Lilongwe, Malawi. The core team of
professionals that will steer the COMPASS effort include the following long-term staff:
Andrew Watson, the Chief of Party and a natural resource management specialist;
Anax Umphawi, the Deputy Chief of Party and a specialist in the design and implementation
of monitoring systems;
Francis Epulani, an expert in community mobilization1; and
Mesheck Kapila, an information management specialist.
COMPASS' support staff comprises the following team members: Lizzie Ndhlovu, administrative
assistant; Elliams Banda, bookkeeper and accountant; and two drivers - Adamson Nkhoma and
Dan Mdechi. The COMPASS team has established offices in Blantyre and has initiated
collaboration with local NGOs, donor programs, government agencies and the private sector to
develop an overall strategy and site specific activities that will support and promote community
based natural resource management in Malawi.
The COMPASS activity was initiated in April 1999 with the arrival of the team of long-term staff
in Blantyre and the establishment of the COMPASS Offices. The first ten weeks before
presentation of the draft first workplan, represented the activity inception period when staff was
hired, offices established, equipment purchased, and operating and personnel procedures were
developed. Following USAID/Malawi's approval of the first workplan, the first quarter of full
implementation has seen progress in several areas:
the drafting of an assessment of institutional arrangements for coordinating CBNRM in
Malawi (TR1);
customization of the COMPASS Technical and Administrative Management Information
system (TAMIS) and linking key partners to the system over the Internet (TR2);
launching of a best practices database and completion of a training needs assessment for
community mobilization (TR3); and
finalizing the COMPASS small-grants manual and application evaluation procedures (TR5).
The COMPASS Performance Milestone Plan2 identified three milestones during this first
reporting period. All were accomplished without any significant delays.
1
In September 1999, Francis Epulani tendered his resignation from the COMPASS Team (effective October
31st 1999) in order to pursue an advanced degree overseas. His replacement is currently being recruited.
2
The Performance Milestone Plan is part of the COMPASS monitoring system. The system as a whole is
designed to gauge the performance and impact of COMPASS and the overall impact of CBNRM initiatives in
Malawi. Through the Performance Milestone Plan, the COMPASS Team has established watershed
performance targets that help measure progress toward achieving Targeted Results and Sub-Results.
1
During the fourth quarter of 1999, we anticipate that all of the inception activities will be
completed. During this period, we also expect to complete the other tasks and accomplish all of
the goals that are articulated in the 1999 workplan. Amongst other activities, these include a
comprehensive review of the policy framework for CBNRM and a thorough review of the
indicators and targets presented in the different components of the monitoring and evaluation plan
that is included in the present document.
2. Background
In 1996, recognizing the importance of addressing environmental problems, the Government of
Malawi approved a comprehensive national environmental policy that places emphasis on the
management of natural resources by communities. Additionally, the President of Malawi signed
into law the nation’s first Environmental Management Act that, among other things, provides the
requisite architecture for an on-going program of sectoral policy, institutional and legislative
reform in favor of the environment.
In March 1997, USAID assisted the Environmental Affairs Department of the Malawi
Government by organizing a workshop to facilitate participation in developing a “Results
Framework” for a national CBNRM strategy. Building on the National Environmental Action
Plan, the framework outlines elements of a strategy for mobilizing communities into effective
NRM institutions. This planning was expected to continue under the guidance of a CBNRM
National Steering Committee and Secretariat to be established in 1998. However, this has been
stalled for the past two years. The COMPASS Team will support and expand this strategic
planning process, commitment to community based natural resource management and help
strengthen the institutional framework in which CBNRM programs are designed, implemented,
monitored and evaluated in Malawi.
COMPASS will address USAID Strategic Objective Number 2 (SO2): Increased sustainable use,
conservation and management of renewable natural resources. This and four other Strategic
Objectives are designed to achieve USAID/Malawi’s goal of broad-based sustainable economic
growth. In addition, COMPASS will complement three other USAID/Malawi initiatives to
address environmental issues, as follows:
Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust (MEET) – that will create a Malawian
organization capable of funding environmental initiatives on a sustainable basis through
management of an investment portfolio initially capitalized by donor organizations and
others.
Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project (MAFE) – that supports efforts to test, refine and
disseminate information about improved agroforestry practices in Malawi that help improve
agricultural productivity and reduce depletion of natural resources.
3. The COMPASS Approach
The COMPASS team will work toward accomplishing predetermined goals in five discrete areas
that are defined as Targeted Results (TR). Each TR has a set of Sub-Results (SR) and for each SR
a set of tasks and/or actions that have been identified and will be implemented to achieve the SR
and the overall TR. The TRs are as follows:
TR1 Building Malawian Capacity Amongst NGOs and Government to Administer CBNRM
Initiatives and Provide the Necessary Technical Support to Practitioners;
2
TR2 Establishing Efficient Liaison and Information Exchange Among CBNRM Programs in
Malawi and Neighboring Countries;
TR3 Improving Community Mobilization Skills Within the Public and NGO Sectors;
TR4 Supporting Policy and Legislative Reform That Assists Improved Resource Management
at the Village Level; and
TR5 Providing Small Grants to CBNRM Practitioners and Promoters.
The COMPASS annual workplan includes a series of tables that describe the way in which we
intend to measure progress toward achieving our objectives in each of these areas. In addition, we
have identified annual targets in terms of our performance and the impact we expect to achieve. It
is anticipated that these targets will be reviewed in the final quarter of 1999 and the first reporting
period will end in mid-2000. Overall, we anticipate that if COMPASS’ approach and basic
assumptions are correct, and provided implementation progresses as expected, after five years the
capacity to administer and implement CBNRM programs will have improved. Moreover,
COMPASS and its partner organizations will have effected a marked improvement in the way
natural resources are managed and in the quality and availability of resources. We have identified
the following targets for gauging the overarching impact of COMPASS and related CBNRM
activities in Malawi:
A 100% increase in family income generated by activities that are sanctioned by public and
private sector agencies sponsoring CBNRM relative to the 1998 baseline;
500 rural communities with agreements with public sector agencies for sharing income from
protected areas and/or jointly managing natural resources on public and communal lands;
A 20% increase in the extent of natural forest cover relative to the 1990/1991 baseline;
A 20% decrease in suspended sediment yield at hydrological stations on the main rivers draining
different regions of Malawi (relative to the 1998 baseline);
An increase in the number of tonnes of fish from Lake Malawi and the other major lakes landed in
Malawi by subsistence and commercial fishers; and
The maintenance of 100% of the population of key species including predators, large mammals,
and endangered species: these will provide an overall indication of biological diversity and
ecosystem health.
These targets are scheduled to undergo a thorough review in the fourth quarter of 1999 when
COMPASS will invite our partners to participate in a comprehensive evaluation of the proposed
system for monitoring the impact of CBNRM efforts in Malawi.
4. Approach to COMPASS Quarterly Reporting
This quarterly report will review progress with respect to each Targeted Result. For each of
these, we have summarized what activities were successful as well as those that did not go as
smoothly as was hoped. These assessments summarize our own performance with regard to our
targets and goals outlined in the first workplan. In addition, we have also attempted to evaluate
external forces that will influence our ability to accomplish our objectives. We have categorized
these as "opportunities" that we can build on to achieve greater success and "threats" that will
3
have to be addressed in order to remove possible hindrances to realizing our goals in a timely and
effective manner.
The COMPASS Team held a three-day planning and team building workshop in late September at
which progress to date was reviewed and opportunities and threats were identified and discussed.
This report represents a synopsis of these deliberations and is structured in such a way that these
same themes are retained.
5. COMPASS Inception and Implementation
The COMPASS Activity was initiated in Mid-April 1999 when the Chief of Party arrived in
Malawi and began the process of establishing offices in Blantyre, procuring equipment and
materials and hiring and training staff. In the five-and-a-half months between then and the end of
the first reporting period, the COMPASS Office has been established in Phekani House on Glyn
Jones Road in Blantyre and the full contingent of staff has been trained in all the functions
required to operate an efficient CBNRM Support Unit.
Phone lines were acquired quickly - despite some initial problems with mysteriously vanishing
wiring. The office was wired to provide each staff member with internal and external electronic
network capabilities. A server provides access to the Internet through a local service provider.
This allows the team not only to stay in close touch with DAI's home office but also provides us
with an efficient means of communication with many of our key partners. The internal
LotusNotes based "share-ware" allows each team member to communicate information to each
other member of the team. The proprietary Technical and Administrative Management
Information System (TAMIS) is used to manage every aspect of COMPASS implementation from
workplan management including planning travel and training to developing scopes of work for
short-term technical assistance to finalizing and disseminating reports and publications. An
especially innovative application of the software has been the creation of a site on the World
Wide Web that allows key Partners - including USAID - to access TAMIS over the Web and
interact with the COMPASS Team using the web-site as a communications tool. Now USAID
can provide comments on COMPASS implementation directly to the team and can also give
provisional electronic approvals of scopes of work and technical materials.
The COMPASS Team is already realizing the benefits of this approach to information sharing and
building a larger team of partners. COMPASS is currently supporting efforts to create a network
of NGO capacity building service providers in Malawi by acting as a Secretariat. In future, we
expect to expand such services to other associations and organizations that support the
implementation of community-based natural resource management in Malawi. An important next
step will be completing the design of a COMPASS web-site in the public domain (compass-
malawi.com) that will provide broader access to our information systems. Through the use of
GIS and other software we will begin to build a gateway to information, knowledge and expertise
to assist efforts to manage Malawi's natural resources in a more sustainable and equitable manner
through strong community participation and by forging lasting partnerships.
In addition to preparing a COMPASS Handbook that outlines operating guidelines, personnel
policies and office practices, COMPASS has also implemented formal procedures for periodic
review of employee performance that are based upon DAI's home-office systems. The process
involves each employee establishing goals and targets for the coming year in close consultation
with the Chief of Party. Subsequently, progress is reviewed periodically and the need for any
corrective actions is discussed between the employee and his/her supervisor. Provisions for DAI
home office review of supervisor performance is also incorporated in the system. In September,
the COMPASS Team held a three-day team-building session in Zomba that was facilitated by a
professional organization development specialist. Additional measures to ensure effective
4
communication and collaboration among the team members were discussed and procedures have
been established to ensure periodic review of team development.
5
6.1 Targeted Result 1: Effective CBNRM Administration and Technical Services Capacity
Established
Achievements: at the quarterly meeting of CURE in May 1999, COMPASS agreed to undertake a
thorough assessment of the current situation with regard to coordination of CBNRM initiatives in
Malawi. This background paper was submitted to key partners in a draft form in August and is
awaiting review by a wider audience.
The establishment of the COMPASS Office with its attendant support services and systems
represents the creation of a Technical Unit that is capable of acting as a secretariat to help
improve coordination of CBNRM initiatives and can facilitate communication among key actors
and other interested parties.
A CBNRM Partners Association is in the process of being established. This initially will be an
informal network of organizations and individuals involved in promoting, supporting or
implementing CBNRM activities. At a later date, the Association will be formalized. COMPASS
has also taken on the role of a Secretariat for the fledgling Network of NGO Capacity-Building
Service Providers. This network of donor representatives, projects and NGOs has now met twice
to share information and provide a forum to discuss issues of common importance.
Performance Milestones: there were no Performance Milestones identified for this period.
Constraints: the major difficulties faced to date have stemmed from a lack of responsiveness on
the part of EAD with respect to taking the lead on organizing meetings to discuss coordination
issues. At this time, we are hopeful that a forum will be organized in November with COMPASS'
logistical and financial support.
Opportunities: there is currently great enthusiasm on the part of donors, government and NGOs
for promoting CBNRM in Malawi. There is also a keen understanding of the need for building an
efficient framework for administering and coordinating CBNRM initiatives in order to avoid
duplication of effort and build synergy among the diverse players and activities. The impetus for
improved coordination is strong and COMPASS can use this to encourage government and NGOs
to discuss key issues and build consensus on an appropriate approach.
Threats: at this time, it is unclear how committed the Environmental Affairs Department is to
facilitating an open dialog among all CBNRM partners to build consensus on approaches and
structures for improved coordination of CBNRM initiatives. In Malawi (and many other
developing countries) the typical model for trying to ensure thorough coordination of national
programs is to create centralized structures such as Steering Committees in which government has
a controlling influence. Coordination can be synonymous with control. COMPASS has adopted
a strategy that gives EAD a preeminent role in leading the discussions on this issue (as, indeed,
they are mandated to do by the provisions of the Environmental Management Act). This
notwithstanding, COMPASS has outlined an approach that both encourages and enables broad
stakeholder participation in the debate.
6
6.2 Targeted Result 2: Efficient Liaison, Communication and Information Exchange
Mechanisms Established
Achievements: 50 organizations and individuals have been registered as potential users of
the COMPASS information network through the Internet3 and using e-mail. The
COMPASS Information Network was launched in August when USAID, DMA, the
Environmental Affairs Department, CURE and the Wildlife Society of Malawi were
provided access to the COMPASS Technical and Administrative Management
Information System (TAMIS). This LotusNotes based information system is used to
manage and administer the COMPASS activity and provides a framework for housing
technical information about CBNRM in Malawi. The COMPASS TAMIS is now
available on the World Wide Web to the aforementioned partners who can collaborate
with the COMPASS Team in Blantyre and Bethesda using the interactive site.
Performance Milestones: the creation of the COMPASS TAMIS and provision of access
to it for key partners represents the first step in Launching the Malawian CBNRM
information network which is a performance milestone that was scheduled to be achieved
in September 1999.
Constraints: the COMPASS Team has encountered a number of difficulties in contacting
potential partners as a result of the poor communications infrastructure. We will continue
to explore ways in which to transmit information efficiently and overcome the constraints
posed by the postal and telecommunications systems.
Opportunities: at this time the COMPASS information network is heavily biased toward
the use of high-technology particularly computer-based systems and electronic
communications. There is considerable potential for growth in these areas as
technological innovations occur and prices of equipment and services fall. COMPASS
expects to work with partners to address challenges and draw lessons from our own
success as well as those of others.
Threats: there is lack of appreciation of the utility of information tools by some partners
with some agencies apparently feeling threatened when new technology offers the
opportunity to share information with more users and a broader audience. The trend
toward freer access to information runs counter to many long-established beliefs that
information is power and, therefore, it should be controlled.
The rate of change and innovation in the Information Technology could render some
investments obsolete. A strategy for addressing possibility must be elaborated.
Some bureaucratic channels of communications undermine the speed of information flow.
Few partner organizations have established local area networks or domains at their
headquarters. Moreover, many do not have access to more than one Internet account or
one workstation with Internet capabilities. In effect, in many cases one designated "gate-
keeper" facilitates the flow if information to other members of the organization. The
potential for inefficiency and communications breakdown is high. We will endeavor to
work with key partners to overcome these constraints.
3
COMPASS has subscribed to Malawi-Net for Internet Services
7
6.3 Targeted Result 3: Improve Community Mobilization Skills within Government,
NGOs and Community Groups
Achievements: progress has been achieved in all the areas that were targeted within the
first quarter.
So far, potential training partners have been identified in the various sectors and among
diverse actors in the CBNRM community. For the purposes of broader distribution and
dissemination, the COMPASS Information Management Specialist will put this
information in an electronic format. The list covers private sector representatives,
Community Based Organizations such as Lipangwe Organic Manure Demonstration
Farm (LOMADEF) in Ntcheu, and MAVOTI in Mzimba, NGOs, individual farmers and
government representatives.
A training-needs assessment and training-module development has been completed and
the final report will be distributed in November. The assessment adopted an approach
that examined the partners' current and potential skills as well as identifying what
additional capacities they want to see developed within their organizations. This
approach created a lot of excitement, as it was different from the traditional way of asking
what communities feel are their weaknesses and problems - an approach that often fosters
dependence. We are hopeful that the final report will stimulate demand for the various
types of quality training offered by the partners of COMPASS and trigger requests for
services. This training is expected to be both formal involving conventional trainers and
more "hand-on and visual involving exchanges and visits to best-practice sites.
Best practices and model sites in Malawi have been identified and are being documented.
The sites mostly include case studies of environmental management either through
farming or woodland conservation, the development of environmentally friendly
technologies such as small biogas schemes and activities at ATIGA (under Community
Services in Lilongwe old town). Others are examples of integrated organic farming that
not only help conserve soil and water but also make improve people's quality of life and
promote sustainability in the use of natural resources.
Performance Milestones: there were no Performance Milestones identified for this period.
Opportunities: there is a lot of enthusiasm among community members to develop their
latent skills while conserving resources and protecting the environment. COMPASS
simply needs to identify partners potential and the available local resources upon which to
build. For example, the availability of livestock in Mwanza District combined with
training for bio-gas generation offers an opportunity to c0ombat the rampant deforestation
that is occurring in the area. So too can income generation from processing and selling
juice obtained from the wild-harvested fruits.
Within communities that are traditionally dependant on fishing, the promotion of
horticulture during the closed seasons presents an opportunity to ensure sustainability in
the use of resources on which these communities depend. Similarly, the formation of
organic farmers clubs, such as MORIGA in Machinga, offers great potential.
8
Threats: the major threats are the “relief culture” that continues to be promoted by many
partners as well as the excessively bureaucratic processes in government and some NGOs
involved in rural development.
9
6.4 Targeted Result 4: Process of Policy and Legislative Reform in Favor of CBNRM Supported
Achievements: little activity was anticipated on this Targeted Result in the first quarter since
fundamental issues relating to establishing a CBNRM policy framework must be addressed before
any significant headway can be made. Nevertheless, the debate on CBNRM policy has been
brought to the fore and it is anticipated that this will continue with participation of a broad range
of stakeholders in a forum that EAD will organize with COMPASS support in November 1999.
Constraints: through discussions with key partners, it has become evident that a national policy
specific to CBNRM is probably impossible to achieve since the use of different types of natural
resources is governed by sectoral policies such as those dealing with forestry, fisheries and
wildlife among others. In order to develop a comprehensive framework for CBNRM certain
guiding principles will have to be established and then these will have to be integrated into the
existing or evolving sectoral policies. This will necessitate broad participation and there is a
distinct danger that conflicts might arise in areas were current policies are inadequate or even
contradictory.
Performance Milestones: there were no Performance Milestones identified for this period.
Opportunities: notwithstanding the lack of coherent policies dealing with certain natural
resources, there is considerable enthusiasm and optimism regarding the potential for CBNRM in
Malawi. One example that has recently engendered considerable debate is the issue of
legalization of commercial charcoal production. It is clear to most observers that the current
situation with regard to charcoal manufacturing is untenable: though it is illegal, the commerce in
and around the major towns is enormous and for many people there are few viable alternatives to
charcoal for domestic energy needs. The opportunity to drive the CBNRM policy debate by
addressing such matters is one that COMPASS, along with our key partners, will seize.
Threats: COMPASS efforts in the area of policy development and supporting grass-roots
advocacy for policy reform closely parallel the agenda of CURE and the DANIDA environmental
program. There is a danger that COMPASS' efforts may be misconstrued as encroaching upon
the roles of other organizations. In reality, the COMPASS Team will work with these
organizations as partners and we will strive not only to avoid duplication of effort but also to
ensure that our approaches are compatible. We have established close relationships with both
CURE and the DANIDA-funded environmental program staff and have discussed ways in which
an open and regular dialog can occur to build greater synergy. For example, the possibility of
organizing monthly meetings of project team leaders to discuss coordination and collaboration
across field programs would be a useful supplement to the monthly meetings of the Donor Sub-
Group on Natural Resource Management that currently coordinates issues at the programmatic
level.
10
6.5. Target Result 5: Small Grant Management Services to Finance Special CBNRM
Opportunities Established
Achievements: a manual has been developed to assist grant applicants and recipients with grants
application procedures and management of the grant. Fourteen members of a Grant Application
Review Panel have been identified from various organizations with a fair representation of
various stakeholder groups to ensure that opportunities for funding are well balanced. Members of
the Grant Application Review Panel reached a consensus on grant application review process and
requirements for grant management at a workshop held at Ryall's Hotel in August 1999.
Performance Milestones: there were two Performance Milestones during this reporting period:
Grant Review Panel procedures established; and
Grant-application Manual published.
Both were achieved without significant delays.
Constraints: the approach that COMPASS will adopt to ensure broad dissemination of the manual
is yet to be defined. The methods of targeting applicants have not yet been established.
Consequently, distribution of the manual was haphazard and by the end of the quarter no grant
application from those who had received the manual was received.
Opportunities: design of the COMPASS small grants program is based on information obtained
from various people with a wide range of experiences with similar grant programs. COMPASS
has, therefore, capitalized on the positive experiences and attempt to learn from the mistakes that
others have identified and avoid the same pitfalls. The COMPASS grant program more flexible
than other grants. The level of enthusiasm among potential grantees is high and this should
contribute to the success of the program.
Threats: the widely held myth in rural communities that natural resource management is mainly
the conservation of woodlands might limit identification of a variety of viable opportunities that
are available to the communities for possible funding through COMPASS grants. We will
continue promoting innovative approaches to community-based natural resource management
using a variety of techniques to increase public awareness and disseminate knowledge.
Funding for the COMPASS small grants program is limited to $550,000. At this time there are no
provisions for informing prospective applicants well ahead of time when these funds have been
exhausted. In effect, if the COMPASS public awareness campaign regarding the availability of
grants is successful and we receive numerous high-quality applications, we would be in the
unenviable position of having to turn down applications owing to lack of funds and this could
generate considerable disappointment and resentment. Our imminent goal will be to develop an
exit strategy for the small grants program.
At this time, DAI has not received approval for the COMPASS Small-Grants Manual from the
USAID Contracts Officer.
11
7. Summary
The COMPASS activity was initiated in April 1999 with the arrival of the team of long-term staff
in Blantyre and the establishment of the COMPASS Offices. Following USAID/Malawi's
approval of the first workplan, the first quarter of full implementation (July to September) saw
progress in several areas:
the drafting of an assessment of institutional arrangements for coordinating CBNRM in
Malawi (TR1);
customization of the COMPASS Technical and Administrative Management Information
system (TAMIS) and linking key partners to the system over the Internet (TR2);
launching of a best practices database and completion of a training needs assessment for
community mobilization (TR3); and
finalizing the COMPASS small-grants manual (TR5).
During this reporting period all anticipated Performance Milestones were accomplished.
During the fourth quarter of 1999, we anticipate that all of the inception activities will be
completed. During this period, we also expect to complete the other tasks and accomplish all of
the goals that are articulated in the 1999 workplan. Amongst other activities, these include a
comprehensive review of the policy framework for CBNRM and a thorough review of the
indicators and targets presented in the different components of the monitoring and evaluation plan
that is included in the present document. During the year 2000, COMPASS will embark on the
full-scale implementation of our efforts. However, already in the first few months the COMPASS
team has been able to draw lessons from our own experiences and those of our partners and we
have identified some changes in direction that we feel are warranted. These new courses include:
a stronger focus on CBNRM policy development and building capacity within NGOs to play
an active role in policy reform;
a greater emphasis on increasing public awareness of natural resource management issues; and
a more targeted approach to community mobilization that concentrates on training for
transformation and improved extension services.
We feel that COMPASS' efforts in the year 2000 will firmly establish the relationship with our
partners and set the course for the activity's direction over the full period of implementation. We
are aware of the numerous challenges that face the successful adoption CBNRM in Malawi.
Nevertheless, we also recognize that there are many opportunities for forging partnerships that
will help establish a policy framework conducive to CBNRM and mobilize communities to
embrace approaches to natural resource management that are environmentally sustainable and
socially equitable.
12
TABLE 1: Training and Workshops
Training or Workshop Date(s) Location Number of Participants (number
of female participants in
parentheses)
Development of 1999 COMPASS June 9th 1999 Ryall's Hotel, Blantyre 15 (3) plus COMPASS
workplan
Environmental Impact Assessment August 2nd to 6th 1999 Grand Palms Hotel, Gaborone, Anax Umphawi (COMPASS)
Training Botswana
COMPASS Small-Grants Manual August 25th 1999 Ryall's Hotel, Blantyre 10 (2) plus COMPASS and STTA
Preparation
CBNRM Training Needs September 16th and 17th 1999 Blantyre Sports Club 15 (2) plus COMPASS and STTA
Assessment
COMPASS Teambuilding and September 20th to 23rd 1999 Ku Chawe Inn, Zomba COMPASS Team and STTA
Year 2000 Internal Planning
13
TABLE 2: Short-term Technical Assistance
Name Position/Assignment Period of Assignment Level of Effort
(in-country) (includes travel time)
Susan Pietrzyk Senior Administrative Associate June 6th to 19th 1999 10 days
(DAI Home Office Staff)
Esther Lamnyam Network Information Systems June 27th to July 8th 1999 15 days
Specialist (DAI Home Office Staff)
Susan Exo MIS Development Specialist (DAI August 5th to 21st 1999 15 days
Home Office Staff)
Gilbert Mwakanema CBNRM Training Specialist August 13th to 28th September 1999 36 days
Robert Clausen Small Grants Specialist August 20th to September 8th 1999 18 days
Doshau Qualls Project Account Manager (DAI September 5th to 12th 1999 10 days
Home Office Staff)
Sheena Orr Strategic Planner/Organizational September 9th to October 31st 1999 8 days
Development Specialist
David Craven GIS Specialist (DAI Home Office September 20th to October 14th 1999 24 days
Staff)
14
Table 3: COMPASS Publications
Document Number Title Author(s) Date
1 First Workplan (July 1st 1999 to December 31st COMPASS July 1999
1999)
2 Small Grants Manual Umphawi, A., Clausen, R. & September 1999
Watson, A.
Draft Institutional arrangements for improved Watson, A. August 1999
management of natural resources by local
communities in Malawi: and overview with
recommendations for more effective coordination
of programmes and activities
Draft Training Needs Assessment: Responsive Modules Mwakanema, G. September 1999
and Training Approach
15
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