Summary Results of the Terminal Evaluation StudyI. Outline of the ProjectCountry: Malaysia

Issues/Sector: Nature Conservation
Division in Charge:
Global Environment Dept.
Period of Cooperation:(R/D):
July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2017 (fouryears)

Project title:
Project on Sustainable Development for Biodiversity andEcosystems Conservation in Sabah
Cooperation scheme: Technical Cooperation
Estimated Total Cost:
Approx. 222 million yen
Implementing Organizations:・Sabah State Govt. Agencies (NRO, SaBC, SFD, SP,SWD, EPD, DID, etc.),・ Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation,
University of Malaysia, Sabah (ITBC-UMS)
Related Organizations in Japan:
Ministry of Environment

1-1. Background of the Project
Sabah is one of the few places on earth still blessed with mega-biodiversity, which is not only
vital to sustainable socioeconomic development of the State, but also a treasure for all humankind.
Conservation of its biodiversity and ecosystems is of utmost importance.
JICA supported the Malaysian Federal and Sabah State Governments through the “Programme for
Bornean Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conservation (BBEC) Phase 1 and 2” as technicalcooperation projects under Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA). The ProgrammePurpose of BBEC/Phase 1 (February 2002 – January 2007) was “Comprehensive and sustainableapproach for conservation is established,” while BBEC/Phase 2 (October 2007 – September 2012)
aimed “A system for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation in Sabah is strengthened and Sabah
State becomes capable of extending knowledge and skills on biodiversity conservation to otherstates of Malaysia and foreign countries.”
The authorities concerned of the Government of Malaysia have set the implementation of Sabah
Biodiversity Strategy as a next step to be taken and requested the Government of Japan for the“Project on Sustainable Development for Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conservation in Sabah(SDBEC).”
1-2. Project Overview
The Project is being implemented according to PDM (version 4) modified on 30 June 2015.
(1) Overall Goal
Sabah is known as the Asian Centre of Excellence for biodiversity conservation and sustainable
development nationally and internationally.

－i－(2) Project Purpose
Biodiversity and ecosystem conservation for sustainable development in Sabah is promoted withnational and international recognition.
(3) Outputs
Output1: Management system of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation in Sabah isstrengthened.
Output2: The Sabah's experiences in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation are sharednationally and internationally.
(4) Inputs (as of Terminal Evaluation)
Japanese Side:-Long-term Experts: 4 persons in total


2 Chief Advisors



1 Project Coordinators and 1 Project Coordinator/Environmental Education-Short-term Expert: 36 persons in total- Trainees received in Japan: 62 persons in total (as of September, 2016)-Equipment Provision: Approx.55,6200 JPY (1 Malaysia Ringgit =25.00 JPY)
-Local Operational Cost: Approx. 49033 thousand JPY (as of September, 2016)
Malaysia Side:- Counterpart Agencies: 15 different agencies- Land and facilities: Project office in NRO- Budget Execution of NRO: Approx. 3,600 US dollar
II. Evaluation
Name
Ms. Misa KEMMIYA
Ms. Reiko IITSUKA
Dr. Tetsuro HAMADA

Terminal Evaluation Team
Position
Affiliation
LeaderSenior Deputy Director, Nature Environment Team 1,
Forestry and Nature Conservation Group, Global
Environment Department, JICA
Cooperation Officer, Nature Environment Team 1, Forestry andPlanning
Nature Conservation Group, Global Environment
Department, JICA
Evaluation
Senior Consultant, A&M Consultant. Inc.
Analysis

Period of Evaluation: 30 Oct – 17 Nov. 2016

Type of Evaluation: Terminal Evaluation－ ii －III. Results of Evaluation
3-1. Achievements(1) Outputs
Output 1: Four out of six indicators have been achieved and two indicators are to be achieved.
Indicator 1-1: To be achieved (Management plan for Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (CRBR)
and its annual plan were finalised and will be approved by the end of the Project.)
Indicator 1-1-1:To be achieved (Level of satisfaction of project site beneficiaries will beassessed.)
Indicator 1-1-2: Achieved (Majority of CEPA TOR participants obtained knew knowledge andimproved their awareness.)
Indicator 1-2: Achieved (Majority of CEPA kit training participants confirmed to be moreconcerned about environment and changed their behavior.)
Indicator 1-3: Achieved (Knowledge of target group has been enhanced by the project activities.)
Indicator 1-4: Achieved (The revised SBS monitoring system was launched on 11 October 2016.)
Output 2: All of indicators have been achieved.
Indicator 2-1: Achieved (More than five (5) documents have been prepared.)
Indicator 2-2: Achieved (Two International Symposiums on Conservation and Management ofWetlands (ISCMW) in 2014 and 2016 were co-organized and national CRBR
Seminar was organized in December 2015.)
Indicator 2-3: Achieved (C/Ps have participated in more than two international seminars, ect.)
Indicator 2-4: Achieved (70 persons in total have participated in TCTP.)
Indicator 2-5: Achieved (92-95% of participants showed their satisfaction to TCTP.)
Indicator 2-6: Achieved (NRO became the first official International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative (IPSI) member in Malaysia and National Committee of wetlands inMalaysia is formed under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(MoNRE.)
Indicator 2-7: Achieved (SBS formulated in 2014 has been incorporated in the National Policy on
Biological Diversity in Malaysia.)(2) Project Purpose: Three indicators out of four have been achieved and one is to be achieved.
Indicator 1: Achieved (Revised SBS was prepared and approved through support from theProject.)
Indicator 2: To be achieved (SBS will be monitored through monitoring system and reported.)
Indicator 3: Achieved (National Policy on Biological Diversity in Malaysia refers to SBS forgazetting protected areas and the Tagal. Sabah State Government will host IPSI－ iii －regional workshop for Asia in April 2017 and will share its experience andknowledge.)
Indicator 4: Achieved (CRBR was declared by ICC for MAB programme under UNESCO in June2014 and Kota Kinabalu (KK) Wetland is waiting for designation as a Ramsar
convention site.)(3) Overall Goal: Four indicators are established to measure the level of achievement.
The indicators of 1 to 3 are designed to measure the degree of fulfillment by collecting necessary
information in 5 years after the end of the Project. In respect to Indicator 4, It is expected thatSabah’s contribution to the achievement of Aichi Target will be mentioned in the report for
CBD-COP 13 in Mexico in 2016.
3-2. Evaluation Results by Five (5) Evaluation Criteria
Results of Terminal Evaluation by the five (5) evaluation criteria are summarized below.
(1) Relevance: HighThe Project is consistent with the Malaysian national development plan “11th Malaysia Plan”
as well as the Sabah state’s development plan “Direction of Sabah State Development andAdvancement” and “Sabah’s Strategic Long Term Action Plan.”

The Project is consistent with Japan’s ODA policy.

The Project responded to necessity of capacity development of the target group forsustainable development and appropriately reflected in the current PDM (version 4).

(2) Effectiveness: Medium highProject Purpose is most likely to be achieved. The relationship between Outputs and Project
Purpose is logically connected in the current PDM (version 4) due to adjustment by the Mid-TermReview.
(3) Efficiency: HighInputs from both Malaysia and Japanese sides have been appropriate in terms of quality, quality
and timeline to contribute to the implementation of planned activities. Responding to the requestfrom the Malaysian Government, the present Project Coordinator has playing a role ofenvironmental education expert as well. The C/P agencies have applied technologies and knowledge
obtained from the training courses in Japan to their own work. The increase in the total cost wasexplained by the renovation of a community hall at one of pilot sites and the C/Ps’ participation in
more international conferences. The activities at the pilot site were strengthened due to the－ iv －renovation. The C/Ps joined more international conferences than originally anticipated and thiseffectively led to achievements of outputs. The significant delay of the Project activities is not
identified and technology transfer is conducted without any difficulties. Cost-performance is high.
(4) Impact: Medium highOverall Goal is most likely to be achieved. The tangible effects are observed on capacity
development of C/P agencies and outcome of the pilot project activities. No negative impact andunexpected negative impact are identified.
(5) Sustainability: Medium high
Policy/institutional aspects and Technical aspect are “high”. Organizational aspect and Financial
aspect are “medium” due to uncertainty of budget, manpower and resources.
3-3. Major supporting factors to achieve the Project PurposeEnhancement of NRO's coordination capacity and its recognized leadership among thestakeholders.

High capacity of planning and management of UMS in implementation of the Project
activities, particularly implementation of TCTP.

Strategic selection of appropriate senior officials for trainings and international meetings forenhancing their leaderships and initiatives as well as developing networks in Japan, forexample the visit of Vice-chancellor of UMS (Deputy Project Director) to Hokkaido in Japan.

Extension of technical trainings in Japan as motivation for staffs of the C/P agencies.

Involvement of local communities in Regional-focused trainings for Sabah, which enhanced
their empowerment and awareness for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.

3-4. Major hampering factors to achieve the Project Purpose
Delay in obtaining approval of SBS from the Cabinet.

Unfavorable security situation in the Lower Kinabatangan and Segama Wetland (LKSW)
area.

Limited number of staffs in the C/P agencies involving in the Project activities.



Limited financial allocation to the C/P agencies (Particularly the Project activities that are
not the C/P agencies’ prioritized activities).

3-5. Conclusion
The Team confirmed that the Project has been carried out satisfactory and it is most likely toachieve Project Purpose by the end of the Project even though the Project encountered several－v－

constraints and difficulties in the first half of the Project period. The Project has improved awarenessof peoples in Sabah for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, and played an important role toencourage various C/P agencies to collaborate towards the common goal of sustainable developmentin Sabah State.
The Project has greatly contributed to capacity development of the C/P agencies particularly
through technical trainings in Japan and inputs from short-term experts. Accordingly, the C/Pagencies have sufficiently improved their technical and institutional capacities.
It should be noted that these results are attributed to the strong willingness of the C/P agencies tocooperate with the Project and their initiatives for the Project activities.
Judging from the above findings, it is concluded that the Project should be terminated on 30 June,2017 as planned.
3-6. Recommendations(1) Counterpart Agencies
C/P Agencies will continue to engage in the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems in
Sabah as the Asian Centre of Excellence for biodiversity conservation and sustainabledevelopment. They will also continue to disseminate and share such knowledge andexperience nationally and internationally especially through NRO and UMS.

C/P agencies are expected to strengthen collaboration with private sector in order to promote
Green Development and Economy for conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems in Sabah.

For sustainable financing, C/P agencies will continue to make efforts to mobilize externalfinancial resources rather than relying on the State Government budget.

(2) Department of Agriculture
DOA will continue to support activities at the pilot sites under collaboration with otherrelevant C/Ps.

By utilizing tools such as PRA, DoA will promote the livelihood improvement activities toother villages. For development and value-add of agricultural products, DOA will guide thelocal communities to diversify the products based on the available local resources andcultures.

(3) JICAJICA will continue to be a partner of Sabah for the conservation of biodiversity andecosystems.

JICA will continuously support Sabah as COE to disseminate their information andexperiences as well as to facilitate Sabah’s network with Japanese sites, areas, local－ vi －governments for mutual learning on biodiversity conservation.
3-7. Lessons Learned(1) Project Framework and Project ManagementTo set a concrete and achievable project purpose and review/revise the PDM if necessary.

To design project activities and indicators which C/Ps and JICA experts can directly engage
or/and support.



To develop and share a detailed Plan of Operation among C/Ps.

(2) Utilization of trainings in Japan and JICA short-term expertsTo utilize trainings in Japan and short-term experts to maximize impact.

To utilize action plans of JICA trainees to the Project implementation.

To include the representatives of local community in training with government
officials.
-End-－ vii －