IPSI Collaborative Activity Proposal Form
The following form is for use when submitting proposed IPSI Collaborative Activities for consideration by the IPSI
Steering Committee. See the Collaborative Activity Guidelines on p. 3 for more information.
Please return the completed form to the IPSI Secretariat (isi@unu.edu).
IPSI Collaborative Activities are the activities that shall be undertaken by more than one IPSI member
and constitute an important part of IPSI activities with the purpose of fostering collaboration within the
IPSI membership and implementing the IPSI Strategy and Plan of Action. The IPSI Collaborative
Activities shall be developed and implemented with the endorsement of the Steering Committee inaccordance with the Collaborative Activity Guidelines. Resource mobilization for IPSI collaborative
activities shall be the responsibility of the implementing members in principle. – IPSI Operational
Guidelines, Chapter 5.4
Date of Application:

November 30, 2015

Project title:
Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management of Sacred Forests on Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018 in Benin[PD 754/14 Rev.2 (F)]Collaborating organizations (IPSI members):（*Please underline the leading organization)
NGO Circle for Conservation of Natural Resources (ONG CeSaReN) - Benin
International Tropical Timber Organization
Other contributing organization(s) (including IPSI non-members):
General Directorate for Forests and Natural Resources (DGFRN), Benin
Beninese Environmental Agency (ABE), Benin
Contact:
Name: Takeshi Goto
Job title: Assistant Director, Division of forest Management
Organization: International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
E-mail address: goto@itto.int, leigh@itto.int
Telephone: (81-45) 223-1110
Fax: (81-45) 223-1111
Address:
International Organizations Center - 5F
Pacifico-Yokohama
1-1-1 Minato-Mirai, Nishi-ku
Yokohama 220-0012, Japan
Expected term (e.g. 1 January 2014 – 31 December 2015):
April 2017 – March 2020 (project is approved but still pending finance)
IPSI strategic objective(s) addressed (tick all that apply; see p. 3 for more details):
X

1. Increase knowledge and understanding of SEPLS

X

2. Address direct and underlying causes responsible for the decline or loss of SEPLS

X

3. Enhance benefits from SEPLS

X

4. Enhance human, institutional and sustainable financial capacities

Continued on next page.
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Description of the activity:
Please provide as much information as possible on: Background Activities (including site locations if applicable)
 Expected outcomes Actors and task sharing
 How the activity relates to the IPSI Strategy and IPSI Plan of Action
 Resources, funding Monitoring and reporting
Full project document is attached as a PDF.
PROJECT BRIEF
1.

Context and problem to address

RAMSAR Sites 1017 and 1018 contain more than 500 sacred forests which although limited in size are rich inbiodiversity. These forests play a vital role in the lives of people and the conservation of local natural resources.
Now with the emergence of new religions, high population growth, the weakness of traditional power, and theincreasing impoverishment of the rural population, taboos and restrictions are no longer complied with. Most
sacred forests are subject to abuse and uncontrolled exploitation leading to degradation or even total destruction.
The recent studies on sacred groves in Southern Benin showed that 60% of them are in a degraded state.
Between 1998 and 2013, 34% of sacred forests have experienced a significant reduction in area and 14% havedisappeared. Degradation of these ecosystems is a serious threat to biodiversity and the lives of surrounding
communities who heavily depend on it.
The NGO Club for the Conservation of Natural Resources (Ce.Sa.Re.N), aware and concerned about thesituation, took the initiative in collaboration with the Forestry Administration, the Communal authorities and local
communities to develop the Project “Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management of Sacred Forests on RAMSAR
Sites 1017 And 1018 in Benin”. This project stems from the implementation of pre-project PPD 165/12 Rev.1 (F)which collected baseline information to develop this project.
2.

Implementation objectives and indicators

The development objective of the project is to contribute to sustainable forest management of wetlands insouthern Benin. This objective indicators are (i) by 2020, the wetland ecosystem degradation process currently
affecting wetlands of global importance in southern Benin is reduced by at least 30%, (ii) At the end of the project
the living standards of communities closely dependent on forest resources have been raised by at least 20%, (iii)the volume of timber product has increased by 15% by 2038.
The specific objective of this project is to sustainably manage sacred forests within Ramsar sites 1017 and 1018
in Benin by building the capacity of stakeholders to improve the living conditions of local populations. Indicators
are: (i) At the end of the project, 40 sacred forests feature operational management tools; (ii) at the end of the
project, revenues derived from sacred forest have increased by 25%; (iii) 40 rehabilitated sacred forests areintegrated in the System of Municipal Protected Areas.
The following main results are expected at the end of the project:
1. Improved use of the resources of 40 sacred forests;
2. The levels of income derived from sacred forests by local communities have be raised
3. SFs are integrated in the System of Municipal Protected Areas
3.

Beneficiaries, results, outcomes and expected outputs:

The main beneficiaries of this project are: dignitaries, traditional chieftains, village elders, kings, earth priests andland chiefs, community leaders, voodoo priests, communities and local populations composed of men, womenand children of the village who live on SF resources together with farmers using arable lands adjacent to SFs.
The main outcomes, outputs and results expected from this project are the following:-

Simplified management plans allocated to 40 sacred forests. This will enable dignitaries and owners to2

define the terms of their forest management and better control and monitor their management practices
and interventions;-

Providing these 40 sacred forests with titles of legal recognition to avoid “breaking and nibbling at theestate” or selling portions of it;-

Crop cultivation techniques improved in the vicinity of sacred forests on a total area of 80 ha toincrease farming outputs on these lands without encroachment on the land estates of sacred
forests (SEPLs).

-

The demarcation and staking of 40 sacred forests, to prevent any encroachment and reduce the pressure
for land;-The establishment of 60 ha of multi-purpose plantations to help meet the needs of local communities forforest products (SEPLs);-

The diversification of sources of income for the local communities through the development of alternative
income generating activities, the promotion of Improved Agricultural Production Systems (SAP) and thedevelopment of community-level social infrastructure to raise the income level of the local population byat least 20%-

Capacity-building for at least 200 individual beneficiaries in local communities
planning/development and management techniques, and private plantations (SEPLs);-

The strong involvement of municipal authorities through the establishment and operation of municipal
committees coordinating and monitoring the integration of SFs in the System of Municipal Protected
Areas;-

Improving the biodiversity of 40 sacred forests by planting valuable plant species of value andundertaking the release of specimens of appropriate CITES faunal specimen.

forforest

The development of reforestation-related activities such as seed collection, high-quality seedling production, thepromotion of fuelwood plantations to meet the demand for wood energy, which is the main source of domesticenergy in rural areas. This may also help to raise the income levels of grassroots communities.
4.

Implementation strategy

This project will be implemented in three successive phases:

5.

-Firstly, local management committees will be established both at the SF level and municipal level. These
committees will facilitate the development, validation and implementation of management tools. They will
also help to identify the beneficiaries of Improved Production Systems (SAP).

-The second phase will consist in organizing the grassroots to implement enrichment planting andrehabilitation of SFs; and develop alternative income-generating and environmentally friendly activities toreduce the level of poverty and improve the livelihoods of people at grassroots level (SEPLs).

-

In the third phase, SFs will be incorporated in the System of Municipal Protected Areas to ensure theirsustainability.

Sustainability of project results

Institutional and political sustainability of this project will hinge on the involvement of the General Directorate ofForestry and Natural Resources and the Beninese Environment Agency and Municipalities at all stages ofdevelopment and implementation. Furthermore, the various commitments made by the municipalities through theletters of endorsement attached hereto in Appendix bear witness to the ownership of the project by the municipal
authorities and clearly herald the institutional sustainability of project outcomes.
The financial sustainability of project outcomes and achievements shall be secure beyond the duration of the
project through the commitment of municipalities to fund the project.
Technically, the sustainability of outcomes and achievements is secured by the inclusion of traditional andmodern methods of forest management as well as through the technical monitoring services to be provided

3

by the National Forest Service which is represented in all municipalities in Benin.

6.

Assumption and risks

The main assumptions on which the successful implementation of the project is based are as follows:
The various stakeholders support and participate in the project: One of the difficulties in the implementation offorest development projects is the lack of communication among stakeholders. This project will particularly
address this aspect by involving all stakeholders in the implementation process.
Sustainable management of wetland ecosystems remains a national priority. Policy guidelines may change andthe support of decision makers for the conservation of sacred forests decline. In the international context where
issues related to climate change are taken seriously by the international community, the risk is almost absent.
The probable risks identified in connection with this project are as follows:
Reluctance by dignitaries and managers of sacred forests in relation to interventions by not religiously initiatedoutsiders in these forests. This risk can be reduced by education and outreach sessions.
Climate hazards observed lately and climate change may affect ecosystems, the flow rate of water streams andforest health in the intervention area. This may negatively impact the development actions undertaken. This risk
can be reduced by the use of appropriate adaptation to the adverse effects of the most immediate climate change
and the use of resistant and resilient species.
7.

Budget contributions

SOURCES

Contribution in US$

ITTO

591,618

Benin (Ce.Sa.Re.N NGO)

118,100

TOTAL

709,718

Please attach additional pages as necessary.

IPSI Secretariat use only

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IPSI Collaborative Activity Guidelines
Overview
IPSI Collaborative Activities are activities that are carried out by two or more IPSI member organizations and that
contribute to IPSI’s strategic objectives. Participants may include contributing IPSI non-members also, but atleast two must be IPSI members. Activities may include research, capacity-building, awareness-raising, on-theground or any other activities that contribute to IPSI’s strategic objectives.
IPSI’s strategic objectives, as identified in the IPSI Strategy, are:
1. Increase knowledge and understanding of SEPLS
2. Address the direct and underlying causes responsible for the decline or loss of biological and cultural
diversity as well as ecological and socio-economic services from SEPLS
3. Enhance benefits from SEPLS
4. Enhance the human, institutional and sustainable financial capacities for the implementation of theSatoyama Initiative
In order to be recognized as an IPSI Collaborative Activity, an activity must be proposed to and endorsed by the
IPSI Steering Committee.

Proposal and endorsement procedure
Activities to be considered for recognition as IPSI Collaborative Activities should be proposed to the IPSI
Secretariat using the “IPSI Collaborative Activity Proposal Form” included in this document (p. 1-2). Upon initial
verification, the Secretariat will forward proposals to the IPSI Steering Committee for consideration.

Responsibilities and benefits
Participants in IPSI Collaborative Activities are encouraged to use IPSI’s name and the Satoyama Initiative logo inpromotional and informational materials related to the activity, and to acknowledge IPSI’s support in all outputs.
Collaborating organizations are strongly encouraged to provide the IPSI Secretariat with updates on the progressof IPSI Collaborative Activities on a regular basis or as new information becomes available, to be disseminatedthroughout IPSI’s communications network. The form attached as Annex 1 (p. 4) below may be used for thispurpose.
At the conclusion of an IPSI Collaborative Activity, collaborating organizations are asked to report on the activity
and any outputs and/or outcomes using the form attached as Annex 2 below (p. 5).
It is up to the participants’ discretion which organization will serve as the contact point for the IPSI Secretariat.

Resource mobilization
Organizers of IPSI Collaborative Activities are strongly recommended to secure resources necessary for activities
on through their own means. Collaboration with other IPSI partners and use of an IPSI Collaborative Activity’sendorsement to find funding sources are recommended means of mobilizing resources for IPSI Collaborative
Activities.

Contact
Secretariat of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)UNU Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability
5-53-70 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo 150-8925, Japan(tel) +81-3-5467-1212(fax) +81-3-3499-2828(email) isi@unu.edu
5Annex 1: Progress report for IPSI Collaborative Activity (ongoing)
The following form is for use when reporting progress of an ongoing Collaborative Activity. Please fill out thisform as updates become available and submit to the IPSI Secretariat (isi@unu.edu).
Reporting Date:
Project title:
Study for the Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management of Sacred Forests on Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018 in
Benin [PPD 165/12 Rev.1 (F)]
Please provide any relevant information on the activities and any outputs and/or outcomes below:

Please attach additional pages as necessary.

6Annex 2: Report of conclusion of IPSI Collaborative Activity
The following form is for use in reporting the conclusion of an IPSI Collaborative Activity. Please fill out this form
when the Collaborative Activity is finished and submit to the IPSI Secretariat (isi@unu.edu).
Reporting Date:
Project title:
Study for the Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management of Sacred Forests on Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018 in
Benin [PPD 165/12 Rev.1 (F)]Actual term (e.g. 1 January 2014 – 31 December 2015):
April 2013 – May 2014
Please provide a description of the activities and its outputs and/or outcomes below:
It is our understanding that Mr. Achille Orphée LOKOSSOU from Benin reported the precursor collaborative
Activity as completed at Accra this year.
ITTO also reported this collaborative activity as completed at its 50th ITTC session in November 2014, as
follows:
I.

Introduction

The 8-month pre-project was approved under Autumn-2012 Project Cycle through the electronic approvalsystem put in place, and the financing was made at the same Project Cycle by the Government of Japan, Korea
and USA. The Agreement regulating the implementation of the pre-project was signed in March 2013. The preproject implementation was initiated in April 2013 following the disbursement of the first installment of ITTO funds.
As an acceptable version of the pre-project completion report was received in May 2014, as well as the financial
audit report, the duration of the pre-project implementation had lasted 13 months instead of 8 initially designed by
the implementing agency (ONG-CESAREN).

II.

Objective

The aim of this pre-project was to contribute to the sustainable forest management and conservation of
biodiversity in Benin by building the capacity of local communities to improve their living conditions, throughthe conservation of Sacred Forests (SFs) part of Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018. It specifically intended to evaluate
the potential of Sacred Forests located in the Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018, in order to formulate a projectaiming to support their rehabilitation and sustainable management.
III.

Achievements and Outputs
The main pre-project achievements and outputs are summarized in the two following tables:a) Achievement of outputs

7Outputs

Level of achievement

1. Baseline information on the SFs of thetarget sites is available

Several technical reports providing updated anddocumented information and data on the Sacred Forests
located in the Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018, in Benin,
were prepared by consultants and validated by key
stakeholders through a participatory approach.

2. A project proposal to support therehabilitation and sustainable managementof Sacred Forests within Ramsar Sites 1017
and 1018 in Benin is formulated andsubmitted to ITTO approval.

A project proposal was formulated with the updated
information and data gathered and analyzed through theimplementation of this pre-project. It was validated bymain stakeholders, and submitted to the ITTO regularproject cycle. It was registered as PD754/14 (F) by the
ITTO Secretariat with the following title: “Rehabilitationand sustainable management of Sacred Forests on
Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018”.

b) Achievement of objectives

Objectives

Level of achievement

Development Objective: To contribute to theconservation and sustainable managementof biodiversity in Benin by building thecapacity of local communities to improvetheir living conditions

Relevant information and data (forest inventory,socioeconomic, environmental, mapping aspects)
required for the formulation of a full project proposal
were gathered and analyzed during the pre-project
implementation, through studies and surveys carried out
in the target zone of the future project, with thecollaboration of key stakeholders.

The Specific Objective of the preliminary
draft is to evaluate the potential of 1017 and1018 Ramsar sites sacred forests in order toformulate a project proposal for the
rehabilitation and sustainable managementof these forests

A project proposal was developed in a participatory
process while taking into account the findings of studies
carried out by consultants in the Sacred Forests part ofRamsar Sites 1017 and 1018, in Benin. It was appraisedby the 48th Expert Panel in August 2014.

IV.

Outcomes and Impacts

The main pre-project outcomes and impacts, in relation to the expected outputs and associatedactivities, can be summarized as follows:

The pre-project implementation was an opportunity to gather and analyze more information and data
(environmental and socio-economic aspects) on the Sacred Forests (SFs) part of Ramsar Sites 1017 et1018 and also to precisely map and demarcate them;
Key stakeholders were identified and involved in the assessment of the potential of these SFs and the8sensitization campaigns led some of them to endorse the project objectives and even contributed to get thecommitment of some local authorities for the co-financing of the future project; andBetter sharing of the project’s aim and strong involvement of key stakeholders contributed to develop a
project proposal based on accurate information and data.

V.

Lessons Learnt and sustainability

5.1 Lessons learnt
For the project derived from the implementation of this pre-project, it was important to give priority to theestablishment of a consultation technical committee aiming to address the issue of cultural beliefs and taboo
linked to SFs in Benin, in order the ensure the involvement of key stakeholders operating in the target zone. The
implementation of this pre-project was an opportunity for sensitization campaigns aiming to show the importanceof Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018, in Benin, which are dotted with pockets of Sacred Forests with a very richbiodiversity, representing a natural heritage of great value for their multiple functions (socio-cultural, ritual,environmental, etc.). These Sacred Forests constitute an endogenous form of biodiversity conservation and playa crucial role in the lives of local communities.
5.2 Sustainability
For the future project derived from the implementation of this pre-project, the sustainability should be basedon the involvement of key stakeholders, including local communities, through a participatory process to beconsidered as a key element of the project implementation strategy. The involvement of key stakeholders,
including local communities, in the management of SFs part of Ramsar Sites 1017 and 1018, should contribute to
the sustainability if their interests and needs are taken into account. As part of contribution to the sustainability,
some local authorities have expressed the commitment for the co-financing of the future project.

Remarks:
Please attach additional pages as necessary.

IPSI Secretariat use only

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