Seventh Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Programme in Brazil To build social, economic, and ecological landscape resilience in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes through community-based activities for global environmental benefits and sustainable rural development Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. SGP Brazil seeks to yield specific benefits in the Upper Pota River Basin (Piauí), Upper Jequitinhonha Valley (Minas Gerais), Arrojado River Basin and surroundings (Bahia) and Sertão do Pajeú (Pernambuco) landscapes. These benefits will also be upscaled, through policy tools, replication and through strategic projects, that are carried out beyond the landscapes. The key benefits foreseen in this project include:   o Improved biodiversity values- Through biodiversity-friendly agriculture, conservation practices, restoration and improved use of biological resources, reforestation of native, climate-resilient species, there is the expectation that biodiversity values will improve.  o Improved socioeconomic circumstances/strengthened livelihoods- Many small community groups do not often have the luxury of startup capital to put some of their sustainable enterprises into operation. The SGP approach will allow some of these groups to enhance their production, or distribution and improve their socioeconomic conditions. SGP funds will also strengthen civil society organizations that are working to enhance social conditions for the most poverty-stricken. The project will also test and pilot innovative technologies that could decrease labour, support more efficient production and improve peoples’ quality of life.   o Resilient agriculture and food security- The focus on agroecology is to have food production that makes best use of natural resources without destroying said resources, so that there can be long-term supply and sustainable use. The idea is also to lower the cost of inputs, and create a farm ecosystem that is more resilient to climate change and vacillations in rainfall. Additional project interventions which serve to improve the collection and use of water resources, will also assist in ensuring successful production and a decrease in food insecurity.   o Strengthening civic culture- The project’s landscape approach seeks to aggregate the actions of individual groups and communities, with the common objective of having a beneficial impact on the landscape as a whole. This will involve engagement, participation, the collaboration of many, and is anticipated—due to evidence through previous SGP Brazil experience-- to enhance civic culture. Groups that have not worked together yet will have the opportunity to work together; people will learn about successful initiatives carried out, and it is expected that the civil society community, as well as its collaborations with government, academia and the private sector will be improved.   o Upscaling women’s achievements and creating opportunities for youth- This SGP project was designed to support women overcome the barriers that they face, and provide them opportunities of leadership. The project also will seek to increase youth participation and ownership in sustainability measures so as to make sure that knowledge is transmitted to the young, and that there are opportunities for youth to establish viable futures. Integrating environmental education into school and vocational programmes will be key to ensuring youth buy-in and support.  o Benefits for Indigenous and Traditional Communities- The project seeks to support traditional communities and Indigenous communities that use a communal way of governing natural resources. Lessons learned from these communities will be upscaled, innovations that they wish to test will be supported. The project will also support advocacy and communications interventions to maintain the protection from these lands.  o Learning from failures and successes- Many groups and communities do not have the finances available to test initiatives and learn from their failures—failures can lead to financial bankruptcy. SGP provides a unique opportunity to test initiatives, and to also learn if some of them do not perform as well as anticipated, and then share that learning with others.   o Accompaniment- Many civil society groups and organizations have specialized talents and expertise, but may not have the organizational or administrative capacities. SGP Brazil will support these entities to strengthen their organizational capacities so that they may be more financially resilient, more adept administratively and can leverage funds from other donors in the future.