Biodiversity Projects
The Small Grants Programme (SGP) is funded by the Global Environment Facility is a corporate programme of the GEF that channels funds to communities and non-government organisations (NGOs) in developing countries to support the efforts of local people to conserve and restore the environment. SGP Seychelles was officially launched in 2010. The National Steering Committee (NSC) is composed of two government representatives, the GEF Operational Focal Point and a UNDP representative. The remaining six members represent NGOs. The composition of the NSC has the objective of making the SGP a grant mechanism for NGOs and governed by NGOs.
Seychelles’ programme portfolio is heavy in biodiversity conservation but is expected to start including more adaptation projects as skills are developed through the partnership with AusAID.
The table below shows all projects approved and funded by the SGP and their implementation status.
| GEF 4 Projects (OP4 2010-2011) | |||
| Grant Recipient | Project Name | Thematic Area | Implementation Status |
| Green Islands Foundation (GIF) | Increasing public awareness and educating the local communities in understanding the behavioural ecology of sharks in order to reduce conflicts between fishermen and dive operators in Seychelles. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Half completed |
| Wildlife Clubs of Seychelles | Endangered species and spaces: Outreach Program for children and youth and the community | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Marine Conservation Society of Seychelles (MCSS) | Conservation of threatened marine biodiversity of NW Mahe through increased public awareness and community involvement in a multi-species acoustic tracking programme | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Lasosiasyon Peser Praslin (PFA) | Piloting participatory research in a fisheries co-management set-up: the case of the Praslin rabbitfish spawning aggregation fishery – | Biodiversity | Three quarters completed |
| Plant Conservation Action Group (PCA) | Building Capacity in Organizations and Communities for Conservation of Species and Habitats | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Seychelles Scouts Association | Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management of the North-East Point Marsh | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Sustainability For Seychelles (S4S) | Promoting rainwater harvesting on the island of La Digue | Climate change | Completed |
| APANA | Training element – Glass Recycling ProjectOn hold – (unlikely to be completed – NGO failure) | Climate Change | Three quarters completed |
| TRASS | Replanting and enhancing community participation in rehabilitation of degraded forest lands: a demonstration project at Pt. Chevalier, Praslin, Seychelles | Sustainable Land Management /Biodiversity | Completed |
| GEF 5 Projects (OP5) | |||
| Val D’Endorre Farmers Association | Conservation of rare local food crops for diversity in the region of Val D’Endorre | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Island Conservation Society | Renewable energy PV system installation on Aride Island Special Reserve | Climate change | Three quarters completed |
| Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S) | Engaging civil society in sustainable waste management – strategic project | Multi-focal | Three quarters completed |
| Wildlife Clubs of Seychelles | Our rivers, Our heritage | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Artisanal Shark Fisher’s Association | Securing traditional livelihoods through sustainable management of the artisanal shark fishery | Biodiversity | Three quarters completed |
| Lions Club of Paradise Seychelles | Controlling the release of chemicals/POPs into Seychelles’ environment: a collaboration between Lions Club Paradise of Seychelles, Public Utilities Corporation and the Custom Authority | Chemicals – Persistent Organic Pollutants | Three quarters completed |
| Sea Level Rise Foundation | Capacity building through stakeholder workshops | Capacity Building | Half completed |
| Marine Conservation Society Seychelles | Conserving marine mammals around Seychelles while maintaining sustainable use of marine resources against a background of urban development, petroleum exploration – Strategic Project | Biodiversity | Half completed |
| Silhouette Island Foundation (SIF) | Nationwide educational outreach, awareness raising, and institutional capacity building to conserve the Sheath-tailed Bat | Biodiversity | Newly approved |
| Environment Educators Association of Seychelles | Knowledge and best practice fairs | Capacity Building | One quarter completed |
| Territoral Restoration Action Society Seychelles (TRASS) | Reforestation of midland watershed for improved benefits to downstream communities | Land Degradation | One quarter completed |
| Plant Conservation Action Group (PCA) | Restoring Seychelles’ Native Biodiversity through the Involvement of Local Communities: Rehabilitation of Endangered Glacis Vegetation | Biodiversity | One quarter completed |
| Arterial Network | Valorisation of the Giant Tortoise through public arts | Biodiversity | Approved with condition |
| Belombre Fishermen Association | Reducing the carbon footprint of the Belombre artisanal fishing port | Climate Change | Approved |
Background
The AusAID-funded Small Islands Developing States Community-based Adaptation project follows the successful funding and implementation of the first-phase of the AusAID-supported Mekong and Asia Pacific Community-based Adaptation programme (MAP CBA) which were both designed to create small-scale ‘project/policy laboratories’ to generate knowledge about how to achieve adaptation at the local level. It is thus that the SIDS CBA has been designed to test, implement, upscale and mainstream community-based projects that seek to enhance the resiliency of communities to address climate change impacts whilst conserving and enhancing the natural resources and ecosystems upon which vulnerable local populations depend. This project assists 38 of the 51 SIDS worldwide, including the Indian Ocean SIDS.
Relationship between GEF SGP and AusAID (DFAT):
Both the GEF and AusAID are funding projects in community-based adaptation: The Australian-funded MAP CBA is building on and running parallel to the GEF SPA CBA project, and both are contributing to the knowledge gap on community based-adaptation practices. The new SIDS programme aims to take this forward by up-scaling the good lessons and practices in addition to providing a platform for knowledge sharing at community and national levels in 15 additional SIDS in the Caribbean region, and eight SIDS in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, which are extremely vulnerable to climate change. Both programmes use existing SGP operational mechanism and avoid duplication and increasing administration costs. The joint approach serves to increase the visibility of a coherent global programme of support from Australia and the GEF to the SIDS, and help in tackling issues of community-based adaptation at landscape and ecosystems levels.
| Baie Ste Anne Farmers Association, in collaboration with TRASS | Increasing the resilience of farming communities on the Praslin plateau by addressing soil salinity to boost local food production | Half completed |
| Avanguard Association | Developing the capacity of the Praslin Avangard CBO to improve the resilience of the Anse Kerlan and other coastal communities and ecosystems to climate change-induced coastal erosion | |
| Territorial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles (TRASS) | Rehabilitation of midland water catchment area that feeds La Hauteur River which services the Cap Samy farming community | Newly approved |
The Government of Seychelles, United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility Programme Coordination Unit (GOS-UNDP-GEF PCU) was established in 2008 as the local management system for the GOS-UNDP-GEF programme in Seychelles.
Since its establishment, the GOS-UNDP-GEF PCU has been responsible for the implementation of a large portfolio of GEF-funded projects that are under the three focal areas:environment, renewable energy and climate change adaptation projects. The portfolio of projects is aligned with Government priorities as defined by the Seychelles Sustainable Development Strategy (SSDS) and supports the development of the Blue Economy.The projects are executed under the Government of Seychelles through the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climage Change.
The GOS-UNDP-GEF PCU strives to optimize the use of GEF resources in supporting the achievement of environmental sustainability in Seychelles.
The table below shows all projects of the GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme in Seychelles and their implementation status.
| GOS-UNPD-GEF Projects in Seychelles | |||
| Project Name | Objective | Thematic Area | Implementation Status |
| Mainstreaming Biodiversity Management into Production Sector Activities (BD Project). | To integrate Biodiversity conservation objectives into key production sectors of the economy. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Ongoing |
| Mainstreaming Prevention and Control of Introduction and Spread of Invasive Alien Species (Biosecurity Project). | Increased capacities to prevent and control the introduction and spread of Invasive Alien Species through Trade, Travel and Transport across the Production Landscape. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Completed |
| Strengthening Seychelles’ Protected Area System through NGO management Modalities (PA Project). | Facilitate working partnerships between diverse Government and non-government partners in the planning and management of the protected area system in Seychelles. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Ongoing |
| National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). | To make specific recommendations for national action for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Ongoing |
| Protected Area Finance Project. | Develop a financing plan for Seychelles protected area system, strengthening the capacity of managing authorities and support measures aimed at increasing more reliable revenue generation for PA management. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Approved |
| Expansion and Strengthening of the Protected Area Subsystem of the Outer Islands of Seychelles and its Integration into the Broader Land and Seascape (Outer Island Project). | To promote the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the Seychelles’ Outer Islands. For details, go here. | Biodiversity | Ongoing |
| Capacity Development for Improved National and International Environmental Management in Seychelles (CB2 Project). | To integrate local and global environmental management and enhance the capacity to implement global environmental management objectives within national programmes. For details, go here. | Capacity Development | Completed |
| Capacity Development for Sustainable Land Management in Seychelles (SLM Project). | Capacity enhanced in Sustainable Land Management (SLM) and SLM principles applied in national policies, plans, processes and practices. For details, go here. | Sustainable Land Management | Completed |
| Enabling Seychelles to prepare its Second National Communication as a response to its commitments under the UNFCCC (SNC Project). | Strengthen technical and institutional capacity to assist Seychelles in mainistreaming climate change concerns into sectoral and national development priorities. For details, go here. | Climate Change | Completed |
| Grid-Connected Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems Project (PV Project). | Increased use of grid-connected rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems as a sustainable means of generating electricity in selected main islands and smaller islands of Seychelles. For details, go here. | Climate Change | Ongoing |
| Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Seychelles (EBA Project). | To reduce Seychelles’ vulnerability to climate change, focusing on two key issues – water scarcity and flooding. For details, go here. | Climate change | Ongoing |
| Promotion and Up-Scaling of Climate-Resilient, Resource Efficient Technologies in a Tropical Island Context (RE Project). | To promote and create an enabling environment for use of energy-efficient appliances, as well widespread dissemination of technologies to reduce water within the domestic sector in Seychelles. For details, go here. | Climate Change | Ongoing |
| Strengthen national decision making towards ratification of the Minamata Convention and build capacity towards implementation of future provisions (Mercury Project). | To undertake a Mercury Initial Assessment to enable the Government of the Republic of Seychelles to determine the national requirements and needs for the ratification of the Minamata Convention and establish a sound foundation to undertake future work towards the implementation of the Convention. For details, go here. | Capacity Building | Ongoing |
MFF invests directly in coastal ecosystems through on-the-ground projects. Several types of projects are used to channel MFF activities. In the Seychelles, MFF has funded projects since 2009.
Small Grant Facility (SG)
SGF Projects are the mechanism though which funds are provided for small-scale projects. Each member country receives funds to establish a Small Grant Facility to deliver projects under two categories: less than US$10,000, and between US$10,000 to US$25,000. MFF also encourages co-financing of these projects, especially by the private sector. Small Grant Facility projects are important for supporting local action in the form of community-based project activities..
Medium Grant Facility (MG)
The budget range for medium projects is USD 50,000-100,000. These projects go through a multiple-stage approval process. MFF Medium Projects will follow from the priorities identified in the National Strategy and Action Plan (NSAP) prepared by each MFF Focal Country, and have commenced in late 2012.
Large Grant Facility (LG)
The budget range for large projects is up to USD 300,000. MFF Large projects were implemented between 2008 and 2011. From late 2012, only Medium projects (referring to grant amount) were going to be implemented.
Regional Initiatives (RG)
MFF regional projects span several countries to consolidate existing knowledge on best practices in coastal resource management and to conduct research on emerging issues to acquire new knowledge. Each regional project has the direct support of at least three MFF member countries, with a strong leading partner organization selected from MFF’s core institutional partners. For more information on MFF grant facilities, go here.
| Name | Location | Start | End | Implementing partner | Type | Status |
| Assessment of the Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna Iewini) shark population and fishery to provide a basis for its sustainable management | Shark fishery areas around the Mahe plateau | 2014-10-01 | 2015-09-30 | Artisanal Shark Fishers Association (ASFA) | SG | Ongoing |
| Community-based management of the Port Launay Mangrove Ramsar Site in Seychelles | Port Glaud district on Mahe | 2014-11-01 | 2016-10-31 | Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S) | MG | Ongoing |
| Mediating marine mammal depredation to enable sustainable long/drop lines fisheries in Seychelles | The Seychelles Plateau | 2014-10-01 | 2015-09-30 | Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) | SG | Ongoing |
| Strengthening the capacity of the community organization “Anse Kerlan Avangard” to investigate and design for counter-erosion actions in the community | Praslin Island: Anse Kerlan coastal area | 2014-10-01 | 2015-05-31 | Anse Kerlan Avangard | SG | Ongoing |
| Where did all the soil go? Coastal monitoring as a tool for developing local capacity, raising public awareness and assessing long-term environmental change | Praslin Island: Anse Possession | 2010-08-01 | 2011-07-31 | Terrestrial Restoration Action Society Seychelles (TRASS) | SG | Completed |
| “Mangroves are a Must!” Promoting mangrove conservation awareness and education in the face of climate change in the Seychelles | Mahé and Praslin islands | 2009-07-01 | 2011-02-28 | Wildlife Clubs of the Seychelles (WCS) | SG | Completed |
| “Mangroves for mankind”: Rehabilitating mangroves at the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman | Mahe: Roche Caiman | 2012-05-30 | 2013-07-31 | Nature Seychelles | SG | Completed |
| Building the capacity of artisanal shark fishers to participate fully and effectively in the Seychelles National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks | Central Archipelago | 2009-07-01 | 2011-05-31 | Michelle Etienne John Nevill Green Islands Foundation (GIF) | SG | Completed |
| Building the capacity of Roche Caiman community to adapt to climate change and other threats | Mahe: Roche Caiman | 2010-08-01 | 2011-02-28 | Audrey Sanders Maryila Dorlin Wilburt Omath Roche Caiman Environment Action Team (RCEAT) | SG | Completed |
| Coastal development and ecosystem modelling as a tool to enable improved local and national policy and decision-making processes | Mahe: Beau Vallon Baie, Anse Intendance; North Island; Denis Island | 2010-08-01 | 2012-07-30 | Various, including MCSS, GIF, DoE, SCCI | LG | Completed |
| Conserving turtle rookeries on Mahé through improved public awareness and community involvement | Ten beaches in southern Mahé | 2009-07-01 | 2011-05-31 | Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles (MCSS) | SG | Completed |
| Development and production of two children’s educational activity books and a scientific toolkit for the Aldabra Atoll World Heritage Site | Aldabra Atoll and Mahé, with nationwide distribution | 2009-07-01 | 2011-03-31 | Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) | SG | Completed |
| Enhancing community participation in sustainable coastal management | Mahe: Port Glaud | 2010-08-01 | 2011-12-31 | Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S) | SG | Completed |
| Keeping the sand in “Sun, Sea and Sand”: Helping coastal communities monitor, understand and manage beach movement and erosion in Seychelles | Several beaches on the island of Mahe | 2012-07-01 | 2013-07-31 | Marine Conservation Society Seychelles | SG | Completed |
| Mapping and enhancing natural resource governance in Small Island Communities | Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand | 2013-01-01 | 2014-12-31 | Regional: UNEPNational:Seychelles National Parks | RG | Completed |
| Promoting community resilience through disaster risk reduction at community level | Mahe : Anse Boileau, Roche Caiman, Ile Perseverance | 2012-07-01 | 2013-10-31 | The Red Cross Society of Seychelles | SG | Completed |
| Protecting critical habitats for the Praslin near-shore artisanal fishery | West coast of Praslin island | 2012-07-01 | 2013-10-31 | Various, including PFA, SFA | SG | Completed |
| Rehabilitation and sustainable management of the North-East Point marsh | Mahe: North-East Point | 2010-08-01 | 2010-12-31 | Seychelles Scouts Association (SSA) | SG | Completed |
The Seychelles Government has established a special fund known as the Environment Trust Fund (ETF) as per the Environment Trust Fund Order. The objects of the Fund are to prevent and reduce pollution; to promote environment to carry out programmes education and research; to clean and beautify Seychelles; to do such other things as may be necessary or conducive to the protection, preservation or improvement of the environment. For details, go to here.
The following projects have been funded by the Environment Trust Fund:
| Grant Recipient | Project Name | Funding | Time Frame |
| TRASS | Praslin Degraded Land Rehabilitation 5-Year Monitoring: to increase the baseline monitoring data on which policy and management practices can be developed, reduce forest & land degradation and encourage rehabilitation. | Partially funded by ETF | 2012 |
| TRASS | TRASS Land Rehabilitation, Research & Action: to improve the Praslin community’s ability to sustainably manage the terrestrial, riverine and marine ecosystems by restoring degraded land. | ETF | 2011-2012 |
| TRASS | Restoration and reforestation project of public and private lands on Praslin: to improve the Praslin community’s ability to sustainably manage the terrestrial, riverine and marine ecosystems by restoring degraded land. | ETF & Australian High Commission | 2012-2014 |
This list is a work in progress. If you are aware of any ETF-funded projects that we have missed here, please contact us.
For TRASS projects funded by other sources, please go here.
For PCA projects funded by ETF and others, please go here for past projects and here for current projects.
Available evidence and the decisions adopted by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) indicate that a significant gap remains in finance for biodiversity management. Countries need to scale up their efforts drastically to achieve the 20 Aichi Targets defined in the CBD’s Strategic Plan for 2011-2020. A preliminary assessment recently conducted under the auspices of the High Level Panel on Global Assessment of Resources for Implementing the CBD Strategic Plan for 2011-2020 estimated that the global investment required amounts to between 130 and 440 billion US$ annually.
In this context, UNDP launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) in October 2012. This is a new global partnership that seeks to address the biodiversity finance challenge in a comprehensive manner – building a sound business case for increased investment in the management of ecosystems and biodiversity, with a particular focus on the needs and transformational opportunities at the national level. BIOFIN aims to develop a methodology for quantifying the biodiversity finance gap at national level, for improving cost-effectiveness through the mainstreaming of biodiversity into national development and sectoral planning, and for developing comprehensive national resource mobilising strategies. BIOFIN will thus provide a framework for undertaking ‘bottom-up’ analyses of the biodiversity finance gap and resource mobilization strategies, through a transformative process led by national stakeholders.
As of January 2014, there were 13 countries including Seychelles that had already begun to participate. This number has now increased to 29 countries. The BIOFIN process in the Seychelles is centered around a number of assessments following the BIOFIN workbook:
Component 1: Reviewing biodiversity policies, institutions and expenditures
An assessment is carried out into how major sectors impact biodiversity, which policies and institutes relate to that and how much the public and private sectors are spending on biodiversity. The assessments under part 1 of the workbook are currently ongoing and expected to be finalized early in 2015.
Component 2: Defining the costs of implementing National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Detailed calculations will be made to find out how much it would cost to complete all activities and reach all goals of the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
Component 3: Mobilizing resources
Under this component BIOFIN will develop a strategy to mobilize potential finance actors and finance mechanisms to reach national biodiversity targets.
Component 4: Initiate implementation of the Resource Mobilization Strategy
The scope of activities shall be defined by the recommendations of the Resource Mobilization Strategy.
On 16 May 2014, the inception workshop for BIOFIN Seychelles was held. Among over 40 participants were stakeholder representatives and the Minister for Environment and Energy at that time, Professor Rolph Payet, and the French Ambassador Madame Genevieve Iancu. A BIOFIN Seychelles banner and leaflets were created for the workshop which can now also be used for future workshops as well as awareness material for specific occasions.
For more information on BIOFIN in general or to find out specifics such as the other BIOFIN countries, please visit the website below: