Project News

We are happy to introduce the progress of the Project from April to June, 2012. Its details are also shown in Newsletter vol. 4.

• Newsletter

(1) Output 1

i) Activities in the 1st Batch Target Villages (Sucos Talitu, Madabeno, Faturasa and Fadabloco)

The NGOs assisted the beneficiaries' groups in the implementation of the micro programs in the four target villages, which were selected in October and November 2011.

As of the end of June 2012, the following activities were carried out.

1. Hands-on training in making compost under the Sustainable Upland Farming Promotion with Community-Based Seed Extension Micro Program (SUFP with CBSE-MP) in Sucos Fauturasa and Fadabloco
2. Hands-on training in making dried sweet potato under Income Generating/Livelihood Development Micro Program (IG/LD-MP) in Suco Fadabloco
3. Hands-on training in establishing a community nursery under the Seedling Production and Tree Planting Promotion Micro Program (SPTPP-MP) in Sucos Madabeno and Talitu
4. Identification and selection of potential sites for the demonstration plots for the Sustainable Upland Farming Promotion Micro Program (SUFP-MP) in Sucos Madabeno and Talitu

Compost prepared in Fadabloco　　　

Training in nursery establishment in Suco Madabeno

ii) Activities in the 2nd Batch Target Villages (Sucos Tohumeta and Hautoho)

The NGOs conducted a series of Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) workshops in Sucos Hautoho and Tohumeta to help the villages develop the future land use plans and village regulations of the villages. The workshops organized in the villages are listed below.

Workshop	Descriptions
Group formation	Organized a working group at each village.
Exposure visit	Visited Suco Faturasa with selected members.
Present land use mapping	Prepared a land use mapof each village.
Future land use planning	Prepared a future land use plan of each village.
Review of the past and existing rules	Reviewed the past or existing rules in the villages.
Discussions on the regulations	Discussed and developed the village regulations
Presentation of the village regulations	Reviewed the draft village regulations

As result of above workshops, the working groups of Sucos Tohumeta and Hautoho came up with the following outlines of the village regulations with assistance of the NGOs and JICA and MAF Project Teams.

Chapter 1: General and Definition
Chapter 2: Objectives and Coverage
Chapter 3: General Rules
Chapter 4: Future Land Use in the Village
Chapter 5: Rules on the Use and Management of Natural Resources
Chapter 6: Rules on Management Livestock Animals
Chapter 7: Institutional Framework for Implementation
Chapter 8: Implementation System of the Regulations
Chapter 9: Monitoring of Implementation and Information Dissemination to Communities
Chapter10: Financial Management
Chapter11: Fines and Penalties
Chapter12: Final Provision and Effectiveness

Based on the discussions made in the aforementioned workshops, the JICA Project Team drafted the village regulations of both villages in writing. The working groups in Sucos Tohumeta and Hautoho agreed on the draft versions of the regulations in June, 2012, having confirmed if the regulations covered all the points that they discussed in the previous sessions.

Present Land Use Mapping in Tohumeta

(2) Output 2

i) Technical Seminars on CB-NRM Techniques

In June 2012, the following two technical seminars were held for the members of the MAF Project Team, so as to enhance their understanding of CB-NRM and its associated techniques/skills.

Technical seminar	Date of Seminar	No. of participants
Seminar on major techniques of the micro programs (SPTPP-MP, SUFP / CBSE-MP, IG/LD-MP) and PLUP	June 8, 2012	12 persons
Seminar on overall concept of CB-NRM	June 18, 2012	14 persons

ii) OJT in Monitoring and Implementation of the Project

The members of the MAF Project Team have engaged in the following activities as a part of on-the-job training (OJT).

1. Monitoring of and assistance in the discussions of PLUP in Sucos Tohumeta and Hautoho
2. Observation of and assistance in the operations of hands-on training in Sucos Faturasa, Fadabloco, Madabeno and Talitu
3. Monitoring of the progress of the micro programs in Sucos Faturasa, Fadabloco, Madabeno, and Talitu

(3) Output 3

The JICA Project Team prepared the proposal for the 3rd meeting of the working team to discuss current situation of the forestry sector and its relevant topics and submit to NDF on June, 2012.

(4) Overall Project Management

Two (2) units of the project vehicles, in addition to four (4) units of motorbikes, were officially handed over to MAF/NDF on June 14, 2012 to improve the mobility of the JICA and MAF Project Teams.

Besides, the MAF Project Team selected two counterparts as the candidates for the training course in Japan, which was scheduled in September 2012. The JICA Project Team helped the candidates prepare the application forms for the training course.