3. Tuhifadhi SOW - FINAL.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

ACRONYMS

ADS Automated Directives System AWP Annual Work Plan CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy CFR Code of Federal Regulations CITES Convention on Illegal Trade in Endangered Species CLA Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting CO Contracting Officer COP Chief of Party COR Contracting Officer’s Representative CSO Civil Society Organization CWT Combating Wildlife Trafficking DFC Development Finance Corporation FY Fiscal Year GDP Gross Domestic Product GOT Government of Tanzania GUC Grants Under Contract Ha Hectare HICD Human and Institutional Capacity Development IEE Initial Environmental Examination J2SR Journey to Self-Reliance MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning MNRT Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism NGO Non-Government Organization NLUPC National Land Use Planning Commission NRM Natural Resources Management PAD Project Appraisal Document PIRS Performance Indicator Reference Sheets SOW Scope of Work TDV Tanzania’s Development Vision TOC Theory of Change U.S. United States USAID United States Agency for International Development VLUP Village Land Use Plan WMA Wildlife Management Area WOPE Whole of Project Evaluation

C.1 INTRODUCTION

Sound management of biodiversity is integral to Tanzania’s development, resilience, and self-reliance. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) activity entitled ‘USAID Tuhifadhi Maliasili’ is a key part of the U.S. government’s biodiversity conservation portfolio in Tanzania. The goal of this activity is to address dynamics that hinder habitat connectivity and the long-term persistence of biodiversity in Tanzania. This five-year contract will incorporate a series of interventions that support and strengthen government and civil society capacity for biodiversity conservation in a manner that: i) increases private sector engagement in conservation and natural resource management (NRM); ii) builds the capacity of the public sector and civil society; and iii) strengthens the policy and regulatory framework for conservation and NRM. These interventions together will reduce threats to biodiversity in Tanzania while moving Tanzanian institutions further on their journey to self-reliance.

C.2 BACKGROUND

C.2.1 Journey to Self-Reliance

USAID focuses on supporting partner countries on the Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR). To accomplish this, USAID’s investments across sectors is prioritizing helping partner countries plan, finance, and implement their own solutions to development challenges. In the environment sector, self-reliance depends on the sustainable use of natural resources and an equitable sharing of benefits derived from ecosystem goods and services. A country must both commit to protecting its resources and have the capacity to manage natural resources in an inclusive and equitable manner. USAID’s biodiversity programs support partner countries on their journey to self-reliance by conserving globally important biodiversity in priority places and learning from and working with other sectors to achieve better conservation and development outcomes.

As a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Government of Tanzania (GOT) has committed to ambitious national targets for conservation, in line with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. This commitment to designating space for conservation is clearly reflected in the Tanzania FY 2020 Country Road Map (https://selfreliance.usaid.gov/country/tanzania). Tanzania scores .95 in commitment to biodiversity and habitat protection, indicating that GOT is committed to protecting a significant amount of biologically important areas that is largely representative of the species and habitats found in the country. However, while Tanzania scores high on the Road Map’s biodiversity-specific metric, its low scores for liberal democracy and open government demonstrate that there are substantial commitment gaps that have the potential to erode the biodiversity sector commitments. It is important to note that designating spaces as protected areas is only part of the solution; actual protection of these areas, which can be hindered by lack of resources, corruption, or other factors, is critical to ensure the long-term persistence of biodiversity.

https://selfreliance.usaid.gov/country/tanzania

Furthermore, several key capacity metrics lag. The Road Map as a whole indicates that there is a significant need to build the capacity of the institutions responsible for biodiversity conservation and sustainable NRM; to strengthen the enabling environment and create greater collaboration and cooperation across government ministries to address conservation and NRM challenges; to engage the private sector to support biodiversity conservation and NRM measures; and to support civil society and media in these areas.

C.2.2 Tanzania Country Context

Tanzania’s Development Vision 2025 (TDV 2025), adopted in 2000, provides the long-term vision for the country’s economic and social development. This vision serves as the overarching framework under which Tanzania has developed its five-year development strategies and sector-specific strategic plans. Given that Tanzania has an overwhelmingly young and growing population, USAID supports the realization of the TDV through its Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS).

The goal for the 2020−2025 CDCS is Tanzanian youth supported to contribute effectively to their country’s long-term prosperity. Through this implementation of this strategy, youth will be better able to achieve their aspirations and empowered to make a constructive, positive impact on furthering Tanzania along its path to self-reliance. Within this framework, USAID closely collaborates with Tanzanian people and government to improve NRM practices and conserve biodiversity. In particular, USAID supports biodiversity programs that work towards increasing the empowerment, productivity and engagement of Tanzanians aged 15- 35 and strengthening the capacity of state and non-state actors to benefit future generations.

USAID Tuhifadhi Maliasili is authorized under the amended USAID/Tanzania’s Stewardship of Natural Resources Improved (2014-2020) Project Appraisal Document (PAD) and contributes to the achievement of USAID/Tanzania’s CDCS. The current USAID/Tanzania NRM PAD was approved in 2014, but was significantly updated in 2018 based on the findings of the Whole of Project Evaluation (WOPE). In 2017, USAID/Tanzania commissioned the WOPE to determine if USAID-funded NRM and biodiversity conservation activities were making progress towards the stated project purpose and to identify the assumptions or gaps in the project’s design and management approach. The full WOPE report can be accessed here: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00N4SR.pdf

Several findings of the WOPE are relevant to this activity. In particular, the WOPE identified a lack of sufficient coordination and integration efforts to build synergies between USAID activities. The WOPE also found a lack of strategic coordination with the GOT at the policy level. In terms of governance, USAID was focused primarily on supporting Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) as a means of promoting access to and rights over resources. However, the WOPE found there was room to expand the range of governance tools used for NRM or to conserve biodiversity through various institutional structures as well as governance instruments. The WOPE also found that the current level of private sector engagement, the level of economic benefits, and their distribution, were insufficient to https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00N4SR.pdf contribute to poverty alleviation and empower local groups, especially women and youth.

The WOPE found that private sector participation is hampered by an unfriendly business environment, a limited range of conservation-based enterprises, and inadequate coordination between the public and private sectors. Based on these findings, the WOPE identified several recommendations that are applicable to this activity:

● Expand beyond the WMA model and support a range of governance tools to provide tenure security and positive natural resource impacts;

● Expand economic opportunities in order to generate a wider scope of benefits at the community rather than the household level;

● Systematically integrate empowerment of women and youth;

● Integrate approaches and coordinate activities between partners;

● Focus on connectivity issues around key biodiversity areas;

● Improve coordination with the government;

● Invest in natural resources information and data for decision-making and adaptive management; and

● Emphasize the sustainability of activities.

C.2.3 Problem Statement

Biodiversity loss in Tanzania

Tanzania is one of the world’s mega biodiverse countries1. It is ecologically and biologically diverse, with over 55,000 confirmed species. Tanzania is ranked in the top 15 countries globally for the highest number of endemic species, 12th globally for the greatest number of bird species, and is home to one-third of total plant species and 20% of the large mammal species in Africa2. To protect this diversity, approximately 40% of the land area and 6.5% of the marine area are under formal protection3.

However, Tanzania’s 5th National Report to the CBD states that despite this high level of protection, Tanzania lost at least one-third of its important ecosystems over the past few decades. There have been generally downwards trends in both the number of species as well as the population sizes of individual species with the number of threatened species tripling in the last decade4. This loss of biodiversity and natural resources is much more than an environmental issue. Natural resources contribute to more than 65% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP)5. The total GDP contribution of the travel and tourism sector, which is largely based on Tanzania’s iconic wildlife and scenery, was about 9% in 2017, and is expected to grow by about 7% per year6. Since tourism also accounts for roughly 25% of

1 Myers, N., et al. "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities." Nature 403, no. 6772 (2000): 853.

2 Nkwabi, A., et al. Global Biodiversity, Volume 3, Selected Countries in Africa. “Chapter 11: An Overview of Biodiversity in Tanzania and Conservation Efforts.” Arusha: TAWIRI, December 2018.

3 The Vice President’s Office, URT. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2015-2020. Dar es Salaam, URT, October 2015.

4 ibid 5 ibid 6 World Travel and Tourism Council. Travel and Tourism Economic Impact 2018 Tanzania. https://www.wttc.org/economic-impact/country-analysis/country-reports/ https://www.wttc.org/economic-impact/country-analysis/country-reports/ https://www.wttc.org/economic-impact/country-analysis/country-reports/ foreign exchange earnings in Tanzania, the loss of key species will have a significant effect on economic and monetary stability.

Despite the reduction in the poverty rate from 34.4% in 2007 to 26.8% in 2016, the absolute number of poor people increased7. Many of these people live in rural areas and are dependent on biodiversity and natural resources for their livelihoods and subsistence needs.

Rural women and other marginalized groups are often the most dependent and thus the most impacted by biodiversity loss and resource degradation8. Beyond the impacts felt at the local level, the loss of biodiversity and resulting ecosystem services that biodiversity provides are estimated to shrink Tanzania’s GDP by at least 5% annually9. In addition, the 2019 World Bank Country Environmental Analysis10 highlighted that Tanzania’s total wealth per capita (the sum of all types of physical, human, and natural capital) declined between 1995 and 2014, despite robust and sustained economic growth in absolute terms. This decline in wealth is almost entirely accounted for by the 35% decline in Tanzania’s renewable natural capital base over the past 20 years.

Threats and drivers of biodiversity loss

USAID’s approach to biodiversity conservation focuses on reducing drivers (ultimate factors) and threats (proximate causes) of actual or potential biodiversity loss. Drivers are typically social, economic, political, institutional, or cultural factors, while threats are proximate human activity or processes that explicitly cause degradation of biodiversity loss. In 2019, USAID/Tanzania commissioned a Section 118/119 Forestry and Biodiversity Analysis to determine (1) the actions necessary to achieve conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests and biodiversity in Tanzania, and (2) the extent to which the actions proposed for support by USAID/Tanzania meet the needs thus identified. The full 118/119 report can be accessed here: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00TP93.pdf. The 118/119 also analyses the threats and drivers of biodiversity loss in Tanzania. A summary of key threats and drivers is presented below.

Habitat degradation, fragmentation, and loss. Tanzania has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, losing over 400,000 hectares annually11. When combined with poor agriculture and grazing practices such as bush burning, poor irrigation systems, and short fallow periods, as well as unsustainable fuelwood harvesting and charcoal production, Tanzania is experiencing significant land degradation and forest loss. Harvesting of timber occurs illegally in communal or state-owned protected areas; in forests allowed for harvesting

7 World Bank 2019. Tanzania Economic Update.

8 Kumar, P., and M. Yashiro. 2014. The marginal poor and their dependence on ecosystem services. In von Braun, J., and F. Gatzweiler (eds) Marginality. Springer, Dordrecht.

9 The Vice President’s Office, URT. 5th National Report to the CBD. Dar es Salaam, URT, 2014.

10 World Bank. 2019. Tanzania Country Environment Analysis http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/356211556727592882/Tanzania-Country-Environmental-Analysis-Environmental-Trends-and- Threats-and-Pathways-to-Improved-Sustainability 11 Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, URT. National Forest Resources Monitoring and Assessment of Tanzania Mainland (NAFORMA). Dar es Salaam: URT, May 2015.

https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00TP93.pdf http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/356211556727592882/Tanzania-Country-Environmental-Analysis-Environmental-Trends-and-Threats-and-Pathways-to-Improved-Sustainability http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/356211556727592882/Tanzania-Country-Environmental-Analysis-Environmental-Trends-and-Threats-and-Pathways-to-Improved-Sustainability but without legal documentation; and in open access land where there are no forest management or harvesting plans12.

Internal migration, expansion of settlements, and the creation of new settlements is also a significant cause of land-use change. This internal migration often leads to individuals settling adjacent to established villages, expanding the footprint of settled areas and often leading to encroachment into village lands or nearby forest areas13. These practices are reducing the connectivity required for maintaining genetic flow between protected areas/ biologically diverse areas and for wildlife movement.

Human-wildlife conflict. Robust wildlife populations present serious challenges to frontline communities14,15. Instances of livestock predation by carnivores; crop-raiding by elephants, ungulates, and primates; disease transmission; and attacks on humans threaten the long-term persistence of wildlife species and cause economic damage. Human-wildlife conflict directly impacts the livelihoods of communities and can result in retaliatory killings of wildlife.

Land-use change and other social factors, combined with increasing human and in some cases wildlife populations, is increasing human-wildlife conflict in Tanzania.

Invasive species. Invasion by exotic (non-native) species is a significant management issue in some areas, including within protected areas. These species can reduce forestry and livestock productivity and potentially impact biodiversity. However, given that the invasions have occurred rapidly, and monitoring resources are limited, there has been relatively little comprehensive research on the potential impacts16.

Climate change. Climate change is a threat to all levels of biodiversity as rapid changes will affect how ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity adapt. On the genetic level, climate change is expected to decrease genetic diversity due to directional selection and rapid migration, while at the species level, climate change will affect the distribution and abundance of species. Once these changes are large enough to affect biome integrity, ecosystem function and service provision can be irreversibly altered. Critically, climate change is not just a threat to biodiversity, but it also exacerbates impacts from other threats, particularly from invasive species, fire, and fragmentation17.

In the Tanzanian context, changing climatic conditions are already detectable and projected to continue or accelerate. Annual average temperatures are projected to increase by an additional 1℃ to 2.7℃ by the 2060s. Changes in mean annual precipitation are more uncertain than temperature, both with regards to magnitude and direction of change. By

12 Sungusia, E. and J.F. Lund. “Against all policies: Landscape level forest restoration in Tanzania.” World Development Perspectives 3, September 2016: 35-37 13 Salerno, J., et al. The Consequences of Internal Migration in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 7, 1 July 2017, Pages 664–671 14 ibid 15 Kushnir, H and C. Packer. Perceptions of Risk From Man-Eating Lions in Southeastern Tanzania. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 28, 2019.

16 The Vice President’s Office, URT. National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan 2019-2029. Dar es Salaam, URT, 2019.

17 Bellard, Celine, Cleo Bertelsmeier, Paul Leadley, Wilfried Thuiller, and Franck Courchamp. Impacts of Climate Change on the Future of Biodiversity. Ecology letters 15, no.4 (2012): 365-377 contrast, increases in rainfall are projected between December and March throughout most of the country, with southwestern Tanzania the primary exception. Projections further point to increased frequency of higher-intensity rainfall, particularly in the northwest. Sea level may rise between 0.1 and 0.4 meters by mid-century, and 0.4 and 0.8 meters by 2100, while ocean temperatures are expected to continue to warm. Coastal erosion has been reported along virtually the entire Tanzanian coast and around nearby islands. Further, by mid-century, droughts are anticipated to increase in intensity, particularly in coastal areas and southwestern Tanzania. As Tanzania already regularly experiences floods, increased frequency of heavy rainfall may lead to greater frequency of flooding, especially in the northwest.18

Weak governance and limited institutional effectiveness. Protection of forests and biodiversity in Tanzania is threatened by inconsistent and ineffective governance19. Tanzania ranks 103 out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perception Index, a measure of the perceived level of corruption in a country’s public sector. Likewise, Tanzania’s FY2020 J2SR score for government capacity is .39, indicating that there are gaps in the quality of public services as well as policy formulation and implementation. Limited governmental resources (e.g., inadequate anti-poaching equipment at the local level) hinder effective conservation and biodiversity protection. Impractical or poorly implemented policies result in confusion, inaction and unanticipated outcomes for natural resource management. A lack of integration and coordination among governmental, non-governmental, and private sector stakeholders also poses an indirect threat to Tanzania’s forests and biodiversity. For instance, competition across ministries or agencies, and between governmental and non-governmental organizations for control and revenue streams, can paralyze efforts to effectively protect natural resources.

While Tanzania’s J2SR scores for civil society capacity and media effectiveness are higher, this does not track with the reality observed in the field. Civil society and media partners not only suffer from significant capacity gaps (organizational and technical) and institutional effectiveness but also an extremely aggressive closing of democratic space dynamic, which is effectively silencing and hampering the role of credible civic partners. Currently, local organizations are only partially able to take a lead role in defining critical issues and successfully articulating needed reforms. Finally, a lack of integration and coordination among governmental, non-governmental, and private sector stakeholders also drive threats to Tanzania’s forests and biodiversity.

Population growth. Tanzania’s population has experienced exponential growth over the past 50 years. From 1957 to 2012, the population nearly quintupled, growing from 8.8 million to 44.9 million as of the 2012 recent census20. Population growth is projected to

18 “Climate Change Knowledge Portal: Tanzania.” The World Bank Group Site Family. Accessed December 28, 2018.

http://sdwebx.worldbank.org/climateportal/countryprofile/home.cfm?page=country_profile&CCode=TZA&ThisTab=RiskOverview.

19 Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, URT. National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty II (NSGRP II). Dar es Salaam:

URT, July 2010 20 The United Republic of Tanzania. National Population Projections. Dar es Salaam, URT, February 2018 continue, with an average growth rate of 3% for Tanzania’s mainland expected through 2035, which would lead to a nearly 65% increase in the overall population21.

The majority of rural and semi-urban populations in Tanzania rely on natural resources for their livelihoods. The growth of these populations continues to be a driver of deforestation through the increased conversion of habitats for farming, livestock, and human settlement.

As growth increases, unsustainable demands on natural resources and migration into new, less densely populated areas also increases. Population growth in areas of high biodiversity places significant pressure on limited resources and increases human-wildlife conflicts. In addition, habitat is being rapidly converted to agricultural land and degraded by encroaching livestock, with agropastoralists as the principal driver of this change. As local population growth and internal migration continue, these trends are expected to persist and become serious drivers of biodiversity loss. Such trends exacerbate existing drivers such as weak governance and demand for forest and wildlife products.

Wildlife and forest crime and demand for illegal wildlife and forest products. Globally, illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade have an estimated value of $1 trillion or more per year22. Across Tanzania, population growth and demand increase the pressure on natural resources, particularly for timber, charcoal, target marine species, freshwater fish, and wildlife products. The harvesting of Tanzania’s natural resources often occurs in ecologically important areas such as biodiversity hotspots and sensitive ecosystems. There is often insufficient data and systems in place to ensure sustainable off-take and regeneration.

Surrounded by landlocked countries and endowed with a large shipping port, Tanzania functions as both a destination and transit hub for legal and illegal shipments of wildlife and forest products23. The illegal trade in wildlife and forest products not only threatens the survival of species but also contributes to insecurity and frequently converges with other serious crimes24.

Iconic species under pressure from poaching include African elephants, as Tanzania is an important source and transit location of the international illegal ivory trade25. Tanzania was named among the most instrumental suppliers of illegal ivory by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2013. While poaching for ivory has significantly reduced since that time, poaching pressure remains.

Other frequently trafficked animals include pangolin, lions, leopards, monkeys, chimpanzees, birds, and reptiles. These species are often stolen from protected areas in Tanzania and then trafficked out of the country for consumption or medicinal purposes. There is also a

21 International Growth Centre. Urbanization in Tanzania, Population Growth, Internal Migration and Urbanisation in Tanzania 1967- 2012: A Census-Based Regional Analysis, Tanzania’s Urban Population, 1967-2012, A Density-Based Measure of ‘Urban’ for Tanzania? A Feasibility Study Using Dodoma Region. London: LSE & Oxford University, April 2014.

22 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. World Bank Group. 2019. Illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife trade: the costs and how to combat it.

23 Lukumbuzya, K. and C. Sianga. Overview of the Timber Trade in East and Southern Africa: National Perspectives and Regional Trade Linkages. 53 pp. Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC and WWF, April 2017 24 INTERPOL-UN Environment. 2016. Strategic Report: Environment, Peace and Security – A Convergence of Threats.

25 Thouless, C., H.T. Dublin, J.J. Blanc, D.P. Skinner, T.E. Daniel, R.D. Taylor, F. Maisels, H. L. Frederick and P. Bouché. African elephant status report 2016: an update from the African Elephant Database. Gland, Switzerland, IUCN/ SSC Africa Elephant Specialist Group: 2016 significant illegal bushmeat trade in Tanzania, regionally, and internationally26. This trade is thought to be supplying niche markets in urban areas, rather than representing a significant food security issue. However, good data on the extent of the bushmeat trade in and outside of Tanzania are hard to find given the informality of the market.

In marine contexts, sea turtles are still frequently caught in large-mesh gillnets and driftnets, with the meat typically consumed locally by fishers. The use of illegal and destructive fishing gear poses a serious threat to marine and aquatic ecosystems, threatening the ability of the ecosystems to sustain livelihoods and ecological integrity. Illegal fishing gear is prevalent in artisanal marine fisheries, and illegal and unsustainable practices include blast-fishing, small mesh-nets, beach seines, and other drag nets27.

Lack of data to inform decision making. Limited data are publicly available and accessible to assess the status of biodiversity and forestry resources in Tanzania. For instance, the GOT reports that inadequate spatial coverage data exists on village land, forest reserves, and WMAs. Data gaps also exist around land-use planning and around issues such as trends in tree coverage and fisheries stock assessments. Even when data exist, it is challenging to obtain accurate biological data due to issues around knowledge management systems as the data can be stored in disparate places.

C.3 SCOPE OF WORK

C.3.1 Earmark Requirements

USAID/Tanzania anticipates that 100% of funding for this contract will come from funds designated as Biodiversity earmark funds. The funds must be used for programs that meet USAID’s Biodiversity Code in order to qualify as contributing to the directive and be included in an annual report to Congress. The USAID Office of Forestry and Biodiversity conducts an annual compliance review for all programs to ensure each activity meets the four criteria of USAID’s Biodiversity Code:

● The program must have an explicit biodiversity objective; it is not enough to have biodiversity conservation result as a positive externality from another program;

● Activities must be identified based on an analysis of drivers and threats to biodiversity and a corresponding theory of change;

● Site-based programs must have the intent to positively impact biodiversity in biologically significant areas; and,

● The program must monitor indicators associated with the stated theories of change (TOC) for biodiversity conservation results.

In addition, a minimum total of 25% of the biodiversity earmarked funds have been designated for combatting wildlife trafficking (CWT) efforts under this contract. These funds

26 Mfunda, I. M. and E. Roskaft. Bushmeat hunting in Serengeti, Tanzania: An important economic activity to local people. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation Vol. 2(9), pp. 263-272, September 2010.

27 van Hoof, L., and M. Kraan. Mission Report Tanzania: Scoping mission marine fisheries of Tanzania. Wageningen: Wageningen Marine Research (University & Research Centre), 2017 must be used for activities that provide direct support to efforts that prevent or reduce poaching and/or illegal trade in wildlife, including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species.

CWT activities can include efforts that increase cooperation and capacity to conduct patrols;

reduce demand for illegal wildlife products; strengthen law enforcement capacity (detections, arrests, prosecutions, and/or convictions) including policy reform; conduct assessments and studies; monitor and detect movement of illegal wildlife products; and expand commitment, including the implementation of international agreements, such as CITES or securing alliances with the private sector to combat wildlife trafficking. Activities that provide economic, social, or other incentives for local people in a wildlife source area to discontinue poaching or report wildlife crime may count when activities are explicitly intended to reduce wildlife crime.

C.3.2 Goal and Theory of Change

The goal of this activity is to address dynamics that threaten habitat connectivity and the long-term persistence of biodiversity in Tanzania. As noted above, USAID requires that all biodiversity funded activities develop an explicit TOC and that the TOC be tested, monitored, and refined by the Contractor throughout the program. The TOC for this award posits that if the Tanzania public sector and civil society have improved capacity across systems, institutions, and people; and if this is combined with improvements in the enabling environment and increased engagement in NRM and conservation by the private sector, then, these institutions (both public and private) will be able to take actions to conserve biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources. By focusing on areas important for habitat connectivity and reducing wildlife and forest crime, Tanzania’s biodiversity and natural resources will be better protected for future generations.

C.3.3 Geographic coverage

The focus of this award is national, and the Contractor must operate at the national level.

However, national-level policy work and capacity-building efforts must be tied directly to site-based interventions on the ground. For those site-based activities, the provisions of the Biodiversity Code apply (https://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/impact/requirements). USAID priorities for site-based interventions are listed below.

Primary Selection Criteria for Geographic Focus

● Areas important for connectivity. Given the rapid level of habitat loss and fragmentation occurring in Tanzania, the primary geographic focus of this award are areas important for connectivity, particularly those recognized as a priority by the GOT. This includes wildlife corridors, dispersal areas, and buffer zones. This focus is primarily on terrestrial habitat; however, this does not exclude coastal and offshore https://www.usaid.gov/biodiversity/impact/requirements marine habitats. Within each target site, the Contractor must have target species appropriate to that corridor in order to monitor use.

At a minimum, the Contractor must include the Udzungwa-Selous28, Kwakuchinja29, and Tarangire-Simanjaro plains30 wildlife corridors. Descriptions of these areas can be found in the 2009 Wildlife Corridors in Tanzania report, available at http://www.tzwildlifecorridors.org/TzWildlifeCorridors.pdf . The Contractor must work in additional areas beyond these three, but final selection will be done in collaboration with USAID. To guide this process, further criteria for selection are listed below:

Additional criteria for selection of important areas for connectivity:

● Biodiversity hotspots. There are two globally recognized biodiversity hotspots in Tanzania - the Eastern Afromontane and the Coastal Forests.

● Areas of heavy threat levels. Specifically, areas that are experiencing very high levels of degradation, human-wildlife conflict, or wildlife crime.

● Integration with other USAID programming. Many of the causes of biodiversity loss require a multisectoral approach. As such, opportunities to integrate biodiversity activities with other programs, such as those in the health, education, agriculture, or governance sectors, to enhance results is another priority area under this award.

● Propensity for collaboration and positive change. The Contractor must assess opportunities such as key stakeholders that demonstrate a willingness to engage as well as areas that are not currently well covered by development activities.

The Contractor must coordinate with and not duplicate efforts of other USAID activities or those of other donors. For example, there are several existing large corridor-focused conservation programs currently funded by USAID and the German government that this contract must not duplicate.

C.3.4 Project Objectives and Expected Outcomes

The three objectives in this activity are a mutually reinforcing and integrated set. As such, it is anticipated that many of the interventions will cut across several elements and that there will be interrelated programming and issues addressed as needed. Expected outcomes in each objective will contribute to outcomes in other objectives.

Objective 1: Build institutional capacities of both public and private stakeholders.

Tanzania and Tanzanians require strong, able government and non-government institutions and organizations to effectively manage the country's natural resource base holistically. A key element of Tanzania’s J2SR are strong, able public and civil society institutions and organizations. While overall, the U.S. government is keen to shift support away from public organizations, the Contractor must strengthen and, where important, build capacity within a

28 Corridor number 23 in the 2009 Wildlife Corridor report 29 Corridor number 20 in the 2009 Wildlife Corridor report 30 Corridor number 19 in the 2009 Wildlife Corridor report http://www.tzwildlifecorridors.org/TzWildlifeCorridors.pdf very specific set of Tanzanian institutions to support the long-term sustainability and viability of Tanzania's natural resources. Institutions may include entities at the national and local government levels, community organizations and associations, private sector trade associations, and other civil society organizations. On the public side, the Contractor must provide technical and material support to key public institutions, in particular but not limited to, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and the National Land Use Planning Commission (NLUPC). Throughout planning and implementation, the Contractor should remain mindful of the political dynamics, both generally and specifically within targeted institutions - and the implications that these dynamics might have on the intended outcomes of the program.

On the non-governmental side, targeted investments in Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) can improve how civil society organizations (CSOs) contribute to conservation results. As such, the Contractor must provide organizational and technical capacity building support to CSOs and media to be sustainable partners in addressing current and future natural resource challenges such as wildlife and forest crime, changes in resource availability, and ever-increasing demands on all ecosystems and ecosystem services, including freshwater, land, forests, grazing land, and coastal areas. The Contractor must develop a comprehensive approach to supporting CSOs, including associations and umbrella organizations, and media organizations to improve their technical skills as well as their organizational capacity (to include internal governance, financial management and internal controls, administration and procurement systems, human resources management, program management, program performance management, and organization management and sustainability).

Capacity building must be linked to interventions on the ground that reduce threats to biodiversity. By doing so, the Contractor will ensure tenure security for areas of connectivity via official gazettement under Tanzanian law, such as village land-use plans (VLUP); village and local authority forest reserves; certificates of customary rights of occupancy; and formal corridor designation.

Expected outcomes under Objective 1 must include the following and be measured over time:

1.1 Strengthened capacity of the government of Tanzania institutions to conserve biodiversity and sustainably manage natural resources

1.2 Strengthened capacity of civil society to plan, develop, fund, and implement NRM and biodiversity conservation activities that reduce threats to biodiversity

1.3 Strengthened ability of media houses and journalists to investigate and report on wildlife stories, NRM stories, tourism, etc.

Objective 2: Increase private sector engagement in biodiversity conservation and natural resources management.

The USAID Private Sector Engagement Policy (https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1865/usaid_psepolicy_final.pdf) recognizes that changes in financial flows and an intensely economically integrated world have rendered the private sector an increasingly important actor and stakeholder in global development. This is true for Tanzania, where private sector investment in biodiversity conservation and NRM is key to enabling direct and indirect economic opportunities for communities living with wildlife and a sustainable way to achieve conservation outcomes.

Without additional private sector investment and more equitable benefit sharing, communities living with wildlife will not receive sufficient tangible benefits to offset the costs of human-wildlife conflict or restrictions on land use. The Contractor must identify private sector actors to engage in private-public partnership models for conservation goals from the tourism, agricultural or other sectors as needed to address threats.

To increase private sector engagement in biodiversity conservation and NRM, the Contractor must also identify and facilitate connections among sustainable natural resource-focused private enterprises, cooperatives, and civil society for communities living near key biodiversity areas and/or wildlife corridors. There are many enabling conditions that must be in place for a conservation enterprise to succeed (refer to USAID’s Technical Review for Building a Conservation Enterprise, available at https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pa00n41k.pdf) and many of these conditions can be met with support from and in partnership with the private sector. The Contractor must identify and address weaknesses in the market linkages for viable conservation enterprise value chains and then link community groups with private sector actors to leverage resources, funding, and/or expertise.

The Contractor must also identify and provide technical support to innovative and flexible financing mechanisms for biodiversity conservation in Tanzania. The lack of “bankability” of the NRM sector in Tanzania means that risk-sharing through a credit guarantee, such as the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), may be necessary to facilitate financing. The Contractor must identify opportunities for innovative financing arrangements, including DFC tools (such as direct lending, credit guarantees, or equity financing), that support sustainable land-use practices while also promoting good conservation measures for communities living near key biodiversity areas and/or wildlife corridors.

While wildlife and nature-based tourism are very important, the Contractor must not limit its outreach and engagement effort to this sector. Nontraditional actors, such as private farms, concessions, and other non-tourism sectors such as agricultural, financial, transport, and telecommunications sectors, are also important players. The Contractor must develop and implement strategies for effective outreach to a variety of private sector entities to achieve biodiversity conservation results. This is especially true for CWT efforts. As such, the Contractor must identify and apply private sector solutions to wildlife protection and anti-trafficking.

Expected outcomes under Objective 2 include the following:

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1865/usaid_psepolicy_final.pdf https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pa00n41k.pdf https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pa00n41k.pdf https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/pa00n41k.pdf

2.1 Increased economic benefits from biodiversity and NRM-related enterprise activities for local communities in high priority areas

2.2 Introduction and scaling of new and innovative models of finance in support of biodiversity conservation and NRM enterprise activities, both from traditional financial institutions and nontraditional sources

2.3 Reduced wildlife and forest crime

2.4 Key biodiversity areas and corridors better managed

Objective 3: Improve the policy, regulatory, and enabling environment for biodiversity conservation and NRM.

To support the long-term viability of Tanzania’s wildlife and natural resources, the development and application of key policies and legislation are needed to provide the legal basis for promoting decision making and conservation of biodiversity. Given the competing and increasing demands on natural resources, Tanzania needs a strong enabling environment for biodiversity conservation. The Contractor must identify constraints in the policy and regulatory framework and (while remaining aware of the political economy driving decision-making) provide targeted assistance to the GOT to address these. The Contractor must prioritize the harmonization of policies that affect wildlife and NRM and mainstreaming biodiversity issues into relevant national policies, strategies, and legislations.

The Contractor must focus on strengthening the overall enabling environment for biodiversity conservation, including a more conducive business environment. The policy and regulatory work will most likely be successful if based on sound data and analysis. However, biodiversity conservation is relatively a nascent discipline and as such the field does not have the breadth of quality evidence of intervention effectiveness as for example, the health sector.

While there has been a significant amount of research and conservation work done in Tanzania, the data from those studies is often not easily or publicly available. Additionally, while data may exist, they are often located in disparate locations, poorly cataloged, or not made available by stakeholders, limiting use in decision making. This also limits the ability of the GOT and civil society to share learning and scale successful interventions. At a minimum, the Contractor must conduct evidence reviews or synthesis and support communities of practice to share learning and promote adaptive management for conservation in Tanzania. Finally, the Contractor must support the GOT to improve knowledge management systems and practices to enable more effective use of available data and information.

Currently, decision making in the policy context is focused on specific technical problems, without connecting the problem and potential solutions with an analysis of the wider political, governance, and institutional arrangements. This often leads to misalignment and conflicting roles and responsibilities. Issues must be identified in collaboration with the GOT and addressed in response to demand from private sector industry associations, community groups, civil society coalitions, and government entities as they involve conservation and private sector investment in the wildlife sector. As such, the Contractor must deliver information, analysis, and recommendations as issues arise and as this information is needed by decision-makers and policymakers. Ideally, civil society and community voices should both drive the creation and implementation of the policy and or regulatory components of this activity - in reality, the political environment is likely to impede both the supply and demand of citizen-government engagement.

As such, the Contractor must assist civil society and private sector coalitions, industry associations and other representative platforms to craft well-defined and actionable advocacy agendas that are reflective of a nuanced understanding of the political environment, seek to build on areas of common interest, and do no harm. Linked to Objective 2, national policies on wildlife, tourism, and investment are not conducive to attracting investors. Support will focus on capitalizing on the current opportunities and addressing the current challenges facing potential investors in tourism or other conservation enterprises. Another problem is related to impractical or poorly implemented policies that result in confusion, inaction, and unanticipated outcomes for natural resource management.

Policy and regulatory efforts must be focused on addressing key threats to biodiversity. For sustainability, the Contractor must tie its policy and regulatory work to the Contractor’s work on the ground, including the application of policies and regulation within the geographic target areas.

Expected outcomes under Objective 3 are the following:

3.1 Key GOT agencies and officials have improved understanding of threats, drivers, and solutions to address complex and/or emerging threats to biodiversity

3.2 Policy frameworks for biodiversity conservation, NRM, and sustainable tourism improved

3.3 Integrated planning for conservation improved

3.4 Reduced wildlife and forest crime

3.5 Key biodiversity areas and corridors better managed

C.3.5 Guiding Principles

The following principles must be mainstreamed across all project activities:

1. Youth Engagement

Forty-four percent of Tanzanians are under the age of 15 and about 75 percent are under the age of 35. Empowering youth strengthens young people’s ability to meet their own economic needs and contribute to the economy. The Contractor must incorporate and monitor ways of engaging with youth to achieve all objectives. The Contractor must include concrete and practical approaches that not only address the challenges that youth face to accomplish the activity results, but also involve and support young people in the decision-making, management and leadership. In particular, the Contractor must focus on how future generations will benefit from effective government and non-governmental institutions that appropriately manage natural resources.

2. Gender Empowerment

Women and men use natural resources differently and are treated differently under legal, political, and social regimes. Gender is a fundamental dimension of this activity, particularly regarding the inclusion of women as direct beneficiaries and the inclusion of women’s voices in decision-making processes. Research in Tanzania shows that when women are active members of bodies that made decisions on extraction and conservation of natural resources, the benefits are more equally shared. The Contractor must incorporate gender within all objectives.

3. Self-Reliance

As Self-Reliance is a key part of the updated USAID Policy (https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/WEB_PF_Full_Report_FINAL_1 0Apr2019.pdf), the Contractor must be guided by a strategic approach that emphasizes catalyzing GOT and civil society commitment and capacity to maximize their ability to plan, finance, and implement their own development solutions.

4. Integration

The 2019 118/119 Biodiversity and Tropical Forest Assessment identified improving the integration of biodiversity considerations into other USAID/Tanzania program areas as a key action needed to conserve biodiversity and tropical forests in Tanzania. The USAID Biodiversity Integration Reference sheets (https://spark.adobe.com/page/kDzeu6G9vJMrI/) provide additional guidance. The Contractor must identify and pursue opportunities to integrate biodiversity conservation into other development sectors.

5. Scaling up

The need for conservation action is currently far larger than available funding can address.

Hence, interventions need to foster more broad-scale change with greater numbers of people involved. Conservation impact can be increased when programs are able to use innovative approaches to involve more stakeholders and a wider variety of partners to increase the scale or reach of program impact as well as elaborate on their best practices for the global conservation and development community.

C.4 GRANTS UNDER CONTRACT

This activity includes a grants under contract (GUC) program that may be used to implement activities under all objectives. The Contractor must utilize the GUC mechanism to support local communities, NGOs, university researchers, and others. Grants to the GOT, including parastatal entities, must be in-kind only. The annual implementation activities of the GUCs program must be described in the Annual Work Plan (AWP). The GUC program must be https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/WEB_PF_Full_Report_FINAL_10Apr2019.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/WEB_PF_Full_Report_FINAL_10Apr2019.pdf https://spark.adobe.com/page/kDzeu6G9vJMrI/ implemented in parallel with a capacity building program (as part of Objective 1) that strengthens the participation and effectiveness of organizations contributing to Tuhifadhi outcomes.

C.5 MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING

C.5.1 Theory of Change approach

To apply the best practices for implementation of the USAID Program Cycle in Biodiversity…