Mid-Term Evaluation of the Middle Atlas Forest Integrated Management Project (GIFMA)

Addressing the root causes of the degradation of forest ecosystems

Description

The GIFMA  project aims to address the root causes of degradation of ecosystems forests in the Middle Atlas.  It  focuses on the corridor Tazekka-Kroucheen which follows 32 administrative municipalities particularly.

The project was implemented in two rural municipalities( Tanourdi Skoura), selected after the start of the project because they represent the ecological, social and economic diversity of the Middle Atlas forests and enable the development of forestry and livestock management models and restoration to adapt, implement and replicate subsequently throughout the corridor area.

The target population is all the organizational stakeholders involved in the implementation  of the project held on four levels, namely (national, provincial, municipal and local) and the rural population of the two municipalities.

This attempt is translated into an approach towards building the capacity of community participation through institutional support and developing technical material necessary for the conservation and self-sustainability of forest resources. 

The mid-term evaluation is aimed at helping  to better understand the status and performance of the project in achieving its objectives and planned results.

It must allow key stakeholders namely HCEFLCD the PMU, UNDP, GEF, WWF to make necessary decisions to improve the performance of the program as necessary. The assessment is therefore of particular importance as it will bring into light a new specific agreement on the expansion of the project activities in the remaining 30 municipalities in the corridor upon its completion.

Services

Part A: Research Methodology

  • Study reports and key documents / literature review;
  • Studies management practices already present;
  • A survey of international experience;
  • Surveys, interviews with key persons / field visits;
  • Integration of the project results.

Part B: Institutional Capacity Building

  • Needs assessments and everyday uses of forest resources from key people;
  • Integration of sound business management practices of natural resources.
  • Development of participatory management programs.

Part C: Action plan

  • Development of the deployment plan for the study in consultation with the PMU and HCEFLCD;
  • The review of the project documents (terms of reference document, revised logical framework formulation report, annual report …)
  • Formulation of the specific issues to each target group based on the results of the review of documents, performance  of the midterm indicators presented in the logical framework and its factors of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and gender;
  • Field visits and meetings with the parties involved in the targeted communities (authorities and technical services organizations (NGOs), local population, program staff;
  • Analysis of field work findings and interviews with stakeholders and verify causal relations in the chain results from the basic project document   to develop conclusions and recommendations logical framework;
  • Preparation of the draft report of the mission to obtain comments from the HCEFLCD and field input to draft the final report of the mid-term.

Project title in French:

Evaluation mi-parcours du projet de Gestion Intégrée des Forêts du Moyen Atlas (GIFMA)