DGM 2019 Annual Report Launch
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Contributed by: Chloe Hans-Barrientos, DGM Global Monitoring, Reporting and Communications Manager
“The DGM is an effective program”
On December 6, 2019 the DGM Global Executing Agency (GEA) together with DGM Brazil’s National Steering Committee (NSC) member Analia Tuxa, Global Steering Committee (GSC) representative Lucely Pio, DGM Brazil National Executing Agency (NEA) representative Alvaro Carrara, and DGM Burkina Faso representative and GSC co-chair Idrissa Zeba launched the DGM 2019 Annual Report. The launch took place in the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion at COP25 at IFEMA in Madrid, Spain.
The annual report launch kicked off with a presentation by the DGM GEA providing contextual background and an outline of the history of the DGM. Subsequent to presenting on the history, governance and DGM global project, Analia Tuxa opened with a spiritual ceremony to recognize and greet indigenous ancestors. During Analia and Lucely’s presentation of DGM Brazil’s successes over the past four years of implementation, they emphasized the role of indigenous and local community women in positions of power and decision-making as well as, the women-led DGM Brazil-supported subproject on the cultivation of native seeds for restoration and food security. During her presentation, Analia also reinforced the importance of living in alignment with nature to ensure effective conservation: “I want to share with you that the DGM is effective in Brazil. Specifically in the Cerrado biome where it is implementing sustainable projects such as that with headwaters and springs, providing IPLCs with a sustainable livelihood and quality of life.”
DGM Brazil NSC member Analia Tuxa opening the session with a traditional ceremony.
DGM Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso’s ecosystem is dry and arid, rich in biodiversity and managed sustainably by IPLCs who use natural resources for income generation and conserving the country’s forests. During the annual report launch, Idrissa Zeba described the activities DGM Burkina Faso carries out including, sustainable forest management, transformation of forest products, honey production, and capacity building. DGM Burkina Faso is currently implementing 85 subprojects, 53 focused on income generation and 32 on natural resource management implemented by local community initiatives. With a focus on supporting the full and inclusive participation of women, the program developed specific selection criteria to ensure women submitted proposals which resulted in over 50% of the funded community initiatives to be led by women.
GSC and DGM Burkina Faso NSC member, Idrissa Zeba presenting DGM Burkina Faso’s success over the past year.
Annual Report Launch Video Recording
The launch of the 2019 DGM annual report was made accessible to DGM country projects and partners via Facebook Live. Some of the key highlights of the annual report include:
11 steering committees with 231 leaders from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities across 11 DGM countries
3,235 subproject proposals received
427 community-led subprojects approved and implemented
More than 200,000 beneficiaries
Nathalia Penton from the DGM GEA, presenting the DGM 2019 annual report in the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion.
DGM 2019 Annual Report Launch at UNFCCC COP25 in Madrid, Spain
DGM Brazil
DGM Brazil GSC member Lucely Pio, described the lessons learned of DGM Brazil specifically with traditional peoples and quilombolas. Lucely highlighted how the DGM is a project that differs significantly from previous projects that IPLC communities have implemented, given that it is a project that was built together with IPLCs and started with a public consultation, a call for proposals and has been thought through with the inputs of its IPLC governance structure and with that of the communities it works in. DGM Brazil has enabled the commercialization of products from the Cerrado, increased income generation in communities and motivated quilombola youth to remain in their communities by establishing a partnership with a university to ensure their access to higher education, “During the call for proposals, we received a lot of subproject proposals from IPLC communities which is why we are here today to ask that this project not end and that we ensure continued finance to continue our work in the Cerrado.”
Alvaro Carrara (DGM Brazil NEA) discussing the importance of the DGM 2019 Annual Report as a tool that reflects the achievements of all 12 DGM countries.
Sergio Guzman providing an update on DGM Guatemala
DGM Guatemala
Sergio Guzman from Guatemala also participated in the event and shared the status of DGM in Guatemala explaining that they are in the process of creating the DGM Guatemala NSC made up of various IPLC organizations, and working on the program’s rule and regulations to subsequently launch a call for proposals to select the country program’s NEA.
“It is motivating to see the achievements of the current DGM projects and the successful experiences of Peru, Burkina Faso and Brazil. A lot of time programs go directly to the government and not to IPLC communities, whereas this program goes directly to the hands of indigenous and local communities which we believe is what has resulted in the true success of this program.”
Final Remarks
In closing the event, Idrissa Zeba recalled his experience as a participant in the Forest Investment Program (FIP) Subcommittee (SC) Meeting in 2018 where he presented the 2018 DGM annual report to FIP SC members, “everyone applauded the DGM’s work and expressed deep and genuine satisfaction and happiness to see how effective the DGM has been and recognized it as a program that was very well thought out, that has results and addresses IPLCs concerns, one that arrived to IPLC communities to take them into consideration. With that said, I would like to say to the World Bank that you will not regret your decision in supporting us!”
Alvaro Carrara (DGM Brazil NEA), provided some final remarks highlighting the importance of the annual report as a tool that consolidates the information and results produced by all 12 DGM countries and global project, it is reflection of the transparency and monitoring and evaluation carried out by country projects. DGM Brazil specifically has been able to promote the articulation and union of indigenous peoples, local communities, traditional peoples, and quilombolas and the results its achieved on restoration of water resources, springs and ecosystems, establishment of partnerships with civil society, and the promotion of public policy initiatives.
The annual report launch concluded with a group photo and information about the upcoming launch of the first DGM photo contest.