[Completed] Strengthening governance for the management of marine-coastal biodiversity through public policies and capacity building of civil society organisations in the Gulf of Chiriquí

General objective: Contribute to improved participatory management and conservation processes and sustainable use of marine-coastal biodiversity and associated ecosystem services in the Gulf of Chiriqui.

Specific objectives:

1. Increase the quality of governance and management capacities of the site with a gender approach, to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services linked to the livelihoods of local communities.
2. Strengthen the technical and leadership capacities of men and women necessary to consolidate the sustainable management of the site's marine-coastal biodiversity.

Total cost: 463.182 EUR

EU contribution: 413.182 EUR

Financing instrument: Grant (Thematic Programme Call LOT 1: Civil Society Organisations)

Duration: January 2024 – January 2026 (24 months)

Implementation: Wetlands International Foundation

Beneficiary area: Gulf of Chiriqui

Target audiences/beneficiaries:

• Recipients: Ministry of Environment of Panama, Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá, Instituto Panameño Autónomo Cooperativo, Autoridad Marítima de Panamá, Municipalities, Juntas Comunales.
• Final Beneficiaries: Ministry of the Environment of Panama, Panama's Aquatic Resources Authority, Municipalities, Community Boards, local communities and social organisations. 

Results:

1. Establishment of the Management Plan of the protected area, guiding instrument to guide decisions, prioritise actions and order the management of the territory. This action was complemented by a process of dissemination and socialisation with key actors, aimed at facilitating their understanding, promoting their appropriation and strengthening coherence between planning, implementation and operational coordination in the territory. The development and implementation of these participatory governance mechanisms resulted in improved coordination between institutions and civil society organisations.
2. Capacity-building in Nature-Based Solutions of 496 people with a gender and climate change focus, including authorities, community-based organisations, cooperatives, academic allies and institutions with an impact in the area. This training and strengthening plan was aligned with the needs of the territory, prioritising contents associated with marine-coastal management, the management of the protected area, and the development of technical and leadership capacities for collective work.
3. Consolidation of enabling conditions for the sustainable use of mangroves, increasing the resilience of local livelihoods associated with the marine-coastal ecosystem through.
4. Establishment of the community green business of mangrove honey production, as a productive model that transforms the mangrove ecosystem into an opportunity for income, organisational strengthening and active conservation. The project has 3 established hives and an estimated production of 15 gallons of honey per hive per year and a growth to 5 hives in 2027.