UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative

     Please download the PEI Country fact sheet on Mozambique(PDF)



Basic facts of the PEI in Mozambique

• The overall objective of the first phase of the programme (September 2005–March 2008) was to strengthen environmental policy and management capacity at the national and local levels in support to poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
• The current focus of PEI Mozambique is on the medium-term needs formulated in the PRSP 2 (PARPA 2) with an emphasis on a) building capacity for sound environmental management at the local, district, and national levels and b) improving the knowledge base on sustainable management of natural resources for development and pro-poor growth.
• The Government of Mozambique, through the Ministry of Coordination of Environmental Affairs (MICOA), was responsible for the implementation and coordination of the project.The main national partners were the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD), UNDP Mozambique and the NGO Centro Terra Viva.
• PEI II is a joint Government of Mozambique, UNDP Mozambique and UNEP project.The main national partners are the Ministries of Coordination of Environmental Affairs (MICOA) and of Planning and Development (MPD).
• The donors for PEI I included the Government of Belgium and the Government of Norway. The Government of Ireland is providing the total budget for the second phase.
• The total budget for the PEI in Mozambique is close to USD 3 million: USD 566,145 (2005–2008) and USD 2,428,000 (2008–2011).

The context of poverty-environment mainstreaming in Mozambique

• Mozambique’s second PRSP, the National Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty (PARPA 2), was completed in 2006 and covers the period 2006–2009. Environment is a cross-cutting issue.
• In 2005, Mozambique published a national report on the Millennium Development Goals that highlighted the limited progress towards achievement of MDG 7. The Government of Mozambique envisages that the use of natural resources has to fulfil the basic needs of the people and development of the nation in equilibrium with economic growth, technology development, environmental protection and social equity.
• Every year the Government prepares an Economic and Social Plan (PES) to guide the implementation of the PARPA. PEI Mozambique aims to build the capacity of government, at the national, provincial and district levels, to integrate environment in the preparation of the Economic and Social Plans.
• Mozambique is one of the eight One UN pilot countries. The “UNDAF- Plus” has incorporated a country programme output on mainstreaming of environment in development planning.

Main activities

• Undertake analytical studies that draw upon existing available data to improve awareness about poverty-environment linkages.
• Assess key sector policy and planning frameworks (including PARPA 2) to identify poverty-environment linkages, gaps and institutional capacity to address these.
• Train central and local government staff on the importance of poverty-environment linkages for economic development and poverty reduction.
• Conduct training and develop capacity for selected sectors and support sectors in applying simplified Strategic Environmental Assessment and integrated economic-environmental appraisals to on-going policy and legislative processes.
• Support integration of environment into the province and district strategic and operational plans.
• Develop a communication strategy to raise awareness about the links between poverty and environment.
• Support the integration of environment into the formal curriculum in schools.
• Develop capacity on poverty–environmentlinkages of Ministry of Coordination of Environmental Affairs and Ministry of Planning and Development involved in Medium-Term Expenditure Review and Public Expenditure Review in key sectors.
• Develop strategic plan for improved financing for environmental investments (e.g. user fees and royalties, including donor support).
• Develop opportunities and mechanisms for coordination between the Government of Mozambique and key development partners to support environmental priorities across sectors.
• Strengthen institutional arrangements for mainstreaming.

What has been achieved to date?

• PEI supported the reflection group of the National Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty (PARPA 2) whose task was to define sector needs to address the environmental issues within PARPA and the Strategic Development Plans at provincial level and to bring together all actors with an interest in mainstreaming in PARPA 2. The group was successful in bringing together all actors with an interest in mainstreaming environmental sustainability in PARPA 2, which helped the evaluation of PARPA 2 and oriented the next PARP to have environmental sustainability recognized as a main pillar.
• Importance of environmental mainstreaming recognized in PARP 2011–2014. The PEI Team directly participated in the preparation of the Environmental Sector Report and Cross-Cutting Issue (CCI) report for preparation of the new Action Plan for Reduction of Poverty (PARP).
• Improved understanding of the environmental mainstreaming status and needs – based on a PEI-led study on the mainstreaming of environmental issues into sector PES. The study identifies a number of recommendations on how agriculture, energy, health, mining, public works, tourism and fisheries sectors can improve environmental mainstreaming. The study was disseminated and these sectors were informed about how to better mainstream environment into their annual plans.
• PEI has been a catalytic activity, embedded in many government processes. It has been able to influence national and district plans and budgets towards a better integration of environment and poverty reduction, and through building the capacity of planning officers.
• Workshops for governments, civil society and journalists, combined with studies on poverty-environment linkages, have led to an improved understanding of the linkages and improved national capacities for mainstreaming. Training of teachers have also been undertaken to raise awareness on poverty-environment linkages in the national curriculum.
• PEI has contributed to increased capacity to mainstream environment in the Economic and Social Plans (PES) in eight provinces, of which some annual Economic and Social Plans are beginning to include poverty-environment activities, e.g. in Manica and Sofala provinces in 2008.
• PEI has supported the Ministry of Planning and Development in the preparation and implementation of a unified planning and monitoring instrument (Mainstreaming Matrix) for mainstreaming cross-cutting issues in sector plans at national and provincial level. The instrument will be used by MPD and sectors in the PES 2011 planning cycle; and environment has been used as a case in the introduction of the matrix to national and provincial planners.
• A greater level of coordination and dialogue have been achieved between the relevant institutions involved in environmental mainstreaming, such as between MICOA and the sectors.
• Development of poverty-environment indicators – throughout 2010 PEI continued its participation in the technical group created by MICOA/DPE (Directorate for Studies) for the adoption of suitable environmental indicators to be used in the preparation of Mozambique State of the EnvironmentReport.
• Fifty-three journalists have been trained on environmental issues with the aim of increasing public awareness about poverty-environment linkages.
• A series of trainings on Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) have been initiated with the participation of MICOA directorates, Sustainable Development Centres, CONDES and sector representatives from mining and energy.
• Increased awareness among 11 private-sector institutions as a result of a workshop “Poverty and Environment - challenges and opportunities for the private sector in Mozambique” in which the concept prepared by PEI on the most suitable approach for private-sector involvement was endorsed by the participants.
• Strengthened sector capacity for environmental mainstreaming. The Environmental Units (EUs) are seen as key units to ensure environmental mainstreaming in sector plans.In 2010 PEI supported exchange of information among the sector environmental units, including giving targeted technical support.
• Environment mainstreaming capacities strengthened at district level. Approximately 100 district planners from Cabo Delgado, Gaza and Zambezia have received capacity building and improved their skills for environmental mainstreaming in district development plans.
• Implementation of demonstration projects: PEI is supporting implementation of smaller projects implemented by local organizations to demonstrate the positive contribution that better environmental management can bring to local development. In 2010 implementation of a total of nine projects started.
• Increased awareness among national stakeholders: PEI supported MICOA DPA (Environmental Promotion Directorate) to prepare and print a total of three newspaper supplements in the main national newspaper Noticiaswith articles about ecosystem services, water, and biodiversity.

Lessons learned

• The reflection group of the National Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty (PARPA 2) focused specifically on the integration of environment in the PARPA 2. After the completion of PARPA 2 the group lost momentum. That is why strengthening the collaboration with permanent structures, such as the Council for Sustainable Development (CONDES), is critical, because these structures do not disappear once the policy is ready and has been launched.
• Improving coordination and communication within and between government institutions is critical to mainstreaming. For example, increasing the collaboration between environment and macro-economic sector partners is essential. Strategically targeting policy makers is also important.
• A task team to give strategic direction and technical inputs to the programme is fundamental.
• Community approaches can develop real momentum: Some of the micro-projects have revealed how communities can solve some of their own poverty-environment problems if they are helped in diagnosing these problems and encouraged to develop their own low-cost solutions.

Way forward

• Expand the knowledge base by undertaking an economic analysis of the economic gains of investing in sustainable management of natural resources for pro-poor growth. The study will particularly focus on the Agriculture, Fisheries and Health Sectors. The final report will be launched in 2011 and presented to decision makers and planners to increase their understanding about the importance of investing in sustainable environmental management for poverty reduction and development.
• Improve the capacity within seven key sectors on poverty-environment linkages and environment as a cross-cutting issue.
• Build capacity of local government authorities for integrating environment into district Economic and Social Plans, including support for communities to implement projects promoting environmental sustainability and poverty reduction.
• Review of the institutional linkages between MICOA and the national planning and policy-making processes to identify entry points for strengthening the inclusion of environmental mainstreaming in these processes.
• Give practical examples of “what works” already in Mozambique: best practice catalogues to show what has and can be done in local contexts (and not only micro-projects), awards for improvement, linking these to district plans, etc.
• Develop capacity of Ministry of Coordination of Environmental Affairs and Ministry of Planning and Development involved in Medium-Term Expenditure Review and Public Expenditure Review in key sectors.
• Develop strategic plan for improved financing for environmental investments (e.g. user fees and royalties including donor support).
• Collaborate with other partners on environment indicators and poverty-environment indicators development. 
• Support the implementation of the UNDAF “Plus” and actively participate in the One UN process.