The project seeks to improve the situation of waters, forest, soils and biodiversity in the Yaque del Norte and Ozama-Isabela basins
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 25, 2017 (IICA).The project “Integrated Management of Natural Resources and Resilient Agriculture in the Yaque del Norte and Ozama-Isabela Basins in the Dominican Republic” is making progress in its formulation phase. This project seeks to reverse the degradation of natural resources in the Yaque del Norte and Ozama-Isabela basins, as well as to reduce poverty and food insecurity in the project’s intervention area.
On August 25, 2017, the representatives of the institutions and international organizations that are working in this initiative met to discuss the progress made in the project formulation thus far. In such meeting, the participants expressed their willingness to ensure a successful implementation of the project which is scheduled to start in 2018.
The technical team working in the formulation of the project is comprised by four national institutions: the National Institute of Water Resources (INDRHI), the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute of Drinking Water and Sewerage (INAPA), as well as three international organizations: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the World Bank. These efforts are coordinated under the leadership of the Coordination Table for Water of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD).
In order to ensure an effective implementation of this initiative, the project has been structured into four components: 1) Soil and Forest Conservation in the Basin and Rural Environmental Sanitation and Pollution Control; 2) Response to Extreme Climate Events, 3) Improvement of Productive Capacity and Market Connectivity, and 4) the Strengthening of Basin Governance Structures.
Each component will include a set of activities with the aim to improve the use of more environmentally production systems, as well as to develop capacity building to address the threat to natural disasters, to also improve the connection among agricultural and livestock producers market and to strengthen the governance, consensus and participation between stakeholders along the basins to be intervened.
The total estimated cost of the project is US$ 135 million, which will be funded by the World Bank through a loan to the Government of the Dominican Republic, as well as in-kind contributions from the Dominican Government and donations from the European Union.
The project will impact more than 2 million people, directly and indirectly, including agricultural producers, domestic water users, people vulnerable to natural disasters, among other groups.
Once the final formulation phase of the project is completed, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is expected to be actively involved in the implementation of the project.
More information: Gina Rosario, Specialist in Natural Resources, Agriculture and Climate Change, gina.rosario@iica.int
