Support for protected areas as a contribution to the preservation of ecosystem services (SPACES II)

Mongolia is economically largely depending on mining and industry whilst 40% of the population"s livelihoods depend on animal husbandry and rain-fed agriculture. Forestry and agriculture are closely interlinked. Forests, mostly boreal forests, cover around 8.71% of the territory, but lack sustainable management. Forest value chains are underdeveloped, and little value is added to forest products. To that adds forest loss and degradation due to overgrazing by livestock, wildfire and pests. Thus, forestry contributes only 0.3% to the GDP with more than 10.000 employees. Climate change accelerates these developments and compromises essential ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, clean air and water and protection against soil erosion and landslides. The Multi-Donor Action "Sustainable ecosystem and agriculture management for rural development in Mongolia" (STREAM+ , 08/2024 to 07/2028) is jointly co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ and its partner FAO (agricultural aspects). The part implemented by GIZ is part of the BMZ project "Supporting Protected Areas for the Conservation of Ecosystem Services (SPACES) II" and lasts from 03/2024 to 07/2028. The Specific Objectives of STREAM+ are: 1. Improved regulatory and/or policy framework to enable sustainable, climate-sensitive and gender inclusive management of forests and agriculture areas, and a fit-for-purpose Technical vocational and education training (TVET) sector. 2. Adopted integrated landscape management with focus on agriculture and forestry addressing food system challenges and climate change. 3. Developed and strengthened selected sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture and forestry value chains. 4. Enhanced capacities of TVET to meet labour market needs in close partnership with the private sector in agriculture and forestry, ensuring an increase of women and girls" participation. The forest-related Outputs of STREAM+ are: (i) strengthening of sustainable and climate-sensitive landscape management approaches, including the legal framework, (ii) mainstreaming of effective, sustainable, climate-resilient and integrated forest and land management practices, (iii) integration of green and digital technologies in value chains of forest- and agriculture products. The tender is relevant only for forest areas and forestry. TVET agricultural planning and activities are not part of the tender. Partners: The counterpart of the forest component of STREAM+ is the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), with the newly created National Forest Agency (NFA) acting as the main implementation partner. The Mongolian Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MoFALI) is another important partner in fostering the development of value chains for forest-based products. Intervention area: the forest component is implemented in 3 Aimags (10 Soums): Khentii (Soums: Batshireet, Bayan-Adrada, Binder and Umnudelger), Khuvsgul (Soums: Galt, Jargalant), and Selenge (Soums: Khuder, Javkhlant, Mandal, and Yeruu). Target Group: The target group comprises policymakers involved in developing and revising the forest law and other forest-related regulations and policies, as well as the various stakeholders engaged in implementing forest regulations (Aimag Forest Divisions, Inter-Soum / Soum Forest Units, Professional Forest Enterprises PFE, Forest User Groups FUG). Cooperation with the private sector is envisioned for strengthening sustainable wood and non-wood forest products value chains, as well as with the Mongolian Forestry Association, the Mongolian Association of Forest and Wood Processing Professionals, the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), and EuroChamber Mongolia. Further coordination is planned with research institutions, such as Mongolian universities and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences.