Bio-diversity

This project will demonstrate that the Flowers Bank Community can, on a sustainable basis, secure the integrity of the Community Baboon Sanctuary through training and income generating initiatives for stakeholders of Flowers Bank. Formed in 2000, the Flowers Bank Community Group was successfully organized to improve their own economic situation and alleviate the poverty impact in their community. However, the major problem facing the residents of Flowers Bank is that of serious unemployment compounded by burdensome financial demands associated with cost of living expense education, health, transportation, and utilities. This situation poses a direct threat to the future sustainability of the Community Baboon Sanctuary and its biodiversity conservation. The main aim of the project then is to improve the efficiency of the subsistence farming systems employed by the Flowers Bank Community through the introduction of agricultural best practices as well as the enhancement of a traditional industry (cohune oil production). The project s goal is linked to GEF s priority to support initiatives that promote in situ and sustainable biodiversity conservation in protected areas and production landscapes. The three main components of the project are: (i) build institutional capacity through training and development of a strategic plan (ii) enhancing a small scale cohune oil processing business, and (iii) training in agricultural best practices.

Belize