BIODIVERSITY 
INTEGRATION 
IN PRACTICE
A CASE STUDY OF THE INTEGRATED GORONGOSA 
AND BUFFER ZONE PROJECT, MOZAMBIQUE
OCTOBER 2018
This work is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for 
International Development through the contract number AID-OAA-I-14-00014/AID-OAA-TO-15-00020 for the 
Biodiversity Results Integrated and Development Gains Enhanced (BRIDGE) Project. BRIDGE is funded and managed 
by the USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment/Office of Forestry and Biodiversity. 
SUBMITTED BY
DAI Global, LLC 
SUBMITTED TO
Olaf Zerbock, Contracting Officer’s Representative
USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment/Office of Forestry and Biodiversity 
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the view of the United States Agency
for International Development or the United States Government.
Front cover: Photo used with permission by USAID Mozambique.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The case study team extends their gratitude to the past and present USAID/Mozambique staff and 
key people in USAID/Washington for their generosity with their time and support. 
COVER PHOTO: Landscape view of Gorongosa National Park. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — i
CONTENTS
CASE STUDY SUMMARY............................................................................................................ 1
CASE STUDY PURPOSE AND AUDIENCES ...................................................................... 2
SECTION ONE: BACKGROUND AND PROJECT OVERVIEW ................................................ 3
SECTION TWO: INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATION................................ 7
SECTION THREE: INTEGRATION CHALLENGES.................................................................... 12
RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................... 14
SECTION FOUR: LESSONS LEARNED ...................................................................................... 15
SECTION FIVE: CONCLUSIONS................................................................................................ 17
TABLES AND FIGURES
TABLE 1: MAJOR MILESTONES AND EVENTS IN THE GNP ..............................................................................4
FIGURE 1: GNP AND BUFFER ZONE ...................................................................................................................3
FIGURE 2: USAID/MOZAMBIQUE DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES......................................................................5
FIGURE 3: CLA FRAMEWORK ILLUSTRATING USAID/MOZAMBIQUE ACTIONS..........................................17
ii — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative 
CLA Collaborating, Learning and Adapting
CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy
FAB Forestry and Biodiversity Office 
GDA Global Development Alliance 
GNP Gorongosa National Park
IGBZ Integrated Gorongosa and Buffer Zone 
MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
USAID U.S. Agency for International Development 
ACRONYMS
Ranger boat patrol graduation. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 1
ACRONYMS
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) mission in Mozambique intentionally 
integrated biodiversity conservation with other development sector activities to advance natural 
resource management and improve human well-being through the Integrated Gorongosa and 
Buffer Zone (IGBZ) project. USAID/Mozambique decided to design an integrated project because 
they believed they could achieve greater impact than they would through traditional sector-driven 
approaches. Further, using an integrated approach in the IGBZ project has enabled the mission to 
mobilize other agriculture, education and health resources for biodiversity conservation and to 
amplify investments to address a wider range of development needs in the Gorongosa region.
This case study aims to help USAID missions and 
USAID/Washington advance institutional learning 
around biodiversity integration by illustrating the 
approach and process used by USAID/Mozambique. 
As biodiversity conservation is the focal point for 
the IGBZ’s integration approach, the case study 
emphasizes biodiversity integration but has implications 
for integration across sectors at USAID broadly.
Three enabling conditions contributed to biodiversity 
integration in USAID/Mozambique’s IGBZ project:
• Strong institutional support at all levels: 
High-level and high-profile leadership and support 
for integrated approaches, combined with internal 
champions, contributed to support for an integrated 
project. 
• Integrated, flexible funding: The project’s Global 
Development Alliance (GDA) funding mechanism 
enabled USAID and the Carr Foundation to co￾conceptualize and co-design the IGBZ project. This 
pre-award flexibility facilitated integration across 
biodiversity conservation, agriculture, education 
and health. 
• A culture of inclusiveness and adaptive 
management: Project champions facilitated 
inclusive design and implementation processes and 
identified opportunities for collaborating, learning 
and adapting (CLA). 
Based on their experiences with integration, 
USAID/Mozambique staff shared recommendations 
for other missions. 
Throughout design, implementation and evaluation: 
• Develop and formalize a process-oriented protocol 
to clarify staff roles and responsibilities and facilitate 
direct line management for integration tasks.
• Establish an integrated working group that meets 
regularly.
• Continue to support the Agreement Officer’s 
Representative’s (AOR, or the USAID manager) role 
as a communication bridge who regularly coordinates 
with activity leads and staff at all levels. 
• Continue to ensure Program Office support to 
facilitate additional coordination and collaboration.
As part of monitoring and evaluation efforts: 
• Maintain annual review meetings and facilitate 
additional formal opportunities for project staff 
to convene to pause and reflect on progress and 
ensure more frequent CLA opportunities. 
• Continue to engage Monitoring, Evaluation and 
Learning (MEL) staff in project meetings and field 
visits and promote a MEL approach that facilitates 
learning.
CASE STUDY SUMMARY 
2 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
This case study aims to help USAID missions and USAID/Washington advance institutional learning 
around biodiversity integration. By detailing the approach and process used by USAID/Mozambique, 
this case study illustrates the enabling environment for achieving development goals across sectors 
through biodiversity integration and offers lessons learned for USAID missions, bureaus and offices 
interested in pursuing integration. The case study may be of particular interest to biodiversity and 
natural resource management specialists who are interested in learning how to integrate biodiversity 
with other sectors and other Agency staff interested in learning how to work across sectors. 
The case study features the following sections: 
• Section One provides a brief background on 
Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park (GNP) and 
initial conservation efforts as part of the Gorongosa 
Project.
• Section Two presents the enabling conditions for 
integration.
CASE STUDY PURPOSE AND 
AUDIENCES
• Section Three identifies challenges that the 
mission encountered in integration and offers some 
recommendations for addressing them.
• Section Four suggests lessons learned for other 
USAID missions and offices interested in adopting 
integrated approaches. 
• Section Five shares brief conclusions on 
integration.
A girls club volunteer gives a lesson to a girls club member. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 3
FIGURE 1: GNP AND BUFFER ZONE
This map illustrates the locations of the agricultural, education, health and 
natural resource management interventions.
Source: Gorongosa Project Department of Scientific Services in 2018
Since the establishment of GNP in 1960, the area has experienced a number of challenges 
and threats to its biodiversity, resulting in declining habitat and species numbers. After 15 years 
of civil war (1977-1992), with much of the conflict occurring in and around the park, animal 
populations were severely reduced. The principal human threats to the park are illegal and 
unsustainable fishing in Lake Urema, bushmeat hunting, agricultural expansion into the park, 
human-wildlife conflicts, including lions becoming trapped in snares, and illicit harvesting of timber.
In addition to the 408,600 hectare national park, 
there is a 533,300 hectare sustainable development 
zone that serves as a buffer zone around the 
park. There are an estimated 177,000 people 
living in the sustainable development zone and an 
estimated 2,500 living in the protected area (see 
Figure 1). The people living around Gorongosa face 
significant development challenges, including food 
insecurity, limited access to health services and 
education and poverty-related social problems.
The Gorongosa Restoration Project began in 2004 
with support from its founding organization and 
primary donor, the non-profit Carr Foundation. 
In 2017, the Gorongosa Restoration Project 
changed its name to the Gorongosa Project. During 
implementation, the Gorongosa Project identified 
integrated work with communities in the buffer 
zone as critical to the GNP’s long-term restoration 
and sustainability. The Gorongosa Project began 
implementing activities to improve education, 
food security, nutrition, health and livelihoods. 
In 2008, USAID helped forge an agreement 
between USAID/Mozambique, the Carr 
Foundation, the Portuguese Institute for Aid 
and Development and the Government of 
Mozambique. Through this agreement, the 
Carr Foundation committed $20 million over 
20 years for the Gorongosa Project, and 
USAID provided $5.5 million from 2008 to 
2014. The agreement required the Gorongosa 
Project to use a science-based approach 
to the park’s restoration and to support 
sustainable development in the buffer zone.
SECTION ONE: BACKGROUND 
AND PROJECT OVERVIEW
4 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
TABLE 1: MAJOR MILESTONES IN THE GNP’S HISTORY
The Carr Foundation is currently committed to the 
30 year restoration of GNP and to the sustainable 
development of the communities surrounding the 
park. The Gorongosa team has reintroduced species to 
the ecosystem, planted more than three million trees 
in the area and collaborated with the Mozambican 
government to extend the park's boundaries to include 
Mount Gorongosa. The park hosts a significant number 
of scientific research projects through the new E.O. 
Wilson Biodiversity Laboratory and supports education 
and training opportunities for Mozambican and 
international students. This research and educational 
support has enabled landmark scientific studies of the 
ecosystem and wildlife, fostered a cadre of Mozambican 
students, raised the visibility of the park, and supported 
dozens of technician and service jobs. The improved 
scientific knowledge base about Gorongosa contributes 
to informed conservation and management decisions in 
the park and development efforts in the buffer zone. 
Following a collaborative design process in 2014, 
USAID established the IGBZ project through a 
GDA with the Carr Foundation in February 2015. 
The IGBZ’s overall goal is effective environmental 
governance to reduce threats to GNP’s biodiversity. 
The main strategies to achieve this goal are:
• enhanced application of knowledge in planning and 
management decisions,
• increased local support for conservation of GNP,
• increased resilience of household economies in the 
buffer zone, and
• effective enforcement of conservation laws and 
regulations.
The GDA’s theory of change is: “If local application 
of environmental laws/regulations are strengthened; 
if sustainable livelihood alternatives are created in 
critical buffer zone sectors; if reliable knowledge 
guides planning and action; and if buffer zone 
populations and decision makers appreciate the value 
of GNP as an engine for economic development, 
then environmental governance will improve and 
threats to GNP’s biodiversity will decline.” 
MAJOR MILESTONES AND EVENTS IN THE GNP
YEAR MILESTONE/EVENT 
1960 GNP created during Portuguese colonial 
rule.
1975 Mozambique declares independence 
under the Mozambique Liberation Front 
Party. Samora Machel is appointed as 
president.
1977-1992 Mozambican National Resistance begins 
an insurrection against the Mozambique 
Liberation Front Party that turns into 
a civil war. GNP region becomes the 
Mozambican National Resistance 
stronghold.
1994-1999 First international attempts to restore 
the GNP begun with funding from the 
African Development Bank, European 
Union and International Union for the 
Conservation of Nature.
2004 The Carr Foundation and Government 
of Mozambique signed a Memorandum 
of Understanding for a Gorongosa 
Restoration Project to restore GNP.
2005 First USAID support to Gorongosa 
Restoration Project for a fenced wildlife 
sanctuary.
2008 - 2012 USAID funds the “Assistance to the 
Carr Foundation: Gorongosa National 
Park” activity to support biodiversity 
conservation, food security, education 
and health initiatives at GNP. This grant 
is later extended until 2014.
2010 Government of Mozambique 
incorporates Mt. Gorongosa in GNP 
and announces the addition of a 
3,300 sq km buffer zone around 
the park.
2015-2020 USAID continues support of the 
Gorongosa Project through a GDA 
that created the IGBZ project.
2016 Government of Mozambique approves 
a 25 year extension of the joint 
management of agreement for GNP.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 5
The IGBZ project’s objectives contribute to all 
four of USAID/Mozambique’s Development 
Objectives, reflecting the project’s integrated 
nature (see Figure 2). The IGBZ project contributes 
to five of USAID/Mozambique’s Intermediate 
Results (IR 1.1, IR 2.1, IR 2.3, IR 4.1 and IR 4.2), 
as outlined in the 2014-2019 USAID/Mozambique 
Country Development Cooperation Strategy 
(CDCS, the mission country strategy). 
The GDA partnership promotes the integration 
of four primary sectors: biodiversity conservation; 
agriculture and food security; health; and education. 
The first three sectors were part of the original GDA; 
the GDA was modified to include education in 2017. 
The GDA is scheduled to end in February 2020.
The IGBZ project’s technical approach incorporates 
integration through co-location and coordination 
among Gorongosa Project departments and an 
integrated package of activities. In its annual work 
plans, the IGBZ project explicitly links biodiversity 
conservation in the park with development activities 
in the buffer zone. The work plans describe how 
DO 1
DEMOCRATIC 
GOVERNANCE OF 
MOZAMBICAN 
INSTITUTIONS 
STRENGTHENED
DO 2
RESILIENT, BROAD￾BASED ECONOMIC 
GROWTH 
ACCELERATED
DO 3
EDUCATION 
EQUALITY IMPROVED
DO 4
HEALTH STATUS OF 
TARGET POPULATIONS 
IMPROVED
IR1.1 More effective civil 
society participation in 
governance processes
IR2.1 Increased agriculture 
sector growth and food 
security in focus provinces 
with emphasis on women
IR3.1 Improved reading 
outcomes in the early 
grades
IR4.1 Increased coverage 
of high impact health and 
nutrition services
IR1.2 Improved 
effectiveness, 
transparency, and 
accountability of key 
government institutions
IR2.2 Improved business 
climate to attract 
investment and create 
jobs
IR3.2 Improved 
educational achievement 
of vulnerable children
IR4.2 Increased adoption 
of positive health and 
nutrition behaviors
IR4.3 Strengthened 
systems to deliver health, 
nutrition, and social 
services
IR2.3 Improved 
management of natural 
resources
3 4 3 4
1 2
3 2
1 4
1
CROSS-CUTTING 
THEMES
Private Sector, 
Extractive Industries, 
Gender, and Youth
USAID MOZAMBIQUE GOAL: Mozambique leverages emerging opportunities 
to achieve inclusive socio-economic development 
FIGURE 2: USAID/MOZAMBIQUE DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
Figure 2 presents USAID/Mozambique’s CDCS Results Framework. The numbered boxes in the Intermediate 
Results indicate cross-linkages between USAID/Mozambique. The black outlines around the Intermediate Results 
denote results to which the IGBZ project directly contributes.
6 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
the project aims to reduce threats to the park’s 
biodiversity through activities that target improved 
food security, nutrition, education and health as well 
as increased enforcement of conservation laws and 
regulations. For example, the IGBZ project links 
biodiversity conservation in the park to income 
and employment opportunities and promotes 
adoption of positive health and nutrition behaviors 
through education, the “Model Moms” activity and 
integration with high nutrient agricultural activities. 
Illustrative project highlights include:
• Agriculture: training farmers on food security, 
improved farming technologies and management 
practices, the value of intercropping, land use 
practices, crop rotation, and the value of growing 
at least two nutritious crops. 
• Natural Resource Management: training Natural 
Resource Management Community Promotors 
to engage with individuals and hold meetings with 
communities to encourage natural resources 
management in the buffer zone in support of park￾friendly livelihoods 
• Education: supporting the Gorongosa Girls’ Clubs 
to increase availability of supportive education 
spaces; improve reading skills; and increase access to 
information, skills, services and support. 
• Health: mobile health brigades provide vaccinations, 
pre/post natal care, family planning and HIV/AIDS 
counseling/testing/prevention. The Model Moms 
activity educates community moms about adequate 
nutrition for women and children, the use of locally 
available foods to increase family nutrition and 
community and household gardens. 
• Law enforcement: over 150 law enforcement 
rangers received training, including the first six 
female scouts in the nation’s history. As a result of 
increased, targeted wildlife law enforcement training, 
there has been a 72 percent reduction in poaching in 
2017, compared to 2016. 
The IGBZ management structure is composed of one 
biodiversity AOR, who is responsible for coordinating 
with USAID activity managers in agriculture, health and 
education. Activity managers provide the biodiversity 
AOR with updates on their sector activities and 
contribute to annual reports, project work plans 
and the MEL plan. The biodiversity AOR also serves 
as the main point of contact between USAID and 
the IGBZ project’s Chief of Party. Over the life of 
IGBZ, there will have been four biodiversity AORs.
The life of project budget for the GDA is US$11 
million and the Gorongosa Project is providing $11 
million in matching funds. Over the GDA’s five-year 
timeframe, the IGBZ total estimated cost for each 
sector is: biodiversity ($6 million); health ($2 million), 
agriculture ($2 million); and education ($1 million).
USAID and Gorongosa Project staff in the Science Center. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 7
Institutional Leadership and Support 
at All Levels
High-level support and internal champions were 
critical in identifying opportunities and implementing 
an integrated approach. The U.S. Ambassador’s 
good working relationship with Greg Carr, the 
founder of the Carr Foundation, focused high-level 
attention on the Gorongosa Project, which increased 
the park’s national and international profiles and 
helped to lay the foundation for support to the 
IGBZ project. Strong U.S. Government leadership 
in Washington provided further support and 
commitment to formalizing an integrated approach. 
Staff described the mission director as a strong 
supporter of the project, who advocated for the 
project during discussions with Washington, D.C. 
During the project’s design phase, for instance, 
the mission director was critical in allowing the 
project to use funding in a non-traditional way.
Further, the Carr Foundation’s high-profile public￾private partnership with the Government of 
Mozambique, and a number of documentary 
and feature films aired in the United States and 
Mozambique, have increased attention on the park. 
Gorongosa has been featured in the New York 
Times, the New Yorker, Outside, the Financial 
Times and many other print publications as well as in 
film segments on National Geographic, BBC, CBS, 
ABC and many others. In 2016, the International 
Conservation Caucus Foundation presented the 
President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, with 
the Conservation Merit Award for his leadership in 
expanding biodiversity conservation in GNP through a 
public-private partnership between the Government 
of Mozambique and the Carr Foundation. In 2017, 
Gorongosa Project members were recognized at 
the International Conservation Caucus Foundation 
Gala for the Gorongosa Project’s work in GNP.
Front Office and Program Office support for 
the IGBZ project’s integrated approach continued 
throughout the project’s design and implementation. 
Together, the Ambassador and the mission director 
visited the park to understand the IGBZ project’s role 
in improving community health and livelihoods through 
the project’s agricultural, health and biodiversity 
activities. Other senior USAID staff who visited the 
park fostered interest in the project, such as by asking 
questions about the Gorongosa Project during mission 
portfolio reviews or by informally sharing progress 
with Front Office staff. These actions ensured that 
high-level staff stayed informed and engaged on the 
project. Further, their support has meant that staff 
never “had to do a hard sell at the Front Office level.”
In addition, internal champions played an 
instrumental role in the project’s conception, design 
and implementation. The biodiversity AOR first 
recognized the opportunity to use the GDA as a 
flexible funding mechanism to support co-funding 
and integration. She then coordinated and increased 
collaboration across sectors in the co-design process 
Enabling conditions that helped USAID/Mozambique integrate biodiversity conservation with agriculture, 
health and education programming include: 
• strong institutional support at all levels, 
• flexible funding mechanisms and 
• a culture of inclusiveness and promotion of CLA.
SECTION TWO: INSTITUTIONAL 
ENABLING CONDITIONS FOR 
INTEGRATION
8 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
by initiating conversations with staff from across 
the mission about opportunities for engaging with 
the project. Several staff said that they viewed the 
chance to participate in an integrated project as an 
opportunity to achieve greater impact than they would 
through traditional sector-driven approaches as well 
as to generate increased benefits for beneficiaries.
During implementation, the biodiversity AOR 
promoted collaboration through organizing field 
trips for sector activity managers. Staff described 
joint field visits as “incredibly valuable” opportunities 
to develop working relationships across sectors 
and increase their understanding of the value of 
an integrated project. During the project’s initial 
implementation, the AOR invited staff from multiple 
technical sectors and the implementing partner to 
participate in field visits, which allowed the project team 
to share different technical perspectives and increase 
their understanding of other sectors’ activities. The 
AOR explained that these trips facilitated conversations 
among staff that generated ideas and built trust across 
sectors. During the project’s third year, the successor 
biodiversity AOR continued to facilitate joint field visits 
to encourage connections and conversations among 
staff. Different sector activity managers traveled to the 
field alongside rotating staff from the Program Office 
or the MEL team to ensure staff participation from 
across the mission. Activity managers said that they 
shared recommendations from previous visits with 
staff who participated in subsequent trips to ensure 
continuity in information sharing and follow up.
The biodiversity AOR also encouraged cross￾sectoral collaboration through sector-specific 
trainings and meetings. For instance, mission 
environment staff participated in a health sector 
training. Such coordination and collaboration helped 
to break down sectoral silos and contributed to 
ensuring a shared project agenda and common 
understanding of project goals among staff.
Throughout implementation, both the first and 
the second AOR promoted joint work planning, 
monitoring and evaluation. For example, both 
AORs organized an annual review meeting in the 
park. The meeting brings together sector activity 
managers and the implementing partner to discuss 
activities and review progress, in line with the 
project’s MEL plan. Staff described this annual 
event as an opportunity for individuals who work 
in different sectors and different areas of the park 
to interact and learn from each other and share 
what works and what may need improvement.
Girls club members and supporters gather for a photo on the day of the Gorongosa Girls Club Launch. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 9
Flexible Mechanisms and Partnership 
Approaches
The flexibility of the GDA as a contractual 
mechanism further enabled an integrated approach 
in the IGBZ project. The GDA is a public-private 
partnership in which USAID and its private sector 
partner (in this case, the Carr Foundation) collaborate 
to develop and implement activities, with a focus 
on delivering development impact and building 
upon complementary interests. USAID grants 
and cooperative agreements are often awarded 
to implementing partners based on responses to 
solicitations issued by field missions or USAID/
Washington operating units. Solicitations are crafted 
to convey USAID’s expectations around project 
implementation and management. In contrast, the 
GDA mechanism fosters co-conception, co-design and 
co-implementation by enabling USAID and the private 
sector partner to conceptualize a project together 
and to discuss the project design prior to the award 
process. The process of developing mutually agreed 
objectives empowers the private sector implementing 
partners to promote field relevant activities and to 
coordinate among other implementing partners. 
Staff highlighted these aspects of the IGBZ GDA, 
describing the GDA as a flexible mechanism that 
helped facilitate integrated design and planning in the 
pre-award phase. During the design phase, staff from 
across mission teams participated in meetings with 
the Carr Foundation on their work in the Gorongosa 
Project. This interaction between USAID and the 
grantee ahead of finalizing the agreement enabled 
the mission and the Carr Foundation to take the local 
context into account and build on knowledge gained 
through prior investments in the area. Staff emphasized 
the importance of having these discussions from the 
beginning, saying this initial engagement enabled staff 
from across the mission and the Carr Foundation 
to share project risks, responsibilities and rewards. 
As a result, the design process was more interactive 
and adaptive than traditional USAID processes.
The IGBZ project team further facilitated an interactive 
design process by using the Open Standards for the 
Practice of Conservation methodology to develop a 
situation model with support from USAID’s Bureau 
for Economic Growth, Education and Environment, 
Forestry and Biodiversity Office (FAB), Measuring 
Impact project and the mission. This work included 
the strategic approaches needed to respond to key 
threats and detailed theory of change diagrams and 
results chains for each. The timing of this process 
allowed inputs from the situation model and results 
chain process to inform the final GDA application. 
Implementers described the theory of change and 
results chains as useful in developing language and 
concepts with which to discuss project linkages with 
local stakeholders. In addition, this process established 
the use of evidence-informed decision-making 
among IGBZ staff and partners as well as future 
opportunities for learning about the linkages between 
target interventions and outcomes across sectors.
During the post award stage, a FAB and Measuring 
Impact team helped the IGBZ project develop its initial 
work plan. This collaborative process brought together 
USAID and the Carr Foundation to revisit the results 
chain in developing the work plan. The biodiversity 
AOR said that this process helped the IGBZ project 
team to take “ideas down to an implementation 
level” and identify additional areas for collaboration.
Overall, the GDA process facilitated internal 
collaboration across USAID and external collaboration 
with the Carr Foundation. This collaboration 
enabled mission staff and the implementing partner 
to articulate a shared vision for integration and 
partnership and ensure staff ownership of the 
project and staff commitment to integration 
during implementation. The willingness of both the 
mission and the implementing partner to support 
collaborative adaptive design and management is 
a notable aspect of the project’s integration efforts.
The GDA has also enabled the project to leverage 
additional contributions from other donors to the 
GNP. These donors include the Governments of 
Canada, Ireland, Norway and Portugal, the Global 
Environment Facility, the Howard Hughes Medical 
Institute and other public and private sector donors.
In addition to the GDA’s flexibility during the pre￾award phase, the use of Feed the Future funding 
10 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
contributed to both co-location and co-funding. 
The Ambassador’s and the mission director’s strong 
support for the project was instrumental in allowing the 
mission to program Feed the Future funding outside 
of the defined Feed the Future zones of influence, in 
contrast to standard practice. This flexibility in the use 
of Feed the Future funding contributed to co-located, 
co-designed and co-funded programming within a 
biodiversity conservation priority area. This co-location 
and co-funding is particularly noteworthy because 
Feed the Future zones of influence do not have a high 
degree of overlap with important biodiversity areas.
A Culture of Inclusiveness and CLA 
The ways in which individuals at the mission 
built relationships across sectors and promoted 
opportunities for reflection suggest a broader 
culture of promoting inclusive management and 
CLA. This inclusive, adaptive culture supported 
integration in several instrumental ways.
First, the biodiversity AOR ensured an inclusive 
design and implementation process for the 
project. The AOR consistently invited and welcomed 
participation of staff from across the mission during 
the GDA’s conception and design. Several staff had 
multi-disciplinary backgrounds and experiences, 
which meant they had the background or training 
to understand cross-sectoral approaches. For 
example, the point of contact in the health sector 
had a master’s degree in environmental studies and 
climate change and one of the mission’s education 
officers had been a governance officer; consequently, 
once the AOR initiated a conversation about an 
integrated project, these staff were interested in and 
willing to engage in conversations. These staff then 
advocated for the project within their sector teams.
The biodiversity AOR continued to facilitate 
collaboration during implementation, both during 
discussions at the mission and on joint field visits. This 
approach contributed to an inclusive project in which 
staff felt comfortable sharing ideas and contributing to 
project conception, design and implementation. Further, 
this approach encouraged other staff to become 
champions for the project. Such an environment is a 
key enabling condition for a culture that encourages 
collaboration and can also promote a learning culture.
Staff further highlighted the biodiversity AOR’s role 
in efficiently managing staff time and coordinating 
among biodiversity, agriculture, health and education 
staff. Employees described how the first and second 
AOR actively engaged with staff from across the 
mission to understand their sector priorities, discuss 
project activities in informal settings and ensure 
support for work plans and budgets. Although staff 
valued meetings with their counterparts from across 
the mission, they described one on one meetings as 
particularly effective in learning and sharing information.
The first and second biodiversity AOR actively sought 
out such informal interactions with staff from 
across the mission to ensure support and maintain 
momentum. For example, both AORs said that they 
regularly interacted with agriculture and conservation 
staff because these staff are located within the 
Agriculture, Environment and Business office and 
they attend meetings together. Consequently, both 
An elephant viewed on a game drive in the GNP. 
Photo by USAID Mozambique.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 11
AORs intentionally visited staff from the health and 
education offices to ensure regular interactions and 
incorporation of cross-sectoral perspectives. Staff 
at all levels identified these informal relationships 
among the biodiversity AOR and participating staff 
as critical to developing and supporting integration. 
These informal interactions also built trust among 
staff, a critical factor in facilitating CLA.
Second, employees identified adaptive management
and a CLA approach as instrumental in both the IGBZ 
project’s design and implementation. The USAID/
Mozambique CDCS (the mission country strategy) 
states that mission programs “will institutionalize 
collaboration, continuous learning and adaptive 
implementation” throughout the program cycle and 
outlines ways the mission will pursue a CLA approach. 
These approaches include promotion of a learning 
culture, a mission Learning Action Plan, a CLA 
learning agenda and CLA implementation strategies.
During implementation, the mission has supported 
learning as a key project component. One manager 
said strong learning aspects of IGBZ were “built into 
the DNA” of the project and have continued to be 
emphasized during implementation. For example, 
the mission has used internal CLA and after action 
reviews. In addition, the environment team worked 
with the CLA advisor to host a cross-GDA learning 
workshop that offered mission staff an opportunity 
to reflect on implementation of the IGBZ GDA and a 
second GDA that USAID/Mozambique is implementing 
in the Niassa National Reserve. Such opportunities 
to pause and reflect and foster collaboration and 
learning among partners and Agency staff represent 
best practice in adaptive management and are 
critical to learning and improved performance.
USAID and Gorongosa Project staff reflect on challenges and lessons learned during Cross-GDA Learning Review Workshop 
in March 2018. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
12 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
Finding Time to Collaborate
Mission staff recognized that working across 
sectors and communicating with the project’s 
different activity managers was necessary in 
implementing the project but said it was challenging 
to consistently bring everyone together. Staff 
at all levels identified finding a time to hold a 
meeting with staff from across the mission as a key 
challenge in maintaining project momentum.
A related challenge is that, given how busy mission 
staff are, finding time and space for reflection and 
learning is often de-prioritized or does not happen. 
Individuals supported CLA in theory but often did 
not make time for such reflection outside of annual 
review meetings. In particular, staff felt that both 
the project’s MEL plan and knowledge management 
deserved additional time and reflection.
Managing Staff across Sectors
Staff highlighted challenges related to line management 
and clear, agreed-upon timeframes for decision￾making. Both the first and second biodiversity AOR 
described obstacles in receiving technical input 
from staff who were busy with competing priorities 
and were not under their direct supervision. As 
an illustration, during the project’s first year, some 
activity managers did not provide input on the 
work plan within the requested timeframe 
and did not respond to requests for information. 
The project was then forced to approve pieces of 
the work plan and delay submission of other sections.
Minimizing Disruptions from Staff 
Turnover
Staff turnover at USAID missions impacts project 
momentum and continuity. Within the IGBZ project’s 
five-year timeframe, there will be four different 
biodiversity AORs and other activity managers 
may transition in and out of the mission. Staff who 
began working at the mission during implementation 
described it as a challenge to immediately move 
project activities forward. As one person explained, 
the project’s ultimate goal remains the same “but 
everyone who comes in has a different view of 
implementation, different experiences of success and 
different ways of envisioning and achieving success.” 
The implementing partner also identified staff turnover 
as a challenge, saying “it is not the same people at the 
table as it was last year,” which means that institutional 
memory can be lost or project approaches may be 
revisited. Individuals emphasized that relationships with 
the mission, the implementing partner and external 
partners like the Government of Mozambique can help 
to maintain focus and alignment during staff transitions.
SECTION THREE: INTEGRATION 
CHALLENGES
Challenges encountered by USAID/Mozambique in conceptualizing, designing and implementing integrated 
approaches in the IGBZ project relate to:
• finding time to collaborate, 
• managing staff across sectors, 
• minimizing disruptions from staff turnover, 
• developing a MEL plan,
• measuring co-benefits and 
• addressing attribution.
The challenge is not “managing the project, it is about having many people managing the 
project…because you have to reach agreement, you have to have everyone on board and 
agree on how to move forward, so it takes time to reach consensus.” 
—IGBZ project activity manager
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 13
Developing a MEL Plan
All staff felt agreeing on the project’s MEL plan was 
significantly more work than designing the MEL plan 
for a non-integrated project. Each of the four sectors 
have their own funding streams, standard indicators 
and reporting requirements, all of which had to be 
considered in the project’s MEL plan. The resulting 
MEL plan has over 50 indicators, including a number 
of custom indicators, some of which are subject to 
change. Staff recognized that the plan’s 50 indicators 
will require substantial data collection efforts and 
create an additional burden for report writing and 
for the implementing partner. In addition, some staff 
observed that their colleagues had varying levels of 
understanding on MEL and reporting processes, which 
meant that some staff needed additional training.
Measuring Co-Benefits
Quantifying the benefits of integration depends on a 
robust MEL system and may be challenging to assess 
within the project’s five-year timeframe. One of the 
project’s next challenges is measuring the cross-sectoral 
linkages across its four different funding streams and 
activities to evaluate which interventions support 
integrated programming and advance biodiversity 
conservation and to analyze how integration helps 
to achieve the mission’s development objectives. 
Although staff considered re-designing some indicators 
to capture broader cross-sectoral integration, that 
approach would have layered additional “integration 
indicators” on top of the MEL plan’s existing 50+ 
indicators, which staff ultimately thought would be 
too burdensome for the implementing partner. Still, 
the IGBZ project has completed a baseline survey 
and its MEL plan aims to capture whether or not 
integration approaches have led to additional co￾benefits. The Gorongosa Project has also invested in 
creating a new MEL integrated database. Although it 
is too soon to know whether the project’s integrated 
approach has generated additional benefits, future 
analysis has the potential to highlight entry points 
and incentives for biodiversity conservation.
Addressing Attribution
Attribution represents a challenge for individual USAID 
sectors and for USAID as a whole. In an integrated 
project, sectors may not always receive the same 
recognition for their efforts as in a single-sector 
project. Further, given the Gorongosa Project’s high 
profile, staff said promoting the GDA partnership in 
Gorongosa Project communications and explicitly 
acknowledging USAID funded activities is often 
challenging. The implementing partner observed 
that project beneficiaries are not always familiar 
with the sponsors of Gorongosa Project activities 
and may be unaware that USAID has supported 
activities from which they have benefitted.
14 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
Based on their experiences, USAID/Mozambique staff recommended several actions for 
other missions interested in pursuing integration. These recommendations focus on formalizing 
staff roles and responsibilities and increasing communication and CLA opportunities. 
Throughout design, implementation and evaluation:
• Develop and formalize a process-oriented protocol to clarify staff roles and 
responsibilities. The protocol would facilitate direct line management for integration 
tasks, set timeframes for reviewing documents and ensure that staff, and their 
supervisors, are aware of staff commitments to the project. 
• Establish an integrated working group that meets regularly to facilitate more 
consistent communication and meetings.
• Continue to support the biodiversity AOR’s role as a communication bridge 
who reaches out to different activity leads and staff at all levels of the project 
on a regular basis. 
• Continue to ensure support from the Program Office to facilitate additional 
coordination and collaboration.
As part of monitoring and evaluation efforts:
• Maintain annual review meetings and facilitate additional formal opportunities for staff 
to convene to pause and reflect on progress and challenges and ensure more frequent 
CLA opportunities. Staff suggested holding review meetings bi-annually to increase 
opportunities for reflection and learning.
• Continue to engage MEL staff in project meetings and field visits to incorporate their 
perspectives and to promote a MEL approach that facilitates learning.
RECOMMENDATIONS
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 15
Staff universally agreed that the additional effort of working on an integrated project was worth it.
Although some dynamics are unique to the IGBZ 
project, other factors and approaches can be leveraged 
by USAID missions and offices that are interested 
in learning how to better integrate biodiversity for 
effective and sustainable development outcomes.
First, USAID/Mozambique integrated project 
components over time. The IGBZ project initially 
focused on integrating three sectors, which allowed 
the project time to “find its feet” and discover how to 
collaborate across sectors. As the biodiversity AOR 
put it, “pulling together three or four or five funding 
streams is ambitious and you do not want to put too 
much on a young project.” In the project’s second 
year, mission staff and the implementing partner 
revisited the linkages between the education sector’s 
priorities and biodiversity conservation; after a series 
of conversations, the GDA agreement and budget 
were modified in 2017 to include an education 
component. This experience suggests that missions 
may want to focus initial integration efforts on two 
to three sectors and then gradually consider whether 
additional integration would be beneficial.
A second lesson is the importance of staff at all levels 
visiting the project site. When high-level staff, such as 
the Ambassador, mission director and deputy mission 
director, visited the Gorongosa Project, these staff 
then advocated for and promoted the IGBZ project. 
Further, individuals stressed the benefits of activity 
managers and staff from the Program Office and 
Financial Management Office in participating in joint site 
visits. Such visits brought together different teams and 
sectors, increased staff awareness of cross-sectoral 
priorities and activities and contributed to increased 
collaboration across sectors. These experiences 
underscore how field visits can generate additional 
support, facilitate conversations about integration 
and relationships among project staff, and enhance 
understanding of integration benefits.
Third, staff highlighted a culture of openness, 
receptivity to listen to creative ideas and activities, and 
individuals’ ability to understand and appreciate work 
outside of their sectors as instrumental in designing 
and implementing integration. Mission staff felt that 
this culture of openness and receptivity influenced 
the implementing partner to become more adaptive 
in its work as well. Further, individuals demonstrated 
a willingness to invest additional effort in developing 
and implementing the project, from following up with 
sectors to ensure their technical inputs into the work 
plan to continuing to refine the MEL plan. Although 
these personal and cultural dynamics can be difficult 
to concretely identify, much less promote, USAID/
Mozambique’s experience underscores the importance 
of creating an environment that encourages staff and 
the implementing partner to think and work creatively 
across sectors and to recognize and reward staff who 
invest additional time and effort in ensuring project 
success.
Further, a successful integration project can foster 
additional integration efforts, both within a mission 
and within the wider donor community. Several staff 
said the IGBZ project has helped to foster additional 
integration among USAID offices, such as between 
the Agriculture, Environment and Business Office and 
the Education, Democracy and Governance Office. 
In addition, USAID has shared the IGBZ experience 
with donor partners in Mozambique and is beginning 
to promote an integrated approach across the broader 
donor community and with the Government of 
Mozambique.
The park’s high-profile public-private partnership and 
strong relationship with the host government offer 
lessons learned for other USAID staff working with 
high-profile areas or partners. On the one hand, it is an 
opportunity: attention on GNP has helped to attract 
SECTION FOUR: LESSONS 
LEARNED
16 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
donors to the project and scientific researchers to 
the park; the latter has facilitated significant education 
and training opportunities for Mozambicans, increased 
scientific understanding of the GNP and provided 
income generating opportunities for the buffer zone 
communities. On the other hand, managing high-profile 
partnerships that have strong Congressional interest 
may require a greater degree of awareness of political 
realities in both the host country and in Washington. 
Such partnerships also necessitate increased staff 
time to ensure that all partners share a common 
understanding of project aims and activities.
Finally, staff universally agreed that the additional 
effort of working on an integrated project was worth 
it. Although some described integration as labor and 
time intensive, they did not view these efforts as a 
burden. Most staff described integration as an exciting 
opportunity, saying it provided them with new ways 
to describe their work and opportunities to tie their 
activities to other sectors. At the same time, some 
individuals cautioned that an integrated approach may 
not always be appropriate for all USAID missions. They 
explained that USAID missions should not be mandated 
to implement integrated approaches but should 
proactively decide whether an integrated approach is 
appropriate for the country and the project. On the 
whole, however, staff stressed that the extra effort 
invested in the project’s design and implementation 
was worthwhile in advancing the project and building a 
stronger, integrated approach.
Mike Marchington presents at the Cross-GDA Learning Review Workshop in March 2018. Photo by Susanna Jolly.
BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE — 17
In summary, the IGBZ project exemplifies co￾designed, co-funded and co-located integration across 
biodiversity conservation, agriculture, health and 
education. The IGBZ project explicitly links biodiversity 
conservation in the park with development activities 
in the buffer zone to strengthen natural resources 
management and improve food security, nutrition, 
health and education.
USAID/Mozambique advanced integration in 
several key ways. In particular, the mission advanced 
integration through strong institutional support, 
including both high-level and high-profile support and 
internal champions; flexible funding mechanisms; and a 
culture of inclusiveness in which staff built relationships 
across sectors in combination with a mission culture 
of promoting CLA. Although it is too soon to evaluate 
whether integration in GNP has yielded additional 
co-benefits, USAID/Mozambique’s experience offers 
insights and lessons for other USAID missions and 
offices interested in learning how to better integrate 
biodiversity for improved development outcomes.
FIGURE 3: CLA FRAMEWORK ILLUSTRATING USAID/MOZAMBIQUE ACTIONS 
USAID/Mozambique supported a culture that promoted 
learning and embedded a CLA approach in its CDCS.
 Individuals at the Mission facilitated relationship 
 building and promote opportunities 
 for reflection. Staff participated 
 in joint field trips and cross-
 sector training.
Next steps: Staff have 
proposed clearly 
articulating roles and 
responsibilities in a 
project protocol.
The IGBZ project holds annual review 
meetings to facilitate formal opportunities 
for “pause and reflection” 
and to share what 
works and what 
does not.
 Mission staff and implementing 
 partners support integration efforts 
USAID/Mozambique engaged with dedicated staff and financial resources.
with the Carr Foundation to co-create, 
co-design and co-implement the IGBZ 
project through a flexible GDA mechanism.
During project creation, 
Mission staff and the 
implementing partner 
developed a situation model, 
results chain and theory of 
change, which established 
the use of evidence￾informed decision-making 
and future opportunities 
for learning.
Learning is embedded into 
the USAID/Mozambique 
CDCS and “built into the 
DNA” of the project.
Next steps: One of the 
IGBZ project’s next 
challenges is to use its 
MEL plan to analyze how 
integration has helped 
to achieve the project’s 
development objectives.
SECTION FIVE: CONCLUSIONS 
18 — BIODIVERSITY INTEGRATION IN PRACTICE
REFERENCES
Carr Foundation. Gorongosa National Park website: http://www.gorongosa.org/our-story 
Gorongosa National Park. 2015a. Annual Integrated Gorongosa and Buffer Zone Program 
Technical Program (IGBZ) Work Plan 2015. Report No.1.
Gorongosa National Park. 2015b. Integrated Gorongosa and Buffer Zone 
Program (IBZ) FY2015 1st Year of the Project Year End Report.
USAID Mozambique. 2016. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. 
USAID/Gorongosa Restoration Project: Integrated Gorongosa and Buffer Zone Program.
Impalas. Photo by USAID Mozambique
U.S. Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20523
Tel. 202–712–0000
Fax. 202–216–3524
www.usaid.gov/biodiversity