Photos: Evaluation Team MID-TERM EVALUATION: AMAZON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS AND RESOURCES ­ AIRR FINAL REPORT JUNE 2023 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It was prepared independently by Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, subcontractor of EnCompass LLC for Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for Sustainability (MELS) contract 72052719D0001. The contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. ii | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov ABSTRACT The document presents the mid-term evaluation of the Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) Activity, which began in 2019 and ends in 2024. The Activity seeks to improve the participation of Indigenous Peoples in sustainable economic, cultural, and environmental development for the Amazon, leading to the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of emissions from forest loss. AIRR also aims to help Indigenous Peoples and other populations of the Amazon live fuller and happier lives. The evaluation team used a qualitative methodology that included a documentary analysis and 44 in-depth interviews with strategic partners, implementer organizations, and other stakeholders -46 women and 36 men-. The evaluation reveals that AIRR efforts have resulted in sustained processes of capacity building of indigenous organizations in the defense of their rights and territories, as well as in the promotion of indigenous entrepreneurships. The evaluation also reveals that the positive results for indigenous entrepreneurships depend on the consolidation of value chains and on the strengthening of access to markets with impact investors. Women and young people made progress in making their presence and leadership more visible. The sustainability of AIRR’s results depends on indigenous organizations’ capacity to use advocacy strategies in support of their agendas to defend their territories and economic rights, as well as to consolidate their entrepreneurships. Finally, the evaluation team recommends that AIRR enhances the benefits achieved, by increasing the participation of indigenous organizations in the administration and management of resources, strengthening the commercial and administrative capacities of the entrepreneurships, and improving product quality. RESUMEN El documento presenta la evaluación intermedia del Proyecto Amazonía Indígena, Derechos y Recursos – AIRR el cual se inició el 2019 y concluye el 2024. El proyecto busca mejorar la participación de los Pueblos Indígenas en el desarrollo económico sostenible cultural y ambiental de la Amazonía, conduciendo a la conservación de la biodiversidad y a la reducción de las emisiones por la pérdida de bosques, para asegurar una vida plena de los Pueblos Indígenas y otras poblaciones de la Amazonia. La evaluación tuvo un enfoque cualitativo, se realizó un análisis documental y 44 entrevistas a profundidad a socios estratégicos, implementadores y otros actores (46 mujeres y 36 hombres). La evaluación revela que AIRR ha permitido avanzar en procesos sostenidos de fortalecimiento de capacidades de las organizaciones indígenas tanto en la defensa de sus derechos y sus territorios, como en la promoción de emprendimientos indígenas. Se identificó que los resultados de los emprendimientos dependen de la consolidación de cadenas de valor y afianzar el acceso a mercados con inversionistas de impacto. Las mujeres y los jóvenes avanzaron en visibilizar su presencia y liderazgo. La sostenibilidad de los resultados finales depende de mantener las estrategias de incidencia de las organizaciones indígenas que abone en sostener sus agendas en la defensa de sus territorios y de sus derechos económicos, consolidando el desarrollo de los emprendimientos. Finalmente, se plantearon recomendaciones que permitirán potenciar los beneficios logrados, entre ellas, aumentar la participación de las organizaciones indígenas en la administración y el manejo de recursos, el fortalecimiento de las capacidades en temas comerciales y administrativos de los emprendimientos y la mejorar de la calidad de los productos. iii | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov _______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ................................................................................................................................................................ ...................................................................................................................................... _____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ....................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................ __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ................................................................... .................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................... _______________________________________________ ............................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................... ______________________________________________ ..................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................... _________________________________________________________________________ ......................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................... .................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................... ................................................................. .......................................................................................... CONTENTS ACRONYMS iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY vi PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS 1 PURPOSE 1 EVALUATION QUESTIONS 1 ACTIVITY BACKGROUND 2 EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS 4 DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS 4 SAMPLE 5 STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS . 6 CONTEXT 7 FINDINGS 9 STRENGTHENED PERFORMANCE OF INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS 9 INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURSHIPS 28 GOVERNANCE 40 ASSOCIATION WITH AMAZON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES 56 BILATERAL VERSUS REGIONAL 67 THEORY OF CHANGE 73 LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES 81 LESSONS LEARNED 81 BEST PRACTICES 83 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 84 CONCLUSIONS 84 RECOMMENDATIONS 89 ANNEXES 92 ANNEX A. RESUMEN EJECUTIVO 92 ANNEX B. EVALUATION TEAM 102 ANNEX C: EVALUATION STATEMENT OF WORK 104 ANNEX D. REVISED DOCUMENTS 110 ANNEX E. DATA COLLECTION TOOLS 113 ANNEX F. INTERVIEWEES 131 ANNEX G. ADDITIONAL TABLES COMPLEMENTING FINDINGS 134 ANNEX H: DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST 163 iv | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov ACRONYMS AIDESEP Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest APEA Applied Political Economic Analysis BID Inter-American Development Bank NSC National Steering Committees RSC Regional Steering Committee CEI Indigenous Economy Committees ECLAC United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean NCs Native Communities CODEPISAM Coordinating Office for the Development of Indigenous Peoples in the San Martín Region COIAB Coordinating Office for Brazilian Amazon Indigenous Organizations COICA Coordinating Office for Amazon Basin Indigenous Organizations COP Conference of the Parties CONFENIAE Confederation of Ecuadorian Amazon Indigenous Nationalities CORPI-SL Regional Coordinating Office for the San Lorenzo Indigenous Peoples CORPIA-A Regional Coordinating Office for the Atalaya AIDESEP Indigenous Peoples CRIC Cauca Regional Indigenous Council in Colombia DAR Law, Environment & Natural Resources Association EGIDA School of Indigenous Governance and Amazon Development FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FEPOIMT Federação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas do Mato Grosso FEPIPA Federação dos Povos Indígenas do Estado do Pará GHG Greenhouse Gases ICV Life Center Institute IPAM Amazon Environmental Research Institute MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning MINAM Ministry of the Environment of Peru MINCUL Ministry of Culture of Peru NESsT Nonprofit Enterprise and Self-Sustainability Team IOs Indigenous Organizations NGO Non-Governmental Organization v | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov UN United Nations Organization ONIC National Indigenous Organization of Colombia OPAN Operação Amazônia Nativa OPI Observatory for the Human Rights of Isolated and Recently Contacted Indigenous Peoples in Brazil OPIAC Indigenous Peoples Organization in the Colombian Amazon ORAU AIDESEP Regional Organization for Ucayali ORPIA Indigenous Peoples Regional Organization for Amazonas ORPIO Indigenous Peoples Regional Organization for the East ORPIAN Indigenous Peoples Regional Organization for the Northern Amazon Region of Peru OSINFOR Supervisory Agency for Forestry and Wildlife Resources in Peru OZIP Putumayo Zonal Indigenous Organization PARNAJu Juruena National Park in Brazil PFGTI Indigenous Territorial Governance Training Program AMU Activity Management Unit P&R Pause & Reflect SAAT AIDESEP’s Early Warning and Action System SAT-RR COICA’s Early Warning System for Threats to Indigenous Peoples and Rapid Response SERFOR National Forest and Wildlife Service of Peru SERNANP National Service for Natural Areas Protected by the State SOMAI Indigenous Amazon Observation and Monitoring System ToC Theory of Change IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature USG United States Government USAID United States Agency for International Development WWF World Wildlife Fund vi | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) Activity seeks to improve the participation of Indigenous Peoples in sustainable economic, cultural, and environmental development for the Amazon, leading to the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of emissions from forest loss. AIRR also aims to help Indigenous Peoples and other populations of the Amazon live fuller and happier lives. AIRR is implemented through partnerships between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and partner organizations from National Indigenous Federations and the Regional Amazon Indigenous Organizations, as well as non-governmental organization (NGO) partners in four countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. PURPOSE Assess AIRR’s progress, capture lessons learned from the Activity’s first three years of implementation, analyze future scenarios, and make recommendations to strengthen the Activity’s performance, management, and governance structure, considering its operational and organizational processes. EVALUATION QUESTIONS There were six evaluation questions: 1. To what extent have AIRR’s efforts to strengthen the management, technical and negotiation skills of indigenous organizations improved their participation in decision-making? 2. Are indigenous entrepreneurship development and investment activities aimed at achieving their immediate objectives (meeting targets) or their broader objectives of improving the economic conditions and rights of indigenous peoples? 3. How has the governance structure of the Activity (sub-societies, associations, enterprises, federations and steering committees) influenced the a) implementation, b) management and c) adaptive management of this regional Activity? 4. What are the challenges and opportunities of working with Amazon indigenous organizations? 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of AIRR being a regional transboundary Activity rather than four bilateral Activities? 6. Is the original theory of change still valid? METHODOLOGY The methodological approach used by the evaluation team was mixed, quantitative-qualitative, with a predominance of the qualitative approach. The evaluation team reviewed strategic Activity documentation and conducted 44 in-depth in-person and virtual interviews (25 individual and 19 group), with a sample of 82 people (46 women and 36 men) to include the perspectives of all partner organizations, NGOs, indigenous organizations, and USAID. vii | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov FINDINGS STRENGTHENED PERFORMANCE OF INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS − AIRRs strategies and interventions have strengthened indigenous organizations’ technical and advocacy capacities (technical support and information generated such as diagnoses, analytical documents, and plans). With improved capacities, the indigenous organizations have achieved a more informed and proactive participation in decision-making spaces such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) and the Escazú Agreement (COP 1), among others. − AIRR’s efforts to promote indigenous organizations’ advocacy activities in national and international spaces have resulted in initiatives to defend their rights in an articulated and strategic manner. An example of these initiatives is the “Advocacy strategy for the participation of COICA in international spaces in the framework of extractive and infrastructure projects”. − AIRR has facilitated the participation of indigenous organizations in national and international decision-making spaces through technical and economic support to their representatives and technical teams. − Indigenous organizations have developed management and institutional organization tools to improve their management performance and gained experience in grant management. − Training activities with women have improved their capacity to defend their rights, which has been very useful for the exchange of experiences at the national and regional levels. However, it is still a challenge to achieve equal participation of indigenous women in training processes, equal opportunities to access key decision-making and representation spaces, and equal access to and management of knowledge. INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURSHIPS − AIRR strengthened the capacities of participating indigenous entrepreneurships by improving their productive, administrative, and commercial processes through specialized training and consulting services. − Participating indigenous entrepreneurships are in the process of identifying impact investors who will enable them to integrate into sustainable value chains. − In most entrepreneurships, the benefits in terms of increased income reach a small number of families. The community-level impact is focused and small. − The entrepreneurships have played a leading role in the process of building the concept of indigenous economy, creating spaces for discussion to understand and adapt a generalizable concept for the four countries in the coming years. − The progress of indigenous entrepreneurships has strengthened the discourse among indigenous organizations on the rights of indigenous peoples by making the dimension of economic development and conservation of natural resources more visible. − AIRR has promoted the participation of indigenous women in the entrepreneurships; however, there are still cultural expectations, roles and stereotypes assigned to women, such as the sexual division of labor, jealousy of partners and other macho attitudes that do not favor women’s full leadership at the head of the entrepreneurships. viii | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov GOVERNANCE − The first year of implementation and management of AIRR focused on convening partners and on designing processes and management protocols, given the Activity’s complex governance structure of multiple partners in four countries with different roles. − AIRR management sought to ensure that participating indigenous organizations took a leading role as partners in decision-making. To do so, AIRR created and supported the functioning of three consultative bodies: the Regional Steering Committee (RSC), the National Steering Committees (NSC) and the Indigenous Economic Committees (CEI). AIRR’s technical assistance allowed indigenous organizations to participate in the Activity’s governance structure. − The requirement to adopt common standards in administration, human resource management, and accountability, in accordance with USAID and WWF resource implementation procedures, created difficult situations that the Activity’s adaptive management was able to resolve. − The Activity’s governance structure is complex, with a multiplicity of levels and stakeholders, and complementary communication channels have been created to assist when decision making gets stuck and to facilitate adaptive management. − Grant management technical assistance proved to be a learning experience for AIRR and partner staff. Although this assistance has helped strengthen institutions, grant management continues to be a challenge that varies from country to country. For example, grant management was better in Peru and COICA. − AIRR’s adaptive management capacity facilitated the implementation of creative strategies and safe spaces for childcare, which created a level playing field for indigenous mothers to participate in capacity building and empowerment processes. PARTNERING WITH AMAZON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES − AIRR has addressed challenges through adaptive management including working with indigenous organizations in changing and often unfavorable national political contexts. These challenges have resulted in threats to indigenous organizations’ political and economic rights, as in the case of Brazil, where the government created obstacles and imposed restrictions on indigenous demands. Other challenges include determining how to protect environmental defenders in a timely way, how to address the need of consolidating relationships among the different partner organizations, and how to respond to their specific demands. − The Activity’s ability to work in partnership with Amazon Indigenous Peoples and in a coordinated manner allowed AIRR to share experiences, to strengthen intercultural and multi-stakeholder dialogue, to provide new training and empowerment opportunities for youth and women, and to gather and coordinate (at the regional level) collective lessons learned from the progress made by organizations in each country. − The diminished effectiveness of the National Steering Committees (NSCs), as evident from their sluggish decision-making process, is linked to institutional challenges among indigenous organizations, such as staff turnover (particularly for directors), overloaded agendas, and the responsibility of managing multiple projects. In addition, indigenous organizations have not ix | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov found a mechanism to respond simultaneously to the diverse demands for action in each of their broad agendas. BILATERAL VERSUS REGIONAL − The advantages of AIRR being a cross-border regional Activity include the strengthening of the presence and impact of indigenous organizations at the national and international levels, especially in spaces for learning exchange, and the defense of political and economic rights and territories. − The disadvantages of AIRR being a cross-border regional Activity were the greater demands involved in responding to technical and administrative needs (logistics, communication, and attention to indigenous organizations in the coverage and scope of landscapes). − The advantages or disadvantages of being a national or regional Activity are relative, depending on the problems and challenges to be addressed and how the institutional arrangements between the partners, as well as the implementation strategies, are defined. THEORY OF CHANGE − AIRR’s original theory of change remains valid in its overall vision and objective of ensuring that the economic rights and interests of indigenous peoples are incorporated into public and private sector development planning in the Amazon. However, the theory of change still needs further integration among results chains at the level of prioritized landscapes. − The participation of partner organizations in the adaptation of the theory of change has been continuous, including national and international indigenous organizations. − The system of indicators is very well formulated from a technical and administrative perspective. However, the partner organizations, especially indigenous organizations, do not have sufficient information to monitor the level of progress of some product and process indicators, such as the level of sales in the entrepreneurships and the level of women’s leadership. CONCLUSIONS 1. Indigenous organizations have strengthened their technical and advocacy capacities to varying degrees, depending on the country. The implementation of an advocacy-oriented approach not only supplements the various initiatives of indigenous organizations (implemented in the framework of other partnerships), but also organizes, articulates, and strengthens them with technical support tools. This allows for a more informed, strategic, and proactive participation in negotiation and decision-making spaces, which has contributed to improving indigenous organizations’ ability to achieve impact. 2. There has been important progress in the development of management and institutional organization tools of AIDESEP (Peru) and OPIAC (Colombia). Nonetheless, showcasing the results of the tools’ application in improving management and processes of indigenous organizations requires further measurement. Most of the tools were developed recently, during the third year of the Activity. 3. The opportunity for indigenous organizations to directly manage funds has allowed them to gain more experience in fund administration. This learning process was a challenge for the Activity x | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov because it meant that several AIRR partner organizations in the four countries had to adapt to a single management format, which took longer than expected. A resulting negative externality was the use of resources for the operational and administrative costs of multiple organizations that could have been used to fund more entrepreneurships. Similarly, AIRR did not identify mechanisms to ensure that the knowledge and experience gained would remain within the organizations after a change of leadership. Regarding the actual financial impact, no financial information on the Activity was available for this evaluation. 4. AIRR’s contribution to the empowerment and participation of women in the defense of their rights and economic interests through the strengthening of their knowledge and skills has been significant. Although it has not yet been possible to achieve sustainable equal participation, the progress made in terms of capacity building is noteworthy. Through various mechanisms, the Activity continues to seek to overcome multiple challenges and barriers that arise. These include support for the organization of women-only meetings, quota systems, technical assistance at the request of members of indigenous organizations to modify their statutes or to create gender plans within their organizations, and creating a childcare system, among others. 5. Participating indigenous entrepreneurships have made important progress and this progress is a first milestone in terms of strengthening their productive, administrative (accounting and financial) and commercial capacities (both men and women have been trained). It should be noted that, although it was a difficult task for the entrepreneurships (in terms of content and time), they have internalized the value of these processes for growth and improvement of sales and income. 6. The time and effort that AIRR has invested in the entrepreneurships have been fundamental in reaching that first milestone of capacity improvement. However, there is still a long way to go to fully achieve AIRR’s immediate objectives (improvement of productive, administrative, and commercial capacities) as well as the Activity’s broader objectives (such as integration into sustainable value chains, conservation of biodiversity, productive processes that do not harm the environment and have significant impacts on the economy of the communities, reduction of deforestation, and the promotion of a dynamic economy among indigenous communities). Each entrepreneurship will have different results for each objective given the differences among each of the ventures in terms of size, category, sector, the degree of involvement of community members, and whether it has allies. 7. The positive development of indigenous entrepreneurships reinforces the construction of a political discourse of indigenous organizations about the rights of indigenous peoples, their role in the conservation and sustainability of natural resources and biodiversity, and an indigenous economy. 8. AIRR has continuously encouraged the participation of indigenous women, as well as the promotion of their leadership at the head of indigenous entrepreneurships or initiatives. However, the persistence of cultural expectations and gender roles in indigenous communities that hinder women’s participation and weaken their leadership, continue to strongly limit the advancement of equal conditions and equitable distribution of economic benefits. 9. The complex Activity governance structure was difficult to put in place, requiring AIRR implementation and management in the first year to develop key conditions and decision-making processes. These included establishing trust among partners, prioritizing sites, and initiating uphill operational planning. As a result of the complexity of the governance structure, there was USAID.gov a period of adaptation and design of management processes and protocols, which resulted in the first year being dominated by studies and baselines as well the design and establishment of protocols and processes necessary to reach the results of the Activity’s objectives. During this initial period, AIRR made progress in building relationships among stakeholders, who became familiar with their roles and commitments to the Activity, a necessary condition to facilitate AIRR’s operation from then on. The pace of implementation noticeably improved during the second and third years. 10. Regarding the governance structure of the Activity, the three deliberative bodies (NSC, CEI and RSC) became dynamic and demanding spaces for the indigenous organizations themselves. AIRR staff then determined that the bodies required a system of multi-stakeholder governance (including focal points from WWF and the indigenous organizations). Thus, although not every decision-making opportunity resulted in consensus, the structure was flexible enough to allow for effective management of the Activity and development of its plans and activities. 11. In terms of strengths, AIRR’s continuous adaptive management resulted in 1) appropriate technical support for administrative capacity strengthening; 2) reduction of knowledge gaps and technological management through connectivity improvements; 3) guidelines for resource use; 4) creation of spaces for intercultural and intersectional dialogue; and 5) learning in the management of grants and sub-grants. In terms of weaknesses AIRR’s management resulted in 1) delays in RSC and NSC members ability to understand their roles and functions; 2) delays in RSC and NSC functionality and dynamics due to communication barriers and limitations; 3) reduced female leadership; and 4) moderate achievements among participating indigenous entrepreneurships. 12. AIRR Peru and AIRR Regional were able to manage grants and subsidies with greater technical solvency from year one. This was not the case for Ecuador (considering that it did not implement the objective of “integrating indigenous economic rights and interests into public and private sector development planning”) or Colombia. Grant and subsidies management continues to be a challenge for AIRR to fully resolve in all four countries. 13. The technical management of grants has been a learning experience, both a challenge that varies from country to country and an opportunity for institutional strengthening. Grant performance was stronger in Peru and COICA as they were able to manage larger amounts and deliver timely reports. 14. The implementation of a structured childcare system for training efforts was a successful example of the Activity’s adaptive management capacity. AIRR overcame the administrative barriers that existed for this type of expenditure, positively reducing dropout rates among indigenous mothers and improving the quality of their participation. 15. Working in partnership with Amazonian indigenous peoples, AIRR has been able to recognize and reflect on the priorities of indigenous organizations, while respecting their autonomy. AIRR’s partnerships have also promoted and improved collective learning at the regional level from the successes of indigenous organizations at the country level. Challenges remain, however, including changing national political contexts, understanding of the political-cultural autonomy of the indigenous peoples, heterogeneous characteristics and agendas that often compete for priority, and the urgency of addressing systemic and cross-cutting issues of deep￾rooted gender inequalities. These challenges have required constant adaptation. xi | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov 16. The operation of the National Steering Committees (NSCs) is crucial to the governance of the Activity in all countries, and their effectiveness remains a challenge. Despite a well-defined role in Activity implementation and a flexible and adaptive operation, NSCs members showed little interest in playing a proactive role within the Activity. Their involvement and participation levels, as well as their support for commitments, were all lacking. The institutional context of each indigenous organization including leadership changes that affected the continuity of previous decisions, difficulties stemming from the intersection of different agendas for the many indigenous organizations and cooperation agencies, and time use priorities among leaders that did not match the needs of the NSCs; all contributed to low interest and participation. 17. The improvement of the role of the indigenous organizations during the remainder of the Activity and beyond will depend on the consolidation of the progress achieved towards institutional strengthening of indigenous organizations. It will also depend on the creation of sufficient conditions for the sustainability of that institutional strengthening and of indigenous entrepreneurships. 18. Embarking on a regional Amazonian transboundary Activity has been done before. AIRR’s experience has been a particularly complex and challenging example of a regional effort that presents the following advantages and disadvantages: - Advantages include the promotion of the presence of indigenous organizations in efforts to defend their political and economic rights, the creation of a global indigenous leadership, and the emergence of new political leaders including women and young people. - Disadvantages include barriers such as geographical dispersion and communication difficulties among the numerous indigenous organizations, challenges related to the efficient management of grants and sub-grants’ budgets, as well as the operational costs of timely communication. 19. AIRR can deliver positive results at both regional and country levels. The extent of those results will depend on the degree of political and economic reach of the participating indigenous organizations and entrepreneurships. It will also depend on the level and scale of institutional agreements among the partners, as well as on the success of adaptive and resiliency strategies to the different contexts. 20. The Activity’s theory of change is still valid at a strategic level in which the proposed change is the inclusion of economic rights and interests in the development planning of public and private sector actors in the Amazon. However, it seems that the achievement of its intermediate results does not guarantee the achievement of the strategic objectives within the expected timeframe. The validity of the theory of change is a work in progress and the remaining Activity time and budget may prove insufficient to achieve AIRR’s main goals. 21. Performance based on the annual targets established for Activity indicators at the time of the mid-term review varied by indicator. Some targets have been fully achieved (AIRR has reached 100% of the targets for the following four indicators: number of hectares of forest cover, number of people trained, number of institutions or decision makers with plans and actions that include the priorities of indigenous organizations, and number of indigenous entrepreneurships supported in the development of their entrepreneurial capacities). On the other hand, the target for the indicator “percentage of organizations with improved performance” was far from being achieved. Importantly, there were no targets for a few indicators during AIRR’s first three years xii | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov including percentage increase in sales and amount of financial support for indigenous entrepreneurships. RECOMMENDATIONS The evaluation team prepared the following recommendations based on the contributions of various stakeholders during a Recommendations Co-creation Workshop held in Lima on January 10, 2023. Representatives from USAID, WWF, AMU, NGO partner organizations, and indigenous organizations participated either in person or virtually. The recommendations do not include feedback from indigenous organizations beyond their contributions during the workshop. FOR ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT UNIT AND NGOS 1. Progressively increase the percentage of participation of indigenous organizations in the administration and management of resources, according to positive results in management evaluations. 2. Sign institutional agreements with universities and other academic spaces to give continuity and sustainability to strategies for capacity strengthening. 3. Continue to provide sustained support to the leadership of indigenous organizations, taking into account the priorities established by them in the “Advocacy Strategy for COICA’s Participation in International Spaces in the Framework of Extractive and Infrastructure Projects”, which includes Defenders and Escazú, Climate Change, Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (PIACI), Social and Environmental Safeguards in International Financial Institutions (IFIS), Rehabilitation of Indigenous Territories, and Empowerment of Indigenous Women and Youth as central themes. 4. Maintain the Regional Steering Committee in operation during this last phase, consolidating AIRR’s achievements with the continued participation of COICA. 5. Consolidate the relationship between the Regional Steering Committee and COICA to maintain the partnership’s efforts on political advocacy at the international level, according to AIRR’s strategy. Promote a stronger leadership role for the National Steering Committees, allowing them to coordinate the priorities of their institutional agendas with the objectives of the Activity. 6. Disseminate and transfer AIRR’s analyses of the regulatory framework of the system of environmental impact of extractive investments in the Amazon to the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Ministry of Transport, or their counterparts in each country. Do the same with sub-national governments with which AIRR works in the four countries. 7. Continue to strengthen administrative capacity to significantly reduce knowledge and technological management gaps, especially for leaders, women, and youth. 8. Collect, systematize, and share the most successful experiences with different indigenous organizations in each country, especially those of women and youth. xiii | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov 9. Design a knowledge transfer strategy (including filing cabinets, backup hard disks, the cloud, etc.) to disseminate the materials and contents of the Virtual Learning Library (BiVA) to Activity partners. 10. Negotiate commitments from public institutions in the countries to ensure the sustainability of territorial and biological monitoring and forest oversight efforts. 11. Sustain and strengthen the implementation of the Gender, Youth, and Intersectionality Plan at both national and local levels. 12. Provide greater administrative flexibility for the childcare system given the positive impact it has had in promoting access to AIRR activities for indigenous mothers and reducing their dropout rates. FOR NESST, ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT UNIT, AND WWF COUNTRY FOCAL POINTS 1. Recommendations with regards to building, strengthening, and exercising the productive and administrative capacities of indigenous entrepreneurships: − Continue to support the strengthening of the administrative capacity of participating entrepreneurships, reinforcing what has been learned. Do so by ensuring indigenous entrepreneurs put into practice the knowledge they have acquired. − Regarding productive capacity, examine the possibility of making improvements in the quality of the products based on each entrepreneurship’s business line, the demand for its products, and the priorities and needs of the market (whether local, national or international). − Continue to provide training opportunities on commercial issues, both in person and virtually to achieve greater impact. − Provide support and guidance throughout the implementation of investment memorandums that determine the use of resources provided by the Activity to entrepreneurships. These memorandums should include a customized commercial support strategy for each indigenous venture. 2. On the financial and commercial sustainability of entrepreneurships and their insertion into new markets: − Improve the marketing, digital sales, and communication strategies of the entrepreneurships. For example, by creating a digital platform that makes Amazonian indigenous entrepreneurships visible. Using existing digital platforms of indigenous organizations will ensure the sustainability of this effort. − Help entrepreneurships in the development of a commercial route to reach customers within sustainable value chains, identify niche markets, and find buyers in regional, national and international markets. This support should be adapted to each entrepreneurship’s category to ensure scale up. − Diversify and deepen the search for financing options for entrepreneurship investments (investors, public and private competitive funds, financial system, etc.). 3. Contribute to the strengthening of the relationship between the entrepreneurship and the families within the community, whether families are partners or suppliers. Improve xiv | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov communication between the entrepreneurship and the communities, focusing on transparency and business results. 4. Deepen the collection of information and measurement of performance indicators of the entrepreneurships. Develop strategies to share indicator data with the entrepreneurships to promote evidence-based decision making. 5. Prioritize initiatives that show growth potential, even if they do not have a legal entity registration. Channel support to entrepreneurships based on their performance. Focus investment efforts on the final phases of the setup of entrepreneurships with the best results and the highest likelihood of sustainability. 6. Disaggregate records by gender and age for all interventions to ensure AIRR measures decrease or increase in participation for indigenous women and youth. 7. Considering the cultural expectations and gender roles and stereotypes among indigenous communities that host participating entrepreneurships, involve the communities (with emphasis on the male population) in training events on gender and generational inequalities with an intersectional focus. In particular, continue to promote the participation of indigenous women in training processes on biological territorial monitoring, the sector with the greatest participation gap. FOR USAID 1. Future Activities with a skills development component should have a team, or at least a pedagogical expert, to monitor curriculum design, progress, and learning outcomes based on the development of knowledge and skills from a competence perspective. 2. Consider the possibility of also funding productive and investment aspects (such as infrastructure) of entrepreneurships, as these are prerequisites for growth and access to international markets, and for forming partnerships with impact investors. xv | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) USAID.gov PURPOSE AND EVALUATION QUESTIONS PURPOSE To evaluate the performance of the Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) Activity, capture lessons learned from the first three years of implementation, analyze future scenarios, and provide recommendations to the Activity. The evaluation report should be used to strengthen AIRR’s performance, management, and governance structure, focusing on operational and organizational processes. The users of the evaluation are USAID and WWF/AIRR, as well as all partner institutions, which are indigenous peoples and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. EVALUATION QUESTIONS The following are questions that guided the evaluation: Questions Sub-questions 1. To what extent did AIRR’s efforts to strengthen indigenous organizations’ management, technical, and negotiation skills improve their participation in decision￾making? 1.1 What works and what does not? 1.2 What changes can be made to improve performance? 2. Are the development and investment activities of indigenous entrepreneurships aimed at achieving their immediate objectives (meeting targets) or their broader objectives of improving the economic conditions and rights of indigenous peoples? 2.1 Why or why not? What are the factors? 3. How has the Activity’s governance structure (i.e., various sub-societies, associations, companies, federations, and steering committees) influenced (eased or difficulted) a) the implementation, b) the management, and c) the adaptive management of this regional Activity? 3.1 What are the positive and negative aspects of the program’s structure? 3.2 What changes could be made to improve its performance? 3.3 How is the performance of the grant administration (timeliness, task orders, milestones, delivery schedules, and administrative requirements) from a technical perspective? 4. What are the challenges and opportunities of partnering with Amazonian indigenous people? 4.1 How effective are the Steering Committees as part of the governance of the Activity? 4.2 What can be done to strengthen the role of indigenous peoples’ organizations during the remainder of the Activity and beyond? 1 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of AIRR being a regional cross-border Activity rather than four bilateral Activities? 5.1 Which Activity components benefit from a regional approach and which from a bilateral approach, and why? 6. Is the original theory of change still valid? 6.1 Has it been adapted/modified and how? ACTIVITY BACKGROUND The Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) Activity is part of USAID’s Amazon Region Environmental Program (AREP) and is implemented through partnerships between the World Wildlife Fund/World Wildlife Fund (WWF), partner organizations from the National Indigenous Federations and the Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples (IP) of the Amazon, and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners in four countries: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. USAID Cooperative Agreement Number: 72052719CA00004 Start and End Dates: August 23, 2019, to September 30, 2024 Implementing Partner: World Wildlife Fund Inc. - WWF (USA) The purpose of AIRR is to increase the participation of indigenous peoples in sustainable economic development in the Amazon, leading to the empowerment of indigenous peoples (understood as the improved exercise of their rights in the face of large-scale infrastructure development and extractive activities), the conservation of biodiversity, and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by forest loss. The AIRR Activity has two objectives and five intermediate outcomes: Objective 1: Integrate indigenous economic rights and interests into private law and public sector development planning. This objective aims to strengthen the capacities and skills of indigenous peoples’ organizations to defend and negotiate their rights and interests, and to better monitor their lands more effectively. Intermediate outcomes: − IO 1.1: Indigenous partners advocate for their rights and economic interests. − IO 1.2: Decision-making is informed by data collected by indigenous monitoring systems. − IO 1.3: Indigenous partners achieve equitable outcomes in negotiations with key stakeholders related to extractive and infrastructure projects. Objective 2. Equitable and sustainable scale-up of indigenous entrepreneurships to regional and global markets. − The objective focuses on promoting the growth and consolidation of indigenous entrepreneurships to reach national, regional, or international markets through a combination of grants, loans, and marketing. Intermediate outcomes: 2 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov − IO 2.1: Marketable goods and services sustainably produced by indigenous entrepreneurships/businesses. − IO 2.2: Indigenous entrepreneurships/businesses integrated into sustainable value chains. The implementation of AIRR began in August 2019, the Activity’s period of implementation is 5 years, and its budget is $17,962,505.00 (seventeen million nine hundred sixty-two thousand five hundred and five with 00/100 US dollars). AIRR is implemented by WWF through a network of specialized NGOs in each country working with indigenous people’s organizations at regional, national, and local levels. The Activity has 23 partner organizations (13 regional, national, and sub-national indigenous organizations and 10 NGOs). The scope of AIRR is limited to three landscapes, with thematic priorities defined in the theory of change and results chains. The priority landscapes are: Tapajos River Basin (Brazil), Putumayo River Basin (Colombia and Ecuador and Peru) and the Marañón River Basin (Peru), which is home to many Amazonian indigenous peoples. Interventions in these areas have focused on the different infrastructure and extractive projects that require special attention: hydrocarbon projects (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), hydroelectric projects (Brazil and Peru) and multimodal infrastructure projects in Peru (roads and waterways). The AIRR Activity has a governance structure that gives partners an important role in local and national decision-making. This structure consists of three levels: the Indigenous Economic Committees, the National Steering Committees, and the Regional Steering Committee. The main stakeholders of the AIRR Activity are: − USAID − WWF (Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, USA). − AIRR Activity partners: All in for Development (All In), Law, Environment, and Natural Resources (DAR), Nonprofit Enterprise and Self-Sustainability Team (NESsT), Life Centre Institute (ICV), Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM). − Indigenous organizations: Inter-ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP), Confederation of Ecuadorian Amazon Indigenous Nationalities (CONFENIAE), Coordenação das Organizações Indígenas da Amazônia Brasileira (COIAB), Coordinating Office for Amazon Basin Indigenous Organizations (COICA), Operação Amazônia Nativa (OPAN), Indigenous Peoples Organization in the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC), Putumayo Zonal Indigenous Organization (OZIP), and other stakeholders involved 3 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov in the Activity such as national political authorities, companies and international financial organizations. EVALUATION METHODS AND LIMITATIONS The evaluation team used a mixed quantitative-qualitative methodological approach, with a predominance of qualitative methods due to the availability of time and the geographical scope of the Activity. In addition, the evaluation process was participatory, gathering inputs from all stakeholders to understand their experiences and perceptions of what was done, as well as their contributions to enrich the experience. The evaluation methodology applied an evidence-based approach and a theory of change to answer the six evaluation questions and arrive at conclusions and recommendations. DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS The following data collection techniques and tools were used to collect secondary and primary information. Documentary Review. A documentary analysis was made of the information available in the studies, annual and quarterly reports, work plans and other documents produced by the project. In the latter case, an important series of materials were produced by and for indigenous organizations, ranging from training needs assessments, training programs on various topics (e.g., management, monitoring, rights, climate change, and communication), advocacy strategies, risk management tools, and materials for project use, among others. Semi-structured interviews. Given the complexity of the types of stakeholders (see the sample section for more details), partners (NGOs, organizations representing indigenous peoples), indigenous entrepreneurs, other external stakeholders, and the different roles they play (members of decision￾making committees, focal points, technicians), we considered using two techniques to collect primary information: Semi-structured individual interviews and semi-structured group interviews, face-to-face and virtual. Semi-structured interview guides were used as tools to collect information (See Annex E ). Forty-four individual and group interview guides were administered to 82 people in the four countries (see Annex F for a list of participating stakeholders). Table 1. Sample size by country Brazil 7 Colombia 8 Ecuador 9 Peru1 20 No. Interviews 44 No. Interviewees 82 Prepared by Evaluation Team 1 In the case of Peru, the sample size is larger because it includes the AMU team. 4 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources The evaluation team conducted individual interviews with staff from: − AIRR Activity partners − Indigenous entrepreneurships − External stakeholders − The evaluation team conducted group interviews with staff from: − AIRR Activity partner NESsT; Subject: Entrepreneurship − AIRR Activity partner indigenous organizations - communicators; Subject: Communications − AIRR Activity partner indigenous entrepreneurships; Subject: Indigenous economy and entrepreneurships. The evaluation team used ATLAS.ti software to code and analyze interview data, including by category and stakeholder. All interview participants (both in-person and virtual) provided prior informed consent. In-person interviews took place in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. SAMPLE The sample was qualitative, and the general criteria used were: − Ensure the sample is representative of all Activity partners in the four countries. − Ensure the sample reflects the different technical, political, communication, and key management and implementation roles and issues (roles: focal points and technical officers; issues: management, administration and finance, capacity building, communication, and indigenous entrepreneurships). − Ensure the sample reflects the different levels at which indigenous organizations participate in the Activity (Amazonian regional, national and sub-national). In the case of indigenous entrepreneurships, the criteria applied were: − Ensure the sample reflects the three categories of entrepreneurships. − Ensure the sample reflects the widest variety of sectors. − Ensure the sample reflects women- and men-led entrepreneurships equally. − Ensure the sample includes all four countries. − Ensure the sample considers accessibility (physical access and communication viability) and the concentration of entrepreneurships in each area. The evaluation team conducted in-person interviews in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and virtual interviews in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. The evaluation team obtained informed consent before all the interviews began. The evaluation team conducted a total of 44 interviews (25 individual interviews and 19 group interviews), with a total of 82 respondents: 46 women and 36 men. Details of the stakeholders interviewed can be found in Annex F. 5 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 6 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Table 2. Sample size by country and by stakeholder STAKEHOLDER REGIONAL COLOMBIA PERU ECUADOR BRAZIL NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS NUMBER OF PEOPLE Non￾Governmental Organization 2 5 2 3 12 23 Activity Management Unit 8 8 13 Indigenous entrepreneurships 2 5 4 2 13 32 Indigenous Organizations 2 3 1 2 1 9 12 USAID 1 1 1 External Stakeholder 1 1 1 TOTAL 12 7 11 8 6 44 82 Prepared by Evaluation Team STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS The strength of the methodology lies in the combination of data collection methods. The desk review provided a foundation of information on the operation and evolution of the Activity. This included the monitoring of indicators and changes in their targets, the performance of the Activity’s governance structure, and its work with entrepreneurships. The evaluation team used the desk review foundation to build the instruments for primary data collection. The in-person field work was beneficial in that it allowed the evaluation team to gather, in situ, the vision and perspectives from stakeholders (including representatives of the indigenous organizations, entrepreneurs, NGO partners, and members of the Activity Management Unit - AMU). By ensuring the anonymity of all interviewees, the evaluation team provided a safe space for participants to express their opinions as openly as possible. Limitations, on the other hand, included the impossibility to visit to Brazil. This was due to the limited accessibility of entrepreneurship sites in that country. In almost all the cases of interviews with indigenous organizations, it was necessary to reschedule because the participant was unable to attend the first appointment. With other stakeholders, although the interviews took place as agreed, finding a feasible date and time was very difficult. Finally, making appointments with public sector and international financial sector stakeholders was even more difficult given that the evaluation team had to first figure out who from these organizations had knowledge on or experience with the Activity. 7 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov CONTEXT The AIRR Activity was carried out in four countries whose territories cover parts of the Amazon: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The implementation of AIRR takes place in a complex context, as shown by strategic studies that the Activity carried out in the initial phase. These studies provided an objective analysis of the existing political, economic and social threats, as well as opportunities for indigenous peoples to resist and to achieve recognition and respect of their rights and territories. When considering AIRR’s context, it is important to distinguish between external factors, which are beyond the control of Activity partners, and internal factors, which respond to dynamics within the Activity and depend on decisions and actions of the partner organizations and participants. The external factors have been studied in the Applied Political and Economic Analysis (PEA) of November 2021 and show some relevant factors that have remained in place until the end of 2022, such as: a. The presence of political parties with tendencies unfavorable to the rights of indigenous organizations in Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, or great political instability in Peru, characterized the political context of the Activity2. b. Conversely, there was a favorable context in the European Union for the fight against climate change. And in the case of the United States, Joe Biden’s assumption of the Presidency provided a favorable change for environmental policies. c. Economic conditions and dynamics at the regional and international levels continued to promote an extractive industries development model in the Amazon Basin and in the countries within AIRR’s scope of intervention. The Amazon Basin is facing increasing infrastructure development through the expansion of highways and waterways, the opening of large tracts of forests for agriculture and timber production, mining and oil activities, and illegal activities such as logging, mining, and drug trafficking. AIRR responded to this aspect of the context by conducting several strategic studies on the Environmental Impact Assessment System (EIAS) and the strategic evaluation of nine mega-projects that affect the status of natural resources and indigenous territories. d. Pressures from economic sectors linked to extractive industries (as noted in the previous point), illegitimate appropriation and occupation of indigenous territories, large-scale deforestation and loss of biological biodiversity pose threats to Indigenous Peoples’ territories. These are compounded by the weakening of oversight institutions and environmental authorities, such as the National Certification Service for Sustainable Investment (SENACE) and the Environmental Evaluation and Oversight Agency (OEFA) Peru, which allow environmental impact assessments to take place too late in the decision-making process against legal requirements. e. The killing of, and other threats to, indigenous leaders have intensified in the last few years. Between 2019 and 2020, more than 300 leaders were killed in Colombia, Brazil and Peru. In 2 Indeed, the project unfolded in an unfavorable regional political environment in Brazil (period of President Jair Bolsonaro), Colombia (period of President Iván Duque Márquez), Ecuador (period of Lenin Moreno, who broke diplomatic relations with the United States). In Peru, there has been a permanent political crisis that has included the succession of four presidents during the period under review: Martin Vizcarra C. until the end of 2020, Manuel Merino 2020, Francisco Sagasti H. until July 2021, then by elections comes Pedro Castillo Terrones and Dina Boluarte by succession to date. 8 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 2021, COICA published the “Declaration of Human Rights Emergency for Indigenous Defenders in the Amazon: Blood in the Jungle, We Demand Justice.” Nonetheless, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru have yet to ratify the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, known as the Escazú Agreement. f. The international context provided a window of opportunity and numerous countries and organizations welcomed indigenous peoples’ proposals. Undoubtedly, important progress on biodiversity came from the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Also, UN agencies, such as IUCN, and financial institutions have adopted policies in favor of indigenous peoples’ rights. Another positive development was the endorsement of the G20 Principles for quality infrastructure of private companies, which resulted in the creation of platforms such as the Investors Alliance for Human Rights, the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Similarly, multilateral development banks (Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank and Andean Development Corporation) adopted environmental and social safeguards, a step forward, albeit limited, for the participation of indigenous organizations and civil society. g. In the national context of the four AIRR countries, medium- and long-term national development plans have been approved or are in the process of being drafted: in Brazil, the Pluri-national Plan 2020-2023; in Colombia, the Pact for Colombia, Pact for Equity, 2018-2022; in Ecuador, the National Development Plan 2017-2021 An Entire Life in Ecuador; and in Peru, the Bicentennial Plan 2022. All these plans propose a more active role for the Amazon in national development, which reflects the need of developing and implementing public and private investment plans and take into consideration the environmental viability of investments in megaprojects. h. COVID 19 had a significant negative impact on the health of indigenous peoples. Indigenous organizations had to prioritize urgent attention and the demand for health services in their agendas. Although the Activity started administratively in August 2019, the first work plan was not approved until January 2020, and two months later the mobility restrictions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic began. The restrictions had a serious impact on the initial implementation phase, due to changes in the priorities of indigenous organizations. Health and personal protection became paramount to indigenous organizations. Regardless, indigenous partner organizations were committed to, and interested in, the implementation of the Activity. In conclusion, the context was not favorable to the Activity and AIRR staff and partner organizations had to redouble their efforts to advance towards the proposed objectives and results. Regardless, there is no doubt about the Activity’s relevance and urgency since it helps strengthen the voices of Amazonians in the defense of their rights and territories. 9 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov FINDINGS STRENGTHENED PERFORMANCE OF INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS Evaluation question 1. To what extent did AIRR’s efforts to strengthen indigenous organizations’ management, technical, and negotiation skills improve their participation in decision-making? Summary of findings: Finding 1. AIRRs strategies and interventions have strengthened indigenous organizations’ technical and advocacy capacities (technical support and information generated such as diagnoses, analytical documents, and plans). With improved capacities, the indigenous organizations have achieved a more informed and proactive participation in decision-making spaces such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) and the Escazú Agreement (COP 1), among others. Finding 2. AIRR’s efforts to promote indigenous organizations’ advocacy activities in national and international spaces have resulted in initiatives to defend their rights in an articulated and strategic manner. An example of these initiatives is the “Advocacy strategy for the participation of COICA in international spaces in the framework of extractive and infrastructure projects”. Finding 3. AIRR has facilitated the participation of indigenous organizations in national and international decision-making spaces through technical and economic support to their representatives and technical teams. Finding 4. Indigenous organizations have developed management and institutional organization tools to improve their management performance and gained experience in grant management. Finding 5. Training activities with women have improved their capacity to defend their rights, which has been very useful for the exchange of experiences at the national and regional levels. However, it is still a challenge to achieve equal participation of indigenous women in training processes, equal opportunities to access key decision-making and representation spaces, and equal access to and management of knowledge. FINDING 1: AIRRs strategies and interventions have strengthened indigenous organizations’ technical and advocacy capacities (technical support and information generated such as diagnoses, analytical documents, and plans).With improved capacities, the indigenous organizations have achieved a more informed and proactive participation in decision-making spaces such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) and the Escazú Agreement (COP 1), among others. 10 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Indigenous organizations, to varying degrees in each country, have strengthened their technical and advocacy skills because of AIRR activities, such as training and technical assistance to participate in advocacy spaces with governments and international organizations. AIRRs efforts differ from other similar initiatives (promoted by other institutions or by the indigenous organizations themselves) for two reasons: − First, the development of technical skills did not focus solely on advocacy for indigenous peoples’ rights, but also included the development of leadership, communication, and advocacy skills. − Second, AIRR’s partners made an important effort in the development of information, knowledge, and evidence for decision-making. The environmental and territorial monitoring and oversight initiatives used by indigenous organizations in the advocacy spaces stand out in this effort. AIRR’s studies, such as the “Applied Political and Economic Analysis (APEA)” in the first years of AIRR were critical. These studies included the analysis of conditions and dynamics at regional and international levels, the analysis of the dynamics that favor infrastructure or extractive projects, the analysis of key stakeholders in issues related to indigenous rights and control of natural resources in the Amazon, the analysis of illegal activities, and the analysis of the prevailing conditions and dynamics that hinder or promote the leadership of indigenous organizations (IOs) in multisectoral dialogues. In addition, the Gender and Youth Plan, the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), the Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) in the Amazon, the Life Plan Analyses, and the Organizational Capacity Assessments also proved pivotal for the implementation of AIRR. All these studies allowed AIRR’s partners to make informed decisions about the activities to be carried out within the framework of the Activity. These included topics for training sessions, spaces appropriate for advocacy, and even which studies and technical documents to conduct and develop in the future. There is a complementarity between the development of skills and the production of information (knowledge management). This complementarity allows for reductions in information and knowledge asymmetries between indigenous organizations and their interlocutors in negotiation and decision￾making spaces. Indigenous organization’s participation in these spaces is not only better informed (thanks to AIRR’s production and management of information, as well as their capacity building efforts), it is also more likely to be accepted because it involves better communication and leadership skills that result from AIRR’s technical support and evidence development. Likewise, these studies reflect the importance of the heterogeneity of the partners that make up AIRR. Each partner contributes according to his or her expertise and experience. DAR is a noteworthy partner in the preparation of information and the drafting of technical proposals or documents for participation in decision-making forums. For example, DAR prepared roadmaps on Environmental Impact Studies and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Peru and at a regional level, drafted action plans on the articulation of international, national and subnational planning instruments with the life plans of indigenous organizations and disseminated best practices on emblematic environmental certification processes (Environmental Impact Studies and Strategic Environmental Assessments) in Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. In addition, DAR prepared the institutional capacity baseline for five regional organizations affiliated to AIDESEP and the advocacy strategy for COICA. 11 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Develop technical skills focused on the rights, leadership, communication, and advocacy of indigenous organizations. AIRR’s capacity-building efforts were intense during the first three years of the Activity, with 64 activities related to skills3 development. AIRR dedicated more resources to Peru, where the Activity held 25 training activities. The Activity held 12 training activities in Brazil, 9 in Colombia, and 4 in Ecuador. At the regional level, AIRR carried out a total of 14 training activities (Table 1.1). Of the total number of events AIRR carried out, 51% of the attendants passed the courses and workshops, as measured by the Activity. Considering that the passing criterion is not a pedagogical one, but rather whether an individual participated in at least 75% of the total hours of the course, the pass rate reflects the difficulties in achieving consistency participation. The pass rate varies according to the origin of the attendants, ranging from 27% in the case of Colombian participants to 93% of Ecuadorian participants. Table 1.1. Persons trained by country. Country Number of training activities Number of participants (1) Male Female Number of participants that passed (2) Male Female % that passed Brazil 12 52 43 43 28 75% Colombia 9 57 124 9 39 27% Ecuador 4 46 42 43 39 93% Peru 25 391 289 216 121 50% Regional 14 47 27 23 9 43% Total 64 593 525 334 236 51% (1) (2) The table include only those activities that recorded both the number of participants and the number of participants who passed. Sources: 1. MEL_AIRR Information Collection Tools - FY 2020, 2021 and 2022 2. AIRR, Quarterly and Annual Reports Prepared by Evaluation Team The differences in the results and the number of activities between the countries can be explained in part by the fact that AIRR did not have an articulated strategy for capacity building with a methodological approach at the regional level. There was also no evidence of a competency-based approach. Thus, although the evaluation team applauds the autonomy of the indigenous organizations and other AIRR partners in defining their own strategies for capacity building that are appropriate for their own local needs, the heterogeneity of the intervention did not allow for the definition of pedagogical objectives. The diversity of approaches also made it difficult to monitor and control the quality of capacity strengthening activities. The multiplicity of methodological approaches is reflected in the curriculum design documents, strategies, plans, reports, and evaluations presented in the following table for each country: 3 Before proceeding with the data on course attendance and completions, it should be noted that much data was not collected, i.e., there are some events for which the number of participants is available but not the number of completions, and vice versa. For the purposes of this presentation, we have chosen to include information on those events that have both attendance and pass rates. 12 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Table 1.2. Curriculum design by country SCOPE CURRICULUM DESIGN DOCUMENTS BY COUNTRY Peru Curricular Design of the EGIDA 2022 Diploma Program 2022 Seminar Design Course design: Governance, planning and territorial management Course design: Amazonian indigenous reality in the national context Social and Environmental Safeguards Training Plan - 2022 Final 2022 EGIDA Report Colombia PFGTI Distance Education Strategy Methodological and curricular design of the PFGTI 3rd Class Report on the PFGTI 3rd Class Start-up Workshop Report on selection of the PFGTI 3rd Class participants PFGTI Pedagogical Strategy Proposal for youth meeting (OZIP) Report on youth meeting in Putumayo, Colombia Ecuador Report of Community Paralegals Brazil Pedagogical Plan of the Course for Managers of Indigenous Organizations in Brazil Course plan for young communicators - Visual reporting of activities Source: AIRR. AIRR Quarterly and Annual Reports 2020, 2021, 2022 Prepared by the authors. There are also differences in the topics covered in the training activities in each country, reflecting their contexts and needs. However, training has been conducted on cross-cutting issues such as environmental monitoring and oversight, women and youth meetings, environmental advocacy, facilitation of virtual events, and training on USAID rules and procedures. Table 1.3. Topics covered during training activities. TOPIC OF TRAINING ACTIVITY Brazil Colombia Ecuador Perú Regional Total ÉGIDA (Governance, Advocacy and Communication) 12 12 Environmental observation and monitoring 4 4 1 9 Forums, panels, meetings, and working groups 8 8 Meetings of women and/or young people 1 2 1 1 2 7 Environmental defenders 1 5 6 Facilitation of virtual spaces 2 2 2 6 Organizational / administrative strengthening 3 1 4 USAID procedures / follow up to AIRR Activity 1 1 1 1 4 Communication and leadership 2 2 13 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov TOPIC OF TRAINING ACTIVITY Brazil Colombia Ecuador Perú Regional Total Prior consultation experience 2 2 Indigenous Territorial Governance Training Program (PFGTI) 1 1 Paralegal training 1 1 Governance / Environmental Licensing 1 1 PreCOP Course 1 1 Total 12 9 4 25 14 64 Prepared by Evaluation Team In the Peruvian case, AIRR’s creation and implementation of the School of Indigenous Governance and Amazonian Development (ÉGIDA), stands out. ÉGIDA has two diploma courses and several specialization courses. An important step towards ÉGIDA’s sustainability is the signing of an agreement between AIDESEP, WWF and the Interethnic University of the Amazon (UNIA) to accredit its academic offerings. Regarding the level of completion of ÉGIDA activities, 44% of participants completed them (Annex G, Table 1.4). The limited participation of volunteer support teachers limited the implementation of school activities. “Having support teachers did not work, because it was conceived as a voluntary service. Professionals initially signed up but then gave up. Finally, AIDESEP provided support and advice to ÉGIDA students. Of the original 11 support teachers, only 3 fully participated and became Activity advisors.” Final report on the implementation of the academic offerings at ÉGIDA Production of information for participation in advocacy spaces. As mentioned above, during the first three years of AIRR, Activity partners produced many analytical documents, as well as information and inputs that were provided to national and international decision￾makers or public and private institutions. These types of documents have been critical in establishing the strategy and action lines that AIRR will implement throughout the remainder of the Activity in terms of advocacy efforts of indigenous organizations. Beginning in 2021, stakeholders began using the information within those technical documents to prepare proposals for policy guidelines to carry out advocacy actions in various spaces. Between 2021 and 2022, ten indigenous organizations provided information or proposals to 29 decision-makers. See Annex G, Table 1.2. The contributions of indigenous organizations in each country are detailed below: Brazil: the indigenous organizations Associação Tapi ó do povo Apiaka pontal dos isolados and FEPOIMT provided inputs to the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), the managing body of the Juruena National Park. The inputs were used to carry out monitoring and oversight actions and to address pandemic emergencies. Separately, COIAB improved its participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). Colombia: OPIAC provided inputs to 8 decision-makers. During 2021, OPIAC members worked on the REDD Colombia project with the Ministry of Environment and the National Planning Department at the state level. OPIAC also worked with the LEAF coalition and People Forest Partnership. Further, in 2002 OPIAC provided inputs in advocacy spaces such as the Transition Commission of Gustavo Petro’s 14 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov government, and the Permanent Roundtable for Indigenous Consultation which, importantly, included the pre-consultation of the National Development Plan 2022 – 2026. Another noteworthy advocacy space was with FAO for the construction of a joint agenda for food security issues, and with ECLAC within the framework of the Escazú agreement (COP1). Ecuador: CONFENIAE was part of the commission that provided input at the COP 1 of the Escazú agreement. They also shared the priorities of the nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon with U.S. senators. Peru: during 2021, AIDESEP provided information to 5 entities: the Ministry of Culture (MINCUL), the National Center for Strategic Planning (CEPLAN), the National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP), the National Forest Conservation Program for Climate Change Mitigation, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). During 2022, AIDESEP disseminated the results of the indigenous oversight meeting with five government organizations: SERNANP, PNCB, MINCUL, MINAM, and SERFOR. It also participated in COP 26 and, together with its regional base, CORPIA, participated in meetings with the World Bank to address the issue of safeguards and with the Ministry of the Environment. Regional scope: between 2021 and 2022 COICA provided inputs on 11 occasions to international decision makers, such as ECLAC, in the framework of COP 1 of the Escazú Agreement, the Inter￾American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank (WB) on safeguards, and IUCN, among others. Stronger technical and advocacy skills enabled indigenous organizations to participate in national and international negotiation and decision-making spaces in a more prepared and proactive manner: “The National Development Plan (of Colombia) where the impact of IOs is important. OPIAC is more mature because of the work with WWF (before AIRR) and AIRR. Before, these spaces were reached with laundry requests, but now it is more about policy changes/suggestions.” Group Interview I1- NGO-PF FINDING 2: AIRR’s efforts to promote indigenous organizations’ advocacy activities in national and international spaces have resulted in initiatives to defend their rights in an articulated and strategic manner. An example of these initiatives is the “Advocacy strategy for the participation of COICA in international spaces in the framework of extractive and infrastructure projects”. Within AIRR interventions, organizations developed tools such as advocacy strategies, plans, roadmaps, communication strategies, and others that allowed them to organize their actions and agendas with a strategic approach to advocacy. In many cases, these strategic tools were developed based on other AIRR studies and analyses. These Activity efforts, to varying degrees in each country, have enabled indigenous organizations to approach negotiation and advocacy spaces in a more articulate and strategic manner. “More conventional spaces, discussion of safeguards with international banks, IDB, World Bank, are now used more professionally, with a sense of purpose, with better tactics (...).” Individual Interview 19 – AMU 15 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources “One of OPIAC’s interventions within the Activity is advocacy at the national and international levels. They have even been able to meet with the government to propose different norms, such as payment for environmental services. They have participated in dialogues on other issues and on the International Agenda on the Amazon, which is funded by the United Kingdom, Norway, and Germany. We have also been working on an environmental agenda as part of the prior consultation of the National Development Plan 2022-2026.” Individual Interview 16-IOs A highlight in Peru is “AIDESEP’s Large-scale Agenda.” This is a document that brings together the demands of this nationwide organization and its regional bases, with the aim of presenting a single set of demands to the Peruvian government. Likewise, through EGIDA, AIRR delivered a diploma course on governance, advocacy, and political communication, as well as a course on political communication, how to be a spokesperson, and leadership. On the other hand, AIRR partners implemented a strategy to call attention to territorial alerts obtained from territorial monitoring and oversight systems. “In order for the information generated by the CVCs [Community Watch Committees] of the NCs to be taken into account by the competent entities, AIDESEP and its nine subnational indigenous organizations developed and implemented a strategy for the generation of alerts of threats to indigenous territories. Four of these alerts were addressed.” 2022 Annual Report It is also worth highlighting DAR’s work as a partner of AIRR and AIDESEP in the preparation of diagnostic and technical documents. These documents included: − Roadmap for National Advocacy on Environmental Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Peru. − Advocacy roadmap for the inclusion of the collective rights approach in the National Environmental Management System. − Roadmap for environmental licensing procedures (Environmental Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessments) for extractive and infrastructure projects. − Roadmap for the preparation, implementation, updating, monitoring, and advocacy of Community Life Plans. − Roadmaps to improve participatory processes and to guide the monitoring of impacts on the territory. In Brazil, mainly due to the unfavorable political context for the indigenous agenda during the first three years of AIRR, the strategic focus was limited to the area of communication. AIRR partners developed a communication strategy for FEPIPA and FEPOIMT and delivered courses such as “Floresta em Rede”, “Young Communicators” and “Curso De Formação De Lideranças Indígenas – Funcionamento Do Estado Brasileiro E Incidência Política.” In Colombia, OPIAC developed the “Strategy for Advocacy in the National Development Plan and Representation of Indigenous Peoples in the Senate”. They also developed other tools with a strategic focus, such as the “Strategy for Political Advocacy and International Participation in Coordination with COICA and other Indigenous Organizations”, which provides actions and planning steps for a tour of Europe. Other documents include the “Strategic Document on Indigenous Life Plans and their Regulatory Framework”; the “OPIAC Communication Strategy for Advocacy”; the “Methodological USAID.gov 16 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Route for Tripartite Dialogues between Government Institutions, Indigenous Organizations and Private Companies”; and the “Strategy for Departmental and Local Advocacy of OZIP”. In Ecuador, AIRR partners developed the “Action Plan of CONFENIAE in the framework of Law, Justice and Territory” based on the study “Analysis of Environmental Impact Studies, Citizen Participation and Prior Consultation in Ecuador”. At the regional level, AIRR partners developed the “COICA Action Plan 2022-2026”, the “Advocacy Strategy for COICA’s Participation in International Forums in the Framework of Extractive and Infrastructure Projects”, the “Roadmap for Advocacy on Environmental Impact Studies and Strategic Environmental Assessments at the Regional Level.” However, not all of AIRR’s actions during its first three years resulted in proposals being taken into account. This is because achieving advocacy is a long-term political game that depends to a large extent on factors that are exogenous to AIRR, as explained below: 1. The political context: Although indigenous organizations are better prepared to enter negotiation spaces, the impact they can achieve depends on the political situation at the time and the openness of governments to indigenous issues. AIRR’s efforts have been subject to ups and downs of greater or lesser openness in each country. The international context was more stable with relevant advocacy achievements, such as the Escazú Accords Conference. 2. Degree of maturity of advocacy initiatives at the time of initiating AIRR: Advocacy on indigenous issues is an achievement that is usually achieved through medium and long-term agendas. Therefore, the results achieved in this area during the Activity will depend to a large extent on the degree of progress made at the time when AIRR began implementation. For example, indigenous organizations already had experience in participating in COPs on climate change. The following table shows the different institutions or decision-makers that have included the priorities of indigenous organizations in their plans or policies as a result of AIRR’s advocacy. However, the impact achieved at the national level is less than that at the international level and did not result in the inclusion of indigenous organizations’ priorities in any official document or policy. In Peru, AIRR’s efforts resulted in the mobilization of the authorities in reaction to oil spill emergencies. In Brazil, AIRR’s efforts resulted in the designation of organizations linked to AIRR for the management of natural areas. Table 1.4. Institutions or decision-makers with plans and policies that incorporate the priorities of indigenous organizations. Year Country Institutions or decision-makers with plans and policies that incorporate the priorities of IOs Total per Year 2022 Brazil Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da biodiversidade ICMBio, orgão gestor do Parque Nacional do Juruena. 9 2022 Brazil Instituto Brasileiro de Recursos Naturais e Meio Ambiente, IBAMA proporcionou treinamento de Agentes Ambientais na Aldeia Matrinxã a pedido dos indígenas para melhorar as ações de proteção e vigilancia. 2022 International CBD (SBSTTA): Presentation of COICA’s proposals to the 24th session of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) Geneva 2022. 2022 International COP 1 Escazú (ECLAC): Adoption of decision I/6 on the Environmental Defenders Group. 2022 International Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). 17 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Year Country Institutions or decision-makers with plans and policies that incorporate the priorities of IOs Total per Year 2022 International GCF (Green Climate Fund) 2022 Peru Provincial Criminal Prosecutor’s Office of Condorcanqui 2022 Peru Specialized Prosecutor’s Office of Loreto-Iquitos 2022 Peru Specialized Prosecutor’s Office of Loreto-Nauta 2021 Brazil Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio). Orgão gestor do Parque Nacional do Juruena. 4 2021 International United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2021 International International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – 80x25 2021 International World Bank (WB) – Safeguards 2020 International Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). 1 Sources: AIRR-MEL. Information Collection Tools – 2020, 2021 and 2022 Annual Reports Prepared by Evaluation Team According to AIRR’s annual and quarterly reports, 21 indigenous communities in Peru have formed their own Community Oversight Committees. Of these, 8 have been recognized by the Regional Forestry and Wildlife Department and 13 are in the process of being recognized. AIDESEP also reached an agreement with Peruvian government agencies to address the urgent needs of indigenous organizations and coordinate with these organizations by using data generated by AIDESEP’s Early Warning and Action System. In Colombia, AIRR’s efforts resulted in agreements with the Ministry of Environment to create a regulatory pathway for voluntary REDD+ mechanisms in FY2021 and to ensure that at least 20% of the resources provided by the Green Climate Fund are earmarked for indigenous territories. Also noteworthy is OPIAC’s participation in the consultation on the National Development Plan, for which AIRR’s technical support and capacity building activities were important. At the international level, indigenous organizations strengthened their presence in negotiating spaces where they had already participated, such as the IUCN, COP 26 on climate change, and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. They also managed to be included in recently created spaces, such as COP 1 of the Escazú Accord, and to re-establish relationships with key stakeholders, such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, with whom they were able to position indigenous rights in terms of environmental and social safeguards4. In these spaces, the indigenous organizations presented proposals with the technical/documentary support of the AIRR, which allowed them to be included in official documents. “While the governments proposed to protect 30% (unfinished sentence...), we proposed an alternative target to protect 80% (of the Amazon) by 2025. This proposal was adopted by the International 4 The IDB incorporated COICA’s proposal in the environmental and social safeguards section (https://www.iadb.org/es/mpas). The World Bank “included the participation of representatives of indigenous organizations in the safeguards group for the evaluation and approval of loans” (PPT: Amazon Indigenous Amazon: Rights and Resources (AIRR) Achievements 2020 - 2022 - WWF USAID.gov Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and we are using it. The analysis of the evidence was done by AIRR.” Individual Interview 18-IOs The following table shows the main examples where AIRR’s proposals have been included in official documents as a result of improved technical and negotiation skills, as well as a strategic approach to advocacy, which is a very important achievement for indigenous organizations and for AIRR: Table 1.5. Inclusion of AIRR proposals Year Description Space/ Stakeholder Mean of verification 2022 Inclusion of IO priorities in IDB safeguards IDB https://www.iadb.org/es/mpas (Spanish version page 106) 2022 COP I of the Escazú Agreement adopted Decision I/6: Creation of the Group of Human Rights Defenders in Environmental Matters ECLAC https://acuerdodeescazu.cepal.org/cop1/site s/acuerdodeescazucop1/files/22 00345_cop ez.1_decisiones_aprobadas_4_may.pdf (page 29) ­ ­ 2021 Inclusion of COICA-driven recommendations in the final report of the 20th UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. UN https://www.un.org/ecosoc/sites/www.un.o rg.ecosoc/files/files/PFII%20Final%20report %20advance%20unedited.pdf 2021 Adoption of Motion 129 proposed by COICA at the IUCN World Conservation Congress IUCN https://www.iucncongress2020.org/es/moti on/129 https://coicamazonia.org/uicn-aprueba­ mocion-129-proteger-el-80-de-la­ amazonia-al-2025/ Source: AIRR. 2021-2022 Annual Reports Prepared by Evaluation Team In other spaces, indigenous organizations have been able to highlight their agendas and develop strategic partnerships, especially to obtain resources to finance their activities. An example that illustrates impact both at the level of policy documents and the generation of partnerships is the 80x25 agenda: conserving 80% of the Amazon by 2025. On this issue, the development of technical skills and the preparation of documents with AIRR evidence contributed to the adoption of Motion 129 “129 – Avoiding the point of no return in the Amazon protecting 80% by 2025” at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. As a continuation of this achievement, COICA led a preparatory course for COP 26, which made it possible to position the 80x25 agenda in this space, and a cooperation agreement was reached with the IDB to strengthen COICA’s institutional capacities within the framework of the Amazon 80x25 Motion. FINDING 3: AIRR has facilitated the participation of indigenous organizations in national and international decision-making spaces through technical and economic support to their representatives and technical teams. One of the main challenges for indigenous organizations is to be present in the many spaces that have opened up at the national and international levels to present their demands. Fulfilling these commitments requires not only teams and technical staff that can be deployed almost simultaneously, but also the funding to cover the costs of the participation logistics. At the international level, since 2019, AIRR partners have participated in at least 13 international forums. 18 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources 19 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Table 1.6. List of international events with participation of indigenous organizations supported by AIRR No. Name of the event Date 1 COP25 Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change December 2019 2 World Bank Annual Meetings April 2020 3 United Nations Forum on Indigenous Peoples APRIL 2020 4 5th UN Regional Consultation on Business and Human Rights September 2020 5 UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples April 2021 6 Climate Leaders’ Summit April 2021 7 COICA and IDB Dialogue Space 2021 8 IUCN World Conservation Congress September 2021 9 COP26 – 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change October – November 2021 10 COP-15 Convention on Biological Diversity 2022 11 First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazú Agreement April 22nd 12 Stockholm+50 Conference June 2022 13 Joint Parliamentary Front in Defense of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples N/A N/A = No Data Available Source: AIRR. 2020, 2021 and 2022 Quarterly and Annual Reports Prepared by Evaluation Team AIRR’s technical and financial support for the participation of indigenous organizations in these spaces is evident in the example of COP 26: − Brazil: technical and financial support for three indigenous representatives. − Colombia: four people (two men, two women) from OPIAC to implement an advocacy strategy. − Ecuador: technical support for the participation of three people (one man, two women), including two delegates from CONFENIAE. − Peru: financial support for the participation of 3 delegates from AIDESEP, as well as technical and communication support. On the other hand, at the organizational level, AIRR’s financial support has made it possible to cover the salaries of leaders and technicians. This is one of the points that the indigenous organizations most appreciate about AIRR. “We can say that we have come a long way. We have a big team in the AIRR Activity, most of the staff are paid their fees.” Individual Interview 6 – Indigenous Organizations “The Activity has helped us with staff recruitment, communications, staff following up on the undertakings and travel support.” Individual Interview 16 – Indigenous Organizations 20 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov FINDING 4: Indigenous organizations have developed management and institutional organization tools to improve their management performance and gained experience in grant management 5 . AIRR’s intervention has allowed indigenous organizations to make progress in strengthening their management and administrative capacities. However, this progress was mainly focused on the production of tools such as diagnostics, plans, and management tools. Only two years have elapsed since the production of these tools began and it is not possible to evaluate whether their implementation has had a significant impact on organizational performance, except for the Colombian case, detailed below. AIRR conducted organizational assessments6 in the four countries and at the regional level. To varying degrees in each country, AIRR conducted capacity-building activities and developed tools to improve administrative procedures. Similarly, indigenous organizations in the four countries improved their experience as recipients and managers of AIRR subgrants totaling US$2,404,240.00. AIRR trained these organizations on USAID’s administrative and financial procedures. According to AIRR’s annual reports, the AMU’s close and regular follow-up and monitoring of the management of the subgrants worked well and produced effective results for the partner organizations. Most partner organizations selected the following three practices that have been effective for them: “i) Update financial reports on a monthly basis; ii) Conduct internal trainings on donor rules and regulations in the native language of the administrative staff and invite technical staff involved in Activity implementation; and iii) Include in the administrative team a person who pays attention to detail and has a “mind for controls” when preparing the financial report. AIRR 2022 Annual and Quarterly Report. “(…) the strategy of establishing short term agreements with OZIP (4 months) to ensure responsible use of resources and achievement of objectives. This allows WWF Colombia to provide better advice and follow up with the OZIP team and strengthen the capacity of partner IOs.” AIRR 2022 Annual Report The Colombian case is the one that shows the most concrete progress in improving management performance. Based on the diagnosis, in 2022 AIRR deployed monitoring tools for a second monitoring effort that measured improvements as a result of capacity building actions. For this measurement, AIRR assigned 5 categories, each made up of a set of variables. The following table shows the percentage of variables that improved in each category: Table 1.7. Management Improvement of Indigenous Organizations in Colombia Category analyzed Percentage of variables in each category that improved Identification 66% Internal capacity 71% 5 In this document, when distinguishing between types of grants, the words grants and subgrants will be used. 6 During FY 2021, AIRR conducted organizational assessments for COICA, AIDESEP in Peru, CONFENIAE in Ecuador, FEPIAPA and COIAB in Brazil; and OPIAC and OZIP in Colombia. 21 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Administrative Capacity 56% External Capacity 20% Source: AIRR 2022 Annual Report Prepared by Evaluation Team In terms of subgrant management, OPIAC received US$143,956.00 and OZIP received US$80,112.00. In addition, AIRR developed the OZIP and OPIAC Administrative Strengthening Program, established the Strategic Planning Department, and prepared the following procedures manuals: a) Strategic planning management and overall coordination b) Management, administration, and finance c) Legal management d) Communications management In Peru, in addition to the organizational diagnosis of AIDESEP, AIRR established a baseline for five of its regional grassroots organizations and developed an internal good governance plan. The Activity made progress in updating management tools such as the financial management manual, internal regulations, organizational and functional regulations, and the code of ethics. AIRR also improved AIDESEP’s administrative capacity (better quality financial reports, process to improve administrative manuals, and reconciliation of accounting records with Activity financial execution)7. In terms of subgrant management, AIDESEP received US$1,486,250.00 and its regional bases received US$1,486,250.00, as follows: CODEPISAM US$11,300.00; CORPI US$36,000.00; ORUW US$13,600.00; ORPIO US$29,000.00. The Activity reported less progress in the other countries. In Brazil, AIRR prepared a training plan for organizational strengthening in addition to conducting the diagnosis. FEPOIMT and FEPIPA conducted a preliminary assessment of local associations and developed leadership profiles for indigenous organizations benefiting from the Activity. COIAB administered a subgrant of US$200,000 and FEPIPA of US$18,522. In Ecuador, where Component 1 was not implemented, CONFENIAE prepared its action plan proposing the organizational strengthening of indigenous organizations. FINDING 5: Training activities with women have improved their capacity to defend their rights, which has been very useful for the exchange of experiences at the national and regional levels. However, it is still a challenge to achieve equal participation of indigenous women in training processes, equal opportunities to access key decision￾making and representation spaces, and equal access to and management of knowledge. The evaluation analysis considered the following strategic objectives of the Gender and Youth Plan in order to evaluate AIRR’s gender and generational approach: 1. Participation of women and youth 2. Empowerment and leadership 7 AIRR Report: Oct 21-Dec 22 22 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 3. Equal opportunities in key decision making. 4. Access to and management of knowledge The evaluation team also took into consideration the “Practical Guide for the Application of the Intersectional Approach”, which was the result of a joint analysis with indigenous partners on the effective participation of women and youth in the Activity. This document analyzed the obstacles that create or deepen the gaps in participation in decision-making or representation, as well as the desired conditions for closing the gaps. These conditions include a) active participation in data collection and analysis of territorial monitoring information, b) defense of women’s and young people’s rights and interests, and c) inclusion of women’s and young people’s points of view in negotiations with key stakeholders. Participation of women and youth AIRR has made several efforts to achieve equal participation and empowerment of women and youth in the different training activities in the four countries. However, based on the evidence, the evaluation team found that equal participation was not achieved for women. In the case of youth, the evaluation team did not find sufficient evidence to make a comparative analysis of the pace of young people’s participation during the first three years of the Activity. During the analysis of quantitative data, the evaluation team divided activities among the following categories: a) training activities (courses, diploma courses, and workshops) and b) activities for evaluation, policy discussion, and exchange of experiences (meetings). From the universe of activities, the evaluation team considered two levels of evidence: 1) the percentage of indigenous women participating in strengthening and empowerment activities, 2) the percentage of indigenous women participating in and completing training processes. The evaluation team observed that, in general, during the three years of Activity implementation, the participation rate is close to parity in all Objective 1 activities. For example, the percentage of participants who were women was 43% in Peru, 56% in Colombia, 41% in Brazil8, and 48% in Ecuador9. Comparing these percentages in the different years, the proportion of women participants (in relation to the total number of participants) does not increase, except in Brazil and slightly in Ecuador. In the case of Peru and Colombia, the proportion of women tends to decrease as the Activity progresses. Regarding women’s completion and approval of the training processes in the three years, the rate in Peru was 42%, in Brazil 65%, in Ecuador 93% (much more encouraging), and in Colombia 31%. Except for Colombia, the percentage of women who participate and passed is quite high. Table 1.8. Women’s participation in and completion of training processes Year Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru Percentage of women’s participation in capacity-building and empowerment activities 2020 - 67% - 66% 2021 24% 74% 46% 42% 8 It is important to note that in the case of Brazil, a significant proportion of the data is not disaggregated by sex, so the available data are incomplete. 9 Even though Objective 1 is not implemented in the latter country, there have been some advocacy activities with this percentage of female participation. 23 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Year Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru 2022 46% 47% 48% 34% Total 2020-2022 41% 56% 48% 43% Percentage of women participating in and successfully completing training courses 2020 - 5% - 5% 2021 100% 58% 83% 39% 2022 62% 50% 97% 77% Total 2020-2022 65% 31% 93% 42% Sources: 1. MEL_AIRR Information Collection Tools – FY 2020, 2021 and 2022 2. AIRR Annual Reports Prepared by Evaluation Team The data, however, also show the degree of attrition among indigenous women. During the first year of the AIRR Activity, dropout rates were high, especially in Peru and Colombia. For example, during the first year, out of 57 women who started attending the two courses offered that year for both countries, only 3 managed to complete the course. In the beginning of each year there is a high rate of participation, which reflects the interest of the women in participating in spaces of discussion and reflection, as well as in AIRR’s training processes. Sadly, this rate of participation was not maintained over time, as reflected in dropout rates. Empowerment and leadership In terms of creating spaces for women’s empowerment, data shows that during the second and third years of the AIRR Activity, there was at least one meeting of indigenous women in Brazil, Colombia and Peru. There were also training activities on gender and youth, one in Ecuador and two at the regional level, organized by COICA. Also, AIRR held two meetings focused on youth, one in Brazil during the second year of the Activity and the other in Colombia during the third year. Table 1.9. Women and youth meetings Country Activity Year Brazil Meeting of indigenous women in the indigenous territory of Apiaká/Kayabi 2022 “Young Communicators” Floresta Network 2021 Colombia First Meeting of Indigenous Youth of Putumayo “Weaving United Thoughts of the Youth”. 2022 Meeting of women territorial environmental defenders of the Zonal Indigenous Organization of Putumayo Colombia. 2021 Ecuador Gender and Youth Workshop to Strengthen the Participation of Women and Youth 2022 Peru Meeting of Indigenous Women 2022 Regional Forum “Participation as a Pillar of Rights: Involvement of Women and Youth in Decision-Making for a Living Amazon”. 2022 Training on Gender and Youth Approach 2021 Sources: AIRR Annual Reports second and third year. Prepared by Evaluation Team 24 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov AIRR partners mentioned to the evaluation team that achieving sustainable participation of indigenous women remains a challenge due to the sexual division of labor in communities, which overburdens women with multiple family and domestic responsibilities, as well as other situations related to machismo (e.g., jealousy of partners). AIRR partners also mentioned the need to strengthen the tools to promote intersectional approaches. Indigenous organizations have not yet fully adopted these tools due to the persistence of sexism within indigenous organizations themselves. “Increasing the participation of women (rather than youth) remains a challenge. In years 2 and 3, the efforts of all partners have helped to ensure greater equity in a deliberate and systematic way, and to train teams with concrete tools to work with the intersectional approach.” Group Interview 4 – NGO AMU “I understand that the Activity has made efforts to encourage participation. The conditions of the indigenous organizations did not allow this. The Activity has encouraged this approach, but the responses are not what one would expect. More needs to be done to change this reality of indigenous organizations.” Individual Interview 18 – IOs Also noteworthy among AIRR’s activities is the Amazonian Indigenous Women’s Fund (FIMA), created by AIDESEP, which strengthens the leadership capacity of five indigenous women from participating communities. The Fund subsidizes initiatives on various topics, such as the implementation of organic gardens, development of alternatives for the management of Covid-19 from ancestral knowledge, appreciation of ancestral culture, and training on food security. Equal Opportunity in Key Decisions Creating effective mechanisms to enable equitable participation and representation of women leaders in key decision-making spaces continues to be a challenge. Although AIRR has dedicated the necessary resources so that indigenous women have more opportunities to gain leadership experience and more tools to strengthen their knowledge and experience, these resources have not resulted in reduced participation gaps. Although the election of women leaders to leadership positions is not an expected direct result of the AIRR Activity, it is a desired condition to close the gap of indigenous women's participation in decision￾making spaces or representation of indigenous rights. This desired condition is included in the Practical Guide for the Application of the Intersectional Approach in Projects with Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon. The evaluation team found that, during the first three years of AIRR, at least for two national organizations (OPIAC and AIDESEP) indigenous women occupied positions in the national board of directors. The positions were mostly in women's and/or family secretariats, as regular members, or in administrative positions. Likewise, at least one organization has a woman as vice-president of its council (CONFENIAE), although women are generally not equally represented in the council, nor in OPIAC (with two women in a council of eight). “We have done a good job, but there is a lack of generational replacement. The Activity and the partners are limited by the idiosyncrasies of the IOs. It is starting to change, in FEPOINT in Brazil I think the leader is a woman. In CONFENIAE the number two is a woman. This is necessary, these leaderships and how to support them. It is difficult to do anything else. You are aware that things are already changing. In entrepreneurship, more parity was achieved because it was a selection criterion.” Individual Interview 20 - NGO AMU Outside the timeframe of this evaluation, a woman became the general manager of COICA. And in Brazil, a COIAB female leader became minister of the recently created Ministry of Indigenous Peoples under the administration of Lula Da Silva. The AIRR activity will likely find these events to be windows of opportunity for the advocacy of indigenous rights. Meanwhile, subnational organizations continue to show a trend of lower participation of women in leadership positions. Although the president [of CODEPISAM] mentions that his initiative that three of the eight members should be women, one from each people, has been fulfilled, currently the only one who has an active role is Nelsith Sangama, from the Kichwa people. Although it is a step forward that there are three secretariats in the current administration, and not just one as in the previous one, it is important to guarantee the effective participation of women. - DAR Baseline document on institutional capacity in five regional organizations affiliated to AIDESEP. “It just happened to us that in the case of ORPIO, the Loreto organization, the entire board of directors is made up of men. We were alerted and asked why there were no women. So ORPIO is trying to put a woman in a technical position, but not on the board.” Individual Interview 3 – ONG – PF There are concrete efforts to bring about changes in organizational and community practices to promote the participation of women and youth. This includes the following actions: a) In Ecuador, AIRR and the Vice-Presidency of CONFENIAE developed processes to increase the participation of women. AIRR also provided assistance to CONFENIAE to develop its own Gender Action Plan. b) In Peru, during the Indigenous Women's Meeting, AIDESEP agreed to include in the statutes that gender equity should be a cross-cutting principle and that equality should be highlighted as a fundamental principle in the formation of boards of directors of organizations and communities, and in the designation of delegations to all assemblies or meetings. This agreement was a result of a review and evaluation of the status of AIDESEP and two of its regional bases regarding the participation of indigenous women and youth in terms of equality in decision-making and active participation in political advocacy. Also, through ÉGIDA, the students worked on proposals for regulations to promote the participation of women in leadership positions and the inclusion of women and youth in territorial defense networks. c) At the regional level, COICA's Action Plan 2022 - 2026 includes an objective related to gender and generational equity: Objective 3 - Solutions for Gender and Generational Equity. This objective seeks: 1) equal participation and involvement of women in decision making for advocacy and community well-being, and 2) the creation of mechanisms that involve youth in indigenous governance, promoting new leadership and the integration of ancestral knowledge into prevailing development models. The study team did notice the absence of any action to reduce high school dropout rates among indigenous women. 25 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 26 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Based on the above, there is a willingness to change within the indigenous organizations and a recognition of the importance of creating spaces and mechanisms that allow women to access decision￾making spaces, since this benefits not only the women, but also their communities and families. This is where the efforts of the Activity should continue to be directed. Equal access to and management of knowledge The AIRR Activity undoubtedly contributes positively to overcoming the geographical barriers that prevent indigenous women from accessing both virtual training spaces and physical spaces outside their communities, providing tools and logistical mechanisms for their participation. During the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, women's access to, and familiarization with, technological tools became a priority intervention. This intervention helped close the existing gaps related to access to, and knowledge about, technological tools. On the other hand, the data show that there is still no equal access to training processes for monitoring, although there is an interest on the part of women to be trained on this topic. Considering only the activities with disaggregated information on participation, the study team found that out of 6 training activities, women's participation barely reached 15% of the total. Similarly, in each of the activities, the participation of women was very low. “In monitoring, the problem is complex, with conflicts, so no matter how much we want to break the barrier of women's participation, there is a reality of conflicts and risks that prevent the inclusion of women's participation, we do not reach 50-50.” Group Interview 4 – NGO AMU Table 1.10. Participation in Indigenous Monitoring training activities Country Year Activity Number of men Number of women % Participation rate Brazil 2022 Building Indigenous Territorial Monitoring Networks. 8 1 13% 2022 GIS/ACI- SOMAI/Data Security Course 9 1 11% Peru 2022 SAAT Courses: Definition of indicators for risk monitoring 75 13 17% 2022 Training Workshop on Updating and Validation of Environmental and Social Monitoring Indicators 28 5 18% 2022 Workshop on Comprehensive Community Monitoring by Community Watch Committees (Control and Monitoring Training -SAAT) 59 6 10% Regional 2022 Training course for monitors (SAT RR) 16 1 6% Total 179 26 15% Sources: Sources: AIRR 2022 Annual Report. Prepared by Evaluation Team 27 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Finally, providing access to training and learning spaces, as well creating the conditions for equal participation at all levels, requires the establishment of safe spaces for women. Safe spaces are free from any harassment, violence and/or discrimination based on their being women. With regards to harassment and other forms of violence, the evaluation team found no evidence of protocols to deal with these types of cases. One of the interviewees pointed out in the annexes of the Gender and Youth Plan: “There was a discussion about harassment in a workshop. There was an all-women’s meeting to figure out how to deal with the problem of a man who was harassing women in the workshop (several complaints of harassment from participants). OZIP made a decision to remove the man from the program, but it was difficult, and WWF said that if he was not removed, we would cut funding off. The excuse for not removing him was that there was an agreement with his community, and it was difficult to break this political agreement. Also, that he was in many spaces of negotiation and dialogue and that OZIP was a little afraid that he would later complicate dialogues in other spaces. In addition, he was part of the training program and this dialogue had to be given to make him understand. He had to be expelled.” AIRR – All In 2021 - Gender and Youth Plan (Annex 6) 28 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURSHIPS Evaluation question 2. Are indigenous entrepreneurships development and investment activities expected to achieve their immediate objectives (meeting targets) or their broader objectives of improving the economic conditions and rights of indigenous peoples? Summary of findings FINDING 6. AIRR strengthened the capacities of participating indigenous entrepreneurships by improving their productive, administrative, and commercial processes through specialized training and consulting services. FINDING 7. Participating indigenous entrepreneurships are in the process of identifying impact investors who will enable them to integrate into sustainable value chains. FINDING 8. In most entrepreneurships, the benefits in terms of increased income reach a small number of families. The community-level impact is focused and small. FINDING 9. The entrepreneurships have played a leading role in the process of building the concept of indigenous economy, creating spaces for discussion to understand and adapt a generalizable concept for the four countries in the coming years. FINDING 10. The progress of indigenous entrepreneurships has strengthened the discourse among indigenous organizations on the rights of indigenous peoples by making the dimension of economic development and conservation of natural resources more visible. FINDING 11. AIRR has promoted the participation of indigenous women in the entrepreneurships; however, there are still cultural expectations, roles and stereotypes assigned to women, such as the sexual division of labor, jealousy of partners and other macho attitudes that do not favor women’s full leadership at the head of the entrepreneurships. FINDING 6: AIRR strengthened the capacities of participating indigenous entrepreneurships by improving their productive, administrative, and commercial processes through specialized training and consulting services. From the beginning of the Activity, the indigenous organizations indicated that the term that best reflected their economic activities was “entrepreneurships” and not companies, as originally mentioned in Activity documents. Therefore, AIRR adopted the term “entrepreneurships” for the entire intervention. As indicated in the theory of change, the immediate objectives are related to capacity building, the medium-term objectives are related to the achievement of sustainable value chains and access to impact investors, and finally the broader objectives are the economic benefits of increased income. In this intervention, AIRR selected and supported 29 indigenous entrepreneurships: 7 in Brazil, 6 in Colombia, 6 in Ecuador, and 10 in Peru. 29 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov These entrepreneurships were selected from a group of applicants who responded to the calls for proposals issued in the four countries. The calls for proposals were designed to identify existing enterprises, and the interventions aimed to improve their productive, administrative, and commercial capacities, and to provide financial resources for improvements related to three categories described below. The calls for proposals were divided into the three categories, which differed in terms of the financial support that the entrepreneurships would receive. In Brazil, Ecuador and Peru, the maximum monetary amounts available to the entrepreneurships were US$10,000, US$20,000, and US$30,000 for categories 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In Colombia, the maximum amounts were US$17,000, US$30,000, and US$55,000 for categories 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Annex G, Table 2.1 provides more details on the calls for proposals and the categories for each country. In Peru, AIRR held two calls for proposals: in August 2021, the call included the three categories, and in April 2021, only category 3 was included due to a lack of sufficient and suitable candidates. In Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador, AIRR held one call for proposals per country in October 2020, May 2021, and August 2021, respectively. As mentioned above, all the entrepreneurships existed prior to the Activity. The oldest is AMPRAVAT, which started in 1996 in Brazil, and the youngest is Andi Wayusa, which started in 2020 in Ecuador. The average age of the entrepreneurships in Brazil is 15.6 years, in Colombia 6.5 years, in Ecuador 8.2 years, and in Peru 9.8 years. Thus, when AIRR began, most entrepreneurships were already in operation for a significant amount of time. On the other hand, the entrepreneurships cover a variety of sectors, the most common being agroindustry (8 entrepreneurships), tourism and related services (6 entrepreneurships) and handicrafts and resource use (both categories with 4 entrepreneurships each). Forty one percent of the entrepreneurships are run by women and 17% by youth. During the evaluation period, participating indigenous entrepreneurships improved their administrative and management capacities, as well as their production and marketing processes, according to entrepreneurship leadership staff interviewed. The direct work with the entrepreneurships began at the end of 2021 and was consolidated in 2022,10 so the results at the time of this evaluation correspond to the immediate objectives according to the results chain. AIRR’s work with the indigenous entrepreneurships is mainly related to various business management trainings (legal, accounting, financial). AIRR has also provided specialized consulting services according to the specific needs of each entrepreneurship on production and marketing. In this context, the evaluation team observed that the entrepreneurships have acquired new skills. However, in view of these initial advances, the strengthening of capacities and their implementation still need to be consolidated. Administrative and management capacity building During the last two fiscal years, AIRR provided training to indigenous entrepreneurships in the four target countries (see Annex G, Table 2.3). In fact, according to the reports on business support to indigenous entrepreneurships (NESsT, 2021 and 2022) and the last annual report of the Activity (AIRR, 10 This is inferred from the fact that the processes of calls for proposals for the projects in the four countries (Table 2. 1 of Annex G) were initiated in the second half of 2020 (Peru in August -first call-, Colombia in October) and continued and culminated in 2021 (Peru in April -second call-, Brazil in May and Ecuador in August), and considering that the NESsT reports were prepared for the last quarter of 2021 (NESsT, 2021), the first quarter of 2022 (NESsT, 2022) and the annual report of 2022 (AIRR, 2022b). 30 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 2022b), AIRR provided training on legal, accounting, and financial issues throughout 2021 and 2022. Training was completed in 2022. For each entrepreneurship, more than one person participated, although this participation is decreasing over time (Q4 2021 between 2.4 and 6 people per entrepreneurship; Q1 2022 between 0.83 and 3.4 people per entrepreneurship; FY 2022 between 0.5 and 2.1 people per entrepreneurship (see Annex G. Table 2.3 for more details). This decreasing participation may be attributed to the time required to attend more than 75% of the training hours, which is what is needed to be considered as “trained.” In this sense, participation was higher than the numbers reported if level of attendance is not taken into consideration. Nevertheless, an important result achieved by the Activity was that entrepreneurs were able to dedicate part of their time to training during the pandemic. AIRR conducted the trainings virtually and in groups. And in some cases, AIRR held individual training session to address issues in a more personalized way. In addition, the opinions of business leaders and indigenous organizations on the usefulness of the training received in administrative and business management issues are positive: “The trainings were useful to see the weaknesses we had, now that I am president (...) I will apply what I have learned in the accounting area, which is our weakness.” Group Interview 11, Indigenous entrepreneurships “It also improved the CFO's involvement. It improved his work as CFO, he helped in the process. And it improved the maturity of the cooperative itself in terms of the documents and the organization of the management itself.” Group Interview 19 - Indigenous entrepreneurships The training included three main topics: legal, accounting, and financial issues, and required a 75% attendance level for learning to be considered achieved. Comparing the results in the table below, we see that in the case of Colombia, the participants have higher attendance. Participants attended 80% of the legal module, 100% of the accounting module and 80% of the financial module. However, not all who enrolled in the modules attended at least 75% of the time. Table 2.1. Participation in entrepreneurship workshops Year Peru Colombia Ecuador Percentage of entrepreneurships with at least one participant with more than 75% workshop attendance Legal 60% 80% 67% Accounting 70% 100% 50% Financial 78% 80% 50% Percentage of participants who attended more than 75% of the sessions in each workshop (average per country) Legal 20% 60% 13% Accounting 44% 50% 17% Financial 48% 53% 9% Source: AIRR 2022 Annual Report Anexo 7 Prepared by Evaluation Team USAID.gov Capacity building in productive issues In terms of productive issues, 16 out of 29 entrepreneurships (55%) used the financial support to purchase productive equipment (such as machinery specific to their activities or improvements in processing facilities). On the other hand, several managers of category 1 entrepreneurships received training to improve the production process. For example, AIRR conducted a workshop on oil production with the Comaiji entrepreneurship staff in Colombia, a training session on handicraft production with the Kucha entrepreneurship staff in Ecuador, and a training module on sewing with the ABEX entrepreneurship staff in Brazil (see Annex G, Table 2.2). Smaller indigenous entrepreneurships also received ad hoc training on productive issues related to their line of business. Those responsible for the indigenous entrepreneurships indicated during interviews that the new products use better production techniques and that the products now have a higher added value thanks to the new knowledge, which constitutes a productive improvement. “The Activity has significantly increased profits. New products are now being manufactured. Production has been diversified. We now know how to use other technologies, such as sewing to make bags. We have learned new technologies”. Group Interview 9.1, Indigenous entrepreneurships “(…) the [entrepreneurships] involved in the Activity have strengthened their knowledge. How to add value to the products they had. (…)”. Individual interview 6, IOs Capacity building in marketing The AIRR Activity developed communication products to support the entrepreneurships, facilitating the marketing of products and providing information about them. For example, AIRR developed a portfolio of the Colombian entrepreneurships (WWF Colombia, 2021), as well as information sheets for each entrepreneurship in the case of Peru (AIRR, 2022a). Other entrepreneurships decided to use part of the financial support they received to improve their knowledge and use of tools for commercial purposes (see Annex G table 2.2). For example, the indigenous entrepreneurship Aspappuku hired services to produce technical sheets and catalogs. The indigenous entrepreneurship Kemito Ene hired the production of the layout of a catalog. The Shuar Cultural Center Association invested in a website and business branding, and the Karajá Cultural House received training on online sales. An interviewee also mentioned improvements in commercialization: “We had several trainings, (...) this was very positive. We were initiating the productive chain of handicrafts, strengthening (...) marketing (...).” Group Interview 19 - Indigenous entrepreneurships Better business management, even with resistance to new practices Participants from the indigenous entrepreneurships have realized that it is necessary to invest the resources provided by the Activity in management fees or administrative expenses, such as an accountant. The interviewees reported a change of perspective on this issue and the positive aspect of having a better management of the business, although in some cases they expressed some resistance: 31 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov “We have changed the perspective of the restaurant a lot: in accounting I have used forms that show results, growth, if there is more income than expenses or vice versa, which days I sell more, which dishes I sell less, the order has been implemented - we are just starting - there is also a register of supplies. (...) Internal struggle: it is necessary to fill the orders and waiters are reluctant to do so. Effect of the new arrangement: internal conflicts - they resolve themselves, the need to change habits to improve is emerging, now we buy with better information, more informed, before there was a lot of waste. We are moving from an informal system to systematizing information.” Group Interview-11, Indigenous entrepreneurships “It was found that all entrepreneurships were not in the habit of keeping records of sales, costs, and numbers. It was necessary to teach the basics of registration and management in order to take the next step. This was the main strategy at the virtual level in the countries. Also, in legal and accounting matters, so that they understand why they have to pay taxes. Financial training so that they understand the importance of records so that they can make decisions in the future.” Individual interview-14, NGO FINDING 7: Participating indigenous entrepreneurships are in the process of identifying impact investors who will enable them to integrate into sustainable value chains. Regarding the long-term development of the entrepreneurships, there are two main approaches. First, ensuring that the production processes of the indigenous entrepreneurships and their value chains are environmentally sustainable: that they include the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity, that they do not generate carbon dioxide, that they do not degrade ecosystems and their ecosystem services, etc. Second, promoting access to impact investors11 for participant entrepreneurships as part of their commercial linkages. Impact investors are precisely the type of investors who seek both a good return and a positive and quantifiable social or environmental impact, or in other words, who seek to have their investments generate socio-economic or environmental benefits. AIRR is considering and promoting these two long-term approaches among indigenous entrepreneurships, although the two approaches still need to be deepened and strengthened. Some entrepreneurships include sustainability and natural resource conservation considerations in their productive activities (see below). On the other hand, the Activity has begun to identify impact investors (thirteen) and nine cooperation agencies that could be commercially linked to the entrepreneurships resulting in “some concrete progress in Colombia and Ecuador”. (AIRR, 2022b). Perspective of indigenous entrepreneurships on having sustainable production Some indigenous entrepreneurships have a vision that includes the preservation and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity: 11 “Impact or social impact investments are those whose objective is to benefit society and/or the environment. They are not philanthropy or non-repayable donations, but investments that seek a return at least equal to the capital invested, and the investment must have a positive impact on the planet in an intentional, quantifiable and measurable way. In other words, “no impact, no investment”. In: https://www.sostenibilidad.com/desarrollo-sostenible/que-son-inversiones-de-impacto/?_adin=02021864894 32 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov “As a community leader, I support the entrepreneurship to show people that it is possible to employ people, create sustainable livelihoods, and conserve forests. Here, the community has learned to plant aguaje and no longer tear it down. There is now more awareness about collecting aguaje. As an authority, they are aware and give lectures to the community to create awareness. This is the first entrepreneurship in the whole community.” Group Interview-14, Indigenous entrepreneurships “In general, there have been changes in the management of resources. Now they have seedlings. They have established a nursery whose seeds they need to make handicrafts. They choose to take care of the plant and plant it. There has been a change in the mentality of the people. They think about conservation.” Individual interview-15, Indigenous entrepreneurships Connecting with impact investors and engaging in sustainable value chains The Activity has sought to connect indigenous entrepreneurships with impact investors and cooperation agencies to improve their access to investment funds. According to the last annual report (AIRR, 2022b): “In FY 2022, we selected and contacted 13 impact investors and nine cooperation agencies, with whom we shared the investment summaries of IEs in each country. We have made some concrete progress in Colombia and Ecuador.” AIRR is now in the process of identifying impact investors who, in addition to contributing to a type of business linked to vulnerable populations, are also interested in the conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. Progress in this area is still in its infancy, since, as mentioned above, concrete progress has been made only in specific cases. This is reflected in the following quote from an interview, although this is not the case for the majority of entrepreneurships: “We got advice from a company that looked for potential clients (Europe) and from there we entered into a negotiation process. (...) It is a long process.” Group Interview 13, Indigenous entrepreneurships FINDING 8: In most entrepreneurships, the benefits in terms of increased income reach a small number of families. The community-level impact is focused and small. A broader goal is to improve the incomes of families and indigenous communities by increasing the economic dynamism that indigenous entrepreneurships can bring. It should be noted that AIRR does not have data on sales levels of indigenous entrepreneurships, although this is an indicator that will be measured in FY2023. The evaluation team identified some cases where incomes have improved, but these are within the partner families of the entrepreneurships and the spillover to the communities is much less evident. The limited impact on incomes may be explained by a) the performance of the entrepreneurships themselves which are in the initial stages of improving their income -- there is no significant increase in income, but rather a permanent reinvestment of profits in the entrepreneurships; and 2) the small number of families and indigenous communities that are partners of each entrepreneurship. The smaller the number of partners and the smaller the number of communities involved, the smaller the number of families potentially benefiting from increased incomes. 33 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov The increases in income are variable and irregular. While there is no data on sales and earnings performance, there is evidence that household incomes are variable. “Change in the families: gratitude to the entrepreneurship because they have a new income. There are families with more trees and therefore more income. It cannot be said that the quality of life of the families has changed or improved because the income is variable.” Group Interview-10, Indigenous entrepreneurships “The direct beneficiaries are 10 families and indirectly other families when they buy products for cooking. ... It is a parallel economic activity.” Individual Interview-12, Indigenous entrepreneurships In addition, the income is often reinvested in the indigenous entrepreneurship itself: “There are many entrepreneurships that operate at a loss, when developing these management tools, it is seen that they do not manage to pay fees to the staff (they work for free). There are entrepreneurships that, as partnerships, must invest the profits in the entrepreneurship. They cannot generate personal income. There are entrepreneurships that do not necessarily generate these profits. Others that do will reinvest the profits in the business.” Individual Interview-02, NGO AMU “In general, they do not have large profits because the resources they have are working capital. There they buy the raw material from the member, so they already get that resource for the raw material that the cooperative buys. The cooperative markets this product, either natural or processed, and when the resources come back as profit, they go back to the members or cooperators to buy the raw material again. So, it is a circulation of income.” Group Interview-16, NGO Small number of partner families The number of partner families varies. Out of all entrepreneurships, 24% have up to 10 partners. The proportion per country is as follows: in Colombia 67%, in Ecuador 33%, and in Peru 20 % of the total number of entrepreneurships have up to 10 partners (no entrepreneurships in Brazil have up to 10 partners). If we group together the entrepreneurships that benefit up to 20 partner families, 41% of the entrepreneurships present this situation (100% of the entrepreneurships in Colombia, 50% in Ecuador and 30% in Peru. There are no cases in Brazil). (See Annex G, Table 2.2). Likewise, the number of members of indigenous entrepreneurships ranges from 7 to 1,438 people, with an average of 132.1 members per entrepreneurship. The average number of associates per entrepreneurship in Brazil is 322, in Colombia 9.3, in Ecuador 84.3 and in Peru 101.4. In general, in most cases the benefit from income increases reach only a small number of families. Low impact on native communities Entrepreneurships benefit up to 21 communities. The average is 5 communities per entrepreneurship (the average in Brazil is 10.3, in Colombia 1.3, in Ecuador 1, and in Peru 6 see Annex G, Table 2.2). Also, in 55% of the total number of entrepreneurships, only one indigenous community participates. This 34 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov situation varies from one country to another: 14% in Brazil, 83% of the total in Colombia, 100% in Ecuador and 40% in Peru. In other words, 69% of the entrepreneurships involve 4 or fewer indigenous communities. In Brazil, 29% of all projects involve up to 4 communities; in Colombia and Ecuador, all projects involve up to 4 communities; and in Peru, 60% of projects involve 4 or fewer communities. In other words, most entrepreneurships have limited benefits. The following quote refers to the fact that any income increases usually happen during peak seasons: “There is an increased awareness that, if the entrepreneurship does well, it will provide them with job opportunities. During the fruit harvest season, it increases its labor supply. It increases its plant production at certain times (aguaje selection, pulping, packaging), and this provides employment for the NCs in the high season.” Group Interview-3, NGO AMU Therefore, the number of communities and people impacted by the entrepreneurship's growth is not large. FINDING 9: The entrepreneurships have played a leading role in the process of building the concept of indigenous economy, creating spaces for discussion to understand and adapt a generalizable concept for the four countries in the coming years. Indigenous entrepreneurships play a role in the construction of a political discourse that cannot be ignored. From the point of view of indigenous organizations, the achievement of an “indigenous economy” through the growth of entrepreneurships is part of their long-term strategy to contribute to the achievement of respect for the collective rights of indigenous peoples. Indigenous organizations attribute an important role to entrepreneurships in the construction of the political discourse linked to economic rights and the improvement of their quality of life. In this context, and from the beginning of the Activity, AIRR identified the need to create spaces for discussion on the concept of indigenous economy. In 2020, AIRR created the “Amazon Space,” an online forum designed to showcase success stories, discuss issues within indigenous communities, and highlight the work of indigenous organizations and entrepreneurships (AIRR, 2020c). Amazon Space continued in fiscal years 2021 and 2022, with 11 and 4 forums, respectively, where discussions on the indigenous economy and the exchange of experiences on indigenous entrepreneurships continued. Similarly, in 2022 AIRR held workshops, meetings and discussions in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. In some cases, these events gathered organizations from two or more countries and in other cases they were only for one country (see Annex G, Table 2.4). The Activity promoted the concept of indigenous economy, but not because the organizations had their own definitions of the word economy. In Brazil, a process of promoting understanding and adaptation of the concept is being promoted, as the concept of bioeconomy is more prevalent in indigenous organizations. In Colombia, the concept of indigenous economy is still in the process of validation. In Ecuador, one of the first definitions of the concept of indigenous economy was proposed by COICA. Subsequently, within the framework of the Activity, indigenous organizations constructed a concept in a participatory manner, convening different national stakeholders to obtain their own definition at the national level, which could also be generalized to other Amazonian countries. In these different spaces, indigenous organizations held discussions that brought different perspectives to the table, and although progress has been made, the concept of indigenous economy is still under construction: 35 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources “(…) it was necessary to see the difference between the indigenous economy and others. Why is it called indigenous economy? We wanted to know if we could generate a concept and it seems to me that through AIDESEP we were able to do something. I do not know how this concept was adapted to the Activity. COICA contributed with arguments and criteria. The issue is quite complex, I would say.” Individual interview-18, Indigenous organizations “(…) so we are trying to undo the thinking that has already been created in terms of indigenous economy. Indigenous economy also means to bring social welfare, for indigenous people, the quality of life includes everything, not just money. It is difficult to explain, but this is what we are trying to do.” Group Interview-16, NGO In addition, indigenous organizations believe that the entrepreneurships have a role to play in improving indigenous economies and can contribute to local development: “The dissemination of the indigenous economy is in the process of being discussed to see how entrepreneurships can contribute to the indigenous economy.” Group Interview-09, Indigenous organizations “The result of the entrepreneurships is that the communities are being transformed (...) we want the entrepreneurships to generate more income and to help local development.” Individual interview-11, Indigenous organizations FINDING 10: The progress of indigenous entrepreneurships has strengthened the discourse among indigenous organizations on the rights of indigenous peoples by making the dimension of economic development and conservation of natural resources more visible. From the perspective of indigenous organizations, entrepreneurships have a role to play in the management and use of territories. Indigenous peoples see themselves as guardians of the natural resources and their ecosystem services in the territories they inhabit. Within the framework of the Activity, the role of guardians of the territories is strengthened under the vision of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. This is a contribution of the indigenous peoples to global problems, and it is part of the political discourse of the strengthened indigenous organizations. The entrepreneurships are engaged in different economic activities: agroindustry (8 entrepreneurships), tourism and related services (6 entrepreneurships), exploitation of timber and non-timber resources (5 entrepreneurships, all non-timber), handicrafts and sustainable fashion (5 entrepreneurships), agroforestry (2 entrepreneurships), fishing (2 entrepreneurships) and others (1 entrepreneurship). As can be seen, these activities are closely related to the use of natural resources and ecosystem services of the forest. In fact, agroindustry, non-timber forest resource use, handicrafts, agroforestry, and fishing are based on the collection and production of products from the flora and fauna of the natural environment. Sustainable production implies the application of practices that take advantage of resources and natural processes that allow their reproduction without destroying those resources. In the case of tourism, which depends on the ecosystem services of the landscape, the goal is to preserve the environment in the best possible way. 36 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Connection of indigenous entrepreneurships with the territory Indigenous organizations recognize the role of the projects in the construction of the discourse on territory: “(...) they have to do with aspects of territorial planning. There are some strategies that the AIRR Activity has, it is important to take the strategic line of entrepreneurship, the issue of trying to make an impact through the indigenous territorial training program.” Group Interview 9 - Indigenous organizations “Proposal [of the IOs] to have an Ethnic-Territorial Observatory to collect information that affects NCs in the area of the environment (environmental monitoring) and to follow up on projects (community monitoring).” Group Interview-9, Indigenous organizations Vision of indigenous organizations on the sustainable management of indigenous entrepreneurships On the other hand, when indigenous entrepreneurships operate under a vision of conservation and sustainable use of resources, this gives concrete support to the political narrative of indigenous organizations, as can be inferred from the following statements: “The result [of the entrepreneurships] (...) has been that they stop cultivating illegal products, because the cosmovision of the indigenous people is not to deforest, but they do it out of necessity to cover their expenses.” Individual interview-11, Indigenous organizations “Adding value to the conservation of the forest is the vision they have. They want to grow the entrepreneurship further.” Group Interview-13, Indigenous organizations FINDING 11: AIRR has promoted the participation of indigenous women in the entrepreneurships; however, there are still cultural expectations, roles and stereotypes assigned to women, such as the sexual division of labor, jealousy of partners and other macho attitudes that do not favor women’s full leadership at the head of the entrepreneurships. Throughout its implementation, AIRR has promoted the participation of women in different activities, including in indigenous entrepreneurships. In fact, 12 of the 29 indigenous entrepreneurships, or 41.4%, are managed by women (see Annex G, Table 2.4). It should be noted that, even though there has not been equal management between men and women, there has been an improvement in terms of production, administration, and management, and it has also been possible for the women who manage these initiatives to acquire new knowledge, which has been very positively valued by the women interviewed. 37 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 38 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Incentives to promote women's participation. To encourage greater participation by women, one of the criteria for selecting indigenous entrepreneurships was that they should be run by women. “From the beginning of the Activity, there was constant positive discrimination for women (...) in the selection of the entrepreneurships or enterprises. One variable was whether they were women, and according to statistics, 45% of them are run by women.” Individual Interview 5 - NGO AMU “It was an evaluation criterion for the selection. If they involve young people and women in the planning and management of the Activity was one of the criteria. There are entrepreneurships that involve women leaders and young people.” Individual Interview 2 - NGO AMU “More parity was achieved with the entrepreneurships, because it was a selection criterion.” Individual Interview - 20 -NGO AMU Secondary information12 refers to the establishment of gender quotas, but based on the review of the minutes of the Indigenous Economy Committees in each country, 13 the evaluation team did not find evidence to confirm the existence of a gender quota as such, except in the case of the composition of the Indigenous Economy Committees.14 Although, as mentioned above, all calls for proposals included a question on promoting the participation of women and youth in the entrepreneurship's activities in the criterion “current impact and potential”, not all finalists answered that question. Nevertheless, the percentage of women-led entrepreneurships shows a positive trend in the promotion of women's participation. On the other hand, the Activity promoted the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in training processes. Two specific examples are: a) the inclusion of the gender perspective to improve economic initiatives in the “Amazonian Space” forum in Ecuador, and b) the inclusion of the gender and youth approach in the preparation of the “Expoamazónica” fair in Peru. An important contribution of the AIRR Activity is the acquisition of knowledge and financial management tools by the women involved in the projects: “But it has had an impact in the sense of awakening the importance of these issues and how to develop them and how to put them on a path to success. The greatest gain is to awaken that interest, to awaken that sense. Talking to the women personally, sharing with them about the Activity, about 12 Documents: Consultancy Output 10: “Training sessions for the implementation of the Project's Gender and Youth Plan” (p.26), and the Gender and Youth Plan (p. 4). 13 “In Brazil, the evaluation team only found one discussion on the issue of gender equality. The 05/12/21 minutes ­ Fourth meeting of the CEI Brazil contain a discussion on the inclusion of gender as a criterion for the selection of indigenous entrepreneurships or the request for information on the subject in order to increase the participation of women. Similarly, the Edital Plan, Evaluation section, mentions: "promoting indigenous entrepreneurship with women in leadership positions.” 14 Annual Report I (2019-2020) entrepreneurship, about financial management, about institutional strengthening, we were able to broaden the vision of how many other people are involved in the Activity”. Group Interview 13 - ONG-PF “Thanks to the Activity, [AIRR] supports us with marketing training to expand the market, accounting, and costing courses, we had a gender equity training in Tarapoto, where the women were able to bring their children, those who were mothers. Although the pandemic caused a drastic change and there were difficulties in handling technology, the partners supported us with the purchase of cell phones, and often the sons and daughters joined the virtual training sessions”. Group Interview 12 - Indigenous entrepreneurships Persistence of cultural norms There are still strong cultural norms in communities that discourage and/or hinder women's participation and leadership at the top of indigenous initiatives. Evidence suggests that male jealousy and sexist attitudes prevent women from taking up positions in indigenous entrepreneurships or initiatives, among others. “According to the interviewees, there are certain attitudes and gender roles that make it difficult for women to work outside the home. For this reason, it is very necessary to continue educating women about the importance of their ancestral knowledge and the possibilities of economic development thanks to this knowledge. It is also mentioned that due to traditional roles related to the sexual division of labor, women are expected to continue to be in charge of domestic affairs, whether or not they have other responsibilities outside the private sphere.” DAR - Baseline document on institutional capacity in five regional organizations affiliated to AIDESEP. SUKU Handicraft Enterprise: "(...) they want to promote spaces for exchange and training of young women so that they can gradually take over leadership roles in the entrepreneurship. Which is now run by men, although it is an organization of women artisans.” AIRR – All In 2021 - Gender and Youth Plan (Annex 6) “(…) There are problems of participation due to jealousy on the part of the spouse, but with the support of the Federation and the NCs themselves, we are trying to solve these problems (...) in the future, we want the president and the treasurer to be women, so that when the woman returns home, the husband does not make a jealous scene.” Group Interview 03 - ONG-PF “In the community, the man is the one who manages the money. So they decided to empower the women. To empower them economically. Culturally, women always participate, they work hard, but they don't get any income.” Group Interview-14, Indigenous entrepreneurships 39 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov GOVERNANCE Evaluation question 3. How has the project’s governance structure (i.e., various sub￾societies, associations, companies, federations, and steering committees) influenced a) the implementation, b) the management, and c) the adaptive management of this regional project? Findings Overview: Finding 12. The first year of implementation and management of AIRR focused on convening partners and on designing processes and management protocols, given the Activity’s complex governance structure of multiple partners in four countries with different roles. Finding 13. AIRR management sought to ensure that participating indigenous organizations took a leading role as partners in decision-making. To do so, AIRR created and supported the functioning of three consultative bodies: the Regional Steering Committee (RSC), the National Steering Committees (NSC) and the Indigenous Economic Committees (CEI). AIRR’s technical assistance allowed indigenous organizations to participate in the Activity’s governance structure. Finding 14. The requirement to adopt common standards in administration, human resource management, and accountability, in accordance with USAID and WWF resource implementation procedures, created difficult situations that the Activity’s adaptive management was able to resolve. Finding 15. The Activity’s governance structure is complex, with a multiplicity of levels and stakeholders, and complementary communication channels have been created to assist when decision making gets stuck and to facilitate adaptive management. Finding 16. Grant management technical assistance proved to be a learning experience for AIRR and partner staff. Although this assistance has helped strengthen institutions, grant management continues to be a challenge that varies from country to country. For example, grant management was better in Peru and COICA. Finding 17. AIRR’s adaptive management capacity facilitated the implementation of creative strategies and safe spaces for childcare, which created a level playing field for indigenous mothers to participate in capacity building and empowerment processes. FINDING 12: The first year of implementation and management of AIRR focused on convening partners and on designing processes and management protocols, given the Activity’s complex governance structure of multiple partners with different roles in the four countries. The governance structure is extremely complex in its operation due to the number of partners (23), the presence in four countries (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), the intervention in two languages (Spanish and Portuguese), the diversity of interacting levels (USAID, the Activity Management Unit at the level of the four countries (AMU), partner indigenous organizations, NGO partners, focal points in each country) and governance through different committees (Regional, National and Indigenous Economy Committees at the country level). Also, each of these bodies has different roles and functions. 40 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov The governance structure of the Activity made implementation somewhat difficult at the beginning, causing delays in the implementation of activities under the two Activity objectives. These delays were exacerbated by COVID-19, which forced the closure and shutdown of economies for a prolonged period and a change in priorities in the agendas of indigenous organizations. During the first year, AIRR needed to create the conditions to begin its annual planning, such as developing relationships between Activity partners, prioritizing specific sites in the landscapes, and developing work plans. The need for spaces to build connections and trust between partners. In connecting the AIRR Activity to 23 partners, it was essential to build relationships of trust among them, which was not easy because they are indigenous organizations with a long political history, as well as NGOs with a long history of working in the Amazon. “They understand that there are a lot of challenges. They feel they had a lot of difficulty because of the context of the pandemic. The same structure would have worked if they could have met face to face, discussed things face to face. But in any case, the structure helps to achieve the goals that have been set.” Group Interview 3 - NGO-PF Field work and face-to-face meetings were rescheduled. In the case of the latter, the activities were designed to follow a virtual format, after training in digital skills. Year 1 reports. Need to prioritize specific sites in the three AIRR landscapes. It has been an arduous task to identify and prioritize specific sites within each landscape to carry out indigenous monitoring activities and indigenous entrepreneurship strengthening. AIRR has sought to link the two objectives of the Activity from the outset. In the case of Brazil, in the Tapajós landscape, AIRR selected sites that include 15 indigenous territories inhabited by 11 ethnic groups that are facing the impact of four infrastructure projects, mainly dams. In Colombia, in the Putumayo landscape, AIRR selected four intervention sites that include 36 safeguards, inhabited by 14 indigenous populations, most of which overlap with oil blocks. In Ecuador, AIRR selected five sites with six ethnic groups in the Putumayo landscape, where there are indigenous entrepreneurships and oil extraction activities. In Peru, AIRR selected eight sites in the Marañón and Putumayo, an area of impact of 16 infrastructure projects and extractive activities that affect about 200 indigenous communities representing about 300 ethnic groups, according to the 2020 Annual Report. AIRR’s selection of specific sites in the selected landscapes was related to pre-existing presence of indigenous monitoring and of indigenous entrepreneurships. Need to generate strategic information to support planning. In the first year of 2020, the challenge was to create mechanisms to involve partners in the strategic and adaptive planning of the Activity. AIRR planned and carried out some 60 activities that required international travel. Several of these activities were aimed at involving indigenous organizations in the definition of key processes, such as the Applied Political and Economic Analysis (APEA) methodology, the definition of the terms of reference for the call for proposals for indigenous entrepreneurships, and the development of an advocacy strategy. It was critical to ensure that partners were informed at the beginning of the Activity. The COVID pandemic worked against participation. AIRR made progress, but it was not possible to set targets for all but one of the Activity indicators. 41 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov The first year of the Activity was devoted to the development of baselines and strategic studies, such as the Gender and Youth Plan, the Applied Political and Economic Analysis (APEA), and the institutional capacity of indigenous organizations. As a result, there was no evidence of progress in meeting the goals of the monitoring system, except for Indicator 5, which refers to the number of people trained in sustainable landscapes with the support of the U.S. government, as shown in the table below. Table 3.1. Goals planned and implemented in the first year 2020. Indicators Goals Planned Implemented Brazil Planned Implemented Colombia Planned Implemented Ecuador Planned d Implemented Peru Planned Implemented 1, 2, 3, 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 50 7 s/i 0 s/i 3 s/i 2 s/i 2 6, 7, 8, 9,10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 12, 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Source: AIRR. 2020 Annual Report Prepared by Evaluation Team FINDING 13: AIRR management sought to ensure that participating indigenous organizations took a leading role as partners in decision-making.To do so, AIRR created and supported the functioning of three consultative bodies: the Regional Steering Committee (RSC), the National Steering Committees (NSC) and the Indigenous Economic Committees (CEI). AIRR’s technical assistance allowed indigenous organizations to participate in the Activity’s governance structure. Right from the beginning of the Activity, through the governance structure, AIRR sought to empower indigenous organizations to assume a leading role in decision-making as partners and within the Activity’s three deliberative bodies: the Regional Steering Committee (RSC), the National Steering Committees (NSC) and the Indigenous Economy Committees (CEI). AIRR acknowledged indigenous organizations as “partners” and not only as Activity beneficiaries. This finding includes information on the Committees’ formation, set up, functionality and visibility. The evaluation team collected data on one regional and two in each of the four countries (the NSCs and CEIs merged in Ecuador and Colombia). To be recognized as partners, the Indigenous Organizations needed to be known and acknowledged as partners by governing bodies, especially the national and regional Steering Committees. These committees played a fundamental role in dialogue and consensus building to guide the Activity’s implementation and strategic vision, internalizing their priorities, agendas, and worldview. The committees were also important in the implementation of processes to strengthen and empower their 42 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov members. The committees also serve as forums to promote and legitimize indigenous movement interests through their representatives. (2020 Annual Report (August 2019 – September 2020)15. This finding describes the positive and negative aspects of AIRR’s governance structure in relation to implementation and management. The Steering Committees’ implementation with Indigenous Organizations. Positive aspect of the implementation The Activity generated the conditions for the designed structure to operate. For this purpose, the participation of indigenous organizations (IOs) at national and regional levels was essential, as well as the formation and set up of Committees; one regional and two in each of the four countries (NSCs and CEIs merged in Ecuador and Colombia). Setting up these bodies was difficult due to the impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic including confinements, prolonged closure of economies, and the scale of deaths and threats to the lives of indigenous leaders. The pandemic delayed the programming that was in place both in the RSC as well as in other Committees. The national indigenous organizations and COICA have existed for several decades before the Activity’s implementation. These are organizations with a long political experience, history and different levels of institutional development. These organizations accepted more willingly to be partners and not beneficiaries. Acting as partners is something that needs to happen in practice and on a daily basis. This is why AIRR recommended that they be included in decision-making. Separately, AIRR had to set up nine (9) committees throughout the target areas to begin implementation. The Activity achieved this with great effort more than a year after the Activity began to operate in the four countries. The COVID-19 pandemic partly explains this delay. 15 AIRR has strategic and deliberative instances, as well as operational ones. The strategic and deliberative instances include the Regional Steering Committee (RSC), National Steering Committees (NSC), and the Indigenous Economy Committees (CEI) are aimed at: Regional Steering Committee: Providing a strategic vision to the Project. Generating with inputs from the national committees, recommendations towards improving the Project's strategies, taking into account institutional contexts and those of each country. National Steering Committees: Generating recommendations and monitoring implementation in each country. Taking part in preparing and approving work plans and monitoring their implementation. In addition, they generate recommendations for the implementation of the Project and its improvement in each country. Indigenous Economy Committees: Taking strategic and technical decisions regarding working with indigenous enterprises. And in the operational instances, there are the AMU and the focal points, which constitute the part of the structure in charge of the operation and good progress of the project as a management unit, with plans defined at the level of each one of the Project Objectives, in each country and with Mid-term Results to be implemented through actions and lines of action that have defined annual goals. 43 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Steering Committees Set Up Timeline Source: AIRR. RSC, NSC, CEI Set up Minutes. Prepared by Evaluation Team The Steering Committees set up and formation processes had different paces in each country and lasted from the second quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021. As can be seen in the timeline, between July and November 2020, NSCs were set up in Colombia, followed by Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Then the RSC was installed at the end of 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic impact. In the case of the CEI, they were also set up in the second quarter of 2020 except for Brazil. Then, the National Committees in Ecuador and Colombia merged. In the end AIRR set up 7 committees, not nine. In addition to national indigenous organizations, WWF from the four countries and some NGOs, including DAR and NESsT, took part in setting up the RSC, NSC and CEI. In Peru, of the 8 AIDESEP subnational indigenous organizations, only five participated in the Activity. Then, there was a delay in the setup of governance spaces (national and regional level) that troubled the partners, who mentioned this during a Pause and Reflect meeting in August 2020. According to meeting minutes, during the gathering indigenous partners highlighted the lack of clarity and spaces for dialogue between all the partners. They proposed to have a space for indigenous peoples’ organizations in the government structure. Table 3.2. Steering Committees Membership Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Members: COICA (regional) AIDESEP OPIAC CONFENIAE COIAB Four National Steering Committees (NSCs) Members 16 NSC Brazil: COIAB, FEPOIMT, FEPIPA and WWF Brazil. Colombia: OPIAC, OZIP, WWF Colombia. Ecuador: CONFENIAE y WWF Ecuador. Four National Indigenous Economy Committees (CEI) Members:17 Brazil: COIAB, FEPOIMT, FEPIPA, WWF Brazil, and NESsT. OPAM, ICV Colombia: OPIAC, OZIP, WWF Colombia, NESsT. 16 The NSC can invite other stakeholders according to the topic to be discussed. 17 The CEI can invite other stakeholders according to the topic to be discussed. 44 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Regional Steering Committee (RSC) WWF (AMU and WWF countries) DAR. Four National Steering Committees (NSCs) Peru: AIDESEP, ORPIO, ORAU, CODEPISAM, CORPI SL, ORPIAN and WWF Peru. CODEPISAM, CORPI SL, ORAU, ORPIAN – P, ORPIO Four National Indigenous Economy Committees (CEI) Ecuador: CONFENIAE, WWF Ecuador, and NESsT. Peru: AIDESEP, ORPIO, ORAU, CODEPISAM, ORPIAN, WWF Peru, and NESsT. Source: AIRR. RSC, NSC, CEI Set up Minutes. Prepared by Evaluation Team Even though Steering Committees’ roles and functions were well defined and related to AIRR strategic aspects, it was difficult for indigenous organizations to assume these roles and functions reflecting both positive and negative aspects of the Activity’s implementation and management. It was a challenge for indigenous organizations to understand how the committees worked, and from there commit to working with AIRR, particularly with the Regional Steering Committee and National Steering Committees. The roles and functions for these committees were well defined, as follows: − At the RSC level: Vertical coordination of organizations at national, subnational, and local levels. Production of inputs and knowledge sharing. Selection of participants in international advocacy spaces. Participation in socioeconomic studies and in the Gender and Youth Plan. − At the NSC level: Selection of sites within the prioritized landscapes. Participation in socioeconomic studies and in the Gender and Youth Plan. Participation in the governance of the Indigenous Territorial Governance Training Program (methodology, selection of participants, relevant topics, curriculum, among others). Selection of participants for training, internships and calls for proposals. Knowledge of indigenous enterprises. − At the CEI level: Participation in studies to determine characteristics, similarities and differences of indigenous entrepreneurships compared to traditional entrepreneurships. Participation in the selection of indigenous entrepreneurships in priority landscapes. Identification of market opportunities. Participatory development of the requirements for the calls for proposals of indigenous entrepreneurships. National committees’ functions are similar in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. In the case of Ecuador, the national committee’s functions are more limited given its participation only in the indigenous entrepreneurship efforts (See Annex G, Table 3.3). Despite having well-defined functions, it was not possible for the Committees to achieve adequate and sustained functionality due to the demand to respond to very complex challenges including: − On the one hand, the need to define and agree on concepts and approaches to issues related to the exercise of indigenous and human rights given the large differences in perspectives. This need has resulted in a long process of discussion and negotiation that has forced NGOs and indigenous organizations to listen to, and learn from, each other. This has been particularly true within the Indigenous Economy Committees, where members needed to define concepts such as indigenous economy and entrepreneurship. These concepts are still being debated according to the 2020 annual report (August 2019 - September 2020). − On the other hand, changes in the context and priorities of indigenous organizations, even before COVID 19, negatively impacted the functionality of the committees. − Finally, changes in leaderships within indigenous organizations also negatively impacted their regulations and commitment to previously agreed decisions. 45 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov “AIDESEP and COIAB made changes to their Boards of Directors, meaning a delay in the validation of certain products that were waiting for the setup of the new leadership and the presentation of the products by the other implementing partners. On some occasions, new boards have even made adjustments to products that were approved by previous boards.” AIRR 2022 Annual Report “The IOs’ agenda is the one that should prevail in this type of Activity, not the NGO’s or the donor’s agenda, since the IOs are political organizations and are the Activity’s focus and priority (sometimes it is a strength, but at the same time it is a weakness when the Activity coordination decisions affect and prevent respecting the IOs’ agendas” AIRR Pause and Reflect 5 The management dynamics and decision-making processes of the Activity’s committees failed to adequately respond to the pace of Activity schedules. The frequency of National Steering Committees (NSC) was too low. Once a year is insufficient for the Activity’s decision-making processes. Only the Indigenous Economy Committees meetings happened at an appropriate frequency, due to the need to respond to specific indigenous entrepreneurship needs including the selection process and technical assistance to entrepreneurships. The frequency of meetings of the AIRR governance structure committees increased during the second year of implementation. Nonetheless, the RSC and the NSC met only once during the year even though they had agreed on meeting twice per year. The Indigenous Economy Committees had the greatest dynamism due to the nature of their functions and because they must respond to an established process of selection, accompaniment, and support for entrepreneurships. Peru and Brazil were the countries with the greatest dynamism. Source: Committees Folder. “...the Activity’s governance, through the National Steering Committees (NSC), the Indigenous Economy Committees (CEI) and their technical committees in the four countries, ... we strengthened it and maintained the spaces for exchange, reflection and adaptive decision-making of all Activity partners through two Pause and Reflect (P&R) processes, collective analysis of learning, monthly meeting spaces for all partners, creating a network of communicators and another for monitoring the indicators between the Activity partners.” AIRR 2022 Annual Report Table 3.3 Number of Steering Committees Meetings by Country Country Committees Number of Annual Meetings 1st year 2nd year 3rd year Total Brazil CEI 12 6 18 NSC 2 1 3 46 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Country Committees Number of Annual Meetings 1st year 2nd year 3rd year Total Colombia18 CEI 3 - 1 4 CDN 1 - 1 2 NSC + CEI 1 1 2 Ecuador CEI 10 10 NSC 2 2 NSC + CEI 2 2 Peru CEI 8 2019 10 38 NSC 1 320 1 5 Regional RSC 2 1 3 Source: Annual Reports Prepared by Evaluation Team The NSCs worked in a flexible and adaptive manner. During the first year, only Peru’s and Colombia’s NSC and CEI were active. Activity started with the setup of the committees, in the first quarter of 2020, and then continued with regular meetings during the second quarter of 2020. The RSC was not active because of delays in the setup of the Ecuador and Brazil National Steering Committees (NSC). The delay resulted in concern among partners regarding the Activity’s governance structure, as expressed during the August 2020 Pause and Reflect. By the last quarter of 2020, all NSCs were up and running (including in Ecuador and Brazil) and AIRR began setting up the RSC in December 2020. In Colombia the CEI and NSC met jointly in August and December 2020. During the third year, joint meetings of the CEI and NSC also took place in Ecuador, while the ones in Colombia took place separately. In 2022, all the CEIs continued to meet regularly. The Activity created technical committees to help streamline decisions. The fact that focal points and partners met monthly helped maintain and complemented the committees’ meetings. During these monthly meetings organizations shared what each partner and country was doing, discussed issues that concerned every member, and shared knowledge. Pause and Reflect moments also helped. Indigenous Entrepreneurship Committees are more dynamic but show some gaps. 18 * Colombia has a CEI and NSC, and a Purchasing Committee to expedite decision-making and guarantee the quality of acquisitions for indigenous enterprises. **This committee includes technical groups that meet periodically. 19 The Second Year Annual Report lists 20 meetings, although only 17 records have been sent. 20 In the Second Year Annual Report, there are 3 meetings, but only two records of two meetings from that period were available; rather there was a meeting in September 2020, which corresponds to the first year. 47 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Indigenous Entrepreneurship Committees helped strengthen the alliance between NGOs and indigenous organizations and provided capacity building services. Nonetheless, weaknesses remained, particularly as related to the fact that in none of the four countries did the committees achieve a 40% minimum participation of women and young people. Also, there were still no standard operating rules. For example, ORPIO in Loreto has a board of directors made up entirely by men. Furthermore, the entrepreneurships did not participate in the Indigenous Economy Committees. They were aware of their existence but were never invited. Partners demanded greater visibility of the National Steering Committees and the Regional Steering Committee. The nature of the Indigenous Economy Committees is completely different from that of the Regional Steering Committee and National Steering Committees. The CEIs have more visible objectives, are more focused towards the OPIs, and act at a local, community level. Meanwhile, the NSCs require that other subnational and local indigenous organizations work and make decisions together. The situation of NSCs is much more complex as they require communication and decision-making to flow within their organizations. In the case of the RSC, its operation is even more complex. These two Committees are operating, but there have been negative perceptions from Activity partners. “The RSC and the NSC were not visible in the Pause and Reflect meetings, (only Colombia mentioned them in the framework of the discussions regarding the partners’ roles): it is worth rethinking their operation and their role.” AIRR-MEL-C. Pause and Reflect 4. Colombia May 2022 Despite the creation and implementation of the Steering Committees, indigenous organizations demanded more participation and to have meetings every six months instead of annually. In this regard, there are nuanced opinions among NGOs and indigenous organizations. Consequently, opinions were expressed regarding the fact that the Regional Steering Committee has weaknesses in its structure, role, and scope. The RSC is not able to sufficiently articulate efforts at the three levels (international, national, and regional). The RSC does not achieve integration between the different components, for example, in the line of defenders or the monitoring components. The challenges stemmed from the different contexts of each country. The NGOs also demanded greater participation of indigenous organizations through the Steering Committees. Thus, in P&R 2021, participants proposed: − “That the IOs take charge of calling meetings and assume leadership of the committees’ agendas; That said calls and agendas be developed considering their own governance structures so that IOs convey to the committees the “throbbing” issues at their own organizational, national-subnational-community levels. And at the regional level, it should be COICA, prior coordination with the national ones, who calls meetings and proposes the RSC's agenda and that the other partners discuss the proposed agenda and provide feedback.” − “That the “alignment” of expectations of the IOs should be drawn up based on an annual proposal presented by the NSC and IOs, based on the 2 Activity objectives, with 5 results and a budget to be defined from the beginning of the formulation for this purpose”. − “That the Indigenous Economy Committees and the National Steering Committees focus their efforts towards making the adequate ¨translation¨ of the various terms and concepts 48 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov that are used in each one of them to communicate progress, promote decision-making, plan, etc. (for example, build a dictionary).” Likewise indigenous organizations suggested regular meetings with the Activity’s indigenous governance (indigenous stakeholders) to focus on their strengthening and on decision-making on AIRR actions that is culturally relevant. This group proposed that the AMU have a permanent indigenous adviser to guide the Activity on a daily basis in order to achieve cultural relevance. AIRR Pause and Reflect 2021. The discussion focused on the partner who was able to set the pace of the Activity. As for the indigenous organizations, AIRR expected a greater role from them, and sought that active participation. AIRR also assumed an adaptive management style that would facilitate this participation. “The Activity has been very technical. Sometimes you want to take WWF into account and the indigenous organizations are not present. For example, sometimes only technicians attend a meeting. But technicians alone cannot talk to us. Every so often, they want to make decisions technically and then just communicate them. Indigenous people must always be present to voice their point of view. We think this has improved lately. And we think that it should not happen anymore. It has been improving. Individual Interview EI- 06-IOs FINDING 14: The requirement to adopt common standards in administration, human resource management, and accountability, in accordance with USAID and WWF resource implementation procedures, created difficult situations that the Activity’s adaptive management was able to resolve. The partners’ commitment, predominantly that of indigenous organizations, was crucial and AIRR, being a new Activity, approved its first work plan in January 2020. Two months later, the COVID 19 pandemic disproportionately affected indigenous peoples, diverting the attention of key partners towards caring for people in their communities. Sometimes it was not possible for indigenous organizations to attend meetings and decisions were made without indigenous organizations, even though AIRR sought their active participation and implemented adaptive management that facilitated it. Within this context, AIRR needed to adopt common standards regarding administrative, human resource management, and accountability consistent with USAID and WWF’s resource implementation procedures. These standards were for the indigenous organizations, both in their institutional processes and for the entrepreneurships. Even though indigenous organizations have had several years of experience (with both good and difficult times) AIRR determined that they needed to strengthen their administrative and managerial capacity and processes to meet the requirements of financial and funding institutions. As a result, several Committees requested capacity strengthening and presence of technical personnel from the Activity. AIRR responded to this need through various mechanisms. Indigenous Organizations request Technical Support. Indigenous organizations requested technical support to better respond to AIRR’s accountability, timely accounting, and technical requirements. The Activity responded with specialized technical support and by hiring personnel to strengthen indigenous organizations management. 49 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov “Technical support personnel have helped these organizations lead the way, by proactively adapting strategies to the context of each region. In addition, a coordinated effort with indigenous peoples organizations’ members (delegates and managers) is solidified by formalizing the participation and decision-making bodies of the Activity. The participation of indigenous peoples' organizations (OPI) in the (NSC and CEI) has strengthened their decision-making capacity. For example, the CEI creates competencies to guide the economic processes of the communities represented by the OPIs, beyond the life of the Activity”. AIRR 2020 Annual Report According to the 2022 Annual Report, in FY 2022 AIRR continued to hire personnel for AIDESEP, COIAB, COICA, CONFENIAE, FEPOIMT, FEPIPA, OPIAC, and OZIP. FY 2022 Annual Report. “In Peru, the leader is AIDESEP, but it carries out implementations through five main regional IOs: ORPIO, CORPI, CODEPISAN, ORPIAN, and ORAU. Initially, hiring technical coordinators was not considered, but rather to implement this through AIDESEP”. Individual Interview 4 - ONG-PF “AIDESEP has to follow USAID procedures. There have been situations of great delay because the administrative part is linked to the technical part. The Annual Plan is financially divided into quarters. The first trimester is submitted to AIDESEP and only when it is handed over, the second one is sent. The problem arises when it is accountability time, several things arise from financial to technical aspects. AIDESEP says that it cannot advance because it does not have money, but we cannot give it to them because their report has not been approved; there is a dead time situation”. Individual Interview 3 - ONG-PF “USAID provides the resources to WWF, who then reports for directly purchasing the equipment for the entrepreneurships. Nevertheless, it is believed that, if the resources were handed over directly, it would generate knowledge regarding the purchase of goods and equipment and the management of resources. Money is being wasted because there are so many intermediaries – it is more bureaucracy that has to be paid. We must improve time availability concerning administrative matters and approvals by WWF and USAID”. Individual Interview 14 – ONG Permanent administrative training in response to indigenous organizations’ requests. AIRR provided intense administrative training for indigenous organizations and the response from indigenous organizations was positive in terms of participation and learning. There is evidence of AIRR's efforts in capacity building on various topics. “Administrative training sessions under AMU responsibility reached 30 people (18 women and 12 men) from the Activity partner organizations, strengthening and updating administrative and financial personnel about acquisitions according to USAID rules, equipment donations, conflict of interest, administrative and financial management, budget review and approval process, internal control and the importance of the financial information delivery flow, among other topics”. 50 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov AIRR. 2022 Annual Report. Resource Use Guidelines. AIRR developed guidelines for the use of economic resources within the entrepreneurships. NESsT played a key role in this regard. This topic was very sensitive among indigenous organizations because the way they initially distributed funds was often in conflict with the cultural practices in their daily lives. “At the beginning, there were no clear guidelines on how to use the resources. NESsT determined what the main initial investment was. Under this logic, the due diligence analysis was carried out. NESsT… keeps track of purchases and expenses… Therefore, entrepreneurs were informed of the purchases made by WWF, so that they could gain knowledge”. And “considering enterprises that live off seasonal periods, all this was a big problem. Tourism or service entrepreneurs were the ones who suffered the most. So, either the resources were expected to be approved, or the resources were used in the best way”. Individual Interview 17 – NGO FINDING 15: The Activity’s governance structure is complex, with a multiplicity of levels and stakeholders, and complementary communication channels have been created to assist when decision making gets stuck and to facilitate adaptive management. The abrupt change, from face-to-face to fully virtual management, that resulted from the pandemic forced AIRR to reorient, reprogram, adjust work plans and prioritize attention to communication limitations among partners. AIRR also needed to generate alternative channels for decision-making processes that required quick responses, in order to avoid slowing down the Activity’s implementation. AIRR needed to address the gaps in knowledge, technological management, and communications infrastructure in target areas. These complementary channels to manage the Activity’s activities fully online, required improvements in access to virtual communications for the indigenous organizations. AIRR provided both equipment and equipment management training (radio, WhatsApp), as well as virtual knowledge management training. Before COVID, AIRR managed projects between partners or stakeholders in person. After the impact of the pandemic in the Amazon, AIRR quickly adapted implementation and management through fully online interventions. This drastic change forced AIRR to address two types of serious limitations in the participation of indigenous organizations at regional, national and local levels. The change also forced AIRR to improve the existing communications infrastructure in the Amazon basin in each of the countries. One of the serious limitations was the absence of virtual communication equipment and training, which AIRR addressed. The other limitation was the need to adapt indigenous organizations to the negative health impacts on their leaders and population, as well as to establish protocols to attend and protect the communities, all without leaving behind the implementation of AIRR projects. Connectivity assessments, digital skills training, and equipment distribution. AIRR significantly supported access to connectivity, by providing electronic equipment and training to bridge knowledge and access gaps for indigenous organizations partners. Online management improved 51 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov during the first three years of the Activity, but it did not fully replace all communications channels between indigenous organizations and other Activity structure committees. “AIRR carried out internet connectivity assessments in the 4 countries. Their participation was strengthened by providing equipment for their access: Thus, in Brazil FEPOIMT, FEPIPA and COIAB acquired computers, telephones and solar batteries. ICV provided equipment and supplies to FEPOIMT (10 notebooks, 9 printers, 9 no breaks, 1 mobile phone, 2 projectors and furniture (9 computer tables and 6 chairs) to be delivered to indigenous organizations that participated in the training (10 OPIs in Pará and 10 OPIs in Mato Grosso)”. AIRR. 2020, 2021 Annual Reports and 2020 Quarterly Report III. AIRR provided equipment for indigenous peoples in Colombia (3 sim cards, 3 computers with modem to connect to the internet) to facilitate online communication. Another activity funded the operation of Radio Waira. The Activity developed audiovisual training materials to improve communication between the Putumayo Zonal Indigenous Organization (OZIP) and its partners. The partners used WhatsApp to share these materials, as well as information related to COVID-19 and the Training Program on Indigenous Territorial Governance (PFGTI). 2020 Third quarter report. “Field work and face-to-face meetings were rescheduled. In the case of the latter, activities were designed to follow a virtual format, after digital skills training.” AIRR 2020 Annual Report AIRR detected an error, and by correcting it in a timely manner created an innovative strategy. Ecuador: the delivery of technological equipment to indigenous enterprises (such as computers, cameras, cell phones, printers and infocus) without considering strengthening of capacities in order to overcome the knowledge gap in technology management. Therefore, we chose to coordinate the visit of university students to two IE, with the purpose of training the organizations on the use of these tools. FY 2022 Annual Report (October 2021 - September 2022). FINDING 16: Grant management technical assistance proved to be a learning experience for AIRR and partner staff. Although this assistance has helped strengthen institutions, grant management continues to be a challenge that varies from country to country. For example, grant management was better in Peru and COICA. The economic resources that AIRR's indigenous organizations members received were aimed at facilitating the acquisition of equipment, supporting initiatives to strengthen capacities, or hiring consultants within the scope of the two Activity Goals. USAID and WWF required both the accounting and the use of resources to be aligned with the institution’s specific guidelines. Indigenous organizations received grants and subgrants which strengthened their institutional capacities. Cooperation agreements (grants) with indigenous partner organizations are a way of strengthening the autonomy and capacities of the organizations (AIDESEP, COIAB, COICA, CONFENIAE, OPIAC and OZIP). Through the implementation of these agreements, partners led several of the Activity processes, which in turn improved their technical and administrative management skills. Additionally, by hiring personnel from the indigenous organizations for the Activity’s implementation, the indigenous 52 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov organizations (IOs) expanded their workforce and made their agendas more viable. AIRR 2022 Annual Report. Given the Activity governance process, each country manages grants with local partners. Indigenous organizations received US$ 2,404,240 from AIRR (2020 - 2022) in agreements (grants) signed during the first three years. As previously stated in finding 1.4, more than 60% of the grants were allocated to AIDESEP and the difference, in order of magnitude, was allocated to COICA, Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador. Only AIDESEP has had subgrants for its subnational indigenous organizations and selected indigenous entrepreneurships. This is the case for grants given to indigenous organizations for the implementation of Activity efforts, not to the entrepreneurships. However, due to the differentiated forms of Activity management in each country, in the case of Peru, resources for entrepreneurships were included in the amount managed by AIDESEP. However, this is not the case for the other three countries, in which WWF transferred the resources to the entrepreneurships directly. Management of support for entrepreneurships is different from the management of grants with indigenous organizations. Table 3.5. Grants and Subgrants Steering Committees Indigenous Organization Grants and Subgrants (US$) Percentage RSC COICA 300,000 12.5 NSC Brazil COIAB 200,000 8.3 NSC Colombia OZIP 80,112 3.3 OPIAC 143,956 6.0 NSC Ecuador CONFENIAE 85,000 3.5 NSC Peru AIDESEP21 1,486,250 Subgrants: CODEPISAM = US$11,300 CORPI = US$36,000 ORAU = US$13,600 ORPIO = US$29,000 65.5 Total 2,404,240 100 Source: AMU Presentation, January 2023 Prepared by Evaluation Team The management of funds proved to be a learning opportunity and a managerial challenge for indigenous organizations. The chain to manage the funds is relatively long, with intermediate steps which are sometimes difficult to complete for the implementer and its partners, leading to inefficient processes. From USAID to WWF and from WWF to Regional and National indigenous organizations and these in turn through bank transfers to national organizations. “AIDESEP, COIAB, COICA, CONFENIAE, OPIAC and OZIP were in charge of leading several Activity processes that improved their technical and administrative management capacities”. 21 AIDESEP handed over subgrants to its subnational partners, which includes supports for enterprises. In the other countries, WWF provided supports for enterprises. 53 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov AIRR. 2021 Quarterly Report 1 “The funds are managed in this manner: WWF transfers them to AIDESEP, and in turn they transfer them to the five regional organizations, which in turn transfer them to indigenous enterprises, in a bank-based manner. The aim is to preserve the governance scheme, which is based on internal communications. Thus, this governance is strengthened by AIDESEP and its bases. They have a complex structure with several cascades, and they need to improve communications. The idea is that they will improve internal governance while maintaining this transfer scheme. Although, it makes financial and technical monitoring more complex for WWF, it has the advantage that the national IOs is involved”. Individual Interview 4 - NGO-PF “Yes, there were problems due to USAID policy; there was no direct transference of funds to communities. Equipment was provided and the community submitted proformas. There was a claim from the communities about its indirect administration”. Individual Interview 15 – IOs However, in some national indigenous organizations, such as AIDESEP, the improvement of administrative and financial capacities was evident. By the end of the three years, AIDESEP produced better quality financial reports and had processes to improve administrative manuals to reconcile accounting records with financial implementation of the Activity. Additionally, AIDESEP signed a second grant with AIRR and issued subgrants to its organizations (AIRR. 2022 Report quarter 1). FINDING 17: AIRR’s adaptive management capacity facilitated the implementation of creative strategies and safe spaces for childcare, which created a level playing field for indigenous mothers to participate in capacity building and empowerment processes. As a positive aspect within the adaptive management capacity of the Activity, childcare strategies stand out. These guarantee equitable participation, under equal conditions, of indigenous mothers. Both maternity and caregiving, were not a limitation for their participation, or for the success of their training process. AIRR adopted intersectionality lens in Capacity Building. AIRR designed and developed childcare strategies in a participatory way and from an intersectional lens. These strategies focused on reducing the early desertion rates in training processes among women. According to the evidence that the evaluation team found, caregiving strategies could also be implemented in Brazil and Peru. The measures that had the greatest impact on early dropout were based on inclusion and focused on an intersectional approach. One example is childcare services for mothers who attended face-to-face courses at EGIDA. The success of these measures against dropout events resulted from a careful analysis of the causes of dropout events and a participatory strategy design. AIRR plans to include these two elements when preparing training processes in the next fiscal year (AIRR 2022 Annual Report). 54 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov A successful childcare system in women's training processes. For Peru, it was a double challenge, both administrative and logistical, to implement the childcare system. The system required the deployment of WWF financial-logistical resources (travel insurance for children, tickets, food, community permits) and human resources (people specialized in early childhood education) that would make it possible for this need to be met. “Of 13 women in the last graduate program, 5 needed the service and they agreed to take it. It enabled the women to concentrate and the children to benefit from quality spaces. WWF has been paying 3-day care, and it is very expensive because it also includes mobilizing childcare specialists.” Individual Interview 05 – NGO - AMU “There are women who have children, which surely prevented them from following the course, but they have been given the possibility of having their children looked after by other people while they take the courses. This has been highly valued by women.” Individual Interview 6 – Indigenous Organization For Brazil, the experience was different and nuanced. In the case of advocacy and indigenous monitoring training, the Activity required that mothers be given access to all activities. AIRR implemented a caregiving mechanism with trusted people from the community or relatives of the mothers. In the case of training for indigenous entrepreneurships, this system could not be implemented due to resource limitations, which impacted the sustained permanence of face-to-face training: “In the cases in which caregiving resulted challenging for women leaders to attend the training, the proposal for caregiving was to create a space for children, or also pay for the transfers of the leader and their young children including someone they trusted (from the community or a relative), who could fulfill the exclusive caregiving role. The latter makes more sense for indigenous peoples”. Group Interview 13 – NGO PF “It is a very different reality when they participate, they arrive with many children. At a certain moment the boys and girls got bored, so the mothers had to leave the classroom. With the few resources available, it was very difficult, both for this situation and for hiring a person who spoke the language. (…). However, it is very difficult to think of everything that can be offered when you have little resources available.” NeSsT (EG-16–ONG) The implementation of a properly structured caregiving system has been a successful experience with impact at the regional level. Colombian partners have shown interest in implementing this type of strategy. “We must consider that the available funds must allow this and finance actions of this type. Then, the other countries want to do the same because it generates participation. (...) That is very important since it is something much more structured. So, Colombia is already saying: “we are re-planning and in the formation of territorial governance we are going to assume it. What Colombia does not know is that USAID has not paid for it. It is a concrete example, and other countries already want to do the same. It is a strategy that involves money, but it really makes participation happen”. Individual Interview 5 – NGO AMU 55 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ASSOCIATION WITH AMAZON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Evaluation question 4. What are the challenges and opportunities of working with Amazon indigenous peoples? Findings Overview: Finding 18. AIRR has addressed challenges through adaptive management including working with indigenous organizations in changing and often unfavorable national political contexts. These challenges have resulted in threats to indigenous organizations’ political and economic rights, as in the case of Brazil, where the government created obstacles and imposed restrictions on indigenous demands. Other challenges include how to protect environmental defenders in a timely way, how to address the need of consolidating relationships among the different partner organizations, and how to respond to their specific demands. Finding 19. The Activity’s ability to work in partnership with Amazon Indigenous Peoples and in a coordinated manner allowed AIRR to share experiences, to strengthen intercultural and multi￾stakeholder dialogue, to provide new training and empowerment opportunities for youth and women, and to gather and coordinate (at the regional level) collective lessons learned from the progress made by organizations in each country. Finding 20. The diminished effectiveness of the National Steering Committees (NSCs), as evident from their sluggish decision-making process, is linked to institutional challenges among indigenous organizations, such as staff turnover (particularly for directors), overloaded agendas, and the responsibility of managing multiple projects. In addition, indigenous organizations have not found a mechanism to respond simultaneously to the diverse demands for action in each of their broad agendas. FINDING 18: AIRR has addressed challenges through adaptive management including working with indigenous organizations in changing and often unfavorable national political contexts.These challenges have resulted in threats to indigenous organizations’ political and economic rights, as in the case of Brazil, where the government created obstacles and imposed restrictions on indigenous demands. Other challenges include determining how to protect environmental defenders in a timely way, how to address the need of consolidating relationships among the different partner organizations, and how to respond to their specific demands. Working with Amazon indigenous peoples undoubtedly entails strong challenges, as well as opportunities. These organizations have decades of history and face political and economic challenges that result from the context in each of the four countries. AIRR has implemented an adaptive management style from the beginning. The Activity has had to continuously adjust planning and implementation of efforts. It has had to constantly revise what is 56 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 57 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov programmed and what is viable. The Activity rescheduled field work and face-to-face meetings, designing virtual formats and providing training on digital skills (Year 1 Reports). First challenge: political context that is often unfavorable to indigenous peoples, which manifests in threats to their political and economic rights. One of the challenges the Activity faced was to work in very complex political and economic contexts. At times, these contexts were averse to the rights and territories of indigenous peoples in the countries and landscapes. This was the case of Brazil,22 where the COVID-19 pandemic added to the adverse context. In Brazil, the Activity worked amid the obstacles and limitations imposed by a hostile government towards indigenous claims. However, this situation prompted indigenous organizations and their allies (such as WWF and others) to be more united while facing such a clear and strong enemy. “Brazil faces a difficult situation, but this has helped strengthen relations. The government’s position was so strong that WWF Brazil had to face the Brazilian government: This raised closeness with the IOs, as allies.” Individual Interview 20 -NGO-AMU Due to the context, AIRR searched other public entities to work with in Brazil and focused its efforts on working successfully with the Judiciary and the Congress. “In Brazil, without a doubt, due to problems with the federal government, there is no window, there are no open spaces, we work with Congress, in the Chamber of Deputies, in the Senate, and in the justice system. Political advocacy is sought in decision makers, quite focused in Congress and in the justice system, and in particular, via the Public Ministry and Public Defender of the Union”. Group Interview 13-ONG-PF In Peru, the instability context due to the permanent political crisis and constant changes in authorities forced a constant rethinking of relations with state interlocutors. However, a positive point was the existence of the AIDESEP Large-Scale Agenda, which is a long-term and broad platform to negotiate with the government on public policies that are focused on the Peruvian Amazon. “It has been disappointing in Peru. With AIDESEP, there was a change of direction along with changes of ministers. However, what strengthened us was the existence of AIDESEP’s large-scale Agenda, which is expected to transcend the political crisis and the situation”. Individual Interview 05-NGO-AMU Second challenge: the urgent need to protect environmental defenders. Starting in the third year, AIRR developed an environmental defenders’ strategy in response to the general context of rights violation and deterioration of the environmental situation, especially in Brazil. This was another way in which the Activity sought to respond to a politically unfavorable context. 22 The context was analyzed in the documents prepared by AIRR: Applied Political Economic Analysis (APEA), Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (EIA). COICA assumed an international leadership role within the Escazú Agreement COP. The Activity quickly picked up and adapted this strategic issue that became a great threat to the Amazonian territory leaders, redirecting resources from the institutional budget. “USAID requested to include environmental defenders. To use savings (due to COVID and others) for training.” Individual Interview 21 – Ext. However, the Activity was not always able to respond effectively to the context. For example, although the Environmental Impact Assessment System had great potential as an advocacy tool, it took AIRR two years to complete them, preventing their use when they were needed. “[The validation of the studies about] SEIA involves actions with AIDESEP and its regional offices. They led the roadmap and got involved in the study, but changes of AIDESEP authorities implied having to revalidate the studies and the roadmap for advocacy, because they were internal AIDESEP documents, which had strategies on specific rights, but not about the environment and how it affects the other rights. The challenge now is Implementation.” Group Interview 5 - NGO Third challenge: Building relationships of trust between partners, indigenous organizations, and NGOs and overcoming mutual mistrust. The Activity had to build and strengthen relationships of trust and understanding among all Activity partners, indigenous organizations, and NGOs. The process included dialogue and efforts to understand each partner’s perspectives. The process was not easy because of differences between practices and time management between indigenous organizations and other partners. Sometimes the indigenous organizations’ cultural dynamics collided with Activity requirements and efforts, such as during the setup of committees and when the organizations changed their priorities and agendas. In general, partners in the different countries agreed that indigenous organizations have their own pace for decision-making processes. The time the IOs need to implement their agendas is generally longer than what the Activity allows. All of this makes it difficult to meet goals and monitor activities. In Brazil, respondents stressed that this happens due to the nature of the Activity, which is managed in a democratic and representative manner. Within this approach, indigenous organizations seek agreements from the grassroots, subnational, and national organizations, which is usually a slow process. It should be noted that the Activity has gradually learned to respect the indigenous work dynamics, according to the voice of the indigenous leaders. “When we joined, decisions were made by WWF and the person in charge of politics. Before, the Board of Directors was unaware, but we made it clear that our work dynamics are different. It was a bit hard at the beginning, but now we are working well. It is not what the donor wants, but how we want to achieve results. This situation has greatly improved. Not only is one element strengthened, but an indigenous movement agenda is addressed.” Individual interview 06-IOs “The IOs decision-making processes can take a long time, and this is a problem for monitoring.” Group Interview 4-NGO-AMU 58 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Indeed, AIRR’s adaptive management prioritized indigenous organizations' agenda priorities. Nonetheless, sometimes it was not possible to reconcile those priorities and their timelines with the pace of the Activity. Fourth challenge: Specific situations of indigenous organizations Another challenge is the organizations’ needs in each country. For example, in Colombia, indigenous organizations requested payment from a traditional authority or relatives, which was not an option within USAID’s administrative systems. In Peru, not all indigenous organizations are registered in public registries making them unable to deliver accounting documents, limiting accountability reporting to the Activity. For example, it was difficult for IOs to build a facility for the vigilance committee, because the construction company was not legally constituted. “They have some reservations about this aspect. Because the pace of the projects is very accelerated in relation to the time, format, and logic with which the indigenous organizations work. As previously said, it is not because they have a direct dialogue with COIAB, FEPIPA, FEPOIMT, that they have the power to respond to the people who are in the territory. They need to talk to the leadership of their bases, and their bases need to talk to the people who are in the territory. So, this very democratic way of making decisions takes time. Thus, in a pandemic context under virtual conditions, it took time for them to get some answers. While the project progresses at an accelerated pace, it requires answers within our logic and our time periods. They think there is a lot to be adjusted.” Group Interview 13-NGO-PF “The IOs’ decision-making processes can take a long time and this is a problem for monitoring.” Group Interview 4-NGO-AMU Fifth challenge: Implementation of indigenous organizations health priorities. AIRR’s adaptation to the COVID-19 context led indigenous territorial monitoring systems (such as COICA's SAT-RR, AIDESEP's SAAT satellite monitoring in Peru, and the SOMAI platform in Brazil) to expand their coverage. This expansion included more indigenous communities in the territories, health variables, and health care alert reports. “Indigenous monitoring and intercultural health rights: During the pandemic context, AIDESEP’s SAAT implemented a way to monitor COVID infections progress and send alerts to articulate actions with health authorities. This has been an experience that has made it possible to articulate the so-called COVID Command, made up of the IOs. Now, criteria are unified so that the monitoring systems not only collect environmental data, but also social ones.” AIRR. MEL-C Memories in Peru. March 2022 FINDING 19: The Activity’s ability to work in partnership with Amazon Indigenous Peoples and in a coordinated manner allowed AIRR to share experiences, to strengthen intercultural and multi-stakeholder dialogue, to provide new training and empowerment opportunities for youth and women, and to gather and coordinate (at the regional level) collective lessons learned from the progress made by organizations in each country. 59 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov The challenges and opportunities of partnering with Amazonian indigenous peoples are multidimensional, strategic, and necessary in the global agenda of protecting biodiversity and reducing GHG emissions. For this reason, one of AIRR’s premises is that when indigenous organizations have a greater voice in the planning of public and private development projects, their rights are respected, and the development of the countries’ economies is more inclusive of indigenous peoples' interests. First opportunity: Learning exchange. WWF has a single unified Activity for the four countries and not four separate ones. A great advantage of this structure is the exchange of knowledge and the maximization of the performance of certain activities such as technical training. “The advantage of being a single Activity for several countries: IOs are always very much in tune with the issues they want to position (defense of territories, rights, prior consultation, defenders), and allows them to take advantage of contacts, positioning with other partners (DAR, WWF) and other stakeholders. To leverage the technical expertise of organizations like ours. Achieving this with four separate (individual) Activities would have been more difficult. With a single Activity, there is someone who is dedicated to this Activity. If they were different Activities, there would not be the same level of trust and relationship, nor the learning curve for working together with trust. Learning exchange is a huge advantage.” Individual Interview 13-NGO-AMU Second opportunity: Strengthening of intercultural and multi-stakeholder coordination and dialogue. In Brazil, AIRR has coordinated closely and effectively with indigenous organizations. There has also been good coordination among indigenous organizations themselves. One of the Activity’s most positive results is how it has provided close support to indigenous organizations. “The team has been close to the people, with good dialogue, eager to contribute. Since the beginning of the Activity, we have had weekly meetings. It is better than other initiatives that only leave you the resource and ask you for final accounts. With AIRR, there has been close support, and that is very important, as well as active communication. That has been very positive.” Group Interview 19.1-EMP In Colombia, the evaluation team recommends that AIRR provide more direct technical assistance to the indigenous communities and the grassroots organizations. In Peru, AIDESEP considers that indigenous organizations are designing the Activity according to their own agenda. While at the beginning WWF made all decisions, now it is the indigenous organizations that lead decision making processes. On this point, it is important to underline the role played by AIDESEP's Large-Scale Agenda. This Agenda is AIDESEP's advocacy platform that works alongside and supports the Activity. The work of EGIDA also stands out including the promotion of leadership, political education, climate change, legal safety, resource management, and accountability. AIRR’s efforts enabled a partnership with indigenous peoples towards fostering intercultural dialogue opportunities. However, intercultural dialogue is not a simple process, but one of constant learning for both NGOs and indigenous organizations. During such a learning process, it is possible for all involved to get entangled, for example, when indigenous peoples’ customs or interaction approaches collide with Activity norms or imperatives. 60 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov “One thing that WWF is asking for, is that the communities build, prepare, and equip a place for the vigilance committee to work, as well as an equipment use, maintenance, and protection protocol. There is some opposition because they are informal in their actions. Adopting that formality is a burden for them. This is what intercultural dialogue through consensus is for.” Individual Interview EI04-NGO-PF Third opportunity: Share agendas. Another point to highlight, is that the Activity provided the possibility for indigenous peoples (PPII) within countries to share and discuss their agendas in a very broad manner integrating a multiplicity of groups and stakeholders. This has made it possible to gather collective learning from the progress of indigenous organizations in their own countries. Brazil. The Federation of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Mato Grosso/Federação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas de Mato Grosso (FEPOIMT) led the meeting of indigenous women in the Apiaká/Kayabi Indigenous Territory, which brought together 43 indigenous peoples from the seven ethnic regions of the Mato Grosso State and representatives of the Pará/Federação dos Povos Indígenas do Pará Indigenous Peoples Federation (FEPIPA) and COIAB. Colombia. The Putumayo Zonal Indigenous Organization (OZIP) led the first Meeting of Putumayo Indigenous Youth “Weaving United Thoughts for Young People” as a strategy for the inclusion of the new generations in the advocacy and defense territory spaces. With this meeting, AIRR strengthened the capacities of 60 young people (22 women and 38 men). Today, the program (Territorial Governance Training Program) has approximately 29 students (of which 21 are women) from the Siona, Inga, Koreguaje, Kamentsá, and Murui peoples. This group, particularly the women, seeks to continue empowering themselves as leaders. This effort represents a great opportunity to contribute towards reducing gaps in education and political representation between men and women. Peru. AIDESEP, after having created the Indigenous Governance and Amazon Development School (EGIDA) in the previous year, 2020, graduated 30 students in fiscal year 2021. Eleven women and 19 men of 11 ethnic groups earned the first diploma in Governance, Advocacy and Political Communication. In addition, AIRR setup the Academic Council as a platform for international and intercultural governance and to generate ideas for the future EGIDA training offerings. AIRR. 2022 Annual Report. Fourth opportunity: Opening new opportunities for the training and empowerment of young people and women. With regards to AIRR’s multiple stakeholders, even though there are still gaps in participation and access to economic benefits for women and young people, the Activity has opened new opportunities for these groups through training and empowerment activities. Indigenous organizations value this success. “The Coordinating Office for Brazilian Amazon Indigenous Organizations / Coordenação das Organizações Indígenas da Amazônia Brasileira (COIAB) works on gender issues from its bylaws. We have worked a lot on the issue of gender training with the AIRR Activity. We have 2 coordinators within the Activity structure. One of them is young and female. We promote the participation of women. We have worked a lot with the communicators’ network.” 61 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Individual Interview 17- Indigenous Organization “Finally, based on the intersectional analysis, together with the CONFENIAE Vice President, we have created a process framework to increase the participation of women and youth of different nationalities. At the request of CONFENIAE, we have developed a concept note to help them develop a Gender Action Plan.” AIRR 2022 Annual Report FINDING 20: The diminished effectiveness of the National Steering Committees (NSCs), as evident from their sluggish decision-making process, is linked to institutional challenges among indigenous organizations, such as staff turnover (particularly for directors), overloaded agendas, and the responsibility of managing multiple projects. In addition, indigenous organizations have not found a mechanism to respond simultaneously to the diverse demands for action in each of their broad agendas. The effectiveness of the National Steering Committees (NSC) is critical for the governance of the Activity in all countries. These committees have a well-defined role, are flexible, and use adaptive management to support AIRR’s efforts. National Steering Committees membership and delimited functions. In each country, National Steering Committees lead the dialogue between sectors, addressing technical and governance issues, guiding the Activity strategy implementation, and coordinating with other ongoing initiatives in country. These committees focus on national policies, approaches, and strategies, as well as challenges and opportunities at the landscape level. National Steering Committees also contribute criteria and priorities for granting donations, according to the Responsibilities and CEI-Peru members’ profiles document. “National Steering Committees were formed by national organizations of each country, the WWF focal points, and by subnational organizations (Brazil – Federation of Indigenous Peoples of Pará / Federação dos Povos Indígenas do Pará (FEPIPA), Federation of the Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Mato Grosso /Federação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas de Mato Grosso (FEPOIN) and NGO ICEVE, -, Colombia- MODOSIP- and Peru: Operación Amazonía Nativa /Operação Amazônia Nativa (OPAN), ORPIO, CORPIA, ORAU), with a more effective function for approval of work plans, monitoring of Activity progress, participation in the reflections of Pause and Reflect)”. Individual Interview -NGO-AMU The AMU initially suggested the roles for each Steering Committee. Then, each NSC reviewed and adjusted its roles during the setup meetings in each country. In general terms, the following functions were proposed, based on WWF’s Guide for action with indigenous peoples’ organizations for AIRR. WWF prepared the Guide in April 2020, to include minimal functions for each NSC: Details can be seen in Table 4.I. − Identify the sites within the priority landscapes (NSC). 62 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov − Participate in socioeconomic studies and in the Gender and Youth Plan (RSC and NSC). − Participate in the governance of the Indigenous Territorial Governance Training Program (methodology, selection of participants, relevant topics and curriculum, amongst others) (NSC). − Select participants for international advocacy spaces (RSC). − Select participants for training and internship opportunities (NSC). − Participate in the implementation of the indigenous monitoring system. (NSC) − Participate in studies to determine the characteristics, similarities, and differences of indigenous entrepreneurships, compared to traditional entrepreneurships (NSC and CEI). − Participate in the identification and determination of indigenous entrepreneurships in the priority landscapes, and in the identification of market opportunities (NSC and CNEI). − Develop, in a participatory way, the formulation of requirements for indigenous entrepreneurships’ applications that will participate in the open call and that will be supported (NSC and CNEI). In 2020, all the NSCs were formed in this order: Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. Each NSC defined its functions to provide a decision-making space with a consensual focus for Activity implementation. Table 4.1. National Steering Committees Functions Brazil Identify the sites and IOs for intervention in priority landscapes. Prepare work plans from FY21 with the AMU team. Monitor technical and budget implementation (implementation of the work plan, the MEL Plan, monitoring of budget implementation) Participate in Pause and Reflect processes as part of adaptive management. Participate in the definition of national Activity strategies. Contribute to the APEA and the PGJ. Accompany the implementation of the PGJ. Contribute to training methodologies and define participants. Colombia Monitor Activity activities and joint construction of annual work plans. Select work sites (Activity actions) in the landscape zones. Participate in key Activity intervention strategies. Provide inputs and feedback on socio￾economic studies, the Gender and Youth Plan, amongst others. Participate in the governance of the Indigenous Territorial Governance Training Program, a tool through which the training strengthening process is carried out (participant selection methodology, relevant topics, curriculum, amongst others). Ecuador Confirm Activity intervention areas, once the perimeter is increased to fully include the ethnic groups that are cut off by the oil blocks (e.g., Secoya). CONFENIAE also requested that the AWA ethnic group be included. Ensure emphasis on objective 2 Resources. “Scaling of indigenous entrepreneurships in an equitable and sustainable way towards new markets, because in Ecuador, this objective has resources that will be channeled to strengthen the entrepreneurships. Guidance will be provided by the Indigenous Economy Committee: Objective two’s annual goal is to provide support to 5 indigenous entrepreneurships, so that Peru Generate a space for decision-making in a consensual manner for the implementation of the Activity through periodic meetings. Inform all committee members about the Activity’s progress and ensure that relevant decisions can be discussed in this space. Provide technical coordination, within the framework of Activity activities and actions. Coordinate with the Indigenous Economy Committee towards the implementation of actions and criteria for the promotion of entrepreneurships as well as the validation of the call and other actions around the call for proposals of indigenous 63 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 64 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Brazil Select participants: international advocacy spaces, training and internships. Participate in the implementation of the indigenous monitoring system. Participate in the governance of the Indigenous Territorial Governance Training Program. (Receives updates via PFs) Colombia Provide delegates for participation in international advocacy spaces. Ecuador they have strengthened business management capacities in Ecuador. Peru entrepreneurships that are being implemented. Source: AIRR. Set up Minutes of the Steering Committees 2020, 2021, 2022. Prepared by Evaluation Team Disjointed agendas affect the effectiveness of NSCs. Disjointed agendas, between AIRR’s programming and indigenous organization agendas affected the Activity implementation, as shown in the report for the second quarter of the second year. Members were increasingly fatigued by online communications as the main form of interaction among them. In addition, the agendas were overloaded, and organization leaders were overwhelmed by their political responsibilities. This included technical deficiencies that some indigenous organizations still had in their activity planning and monitoring. “This year (2022), they have not met because the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) board of directors was being replaced. There have also been changes in the five subnational organizations’ representatives, three of which are not registered. That is why it cannot be convened. At the administrative level, the previous president has made disbursements.” Individual Interview -3-NGO-PF "The Activity is FOR indigenous peoples, but the responsibilities for meeting the Activity objectives are shared, and therefore joint responsibility must be assumed and both parties (indigenous partners and NGOs) must be sensitive to time availability and needs of others. Assume that we are equals." Pause and Reflect, March 2021 Based on the review of committee meetings notes, the evaluation team found that indigenous organizations’ participation within the NSC was 86% in Peru, 57% in Brazil, 67% in Colombia, and 50% in Ecuador. Regarding the participation of women in general, the evaluation team found that among NSC members 50% were women in Colombia, 43% in Brazil, 25% in Ecuador, and 14% in Peru. Although these percentages reflect an increasing participation of women, these were not necessarily indigenous women. Table 4.2 NSC Membership Country Total Members Women Number Percentage Indigenous Organizations Number Percentage NGO Brazil 7 3 43% 4 57% 3 Colombia 6 3 50% 4 67% 2 Ecuador 4 1 25% 2 50% 2 Peru 7 1 14% 6 86% 1 Total 24 8 33% 16 67% 8 Source: AIRR. Minutes of the National Steering Committees. Prepared by Evaluation Team While on paper the role of the NSCs is of critical importance to the implementation of AIRR, in practice NSCs did not work as expected. The limited effectiveness resulted from the workload of the leaders, their overloaded schedule, and a limited management of the Activity’s portfolio. The June 2021 Pause and Reflect survey found that NSCs did not work well and did not have a relevant role in planning. Some interviewees even believed that the role of the NSCs was more formal than operational. Some respondents even said that NSC members often did not have much knowledge of the Activity. The real decision-making took place, not during NSC meetings, but during ordinary meetings of focal points. “The NSC has not been very effective, because it was developed by people in management positions and who sometimes do not have day-to-day experience of the Activity. The NSC was constituted more as a formality, because in fact, the decisions that would be made within the scope of the steering committee were actually made in ordinary meetings with the specified focal points.” Group Interview 13-NGO-PF NSC meetings took place sporadically, 1 or 2 times a year. The meetings often would not take place because of disjointed agendas, changes in directives, or because indigenous representatives could not attend them. “Rainforest (AIDESEP) board of directors was being replaced. There have also been changes in the five subnational organizations’ representatives, three of which are not registered. That is why it cannot be convened. At the administrative level, the previous president has made disbursements.” Individual Interview 03-NGO-PF “There is a lack of stakeholders' involvement, a lack of participation, a need to give more impetus to the meetings. There are few meetings. In AIDESEP we have missed two or three because of overlapping agendas. This is why we are seeking a person who exclusively sees this agenda. That is why we are looking at hiring two people, a technical and a political specialist to accompany this process.” Individual Interview 06-IOs 65 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 66 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov However, it is not that there is a request for a greater number of meetings. In fact, in two of the four countries, Colombia and Ecuador, NSCs and CEIs merged, precisely because indigenous leaders considered that they could not attend so many meetings. “Leaders do not like so many meetings, and that is why they have merged the NSC and the CEI, in Ecuador and Colombia. So many meetings (democracy), is good, but indigenous people do not like it, so you have to make an assessment. National federations have had a lot of work with COVID, so they did not have time for the Activity, which came at the 2nd or 3rd level.” Individual Interview 21-EXT Meeting notes from a Pause and Reflect meeting on March 2021, mention that indigenous peoples had partially different agendas than those of the Activity. Based on this, participants proposed concrete actions, such as the development of a tool that correlates life plans with Activity interventions and objectives. Also, participants proposed a periodic alignment (each year with semi-annual reviews) of indigenous expectations with Activity objectives and intermediate results, with the possibility of including new activities. The AMU and the focal points tried to respect indigenous organizations’ agendas and understood that the Steering Committees needed time to form and organize themselves. This can be clearly seen in one of the recommendations of the March 2021 Pause and Reflect Workshop. The recommendation begins with the recognition that AIRR is not respecting the availability and pace of IOs, and that these are not being duly consulted. The recommendation then continues with the request that the NSC, AMU and the donor “review product delivery times and progress of the Activity, based on the periods of time required by the IOs to achieve effective and efficient participation and decision-making from their own organizational and governance structures. To make this operational, each NSC is required to prepare a protocol and schedule that harmonizes time availability and pace of the Activity with time availability and pace required by the partner IOs so that their governance and organization structures, from the local community to national and regional levels, are duly consulted, and take informed and legitimate actions and decisions.” The Pause and Reflect Workshop of March 2021 emphasized that the process of adapting the Activity to the needs of indigenous peoples had to be more organic. Specifically, “it should not be imposed from outside, rather arise from the Committees' own analysis and from the dialogue between the partners.” 67 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov BILATERAL VERSUS REGIONAL Evaluation Question 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of AIRR being a regional transboundary project rather than four bilateral projects? Findings Overview: Finding 21. The advantages of AIRR being a cross-border regional Activity include the strengthening of the presence and impact of indigenous organizations at the national and international levels, especially in spaces for learning exchange and the defense of political and economic rights and territories. Finding 22. The disadvantages of AIRR being a cross-border regional Activity were the greater demands involved in responding to technical and administrative needs (logistics, communication, and attention to indigenous organizations in the coverage and scope of landscapes). Finding 23. The advantages or disadvantages of being a national or regional Activity are relative, depending on the problems and challenges to be addressed and how the institutional arrangements between the partners, as well as the implementation strategies, are defined. FINDING 21: The advantages of AIRR being a cross-border regional Activity include the strengthening of the presence and impact of indigenous organizations at the national and international levels, especially in spaces for learning exchange and the defense of political and economic rights and territories. Advantage of recognizing a common problem among Amazonian peoples At the national and international level, the presence of a regional Activity allowed indigenous organizations to recognize common problems in the Amazon regarding the rights of indigenous peoples and protection of their territories, and to recognize specific problems in each of the countries depending on the national political context. The regional Activity allowed IOs to act jointly to address both kinds of problems. “An advantage at the regional level, is that it articulates at the national level, aimed at meeting the objective of the call, which was to strengthen COICA. However, the experience of each country is different.” Group Interview 5-NGO The presence of an organization such as the Coordinating Office for Amazon Basin Indigenous Organizations (COICA) guarantees a regional perspective and indigenous presence in international spaces. To enhance their participation in the Activity, COICA redefined and clarified the roles, responsibilities, and schedules of the members that would participate in AIRR. “Indigenous organizations are always very much in tune with the issues they want to position (defense of territories, rights, prior consultation, defenders), and it allows them to take advantage of contacts, positioning with other partners (DAR, WWF) and other stakeholders. To leverage the technical 68 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov expertise of organizations like ours. Achieving this with four separate (individual) Activities would have been more difficult. With a single Activity, there is someone who is dedicated to this project. If they were different Activities, there would not be the same level of trust and relationship, nor the learning curve for working together with trust. Huge advantage: learning Exchange.” Individual interview -13, NGO-AMU Advantage of Indigenous Organizations implementing common actions. Advocacy for Environmental Defenders In 2020, faced with the serious threats of violence and threats against indigenous peoples’ situation, the Coordinating Office for Amazon Basin Indigenous Organizations (COICA) created the “Program for the Defense of Indigenous Defenders (PDDD)” initiative. AIRR included the Program as part of its efforts even though it was not initially part of the Activity’s workplan. The regional focus of the Activity on the Amazon, including joint efforts with partners and indigenous organizations, has resulted in positive outcomes. These include better advocacy strategies and increased visibility for key issues at the international level (as mentioned in Finding 1.2). The following are examples of the key issues: environmental defenders, environmental safeguards, and regulatory aspects of the environmental evaluation systems that govern investments in infrastructure and extractive projects in all countries. Advantage of promoting learning exchanges When AIRR began, indigenous organizations showed progress in territorial monitoring and indigenous entrepreneurships. The Activity achieved this progress through the exchange of knowledge and learning. One example is the exchange of indigenous monitoring systems between AIDESEP and COICA in Brazil and Peru. This exchange happened via platforms, and it promoted the strengthening of both systems. Territorial monitoring progress is key to the defense of indigenous territories. WWF highlights the existence of a single unified Activity for the four countries and not four separate Activities for learning exchange and performance maximization of certain activities such as technical training on topics such as political advocacy. Advantage of furthering international advocacy strategies, both at COICA and national indigenous organizations levels. COICA defined its strategic priorities in 2018 and AIRR maintained them. These priorities are human rights, the defense of forest defenders, PSA/REDD +/RIA monitoring processes and indigenous participation, MRV-i, indigenous climate alert, indigenous climate monitoring, indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation (PIACI), Chinese investments and financial institutions monitoring in the Amazon and titling, indigenous territories regularization, and demarcation and governance for prior consultation. In 2020, AIRR developed the “Political Advocacy Strategy for COICA’s Participation” at the international level. COICA is considered a key stakeholder in the defense of Amazonian indigenous peoples’ rights in relation to extractive and infrastructure projects. COICA’s six advocacy issues are: Chinese investments, international financial institutions, indigenous peoples in isolation and initial contact (PIACI), defenders and Escazú, consultation, and climate change. This political advocacy strategy at the regional level, has resulted in important achievements, although not all its results are positive. As shown in Finding 1.2, achievements include the adoption of the Escazú Agreement Decision I/6 at COP I: Creation of a Human Rights Defenders Group in Environmental 69 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Matters and the inclusion COICA’s recommendations in the 20th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues final report. On the other hand, the strategy is still not fully implemented and has not yet resulted in achievements related to the environmental impact assessment system. Finally, at the regional level, AIRR helped COICA advance its advocacy agenda in international spaces through various channels (AIRR. 2022 Annual Report): − Culturally relevant campaigns in the defense of environmental defenders, such as “#DefensaDeDefensorxs” in Glasgow, “Amazonía por la Vida: defendamos el 80% al 2025” and #VocesIndígenasEnLaCopEscazú, and setup of the first Regional Defenders Defense Program (PDDD). − Public presentation of three strategic studies on environmental regulation for investments at the Fifth Amazon Summit: a. “Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment in the Amazon region, analysis of its application in extractive industries and infrastructure projects”. b. “Lessons learned from emblematic environmental certification processes, Environmental Impact Studies and Strategic Environmental Assessments in Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia”. c. “Advocacy Roadmap on Environmental Impact Studies and Strategic Environmental Assessments at the regional level”. − “Co-creation of a sustainable financial model with and for COICA and its national member organizations for an amount of USD$110.000. “The Activity came at the right time for COICA, when we needed to address certain advocacy issues. The implementation process that was followed with WWF and USAID has enabled us to access a direct grant with USAID. It allowed us to give a more organized image of what COICA is. This Activity has served to put COICA on another level. We are already signing that grant. The amount for COICA is low in relation to the size of the Activity and for what COICA handles”. Individual interview 18 – Indigenous organizations Advantage of analyzing the environmental regulatory framework in the territories affected by oil and infrastructure investments. The environmental evaluation studies analyzed the emblematic cases of nine infrastructure and extractive megaprojects 23in Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru. The studies identified the impacts on the affected landscapes and have helped AIRR pinpoint the institutional weaknesses and gaps in environmental certification processes, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the Strategic Environmental Assessment (EAE) from a regional perspective. These studies have also shown that, despite the existence of regulations for both the design and implementation of infrastructure projects, the response capacity of public institutions is weak, delayed, and insufficient once the projects’ construction and implementation begin. There is inefficiency in the government's actions, reduced 23 In Brazil: Madeira River Complex Project, Belo Monte Project. In Colombia, Pasto Mocoa Highway Project. In Ecuador: Coca Codo Sinclair Project. In Peru: Camisea Project, Southern Interoceanic Road Corridor, EAE of the New Sustainable Energy Matrix for Peru, EAE and prospective of the Southern Interoceanic Road Corridor and Inambari Project. 70 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov transparency, and weak citizen participation, and these have resulted in serious doubts about the relevance or validity of prior consultations. Even when it has not been possible to influence changes in the Environmental Impact Assessment System, NGOs subsidized by AIRR have helped maintain the pressure from the indigenous organizations. Similarly, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank have recently approved environmental and social protection policies for loans in investment projects and reflect the strengthening of indigenous organizations at the regional level. During the last three years, international financial Institutions have approved the environmental and social policy framework that will come fully into force in a few more years. “As for the Environmental and Social Policy Framework (MPAS), which was recently approved by the IBD (October 31, 2021) and which is gradually being implemented in project financing processes in the Region, it must be noted that the revision of widely participatory process in the review of the different guidelines lasted almost 3 years. And in said process, specific environmental and social performance standards (number 7) are established for indigenous peoples in terms of participation and consent, in particular with indigenous peoples’ communities affected by the interaction project, disclosure of information, consultations and participation.” Individual interview EI-1-EXT The implementation of environmental and social protection policies will gradually allow progress in responsible investment principles and improve the infrastructure quality. “The infrastructure projects good practices standards have been raised. I believe that there are significant advances for indigenous peoples... Colombia and Peru have fairly robust impact assessment systems and I believe that the governments are open to the bank's requirements. The implemented consultation processes that provide feedback on mitigation measures, and the executors permeability, such as changing a line in the design of the infrastructure work. Today care is taken in the ANPs.” Individual interview EI-22-EXT Advantage of discussing integration into the market economy A very favorable aspect of the Activity was the spaces it created for more proactive discussions on integration into the market economy, without losing the identity of the indigenous peoples. One such case is that of the Indigenous Economy discussion. “The fact that we have a space in which objectives are homologated seems quite appropriate to us. I think a project with a more comprehensive look is advantageous. There has been added value. A sleeping episode has been awakened, which is the indigenous economy (...) This exchange also contributes to the knowledge of the indigenous economy and its insertion into markets.” Individual Interview 8- Indigenous Organization Even when the concept of indigenous economy is not fully developed, the discussion to do so provided a significant opportunity for reflection at the regional level. 71 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov FINDING 22: The disadvantages of AIRR being a cross-border regional Activity were the greater demands involved in responding to technical and administrative needs (logistics, communication, and attention to indigenous organizations in the coverage and scope of landscapes). The disadvantage of being a regional Activity is the greater demand on national and regional indigenous organizations to deal with problems both at a joint level and at the level of each landscape. This scope of work requires specialized technical, political, and administrative capacities to articulate, scale, and enhance the Activity’s responses to challenges. Although AIRR managed to influence the content of international platforms, as mentioned in the previous finding (inclusion of indigenous organizations priorities in the IBD protection policies, the Escazú Agreement Decision I/6 on the creation of the human rights Defenders Group in environmental matters, etc.), the Activity did not reach the degree of communicational reach necessary to ensure that it reaches all the indigenous peoples involved in its implementation. “We need to promote the value of being a regional Activity: Improve communication between COICA and the rest of the partners. Hold regional meetings. Topics of interest: 1) Indigenous economy / EI; 2) Strengthening of capacities (EGIDA, PFGTI, Brazil, Paralegals)”. AIRR. MEL-C. - Pause and Reflect May 4, 2022. “How the AIRR Activity works in other countries is unknown. The exchange of Activity experiences has been requested. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, most of the meetings have been virtual, which is not a facilitating mechanism for the CCIIs because the signal is bad, connectivity is limited, and this is concerning.” Group Interview 09- IOs Disadvantage in logistics and resource management On the other hand, it is evident that the implementation of the Activity has been challenging for WWF and USAID. Various offices from various countries must carry out joint work, even though each one has a particular structure, different leadership, and separate procedures. Logistics and administration become more complex and slower, which may result in inefficiencies with respect to AIRR’s products and results. National indigenous organizations do not have the capacity to maintain the minimum institutional conditions necessary for certain administrative and logistical aspects, such as fluid communication between all the concerned levels. The organizations need, therefore, to implement shared work methodologies, which makes work more complex and requires learning from all partners. “WWF of Colombia with its AMU partners, [ ] How complex it is to think as a whole when we are talking about a shared region, shared problems, exchange of experiences, challenges to generate useful or extrapolated methodologies and even the donor who does not have a regional approach but a bilateral one.” Individual Interview EI-01-NGO-AMU “The definition of the regional Activity is what goes beyond borders, and the Amazon is that. However, the administrative management of a regional Activity, even though WWF has offices in 72 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov each country, and there are WWF heads and head of Activity from each country, involving a superstructure of so many leaders, means that the administration logistics makes everything complicated. There are also people in the Washington office.” Individual Interview EI- 21-EXT Given the vast territory of the Activity's intervention, immense amounts of time and resources are needed, as well as significant adaptation of budgets and operational procedures, to ensure Activity staff presence for training and field follow-up at the regional level. “Although the countries are Amazonian, they have different realities, idiosyncrasies, internal rules, so it is very complex. It has taken a lot of effort to ensure that all USAID administrative requirements are met. We have had to land in each country, visit each organization in each country, to simplify expense reporting. Training has been carried out concerning USAID and administrative rules of each country.” Group Interview EG-12-NGO-AMU “The strengthening of the IOs bases of OPIAC; from 1 to 100 we would rate it at 40% due to geographical dispersion, communication difficulties and the costs of accompanying and bringing important information, which are externalities that are difficult to overcome.” Individual Interview 6 - Indigenous Organization On the other hand, a regional Activity poses the challenge of including regional proposals in the Activity's development agenda, which requires considering regional platforms such as the Leticia Pact for the Amazon, which were not considered in strategic studies such as the Applied Political and Economic Analysis (APEA). Greater difficulty in integrating the measurement of the indicators. More than a disadvantage, it is a major difficulty to integrate the measurement of the indicators at the regional level. There have been various challenges such as the inherent complexities of monitoring an Activity involving four countries with multiple partners and a diversity of approaches. Time was against the partners when they were attempting to learn indicator monitoring, despite frequent training and communication with the monitoring focal points. Based on this, another aspect that affected monitoring was the change of personnel that even influenced a change in methodologies for calculating the indicators. FINDING 23: The advantages or disadvantages of being a national or regional Activity are relative, depending on the problems and challenges to be addressed and how the institutional arrangements between the partners, as well as the implementation strategies, are defined. The Activity’s objectives are the defense of indigenous political and economic rights in those territories affected by oil and infrastructure investments in the Amazon, not the successful implementation of an Activity. This difference helps in answering the evaluation question that this finding responds to. AIRR was designed as a regional Activity, so its focus was on the problems of the regional indigenous territories, on the defense of indigenous rights, and on strengthening the presence of indigenous leaderships in relevant international forums. This regional Activity worked to ensure that indigenous 73 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov organizations were allowed to have a voice, to stop being invisible, and to stop being considered minor stakeholders. Faced with these challenges, the Activity management spent a lot of time adapting the budget management, administrative, and operational procedures. The Activity also invested resources to ensure that members, mostly national indigenous organizations, would get to know the Activity, set up the National Steering Committees, and start assuming their responsibilities. THEORY OF CHANGE Evaluation question 6. Is the original theory of change still valid? Findings Overview: Finding 24. AIRR’s original theory of change remains valid in its overall vision and objective of ensuring that the economic rights and interests of indigenous peoples are incorporated into public and private sector development planning in the Amazon. However, the theory of change still needs further integration among results chains at the level of prioritized landscapes. Finding 25. The participation of partner organizations in the adaptation of the theory of change has been continuous, including national and international indigenous organizations. Finding 26. 1The system of indicators is very well formulated from a technical and administrative perspective. However, the partner organizations, especially indigenous organizations, do not have sufficient information to monitor the level of progress of some product and process indicators, such as the level of sales in the entrepreneurships and the level of women’s leadership. FINDING 24: AIRR’s original theory of change remains valid in its overall vision and objective of ensuring that the economic rights and interests of indigenous peoples are incorporated into public and private sector development planning in the Amazon. However, the theory of change still needs further integration among results chains at the level of prioritized landscapes. AIRR’s theory of change has not been static. This is to be expected of an Activity implemented in changing contexts and with an adaptive management focus that resulted in adjustments to achieve the proposed goals for the benefit of indigenous organizations. The changes are aimed at empowering indigenous organizations, “increasing their voice in territorial planning” providing “more training in the defense of their rights and interests,” and creating better access to sustainable indigenous business development. AIRR’s efforts also directly reduce GHG emissions in the third year (Table 6.1). 74 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Table 6.1 Adjustments to the AIRR Theory of Change Narrative Year 1 Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru Theory of Change: It guarantees that the rights and economic interests are included in the planning of public and private sector development in the Amazon. 1. IF the rights and economic interests of indigenous peoples are included in the planning of public and private sector development through capacity building of indigenous peoples and their organizations on specific issues. 2. AND, IF indigenous entrepreneurships are scaled in an equitable and sustainable manner towards regional and global markets through the establishment of linkage conditions for them to be sustainable and profitable. THEN, there will be a reduction in the impacts caused by infrastructure projects and the extractive sectors, leading to the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems in indigenous territories, the Amazon River basin and associated aquatic ecosystems, to the reduction of emissions resulting from the loss of forests and the well￾being of indigenous peoples. Year 2 Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru 1. IF indigenous organizations are empowered to effectively defend their rights and interests. 2. IF the rights and economic interests of indigenous peoples are included in planning and decision-making related to infrastructure development and extractive projects, in the public and private sectors. 3. AND, IF they have the capacity and access to sustainable business development and scale equitably to local, regional and global markets. 1. THEN, indigenous peoples will benefit from more equitable and sustainable economic development. 2. AND they will be a more powerful force for the conservation of the Amazon’s biodiversity by reducing the impact caused by infrastructure projects and extractive industries on the ecosystems in indigenous territories. 3. AND, in turn, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will decrease due to the loss of forests and the well￾being of indigenous peoples will improve. Year 3 Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru 1. IF indigenous organizations are strengthened and have increased voice in territorial planning and decision-making related to the development of infrastructure and extractive projects. 2. AND, IF they are trained to effectively defend their rights and interests. 3. AND, IF they have the capacity and access to sustainable indigenous business development. 1. THEN they will be the protagonists of a more equitable and sustainable indigenous and territorial economic development, both environmentally and culturally. 2. AND they will have a more powerful impact in the defense of the territories and the biodiversity of the Amazon. 3. AND, in turn, this will contribute to greater carbon sequestration and the reduction of GHG emissions to guarantee a full life for the indigenous peoples and other populations of the Amazon. Source: AIRR. V3, V5, and V6 MEL Plan, Annex 6. Prepared by Evaluation Team 75 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Theory of Change: Relevant and Valid in Internal and External Assumptions The Activity is relevant because “the various sustainability agendas for the Amazon region focus on the importance of the intersection of the rights and resources of indigenous peoples (IP) with the planning and development agendas which, on many occasions include large-scale extractive and infrastructure projects, which can influence the future trajectory of the region” (AIRR 2022 MEL PLAN V6 Page 9). This challenge explains the theory of change, the logical framework, and the result chains of AIRR. The result chains of the two AIRR goals refer to specific areas of the same landscapes. Undoubtedly, the goal with the greatest scope is the one related to territorial monitoring and advocacy, while the scope of indigenous entrepreneurships is more limited. However, both goals are integrated, seeking to impact the total area of the Activity, which has around 3 million hectares of forests. The changes to the narrative reflect a prioritization of the development of indigenous organizations. The most updated narrative highlights the empowerment that will guarantee the desired change: respect for indigenous rights, the protection of biodiversity, and a contribution to the indigenous economy. “I want to point out two aspects: The Theory of Change and the Activity focused on minimizing the impacts of infrastructure and extraction projects. However, concerning advocacy spaces, some consider this, and others do not. The work with the IDB on policies for indigenous peoples and civil society which managed to include adjustments to such policy thanks to the Coordinating Office for the Amazon Indigenous Peoples Organization (COICA), the Colombian Amazon Indigenous Peoples Organization (OPIAC), and the Inter-ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) (2020), at the beginning of the Activity with the support of the NGO Law, Environment and Natural Resources (DAR)”. Individual Interview 2 - NGO - AMU. The evaluation team considers that the theory of change is still in force because of the validity and duration of the internal and external assumptions that resulted from the sound diagnoses and context analyses (including the Applied Political Economics Analysis Framework and the Gender and Youth Plan). The theory of change is also still valid because of the opportunities that arose within international framework agendas for the protection and defense of the Amazon: The Conference of the Parties (COP) on Climate Change, and the Conference of the Parties (COP) on Biodiversity and Escazú. Valid Theory of Change Assumptions The leaders of the linked indigenous organizations understand the project and are committed to complying with the goals. The goals of the project meet the needs and expectations of the communities and their organizations. The selected indigenous entrepreneurships (IEs) generate social value and contribute to the sustainable use of natural resources NR. The Indigenous Peoples Organization (OPI), the community monitors, and the IEs have access to online tools. Source: 2022 MEL Plan The Theory of Change and the Reduction of GHG Emissions According to the evaluation team, the adjustments to the narrative of the theory of change emphasized two aspects of the Activity. On one hand is the importance of working on infrastructure development in the Amazon and the relationship with indigenous territories. On the other hand, to implement a direct 76 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov intervention in the reduction of GHG emissions and to better express the implementation limits of the Activity in the face of adverse external factors. Regarding a reduction of GHG emissions, it is not possible to demonstrate a “direct” causal relationship of the Activity results. However, AIRR’s contribution to said reduction may be assumed due to the nature of its mid-term results and lines of action that are mainly aimed at processes connected with the protection of biodiversity and forests, via territorial monitoring and advocacy of indigenous organizations to defend their economic and political rights. On the other hand, the duration of the Activity, which is five years, is an insufficient period to demonstrate this type of result. “A large part of the value is in the processes, the relationships, the habits, and the way of doing things that generate the conditions to be able to work in training programs, enterprises, and indigenous monitoring units. The processes that we have tested are the most valuable and if they are maintained to a greater or lesser extent, they produce results”. Individual Interview EI-19- NGO-AMU “The AIRR 02 indicator was questioned from the beginning of the Activity and was removed given that achieving an impact on the reduction of GHG emissions would be more linked to interventions in the Amazon such as restoration, creation of PNAs, REDD + projects, which is not the case. Technically, it is not possible to extrapolate data from the Activity actions to quantify such reductions.” Group Interview 4 – NGO AMU FINDING 25: The participation of partner organizations in the adaptation of the theory of change has been continuous, including national and international indigenous organizations. The partners endorsed AIRR’s proposed changes to the theory of change. However, there are some nuances among the partners regarding the importance and value given to the results chains including how they value processes or how each partner approaches the way of doing things. These nuances can be found in the following statements: “The adjustments in the Theory of Change are depicted in the strategies, in the preparation of the results chains of the mid-term results ((2020-2022), in the selection of the performance indicators ((a) decrease from 20 to 13 at the end of 2019, (b) indicator 14 is added in May 2022 referring to the involvement of the private sector, (c) removal of indicator 2 on GHG;) and in the identification of actions and lines of action. All stated adjustments did not affect the main proposed change.” “In fiscal years 2021 and 2022, the ToC was tested and then the results chains were re-adapted according to the change in context through regular meetings with partners. The ToC was reviewed each year as part of the Pause and Reflect process that occurs at the end of the fiscal year and in preparation for the development of the following year’s work plan.” AIRR. MEL. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan 2020, 2021, 2022. The Activity’s theory of change, as specified in the previous finding, underwent transformations mainly because of the pandemic context. One aspect to highlight is that the theory of change did not sufficiently consider the political context at the level of assumptions, a factor that was decisive for the development of the Activity in countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil. 77 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov For the implementing partners of the NGOs, AIRR is an ambitious Activity given the resources and its duration, and the processes are valued more than the results themselves. “It is an ambitious Activity for a 5-year period. With limited resources, an impact on advocacy cannot be achieved in 5 years. The state should reorient its policies on indigenous rights, for example. In the design, the political contexts were not made at the level of assumptions. An All In diagnosis and gender plan was made at the end of the first year. An evaluation of public policies was made, but not of the circumstantial processes that each country faced. The political context does play an important role, like what happened in Peru.” Individual Interview 4 - NGO-PF “Slow variables, a slow variable refers to the processes of social and political change. The Activity has an ambitious theory of change. It is proposed that the Activity will end with the ToC aimed at ensuring that the voices of indigenous peoples are considered at the level of all stakeholders.” Individual Interview -05-NGO-AMU Changes in the result chains of the AIRR goals derived from adjustments in the narrative of the theory of change, for example, according to Pause and Reflect of August 2020, were made in the lines of action of the plans: - “Capacities of indigenous peoples developed on specific issues” was changed to “institutional capacities for leadership, advocacy, dialogue and communications, gender approach, strengthened good practices.” - The action of strengthening the indigenous monitoring system written under Intermediate Result 1.1 was moved to Intermediate Result 1.2 referring to informed decision-making. - “Indigenous entrepreneurships have the capacity to sustainably produce” was changed to “indigenous enterprises have strengthened business capacities, greater technology for business development and greater investment, capital for sustainable production, among others. These changes continued throughout the years, lead to the monitoring of numerous products, changed the lines of action, and made the analysis of data more complex. In the first year, there were 60 products in the Annual Plan and in year 3, the Plan had 180 products. FINDING 26: The system of indicators is very well formulated from a technical and administrative perspective. However, the partner organizations, especially indigenous organizations, do not have sufficient information to monitor the level of progress of some product and process indicators, such as the level of sales in the entrepreneurships and the level of women’s leadership. The changes to the theory of change included the use of indicators to be measured throughout the duration of the Activity. The system of indicators is very well formulated from the technical and administrative perspectives (they have a baseline, targets, and a descriptive file or PIRS).24 The PIRS contains detailed information including disaggregation by selected variables. However, AIRR partners, 24PIRS Performance Indicator Reference Sheet 78 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov particularly indigenous organizations, do not have the information they need to monitor progress in their territories. IOs point out that there are “gaps in product and process indicators at different levels.” Based on the theory of change and the results chains, the Activity designed a system of indicators to monitor implementation and performance at the country and landscape levels. AIRR’s MEL Plan has 13 indicators, each one with a baseline (measured in the years 2020 - 2021) and annual targets. Of the set of indicators and their targets, AIRR has met the following three: Number of hectares of forest cover (AIRR 1C), Number of people trained (AIRR 5C), and Number of institutions with plans or measures that include priorities of indigenous organizations (AIRR 7C). However, it is necessary to explain these achievements (Annex G, Table 6.1). - Indicator AIRR 1C measures the area of forest covered by the Activity. AIRR met the targets thanks to adjustments in the areas that are measured. - In the case of indicator AIRR 5C: Number of people trained in the Activity exceeded its targets thanks to training efforts prioritized by indigenous organizations and partner NGOs as well as to new capacity building topics, not initially included when AIRR set its targets. For example, 200 people attended a training course on Environmental and Social Safeguards for indigenous entrepreneurships in Peru. Another example is the wide range of EGIDA courses, which also reached close to 200 people, and indicator AIRR 7C, institutions that include priorities of indigenous organizations (nine institutions registered in 202225.) - The Activity was extremely close to meeting the targets for indicators AIRR 9C and AIRR 14C during the third year of implementation. In the case of AIRR 9C, this was thanks to AIRR's efforts related to indigenous entrepreneurships and strengthening entrepreneurial skills. Indicator AIRR 14C refers to the number of private sector companies committed to the foreign assistance goals of the United States and was only included in AIRR’s MEL Plan in May 2022. Two indicators were removed: 2 and 8. AIRR removed indicator 8, “Number of positive agreements in territories of indigenous peoples as a result of negotiations in accordance with USAID” because it was redundant with indicator 7. AIRR made this decision considering that, by including the priorities of indigenous peoples in plans and measures, there is a positive agreement and relevant information is not lost while monitoring the results and targets. 25 The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), manager of the Juruena National Park, took action against illegal events thanks to territorial monitoring and complaints from the Indigenous Organizations (IOs) in the territory. The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) provided training to Environmental Agents in the Matrinxã Village, at the request of the indigenous peoples, to improve territorial protection and surveillance actions. The Convention on Biological Diversity - Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) took the recommendations made by the Indigenous Organizations (IOs) at the 24th meeting of the SBSTTA, in Geneva 2022. CoP 1 Escazú (ECLAC): Adoption of decision I/6 on the Environmental Defenders Group. Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): cooperation agreement that will contribute to strengthening the institutional capacities of COICA for actions within the framework of the 80x25 Amazon Motion. Green Climate Fund (FGC): Cooperation agreement with COICA to support its objectives in the context of climate change. The Condorcanqui Provincial Criminal Prosecutor’s Office, thanks to the advocacy from AIDESEP, began an investigation for the crime against personal liberty for kidnapping members of the development organization of the Cenepa border communities (ODECOFROC). The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office of Loreto-Iquitos started actions before AIDESEP’s complaint about the oil spill in Cuninico and in the territory of the Chapra Nation and ordered entry to the affected area to record the facts and demand the oil company the application of the contingency plan). 79 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov As indicated in finding 6.1. in the case of Indicator 2, “Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, estimated in equivalent metric tons of CO2, reduced, sequestered, or avoided through sustainable landscape-scale activities supported with the assistance from the United States government” [EG.13-6] there was an estimated final Activity goal of 30,600,4854 accumulated value of tCO2e over the years of the Activity. “The presence of which was widely discussed in the Activity from its inception, was removed from the monitoring system in 2022.” “Today, some indicators may go beyond the scope and cannot be measured during the period of the Activity, e.g., the forest cover.” WWF AMU (EG-04, NGO-AMU) “It was not there when the indicators were defined. There are observations to indicators linked to the monitoring issue, since they do not accurately depict what is done or they go beyond the duration of the Activity since they are not measurable in this period (ha, with deforestation or carbon sequestration, legal processes that take 10-15 years).” WWF AMU (EG-04, NGO-AMU) “Zero” Goals in the Third Year of the Activity. There are indicators with targets set at zero until the year 2022, which is the cut-off period for the midterm evaluation. Most of these indicators relate to the indigenous entrepreneurship goal. It is not a surprise that setting targets for these indicators proved to be difficult. However, AIRR has made some progress in 2022, even though the Activity did not report any results for the indicators related to increase in sales of indigenous entrepreneurships and the number of entrepreneurships with new business partners until the third year. There is no progress for the first indicator and for the second one, the progress resulted from AIRR’s efforts to leverage funds from financiers for two entrepreneurships. This is a goal that AIRR only expected to achieve in the fourth year. Table 6.2. Goals and Results in Enterprise Indicators – Fiscal Year 2022 Brazil Colombia Ecuador Peru Total Percentage increase in sales of supported indigenous entrepreneurships Goal 0% 0% 0% 0% Result 0% 0% 0% 0% Number of indigenous entrepreneurships with new business partners Goal 0 0 0 0 0 Result 0 3 4 0 7 % 0% 43% 57% 0% Source: Templates for Annual Report of PPR and PMP indicators Prepared by Evaluation Team As indicated, there is room to improve the monitoring system. It can be complemented with other indicators at the product level and could also include qualitative indicators to measure the inclusion of the gender and intercultural approach. 80 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov “(...) there must be agreement, in each layer of analysis. Discomfort is shared because many things happen other than the indicators. This is a good time to have qualitative approaches that complement monitoring the Activity and that give clues to the sustainability and impacts of the Activity.” Group Interview 4 - NGO-AMU “The Activity is monitored beyond the indicators. Complementarity between indicators and other types of monitoring is proposed.” Have hard data for decision-making by the IOs. However, what was already in place? Each country, organization, partner, had a monitoring mechanism, with various scopes, and different tools, which makes standardization difficult.” Group Interview 4, NGO-AMU) “Include other qualitative indicators to capture the perceptions and attitudes of women and men regarding some issues related to obstacles to improve and strengthen participation, leadership and inclusion in decision-making. Their opinion and proposals is what matters.” Gender and Youth Plan 81 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES LESSONS LEARNED The evaluation team gathered lessons learned while conducting the interviews and analyzing the data. They also collected lessons learned from AIRR’s quarterly and annual reports to USAID. The lessons learned below are grouped into the following five topics: − Governance structure: the Steering Committees − Indigenous organizations − Indigenous entrepreneurships − Women’s participation − Adaptive management Governance Structure: The Steering Committees 1. The call for participation to the various AIRR partners was not enough for an appropriate operation of the steering committees (RSC, NSC and CEI). Both the setup and operation of the committees required significant lobbying efforts from AIRR including repeated calls for participation, negotiation of agendas, and logistics organization that responded to the institutional aspects of each indigenous organization in the four countries. 2. Participation in AIRR’s spaces for decision making allowed all partners to realize that intercultural dialogue makes it possible to reach consensus for the implementation of the Activity. Indeed, there are two perspectives. On the one hand, the perspective of the NGOs is focused on the implementation of the Activity. On the other, the indigenous organizations are focused on positioning their strategic agenda to fulfil their collective and territorial rights and promoting the growth of indigenous entrepreneurships to build an indigenous economy. The spaces for decision-making gave all involved the opportunity to have a dynamic dialogue between these complementary perspectives. Indigenous Organizations 3. The effectiveness of advocacy efforts depends both on national and subnational political contexts, on the openness of governments towards indigenous issues as well as on the degree of articulation among levels of organization and indigenous communities in the territories. In addition to the contexts, the degree of articulation of indigenous organizations with their territorial bases and communities is also important. 4. Peer-to-peer exchange is a successful strategy for strengthening indigenous organizations, as facilitated by the regional nature of the Activity. The following are highlights: territorial monitoring systems; the experience of Peruvian organizations that scaled up a tool for use at the regional level with the potential of cross-border integration of this tool; ÉGIDA; the paralegals in Ecuador; and Youth in the Chamber of Deputies of the Brazilian Congress. 5. The territorial monitoring system at the regional and national levels is a powerful tool in the defense of the territories. It will be even more powerful when it becomes possible to articulate the platforms in a more complete way. The lesson learned is that indigenous communities 82 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov themselves and their representative organizations must be included in the development of protocols needed to connect the information produced by the system with other early warning systems (such as those of governments or COICA). In this context, the Activity has worked to support the construction of protocols that can align the different levels of information found in the various surveillance systems, to make them compatible. Indigenous Entrepreneurships 6. Within the process of supporting indigenous entrepreneurships, their role was made visible as it goes beyond only the issue of strengthening an entrepreneurship. In fact, the lesson learned from discussing the concept of indigenous economy shed light on the meaning the indigenous peoples give to the development of entrepreneurships, and this encompasses environmental, political, social, cultural, and territorial dimensions. Thus, indigenous entrepreneurships cannot be seen only through a purely economic-commercial point of view. 7. The concept of indigenous economy is a living concept that is still under construction and includes various perspectives. It has been key to collect various perspectives from different cultures in each country, in each national or regional organization, with each having its own interpretation of the concept. AIRR staff still considers that it is a concept under construction that depends on the dynamics of indigenous peoples and their representative organizations. 8. It is important to communicate the restrictions and administrative and financial rules of expenses allowed by a donor before announcing calls to support entrepreneurships to avoid generating expectations that cannot be met. During the first interactions with the Activity, indigenous entrepreneurships had expectations that it would be possible to use the funding to improve infrastructure (construction, expansion or improvement of facilities or premises). However, since USAID’s administrative arrangements did not allow for these types of expenses it was not possible to meet those expectations. In some cases, WWF funds were used to cover these kinds of improvements. Women’s participation 9. To guarantee the participation of women with young children in training events and reduce dropout, it is important to facilitate enabling conditions. AIRR implemented actions in Peru and Brazil that facilitated and encouraged women with children to participate in training given that caregiving was one of the main obstacles to their participation. These actions included covering travel expenses and feeding family members, hiring education professionals, and hiring caregivers for children. Adaptive Management 10. Flexibility with administrative management tools is convenient for Activity partners, especially indigenous organizations, as is the case of short-term agreements to manage economic resources. 83 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov BEST PRACTICES 1. Respect for organization’s autonomy, institutional characteristics, and resource management practices resulted in successful setup for AIRR and stronger alliances. An example of this respectful approach is the creation of ÉGIDA under the leadership of AIDESEP. 2. Joint development of advocacy strategies with indigenous organizations strengthens a relationship of trust and mutual recognition. 3. The inclusion of partners with specific technical experience related to the goals of the Activity allows the efforts invested in the production and management of knowledge to return in the form of added value to advocacy initiatives. 4. Having a period of time before the start of activities so that the partners can get to know each other, and discuss and structure the governance of the Activity, allowed greater fluidity in the execution of activities in subsequent years. 5. The meetings in each country of the different governing bodies of the Activity, of the focal points, and the pause and reflect processes, contributed to responding to the necessary challenges related to communication and coordination. 6. The close support provided by the AMU to the indigenous organizations in managing grants and subgrants was effective, allowing them to make some adjustments to administrative practices that optimized their work. 7. The participatory construction of methodological tools (that includes perceptions of indigenous partners regarding how they understand gender relations and inequalities around them from an intersectional approach) allowed indigenous partners to clarify and apply concepts, as well as analyze and identify the main obstacles to overcome to strengthen the effective inclusion of women and youth in Activity actions and contribute to closing the associated gaps. Permanent communication in the appropriate formats was key. 8. The presence of indigenous organizations was important when delivering goods and equipment to indigenous entrepreneurships. This presence strengthens the organizations in the territory and in the eyes of their grassroots groups. The presence also helps position the agenda of the indigenous economy. 9. One adaptive management practice of the Activity, that related to administrative management, has to do with setting short-term agreements (for example, 4 months for WWF Colombia and OZIP) to manage grant and subgrants, which allows periodic monitoring aimed at meeting the goals. 84 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSIONS Conclusion 1 Indigenous organizations have strengthened their technical and advocacy capacities to varying degrees, depending on the country. The implementation of an advocacy-oriented approach not only supplements the various initiatives of indigenous organizations (implemented in the framework of other partnerships), but also organizes, articulates, and strengthens them with technical support tools. This allows for a more informed, strategic, and proactive participation in negotiation and decision-making spaces, which has contributed to improving indigenous organizations’ ability to achieve impact. Associated findings ● Finding 1 ● Finding 2 ● Finding 3 Conclusion 2 There has been important progress in the development of management and institutional organization tools of AIDESEP (Peru) and OPIAC (Colombia). Nonetheless, showcasing the results of the tools’ application in improving management and processes of indigenous organizations requires further measurement. Most of the tools were developed recently, during the third year of the Activity. Associated findings ● Finding 4 Conclusion 3 The opportunity for indigenous organizations to directly manage funds has allowed them to gain more experience in fund administration. This learning process was a challenge for the Activity because it meant that several AIRR partner organizations in the four countries had to adapt to a single management format, which took longer than expected. A resulting negative externality was the use of resources for the operational and administrative costs of multiple organizations that could have been used to fund more entrepreneurships. Similarly, AIRR did not identify mechanisms to ensure that the knowledge and experience gained would remain within the organizations after a change of leadership. Regarding the actual financial impact, no financial information on the Activity was available for this evaluation. Associated findings ● Finding 4 ● Finding 14 Conclusion 4 AIRR’s contribution to the empowerment and participation of women in the defense of their rights and economic interests through the strengthening of their knowledge and skills has been significant. Although it has not yet been possible to achieve sustainable equal participation, the progress made in terms of capacity building is noteworthy. Through various mechanisms, the Activity continues to seek to overcome multiple challenges and barriers that arise. Associated findings ● Finding 5 ● Finding 16 85 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov These include support for the organization of women-only meetings, quota systems, technical assistance at the request of members of indigenous organizations to modify their statutes or to create gender plans within their organizations, and creating a childcare system, among others. Conclusion 5 Participating indigenous entrepreneurships have made important progress and this progress is a first milestone in terms of strengthening their productive, administrative (accounting and financial) and commercial capacities (both men and women have been trained). It should be noted that, although it was a difficult task for the entrepreneurships (in terms of content and time), they have internalized the value of these processes for growth and improvement of sales and income. Associated findings ● Finding 6 Conclusion 6 The time and effort that AIRR has invested on the entrepreneurships have been fundamental in reaching that first milestone of capacity improvement. However, there is still a long way to go to fully achieve AIRR’s immediate objectives (improvement of productive, administrative, and commercial capacities) as well as the Activity’s broader objectives (such as integration into sustainable value chains, conservation of biodiversity, productive processes that do not harm the environment and have significant impacts on the economy of the communities, reduction of deforestation, and the promotion a dynamic economy among indigenous communities). Each entrepreneurship will have different results for each objective given the differences among each of the ventures in terms of size, category, sector, the degree of involvement of community members, and whether it has allies. Associated findings ● Finding 6 ● Finding 7 ● Finding 8 Conclusion 7 The positive development of indigenous entrepreneurships reinforces the construction of a political discourse of indigenous organizations about the rights of indigenous peoples, their role in the conservation and sustainability of natural resources and biodiversity, and an indigenous economy. Associated findings ● Finding 9 ● Finding 10 Conclusion 8 AIRR has continuously encouraged the participation of indigenous women, as well as the promotion of their leadership at the head of indigenous entrepreneurships or initiatives. However, the persistence of cultural expectations and gender roles in indigenous communities that hinder women’s participation and weaken their leadership, continue to strongly limit the advancement of equal conditions and an equitable distribution of economic benefits. Associated findings ● Finding 11 Conclusion 9 The complex Activity governance structure was difficult to put in place, requiring AIRR implementation and management in the first year to develop key Associated findings ● Finding 12 ● Finding 13 86 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov conditions and decision-making processes. These included establishing trust among partners, prioritizing sites, and initiating uphill operational planning. As a result of the complexity of the governance structure, there was a period of adaptation and design of management processes and protocols, which resulted in the first year being dominated by studies and baselines as well the design and establishment of protocols and processes necessary to reach the results of the Activity’s objectives. During this initial period, AIRR made progress in building relationships among stakeholders, who became familiar with their roles and commitments to the Activity, a necessary condition to facilitate AIRR’s operation from then on. The pace of implementation noticeably improved during the second and third years. ● Finding 14 Conclusion 10 Regarding the governance structure of the Activity, the three deliberative bodies (NSC, CEI and RSC) became dynamic and demanding spaces for the indigenous organizations themselves. AIRR staff then determined that the bodies required a system of multi-stakeholder governance (including focal points from WWF and the indigenous organizations). Thus, although not every decision-making opportunity resulted in consensus, the structure was flexible enough to allow for effective management of the Activity and development of its plans and activities. In terms of strengths, AIRR’s continuous adaptive management resulted in 1) appropriate technical support for administrative capacity strengthening; 2) reduction of knowledge gaps and technological management through connectivity improvements; 3) guidelines for resource use; 4) creation of spaces for intercultural and intersectional dialogue; and 5) learning in the management of grants and sub-grants. In terms of weaknesses AIRR’s management resulted in 1) delays in RSC and NSC members ability to understand their roles and functions; 2) delays in RSC and NSC functionality and dynamics due to communication barriers and limitations; 3) reduced female leadership; and 4) moderate achievements among participating indigenous entrepreneurships. Associated findings ● Finding 12 ● Finding 13 ● Finding 14 ● Finding 6 ● Finding 7 Conclusion 11 AIRR Peru and AIRR Regional were able to manage grants and subsidies with greater technical solvency from year one. This was not the case for Ecuador (considering that it did not implement the objective of “integrating indigenous economic rights and interests into public and private sector development planning”) or Colombia. Grant and subsidies management continues to be a challenge for AIRR to fully resolve in all four countries. Associated findings ● Finding 15 ● Finding 4 Conclusion 12 The technical management of grants has been a learning experience, both a challenge that varies from country to country and an opportunity for institutional strengthening. Grant performance was stronger in Peru and COICA as they were able to manage larger amounts and delivered timely reports. Associated findings ● Finding 16 ● Finding 4 87 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Conclusion 13 The implementation of a structured childcare system for training efforts was a successful example of the Activity’s adaptive management capacity. AIRR overcame the administrative barriers that existed for this type of expenditure, positively reducing dropout rates among indigenous mothers, and improving the quality of their participation. Associated findings ● Finding 16 ● Finding 5 Conclusion 14 Working in partnership with Amazonian indigenous peoples, AIRR has been able to recognize and reflect on the priorities of indigenous organizations, while respecting their autonomy. AIRR’s partnerships have also promoted and improved collective learning at the regional level from the successes of indigenous organizations at the country level. Challenges remain, however, including changing national political contexts, understanding of the political￾cultural autonomy of the indigenous peoples, heterogeneous characteristics and agendas that often compete for priority, and the urgency of addressing systemic and cross-cutting issues of deep-rooted gender inequalities. These challenges have required constant adaptation. Associated findings ● Findings 18 ● Finding 19 Conclusion 15 The operation of the National Steering Committees (NSCs) is crucial to the governance of the Activity in all countries, and their effectiveness remains a challenge. Despite a well-defined role in Activity implementation and a flexible and adaptive operation, NSCs members showed little interest in playing a proactive role within the Activity. Their involvement and participation levels, as well as their support for commitments were all lacking. The institutional context of each indigenous organization, including leadership changes that affected the continuity of previous decisions, difficulties stemming from the intersection of different agendas for the many indigenous organizations and cooperation agencies, and time use priorities among leaders that did not match the needs of the NSCs, all contributed to low interest and participation. Associated findings ● Finding 19 ● Finding 20 Conclusion 16 The improvement of the role of the indigenous organizations during the remainder of the Activity and beyond will depend on the consolidation of the progress achieved towards institutional strengthening of indigenous organizations. It will also depend on the creation of sufficient conditions for the sustainability of that institutional strengthening and of indigenous entrepreneurships. Associated findings ● Finding 18 ● Finding 19 ● Finding 20 ● Finding 6 ● Finding 7 Conclusion 17 Embarking on a regional Amazonian transboundary Activity has been done before. AIRR’s experience has been a particularly complex and challenging Associated findings ● Finding 21 ● Finding 4 ● Finding 5 88 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov example of a regional effort that presents the following advantages and disadvantages: − Advantages include the promotion of the presence of indigenous organizations in efforts to defend their political and economic rights, the creation of a global indigenous leadership, and the emergence of new political leaders including women and young people. − Disadvantages include barriers such as geographical dispersion and communication difficulties among the numerous indigenous organizations, challenges related to the efficient management of grants and sub-grants’ budgets, as well as the operational costs of timely communication. ● Finding 13 Conclusion 18 AIRR can deliver positive results at both regional and country levels. The extent of those results will depend on the degree of political and economic reach of the participating indigenous organizations and entrepreneurships. It will also depend on the level and scale of institutional agreements among the partners, as well as on the success of adaptive and resiliency strategies to the different contexts. Associated findings ● Finding 22 ● Finding 23 Conclusion 19 The Activity’s theory of change is still valid at a strategic level, in which the proposed change is the inclusion of economic rights and interests in the development planning of public and private sectors actors in the Amazon. However, it seems that the achievement of its intermediate results does not guarantee the achievement of the strategic objectives within the expected timeframe. The validity of the theory of change is a work in progress, and the remaining Activity time and budget may prove insufficient to achieve AIRR’s main goals. Associated findings ● Finding 24 ● Finding 25 Conclusion 20 Performance based on the annual targets established for Activity indicators at the time of the mid-term review varied by indicator. Some targets have been fully achieved (AIRR has reached 100% of the targets for the following four indicators: number of hectares of forest cover, number of people trained, number of institutions or decision makers with plans and actions that include the priorities of indigenous organizations, and number of indigenous entrepreneurships supported in the development of their entrepreneurial capacities). On the other hand, the target for the indicator “percentage of organizations with improved performance” was far from being achieved. Importantly, there were no targets for a few indicators during AIRR’s first three years including percentage increase in sales and amount of financial support for indigenous entrepreneurships. Associated findings ● Finding 26 89 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov RECOMMENDATIONS The evaluation team prepared the following recommendations based on the contributions of various stakeholders during a Recommendations Co-creation Workshop held in Lima on January 10, 2023. Representatives from USAID, WWF, AMU, NGO partner organizations, and indigenous organizations participated either in person or virtually. The recommendations do not include feedback from indigenous organizations beyond their contributions during the workshop. FOR ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT UNIT AND NGOS 1. Progressively increase the percentage of participation of indigenous organizations in the administration and management of resources, according to positive results in management evaluations. 2. Sign institutional agreements with universities and other academic spaces to give continuity and sustainability to strategies for capacity strengthening. 3. Continue to provide sustained support to the leadership of indigenous organizations, taking into account the priorities established by them in the “Advocacy Strategy for COICA’s Participation in International Spaces in the Framework of Extractive and Infrastructure Projects”, which includes as central themes Defenders and Escazú, Climate Change, Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation (PIACI), Social and Environmental Safeguards in International Financial Institutions (IFIS), Rehabilitation of Indigenous Territories, and Empowerment of Indigenous Women and Youth. 4. Maintain the Regional Steering Committee in operation during this last phase, consolidating AIRR’s achievements with the continued participation of COICA. 5. Consolidate the relationship between the Regional Steering Committee and COICA to maintain the partnership’s efforts on political advocacy at the international level, according to AIRR’s strategy. Promote a stronger leadership role for the National Steering Committees, allowing them to coordinate the priorities of their institutional agendas with the objectives of the Activity. 6. Disseminate and transfer AIRR’s analyses of the regulatory framework of the system of environmental impact of extractive investments in the Amazon to the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Ministry of Transport, or their counterparts in each country. Do the same with sub-national governments with which AIRR works in the four countries. 7. Continue to strengthen administrative capacity to significantly reduce knowledge and technological management gaps, especially for leaders, women, and youth. 8. Collect, systematize, and share the most successful experiences with different indigenous organizations in each country, especially those of women and youth. 9. Design a knowledge transfer strategy (including filing cabinets, backup hard disks, the cloud, etc.) to disseminate the materials and contents of the Virtual Learning Library (BiVA) to Activity partners. 10. Negotiate commitments from public institutions in the countries to ensure the sustainability of territorial and biological monitoring and forest oversight efforts. 90 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 11. Sustain and strengthen the implementation of the Gender, Youth, and Intersectionality Plan at both national and local levels. 12. Provide greater administrative flexibility for the childcare system given the positive impact it has had in promoting access to AIRR activities for indigenous mothers and reducing their dropout rates. FOR NESST, ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT UNIT, AND WWF COUNTRY FOCAL POINTS 1. Recommendations with regards to building, strengthening, and exercising the productive and administrative capacities of indigenous entrepreneurships: − Continue to support the strengthening of the administrative capacity of participating entrepreneurships, reinforcing what has been learned. Do so by ensuring indigenous entrepreneurs put into practice the knowledge they have acquired. − Regarding productive capacity, examine the possibility of making improvements in the quality of the products based on each entrepreneurship’s business line, the demand for its products, and the priorities and needs of the market (whether local, national, or international). − Continue to provide training opportunities on commercial issues, both in person and virtually to achieve greater impact. − Provide support and guidance throughout the implementation of investment memorandums that determine the use of resources provided by the Activity to entrepreneurships. These memorandums include a customized commercial support strategy for each indigenous venture. 2. On the financial and commercial sustainability of entrepreneurships and their insertion into new markets: − Improve the marketing, digital sales, and communication strategies of the entrepreneurships. For example, by creating a digital platform that makes Amazonian indigenous entrepreneurships visible. Using existing digital platforms of indigenous organizations will ensure the sustainability of this effort. − Help entrepreneurships in the development of a commercial route to reach customers within sustainable value chains, identify niche markets, and find buyers in regional, national, and international markets. This support should be adapted to each entrepreneurship’s category to ensure scale up. − Diversify and deepen the search for financing options for entrepreneurship investments (investors, public and private competitive funds, financial system, etc.). 3. Contribute to the strengthening of the relationship between the entrepreneurship and the families (within the community), whether families are partners or suppliers. Improve communication between the entrepreneurship and the communities, focusing on transparency and business results. 4. Deepen the collection of information and measurement of performance indicators of the entrepreneurships. Develop strategies to share indicator data with the entrepreneurships to promote evidence-based decision making. 91 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 5. Prioritize initiatives that show growth potential, even if they do not have a legal entity registration. Channel support to entrepreneurships based on their performance. Focus investment efforts on the final phases of the setup of entrepreneurships with the best results and the highest likelihood of sustainability. 6. Disaggregate records by gender and age for all interventions, to ensure AIRR measures decrease or increase in participation for indigenous women and youth. 7. Considering the cultural expectations and gender roles and stereotypes among indigenous communities that host participating entrepreneurships, involve the communities (with emphasis on the male population) in training events on gender and generational inequalities with an intersectional focus. Continue to promote the participation of indigenous women in training processes on biological territorial monitoring, the sector with the greatest participation gap. FOR USAID 1. Future Activities with a skills development component should have a team, or at least a pedagogical expert, to monitor curriculum design, progress, and learning outcomes based on the development of knowledge and skills from a competence perspective. 2. Consider the possibility of also funding productive and investment aspects (such as infrastructure) of entrepreneurships, as these are prerequisites for growth and access to international markets, and for forming partnerships with impact investors. 92 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEXES ANNEX A. RESUMEN EJECUTIVO El Proyecto “Amazonía Indígena, Derechos y Recursos” (AIRR, por sus siglas en inglés) busca mejorar la participación de los Pueblos Indígenas en el desarrollo económico sostenible cultural y ambiental de la Amazonía, conduciendo a la conservación de la biodiversidad y a la reducción de las emisiones por la pérdida de bosques, para asegurar una vida plena de los Pueblos Indígenas y otras poblaciones de la Amazonia. Se implementa a través de alianzas entre el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza/ Fondo Mundial para la vida silvestre (WWF) con socios de las Federaciones Indígenas Nacionales y Organización Regional de Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía y socios de organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG) en cuatro países: Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú. PROPÓSITO Evaluar el progreso del Proyecto “Amazonía Indígena, Derechos y Recursos”, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años de su implementación, analizar escenarios futuros y realizar recomendaciones a fin de fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta sus procesos operativos y organizativos. PREGUNTAS DE EVALUACIÓN Las preguntas de evaluación fueron las seis siguientes: 1. ¿En qué medida los esfuerzos de AIRR para fortalecer el desempeño gerencial de las organizaciones indígenas, sus habilidades técnicas y de negociación mejoraron su participación en la toma de decisiones? 2. ¿Están encaminadas las actividades de desarrollo e inversión de empresas indígenas a lograr sus objetivos inmediatos (cumplimiento de metas) o sus objetivos más amplios de mejorar las condiciones económicas y los derechos de los pueblos indígenas? 3. ¿Cómo ha influido la estructura de gobierno del proyecto (sub-sociedades, asociaciones, empresas, federaciones y comités directivos) en a) la implementación, b) la gestión y c) la gestión adaptativa de este proyecto regional? 4. ¿Cuáles son los desafíos y oportunidades de asociarse con organizaciones indígenas amazónicas? 5. ¿Cuáles son las ventajas y desventajas de que AIRR sea un proyecto transfronterizo regional en lugar de cuatro proyectos bilaterales? 6. ¿Sigue siendo válida la teoría de cambio original? METODOLOGÍA El enfoque metodológico utilizado por el equipo evaluador fue mixto, cuantitativo–cualitativo, con predominancia cualitativa. Se revisó documentación estratégica del proyecto, y se realizaron 44 entrevistas a profundidad (25 individuales y 19 grupales), presenciales y virtuales, cubriendo una muestra de 82 personas: 46 mujeres y 36 hombres, para garantizar las opiniones de todos los socios, ONG, OOII y USAID. 93 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov HALLAZGOS FORTALECIMIENTO DEL DESEMPEÑO DE LAS ORGANIZACIONES INDÍGENAS − Las organizaciones indígenas fortalecieron sus habilidades técnicas y de incidencia por las estrategias desarrolladas por AIRR (soporte técnico e información generada como diagnósticos, documentos de análisis, planes), lo cual ha permitido una participación más informada y propositiva en los espacios de toma de decisiones como la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático (COP 26) y el Acuerdo de Escazú (COP 1), entre otros. − Los esfuerzos generados por AIRR para que las organizaciones indígenas realicen incidencia en espacios nacionales e internacionales determinados ha promovido iniciativas de defensa de sus derechos de manera articulada y estratégica como la “Estrategia de incidencia para la participación de la COICA en espacios a nivel internacional en el marco de proyectos extractivos y de infraestructura”. − La participación de las Organizaciones Indígenas en espacios de toma de decisiones nacionales e internacionales fue facilitada por AIRR con el apoyo técnico y económico a sus representantes y equipos técnicos. − Las organizaciones indígenas han desarrollado instrumentos de gestión y organización institucional para mejorar su desempeño gerencial, incluyendo la experiencia obtenida en la administración de subvenciones. − Las actividades formativas con las mujeres permitieron una mejora de capacidades en la defensa de sus derechos lo que ha sido de gran utilidad para el intercambio de experiencias a nivel nacional y regional. Sin embargo, continúa siendo un desafío lograr una participación paritaria de las mujeres indígenas en los procesos formativos, la igualdad de oportunidades para acceder a espacios clave de decisión y representación, así como la equidad en el acceso y gestión del conocimiento. EMPRENDIMIENTOS INDÍGENAS − Los emprendimientos indígenas seleccionados por AIRR han fortalecido sus capacidades para la mejora de sus procesos productivos, administrativos y comerciales a través de las capacitaciones y asesorías especializadas. − Los emprendimientos indígenas están en la etapa de identificación de inversionistas de impacto que les permitan la integración de cadenas de valor sostenible. − En la mayoría de los emprendimientos, los beneficios que están potenciándose en términos de ingresos alcanzan a un número reducido de familias. El impacto sobre la comunidad es focalizado y menor. − Los emprendimientos han tenido un papel protagónico en el proceso de construcción del concepto de economía indígena, generando espacios de discusión para la comprensión y adaptación de un concepto generalizable para los cuatro países en los próximos años. − El avance de los emprendimientos indígenas ha fortalecido el discurso en las organizaciones indígenas sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas al hacer más visible la dimensión del desarrollo económico y la conservación de los recursos naturales. − AIRR ha incentivado la participación de las mujeres indígenas en los emprendimientos, sin embargo, persisten imperativos culturales, roles y estereotipos asignados a las mujeres, 94 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov como la división sexual del trabajo, los celos de pareja y otras actitudes machistas, que no favorecen su liderazgo pleno al frente de los emprendimientos. GOBERNANZA − La implementación y gestión de AIRR, dada la compleja estructura de gobierno, por la presencia de múltiples socios en los cuatro países con roles diferenciados, llevó a un primer año centrado en la convocatoria de los socios, diseño de procesos y protocolos de gestión para echar andar el proyecto en las mejores condiciones posibles, dados los contextos nacionales. − La gestión de AIRR buscó que las organizaciones indígenas asuman un rol protagónico como socios en la toma de decisiones con la instalación, conformación y funcionamiento de tres órganos deliberativos: el Comité Directivo Regional (CDR), los Comités Directivos Nacionales (CDN) y los Comités de Economía Indígena (CEI). El apoyo de soporte técnico posibilitó abrir los espacios de participación en la estructura de gobierno del proyecto. − La exigencia de asumir estándares comunes en los aspectos administrativos, manejo de recursos humanos y rendición de cuentas en concordancia con los procedimientos de ejecución de recursos de USAID y WWF generó situaciones difíciles que la gestión adaptativa del proyecto pudo resolver. − La estructura de gobierno del proyecto es compleja, con multiplicidad de niveles y actores y se han generado canales comunicacionales complementarios que se utilizan cuando algún espacio de toma de decisiones se entrampa, facilitando la gestión adaptativa. − La administración de las subvenciones desde una perspectiva técnica fue un aprendizaje, permitió fortalecer las instituciones y continúa representando un desafío diferenciado entre los países. El manejo de las subvenciones fue mejor en Perú y en COICA. − La capacidad de gestión adaptativa de AIRR facilitó la implementación de estrategias creativas y espacios seguros para el cuidado de menores, lo que ha permitido igualdad de condiciones para que las mujeres indígenas madres participen de los procesos de formación de capacidades y empoderamiento. ASOCIACIÓN CON PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS AMAZÓNICOS − Entre los desafíos que AIRR ha enfrentado mediante la gestión adaptativa en su trabajo con organizaciones indígenas se encuentran: los contextos políticos nacionales cambiantes y muchas veces adversos, que se manifestaron en amenazas a sus derechos políticos y económicos, caso de Brasil con trabas y limitaciones del gobierno hacia reivindicaciones indígenas, la urgencia de respuesta para la protección de los defensores ambientales, la urgencia de consolidar la relación entre los diferentes socios y la necesidad de responder a demandas específicas de dichas organizaciones. − Las oportunidades del proyecto de asociarse con los pueblos indígenas amazónicos y trabajar de manera coordinada, brindó la posibilidad de intercambiar aprendizajes, fortalecer el diálogo intercultural y multiactor, ofrecer nuevas oportunidades de formación y empoderamiento a jóvenes y mujeres, recoger los aprendizajes colectivos de los avances de las organizaciones en sus propios países y articularlos a nivel regional. − La reducida efectividad de los Comités Directivos Nacionales (CDN), manifestada en la lentitud de la toma de decisiones, está vinculada a factores tales como la situación institucional que estén atravesando las organizaciones indígenas, caso del cambio de 95 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources directivas, sus recargadas agendas, y la gestión de proyectos diversos. Además, las organizaciones indígenas no han encontrado los mecanismos para atender simultáneamente las demandas de acción en sus amplias agendas. BILATERAL VERSUS REGIONAL − Entre las ventajas de AIRR de ser un proyecto regional transfronterizo está el fortalecimiento de la presencia e incidencia de las organizaciones indígenas en los ámbitos nacional e internacional, en particular en los espacios de intercambio de aprendizajes y de defensa de los derechos políticos, económicos y sus territorios. − Las desventajas de AIRR de ser un proyecto regional transfronterizo fueron las mayores exigencias que conlleva responder a las demandas técnicas y administrativas (logísticas, comunicación, atención a las organizaciones indígenas en la cobertura y ámbito de los paisajes). − Las ventajas o desventajas de ser proyectos nacionales o proyecto regional son relativas, dependerá de qué problemática y desafíos se van a atender y cómo se definen los acuerdos institucionales entre los socios, así como las estrategias de implementación. TEORÍA DE CAMBIO − La teoría de cambio del proyecto AIRR diseñada al inicio sigue siendo válida en su visión y objetivo general cual es garantizar que los derechos e intereses económicos de los pueblos indígenas se incorporen en la planificación del desarrollo de los sectores públicos y privados en la Amazonia, pero, aún se requiere una mayor integración en las cadenas de resultados a nivel de los paisajes priorizados. − La participación de los socios en los ajustes de la teoría de cambio fue una reflexión permanente y conjunta, incorporando en especial a las organizaciones indígenas del nivel nacional e internacional. − El sistema de indicadores está muy bien formulado desde el punto de vista técnico y administrativo. Pero, los socios, principalmente las organizaciones indígenas, no cuentan con información suficiente que deben manejar para monitorear el nivel de avance de algunos indicadores de producto y procesos, por ejemplo, cómo van las ventas en los emprendimientos, y los niveles de liderazgo femenino. CONCLUSIONES 1. Las organizaciones indígenas han fortalecido sus habilidades técnicas y de incidencia en distinto grado según cada país. La implementación de un enfoque orientado al logro de incidencia es que no sólo complementa las distintas iniciativas de las organizaciones indígenas (implementadas en el marco de otras alianzas), sino que además las ordena, articula y potencia con herramientas de sustento técnico. Esto permite una participación más informada, estratégica y propositiva en los espacios de negociación y toma de decisiones, lo que ha funcionado para mejorar sus posibilidades de lograr incidencia. 2. Hay avances importantes en el desarrollo de instrumentos de gestión y organización institucional de AIDESEP (Perú) y OPIAC (Colombia), sin embargo, evidenciar los resultados de su aplicación en la mejora de la gerencia y procesos de las organizaciones indígenas, requiere de mediciones posteriores pues recién se han desarrollado, principalmente en el tercer año del proyecto. USAID.gov 96 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 3. El manejo directo de fondos por parte de las organizaciones indígenas les ha permitido ganar mayor experiencia en su gestión. Este proceso de aprendizaje fue un reto para el proyecto pues implicó que múltiples organizaciones socias de AIRR de los cuatro países tuvieran que adecuarse a un único formato de gestión, lo que insumió tiempo. Una externalidad negativa producto de lo anterior fue el uso de recursos para los costos operativos y administrativos de varias organizaciones, los cuales pudieron haber sido asignados para financiar más emprendimientos. Asimismo, no se identifican mecanismos que apunten a garantizar que esta experiencia obtenida permanezca en las organizaciones una vez que cambien las dirigencias. Sobre el impacto real en términos financieros, para esta evaluación no se contó con información financiera del proyecto. 4. La contribución del proyecto AIRR al empoderamiento y participación de las mujeres respecto a la defensa de sus derechos e intereses económicos, a través del fortalecimiento de sus conocimientos y capacidades, ha sido significativa; a pesar de que hasta el momento no se ha podido conseguir una participación paritaria sostenida, los avances son notables en cuanto al fortalecimiento de sus capacidades. El proyecto continúa apuntando a superar los múltiples desafíos y barreras que se presentan a través de distintos mecanismos como el apoyo a la realización de encuentros sólo de mujeres, los sistemas de cuotas, asesorías técnicas a demanda de los socios de las organizaciones indígenas para la modificación de sus estatutos o la creación planes de género al interior de sus organizaciones, el sistema de guarderías, por mencionar los más significativos. 5. Los emprendimientos indígenas han logrado un avance importante que podemos llamar un primer hito en cuanto al fortalecimiento de sus capacidades productivas, administrativas (contables y financieras) y comerciales (se han capacitados tanto hombres como mujeres). Se destaca que, a pesar de haber sido un trabajo difícil (por los contenidos y el tiempo de dedicación) para los emprendimientos, éstos han internalizado el valor de estos procesos para lograr crecer y mejorar sus ventas e ingresos. 6. El tiempo y esfuerzo invertidos por AIRR con los emprendimientos han sido fundamentales para lograr un primer hito en la mejora de capacidades de estos. Sin embargo, aún hay un camino por recorrer para el logro de objetivos inmediatos (mejora de capacidades productivas, administrativas y comerciales) y objetivos más amplios (como integración a cadenas de valor sostenibles, la conservación de la biodiversidad, o un impacto significativo en la economía de las comunidades, que impliquen procesos productivos que no dañen el ambiente, que reduzcan la deforestación y generen una dinámica económica en las comunidades nativas). Estos resultados se prevé que serán bastante variables entre emprendimientos, debido a las diferencias en las características de cada uno, como, por ejemplo: el tamaño del emprendimiento (asociado a la categoría en la que está), el giro del negocio, el grado de involucramiento de más miembros de la comunidad, u otros aliados con los que cuente. 7. El desarrollo positivo de los emprendimientos indígenas refuerza la construcción del discurso político de las organizaciones indígenas sobre los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, su papel en la conservación y sostenibilidad de los recursos naturales y la biodiversidad, y la economía indígena. 8. El proyecto AIRR ha incentivado permanentemente la participación de las mujeres indígenas, así como la promoción de sus liderazgos al frente de los emprendimientos o iniciativas indígenas, sin embargo, la persistencia de imperativos culturales y roles de género en las comunidades indígenas que obstaculizan su participación y debilitan su liderazgo, continúa teniendo una fuerte 97 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov influencia para avanzar en la igualdad de condiciones y la distribución equitativa de los beneficios económicos. 9. Fue difícil poner en marcha la compleja estructura de gobierno, demandó a la implementación y gestión de AIRR del primer año la generación de condiciones y procesos de toma de decisiones clave como el establecimiento de vínculos de confianza entre los socios, priorizar los sitios e iniciar la planificación operativa cuesta arriba. Como producto de la complejidad de la estructura de gobierno, se dio un periodo de adecuación y diseño de procesos y protocolos de gestión, lo que generó que en el primer año primaran estudios y líneas de base, diseño y establecimiento de protocolos y procesos necesarios para avanzar en los retos que exigían los objetivos planeados. Durante este periodo inicial se avanzó en las relaciones entre los actores que se familiarizaron en sus roles y compromisos en el proyecto, condición necesaria para facilitar la operación de AIRR en adelante. Luego se logró un mejor ritmo en el segundo año y bastante mejor en el tercero. 10. En cuanto a la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, los tres órganos deliberativos CDN, CEI y CDR constituyeron un espacio dinámico y retador para las propias organizaciones indígenas y a su vez generaron la exigencia de establecer una gobernanza multiactor (puntos focales, WWF y las organizaciones indígenas). Así, si bien no se alcanzaron consensos en todos los momentos de toma de decisiones, la estructura ha sido lo suficientemente flexible para permitir la gobernanza del proyecto y el desarrollo de sus planes y actividades. 11. Dentro de las fortalezas, la permanente gestión adaptativa de AIRR se tradujo en un buen apoyo técnico para la capacitación administrativa, la reducción de brechas de conocimiento y manejo tecnológico mediante la conectividad, los lineamientos en el uso de recursos, la creación de espacios de diálogo intercultural e interseccional y aprendizajes en el manejo de las subvenciones (grants y sub grants); y dentro de las debilidades, la demora en la comprensión de los roles y funciones de los miembros del CDR y de los CDN que generó atrasos en su funcionalidad y dinámica, principalmente por las barreras y limitaciones de comunicación; las reducidas dirigencias bajo liderazgos femeninos; y logros muy iniciales de los emprendimientos indígenas. 12. AIRR Perú y AIRR Regional lograron manejar desde el primer año las subvenciones con mayor solvencia técnica, no fue lo mismo para Ecuador (tener en cuenta que no implementó el objetivo sobre “Derechos e intereses económicos indígenas incorporados en la planificación del desarrollo de los sectores público y privado”) y Colombia, por lo que consideramos un reto no resuelto totalmente en todos los 4 países. 13. La administración de las subvenciones desde una perspectiva técnica fue todo un aprendizaje y continúa de un lado representando un desafío diferenciado entre los países y de otro permitieron fortalecer sus instituciones. El rendimiento de las subvenciones fue mejor en Perú y en COICA, porque lograron manejar mayores montos y sus rendiciones se ajustaron a los tiempos requeridos. 14. La implementación de un sistema estructurado de cuidado de menores en los procesos de capacitación representó una experiencia exitosa de la capacidad de gestión adaptativa del proyecto, porque se llegaron a superar las barreras administrativas que había para este tipo de gastos, teniendo un impacto positivo en la disminución de la deserción de las mujeres indígenas madres y en la mejora de la calidad de su participación. 98 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 15. Asociarse con los pueblos indígenas amazónicos tiene como principal oportunidad el reconocer y recoger las prioridades de las organizaciones indígenas, en respeto de su autonomía, y mejorar los aprendizajes colectivos de los avances de las organizaciones indígenas en sus propios países y articularlos a nivel regional. Mientras que se presentan como desafíos las cambiantes coyunturas políticas nacionales, la comprensión de la autonomía política-cultural, las características y agendas heterogéneas que en ocasiones compiten y la urgencia de abordar de forma sistémica y transversal las desigualdades de género arraigadas, lo que ha exigido una permanente adaptación. 16. El funcionamiento de los Comités Directivos Nacionales (CDN) es crucial para la gobernanza del proyecto en todos los países y su efectividad constituye aún un reto. A pesar de tener un rol bien definido en la implementación del proyecto y de contar con un funcionamiento flexible y adaptativo se registró un interés reducido en mantener una dinámica más proactiva con el Proyecto, lo que se reflejó en insuficiente involucramiento de los actores, participación y respaldo a los compromisos. Esto se debió a factores como: - situación institucional que estén atravesando las organizaciones indígenas (cambio de directivas y liderazgos, que afectó la continuidad de los consensos previos), - dificultad para las intersecciones de las diversas agendas de las organizaciones indígenas y las agencias de cooperación, y - prioridades en la ocupación del tiempo de los dirigentes. 17. La mejora del papel de las organizaciones de los Pueblos Indígenas en el resto de la vida del proyecto y más allá dependerá de consolidar los avances conseguidos en la institucionalidad de las organizaciones indígenas y de generar las condiciones suficientes para la sostenibilidad de dicha institucionalidad y de los emprendimientos indígenas. 18. El abordaje de un proyecto regional transfronterizo amazónico no es nuevo en nuestros países, pero ha sido particularmente más complejo y retador, por las ventajas y desventajas de asumir AIRR como proyecto regional: − Desde las ventajas, se potenció la presencia de las organizaciones indígenas para la defensa de los derechos políticos y económicos y se fortaleció el liderazgo indígena globalizado, en particular la aparición de nuevos líderes políticos, mujeres y jóvenes. − Desde las desventajas, podemos señalar, de un lado, las barreras propias como la dispersión geográfica y las dificultades de comunicación entre las propias organizaciones indígenas, y de otro lado, el reto de gestionar con eficiencia los presupuestos de las subvenciones y grants o sub grants y los costos operativos de la comunicación oportuna. 19. El enfoque regional o bilateral del proyecto AIRR son beneficios relativos. En ambas situaciones los beneficios pueden ser generados, dependerá del grado de escalamiento político y económico que tengan las organizaciones y los emprendimientos indígenas, así como la gestión del proyecto, la definición de los acuerdos institucionales entre los socios y las propias estrategias adaptativas y resilientes a los contextos. 20. La teoría de cambio del Proyecto AIRR sigue siendo válida en su propuesta de cambio más estratégico, referido a la incorporación de los derechos e intereses económicos en la planificación del desarrollo de los sectores públicos y privados en la Amazonia. Sin embargo, el alcance de sus resultados intermedios positivos parece no garantizar el logro de los objetivos en los tiempos previstos, es un trabajo en progreso, pero el tiempo de vida restante y el presupuesto pueden ser una dificultad para conseguirlo. 21. Las metas anuales establecidas en el proyecto, al momento de corte de la evaluación intermedia han tenido un comportamiento muy variado, algunas metas se han alcanzado de manera total 99 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov (hay cuatro metas que han llegado al 100% de lo esperado por el proyecto: - el número de has. de cobertura forestal, - el número de personas capacitadas, - el número de instituciones o tomadores de decisión con planes y medidas que incluyen las prioridades de las Organizaciones Indígenas y - el número de emprendimientos indígenas apoyados para el desarrollo de sus capacidades empresariales). Por otro lado, una meta bastante lejana en su cumplimiento fue la de porcentaje de organizaciones asistidas por el gobierno americano con desempeño mejorado. Finalmente, hubo también metas no programadas en estos tres primeros años, como la de porcentaje de incremento de ventas y financiamiento adicional de apoyo a los emprendimientos indígenas. RECOMENDACIONES Las recomendaciones fueron elaboradas recogiendo las opiniones vertidas en el Taller de Co-creación de Recomendaciones que se llevó a cabo en Lima, el 10 de enero de 2023 con la presencia de representantes de USAID, WWF, PMU y los socios ONG y Organizaciones Indígenas de forma híbrida, presencial y virtual. No se recibieron comentarios posteriores al taller desde las organizaciones indígenas. PARA LA UNIDAD DE GESTION DEL PROYECTO Y LAS ONG 1. De manera progresiva, aumentar el porcentaje de la participación de las organizaciones indígenas en la administración y el manejo de recursos según resultados positivos en las evaluaciones de manejo gerencial. 2. Suscribir acuerdos institucionales con universidades y otros espacios académicos para dar continuidad y sostenibilidad a las estrategias de fortalecimiento de habilidades. 3. Continuar apoyando de manera sostenida la gobernanza de las organizaciones indígenas, considerando las prioridades establecidas por ellos mismos en la “Estrategia de incidencia para la participación de la COICA en espacios a nivel internacional en el marco de proyectos extractivos y de infraestructura”, que establece como temas centrales: Defensores y Escazú, Cambio climático, Pueblos Indígenas en Aislamiento Voluntario (PIACI), Salvaguardas sociales y ambientales en las Instituciones Financieras Internacionales (IFIS), Saneamiento de territorios indígenas, Fortalecimiento de mujeres y juventud indígena, entre otros. 4. Mantener en funcionamiento el Comité Directivo Regional en esta última etapa consolidando lo avanzado en AIRR con la participación sostenida de COICA. Fortalecer la institucionalidad de los Comités Directivos Nacionales 5. Consolidar el relacionamiento entre el Comité Directivo Regional y COICA para sostener la línea de incidencia política a nivel internacional según la estrategia diseñada y reforzar un rol más protagónico de los Comités Directivos Nacionales, dejando que ellos articulen las prioridades de sus agendas institucionales con los objetivos del proyecto. 6. Difundir y transferir los análisis del marco regulatorio del sistema de impacto ambiental de las inversiones extractivas en la Amazonia al Ministerio del Ambiente, Ministerio de Energía y Minas y de Transporte o pares en los países, como a los gobiernos subnacionales según la relación sostenida con ellos en los cuatro países. 100 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 7. Sostener la capacitación administrativa reduciendo de modo significativo las brechas de conocimiento y de manejo tecnológico principalmente de los líderes, de las mujeres y los jóvenes. 8. Realizar una sistematización en cada país que recoja las experiencias más exitosas de las diferentes organizaciones indígenas, en particular de las mujeres y jóvenes, lo que constituirá un valioso aprendizaje a compartir. 9. Diseñar la estrategia de transferencia de conocimiento (archivadores, disco duro de respaldo, nube, etc.), y difundir los materiales y contenidos de la biblioteca virtual de aprendizajes (BiVA) a los socios del proyecto. 10. Generar compromisos con instituciones públicas de los países para la sostenibilidad del monitoreo territorial y biológico y las veedurías forestales. 11. Mantener e intensificar la implementación del Plan de Género y Juventudes e interseccionalidad en las instancias nacionales y locales. 12. Proporcionar una mayor flexibilidad administrativa para contar con sistemas de cuidados, ya que ello tiene un impacto positivo en el incremento de la participación de las mujeres y reduce la deserción. PARA NESST, UNIDAD DE GESTION DEL PROYECTO Y PUNTOS FOCALES WWF DE LOS PAÍSES 1. Con relación a la construcción, fortalecimiento y ejercicio de las capacidades productivas, administrativas de los emprendimientos indígenas se recomienda: − Continuar con el apoyo del fortalecimiento administrativo de los emprendimientos reforzando los aprendizajes sobre la base de ponerlos en práctica, es decir, hacer seguimiento a la aplicación de los conocimientos adquiridos. − En los temas productivos, considerar la mejora de la calidad de los productos de los emprendimientos, sobre la base del rubro de negocio y la demanda del mismo emprendimiento, así como identificar las prioridades y necesidades del mercado (ya sea local, nacional o internacional) para adecuar los productos de los emprendimientos. − Continuar generando procesos de capacitación en temas comerciales. Se recomienda que los procesos de capacitación se realicen de una forma mixta (presencial y virtual) con el objetivo de generar mayor impacto. − Acompañar la implementación de los memorándums de inversión que determinan el uso de los recursos proporcionados por el proyecto a los emprendimientos (que incluyen una estrategia de apoyo comercial personalizada para cada emprendimiento indígena). 2. Sobre la sostenibilidad financiera y comercial de los emprendimientos y su inserción a nuevos mercados: − Mejorar las estrategias de marketing y venta digital y comunicación de los emprendimientos. Por ejemplo, creando una plataforma digital que visibilice a los emprendimientos indígenas amazónicos. Se sugiere también el uso de las plataformas digitales de las organizaciones indígenas para que sea sostenible en el tiempo. − Desarrollo de ruta comercial para que los emprendimientos sepan cómo llegar a los clientes para integrarse a las cadenas de valor sostenibles, identificando nichos de mercado, buscar 101 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov compradores a nivel regional, nacional e internacional, según la categoría de cada emprendimiento, permitiendo su escalamiento. − Diversificar y profundizar la búsqueda de opciones de financiamiento para la inversión en los emprendimientos (inversionistas, fondos concursables públicos y privados, sistema financiero, etc.). 3. Contribuir al fortalecimiento de la relación entre el emprendimiento y las familias (dentro de la comunidad), ya sean socias o proveedoras, mediante una mejora en la comunicación del emprendimiento hacia las comunidades, sobre todo en temas de transparencia y resultados del negocio. 4. Profundizar el levantamiento de información y medición de indicadores de desempeño de los emprendimientos, y construir estrategias para compartir la información con los emprendimientos, de modo que retroalimente las decisiones de éstos. 5. Priorizar iniciativas con potencial de crecimiento, aunque no cuenten con un registro de persona jurídica, canalizando el apoyo a los emprendimientos en base a su desempeño. Enfocar los esfuerzos en inversiones del último tramo del proyecto en aquellos emprendimientos que presenten mejores resultados y probabilidades de sostenibilidad. 6. Desagregar por sexo y edad los registros en todas las actividades, lo cual va a permitir medir la disminución o incremento en la participación de las mujeres indígenas y los(as) jóvenes. 7. Considerando los imperativos culturales y las concepciones de roles y estereotipos de género en las comunidades indígenas en donde se encuentran localizados los emprendimientos o las iniciativas indígenas, se recomienda involucrar a las comunidades (con énfasis en población masculina) en los procesos de capacitación sobre las desigualdades de género y generacionales desde un enfoque interseccional. En particular, continuar incentivando la participación de mujeres indígenas en los procesos formativos de monitoreo territorial biológico, ya que es donde existe una mayor brecha de participación. PARA USAID 1. Futuros proyectos con un componente dedicado al desarrollo de habilidades deben contar con un equipo o cuando menos un experto en pedagogía que desde un punto de vista técnico supervise los diseños curriculares, avances y logros de aprendizajes basados en el desarrollo de conocimiento y competencias. 2. Considerar la posibilidad de apoyar también aspectos productivos y de inversión (como infraestructura) de los emprendimientos, dado que son condiciones habilitantes para el crecimiento y acceso a mercados internacionales y a poder concretar alianzas con inversionistas de impacto. 102 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX B. EVALUATION TEAM Amalia Cuba Salerno, Lead evaluator Master’s in economics with extensive experience in natural resource management, Bachelor in Economics and Bachelor in Social Sciences with mention in Economics. Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. She worked as Project Manager of international organizations and has held management positions in the public sector as General Director of Strategies on Natural Resources and General Director of Environmental Management Policies, Standards, and Instruments of the Ministry of the Environment. She is an evaluator with more than 15 years of practice, associated with the Evaluation Network of Peru, with relevant experience in managing evaluations in its different phases. For more than 10 years she has been a professor of Monitoring and Evaluation in the master’s degree in social management at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Rosa Morales Saravia, Specialist in indigenous themes Masters in economics and finance from the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies of the Bank of Spain (CEMFI), and bachelor’s in economics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. She has been a public server for more than ten years in the Ministry of the Environment, as general director of Climate Change and Desertification and Advisor of the Vice-Ministerial Office of Strategic Development of Natural Resources of the Ministry of the Environment. She has also dedicated more than ten years to research and university teaching. She has directed national policy on REDD+, including the implementation of the National Forest and Climate Change Strategy and its follow-up, public policy to achieve a national safeguards system, a citizen complaints mechanism, the link of the forest cover monitoring system. She has led participatory processes for the integral management of climate change, such as the Prior and Informed Consultation of Indigenous Peoples of the regulation of the Framework Law on Climate Change. Currently, she is Principal Investigator of the Institute of Peruvian Studies and Associate Professor of the Department of Economics of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). Álvaro Gálvez Pasco, Specialist in interculturality Master in Anthropology and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and bachelor’s in political science and government from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. He has more than 10 years of experience, including management positions and coordinator of public policies focused on territorial development. He has been responsible for the Directorate of Indigenous Policy of the General Directorate of Intercultural Citizenship of the Ministry of Culture, coordinator of the Municipios al Dia Project at the Institute of Peruvian Studies, coordinator of Territorial Budget in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, being responsible for Public Budget Specialists of the CONECTAMEF, responsible for Training and technical assistance of regional and local governments. Currently, he is Principal Investigator of the Institute of Peruvian Studies, and coordinator of the Infovoces Moquegua project, in which a virtual training program is implemented, and develops content on mining, planning, public budget and budget issues. Eliana Jacobo Mendoza, Gender Specialist With postgraduate studies completed in Public Policy by the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), specialized in the research of culture and identity. Currently a student of the postgraduate unit of the master's degree in Gender and Development at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos 103 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov (UNMSM). Bachelor’s degree in history from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM). With general experience in research-oriented activities, as well as the design and implementation of public policies with gender and intercultural approaches, and accompaniment in participatory processes involving indigenous organizations. Specific experience of 6 years in technical assistance to participatory dialogue between the State and representative organizations of Indigenous Peoples; and 4 years in organizational strengthening processes and technical advice to indigenous women's organization. Carlos Saavedra Chávez, Evaluador nivel medio Anthropologist with a Master of Science from the University of Montreal. Since 2004 he has been a specialist in monitoring and evaluation of development programs at the state, private or international cooperation levels, having worked with the main UN agencies. He has extensive experience in design, evaluation and systematization of projects, development of large-scale information processing tools and monitoring and evaluation systems and databases, being expert in working with logical framework approaches, theory of change and other strategic planning. He has worked with various population groups, and with indigenous populations of the Amazon and Peruvian highlands, and also in projects involving several countries. He has also taught at several universities (PUCP, UNMSM, UPCH, among others). Finally, he has been the author and co-author of books and articles related to studies and research. 104 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX C: EVALUATION STATEMENT OF WORK Information about the Activity Evaluated USAID’s “Amazonian Indigenous Rights and Resources” (AIRR) project is part of the Amazon Region Environmental Program (AREP) and implemented by WWF in Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The purpose of the AIRR project is to improve the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the sustainable economic development of the Amazon, which subsequently favors the conservation of Indigenous Peoples, biodiversity and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forest loss. Now that AIRR (FY20-FY24) is in its third of five years of implementation, USAID and WWF seek to execute a midterm performance evaluation of the program. This performance evaluation will capture and disseminate recommendations and lessons learned for improved project implementation. This performance evaluation would seek to improve current operational and organizational processes across the AIRR program implementers and USAID. The following is the general information about AIRR: ● Award number: 72052719RFA00004 ● Award dates: August 23, 2019 ● Funding: $17,962,505 ● Implementing partner: WWF Background Information 105 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Purpose Given the complexity of the project, USAID/SAR requires an interim performance evaluation to improve the effectiveness of interventions. Through the mid-term evaluation, we aim to assess AIRR's progress, capture lessons learned from the first three years of the project, analyze future scenarios and project recommendations to strengthen the project's performance, management and governance structure, taking into account the operational and organizational processes throughout AIRR. The evaluation results will be primarily used by USAID and WWF/Peru staff, as well as AIRR partners. It will provide evidence for decision-making and recommendations for future planning and implementation of the project. This evaluation will also provide insights for the design and implementation of present and future USAID projects involving Indigenous people in the Amazon region. Evaluation Questions The conceptual framework and work plan for the mid-term evaluation should follow USAID’s Evaluation Policy (2020) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Principles for Evaluations26 in relation to relevance, impact, effectiveness, coherence, efficiency and sustainability. In this regard, to ensure an integrated analysis of all AIRR’s objectives and/or components, the mid-term evaluation should consider the following evaluation questions: 1. To what extent are AIRR efforts to a) empowering Indigenous organizations managerial performance and b) improving their technical and negotiation skills are improving performance to allow for active participation in decision making? d) What is working, and what is not? e) What possible modification can be done to improve performance? 2. Are enterprise development and investment activities a) on track to achieve their immediate objectives (meeting targets) or their larger goals of improving economic conditions and rights for Indigenous people? b) Why or why not? c) what are the factors? 3. How has the governance structure of the project (i.e. several sub-partners, associations, enterprises, federations, and steering committees) impacted (easy, difficult) a) the implementation, b) management and c) adaptive management of this regional program? d) What are positives and negatives of the program’s structure? e) What are the possible modifications to improve its performance e) How is the performance of grant administration (timeliness of performance, task orders, milestones, delivery schedules, and administrative requirements) technically sound? 4. a) What are the challenges and opportunities of partnering with Amazon Indigenous federations? b) How effective are the "Comites Directivos” as part of the governance of the project? c) What can be done to improve IPOs' role in the remaining life of the project and after? 26 https://www.oecd.org/dac/evaluation/daccriteriaforevaluatingdevelopmentassistance.htm 106 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 5. What are the a) advantages and b) disadvantages of AIRR being a regional cross boundary project? (rather than four bilateral projects)? c) What project components benefit from a regional focus and what component from a bilateral focus, and why? 6. Is the original theory of change still valid? Has it been adapted/modified? In what? Purpose Data Collection and Analysis Methods It is expected the evaluation will apply an evidence-, and Theory of Change-, based approach based on formal quantitative and qualitative analyses to answer the evaluations questions and draw conclusions. Qualitative data collection techniques include, key informant interviews, focus groups, direct observations, and desk review analysis. Quantitative data collection techniques include the compilation of relevant secondary data, generated by the project or other organizations. The interviews will be done according to the question to relevant people in that regard. Since the project is implemented in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and to a much lesser extent in Guyana and Suriname, we expect that interviews will be done to prime and partners in each country. AIRR supports indigenous economic initiatives, so we expect that some of the beneficiaries of the indigenous initiatives will be interviewed virtually but also at least one site visit will be done in each of the main four countries. The evaluation team will closely work with USAID South America Regional (SAR), USAID Peru and WWF representatives to design and implement the mid-term evaluation efforts. Relevant staff from these organizations will participate in consultations to ensure the evaluation team incorporates key inputs into the evaluation development. The evaluation team envisions frequent communication with USAID SAR/Peru staff during evaluation design and implementation, to include regular calls or meetings at a mutually agreed frequency. The evaluation team foresees that USAID SAR/Peru will provide project documents and data, make introductions to implementing partners and other relevant stakeholders, provide feedback on the progress of the evaluation and draft deliverables, and potentially join the evaluation team on field visits. Accordingly, the evaluation team will validate the final list of stakeholders to be interviewed. Key informants will include staff from USAID, WWF/Peru, AIRR project partners, Indigenous groups, and other stakeholders related with the project (Annex 2). The evaluation team will coordinate with key representatives from USAID and WWF to finalize the interviewers list. Evaluation deliverables will be submitted to the AOR. The implementing partners are envisioned to provide data and documents as needed, make introductions to beneficiaries and other local stakeholders, provide inputs to the evaluation stakeholder analysis and other instruments (e.g., surveys and interview guides), and ideally join the evaluation team on field visits. The evaluation team will be responsible for leading the process of scheduling of all evaluation activities (including coordination with USAID staff, the implementing partners, and other relevant stakeholders) and all necessary logistics related to evaluation design and implementation. The evaluation team will review and utilize information and data provided by USAID staff about the activities. The documents shared by the USAID mission includes the ones in Annex 1. The processes and outputs of this mid-term evaluation shall make sure that a gender and social inclusivity perspective is included, and that the whole exercise is culturally pertinent. Accordingly, the evaluation team is expected to identify and highlight all questions requiring sex-disaggregated data, the use of gender-sensitive data collection methods, and analysis of differential impacts on males and females. 107 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Deliverables and Estimated Deadlines Deliverables Deadline 1. Proposed evaluation plan, including the conceptual and methodological design and framework, schedule of activities, a preliminary list of interviewees, key questions timeline, main features of data collection instruments, and a data analysis plan and a proposed outline of the final evaluation report that follow USAID criteria for evaluation reports27. End of week 4 2. Preliminary Draft report of mid-term evaluation results. (may be provided in Spanish or English) Week 1228 3. Final report with (at minimum) the following: - An executive summary 2-5 pages in length that summarizes key points (purpose and background, evaluation questions, methods, findings,29 conclusions) - The Evaluation SOW in an annex - Any “statements of differences” regarding significant unresolved differences of opinion by funders, implementers, and/or members of the evaluation team in an annex - All data collection and analysis tools used—questionnaires, checklists, survey instruments, and discussion guides—in an annex. - All sources of information properly identified and listed in an annex. The final report will be submitted in one language and translated once it is approved Week 16 4. Final presentation in Spanish and English to USAID and stakeholders Week 17 5. Final report edited and uploaded to the Development Experience Clearinghouse Week 18 Team Qualifications and Independence Suggested Qualifications of Evaluator(s) The evaluation team should possess the following qualifications: − Knowledge and experience in evaluation based on theories of change and quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods evaluation techniques. − Knowledge and experience in conservation finance, sustainable economic development, and market-based solutions for biodiversity conservation and GHG reduction in the Amazon, with an Indigenous Peoples focus. − Knowledge and experience in gender, equality, and social inclusion for public and private sector development for the Amazon region. 27 ADS Criteria to Ensure te Quality of the Evaluation report - https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/201maa.pdf 28 Draft report should be delivered prior to the FY23 AIRR work plan development, as it will be used as an input. 29 Quantitative data collected by the evaluation requested to be provided in an electronic file, in an easily readable format, and organized and fully documented for use by those not fully familiar with the project or the evaluation. 108 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov − Knowledge and experience in Indigenous Peoples organizational development for the Amazon region. It is estimated that these qualifications will be found in a team of consultants composed of a lead evaluation expert, a conservation finance, sustainable markets and private sector engagement specialist, a specialist on Indigenous organizations development, and a GESI specialist. Evaluation team composition is subject to improvement as part of the initial proposal. Schedule and Logistics The evaluation should be carried out during the months of (June to September 2022) with ongoing interactions with the USAID and WWF teams, and AIRR project partners. Evaluators will be responsible for making their own arrangements for space, virtual platforms, materials, equipment needed to conduct the evaluation, and transportation (if a shift in the current context allows in person data collection). Level of Effort and Budget The schedule for submission of deliverables and an estimate of the total estimated time commitment (LOE) are presented in Table 1. The start of this sequence depends on when the work plan is approved by USAID. The entire process, from award to final report, will take approximately x months.30 Table 1: Timeline for submission of deliverables Steps and Deliverables Estimated level of effort (days) ● Review key documents. ● Inception meeting ● Evaluation work plan (deliverable 1), including methodology and data collection methods (see Section 6) 15 ● Data collection, including in person if context allows. ● Data analysis and formulation of key findings and recommendations 30 ● Draft evaluation report (deliverable 2) (in Spanish) with preliminary findings, final report structure, and presentation slides. ● Incorporate feedback on draft Evaluation Report by USAID, WWF, and selected AIRR implementing partners. ● Additional data collection (contingent on draft report feedback) 20 ● Preparation of Final Evaluation Report and Spanish translation of key findings and recommendations ● Final report (and presentation) (deliverable 3) in Spanish and English 25 TOTAL 90 30 Can be readjusted according to USAID guidance. 109 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Annex 1. Indicative list of Documents and resources available for evaluation − AIRR program description − Monitoring and evaluation plan − Annual work plans − Quarterly and annual reports − Reports and/or products of the pause and reflection processes − Products and ToRs from consultancies − Other documents or sources of information that may be useful to the evaluator(s). − Quarterly Financial Reports Annex 2. Potential Key Informants (list to be finalized by the evaluation team) Key informants’ group Location Number of informants USAID/AREP mission staff USAID Washington WWF - Peru WWF - Brasil WWF - Colombia WWF - Ecuador WWF - PMU NESsT - Peru NESsT - Brasil NESsT Steering committees (CDR, CDN y CEI) AIDESEP ALL IN COICA CONFENIAE DAR Peru FEPOIMT ICV IPAM OPAN Brasil COIAB BRASIL OPIAC FEPIPA 110 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX D. REVISED DOCUMENTS Reportes − Informe trimestral Q1FY20: Agosto-diciembre 2019 (informe de +4 meses). − Informe trimestral Q2FY20: Enero a marzo 2020 − Informe trimestral Q3 FY20: abril – junio 2020 − Informe anual FY20: agosto 2019 – setiembre 2020 − Informe trimestral Q1 FY21: octubre-diciembre 2020 − Informe Trimestral Q2 FY21: enero-marzo 2021 − Informe trimestral Q3 FY21: abril – junio 2021 − Informe anual FY21: octubre 2020 – setiembre 2021 − Informe Trimestral Q1 FY22: octubre – diciembre 2021 − Informe Trimestral Q2 FY22: enero-marzo 2022 − Informe anual FY22: octubre 2021 – setiembre 2022 Reportes de Pausa y Reflexión: − Documentos Pausa y Reflexión 1 (agosto 2020) − Documentos Pausa y Reflexión 2 (marzo 2021) − Documentos Pausa y Reflexión 3 (agosto 2021) − Documentos Pausa y Reflexión 4 - MELC - (marzo 2022) − Documentos Pausa y Reflexión 5 (agosto 2022) Hojas Informativas: − Hoja informativa sobre el Programa Regional de Medio Ambiente Amazónico − Hoja informativa sobre el proyecto AIRR Planes: − Plan de Género y Juventud − Plan de Trabajo del año fiscal 2023 − Plan de Trabajo del año fiscal 2022 − Plan de Trabajo del año fiscal 2021 − Plan de Trabajo 2020 Documentos de Análisis: − Análisis Aplicado Político y Económico (A/PEA). Proyecto Amazonía Indígena, Derechos y Recursos (AIRR) − Análisis de Economía Política Aplicada (A/PEA) (infografía) 111 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov − Informe final. Análisis Aplicado Político y Económico (A/PEA) − Documentos de EIA/EAE − Análisis de Planes de Vida de Perú. Bases de convocatorias y otros documentos relativos a los emprendimientos − Bases de convocatoria. Amazonía indígena: derechos y recursos. Perú 2020. Agosto 2020. (Reseñado en el documento como AIRR (2020a)) − Bases de convocatoria. Amazonía indígena: derechos y recursos. Colombia 2020. Octubre 2020. (Reseñado en el documento como AIRR (2020b)) − Bases de convocatoria. Amazonía indígena: derechos y recursos. Perú 2021. Abril 2021. (Reseñado en el documento como AIRR (2021a)) − Bases de convocatoria. Amazonía indígena: derechos y recursos. Ecuador 2021. Agosto 2021. (Reseñado en el documento como AIRR (2021b)) − Bases de convocatoria. Amazonía indígena: derechos y recursos. Brasil 2021. Mayo 2021. (Reseñado en el documento como AIRR (2021c)) − Fichas de emprendimientos en el Perú. Mayo 2022. (Reseñado en el documento como AIRR (2022a)) − Resultados del trimestre diciembre 2021. Fortalecimiento de Capacidades de Gestión en los Emprendimientos Indígenas. Proyecto Amazonía Indígena: Derechos y Recursos. (Reseñado en el documento como NESsT (2021)) − Resultados del trimestre marzo 2022. Fortalecimiento de Capacidades de Gestión en los Emprendimientos Indígenas. (Reseñado en el documento como NESsT (2022)) − Portafolio de emprendimientos indígenas – Preliminar. Noviembre 2021. Cali: OZIP, OPIAC, USAID, NESsT, EEF. (Reseñado en el documento como WWF Colombia (2021)) Otros productos del Proyecto AIRR: − AIRR Monitoring, Evaluation, And Learning Plan: Document prepared January 2020. Revised and adjusted in November 2020, February 2021, October 2021and February 2022. − Descripción del Proyecto (PDF) − Descripción del Proyecto (Word) − Productos comunicacionales - Proyecto AIRR − Evaluación (Assessment 2021) realizado por AIDESEP, COICA, FEPIPA, FEPOIMT, OPIAC, and OZIP sobre sus capacidades organizacionales y planes de acción, para su mejora. − Capacity-Building Program on Indigenous Territorial Governance (PFGTI in Spanish) carried out in FY 2020 and the early months of FY 2021 − Capacity-Building Program (EGIDA) − Framework of EGIDA (Escuela de Gobierno Indígena y Desarrollo Amazónico): definitions of "indigenous economy" and "indigenous entrepreneurship". − Paralegal Training Program diseñado e implementado por CONFENIAE de Ecuador − Capacitaciones a Jóvenes Comunicadores de Brasil 112 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov − Technical proposal for the education program "Indigenous Territories and Climate Change: Governance, Scientific Basis, and Negotiation Strategies" (COICA) − Proposal to improve COICA´s Early Warning and Rapid Response System to Threats to Indigenous Peoples (SAT-RR in Spanish). − OPIAC´s strategy for advocacy in international and national scenarios − Virtual Learning Library (BiVA, in Spanish) − “Map of project processes and procedures" tool (WWF Colombia) − Project Maps − Estrategias de incidencias de las OOII (COICA, OPIAC, AIDESEP) − Iniciativa 80 x 25 − Documentos del SAAT de AIDESEP − Documentos de ACI/SOMAI, seguridad de datos y documentos de monitoreo de Brasil − Guía práctica para la aplicación del enfoque interseccional − Actas de reuniones del Comité Directivo Regional − Actas de reuniones de los Comités Directivos Nacionales de los 4 países − Actas de reuniones de los Comités de Economía Indígena de los 4 países. − Producto 10: Actualización del producto 7, reporte del proceso completo resaltando las barreras superadas o persistentes para la implementación del plan de género y juventudes, con la información del Ecuador. − Actas de CEI: Perú, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador. Carpeta 11: Comités Directivos Nacionales, Regional y de Economía. − CEI Brasil - PPT: AIRR: 12/05 Planejando o Edital AIRR-br. Carpeta 6: Emprendimientos￾empresas indígenas/ Concurso y Selección de EI. − Plan de Acción 2022 – 2026 de COICA. XI Congreso de la COICA 113 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX E. DATA COLLECTION TOOLS INFORMED CONSENT Título del estudio: EVALUACIÓN INTERMEDIA DEL PROYECTO AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA, DERECHOS Y RECURSOS (AIRR) Entidad responsable del estudio: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos Somos profesionales en ciencias sociales y estamos a cargo del estudio EVALUACIÓN INTERMEDIA DEL PROYECTO AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA, DERECHOS Y RECURSOS (AIRR). Nos gustaría invitarlo(a) a participar en una entrevista para conocer su experiencia y percepción sobre el progreso de los 3 primeros años del proyecto AIRR y recoger sus sugerencias para el proyecto. 1. ¿Cuál es el objetivo de la investigación? El objetivo general del presente estudio es evaluar el progreso de los 3 primeros años del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas, y analizar escenarios futuros. 2. ¿En qué consiste mi participación? Le pediremos participar en una entrevista en la que buscaremos conocer sus opiniones sobre los avances en la obtención de resultados del proyecto AIRR, y sus percepciones sobre la forma de gobernanza y administración del proyecto. La conversación durará aproximadamente 60 minutos, y se realizará en una sesión virtual privada y cómoda para usted. 3. ¿Cómo se manejará la privacidad de mis opiniones? Toda la información compartida por usted será confidencial, es decir, solo será utilizada por los profesionales de este estudio y no será usada con otra finalidad. Su nombre y su apellido no serán escritos en las notas de la entrevista, por lo que no habrá forma de identificarlo personalmente. Las grabaciones no llevarán su nombre ni permitirán identificarlo. Luego de un tiempo las grabaciones serán eliminadas. 4. ¿Qué beneficios obtendré? ¿Qué riesgos existen? Participar en este estudio no le traerá un beneficio directo o inmediato, pero al darnos información estará colaborando con nosotros en desarrollar propuestas destinadas a mejorar futuros proyectos. Participar de la entrevista no tiene riesgos importantes. Recuerde que todo será confidencial, y los resultados serán presentados de forma agregada. 5. ¿Tiene algún costo mi participación? No, participar en este estudio no tendrá ningún costo para usted. 6. ¿Es mi participación voluntaria? Su participación es totalmente voluntaria. Usted puede dejar de participar o dejar de contestar una o más preguntas en cualquier momento si así lo decide, ello no tendrá consecuencia para usted. 7. ¿A quién debo contactar si tengo dudas? Este estudio ha sido revisado y aprobado por el Comité de Ética de EnCompass, si usted requiere más información puede comunicarse con: ● Presidente Comité de Ética IRB@encompassworld.com ● Susana Guevara Salas, teléfono 997611979 correo electrónico sguevara@encompassworld.com 114 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Autorización para realizar la entrevista Si usted está de acuerdo con participar en el estudio, le solicitamos nos brinde su autorización para realizar la entrevista. De todas formas, le recordamos que usted puede dejar de participar o dejar de contestar una o más preguntas en cualquier momento. Marcar (x) Acepto participar en la entrevista Autorización de grabación de la sesión Adicionalmente, si usted está de acuerdo y nos da su autorización, la entrevista será grabada para no perder información valiosa para el estudio. Si algunas preguntas le son incómodas, usted tiene el derecho de no contestarlas. Los registros serán tratados de manera confidencial y serán utilizados únicamente para fines del estudio. Marcar (x) Autorizó la grabación de la entrevista Nombres y apellidos: _____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ __________________ Nº DNI: Firma: Observación (opcional): En el presente anexo, se presentan tres (03) guías de entrevistas semi estructuradas para entrevistas individuales y grupales. 115 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov INTERVIEW GUIDES Guía de entrevista semiestructurada Actor: Socio del proyecto AIRR Entrevistador Fecha Lugar Institución/organización Cargo/rol Género Edad 116 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Introducción Buenos días / tardes. Mi nombre es (NOMBRE DEL ENTREVISTADOR/A) investigador/a del Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, organización a cargo de realizar la evaluación de medio término del proyecto AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA: DERECHOS Y RECURSOS, o, AIRR por sus siglas en inglés. Este proyecto es administrado por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza -WWF, quien nos ha proporcionado su información de contacto para poder realizar esta entrevista. Gracias por su disposición a participar. Antes de empezar quisiera recordarle que la información que nos proporcione en esta oportunidad será tratada con los mayores estándares de reserva y confidencialidad, respetando la privacidad de sus datos personales, y será utilizada exclusivamente para los fines de la evaluación intermedia. Las respuestas que recogeremos de los distintos actores involucrados en el proyecto AIRR serán presentadas únicamente de manera agregada, garantizando así el anonimato de todos los entrevistados. En ese sentido, quisiera solicitar su autorización para registrar el contenido de esta entrevista en formato de grabación y así recoger de la manera más fidedigna sus respuestas. El objetivo es evaluar el progreso del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años del proyecto, analizar escenarios futuros y recomendaciones del proyecto para fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta los procesos operativos y organizativos en todo AIRR. Se busca proporcionar evidencia para la toma de decisiones y recomendaciones para la futura planificación e implementación del proyecto. Esta evaluación también proporcionará información para el diseño y la implementación de proyectos presentes y futuros de USAID que involucren a los Pueblos Indígenas en la región amazónica. En este sentido, en su rol de ACTOR de interés del Proyecto AIRR es muy importante poder contar con sus opiniones. La entrevista tiene una duración aproximada de 60 minutos. La información brindada por usted será utilizada únicamente en el marco de la evaluación y sus respuestas serán mantenidas en estricta confidencialidad, protegiendo su privacidad. I. Sección 1: Incidencia de las OOII A. Participación en la toma de decisiones 1.1. ¿Cuáles son los espacios de deliberación y toma de decisiones sobre derechos colectivos, del territorio, gestión de los recursos naturales, industrias extractivas y/o desarrollo de infraestructura-a nivel regional, nacional o local- en que participan los socios OOII? 1.2. ¿En qué grado o nivel considera que se toman en cuenta los intereses de las OOII? ¿considera que hay alguna diferencia o cambio respecto de esta situación hace 3 años? 1.3. ¿En esos espacios, hay representación de mujeres y jóvenes? ¿Ha cambiado el rol de las mujeres en los espacios de toma de decisiones? ¿y de los jóvenes? ¿cómo aseguran de tomar en cuenta la opinión de estos grupos? B. Fortalecimiento de capacidades (gestión, monitoreo, derechos, cambio climático, comunicaciones) 1.4. ¿En qué ha consistido el fortalecimiento de capacidades (gestión, incidencia, monitoreo, derechos, cambio climático, comunicaciones), qué resultados ha dado? 117 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 1.5. ¿Ha contribuido también a promover recambio de liderazgos al interior de las organizaciones indígenas y si estos incluyen cambios intergeneracionales y de género? 1.6. ¿El fortalecimiento de capacidades ha incluido el enfoque de igualdad de género, participación de las mujeres y jóvenes y/o los ejes temáticos de las escuelas han articulado este enfoque)? 1.7. ¿Se han diseñado estrategias para promover la participación de las mujeres, tomando en cuenta barreras que enfrentan?; por ejemplo, menor acceso a la educación, actividades de cuidado 1.8. ¿Se puede hablar de un cambio / incremento significativo en las capacidades de los cuadros técnicos en materia de derechos colectivos, del territorio, gestión de los recursos naturales, industrias extractivas y/o desarrollo de infraestructura? ¿Las capacidades de las mujeres se han incrementado? C. Sistema de vigilancia y monitoreo indígena 1.9. ¿Qué opina sobre el nivel de avances de sistemas de vigilancia y monitoreo indígena que se han dado en el marco del Proyecto AIRR? ¿Cuáles han sido los principales resultados (apps, fortalecimiento de capacidades, financiamiento para la acción en territorio, enlace con sistemas mayores, etc.), de cara al uso de dicha información y datos para la gobernanza indígena territorial y la incidencia? 1.10. ¿Qué oportunidades o campos de mejora existen para el trabajo de monitoreo indígena territorial en el marco de AIRR? II. Sección 2: Emprendimientos indígenas A. Economía indígena 2.1. ¿Qué estrategias de desarrollo de los emprendimientos (fortalecimiento de capacidades, integración al mercado, identificación de cadenas de valor, búsqueda de socios, incrementos de capital, otros) se han implementado? 2.2. ¿Cuáles diría Ud. que son los principales cambios generados por el proyecto para los emprendimientos seleccionados? 2.3. ¿Desde que recibe apoyo del Proyecto AIRR considera que los emprendimientos apoyados en el marco del AIRR han logrado acceder a nuevos mercados a nivel -local, nacional, regional, global? ¿Qué estrategias se implementaron para ello? 2.4. ¿Considera que se están cumpliendo las metas que se trazó el proyecto sobre los emprendimientos? ¿Cuáles son las principales dificultades o aspectos facilitadores? 2.5. ¿En su opinión, los emprendimientos generan mayores ganancias desde que forma parte del proyecto AIRR? 2.6. ¿El desarrollo de los emprendimientos ha impactado en la situación de las mujeres indígenas en términos económicos, de toma de decisiones? ¿De qué forma? ¿a quiénes está beneficiando? 2.7. ¿Cuál es el papel que juegan los emprendimientos en el fortalecimiento o desarrollo de la economía indígena en la comunidad en que se desarrolla? ¿Específicamente cómo contribuye a la seguridad alimentaria de la comunidad? III. Sección 3: Gobernanza y naturaleza regional del proyecto A. Estructura de la gobernanza (órganos de gobierno, funcionamiento y dinámica, miembros) 3.1. ¿Cuáles son las formas de organización que el proyecto tiene para la toma de decisiones? ¿Considera que la forma de organización para la toma de decisiones del proyecto facilita su funcionamiento y contribuye al logro de los objetivos? 3.2. ¿En qué grado o nivel considera que se toman en cuenta los intereses de las OOII en la toma de decisiones de AIRR? 118 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 3.3. ¿Cuáles son las principales ventajas y desventajas de contar con un comité directivo nacional y un comité de economía indígena? ¿Por qué mantenerlos juntos o separados? 3.4. ¿Cuál es el grado de participación en estos espacios de mujeres y jóvenes? ¿La composición de estos espacios se renueva periódicamente? ¿Qué criterios son utilizados para esa renovación? 3.5. ¿Considera que los tiempos y mecanismos de toma de decisiones son eficientes? B. Comunicaciones internas de la coalición 3.6. ¿Considera que las comunicaciones internas del proyecto funcionan adecuadamente? ¿Qué aciertos y espacios de mejora encuentra? C. Gestión del conocimiento 3.7. ¿Los productos, cursos, materiales, producidos por el proyecto, son de fácil y oportuno acceso de los socios? ¿Considera que usted y su organización están aprendiendo de este proyecto, y compartiendo adecuadamente aprendizajes con otros socios y actores de interés del proyecto? D. Gestión del proyecto a nivel administrativo y MELS 3.8. ¿Cuál es su opinión sobre los procesos de coordinación administrativa financiera (sencillez, oportunidad), y de monitoreo y seguimiento del proyecto? ¿Qué aspectos positivos resaltaría? ¿Qué espacios de mejora existen? E. Ventajas y desventajas de las coaliciones multiactor 3.9. ¿Cuáles considera ventajas y desventajas de participar en un proyecto con otros socios? 3.10. ¿Qué mecanismos implementaría para mejorar la participación de las organizaciones indígenas en la gobernanza y. toma de decisiones del proyecto? 3.11. ¿Cuáles considera desde su experiencia como las alianzas establecidas más importantes en el marco de AIRR, que han dado mejores resultados? ¿A qué se debe? F. Proyecto regional amazónico 3.12. ¿Considera que un proyecto regional amazónico trae ventajas o desventajas para el desarrollo de sus actividades y logro de los objetivos? ¿Puede dar ejemplos? IV. Sección 4: Teoría de cambio A. Opinión del objetivo/utilidad del proyecto 4.1. ¿De qué manera cree que el proyecto está apoyando a las OOII a abrirse espacios de incidencia para lograr un desarrollo económico indígena territorial? 4.2. ¿El proyecto está contribuyendo a una defensa del territorio y de la biodiversidad? ¿Cuáles considera que son los procesos o resultados más importantes finalizados o en marcha actualmente? B. Opinión sobre si hace falta algo 4.3. ¿Conoce la teoría de cambio del proyecto? En su opinión, ¿la teoría de cambio presenta un espacio para la mejora? 119 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Guía de entrevista semiestructurada Actor: Emprendimientos Entrevistador Fecha Lugar Institución/organización Cargo/rol Género Edad Introducción Buenos días / tardes. Mi nombre es (NOMBRE DEL ENTREVISTADOR/A) investigador/a del Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, organización a cargo de realizar la evaluación de medio término del proyecto AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA: DERECHOS Y RECURSOS, o, AIRR por sus siglas en inglés. Este proyecto es administrado para USAID por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza -WWF, quien nos ha proporcionado su información de contacto para poder realizar esta entrevista. Gracias por su disposición a participar. Antes de empezar quisiera recordarle que la información que nos proporcione en esta oportunidad será tratada con los mayores estándares de reserva y confidencialidad, respetando la privacidad de sus datos personales, y será utilizada exclusivamente para los fines de la evaluación intermedia. Las respuestas que recogeremos de los distintos actores involucrados en el proyecto AIRR serán presentadas únicamente de manera agregada, garantizando así el anonimato de todos los entrevistados. En ese sentido, quisiera solicitar su autorización para registrar el contenido de esta entrevista en formato de grabación y así recoger de la manera más fidedigna sus respuestas. El objetivo es evaluar el progreso del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años del proyecto, analizar escenarios futuros y recomendaciones del proyecto para fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta los procesos operativos y organizativos en todo AIRR. Se busca proporcionar evidencia para la toma de decisiones y recomendaciones para la futura planificación e implementación del proyecto. Esta evaluación también proporcionará información para el diseño y la implementación de proyectos presentes y futuros de USAID que involucren a los Pueblos Indígenas en la región amazónica. En este sentido, en su rol de ACTOR de interés del Proyecto AIRR es muy importante poder contar con sus opiniones. La entrevista tiene una duración aproximada de 60 minutos. La información brindada por usted será utilizada únicamente en el marco de la evaluación y sus respuestas serán mantenidas en estricta confidencialidad, protegiendo su privacidad. I. Sección 1: Emprendimientos indígenas 120 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov A. Economía indígena 1.1. ¿Qué estrategia de desarrollo del emprendimiento (fortalecimiento de capacidades, integración al mercado, identificación de cadenas de valor, búsqueda de socios, incrementos de capital, otros) se han implementado? 1.2. ¿Cuáles son los principales cambios en su emprendimiento a partir del trabajo con el Proyecto? ¿Cuál considera que es el avance del emprendimiento respecto a una situación sin proyecto? 1.3. ¿Desde que recibe apoyo del Proyecto AIRR ha logrado vender sus productos en algún mercado en el que no los vendía antes? ¿a qué nivel -local, nacional, regional, global? 1.4. ¿Considera que cuenta con mejores herramientas y estrategias para negociar la venta de sus productos y acceder a sus mercados objetivo? 1.5. ¿Cuáles son las metas que se trazaron en el marco del proyecto AIRR para su emprendimiento? ¿Se están cumpliendo? ¿Cuáles considera que son las razones para ello? 1.6. ¿El emprendimiento genera mayores ganancias desde que forma parte del proyecto AIRR? 1.7. ¿El desarrollo del emprendimiento ha impactado en la situación de las mujeres indígenas en términos económicos, de toma de decisiones? 1.8. ¿Cuál es el papel que juega este emprendimiento en el fortalecimiento o desarrollo de la economía indígena en la comunidad en que se desarrolla? ¿Específicamente cómo contribuye a la seguridad alimentaria de su comunidad? 1.9. Al finalizar este proceso, y considerando todo lo ya avanzado, ¿Piensa que el Proyecto AIRR estará contribuyendo al desarrollo de este emprendimiento (o de emprendimientos en este país): mucho, poco o nada? ¿Por qué? ¿En qué aspectos se podría mejorar? 121 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Guía de entrevista semiestructurada Actor: Actores externos Entrevistador Fecha Lugar Institución/organización Cargo/rol Género Edad Introducción Buenos días / tardes. Mi nombre es (NOMBRE DEL ENTREVISTADOR/A) investigador/a del Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, organización a cargo de realizar la evaluación de medio término del proyecto AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA: DERECHOS Y RECURSOS, o, AIRR por sus siglas en inglés. Este proyecto es administrado para USAID por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza -WWF, quien nos ha proporcionado su información de contacto para poder realizar esta entrevista. Gracias por su disposición a participar. Antes de empezar quisiera recordarle que la información que nos proporcione en esta oportunidad será tratada con los mayores estándares de reserva y confidencialidad, respetando la privacidad de sus datos personales, y será utilizada exclusivamente para los fines de la evaluación intermedia. Las respuestas que recogeremos de los distintos actores involucrados en el proyecto AIRR serán presentadas únicamente de manera agregada, garantizando así el anonimato de todos los entrevistados. En ese sentido, quisiera solicitar su autorización para registrar el contenido de esta entrevista en formato de grabación y así recoger de la manera más fidedigna sus respuestas. El objetivo es evaluar el progreso del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años del proyecto, analizar escenarios futuros y recomendaciones del proyecto para fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta los procesos operativos y organizativos en todo AIRR. Se busca proporcionar evidencia para la toma de decisiones y recomendaciones para la futura planificación e implementación del proyecto. Esta evaluación también proporcionará información para el diseño y la implementación de proyectos presentes y futuros de USAID que involucren a los Pueblos Indígenas en la región amazónica. En este sentido, en su rol de ACTOR de interés del Proyecto AIRR es muy importante poder contar con sus opiniones. La entrevista tiene una duración aproximada de 60 minutos. La información brindada por usted será utilizada únicamente en el marco de la evaluación y sus respuestas serán mantenidas en estricta confidencialidad, protegiendo su privacidad. 122 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov I. Sección 1: Incidencia de las OOII A. Participación en la toma de decisiones 1.1. ¿Cuáles son los espacios de deliberación y toma de decisiones sobre derechos colectivos, del territorio, gestión de los recursos naturales, industrias extractivas y/o desarrollo de infraestructura-a nivel regional, nacional o local- en que participan los socios OOII? 1.2. ¿En qué grado o nivel considera que se toman en cuenta los intereses de las OOII? ¿considera que hay alguna diferencia o cambio respecto de esta situación hace 3 años? 1.3. ¿En esos espacios, hay representación de mujeres y jóvenes? ¿Ha cambiado el rol de las mujeres en los espacios de toma de decisiones? 1.4. ¿Qué organizaciones indígenas ha identificado en los espacios de incidencia y toma de decisiones? 1.5. ¿Cómo evaluaría la fortaleza de las organizaciones indígenas a partir de su participación en espacios de incidencia y toma de decisiones? 1.6. ¿Cómo evalúa la gobernanza y los procedimientos de toma de decisiones de las organizaciones indígenas? 1.7. ¿Cuáles serían los principales cambios en los últimos años en la forma de participación de las organizaciones indígenas en espacios de toma de decisión (nacionales/internacionales)? Fortalecimiento de capacidades (gestión, monitoreo, derechos, cambio climático, comunicaciones) 1.8. ¿Considera que hay mayor participación de mujeres y jóvenes representando a las organizaciones indígenas en espacios de incidencia y toma de decisiones? ¿Cómo evalúa la renovación de dirigentes en las organizaciones indígenas? 1.9. ¿Se puede hablar de un cambio / incremento significativo en las capacidades de los cuadros técnicos en materia de derechos colectivos, del territorio, gestión de los recursos naturales, industrias extractivas y/o desarrollo de infraestructura? ¿Las capacidades de las mujeres se han incrementado? B. Sistema de vigilancia y monitoreo indígena 1.10. ¿Conoce los sistemas de vigilancia y monitoreo indígena? 1.11. ¿Qué opina sobre el nivel de avances de sistemas de vigilancia y monitoreo indígena que se han dado en el marco del Proyecto AIRR? ¿Cuáles han sido los principales resultados (apps, fortalecimiento de capacidades, financiamiento para la acción en territorio, enlace con sistemas mayores, etc.), de cara al uso de dicha información y datos para la gobernanza indígena territorial y la incidencia? 1.12. ¿Qué oportunidades o campos de mejora existen para el trabajo de monitoreo indígena territorial en el marco de AIRR? II. Sección 2: Emprendimientos indígenas A. Economía indígena 2.1. ¿Tiene conocimiento sobre los emprendimientos indígenas apoyados por el Proyecto AIRR? 2.2. ¿Considera que se están cumpliendo las metas que se trazó el proyecto sobre los emprendimientos? ¿Cuáles son las principales dificultades o aspectos facilitadores? 2.3. ¿El desarrollo de los emprendimientos ha impactado en la situación de las mujeres indígenas en términos económicos, de toma de decisiones? 2.4. ¿Cuál es el papel que juegan los emprendimientos en el fortalecimiento o desarrollo de la economía indígena en la comunidad en que se desarrolla? ¿Específicamente cómo contribuye a la seguridad alimentaria de la comunidad? 123 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov III. Sección 3: Teoría de cambio A. Opinión del objetivo/utilidad del proyecto 3.1. ¿De qué manera cree que el proyecto está apoyando a las OOII a abrirse espacios de incidencia para lograr un desarrollo económico indígena territorial? 3.2. ¿El proyecto está contribuyendo a una defensa del territorio y de la biodiversidad? ¿Cuáles considera que son los procesos o resultados más importantes finalizados o en marcha actualmente? 124 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Guía de entrevistas grupales Actor: Socio del Proyecto AIRR - NESsT Tema: Emprendimientos Entrevistador Fecha Lugar Institución/organización Cargo/rol Género Edad Introducción Buenos días / tardes. Mi nombre es (NOMBRE DEL ENTREVISTADOR/A) investigador/a del Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, organización a cargo de realizar la evaluación de medio término del proyecto AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA: DERECHOS Y RECURSOS, o, AIRR por sus siglas en inglés. Este proyecto es administrado para USAID por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza -WWF, quien nos ha proporcionado su información de contacto para poder realizar esta entrevista. Gracias por su disposición a participar. Antes de empezar quisiera recordarles que la información que nos proporcionen en esta oportunidad será tratada con los mayores estándares de reserva y confidencialidad, respetando la privacidad de sus datos personales, y será utilizada exclusivamente para los fines de la evaluación intermedia. Las respuestas que recogeremos de los distintos actores involucrados en el proyecto AIRR serán presentadas únicamente de manera agregada, garantizando así el anonimato de todos los entrevistados. En ese sentido, quisiera solicitar su autorización para registrar el contenido de este grupo focal en formato de grabación y así recoger de la manera más fidedigna las coincidencias y diferentes puntos de vista de los participantes. El objetivo es evaluar el progreso del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años del proyecto, analizar escenarios futuros y recomendaciones del proyecto para fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta los procesos operativos y organizativos en todo AIRR. Se busca proporcionar evidencia para la toma de decisiones y recomendaciones para la futura planificación e implementación del proyecto. Esta evaluación también proporcionará información para el diseño y la implementación de proyectos presentes y futuros de USAID que involucren a los Pueblos Indígenas en la región amazónica. En este sentido, en su rol de ACTOR de interés del Proyecto AIRR es muy importante poder contar con sus opiniones y puntos de vista. El grupo focal tiene una duración aproximada de 60 minutos. La información brindada por ustedes será utilizada únicamente en el marco de la evaluación y sus respuestas serán mantenidas en estricta confidencialidad, protegiendo su privacidad. 125 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov I. Sección 1: Emprendimientos indígenas A. Economía indígena 1.1. ¿Qué estrategia de desarrollo del emprendimiento (fortalecimiento de capacidades, integración al mercado, identificación de cadenas de valor, búsqueda de socios, incrementos de capital, otros) se han implementado? 1.2. ¿Cuáles son los principales cambios en su emprendimiento a partir del trabajo con el Proyecto? ¿Cuál considera que es el avance del emprendimiento respecto a una situación sin proyecto? 1.3. ¿Desde que recibe apoyo del Proyecto AIRR ha logrado vender sus productos en algún mercado en el que no los vendía antes? ¿a qué nivel local, nacional, regional, global? 1.4. ¿Considera que cuenta con mejores herramientas y estrategias para negociar la venta de sus productos y acceder a sus mercados objetivo? 1.5. ¿Cuáles son las metas que se trazaron en el marco del proyecto AIRR para su emprendimiento? ¿Se están cumpliendo? ¿Cuáles considera que son las razones para ello? 1.6. ¿El emprendimiento genera mayores ganancias desde que forma parte del proyecto AIRR? 1.7. ¿El desarrollo del emprendimiento ha impactado en la situación de las mujeres indígenas en términos económicos, de toma de decisiones? 1.8. ¿Cuál es el papel que juega este emprendimiento en el fortalecimiento o desarrollo de la economía indígena en la comunidad en que se desarrolla? ¿Específicamente como contribuye a la seguridad alimentaria de su comunidad? 1.9. Al finalizar este proceso, y considerando todo lo ya avanzado, ¿Piensa que el Proyecto AIRR estará contribuyendo al desarrollo de este emprendimiento (o de emprendimientos en este país): mucho, poco o nada? ¿Por qué? ¿En qué aspectos se podría mejorar? Guía de entrevistas grupales Actor: Socio del Proyecto AIRR - Organizaciones Indígenas - comunicadores Tema: Comunicaciones Entrevistador Fecha Lugar Institución/organización Cargo/rol Género Edad Introducción Buenos días / tardes. Mi nombre es (NOMBRE DEL ENTREVISTADOR/A) investigador/a del Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, organización a cargo de realizar la evaluación de medio término del proyecto AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA: DERECHOS Y RECURSOS, o, AIRR por sus siglas en inglés. Este proyecto es administrado para USAID por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza -WWF, quien nos ha proporcionado su información de contacto para poder realizar esta entrevista. Gracias por su disposición a participar. Antes de empezar quisiera recordarles que la información que nos proporcionen en esta oportunidad será tratada con los mayores estándares de reserva y confidencialidad, respetando la privacidad de sus datos personales, y será utilizada exclusivamente para los fines de la evaluación intermedia. Las respuestas que recogeremos de los distintos actores involucrados en el proyecto AIRR serán presentadas únicamente de manera agregada, garantizando así el anonimato de todos los entrevistados. En ese sentido, quisiera solicitar su autorización para registrar el contenido de este grupo focal en formato de grabación y así recoger de la manera más fidedigna las coincidencias y diferentes puntos de vista de los participantes. El objetivo es evaluar el progreso del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años del proyecto, analizar escenarios futuros y recomendaciones del proyecto para fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta los procesos operativos y organizativos en todo AIRR. Se busca proporcionar evidencia para la toma de decisiones y recomendaciones para la futura planificación e implementación del proyecto. Esta evaluación también proporcionará información para el diseño y la implementación de proyectos presentes y futuros de USAID que involucren a los Pueblos Indígenas en la región amazónica. En este sentido, en su rol de ACTOR de interés del Proyecto AIRR es muy importante poder contar con sus opiniones y puntos de vista. El grupo focal tiene una duración aproximada de 60 minutos. La información brindada por ustedes será utilizada únicamente en el marco de la evaluación y sus respuestas serán mantenidas en estricta confidencialidad, protegiendo su privacidad. 126 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 127 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov I. Sección 1: Incidencia de las OOII 1.1. ¿Qué acciones o estrategias se han implementado en el marco del proyecto con sus respectivas organizaciones? ¿Se han realizado procesos de fortalecimiento de capacidades o asistencia técnica en campañas y comunicaciones? ¿Qué opinión tienen sobre estos procesos? ¿Han sido útiles, han alcanzado los resultados esperados? ¿Qué cambiarían para futuras iniciativas en este sentido? 1.2. ¿Las herramientas comunicacionales construidas y recibidas en el marco del proyecto, han contribuido de manera efectiva a la incidencia de las organizaciones representativas de los pueblos indígenas, en materia de derechos colectivos sobre el territorio y los recursos naturales? 1.3. ¿Existe espacio para su mejora? ¿Qué aspectos pueden mejorarse? 1.4. ¿Se han difundido de manera efectiva los avances de los sistemas de vigilancia y monitoreo indígena que se han dado en el marco del Proyecto AIRR? 1.5. ¿Cuáles son los logros comunicacionales más importantes para la incidencia y difusión de la gobernanza indígena territorial? 1.6. ¿Se han realizado acciones comunicacionales o elaborado estrategias diferenciadas por género o para jóvenes? II. Sección 2: Emprendimientos indígenas 2.1. ¿Se cuenta con estrategias/planes/ideas comunicacionales para el desarrollo de los emprendimientos indígenas? 2.2. ¿Qué logros se han tenido gracias a las mismas? III. Sección 3: Gobernanza y naturaleza regional del proyecto 3.1. ¿Qué aprendizajes y ventajas se han obtenido entre países, es decir, el contar en el proyecto con OOII de cuatro países, ha traído beneficios comunicacionales? 3.2. ¿Existe espacio para la mejora de una coordinación regional? Guía de entrevistas grupales Actor: Socio del Proyecto AIRR - Emprendimientos indígenas Tema: Economía y emprendimientos indígenas Entrevistador Fecha Lugar Relación de participantes Institución/organización Cargo/rol Género Edad Datos de contacto (teléfono, correo electrónico) 128 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Introducción Buenos días / tardes. Mi nombre es (NOMBRE DEL ENTREVISTADOR/A) investigador/a del Instituto de Estudios Peruanos, organización a cargo de realizar la evaluación de medio término del proyecto AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA: DERECHOS Y RECURSOS, o, AIRR por sus siglas en inglés. Este proyecto es administrado para USAID por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza -WWF, quien nos ha proporcionado su información de contacto para poder realizar esta entrevista. Gracias por su disposición a participar. Antes de empezar quisiera recordarles que la información que nos proporcionen en esta oportunidad será tratada con los mayores estándares de reserva y confidencialidad, respetando la privacidad de sus datos personales, y será utilizada exclusivamente para los fines de la evaluación intermedia. Las respuestas que recogeremos de los distintos actores involucrados en el proyecto AIRR serán presentadas únicamente de manera agregada, garantizando así el anonimato de todos los entrevistados. En ese sentido, quisiera solicitar su autorización para registrar el contenido de este grupo focal en formato de grabación y así recoger de la manera más fidedigna las coincidencias y diferentes puntos de vista de los participantes. El objetivo es evaluar el progreso del proyecto AIRR, capturar las lecciones aprendidas de los primeros tres años del proyecto, analizar escenarios futuros y recomendaciones del proyecto para fortalecer el desempeño, la gestión y la estructura de gobierno del proyecto, teniendo en cuenta los procesos operativos y organizativos en todo AIRR. Se busca proporcionar evidencia para la toma de decisiones y recomendaciones para la futura planificación e implementación del proyecto. Esta evaluación también proporcionará información para el diseño y la implementación de proyectos presentes y futuros de USAID que involucren a los Pueblos Indígenas en la región amazónica. En este sentido, en su rol de ACTOR de interés del Proyecto AIRR es muy importante poder contar con sus opiniones y puntos de vista. El grupo focal tiene una duración aproximada de 60 minutos. La información brindada por ustedes será utilizada únicamente en el marco de la evaluación y sus respuestas serán mantenidas en estricta confidencialidad, protegiendo su privacidad. I. Sección 1: Emprendimientos indígenas a) Economía indígena 1.1. ¿Qué estrategia de desarrollo del emprendimiento (fortalecimiento de capacidades, integración al mercado, identificación de cadenas de valor, búsqueda de socios, incrementos de capital, otros) se han implementado? 1.2. ¿Cuáles son los principales cambios en su emprendimiento a partir del trabajo con el Proyecto? ¿Cuál considera que es el avance del emprendimiento respecto a una situación sin proyecto? 1.3. ¿Desde que recibe apoyo del Proyecto AIRR ha logrado vender sus productos en algún mercado en el que no los vendía antes? ¿a qué nivel -local, nacional, regional, global? 1.4. ¿Considera que cuenta con mejores herramientas y estrategias para negociar la venta de sus productos y acceder a sus mercados objetivo? 1.5. ¿Cuáles son las metas que se trazaron en el marco del proyecto AIRR para su emprendimiento? ¿Se están cumpliendo? ¿Cuáles considera que son las razones para ello? 1.6. ¿El emprendimiento genera mayores ganancias desde que forma parte del proyecto AIRR? 1.7. ¿El desarrollo del emprendimiento ha impactado en la situación de las mujeres indígenas en términos económicos, de toma de decisiones? 129 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 1.8. ¿Cuál es el papel que juega este emprendimiento en el fortalecimiento o desarrollo de la economía indígena en la comunidad en que se desarrolla? ¿Específicamente cómo contribuye a la seguridad alimentaria de su comunidad? 1.9. Al finalizar este proceso, y considerando todo lo ya avanzado, ¿Piensa que el Proyecto AIRR estará contribuyendo al desarrollo de este emprendimiento (o de emprendimientos en este país): mucho, poco o nada? ¿Por qué? ¿En qué aspectos se podría mejorar? 130 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 131 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indi genous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX F. INTERVIEWEES Institución Cargo/Rol Lugar WWF - Colombia Punto focal Virtual WWF - Colombia Programa de formación Virtual WWF - Colombia Emprendimientos Virtual WWF - Perú Monitoreo indígena Virtual WWF - Perú Monitoreo indígena Virtual WWF - Perú Emprendimientos Virtual WWF - Perú Emprendimientos Virtual WWF - PMU Monitoreo y Evaluación (MEL) Virtual WWF - PMU Gestión del conocimiento (MEL) Virtual WWF - PMU Especialista en monitoreo biológico Virtual DAR Punto focal Virtual DAR EIA Peru Virtual DAR Derechos Virtual Emprendimiento AFIMAD - Comunidad Boca Pariamanu Presidente del Comité de Castañas Perú Emprendimiento AFIMAD - Comunidad Boca Pariamanu Socio del Comité de Castañas Veedor forestal Perú Emprendimiento AFIMAD - Comunidad Boca Pariamanu Presidente del Comité de Turismo Perú Emprendimiento AFIMAD - Comunidad Boca Pariamanu Representante de Mujeres Emprendedoras Perú Emprendimiento AFIMAD -Comunidad Puerto Arturo Tesorera del Comité de Castañas Presidenta de la C.N. Puerto Arturo Perú Emprendimiento AFIMAD -Comunidad Puerto Arturo Vicepresidente de AFIMAD Socio del Comité de Castañas Perú Emprendimiento AFIMAD -Comunidad Puerto Arturo Secretario del Comité de Castañas Perú Emprendimiento Asociación de Mujeres Cofánes de Dureno Soku Socia Ecuador Emprendimiento Asociación de Mujeres Cofánes de Dureno Soku Tesorera Ecuador Emprendimiento Asociación de Mujeres Cofánes de Dureno Soku Vicepresidenta Ecuador Emprendimiento Asociación de Mujeres Cofánes de Dureno Soku Varios Ecuador Emprendimiento Asociación de Mujeres Cofánes de Dureno Soku Presidenta Ecuador OZIP Punto focal Colombia OZIP Presidente de la organización Colombia BIOINCO Fundadora de BIOINCO Colombia BIOINCO Fundador de BIOINCO Colombia Asociación Challuwa Mikuna Presidente Ecuador Institución Cargo/Rol Lugar Asociación Challuwa Mikuna Socia Ecuador Asociación Challuwa Mikuna Representante Legal Ecuador Asociación Challuwa Mikuna Socia Ecuador Emprendimiento AMPIKSACHA Presidenta de la AMPIKSACHA Perú Emprendimiento AMPIKSACHA Punto focal Perú Emprendimiento AMPIKSACHA En reemplazo de la vicepresidenta Perú Emprendimiento AMPIKSACHA Tesorero Perú WWF - PMU Finanzas & Administración (principal) Virtual WWF - PMU Finanzas & Administración (back up) Virtual WWF - PMU Contratos AIRR Virtual WWF - PMU Informes financieros Virtual WWF - Brasil Punto focal Virtual WWF - Brasil Equipo técnico Virtual WWF - Brasil Equipo técnico Virtual WWF - Brasil Economía indígena Virtual Emprendimiento Frutiawajún Punto focal / Dirige Frutiawajún Perú Emprendimiento Frutiawajún Apu de la Comunidad Nativa Shimpiyacu del Altomayo Perú Emprendimiento Frutiawajún Coord. género Perú WWF - Ecuador Emprendimientos Ecuador WWF - Ecuador Punto focal Ecuador NESsT Cartera Brasil Virtual NESsT Cartera Brasil Virtual COIAB Gerência de Projetos Virtual COIAB Punto focal Comms Virtual OZIP Punto focal Comms Virtual AIDESEP Punto focal Comms Virtual Emprendimiento COOPAITER Diretor financeiro Virtual Emprendimiento COOPAITER Superintendente de produção Virtual ABEX Coordenadora técnica na ABEX Virtual IPAM Punto focal Virtual WWF - PMU Responsable objetivo 1 Perú NeSsT Responsable objetivo 2 Perú WWF - Perú Objetivo 1 Perú WWF - Perú Punto focal Perú WWF - PMU Directora interina Perú AIDESEP Punto focal / vicepresidente* Perú CONFENIAE Punto Focal/ vicepresidenta* Virtual Andiwayusa Representante de Andi Wayusa Ecuador Andiwayusa Proveedor de Andi Wayusa Ecuador Emprendimiento AFIMAD - Puerto Maldonado Presidente AFIMAD / Punto focal Perú OZIP Coordinador emprendimientos OZIP Colombia 132 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Institución Cargo/Rol Lugar Econawa Guía de turismo ECONAWA Colombia WWF - PMU Especialista de Comunicaciones Perú NESsT Cartera Ecuador Virtual CONFENIAE Presidente Fenash-p Virtual OPIAC Punto Focal* Virtual NESsT Cartera Colombia Virtual COICA Punto Focal técnico* Virtual WWF - PMU COORDINADOR REGIONAL DE WWF Virtual WWF - PMU Ex Director de AIRR Virtual USAID Agreement officer representative Virtual BID ESG Senior Specialist en Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo Virtual 133 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX G. ADDITIONAL TABLES COMPLEMENTING FINDINGS Tabla 1.1 Actividades para el desarrollo de habilidades - Brasil Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado Total 46 39 77 65 31 410 81% 2022 Curso De Formação De Lideranças Indígenas – Funcionamento Do Estado Brasileiro E Incidência Política 12 8 20 12 8 20 100% 2022 Encuentro De Protección De Defensores Indígenas De Derechos Humanos Y Ambientales 8 8 16 8 8 16 100% 2022 Fortalecimento Organizacional Associação Tapio 3 5 8 2 2 4 50% 2022 Fortalecimento Organizacional Associação Uruwi e o povo Apiaka 12 15 19 4 3 7 37% 2022 BRASIL: Capacitación en Adquisiciones con reglas de USAID 3 2 5 3 2 5 100% 2022 Construindo redes de Monitoramento Territorial Indígena" 8 1 9 8 1 9 100% 2022 Encuentro de mujeres indígenas en el Territorio Indígena Apiaká/Kayabi N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 300 N/D 2022 Intercambio de experiencias entre diferentes iniciativas de monitoreo territorial indígena N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 14 N/D 2022 Curso GIS/ACI￾SOMAI/Seguridad de datos N/D N/D N/D 9 1 10 N/D 2022 Cuatro expediciones de monitoreo, vigilancia y ocupación del territorio N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2021 Floresta em Rede "jovenes comunicadores" N/D N/D N/D 6 4 10 N/D 2021 Apresentação do projeto e dos objetivos das atividades que serão desenvolvidas / Eixo de monitoramento do projeto AIRR – Território Apiaká / Funcionalidades e prática de uso do aplicativo ACI N/D N/D N/D 13 2 15 N/D N/D = no hay datos Fuentes: 1. Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 2. Reportes Trimestrales y Anuales de AIRR (sombreados en gris) Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 134 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 1.2 Actividades para el desarrollo de habilidades - Colombia Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado Total 57 124 181 77 77 154 38% 2022 Programa De Formación En Gobernanza Territorial Indígena ­ PFGTI 9 27 36 5 12 17 47% 2022 Programa Fortalecimiento Administrativo OZIP 8 6 14 0 3 3 21% 2022 Colombia: Capacitación en Adquisiciones con reglas de USAID 0 3 3 0 3 3 100% 2022 Primer Encuentro de Jóvenes Indígenas del Putumayo “Tejiendo Pensamientos Unidos los Jóvenes” N/D N/D N/D 38 22 60 N/D 2022 “Encuentro de experiencias en procesos de consulta previa y proyectos extractivos: Consolidando la unidad para la defensa de la vida y la Amazonia” N/D N/D N/D 30 16 46 N/D 2022 “Encuentro de experiencias en procesos de consulta previa y proyectos extractivos: Consolidando la unidad para la defensa de la vida y la Amazonia” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2021 Encuentro de mujeres defensoras ambientales territoriales de la Organización Zonal Indígena del Putumayo Colombia 11 31 42 0 18 18 43% 2020 Curso introductorio en herramientas para facilitación en entornos virtuales* 12 23 35 2 0 2 6% 2020 Curso de profundización: diseño de eventos participativos en modalidad virtual y diseño de un proceso de formación de facilitadores locales* 17 34 51 2 3 5 10% N/D = no hay datos Fuentes: 1. Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 2. Reportes Trimestrales y Anuales de AIRR (sombreados en gris) Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 135 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 1.3 Actividades para el desarrollo de habilidades - Ecuador Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado Total 46 42 88 43 39 82 95% 2022 Gobernanza/Licenciamiento Ambiental /Estudios de Impacto Ambiental/ Diseño de Proyectos 15 13 28 15 13 28 100% 2022 Taller género y juventud para fortalecer participación de mujeres y jóvenes 17 13 30 15 12 27 90% 2022 Ecuador: Fortalecimiento y Actualización en las reglas de adquisiciones de USAID 0 4 4 0 4 4 100% 2021 Programa de Formación de Paralegales de las Nacionalidades Amazónicas 14 12 26 13 10 23 88% N/D = no hay datos Fuentes: 1. Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 2. Reportes Trimestrales y Anuales de AIRR (sombreados en gris) Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 136 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 1.4 Actividades para el desarrollo de habilidades - Perú Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado Total 391 289 693 362 180 587 50% 2022 Diplomado de Gobernanza, Incidencia y Comunicación Política - Egida 15 19 34 10 13 23 68% 2022 Especialización: Realidad Indígena Amazónica en el Contexto Nacional - Egida 12 12 24 7 8 15 63% 2022 Especialización: Gobernanza y gestión del territorio para el ejercicio de derechos humanos y la equidad de género en pueblos indígenas - Egida 25 18 43 17 12 29 67% 2022 Taller de capacitación en procedimientos administrativos y financieros con énfasis en las reglas de USAID 9 9 18 9 9 18 100% 2022 Cursos del SAAT: Definición de indicadores de monitoreo de amenazas 75 13 88 75 13 88 100% 2022 Curso de Derecho para Defensores Legales y Ambientales N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 45 N/D 2022 Encuentro de mujeres indígenas N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Taller de capacitación para actualización y validación de indicadores ambientales y sociales para el monitoreo N/D N/D N/D 28 5 33 N/D 2022 “Encuentro nacional de Veedurías forestales indígenas y control y vigilancia indígena” N/D N/D N/D 40 37 77 N/D 2022 Taller sobre Monitoreo comunitario integral de los Comités de Vigilancia Comunal (Capacitación Control y Vigilancia -SAAT) N/D N/D N/D 59 6 65 N/D 2021 Graduación de primer programa de diploma en gobernanza, defensa y comunicación política N/D N/D N/D 19 11 30 N/D 2021 Minga Nacional "Curso de fortalecimiento de capacidades para defensores ambientales e indígenas en el Perú" 12 7 19 8 6 14 74% 137 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado 2021 Encuentro regional para el intercambio de experiencias de los mecanismos de protección de los defensores y defensoras indígenas 10 7 17 8 5 13 76% 2021 Primer Encuentro Nacional para la protección de defensores y defensoras indígenas de la Amazonía Peruana 14 14 28 9 12 21 75% 2021 EGIDA-Soporte pedagógico 26 14 40 9 5 14 35% 2021 EGIDA-Comunicación política, vocería y liderazgo 25 12 37 3 1 4 11% 2021 EGIDA-Introducción al derecho y fundamentos del Estado. 24 13 37 12 5 17 46% 2021 EGIDA-Investigación y práctica 23 12 35 9 4 13 37% 2021 EGIDA-La política y lo político 23 11 34 9 5 14 41% 2021 EGIDA-Ecología y clima 4 10 27 7 5 12 44% 2021 EGIDA-Economía 17 12 29 9 6 15 52% 2021 EGIDA-Seminarios 21 12 33 7 2 9 27% 2021 Minga Nacional "Curso de fortalecimiento de capacidades para defensores ambientales e indígenas en el Perú" 27 37 64 4 7 11 17% 2020 Curso introductorio en herramientas para facilitación en entornos virtuales* 12 23 35 2 0 2 6% 2020 Curso de profundización: diseño de eventos participativos en modalidad virtual y diseño de un proceso de formación de facilitadores locales* 17 34 51 2 3 5 10% * Responsable WWF Colombia - Perú Fuentes: N/D = no hay datos Fuentes: 1. Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 2. Reportes Trimestrales y Anuales de AIRR (sombreados en gris) Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 138 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 1.5 Actividades para el desarrollo de habilidades - Regional Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado Total 47 27 74 68 48 243 63% 2022 COICA Regional: curso PRECOP programa de formación continua TI, CC y gobernanza 31 26 57 7 8 15 26% 2022 Curso de capacitación para monitores (SAT RR) 16 1 17 16 1 17 100% 2022 Módulo de formación sobre los principios y metodologías de monitoreo territorial del SAT COICA N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 77 N/D 2022 Foro “La participación como pilar de los derechos: inclusión de mujeres y jóvenes en la toma de decisiones por una Amazonía Viva” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Foro “Mecanismos de protección para defensores ambientales indígenas” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Foro “Mecanismos de protección para defensores ambientales indígenas N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Foro “Pacto de Leticia y la Iniciativa Amazónica del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID): Desafíos y Oportunidades para los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Panel “Investigación para la acción: impacto de las empresas petroleras en la Amazonía” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Mesa de trabajo de “Territorio y recursos naturales: monitoreo, inventarios, titulación, conservación y restauración” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2022 Panel “Fortalecimiento de iniciativa de bioeconomía en territorios indígenas de la cuenca amazónica” N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D 2021 Curso para líderes y lideresas indígenas “Mecanismos de respuesta ante la crisis climática” N/D N/D N/D 30 20 50 N/D 2021 "Encuentro Regional de Intercambio de Experiencias sobre Mecanismos de Protección N/D N/D N/D 8 6 14 N/D 139 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Año Nombre del evento Total de participantes Hombre Mujer Total Total de Aprobados Hombre Mujer Total %de aprobado para Defensores" y "Minga Regional de Fortalecimiento del Conocimiento para la Defensa de los Defensores Indígenas" 2021 Entrenamiento en enfoque de género y juventud N/D N/D N/D 7 13 20 N/D 2020 Dos cursos de formación especializada para los socios del proyecto sobre facilitación participativa en entornos virtuales N/D N/D N/D 50 N/D N/D = no hay datos Fuentes: 1. Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 2. Reportes Trimestrales y Anuales de AIRR (sombreados en gris) Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 140 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 1.2. Número de organizaciones indígenas que proporcionan insumos a los tomadores de decisión País Año OOII que proporcionó información Total Tomadores de decisiones a quienes se les proporcionó información o insumos Total Descripción Brasil 2022 Associação Tapi ó do povo Apiaka pontal dos isolados 2 Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da biodiversidade ICMBio, orgão gestor do Parque Nacional do Juruena. 2 Realizó en junio acciones de monitoreo y vigilancia. De forma paralela los dirigentes participaron activamente en las reuniones del consejo consultivo de Parque Nacional Juruena colocando en evidencia las presiones y amenazas al territorio, descubiertas durante el monitoreo. Brasil 2022 COIAB Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático (COP26) Colombia 2022 OPIAC 1 Comisión empalme gobierno Gustavo Petro 4 Colombia 2022 Mesa Permanente de Concertación Indígena PND ­ Colombia 2022 Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación - FAO Colombia 2022 COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú y CEPAL Se ha entregado información a tomadores de decisión a través de su participación en espacios de incidencia política por la defensa territorial. Entre estos espacios se destacan la Preconsulta del Plan Nacional de Desarrollo 2022 - 2026 y la presencia en la Mesa Permanente de Concertación y en la Mesa Regional Amazónica. Por otro lado, ha aportado insumos a la FAO para la construcción de una agenda conjunta para temas de Seguridad Alimentaria. Ecuador 2022 CONFENIAE 1 COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú y CEPAL 1 Participó en la COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú Perú 2022 AIDESEP 2 Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna SIlvestre (SERFOR) 8 Perú 2022 Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (SERNANP) Perú 2022 Dirección de Pueblos Indígenas y Contacto Inicial del Ministerio de Cultura (DACI MINCU) ­ Perú 2022 Dirección General de Cambio Climático y Desertificación del Ministerio del Ambiente (DGCCD-MINAM) Perú 2022 Programa Nacional de Bosques para la Mitigación del Cambio Climático del Ministerio del Ambiente (PNCBMCC-MINAM) Perú 2022 Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático (COP26) Perú 2022 Banco Mundial Perú 2022 COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú y CEPAL AIDESEP compartió los resultados del encuentro de veedurías indígenas, con cinco organizaciones de gobierno: SERNANP, PNCB, MINCU, MINAM, SERFOR. Perú 2022 COORPIA Banco Mundial 2 141 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov País Año OOII que proporcionó información Total Tomadores de decisiones a quienes se les proporcionó información o insumos Total Descripción Perú 2022 Estado Peruano (Ministerio del Ambiente) Participó del evento del Banco Mundial y encuentro con el Estado Peruano (Ministerio del Ambiente) Regionales 2022 COICA 1 COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú y CEPAL 6 Regionales 2022 Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID). Regionales 2022 Estados parte de la Convención Marco de Diversidad Biológica (CDB). Regionales 2022 FGC (Fondo Verde del Clima) Regionales 2022 Banco Mundial Regionales 2022 Estado Peruano (Ministerio del Ambiente) A nivel regional e internacional, varias organizaciones entregaron insumos para fortalecer la visión indígena y los derechos de los pueblos amazónicos, en varios espacios de incidencia internacional: - AIDESEP: participó en la COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú, en la COP 26 y en encuentro del Banco Mundial - COIAB: participó en la COP 26 de cambio climático - COICA: Propuesta presentada ante CEPAL y Propuesta presentada en el CDB Post 2020 (Regional), Pre COP y COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú, Banco Mundial y Estado Peruano (Ministerio del Ambiente), COP 26 de Cambio Climático. - CONFENIAE: participó en la COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú - COORPIA: evento del Banco Mundial y encuentro con el Estado Peruano (Ministerio del Ambiente) - OPIAC: participó en la Pre-COP 1 y COP 1 del Acuerdo de Escazú y en la propuesta presentada a la CEPAL Brasil 2021 Federação dos Povos Indígenas do Estado do Pará (FEPOIMT) Terra indígena Apiaka do Pontal e Isolados (1) 1 Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) - organo gestor del Parque Nacional de Juruena. 1 Colombia 2021 Organización Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía Colombiana (OPIAC) (2) 1 Ministerio de Ambiente - Dirección de Cambio Climático - Ruta de reglamentación de Mecanismos REDD+ Voluntarios en los territorios indígenas de la Amazonia colombiana. 4 Colombia 2021 ­ Departamento Nacional de Planeación ­ CONPES Amazónico Colombia 2021 Coalición LEAF- principios orientadores de financiamiento climático para territorios de los pueblos indígenas de la Amazonía suramericana - Las organizaciones indígenas estuvieron advocadas a solucionar emergencias derivadas de la pandemia y sus acciones de incidencia con tomadores de decisión en los temas relacionados con el proyecto se vieron limitadas. - El accionar de varias organizaciones se enfocó más en dar trascendencia a los impactos de la entrega de información, que, a la entrega de información en sí - Las acciones de monitoreo territorial programadas para este año se vieron afectadas por las restricciones para hacer trabajo de campo. El monitoreo territorial es una fuente importante de información que permite a las OOII entregar insumos a los tomadores de decisión. 142 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov País Año OOII que proporcionó información Total Tomadores de decisiones a quienes se les proporcionó información o insumos Total Descripción Colombia 2021 People Forest Partnership - Principios orientadores de financiamiento climático para los territorios indígenas Ecuador 2021 Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE) 1 Senado del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos 1 Perú 2021 Asociación Interétnica para el Desarrollo de la Selva Peruana (AIDESEP) (3) 1 Ministerio de Cultura (MINCUL) 5 Perú 2021 Centro Nacional de Planeamiento Estratégico (CEPLAN) Perú 2021 Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (SERNANP) Perú 2021 Programa Nacional de Conservación de Bosques para la Mitigación del Cambio Climático Perú 2021 Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) Regionales 2021 Coordinadora de las Organizaciones Indígenas de la Cuenca Amazónica (COICA) (4) 1 Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) - Foro permanente de Cuestiones indígenas 5 Regionales 2021 Banco Mundial (BM) - Salvaguardas Regionales 2021 Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)- Unidad de Soluciones Ambientales y Sociales Regionales 2021 Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) - 80x25 Regionales 2021 Leaders Summit on Climate Fuentes: Expediciones de Vigilancia Territorial Pueblo Apiaká – TI Apiaká do Pontal e Isolados Acta de sesión extraordinaria de la mesa regional Amazónica. Tema: Implementación del proyecto Colombia REDD + Pago por los resultados de los periodos 2015 - 2016, financiado por los recursos del Fondo Verde de Clima (GCF) y que tiene como entidad ejecutora a la FAO. AIDESEP, Conversatorio de Planes de Vida I y II. COICA, Informe sobre el 20 período de sesiones (19 a 30 de abril de 2021). 1. Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 2. Reportes Trimestrales y Anuales de AIRR (sombreados en gris) Elaboración: Equipo evaluador 143 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 1.3. Número de instituciones o tomadores de decisión con planes y medidas que incluyen las prioridades de las organizaciones indígenas Año País Instituciones o tomadores de decisión Total Descripción 2022 Brasil Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da biodiversidade ICMBio, orgão gestor do Parque Nacional do Juruena. 9 Se tomó acciones ante eventos ilegales gracias al monitoreo territorial y denuncias de las OOII en el territorio (1). 2022 Brasil Instituto Brasileiro de Recursos Naturais e Meio Ambiente, IBAMA proporcionou treinamento de Agentes Ambientais na Aldeia Matrinxã a pedido dos indígenas para melhorar as ações de proteção e vigilancia. Se proporcionó entrenamiento a Agentes Ambientales em la Aldea Matrinxã, a pedido de los pueblos indígenas, para mejorar las acciones de protección y vigilancia territorial. 2022 Internacional CDB (SBSTTA): Presentación de las propuestas que desde la COICA se levantaron en la 24ª reunión del Órgano Subsidiario de Asesoramiento Científico, Técnico y Tecnológico (SBSTTA) Ginebra 2022. Se tomaron en cuenta las recomendaciones hechas por las OOII, en la 24ª reunión del SBSTTA, en Ginebra 2022 (2) . 2022 Internacional COP 1 Escazú (CEPAL): Adopción de la decisión I/6 sobre el Grupo de defensores ambientales. Adopción de la decisión I/6 sobre le Grupo de defensores ambientales. 2022 Internacional Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID). Acuerdo de cooperación que contribuirá a reforzar las capacidades institucionales de la COICA para acciones en el marco de la Moción Amazonía 80x25 (3) . 2022 Internacional FGC (Fondo Verde del Clima) Acuerdo de cooperación con COICA para apoyar sus objetivos en el marco del cambio climático. 2022 Perú Fiscalía Provincial Penal de Condorcanqui Se inició, gracias a la incidencia desde AIDESEP, investigación contra personas por el delito contra la libertad personal en la modalidad de secuestro a miembros de la organización de desarrollo de las comunidades fronterizas del Cenepa (ODECOFROC) 2022 Perú Fiscalía Especializada de Loreto-Iquitos Se iniciaron acciones ante el denuncio de AIDESEP sobre el derrame de petróleo en Cuninico y en el territorio de la Nación Chapra y dispusieron el ingreso a la zona afectada para tomar registro de lo sucedido y se exija a la empresa petrolera la aplicación del plan de contingencia. 144 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Año País Instituciones o tomadores de decisión Total Descripción 2022 Perú Fiscalía Especializada de Loreto-Nauta Se iniciaron acciones ante el denuncio de AIDESEP sobre el derrame de petróleo en Cuninico y en el territorio de la Nación Chapra y dispusieron el ingreso a la zona afectada para tomar registro de lo sucedido y se exija a la empresa petrolera la aplicación del plan de contingencia. 2021 Brasil Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio). Orgão gestor do Parque Nacional do Juruena 4 Inspección Vial de São Tomé 2021 Internacional Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) - Foro permanente de Cuestiones indígenas Se llevó a cabo el Foro permanente de Cuestiones indígenas 2021 Internacional Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) - 80x25 Iniciativa 80x25 2021 Internacional Banco Mundial (BM) - Salvaguardas Salvaguardas Sociales y Ambientales 2020 Internacional Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) 1 En diciembre de 2019, el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), en el proceso de revisión y actualización de sus políticas socioambientales (salvaguardas), inició la etapa de consultas públicas. DAR, junto con COICA analizaron dicho documento y advirtió la disminución de la participación de PPII en las salvaguardas. Comenzamos entonces un trabajo para que las nuevas políticas del BID incluyan conceptos y estándares internacionales de derechos de pueblos indígenas. En febrero y marzo trabajamos con las OOII (COICA y AIDESEP) y realizamos las recomendaciones al BID y finalmente en septiembre se publicó el nuevo Marco de Política Ambiental y Social del BID incluyendo las prioridades de los PPII. Fuente: ICMBio, acta De La XIX Reunión Del Consejo Consultivo Del Parque Nacional De Juruena – Conparnaju COICA: 1. Informe De La 24a Reunión Del Órgano Subsidiario De Asesoramiento Científico, Técnico Y Tecnológico - 2. Recomendación Adoptada Por El Órgano Subsidiario De Asesoramiento Científico, Técnico Y Tecnológico COICA – BID, documento de Cooperación Técnica (CT). COICA 80x25 – Fortalecimiento Institucional Herramientas de colección de información MEL_AIRR – Años fiscales 2020, 2021 y 2022 Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 145 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 146 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.1. Convocatorias emprendimientos/empresas indígenas País y convocatoria Categoría I Categoría 2 Categoría 3 Perú Convocatoria 2020 (lanzamiento 12 agosto) Convocatoria 2021 (lanzamiento 30 abril): solo para la categoría 3 Etapa Temprana: Deben haber realizado ventas iniciales con un público. Las propuestas que se presentan cuentan con un producto mínimo viable1/. Legalmente constituidos. Debe haber registrado ventas iniciales con un público, menores a S/20.000. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$10,000. Etapa Media: Deben mantener un registro de ventas, pero que aún se encuentran validando un modelo de negocio2/ en el mercado. Legalmente constituidos. Debe haber registrado ventas entre S/20,000 y S/150,000 en el año anterior de operaciones. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$20,000 Etapa Avanzada: Deben mantener un registro de ventas suficientes para continuar las operaciones. Pueden tener limitaciones para invertir en el crecimiento, pero se encuentran preparadas para escalar su negocio. Legalmente constituidos. Debe haber registrado ventas mayores a S/150,000 en el año anterior de operaciones. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$30,000. Colombia Convocatoria 2020 (lanzamiento 01 octubre) Etapa Temprana: Debe tener alguna forma de organización (grupo de trabajo, asociación, cooperativa). Debe contar con algún producto o servicio listo para ofrecer al público. Debe haber realizado algunas ventas iniciales al público. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$17,000 Etapa Media: Estar legalmente constituido. Haber alcanzado ingresos o ventas de al menos $ 45 millones de pesos3/ en el año anterior de operaciones. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$30,000 Etapa Avanzada: Estar legalmente constituido. Haber alcanzado ingresos o ventas anuales de al menos $150 millones de pesos4/ en el año anterior de operaciones. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$55,000. Ecuador Convocatoria 2021 (lanzamiento 12 agosto) Etapa Temprana: Debe tener alguna forma de organización (grupo de trabajo, asociación, cooperativa). Debe contar con algún producto o servicio listo para ofrecer al público. Debe haber realizado algunas ventas iniciales al público. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$10,000 Etapa Media: Estar legalmente constituido. Haber alcanzado ingresos o ventas de al menos 10,000 US$ en el año anterior de operaciones. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$20,000 Etapa Avanzada: Estar legalmente constituido. Haber alcanzado ingresos o ventas anuales de al menos 30,000 US$ en el año anterior de operaciones. Financiamiento por parte del proyecto AIRR de hasta US$30,000. Brasil Convocatoria 2021 (lanzamiento 31 mayo) Iniciativas incipientes: Asociaciones indígenas que cuentan con un CNPJ (código de identificación fiscal) activo, tener al menos 1 año de ventas formales, ingresos por debajo de R$ 100 mil5/ por año, mínimo de 10 familias beneficiarias Donación de R$ 20 mil6/ Posteriormente subió a 10 mil USD8/ Iniciativas más avanzadas: Asociaciones indígenas que cuentan con un CNPJ activo, tener al menos 2 años de ventas formales, ingresos superiores a R$ 100 mil5/ por año, mínimo de 30 familias beneficiadas Donación de R$ 40 mil7/ Posteriormente subió a 20 mil USD8/ n.a. 1/ Es el conjunto más reducido de características de un producto o servicio que provoca una respuesta por parte de los clientes. Tienen capacidad de iniciar pruebas en el mercado para conocer sobre la utilidad, pertinencia, potencialidad de uso y compra. 2/ Para validar un modelo de negocio es necesario definir los aspectos claves de mercado y un análisis de su entorno. 3/ Aproximadamente 9,653 US$. 4/ Aproximadamente 32,177 US$. 147 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov 5/ Aproximadamente 19,624 US$. 6/ Aproximadamente 3,924 US$. 7/ Aproximadamente 7,850 US$. 8/ Según el último reporte anual (AIRR, 2022b) los montos reportados son los mencionados, aunque no se especifica en qué momento se cambió el monto de la donación. Fuente: AIRR (2020a y 2020b), AIRR (2021a, 2021b y 2021c). Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 148 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.2. Emprendimientos apoyados por el proyecto AIRR - Brasil Nombre del Emprendimiento Indígena Año de creación Sector de los emprendimientos indígenas Líder del emprendimiento Género Juventud Número de comunidades indígenas que participan en los emprendimientos indígenas Número de socios en los emprendimientos indígenas Monto desembolsado (USD y % del total comprometido) Uso del apoyo financiero Categoría 1 (10 mil USD) Associação Bebô Xikrin do Bacajá - ABEX 2003 Artesanía y moda sostenible Hombre Joven 21 1129 4.2 mil 51% Insumos Servicios (capacitación en costura) Associação Indígena Xavante Ripá de Produtividade e Etnodesenvolvimento - AIRE 2016 Otro Hombre No joven 1 89 6.1 mil 68% Equipos productivos Equipos tecnológicos (incluye antena de internet por satélite) Casa de Cultura Karajá 2002 Artesanía y moda sostenible Hombre No joven 9 100 7.1 mil 58% Honorarios Equipo productivo Insumos Servicios (capacitación en ventas online y otros) Associação de Moradores Agroextrativista e Indígenas do Tapajós - AMPRAVAT 1996 Agroforestería Mujer Joven 6 120 4.2 mil 63% Equipos de trabajo Gastos varios (administrativos) Categoría 2 (20 mil USD) Instituto Munduruku 2005 Aprovechamiento de recursos maderables y/o no maderables Hombre Joven 3 45 8.4 mil 100% Equipos productivos 149 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Nombre del Emprendimiento Indígena Año de creación Sector de los emprendimientos indígenas Líder del emprendimiento Género Juventud Número de comunidades indígenas que participan en los emprendimientos indígenas Número de socios en los emprendimientos indígenas Monto desembolsado (USD y % del total comprometido) Uso del apoyo financiero Gastos varios (administrativos, otros) Servicios (senderos) Associação Indígena Kawaiwete 2013 Aprovechamiento de recursos maderables y/o no maderables Hombre No joven 12 533 8.4 mil 78% Equipos productivos Insumos Gastos varios (administrativos, otros) Cooperativa de Produção e Desenvolvimento do Povo Indígena Paiter Suruí (COOPAITER) 2017 Aprovechamiento de recursos maderables y/o no maderables Hombre No joven 20 238 8.4 mil 75% Equipo de trabajo Servicios (electricista, envasado) Fuente: Herramienta de colección de información MEL_AIRR_FY22_20221020, AIRR (2020a y 2020b), AIRR (2021a, 2021b y 2021c). Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 150 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.2. Emprendimientos apoyados por el proyecto AIRR - Colombia Nombre del Emprendimiento Indígena Año de creación Sector de los emprendimientos indígenas Líder del emprendimiento Género Juventud Número de comunidades indígenas que participan en los emprendimientos indígenas Número de socios en los emprendimientos indígenas Monto desembolsado (USD y % del total comprometido) Uso del apoyo financiero Categoría 1 (17 mil USD) Comaiji 2019 Agroindustria Mujer No joven 1 13 4.5 mil 26% Taller producción aceite Servicio (análisis de muestras de aceite) Econawa 2018 Turismo y servicios vinculados Hombre No joven 1 10 14.6 mil 86% Equipos productivos Insumos Servicios (marketing) Honorarios Categoría 2 (30 mil USD) Centro Etnoartístico Achalay 2017 Turismo y servicios vinculados Hombre No joven 1 4 15.3 mil 52% Bioincos (ex Amazónica de Colombia) 2017 Agroindustria Mujer No joven 3 3 17 mil 100% Equipos productivos Insumos Categoría 3 (55 mil USD) Arte Colibrí Artesanías 2012 Artesanía y moda sostenible Mujer No joven 1 9 41.7 mil 76% Equipo productivo Insumos Asociación Shinyak 2016 Artesanía y moda sostenible Hombre No joven 1 17 53 mil 96% Equipos productivos Fuente: Herramienta de colección de información MEL_AIRR_FY22_20221020, AIRR (2020a y 2020b), AIRR (2021a, 2021b y 2021c). Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 151 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.2. Emprendimientos apoyados por el proyecto AIRR - Ecuador Nombre del Emprendimiento Indígena Año de creación Sector de los emprendimientos indígenas Líder del emprendimiento Género Juventud Número de comunidades indígenas que participan en los emprendimientos indígenas Número de socios en los emprendimientos indígenas Monto desembolsado (USD y % del total comprometido) Uso del apoyo financiero Categoría 1 (10 mil USD) Asociación de Mujeres Ciofánes de Dureno SOKU 2011 Artesanía y moda sostenible Mujer Joven 1 50 7.4 mil 74% Equipo productivo Equipos de trabajo Insumos Categoría 2 (20 mil USD) Andi Wayusa 2020 Agroindustria Mujer No joven 1 10 11.6 mil 58% Equipo productivo Equipos de trabajo Asociación Shuar Cultural Center 2019 Turismo y servicios vinculados Hombre Joven 1 6 4.9 mil 25% Equipos de trabajo Servicios (pág. web, branding) Centro de Turismo Comunitario Ila Kucha 2017 Turismo y servicios vinculados Hombre No joven 1 210 12.4 mil 62% Equipos productivos Equipos de trabajo Instalación fibra óptica Servicio (capacitación en producción de artesanías) Categoría 3 (30 mil USD) Asociación Challuwa Mikuna 2011 Agroindustria Mujer No joven 1 20 23.5 mil 78% Equipos productivos Equipos tecnológicos Emnpresa Comunitaria El Pilchi Lodge y Mandi Wasi 2011 Turismo y servicios vinculados Mujer No joven 1 210 10.2 mil 34% Equipos productivos Equipos tecnológicos Generador solar (para acceso a internet) Fuente: Herramienta de colección de información MEL_AIRR_FY22_20221020, AIRR (2020a y 2020b), AIRR (2021a, 2021b y 2021c). Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 152 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.2. Emprendimientos apoyados por el proyecto AIRR - Perú Nombre del Emprendimiento Indígena Año de creación Sector de los emprendimien tos indígenas Líder del emprendimien to Género Juventud Número de comunidades indígenas que participan en los emprendimientos indígenas Número de socios en los emprendimient os indígenas Monto desembolsado (USD y % del total comprometido) Uso del apoyo financiero Categoría 1 (10 mil USD) Cooperativa de Servicios Múltiples Shipibo Konibo Xetebo (KOSHICOOP) 2019 Agroforestería Hombre No joven 10 102 10 mil 100% Equipos de trabajo Honorarios Asociación de Productores de Plantas Medicinales Ampik Sacha 2010 Maderables y/o no maderables Mujer No joven 4 27 4.9 mil 100% n.d. Asociación de Mujeres Organizadas Choco Warmis 2013 Agroindustria Mujer No joven 2 25 7 mil 70% Equipos productivos Equipos de trabajo Reparación de equipo productivo Honorarios Insumos Asociación Bosque de las Nuwas 2018 Turismo y servicios vinculados Mujer No joven 1 75 6.8 mil 100% Equipos de trabajo Honorarios Mobiliario Servicios (guion para turistas) Asociación Social de Pescadores Artesanales de Paiche Puitsatawarakana Kukama (Aspappuku) 2018 Pesca y acuicultura sostenible Hombre No joven 7 73 3.8mil 57% Equipos de comunicación Acondicionamiento de la planta de transformación Registro sanitario Servicios (fichas técnicas y catálogos) Categoría 2 (20 mil USD) Frutiawajún S.A.C. 2014 Agroindustria Hombre No joven 1 3 7.2 mil 100% Acondicionamiento de la planta de transformación 153 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Nombre del Emprendimiento Indígena Año de creación Sector de los emprendimien tos indígenas Líder del emprendimien to Género Juventud Número de comunidades indígenas que participan en los emprendimientos indígenas Número de socios en los emprendimient os indígenas Monto desembolsado (USD y % del total comprometido) Uso del apoyo financiero Asociación de Manejo de Bosques Naturales Esperanza (ABNME) 2014 Agroindustria Hombre No joven 1 8 11.1 mil 73% n.d. Asociación de Mujeres Productoras Charapi de La Comunidad Nativa Musakarusha - Río Pastaza 2016 Pesca y acuicultura sostenible Mujer No joven 1 20 14 mil 70% Honorarios Trámites formalización Participación en ferias Categoría 3 (30 mil USD) Asociación De Productores Kemito Ene 2010 Agroindustria Hombre No joven 21 462 15 mil 50% Honorarios Equipos productivos Servicios (diagramación catálogo) Asociación Forestal Indígena Madre de Dios - AFIMAD 2008 Aprovechamient o de recursos Hombre No joven 12 219 15 mil 50% n.d. 154 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.3. Fortalecimiento de Capacidades de Gestión de los Emprendimientos Indígenas – Trimestre reportado: Octubre - diciembre 2021 Brasil Colombia Ecuador Perú Objetivo: Fortalecer las capacidades de los líderes de cada emprendimiento a partir de módulos de capacitación empresarial, en temas de Legal, Contabilidad y Finanzas. Desarrollo: En Perú y Ecuador se culminó con las capacitaciones en tema Legal y, en Colombia, con las capacitaciones en tema de Contabilidad. Cada módulo fue dividido en sesiones teóricas, con la participación conjunta de todos los emprendimientos en cada país, y en sesiones personalizadas entre el capacitador y los miembros de cada emprendimiento, donde se reforzaron conceptos y se trabajaron necesidades específicas de cada emprendimiento. Aún no se han tenido avances en este período. En este periodo se culminó el Módulo de Contabilidad, donde se trabajaron 8 sesiones teóricas y 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Cada sesión tuvo una duración de 2 horas, haciendo un total de 32 horas para el desarrollo del módulo. También se tuvieron avances en las compras de materiales y equipos presupuestados para cada emprendimiento, siendo este liderado por WWF Colombia Participación promedio3/: 2.4 personas por emprendimiento4/ En este periodo se culminó el Módulo de Legal, donde se trabajaron 9 sesiones teóricas y 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Cada sesión tuvo una duración de 2 horas, haciendo un total de 34 horas para el desarrollo del módulo. También se tuvieron avances en la ejecución de consultorías presupuestadas para 2 EI, siendo este liderado por WWF Ecuador. Participación promedio3/: 6 personas por emprendimiento En este periodo se culminó el Módulo de Legal, donde se trabajaron 8 sesiones teóricas y 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Cada sesión tuvo una duración de 2 horas, haciendo un total de 32 horas para el desarrollo del módulo. Participación promedio3/: 3.7 personas por emprendimiento 155 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.3. Fortalecimiento de Capacidades de Gestión de los Emprendimientos Indígenas – Trimestre reportado: Enero - marzo 2022 Brasil Colombia Ecuador Perú Objetivo: Fortalecer las capacidades de los líderes de cada emprendimiento a partir de módulos de capacitación empresarial, en temas de Legal, Contabilidad, Finanzas y Gestión Desarrollo: En Perú y Ecuador se culminó con las capacitaciones en tema Contable y, en Colombia, con las capacitaciones en tema de Finanzas. Cada módulo fue dividido en sesiones teóricas, con la participación conjunta de todos los emprendimientos en cada país, y en sesiones personalizadas entre el capacitador y los miembros de cada emprendimiento, donde se reforzaron conceptos y se trabajaron necesidades específicas de cada emprendimiento. En el caso de Brasil, se desarrollaron talleres de manera presencial enfocados inicialmente en temas de gestión empresarial. En este periodo se ha venido desarrollando el Módulo de Gestión de proyectos y Módulo de Gestión Financiera, teniendo un avance un mínimo de 8 horas por emprendimiento tanto en sesiones teóricas como con acompañamiento personalizado. Aun estos módulos están en curso continuando el acompañamiento en el siguiente periodo. Participación promedio3/: 3.4 personas por emprendimiento En este periodo se culminó el Módulo de Finanzas, donde se trabajaron 10 sesiones teóricas y 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Cada sesión tuvo una duración de 2 horas, haciendo un total de 36 horas para el desarrollo del módulo. Participación promedio3/: 1.4 personas por emprendimiento 4/ En este periodo se culminó el Módulo de Contabilidad, donde se trabajaron 10 sesiones teóricas y 7-8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Cada sesión tuvo una duración de 2 horas, haciendo un total máximo de 36 horas para el desarrollo del módulo. También se tuvieron avances en la ejecución de consultorías y compras de maquinaria y equipos presupuestados para los 6 EI, siendo este liderado por WWF Ecuador. Participación promedio3/: 0.83 personas por emprendimiento 3/ En este periodo se culminó el Módulo de Contabilidad, donde se trabajaron 11 sesiones teóricas y 6-8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Cada sesión tuvo una duración de 2 horas, haciendo un total máximo de 38 horas para el desarrollo del módulo. Participación promedio3/: 1.6 personas por emprendimiento 156 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 2.3. Fortalecimiento de Capacidades de Gestión de los Emprendimientos Indígenas – Trimestre reportado: Octubre - diciembre 2022 Brasil Colombia Ecuador Perú Objetivo: Fortalecer las capacidades de los líderes de cada emprendimiento a partir de módulos de capacitación empresarial, en temas de Legal, Contabilidad, Finanzas y Gestión. Desarrollo: En Perú, Colombia y Ecuador se culminaron con las capacitaciones en tema Legal, Contable y Financiero. Cada módulo fue dividido en sesiones teóricas, con la participación conjunta de todos los emprendimientos en cada país, y en sesiones personalizadas entre el capacitador y los miembros de cada emprendimiento, donde se reforzaron conceptos y se trabajaron necesidades específicas de cada emprendimiento. En el caso de Brasil, se desarrollaron talleres de manera presencial enfocados en temas de gestión empresarial y financieros. Durante este periodo se desarrollaron el Módulo de Gestión de Proyectos, el Módulo de Gestión Financiera, el Módulo de Comunicación y Marketing, el Módulo de Certificación y Trazabilidad con el Módulo de Desarrollo de Producto y el Módulo de Plan de Negocio, con una carga de trabajo de 8 horas cada uno, siendo sesiones teóricas y de seguimiento personalizado. Se realizaron visitas a cada una de las iniciativas indígenas con reuniones y aplicación del diagnóstico de talentos, y las capacitaciones de gestión financiera. Durante este período, también se celebró el Encuentro de Economía Indígena en Alter do Chão/PA. Participación promedio3/: 2.1 personas por emprendimiento Durante todo el AF22 con los EI de Colombia (exceptuando Comaiji) se realizaron 19 Talleres teóricos y 88 acompañamientos personalizados, de dos horas cada uno, en los Módulos de Contabilidad, Finanzas y Legal. En las diferentes sesiones y talleres participaron un total de 13 personas de los EI; 6 hombres y 7 mujeres. En total, todos los emprendedores participaron en 517 horas de capacitación durante el AF 2022, 272 en el módulo de finanzas, 170 en el módulo contable y 136 en el legal. Participación promedio3/: - Legal: 1.4 personas por emprendimiento - Contable: 1.2 personas por emprendimiento - Financiero: 1.2 personas por emprendimiento Durante el AF22 se desarrollaron talleres de capacitación en los Módulos legal, contable y financiero; haciendo un total de 27 sesiones teóricas y 133 sesiones personalizadas de 2 horas cada una. En el módulo de legal se trabajaron 9 sesiones teóricas y 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento, en el módulo de contabilidad se trabajaron 10 sesiones teóricas y hasta 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento, y en el módulo de finanzas se trabajaron 8 sesiones teóricas y hasta 9 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. También se tuvieron avances en la ejecución de consultorías y compras de maquinaria y equipos presupuestados para los 6 EI, siendo este liderado por WWF Ecuador. Participación promedio3/: - Legal: 0.83 personas por emprendimiento - Contable: 0.83 personas por emprendimiento - Financiero: 0.5 personas por emprendimiento Durante el AF22 se desarrollaron talleres de capacitación en los Módulos legal, contable y financiero; haciendo un total de 29 sesiones teóricas y 438 sesiones personalizadas de 2 horas cada una. En el módulo de legal se trabajaron 8 sesiones teóricas y hasta 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento, en el módulo de contabilidad se trabajaron 11 sesiones teóricas y hasta 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento, y en el módulo de finanzas se trabajaron 10 sesiones teóricas y hasta 8 sesiones de asesorías personalizadas con cada emprendimiento. Participación promedio3/: - Legal: 0.9 personas por emprendimiento - Contable: 1 personas por emprendimiento - Financiero: 0.9 personas por emprendimiento - Narrativa de ventas: 1.8 personas por emprendimiento 1/ Reporte trimestral. 2/ Reporte anual. 3/ Se considera a los participantes que hayan cumplido con el criterio del proyecto de haber asistido a más del 75% de las horas establecidas para ser considerado capacitado. 4/ El emprendimiento Comaji no ha podido participar de las capacitaciones debido a que no cuenta con acceso a internet ni equipos (laptop o celular). Fuente: NESsT (2021 y 2022), AIRR (2021b). Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 157 | | EVALUACIÓN INTERMEDIA: PROYECTO AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA, DERECHOS Y RECURSOS (AIRR) USAID.GOV Tabla 2.4. Espacios de discusión e intercambio sobre economía indígena Nombre y año del evento Año Cantidad y temática Participantes: países y actores Espacio Amazónico AF2020 2 foros 1) Cultura indígena y emprendimientos (agosto) 2) Intercambio de experiencias de iniciativas de negocio con impactos socioambientales (Setiembre) Todos los países Organizaciones indígenas y Emprendimientos Indígenas Espacio Amazónico AF2021 11 foros Intercambios para compartir conocimientos y experiencias sobre la cultura emprendedora y economía indígena Todos los países Organizaciones indígenas y Emprendimientos Indígenas Espacio Amazónico AF2022 4 foros. Temáticas: 1) La medición del impacto como estrategia de crecimiento; 2) Ordenando las operaciones para impulsar su negocio; 3) Experiencias con el consumidor: cliente final vs cliente corporativo; 4) Lentes de Género para impulsar sus iniciativas económicas. Todos los países Organizaciones indígenas y Emprendimientos Indígenas Encuentro de Economía Indígena 2022 1 encuentro Intercambio de experiencias entre los siete Emprendimientos Indígenas Brasil Emprendimientos Indígenas Otras entidades Primer Encuentro de emprendimientos de impacto: “Historias de impacto, una sola comunidad” 2022 3 encuentros simultáneos Los emprendimientos fortalecieron sus aprendizajes de liderazgo e intercambiaron experiencias no solo a nivel de cada país sino con otros países. Colombia, Ecuador, Perú El evento se llevó a cabo de manera simultánea en Mocoa (Colombia), El Coca (Ecuador) y Tarapoto (Perú) Emprendimientos indígenas Tres conversatorios sobre economía indígena en las tres zonas del Putumayo 2022 3 conversatorios. Temas: 1) Qué es economía indígena; 2) Cómo podemos fortalecer la economía indígena; 3) Economía Indígena y Gobernanza; 4) Conclusiones y reflexiones. Colombia OPIAC, OZIP, NESsT y WWF Taller sobre economía indígena 2022 1 taller Construcción de forma participativa del concepto de economía indígena (agosto) Ecuador CONFENIAE y 23 filiales Fuente: AIRR (2020c, 2021d, 2022b). Elaboración: Equipo evaluador 158 | | EVALUACIÓN INTERMEDIA: PROYECTO AMAZONÍA INDÍGENA, DERECHOS Y RECURSOS (AIRR) USAID.GOV Tabla 3.1. Funciones de los Comités aprobadas en su instalación CDR • Proporcionar orientación estratégica, durante mínimo dos reuniones del proyecto, cada año, en los dos espacios de pausa y reflexión. • Validar y aportar, anualmente, en la participación de las organizaciones indígenas (nacionales y regional) en los espacios de incidencia en el marco del Proyecto. • Abordar cualquier otro desafío u oportunidad que tenga un impacto en el proyecto en general. • Considerar la articulación entre las organizaciones en la planificación y manejo de recursos. • Compartir análisis de contexto de los países a nivel ambiental y de los PPII, sobre proyectos extractivistas y de infraestructura (catastro y procesos de consultas previas, análisis político/económico). • Articular los comités nacionales y el regional, para tener insumos y compartir conocimientos. CDN BRASIL OOII para la intervención en los paisajes priorizados. Elaborar planes de trabajo a partir del FY21 con el equipo PMU. Monitoreo de la implementación técnica y presupuestal (implementación del plan de trabajo, del Plan MEL, monitoreo de la ejecución presupuestal) Participar en los procesos de pausa y reflexión como parte de la gestión adaptativa. CDN COLOMBIA Seguimiento a las actividades del proyecto y construcción conjunta de planes de trabajo anuales. Selección de sitios de trabajo (acciones del proyecto) en las zonas del paisaje. Participación en las estrategias clave de intervención del proyecto. Insumos y retroalimentación sobre estudios socio económicos, el Plan de Género y Juventudes, Participación en la gobernanza del CDN ECUADOR Conformidad con las áreas de intervención del proyecto una vez que se incremente el perímetro para incluir en su totalidad a las nacionalidades que están cortadas por los bloques petroleros (ejemplo. Secoya). También solicitó CONFENIAE que se incluya a la nacionalidad AWA Énfasis al objetivo 2 Recursos. “Escalamiento de las empresas indígenas de manera equitativa y sostenible a nuevos CDN PERU Es el espacio de la toma de decisiones de manera consensuada para la implementación del proyecto a través de las reuniones periódicas, con la finalidad que todos los miembros del comité estén informados sobre el avance del proyecto y para que las decisiones relevantes puedan verse en este espacio. Coordinaciones técnicas, en el marco de las actividades y acciones del CEI BRASIL Participar de las sesiones del CEI y de los espacios de consulta para validar conceptos y criterios. Participar del proceso de selección de IEI (iniciativas económicas indígenas) que recibirán la incubación, así como su acompañamiento, a través de las reuniones del CEI. Ejecutar las actividades y demandas definidas por el conjunto de las organizaciones CEI COLOMBIA Desarrollo y validación del Concepto sobre Emprendimientos / Empresas indígenas. Validación de las bases de convocatoria de Emprendimientos / Empresas indígenas. Evaluación y selección de iniciativas, emprendimientos y/o empresas indígenas para recibir apoyo del proyecto. Evaluar y compartir las lecciones aprendidas de las empresas indígenas durante el proceso CEI ECUADOR Planeación y seguimiento de las actividades del Objetivo 2 Desarrollo y validación del Concepto sobre Emprendimientos/E mpresas indígenas Validación de las bases de convocatoria de emprendimientos /Empresas Indígenas Evaluación y selección de iniciativas, emprendimientos y/o empresas indígenas para recibir apoyo del proyecto CEI PERU La creación del Comité de Economía Indígena es sustantiva al abrir el canal de vinculación y diálogo con las diferentes organizaciones por lo que serán mecanismo de consulta y participación multisectorial. Además, se podrá obtener retroalimentación en la ejecución de las siguientes actividades del proyecto: Desarrollo y validación del Concepto sobre 159 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov CDN BRASIL Participar en la definición de estrategias de los proyectos a nivel nacional. Contribuir con la APEA y en el PGJ. Acompañar la implementación del PGJ. Contribuir con las metodologías de formación y definir participantes. Selección de participantes: espacios internacionales advocacy, y del entrenamiento y pasantías. Participación en la implementación del sistema de monitoreo indígena. Participación en la gobernanza del Programa de Entrenamiento en Gobernanza Territorial Indígena. (recibe actualizaciones a través de los PF) CDN COLOMBIA Programa de Formación en Gobernanza Territorial Indígena, Herramienta a través de la cual se hace el proceso de fortalecimiento de capacitaciones (metodología selección de participantes, temas relevantes, currículo, otros). Participación de delegados de organizaciones indígenas, en espacios de incidencia internacional. Cualquier organización miembro del Comité Directivo Nacional puede convocar a reunión del mismo. CDN ECUADOR mercados, porque en Ecuador este objetivo cuenta con recursos que serán canalizados para fortalecer los emprendimientos /empresas y cuya orientación se dará desde el Comité de Economía Indígena: El objetivo dos tiene como meta anual el apoyo a 5 emprendimientos/ empresas indígenas para que cuenten con capacidades de gestión empresarial fortalecidas en Ecuador. CDN PERU proyecto así mismo se va a coordinar con el comité de economía indígena para la implementación de acciones y criterios para la promoción de emprendimientos y validación también de la convocatoria y otras acciones en torno a la convocatoria de emprendimiento indígena que se viene desarrollando. CEI BRASIL participante del CEI. Transmitir y compartir en tiempo hábil los acuerdos o resultados a los que sus representados. CEI COLOMBIA de acompañamiento de estas. CEI ECUADOR Evaluación y apreciación de las lecciones aprendidas de las empresas indígenas durante el proceso de acompañamiento de las mismas. Transmitir los acuerdos o resultados a sus representados CEI PERU emprendimientos/e mpresas indígenas. Validación de las bases de convocatoria de emprendimientos/e mpresas indígenas. Evaluación y selección de emprendimientos/e mpresas indígenas para recibir apoyo del proyecto. Evaluar y compartir las lecciones aprendidas de emprendimientos/e mpresas indígenas durante el proceso de acompañamiento de las mismas. Sensibilización y concientización de la cultura empresarial entre los líderes comunitarios. Fuente; Actas de instalación de los Comités de los cuatro países. Carpeta 11. Comités. Elaboración Equipo Evaluador 160 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 3.2. Funciones de los CDN Brasil − Identificar los lugares y OOII para la intervención en los paisajes priorizados. − Elaborar planes de trabajo a partir del FY21 con el equipo PMU. − Monitoreo de la implementación técnica y presupuestal (implementación del plan de trabajo, del Plan MEL, monitoreo de la ejecución presupuestal) − Participar en los procesos de pausa y reflexión como parte de la gestión adaptativa. − Participar en la definición de estrategias de los proyectos a nivel nacional. − Contribuir con la APEA y en el PGJ. Acompañar la implementación del PGJ. − Contribuir con las metodologías de formación y definir participantes. − Selección de participantes: espacios internacionales de advocacy, y del entrenamiento y pasantías. − Participación en la implementación del sistema de monitoreo indígena. − Participación en la gobernanza del Programa de Entrenamiento en Gobernanza Territorial Indígena. (recibe actualizaciones a través de los PF). Colombia − Seguimiento a las actividades del proyecto y construcción conjunta de planes de trabajo anuales. − Selección de sitios de trabajo (acciones del proyecto) en las zonas del paisaje. − Participación en las estrategias clave de intervención del proyecto. − Insumos y retroalimentación sobre estudios socio económicos, el Plan de Género y Juventudes, y otras. − Participación en la gobernanza del Programa de Formación en Gobernanza Territorial Indígena, Herramienta a través de la cual se hace el proceso de fortalecimiento de capacitaciones (metodología selección de participantes, temas relevantes, currículo, otros). − Participación de delegados de organizaciones indígenas, en espacios de incidencia internacional. Ecuador − Conformidad con las áreas de intervención del proyecto una vez que se incremente el perímetro para incluir en su totalidad a las nacionalidades que están cortadas por los bloques petroleros (ejemplo. Secoya). También solicitó CONFENIAE que se incluya a la nacionalidad AWA. − Énfasis al objetivo 2 Recursos. “Escalamiento de las empresas indígenas de manera equitativa y sostenible a nuevos mercados, porque en Ecuador este objetivo cuenta con recursos que serán canalizados para fortalecer los emprendimientos/ empresas y cuya orientación se dará desde el Comité de Economía Indígena: El objetivo dos tiene como meta anual el apoyo a 5 emprendimientos/empresas indígenas para que cuenten con capacidades de gestión empresarial fortalecidas en Ecuador. Perú − Es el espacio de la toma de decisiones de manera consensuada para la implementación del proyecto a través de las reuniones periódicas, con la finalidad que todos los miembros del comité estén informados sobre el avance del proyecto y para que las decisiones relevantes puedan verse en este espacio. − Coordinaciones técnicas, en el marco de las actividades y acciones del proyecto así mismo se va a coordinar con el comité de economía indígena para la implementación de acciones y criterios para la promoción de emprendimientos y validación también de la convocatoria y otras acciones en torno a la convocatoria de emprendimiento indígena que se viene desarrollando. Fuente: 11. Comités. Actas de Instalación Elaboración. Equipo Evaluador 161 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Tabla 6.1. Cumplimiento de metas programadas en AIRR Nro. Indicador Línea de Base Primer Año Meta Programada Meta Lograda Segundo Año Meta Programada Meta Lograda Tercer Año Meta Programada Meta Lograda Meta Total AIRR 1C v de Has Cobertura forestal31 3127,190 May 2021 - - 3116,875 3116,875 3114,507 4803,302 4798, 259 AIRR 3 N. de Has manejo mej32 6122,027 May2021 0 0 1410,334 1473,149 2135,526 1629,47 0 6118,654 AIRR 4C N. de Pers con Benef33 0 0 0 430 428 1,500 3,853 5000 AIRR 5C Número de Pers capacitadas34 1569 Dic2020 May202135 50 7 200 280 300 794 450 AIRR 6C Número de OOII proporción insumos a tomadores de decisión 4 Dic2020 0 0 7 5 7 7 34 AIRR 7C Número. de instituciones o tomadores decisión con planes/ medidas incluyen/prioridades OOII 33 May 2021 0 1 1 4 3 9 7 AIRR 9C Número de EI apoyados para el desarrollo de sus capacidades empresariales. 0 May 2021 0 0 20 22 25 29 30 AIRR 10C Número de emprendimientos indígenas con socios comerciales nuevos. 0 May 2021 0 0 0 0 0 7 10 AIRR 11C Porcentaje de incremento en ventas de emprendimientos/empresas indígenas apoyados. 0% May 2021 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 35% 31 AIR 1C N. Has con cobertura forestal en las áreas de intervención de AIRR en la cuenca amazónica. 32 AIRR 3. Número de hectáreas de áreas de valor biológico significativo bajo manejo mejorado como resultado de la asistencia del USG [EG.10.2-2] 33 AIRR 4 Número de personas recibiendo co-beneficios de medios de vida (monetarios o no monetarios) asociados con la implementación de actividades sostenibles a escala de paisaje, bajo asistencia del USG [EG.13-5] 34 AIRR 5 Número de personas capacitadas en paisajes sostenibles con el apoyo del USG [EG.13-1]. 162 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Nro. Indicador Línea de Base Primer Año Meta Programada Meta Lograda Segundo Año Meta Programada Meta Lograda Tercer Año Meta Programada Meta Lograda Meta Total AIRR 12C Financiamiento adicional recaudado para apoyar a los emprendimientos indígenas. 0 May 2021 0 0 0 0 0 186,947 500,000 AIRR 13C Porcentaje de organizaciones asistidas por USG con desempeño mejorado 0 Set 2020 N/A N/A 75% 21% 61% 26% (67% OOII 17% EI) 80% AIRR 14C Número de empresas del sector privado comprometidas con los objetivos de asistencia exterior de los E. U. 0 May 2022 N/A N/A N/A N/A 27 31 32 Fuente: Reportes de los 3 años Proyecto AIRR Elaboración: Equipo Evaluador 163 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov ANNEX H: DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST Instructions: Peru MELS of USAID project will be undertaken so that they are not subject to the perception or reality of biased measurement or reporting due to conflict of interest1. For external evaluations, all evaluation team members will provide a signed statement attesting to a lack of conflict of interest or describing an existing conflict of interest relative to the project being evaluated2. Evaluators of USAID projects have a responsibility to maintain independence so that opinions, conclusions, judgments, and recommendations will be impartial and will be viewed as impartial by third parties. Evaluators and evaluation team members are to disclose all relevant facts regarding real or potential conflicts of interest that could lead reasonable third parties with knowledge of the relevant facts and circumstances to conclude that the evaluator or evaluation team member is not able to maintain independence and, thus, is not capable of exercising objective and impartial judgment on all issues associated with conducting and reporting the work. Operating Unit leadership, in close consultation with the Contracting Officer, will determine whether the real or potential conflict of interest is one that should disqualify an individual from the evaluation team or require recusal by that individual from evaluating certain aspects of the project(s). In addition, if evaluation team members gain access to proprietary information of other companies in the process of conducting the evaluation, then they must agree with the other companies to protect their information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished3. Real or potential conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to: 1. Immediate family or close family member who is an employee of the USAID operating unit managing the project(s) being evaluated or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 2. Financial interest that is direct, or is significant/material though indirect, in the implementing organization(s) whose projects are being evaluated or in the outcome of the evaluation. 3. Current or previous direct or significant/material though indirect experience with the project(s) being evaluated, including involvement in the project design or previous iterations of the project. 4. Current or previous work experience or seeking employment with the USAID operating unit managing the evaluation or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 5. Current or previous work experience with an organization that may be seen as an industry competitor with the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 6. Preconceived ideas toward individuals, groups, organizations, or objectives of the particular projects and organizations being evaluated that could bias the evaluation. 164 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Name Amalia Cuba Salerno Title Evaluadora Principal Organization Instituto de Estudios Peruanos Evaluation Position? X Team Leader Team member Evaluation Award Number (contract or other instrument) Subcontract № S-21-1019-IEP-02 Task Order № LINK-006-2022 USAIDProject(s) Evaluated (Include project name(s), implementer name(s) and award number(s), if applicable) Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR), Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) I have real or potential conflicts ofinterest to disclose. Yes No X If yes answered above, I disclose the following facts: Real or potential conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to: 1. Close family member who is an employee of the USAID operating unit managing the project(s) being evaluated or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 2. Financial interest that is direct, or is significant though indirect, in the implementing organization(s) whose projects are being evaluated or in the outcome of the evaluation. 3. Current or previous direct or significant though indirect experience with the project(s) being evaluated, including involvement in the project design or previous iterations of the project. 4. Current or previous work experience or seeking employment with the USAID operating unit managing the evaluation or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 5. Current or previous work experience with an organization that may be seen as an industry competitor with the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 6. Preconceived ideastoward individuals, groups, organizations, or objectives of the particular projects and organizations being evaluated that could biasthe evaluation. I certify (1) that I have completed this disclosure form fully and to the best of my ability and (2) that I will update this disclosure form promptly if relevant circumstances change. If I gain access to proprietary information of other companies, then I agree to protect their information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. Signature Date 03.10.2022 165 | Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov Name Rosa Morales Saravia Title Investigadora Principal Organization Instituto de Estudios Peruanos Evaluation Position? Team Leader X X Team member Evaluation Award Number (contract or other instrument) Subcontract№S-21-1019-IEP-02 Task Order № LINK-006-2022 USAIDProject(s) Evaluated (Include project name(s), implementer name(s) and award number(s), if applicable) Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR), Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) I have real or potential conflicts ofinterest to disclose. Yes X No If yes answered above, I disclose the following facts: Real or potential conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to: 1. Close family member who is an employee of the USAID operating unit managing the project(s) being evaluated or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 2. Financial interest that is direct, or is significant though indirect, in the implementing organization(s) whose projects are being evaluated or in the outcome of the evaluation. 3. Current or previous direct or significant though indirect experience with the project(s) being evaluated, including involvement in the project design or previous iterations of the project. 4. Current or previous work experience or seeking employment with the USAID operating unit managing the evaluation or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 5. Current or previous work experience with an organization that may be seen as an industry competitor with the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 6. Preconceived ideastoward individuals, groups, organizations, or objectives of the particular projects and organizations being evaluated that could biasthe evaluation. I certify (1) that I have completed this disclosure form fully and to the best of my ability and (2) that I will update this disclosure form promptly if relevant circumstances change. If I gain access to proprietary information of other companies, then I agree to protect their information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. Signature Date 03.10.22 166 | Name Alvaro Gálvez Pasco Title Investigador Principal Organization INSTITUTO DE ESTUDIOS PERUANOS Evaluation Position? Team Leader. x Team member Evaluation Award Number (contract or other instrument) Subcontract № S-21-1019-IEP-02 Task Order № LINK-006-2022 USAIDProject(s) Evaluated (Include project name(s), implementer name(s) and award number(s), if applicable) Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR), Amazon Indigenous Rights and Resources (AIRR) I have real or potential conflicts ofinterest to disclose. Yes x No If yes answered above, I disclose the following facts: Real or potential conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to: 1. Close family member who is an employee of the USAID operating unit managing the project(s) being evaluated or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 2. Financial interest that is direct, or is significant though indirect, in the implementing organization(s) whose projects are being evaluated or in the outcome of the evaluation. 3. Current or previous direct or significant though indirect experience with the project(s) being evaluated, including involvement in the project design or previous iterations of the project. 4. Current or previous work experience orseeking employment with the USAID operating unit managing the evaluation or the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 5. Current or previous work experience with an organization that may be seen as an industry competitor with the implementing organization(s) whose project(s) are being evaluated. 6. Preconceived ideastoward individuals, groups, organizations, or objectives of the particular projects and organizations being evaluated that could biasthe evaluation. I certify (1) that I have completed this disclosure form fully and to the best of my ability and (2) that I will update this disclosure form promptly if relevant circumstances change. If I gain access to proprietary information of other companies, then I agree to protect their information from unauthorized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. Signature Date 03.10.22 Mid Term Evaluation of Amazon and Indigenous Rights and Resources USAID.gov