The micro-project approach aims, first of all, to contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of a number of Mediterranean wetlands, while strengthening through learning the capacities of emerging CSOs to act at certain sites. Operationality is preferred; however, for some partner CSOs and as needed, large-scale capacity building actions of emerging CSOs, combining participatory and operational dimensions, can constitute a micro-project.
The first waves of micro-projects are being funded thanks to generous support from the AFD and FFEM. For these first 16 micro-projects, the content is free and left to the discretion of the lead CSOs, depending on their priorities for action and the specificities of the national wetland context.
The micro-projects were selected along a number of criteria such as :
- contribution to meeting the specific challenges of one or more wetlands with high heritage value in the country;
- contribution to sustainable economic and social development in relation to ways of livelihoods that do not destroy biodiversity or natural resources;
- significant place given to women and youth in the micro-project ;
- contribution to behavioral change (illegal hunting, waste and effluent management, agricultural input management, etc.);
- contribution to raising awareness on the interest and value of the natural and cultural wetland heritage;
- innovative or replicable character;
- sustainability of results after the project; consolidation of the beneficiary CSO in its local fabric,
- etc.
