Gulf of Mottama Project

Primary stakeholders are small and medium-scale fishermen, small-scale farmers, landless and land-poor households, women-headed households and youth.

System partners are Myanmar Fisheries Federation, Agriculture and Fisheries service and inputs providers, Micro-Finance Institutions.

In total, at least 100’000 people are benefitting directly and indirectly from the wise use and management of coastal natural resources

Outcome 1: Coastal livelihoods are more productive and diversified, their related value chains are developed, including opportunities for the most vulnerable women and men

Outcome 2: The unique biodiversity and ecosystem services of the GoM are sustainably managed and community adaptation to climate change is strengthened

Outcome 3: Good governance principles are promoted in the GoM with reduced conflicts over natural resource use

Expected results:  

-    Sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and farming livelihoods are improved and/or diversified through skills and market system development;

-    Communities’ and preparedness to climate change-related and other disasters is enhanced through appropriate knowledge, planning, and technology;

-    Coastal ecosystems are increasingly resilient to climate change and other disaster risks;

-    A sustainable management and funding mechanism for conservation activities has been established and is locally managed.

Results from previous phases:   In addition to strengthening local institutions, project phase 1 and 2 have strengthened local livelihoods and adaptation to climate change. They contributed to grant the GoM international recognition as a Ramsar Site.  Nearly 193’000 persons have improved their livelihoods, or 200% of the target, with interventions including climate smart agriculture technology training and seed provision, access to affordable credit, skills training for vulnerable populations, establishment of co-managed fishing areas and elimination of illegal fishing, and multi-stakeholder coordination of natural resource management plans. A mid-term evaluation in 2019 confirmed the relevance of the project, but recommended a stronger integration of conservation and livelihoods aspects. 

Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, in consortium with the International Union For Conservation of Nature and Network Activity Group.

The project is a mandate with a direct award to the implementing partners of the previous phase. The original procurement was conducted in accordance with procurement rules (PPA art. 21 lit. e.; FDFA directive 330-0)

SECO Biotrade Project; Swisscontact VSDP; Salween BRIDGE project funded by the Global Programme Water; DDR Regional Hub Bangkok, WWF, UNDP and other community resilience’s projects . CDE/University of Bern as a resource partner for GIS tools and mapping of climate change effects on coastal areas. Coordination will increase with Global Programme Climate Change.

Unlike in the two previous phases, the project will not directly collaborate with government bodies as per Switzerland’s current rules of engagement.