Stakeholders and Community Based Organisations in the environment sector yesterday began a two-day sensitisation workshop on the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Small Grants Programme at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Bijilo.

The forum is organised by The National Environment Agency (NEA), who are the GEF operational focal point in The Gambia. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Global Environment Facility on Small Grants Programme was launched in The Gambia in 1992, to support activities of non-governmental and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) from developing countries to address climate change abatement, conservation of biodiversity and protection of International waters.

It was also designed to reduce impacts of persistent organic pollutants, prevention of land degradation and promotion of sustainable livelihoods among others. In his opening remark, Momodou B Sarr, the executive director of the National Environment Agency said it is important to point out that a great deal of effort and lobbying went in getting The Gambia admitted into the GEF Small Grants Programme.

According to him, although GEF currently has 178 members, out of which only 101 countries are currently admitted into the Small Grants Programme despite the high demand.

According to the NEA boss, the programme implementation has been very slow due to the long recruitment process for the national coordinator adding that since August this year, with the appointment of the current Project Coordinator, tremendous progress has been achieved.

"All the funds for the Small Grants Programme are provided by the GEF and the projects are implemented by the United Nations Development Programme on behalf of GEF partnership. Currently 101 countries including The Gambia which all have ratified the convention on Biological Diversity and Climate Change participate in the SGP.

The maximum grants amount per project is US$50,000, but on average, the project amounts are around US$20,000," he said. Mr Sarr further highlighted that these grants are channelled directly to CBOs, NGOs or the private sector but not through government, noting that it is important to note that government initiated projects are not eligible to obtain funding from Small Grants Programme.

However, he was quick to note that GEF places a great deal of emphasis on the accountability and project delivery , that the project must deliver the outputs in the project proposals or else the grant would eventually dry up.