TA 7833-REG: Capacity Building for the Efficient Utilization of Biomass for Bio-energy and Food Security in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)

The R-CDTA provided support in: (i) strengthening institutional linkages and mechanisms for regional cooperation on bioenergy and food security; (ii) technical support for designing and implementing pilot studies, undertaking studies and building capacity; and (iii) monitoring and reporting on the R-CDTA activities and outputs.

• Component 1: Enhanced regional cooperation on bioenergy development that safeguards and fosters food security.
• Component 2: Pilot testing of scaling up climate-friendly biomass investment projects: overseeing the design and implementation of at least 10 pilot gender-responsive investment models in CLV. Pilot projects tested investment modalities for scaling up successful small-scale project and included private sector participation. For mature technologies with ongoing government programs, built implementation structures which might have been involved subcontracting of NGOs to dry run the activities as an ADB investment project. For technologies that required further study, Centers of Excellence engaged to conduct research and evaluate technologies and identify institutional arrangement under the government system to scale-up as pilot investment project. On behalf of ADB, called for proposals on studies and pilot programs and organized stakeholder consultations to prioritized and agree on the priorities and appropriated parties to be subcontracted. Where activities were sub-contracted, managed this process and over seed the deliverables of subcontracted entities in accordance with ADB Guidelines on the Use of Consultants. Built upon the works of the GBEP in the monitoring and evaluation, including utilizing indicators developed by GBEP and other regional institutions.
• Component 3: Capacity for efficient utilization of biomass enhanced: Assessed the needs of and provided gender-sensitive capacity building support to participation of central and local governments, service providers, communities and women’s groups, to strengthen institutional and technical manpower to scale up biomass investment and to ensure sustainable uptake by rural communities.
• Component 4: Knowledge products developed and disseminated: Undertook a variety of activities to develop a body of knowledge on the efficient utilization of biomass for bioenergy and food security and disseminate findings. Linkages with regional centers of excellence will be created to promote knowledge transfer and cooperation between more advanced GMS countries and CLV. Distant learning materials such as self-learning CD or DVDs were developed and disseminated for each target group of stakeholders and distant learning modalities were implemented to provide mentoring where feasible.