Smallholder Acceleration and REDD+ Programme: SHARP

The Smallholders Acceleration and REDD+ Programme (SHARP) is a multi-stakeholder partnership working with the private sector to support smallholders with the triple goal of improving rural livelihoods, increasing yields and reduce deforestation. The Proforest Initiative acted as secretariat for the SHARP partnership and Norad’s agreement partner throughout the 2013-2015 agreement period.

Why did Norway decide to support this project?

While assessing the project, Norad noticed Proforest’s comprehensive systems for monitoring, reporting and financial management. Norad also noted the SHARP project’s focus on transparency and knowledge sharing during the initial project assessment. 

Norad assessed the SHARP project as relevant to the NICFI goals due to its cooperation with companies to support smallholder sustainability, including increasing yields in existing production and decreasing deforestation during expansion and integrating the low deforestation products into supply chains. Norad assessment also emphasised the project’s potential for contributing to poverty reduction by improving smallholder livelihoods.  

Results

The project’s desired impact was decreased deforestation, increased yields and improved rural livelihoods in tropical forest countries. Final report of the project presented a thorough description of the baselines, impact and outcomes of the intervention. The Final report provided limited data on the project’s qualitative impact, but Norad considered the supplied information to be satisfactory.

The first intended outcome of the project was to launch improved models for sustainable smallholder development and management in forested landscapes. The Final report’s result example refers to Cameroon’s incorporation of cooperative smallholder models within the country’s palm oil development. Some activities terminated in 2015 due to a decline in the value of the Norwegian currency, and project activities in Liberia were stopped due to the Ebola outbreak in 2014. Overall, Norad consider the Final report to indicate acceptable deliveries regarding the Agreement’s Outcome 1.

The second intended outcome of the project was to integrate responsible, low-deforestation smallholder production into sustainable supply chains. The Final report’s result example make reference to use of the project’s Responsible Sourcing for Smallholders’ toolset in establishing cooperation between agroindustry and smallholders through different project initiatives in Indonesia, Cameroon, Philippines and Honduras. Overall, Norad consider the Final report to indicate acceptable deliveries regarding the Agreement’s Outcome 2. 

The third intended outcome of the project was to launch practical approaches to minimise deforestation in smallholder production areas. The Final report’s result example make reference to the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil’s endorsement of the project’s High Conservation Value, HCV, approach for independent smallholders with established plantations. Some Outcome 3 activities terminated in 2015 due to a decline in the value of the Norwegian currency. Overall, Norad consider the Final report to indicate acceptable deliveries regarding the Agreement’s Outcome 3.

• Please find the final results report to Norad from the Proforest Initative on the outcomes in the PDF file. The information presented is written by Proforest Initative. Their presentations and conclusions do not necessarily reflect the views of Norad.