In situ and Ex situ Conservation of Commercial Tropical Trees - ITTO

116The key accomplishments during the past year include:• Implementation of joint federal-state enforcement campaigns duringthe year 2000 cutting and burning seasons throughout the Amazon;• Federal and state situation rooms worked in coordination with the fireprevention courses given to 10,000 small farmer and indigenous familiesin Roraima state by the PROTEGER project; and• Basic surveillance and control courses given to 152 IBAMA staff .Recent NRPP accomplishmentsIn synthesis, due to some limitations in the Project’s original concept and design,its ability to support alternative sustainable practices and obtain state politicalsupport was reduced. The removal of these constraints will soon release theproject’s considerable potential to promote environmental management andsustainable development.Capacity-Building InitiativesThe Program is supporting the strengthening of Brazilian organizations to fullytake on environmental policy and management responsibilities. In addition tobuilding state and municipal capacities through the NRPP project, the RFT isfunding the deepening of MMA’s policy and coordination capabilities as well asconsolidating the NGO Networks’ capacity to assure civil society participationin implementing and monitoring programs and policies.Ministry of Environment (MMA)The MMA, through the Secretariat for the Coordination of the Amazon – SCA,is in charge of coordination of the Program, with new additional responsibilities,in addition to other programs, with the double challenge of achievingenvironmental management and sustainable development of the Amazon. TheSCA has mobilized a staff of qualified and experienced professionals. However,it still lacks the resources and some skills to better coordinate and articulateactions to face these challenges. Additional resources to those already mobilizedfrom multilateral, bilateral and government budget sources, will significantlyenhance its coordination capacity.The Government presented a proposal for Program coordination,temporarily increasing total program management costs from US$2.6 to US$4million. The Government and the Bank agreed to analyze needs function-byfunction.Meanwhile, the JSC approved initial funding of US$ 300,000 from the