Improving Stewardship and Sustainable Livelihoods SCCF-Resilient Bold Belize STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN

The Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the 'Improving Stewardship and Sustainable Livelihoods' project in Belize outlines a strategy to involve coastal communities, fisher associations, and government entities in climate adaptation. The project aims to benefit approximately 10,646 people, including 3,434 artisanal fishers, by strengthening the adaptive capacity of fisher associations, promoting climate-smart livelihoods, and improving knowledge management. The plan emphasizes gender-responsive approaches to ensure the participation of women and youth, and it establishes a multi-tiered grievance redress mechanism involving the project level, WWF US, and the GEF. Implementation is coordinated through a Project Management Unit (PMU) within a Conservation Trust Fund and aligns with the broader 'Resilient Bold Belize' Project Finance for Permanence initiative.

• The project targets transformational adaptation benefits for approximately 10,646 people in climate-vulnerable coastal communities, of whom 3,434 are artisanal fishers.
• The project is structured around three main components: strengthening the adaptive capacity of fisher associations for climate-resilient fisheries, improving climate-smart livelihood diversification, and enhancing knowledge management and communication.
• A socioeconomic study conducted in four prioritized coastal communities in 2024 revealed that less than 50% of respondents had a second source of income besides fishing, though most expressed openness to non-fishing economic opportunities.
• The project identifies several barriers to equitable engagement, including time constraints for government staff and community members, technical communication gaps, and power imbalances within fisher associations.
• To ensure gender-inclusive participation, the project will implement measures such as creating safe spaces for women, providing childcare and elderly care logistics, and embedding training on non-violent masculinities and gender equality.
• The project utilizes a three-tiered Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) to resolve disputes: a project-level mechanism administered by the PMU, a WWF GEF Agency mechanism, and the GEF Conflict Resolution Commissioner.
• The project is a strategic part of the 'Resilient Bold Belize' (RBB) Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiative, specifically contributing to the pillars of Fisheries Management and Livelihoods and Stewardship.
• Past consultations in communities like Hopkins, Seine Bight, and Monkey River highlighted significant local concerns regarding the lack of enforcement of fishing regulations, including illegal gill net use and fishing in no-take zones.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Improving Stewardship and Sustainable Livelihoods SCCF-Resilient Bold Belize STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2273/SEP_SCCF_Belize.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Improving Stewardship and Sustainable Livelihoods SCCF-Resilient Bold Belize STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2273/SEP_SCCF_Belize.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Improving Stewardship and Sustainable Livelihoods SCCF-Resilient Bold Belize STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2273/SEP_SCCF_Belize.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndimproving, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Improving Stewardship and Sustainable Livelihoods SCCF-Resilient Bold Belize STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2273/SEP_SCCF_Belize.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }