Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) study for the Nyika Vwaza landscape, Malawi

The Legacy Landscapes Fund (LLF) is a charitable foundation whose overall goal is to finance key conservation activities, inside and in the buffer zones of legally recognized Protected Areas (PAs), in globally significant biogeographical realms and landscapes of developing countries. AAE worked with LLF to conduct an Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) study in the landscape that applied for funding - the Nyika Vwaza landscape in Malawi, which comprises the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve. The ESDD study plays a key role in the funding process, as its findings will inform the final decision on financial support.The AAE team assessed whether the existing environmental and social safeguard procedures for the management of the Nyika Vwaza landscape were sufficiently complete and in compliance with the relevant standards in order to avoid, mitigate, manage and/or compensate any possible environmental and social risks and impacts resulting from their management. AAE also carried out an inclusive stakeholder consultation process, including with local communities, and a gender-sensitive risk assessment and gap analysis, including high-level human rights risk and risk significance assessments (relating to land use planning, access restrictions, and human-wildlife conflicts/coexistence, among others), and developed an Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) comprising the proposed measures for gap closure, including budget, responsibilities and timelines, and specific considerations to mitigate or avoid gendered-risks and to promote a gender-equal participation. A final ESDD report, outlining the findings resulting from the previous activities, was also be developed.

Main tasks included:

-Desktop review

-Stakeholder engagement, including field visits

-Analysis of E&S risks, impacts and gaps

-Development of mitigation measures

Main outputs are:

-Methodology and work plan for the assignment

-Risk assessment and gap analysis

-Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP)

-ESDD report