Statement from Conservation International on its approval by the World Bank as the Global Executing Agency of the Dedicated Grant Mechanism

“Conservation International is honored to be named as the global executing agency for the first World Bank fund to be managed by indigenous peoples,” said Johnson Cerda, Indigenous Advisor for Conservation International’s Indigenous & Traditional Peoples Program. “It is a testament to our ability to work with local communities and indigenous peoples groups.” 

The Dedicated Grant Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (DGM) is a global initiative that was conceived and developed under the Forest Investment Program (FIP) to provide grants to put funding and decision-making on project selection and funding directly in the hands of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) to set their own priorities, enhance their capacity and support initiatives to strengthen their participation in FIP and other REDD+ processes at the local, national and global levels. National Steering Committees are being established to oversee the program in each of the FIP participating countries of Brazil, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mexico and Peru. 

The World Bank, acting as implementing entity in charge of operationalizing the Global Component of the DGM, selected Conservation International (CI) to undertake the important role of Global Executing Agency for the Global Component (GEA) for CI’s strong experience in working with indigenous peoples and local communities and its technical expertise in REDD+ and capacity building.  

In its role as GEA, CI will facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building for indigenous and local community networks and partnerships, develop a platform for sharing information and experience on the results and impacts of the country DGM programs, and support the participation of indigenous and local community representatives in international policy dialogues and processes.  

Indigenous peoples’ groups and local communities are at the heart of sustaining forests and play a crucial role in REDD+. Their full and effective participation depends on their capacity to play an active role in national REDD+ planning and implementation. The Forest Investment Program (FIP) process includes indigenous peoples’ groups and local communities from the beginning by consulting them on priority areas of action linked to forest landscapes and REDD+ and offers support to their forest stewardship roles and traditional forest management systems. The FIP Dedicated Grant Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities has been established to provide the communities in the FIP pilot countries with financing and learning mechanism to support their participation in and complement the FIP investment programs and projects. 

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For more information, visit the Dedicated Grant Mechanism page on the Climate Investment Funds website. Or contact Johnson Cerda, Indigenous Advisor for Conservation International’s Indigenous & Traditional Peoples Program at jcerda@conservation.org.