The Challenge of 2020 in The Bahamas: Protected Areas Sustainability

The Meeting the Challenge of 2020 in The Bahamas Project (Challenge of 2020 Project) is a Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project whose strategic long-term objective is to improve the sustainability of protected areas, reduce threats to biodiversity, and mainstream conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into production landscapes and seascapes. This initiative has been designed through a site selection process involving key stakeholder consultations and reviews of national reports. Five sites have been selected for the intended project outcomes to be realized. To develop strategies for the protection of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that minimize impacts on agriculture, flora, and fauna, and pollution of the productive and ecosystemic landscapes of these areas, through innovation methodologies and technological management that can provide sustainable development, including community participation to strengthen the social agents involved in this project. The specific objectives are: 1.To mainstream integrated Natural resource Management systems in the management of marine protected areas and adjacent land/seascapes; 2.To foster improved and more effective protected areas management approaches in five priority MPAs through demonstration and application of management and technology innovation; and 3.To better integrate sustainable development considerations in MPAs management through strengthened community engagement and enhanced custodianship across broader land an seascapes. IICA's specific deliverables are focused on reducing the impacts of agriculture and pollution in productive landscapes on ecosystem services and biodiversity in Marine Protected Areas (MPA). The main activities will be centered around the building of technical capacities of farmers, technicians, and extension officers, to jointly design and implement best practices through theoretical and practical training sessions, and on-farm demonstrations.