Thematic reviews, briefing notes, ECPs and reports

Darwin Initiative toolkit for SMEs

1 General biodiversity/natural resource-related

1.1 Overview

There are many sources of literature and a variety of tools available publicly which cover general biodiversity topics and pro-biodiversity enterprise. This section aims to offer a selection of these resources with specific emphasis on small business development, using natural resources.

1.2 Five key resources

These resources were chosen to provide the best overview for this field, but it is also worth checking out the other resources in this section.

o UNDP- Local business for global conservation

Provides guidance for conservation planners and project designers to assess the role of small business development in biodiversity conservation; determine if a small business could be socially, economically and environmentally viable and sustainable; and incorporate into project or strategy design, issues important to small business development.

o USAID- Enterprise development for natural products manual

This clear and concise manual provides practical tools to explore and develop natural product enterprises. It promotes a strategy of natural product enterprise design that enhances a region's biodiversity and promotes social equity.

o CGIAR- Identifying and assessing market opportunities for small rural producers

The manual helps facilitators to promote market orientation among rural small-scale producers, to diversify agricultural production and to detect opportunities for traditional products in rural economies. Sections include designing and executing a rapid market survey, assessing and selecting market options, and designing integrated product solutions.

o OECD- Harnessing markets for biodiversity

A conceptual framework to help users in the identification and use of markets for biodiversity products and services that can promote their conservation and sustainable use. It is aimed at policy-makers, potential investors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and practitioners.

o OECD- Handbook of market creation for biodiversity

A conceptual guide, with practical examples, to creating markets for the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity.

1.3 Market research (general biodiversity/natural resource-related)

Tools/guidelines/methodologies

o OECD- Handbook of market creation for biodiversity Executive summary

o OECD- Handbook of market creation for biodiversity- summary

Summary documents of the conceptual guide outlined in the five key general biodiversity resources, with practical examples, to creating markets for the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity.

o EBRD- Creating biodiversity markets- extract from Frentz

Lessons learnt from past biodiversity-promoting business initiatives

o Biotrade- sector assessments and strategies and market information for specific products

Sector assessments, strategies and other related documents for priority biodiversity sectors and product groups and market briefs for selected exports

Reports/literature

o Forest Trends- Markets for Biodiversity Services

Potential roles and challenges

o Ecologic- Use of market incentives to preserve biodiversity

research how Market based instruments (MBIs) are currently used for biodiversity conservation and to assess the success or failure of these instruments and their potential for further use.

o EU DG Research- The working partnership- SMEs and biodiversity

Report of a EU project seeking to identify the specific business opportunities and constraints for sustainable use of terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity by SMEs especially in ecologically sensitive areas. Characterises the role of the market.

o "It's wild" - marketing plan for Peanut butter, rice and honey, Zambia

Report to ensure the long-term sustainability, and to maximize the growth of the COMACO (Community Markets for Conservation) organization by making recommendations for the distribution, marketing, and sales of It's Wild products.

o "It's wild" Markets, food security and conservation, - a model for rural development in Zambia

COMACO (Community Markets for Conservation). Perspectives on land management: the role of markets in rural Zambia

o Biotrade- Market brief in the European Union, Baobab

Profiles the EU market for this native South American species and its derivatives and includes environmental considerations in marketing

o Biotrade- Tropical flowers market scan in the European Union

Profiles the EU market for tropical flowers includes environmental considerations in marketing.

o Rare Conservation- tools and programmes

Rare has built a suite of social marketing and business development tools that motivate local communities to protect their natural surroundings. Rare's signature Pride campaign builds grassroots support for environmental protection by training local conservation leaders in the use of commercial marketing tactics to build awareness, influence attitudes, and enable meaningful change.

1.4 Business planning (general biodiversity/natural resource-related)

Tools/guidelines/methodologies

o Shell/IUCN Business planning toolkit [refer docs]

Objective is to develop a generic business planning toolkit that will help selected Natural World Heritage site managers to develop a 3-year business plan. The project objective is not to develop a business plan for a NWH site but to assist its managers develop it using their own abilities (business skills transfer).

o FIELDFARE Guidelines for producing Ecological sustainable enterprises, [refer doc]

The aim of the guidelines is to identify and promote suitable opportunities, operations, and source funding and then to implement selected sustainable development activities through support to Ecologically Sustainable Enterprises. They present the criteria that any activity or project will need to meet before it is considered to be sustainable development and worth pursuing further and then itemise the steps needed to be taken by three different user groups

o SEEP network- Business development services (BDS)

How do BDS programs enhance environmental preservation? The issues and strategies outlined here are relevant for a variety of markets—crafts, eco-tourism, specialty foods, and agriculture—in which natural resources are a key input. The topics and methods are also useful when working with metal crafting, plastics, wood, and other sectors where pollution or resource mismanagement can be a major problem.

o EcoVentures- business planning materials

Strives to support the development ofsustainable communities and sustainable livelihoods. They have developed a number of business planning tools. The Business Orientation Course is the first module of Master Plan, a "game" that allows participants to act as entrepreneurs and compete with each other to succeed in business. The debates get intense, decisions get weightier and the results provoke emotions of success and failure and discussions of different ways to succeed. For small business trainers, banks, and RFIs, Master Plan guides participants through a series of five modules that will address business planning, assessment, financing, and competition. Participants have the opportunity to play the part of the entrepreneur as well as that of a loan assessor, and to generate ideas about what the ideal business is for them as an individual entrepreneur. The modules may be used together or separately.

Reports/literature

o IUCN/Shell Building biodiversity business report

Collaboration between The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Shell International Limited, in a joint effort to identify potential new business opportunities and market-based mechanisms to conserve biodiversity.

o Conservation Finance

Conservation Finance share experiences with applying business and financial planning tools to protected areas management, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development activities

o BOTH ENDS

A funder agency in the Netherlands which also works on issues of capacity building, funding opportunities and facts about fundraising for non-profit environmental organizations.

o Biotrade Initiative business development

Provides an outline of business development expertise

o Biodiversity Conservation Network - Evaluation of stories from the field of enterprise-oriented approaches to community-based conservation

An outline of the work of the Biodiversity Conservation network's work in Evaluating an Enterprise-Oriented Approach to Community-Based Conservation in the Asia/Pacific Region.

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