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Chemonics - Development works here.
  • Contact Us
  • Join Our Team
  • What We Do
    • Technical Areas
      • Agriculture and Food Security
      • Corporate Partnerships
      • Democracy and Governance
      • Economic Growth and Trade
      • Education and Youth
      • Environment and Natural Resources
      • Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
      • Health
      • Peace, Stability, and Transition
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      • Water, Energy, and Sustainable Cities
    • Integrated Solutions
      • Innovation
      • Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
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      • Matchmaking Businesses and Investors in DRC
      • Promoting Dialogue to Build Peace in Mali
      • Building Climate Finance Capacity in Nepal
      • View All Projects
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  • Who We Are
    • About Chemonics
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      • Investing in Tomorrow’s Supply Chain by Empowering Youth in Benin
      • Playing Matchmaker for Farmers and Buyers in Georgia
      • Approaching 95-95-95 HIV/AIDS Goals by Focusing on Patients
      • View all Impact Stories
    • Recent News Stories
      • Chemonics and Reading Partners Bring High-Quality Literacy Tutoring to D.C. Elementary Schools
      • Chemonics Publishes News Peace and Stabilization Toolkit
      • Chemonics International Earns “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” Designation
      • View all News Stories
    • Recent Blog Posts
      • Where in the World are those Private Sector Partners?
      • 3 Questions with Dany Khy on Chemonics’ New Center for Private Sector Engagement
      • What Does a Systems Approach to Conflict Prevention Look Like?
      • View all Blog Posts

Environment and Natural Resources.

  • Technical Areas
  • Environment and Natural Resources
Solutions to manage resources, address climate change, and enhance sustainable economic growth
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Development challenges are interrelated. That’s why Chemonics applies a “development first” approach to our work in environment and natural resources management. We focus on strengthening markets, safeguarding natural capital, and empowering marginalized groups. Our development-centered approach can be seen in action across a broad array of landscapes, from rainforest communities to coastal cities. Our experience spans more than 200 projects in natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, land tenure and property rights, environmental management, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Our Work in Environment and Natural Resources

Services in Environment and Natural Resources

  • 01

    Combatting Wildlife Trafficking
  • 02

    Environmental Management
  • 03

    Land Tenure and Resource Governance
  • 04

    Climate Change
  • 05

    Biodiversity Conservation
  • 06

    Natural Resource Management
  • 07

    Conservation Solutions Lab

01 Combatting Wildlife Trafficking


Combatting wildlife trafficking requires cooperation and coordination with stakeholders at all levels of society. We work closely with international and local law enforcement agencies to build institutional capacity, and apply innovative technologies to disrupt illicit supply chains. By engaging local communities and civil society organizations, we are reducing the demand for wildlife products, promoting best…

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02 Environmental Management


Thorough planning and management mitigates negative environmental impacts that can undermine project goals. We ensure our projects comply with both USAID and local environmental regulations, while acknowledging best practice and standards at international levels. We employ environmental assessments, monitoring and mitigation plans, and responsible pesticide use plans to identify potential impacts and apply appropriate measures…

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03 Land Tenure and Resource Governance


Secure land tenure — both formal and informal — strengthens stakeholders’ rights and is essential to sound stewardship of land and natural resources. Our work removes legal obstacles and broadens citizens’ understanding of the legal framework governing land and resource rights. Through evidence-based research, we inform land tenure and rural development policy as well as…

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04 Climate Change


Climate change disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations who are the least prepared to plan for unanticipated stresses. In our approach, we are committed to improving policies and decision-making based on comprehensive climate information, while increasing the resiliency of the most vulnerable to withstand and recover from shocks. Using improved tools to capture and analyze…

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05 Biodiversity Conservation


Biodiversity is an important part of a healthy ecosystem that communities, including indigenous peoples and other vulnerable populations, depend on for food, livelihoods, and cultural identity. Given this critical link between biodiversity and human well-being, our approach to conservation focuses on empowering communities with best practices, strengthening rights and capacities, and ensuring access to information…

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06 Natural Resource Management


Responsible stewardship of natural resources plays a vital role in supporting livelihoods, creating economic opportunity, and protecting the environment. We bring together stakeholders from government, local communities, the private sector, academia, and civil society to build consensus on environmental issues and solutions. This collaborative approach allows us to better address threats to natural resources across…

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07 Conservation Solutions Lab


To achieve biodiversity conservation goals — and the broader, global goals of environmental sustainability, social equity, and empowerment — we have to engage communities. Unfortunately, substantial on-the-ground evidence about how to apply specific engagement approaches during a program’s life cycle to achieve long-term outcomes is lacking. Without adequate evidence, programs risk wasting limited resources and…

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Beekeeper in gear in Colombia

The Story Behind Honey Production in Northern Colombia

In Northern Antioquia, Colombia, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/Colombia) is implementing an ambitious honey production program to improve the livelihoods of more than 300 families in five mining municipalities.

Annatto farmer in Colombia

Annatto (Achiote): An Economic Alternative to Mining in Chocó

Annatto (Achiote), a spice and coloring agent extracted from the seeds of the evergreen, is growing as an economic alternative to mining in Chocó (Colombian Pacific Coast).

Too Much, Too Little

On one of the biggest humanitarian projects ever launched in Haiti, USAID is helping the country deal with climate extremes, saving countless lives and precious farmland.

01 03
  • Specialists
  • Resources

Brian App

Project Management Director, East and Southern Africa Regional Business Unit

Alejandro Arrivillaga

Deputy Chief of Party, Guatemala Biodiversity Project

Kule Chitepo

Director

Peter Doyle

Chief of Party, USAID Oro Legal Program

David Fratt

Project Management Director, Asia Regional Business Unit

Dr. Felix Gaschick

Biodiversity and Forestry Specialist

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Community Engagement in Biodiversity Conservation: Lessons from the Field-Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda
Evidence on Biodiversity Conservation Impacts: Assessing Theories, Approaches, and Outcomes from Community Engagement and Tenure
Contract Completion Report: B+WISER
Final Report: Resilience in the Limpopo Basin (RESLIM) Program
Key Considerations for Land Tenure Policies that Affect Youth
Our Work in Environment and Natural Resources
Final Report: Biodiversity-Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Program
Final Report: Peru Forestry Project
Final Report: Improved Cooking Technology Program (Recho Paw): Building the Foundations for Charcoal Consumption Reduction in Haiti
Financing Watershed Protection
  • Projects
  • Impact Stories
  • News and Blog

Building Climate Finance Capacity in Nepal

Strengthening Nepali local governments’ ability to manage green funds can spur investment in and accelerate climate action.

Transforming Jordan’s Recycling Industry

Waste recycling services in Jordan constitute a viable commercial opportunity for Jordan’s private and public sectors to increase the competitiveness of recycling and invigorate the circular economy.

Mitigating Climate Change in Colombia

With progressive policies and private sector and community engagement, Colombia is turning its international greenhouse gas emissions reduction commitments into action.

Conserving Guatemala’s Ecosystems with Good Governance

Guatemala’s rich – yet fragile – ecosystems must be safeguarded through strong environmental governance to improve livelihoods.

Natural Resource Management and Water Security in Southern Africa

Improved natural resource management and increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation are essential to addressing human and ecosystem challenges in southern Africa.

Combatting Wildlife Crime in Southern Africa

The decimation of wildlife through illegal poaching and trade threaten economic development and livelihood security in southern Africa.

Promoting Tourism in Timor-Leste

As Timor-Leste invests in an inclusive and sustainable national tourism strategy, the country is emerging as an “off-the-beaten-path” destination for adventure travelers and eco-tourists.

Connecting Space to Village

Science, satellites, and information technology are transforming how countries manage critical development challenges such as climate resilience and environmental management.

Restoring Forests in Northern Haiti

In Northern Haiti, deforestation and mangrove loss are putting communities, conservation efforts, and environmental governance at risk.

Sustainable Energy Solutions for Haiti

Approximately 90 percent of Haitian household energy needs are met by firewood and charcoal, a dependence that is detrimental to the environment and people’s health.

Helping To Conserve the Peruvian Amazon

With deforestation threatening the Peruvian Amazon and communities that rely on forest-based employment, forest management must be improved.

Clean Water and Resource Conservation in Angola, Botswana, and Namibia

In southern Africa, where many people live with little access to clean water and sanitation services, new resource management and conservation efforts made a big difference.

A Roadmap for Conservation in Colombia

With its peace accord underway, the government of Colombia is pursuing conservation and sustainable rural development goals that will help achieve stability and lasting peace.

Helping Indonesian Coastal Communities Adapt to Climate Change

In Indonesia, coastal communities must adapt to climate change and remediate destructive fishing practices to protect millions of jobs and the country’s economy.

Smart Innovations to Protect the Environment in Colombia

In Colombia, the government, local communities, and the private sector have collaborated to mitigate climate change and conserve biodiversity.

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Beekeeping: A Sweet Solution for Rural Colombia

In rural Colombia, some communities are leaving unregulated gold mining for beekeeping and honey production to improve their health, livelihoods, and local ecosystems.

Low Emissions for High Results

In South Africa, a new technology is helping schools prepare meals for students faster and more sustainably — with far-reaching benefits for the local economy and the environment.

Three Million Trees in Haiti

On Earth Day, the Feed the Future Haiti Chanje Lavi Plantè project kicked off a tree-planting campaign to protect hillsides from erosion and safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.

Trailblazers for Wildfire Preparedness in the Philippines

After a series of wildfires broke out in the Philippines, the B+WISER program is helping revamp the country’s approach to fire management.

Storm Warnings in Mozambique

A new service provides citizens in Mozambique with life-saving information about approaching natural disasters.

The Cost of Not Adapting

A recent assessment of the economic impact of climate change in Indonesia highlighted the major environmental, economic, and health challenges that the country will face from now to 2050.

Protecting the Peruvian Amazon

Through innovative mobile technology, Peru is combating the economic and environmental costs of illegal logging.

Harnessing Technology to Protect Forests and Biodiversity in the Philippines

Conservation efforts in the Philippines mobilize user-friendly technology and government, community, and private sector partnerships in the fight against deforestation.

More Water, More Jobs in Southern Africa

In Southern Africa’s Limpopo River Basin, a community organization is finding a way to reconcile economic development with the need to conserve resources for the future.

A Damselfly Discovery in Angola

Scientists in southern Africa have identified a new species of damselfly while working on an environmental program that protects the biodiversity of the Cubango-Okavango River Basin.

Compensating Communities in Colombia for Forest Stewardship

Colombians are conserving their local environment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, while earning revenue for their communities.

Planning for the Unexpected

An interactive, community-led process called I-CATCH is helping coastal communities in Indonesia better prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Improving Soil Health

Using conservation agriculture and technology, the Feed the Future Commodity Production and Marketing Activity in Uganda is helping farmers improve yields and increase incomes.

Saving Lives through Cell Phones in Mozambique

In Mozambique, a low-cost, SMS-based early warning system is empowering community members to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

Leading Innovative Imaging

The Colombian government is piloting an innovative approach to imaging technology to better conserve forests and build local livelihoods.

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From the Highlands to the Deltas: Why We Need Integrated Water Security Programming

Whether building strong economies, improving human health, or supporting thriving ecosystems, water is an integral and interconnected element with impacts far outside of the water sector in global development. While improved water management can reduce treatment costs and deliver valuable ecosystem services, poorly managed upstream resources can undermine investments in drinking water delivery. Cases from…

How to Fail to Succeed

“Failure is strength. The most effective and innovative organizations are those that are willing to speak openly about their failures because the only truly ‘bad’ failure is one that’s repeated.” —Engineers without Borders, USAID Learning Lab No one wants to fail. And fewer wish to own up to it. Understanding the causes of failure is…

News: Chemonics Invests in Young Innovators’ Promising Development Solutions

On Tuesday, November 12, Chemonics awarded two teams of young problem-solvers with funding and ongoing support to continue development of their innovative solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Presented by Chemonics’ Executive Vice President Jamey Butcher, the award was part of the company’s commitment as Lead Scale Partner of the UNLEASH global innovation…

Fisher harvesting aquatic plants on Inle Lake, Myanmar.

From Threat to Solution: Rethinking the Role of Communities in Nature Conservation

This post originally appeared on Mongabay. Photo courtesy of Samantha Cheng. The imperative for nature conservation has never been greater. A widely publicized intergovernmental report predicts extinction for more than a million species over the next few decades unless we drastically change human consumption and economic growth. This loss of species will threaten the global…

Maximizing the Power of Climate Data by Building Trust

This post originally appeared on the SEEP blog. As the frequency and magnitude of climate-related hazards increases, these changes are affecting people’s livelihoods — particularly those of rural and vulnerable populations — more than ever. In response to this challenge, climate data can be employed in program design to foster greater resilience for livelihoods at…

Brian App

Development Works Here with Brian App

We’d like you to meet Brian App! Brian is a natural resource management specialist with nearly 20 years of experience working in the environmental sector. From flipping through the pages of National Geographic to building more water-secure communities in Africa, he shares some of the highlights of his development journey. Brian is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere.…

To Improve Water Management, Start Local

Rivers are the world’s main source of clean drinking water, and their economic and environmental value are fundamental to the health of people and ecosystems. However, river basins face interrelated challenges — population growth, industrialization, urbanization, land use changes (including deforestation and land degradation), and changes in water quantity and quality. Climate change acts as…

Alejandro_Arrivillaga

Development Works Here with Alejandro Arrivillaga

We’d like you to meet Alejandro “Alex” Arrivillaga! Alex is a biologist and the deputy chief of party for the USAID Guatemala Biodiversity Project. He shares some of the insight he’s gained over the course of his 25-year career working with communities to develop shared solutions for biodiversity conservation. Alex is one reason #DevelopmentWorksHere. 1.…

Land and Property Rights Meet the SDGs: Reflections from the 2019 World Bank Land and Poverty Conference

It appears the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are wobbling along fitfully, and the general consensus among attendees at this year’s annual World Bank Land and Poverty Conference seemed to be that we’re not on track to meet our goals related to land and property rights. This year’s conference offered a smorgasbord of lessons learned, applied…

The Politics of Biodiversity: Two Experiences with Thinking and Working Politically

What do forest and species loss have to do with politics? A great deal, in fact. Conserving and protecting natural resources involves a complex set of power dynamics, interests, and economies — licit and illicit — that affect how a program can operate within an existing local system. Biodiversity programming must embrace a Thinking and…

From Trickle to Flood: How Water Extremes Can Impact Health

In early 2018, drought-stricken Cape Town narrowly averted its “Day Zero,” the day when taps in the city would have run dry. Reservoirs filled up just enough to avert an all-out water crisis, and “Day Zero” has now been pushed to 2019. Meanwhile, in 2016, 2017, and 2018, floods in South Asia, Africa, Europe, and…

Four Ways to Build Urban Resilience to Water Stress

The United Nations estimates that 68 percent of the world’s population will be concentrated in urban centers by 2050. While water and sanitation access and delivery are generally higher in urban areas, cities still face significant challenges managing, operating, and expanding critical infrastructure, as well as ensuring the financial and environmental sustainability of municipal water…

A river in Southern Africa

Reflections on the Circular Economy

I had the recent good fortune of attending the 8th Session of the World Water Forum in Brazil — what a grand affair! There was a packed program full of fascinating technical sessions held in parallel; three huge marquee tents full of exhibitors from governments, international agencies, and companies; and local community groups, NGOs, and entrepreneurs engaging thousands…

News: Innovating, Connecting, and Transforming Development at the ICT4D Conference

Innovations in technology have enhanced development impact across all sectors — from agriculture to education to health. From May 8 to 10, public, private, and civil society organizations from around the world will convene for the 2018 Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) Conference in Lusaka, Zambia. Now in its 10th year, the conference…

The Problem with “Success Now”: A Story of Adaptive Management

Although adaptive management is widely promoted — and often required — for development programs, its basic principles can be difficult to adhere to. Strict timelines and prescribed indicators often demand immediate success — success now. How do we implement this seemingly simple approach, which is measured by failure more than success, and requires experienced technical…

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