The Advisory Committee of the Pro-poor Rewards for Environmental Services in Africa project (PRESA) will hold its fourth meeting on 4th March 2010 at the Brackenhurst Conference Centre, just outside Nairobi, Kenya.

Scene from the 2009 PRESA IAC meeting. Front row, left to right: Biryahwaho Byamukama (Uganda), Ilaria Firmian (IFAD representative) and Thomas Yatich (ICRAF).

At the meeting, the International Advisory Committee will review PRESA’s achievements in 2009. Committee members will discuss and refine PRESA strategies for 2010 as the project gets into the second half of its four year life.

The PRESA International Advisory Committee advises and provides strategic direction in the planning, implementation, communication and evaluation of the project. The committee consists of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), ICRAF, representatives of landscape and national contact organizations, representatives of the private sector, key donor agencies and other international organizations involved in the project.

The committee is involved at all levels of monitoring through the annual review of progress and work plans. It provides IFAD with independent comment on PRESA and responds to IFAD evaluation reports. In addition, committee members represent PRESA at national, regional and international conferences and events.

IFAD is a key funder for the PRESA project. Other donors include the European Union, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the World Bank.

The International Advisory Committee first met in Entebbe, Uganda back in February 2008. Subsequent meetings have been held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as well as in Nairobi.