INTERNATIONAL WATERS
EXPERIENCE NOTES

http://www.iwlearn.net/experience








2006-004

Lessons-learned on Project
Management Structure: Rio São
Francisco




Abstract: In order to execute the project, ANA made special institutional arrangements and cooperation
agreements with the main federal, state and municipal institutions as well as NGOs involved in the project
thus providing a strong institutional framework for the project. In order to overcome the previous lack of
integration among subprojects, the Technical Coordination established a program of meetings for clusters
of subprojects working in similar thematic areas. The management structure adopted for the São
Francisco Project could be replicated in single-country projects or used for the national level management
structures in multi-country projects. In the Brazilian case, the national executing agency was a strong
institution both politically and technically and was able to establish a solid institutional framework for the
execution of project activities. At the same time, the Basin was rapidly placed at the top governmental
agenda and received priority for the implementation of the national policy instruments.

Brazil National Water Agency (ANA), Organization of American States
and United Nations Environmental Program
Isabelle Vanderbeck, isabelle.vanderbeck@unep.org
Maria Apostolova, mapostolova@oas.org
Integrated Management of Land-Based Activities in the São Francisco
Basin
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Lessons-learned on Project Management Structure: Rio São
Francisco

Experience of the GEF sponsored

Integrated Management of Land-Based Activities in the São Francisco
Basin
GEF Project ID: 586


PROJECT DESCRIPTION
at the local level in close consultation with the

OAS as the International Executing Agency and
The main objective of the São Francisco full size
with UNEP as the GEF Implementing Agency,
project was to promote sustainable development
together the seven basin states, and various
of the São Francisco River Basin (SFRB) and its
organizations of civil society. The project started
coastal zone and address the physical,
in September 1999 and concluded its activities
biological, chemical, and institutional root
in June 2005.
causes of progressive degradation affecting the

basin, by developing a Strategic Action Program
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
(SAP) for the integrated management of the São

Francisco River Basin and its coastal zone. The
The project was implemented in the SFRB with
project focused on the identification and
great social and economic importance to a vast
implementation of appropriate economic
and diverse region, providing water for a range
instruments and the incorporation of land-based
of uses, including water supply, hydropower
environmental concerns affecting the coastal
generation, cattle-raising, agro-industrial
zone into the future federal and state
production, fisheries production, and tourism.
development policies, plans, and programs.
The intensive economic activity typical for the

basin exerts increased pressure on both natural
The project served as a demonstration project
and water resources that not only affects the
for the implementation of the Global Plan of
estuary by altering flooding cycles, but also
Action for the Protection Marine Environment
impacts the near-shore marine environment by
from Land-Based Activities in Latin America.
modifying the nutrient and sediment content of

the river water. Water-use conflicts are common
The project developed through extensive public
in the basin.
consultation carried out through regional

workshops, includes four components: (i) River
During project execution, the SFRB was placed
basin and coastal zone environmental analysis;
on the top government agenda for
(ii) Public and stakeholder participation; (iii)
implementation of the National Water Resource
Organizational structure development; and (iv)
Policy. At the same time, the process of
Watershed Management Program formulation.
negotiating the highly polemic and politically
The following crosscutting issues were also
sensitive project for inter-basin transfer was
addressed during the project execution:
initiated.
information sharing and dissemination;

quantification of water use, use conflicts, and
DESCRIPTION OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN
hydrological management; and financial

mechanisms. The project has been executed in
According to the original design, all project
Brazil in direct partnership with 4 Federal
activities were steered by the Project Steering
institutions, 3 State bodies, 4 Universities, and 4
Committee composed of representatives of the
NGOs, and with the participation of more than
Secretariat of Water Resources1/Ministry of
450 institutions.


1 The Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Legal Amazon
The activities of this US$4.77 million GEF-
(MMA) of the Government of Brazil is responsible for the implementation of
funded project were coordinated by the National
the National Water Resources Policy and the National Environmental
Water Agency-ANA (National Executing Agency)
Policy. At the time of the project conception, within the MMA, the SRH
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Environment of Brazil (SRH/MMA); OAS as the
activities were directed from Brasilia, Brazil; while
Executing Agency and UNEP as the as the
all project activities were conducted within the
Implementing Agency. The Steering Committee
basin.
was chaired by the Secretary for Water

Resources of Brazil, who acted as an Executive
In all Sub-projects, the Activities' Coordinators
Director of the Project, in consultation with UNEP
and other core staff salaries costs were covered
and the GS/OAS. The Steering Committee
by the national counterpart with GEF funding
members met periodically every six months. At
being used solely for activity costs. All
least once in the year, SC members made field
consultants working directly with sub-projects
visits prior to the official meeting.
were recruited in Brazil.


A technical coordination unit, comprised by a
Technical Coordinator (TC), an Assistant to the
EXPERIENCE
TC, and administrative-financial officer, was

established and contracted by OAS on behalf of
Upon the creation in 2001 of the National Water
the project. The technical unit was responsible for
Agency-ANA, in charge of the implementation of
coordinating all project activities with the sub-
the National Water Resources Policy in Brazil,
project coordinators from the different
the Brazilian Government decided to assign the
participating institutions and organizations. The
national responsibility for the project execution
OAS as executing agency established a specific
to this new agency (ANA). At the project level,
project management unit within its office in
UNEP-OAS called for a steering group meeting
Brasilia, which coordinated project activities at the
to determine how to institutionalize the project
technical and political level with the national
into ANA's policies. At the same time, a
institutions and supervised the work of the
workshop involving ANA, UNEP-OAS, the
Technical Coordination Unit.
Technical Unit and the sub-project coordinators

was held in order to jointly review project
Participation of the national, state and municipal
progress and decide on new execution
agencies of Brazil with competence in the region,
modalities.
scientific and academic institutions, and

concerned civil organizations (NGOs) was
After the joint "re-programming" exercise, the
contemplated by way of sub-committees of the
Project management structure was defined as
Steering Committee. Nevertheless, these were
follows:
not established as formal structures, but operated
on an ad hoc basis, structured around relevant
thematic and geographic issues.

Activities undertaken by the national staff, with
the support of the international agencies, were
based upon Terms of Reference developed and
agreed jointly by a SRH/MMA, in consultation
with UNEP and OAS. All Components were
executed by national agencies of Brazil and/or by
consultants from Brazil under the direct
supervision of the SRH/MMA and UNEP-OAS.
The SRH/MMA and UNEP-OAS coordinated field
activities and were responsible for the overall
management of the project, as directed by the
Steering Committee, through coordinators
appointed from their staff. The main coordination

was the institution responsible for the general implementation of the
National Water Resources Policy established by Law No. 9433, from
January 8, 1997, and, therefore, for programming in the basin, and the
organization responsible for regional cooperation and coordination of
development activities related to water resources management.

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ORGANOGRAM OF THE SÃO FRANCISCO PROJECT




STEERING COMMITTEE
Responsible for project

ANA/GEF/UNEP/OAS/ABC
direction




Responsible for project

Chief for
Manager
Director
supervision
Latin
Task

Multilateral
ANA
America
Manager

Cooperation
USDE/OAS
UNEP
ABC
Technical Unit

TC
National
International
Deputy TC
International
Responsible for project

Project
Advisor
Subproject
Coordinator
day-to-day operations

Director
ANA
Coordinators


ANA
OAS/Brazil



Responsible for the day
to day work


Sub-
Sub-
Sub-
Sub-

Project
Project
Project
Project
Coordinato
Coordinato
Coordinato
Coordinato



The Brazilian Government had assigned the
execution of the project, which translated into
coordination of the execution of the project to
stronger national ownership of the project and its
the highest level of federal authority in the Water
direct relation to the implementation of the
Sector (ANA). The President of ANA was
National Water Resources Policy in Brazil. In
directly involved and was regularly attending
addition, the national institutional framework for
project steering group meetings or else meeting
the project implementation was strengthened.
with UNEP-OAS team at each of their visits.
ANA also ensured support to the project through
The "Re-Programming" Workshop of the São
the direct involvement of one of its Directors. In
Francisco Project, held in January of 2002,
addition, the project was inserted in the different
assessed and presented an overview of all
Directorates (Engineering, Projects and
project activities2 and discussed management
Programs, Fiscalization, Institutional
procedures and instruments, recommending
strengthening, and Planning) at ANA with the
adjustments in order to incorporate changes in
National Director of the project being one of the
operational policies, approval and enforcement
Directorate's Director. Furthermore, the project
of the passing of new water resources laws, and
was inserted into the relevant departments of
the creation of ANA and the São Francisco
ANA. In order to execute the project, ANA made
Basin Committee.
special institutional arrangements and

cooperation agreements with the main federal,
In order to overcome the previous lack of
state and municipal institutions as well as NGOs
integration among subprojects, the Technical
involved in the project thus providing a strong
Coordination established a program of meetings
institutional framework for the project
for clusters of subprojects working in similar

The revised project management structure
2 All sub-projects were assessed in terms of objectives' coherence with
reflected a stronger national commitment for the
the overall project goals, quality of products, performance, and needs.
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thematic areas. The objective was to promote a
The project management structure remained
spirit of "GEF family" discussing common
without significant changes throughout the rest
problems and jointly searching for more cost-
of the project duration. The only adjustments
effective solutions. The Subprojects were
made in the last phase were related to
divided into groups working in the following
organizational changes within the national
areas:
Groundwater (5 Sub-projects);
executing agency-ANA, in terms of
Association of water users (6 Sub-projects);
Departments' restructuring and distribution of
Concession of water rights (6 Sub-projects); Soil
competences.
use and conservation practices (4 Sub-projects);

Erosion, sedimentation and Ichthyofauna (5
Although not reflected in the project
Sub-projects); and Hydrologic information
management organogram, it is important to
systems (5 Sub-projects).
mention that the newly established São

Francisco Basin Committee was directly
In terms of management, quarterly operational
involved in the TDA/SAP process. The
plans were introduced, and budgetary and
Committee formed a special Working Group to
deadlines adjustments were made.
support the SAP formulation and validated the

final SAP at a Plenary Session.
In addition, a Guide for Project Administrative

Procedures to orient all project management
REPLICATION
processes was formulated. The document

contains the description and agreed forms for all
The management structure adopted for the São
necessary procedures, including the request,
Francisco Project could be replicated in single-
approval, and disbursement of funds; selection
country projects or used for the national level
and hiring of consultants; equipment purchases,
management structures in multi-country
and travel authorizations and reporting; standard
projects. In the Brazilian case, the national
forms for all requisitions, reports, and financial
executing agency was a strong institution both
reporting, as well as levels of approval. The
politically and technically and was able to
Guide was largely discussed at all five levels of
establish a solid institutional framework for the
actors directly involved in the execution of
execution of project activities. At the same time,
project activities (institutions executing
the Basin was rapidly placed at the top
subprojects, technical coordination, national
governmental agenda and received priority for
executing agency-ANA, UNEP-OAS), before
the implementation of the national policy
being approved by the Steering Committee
instruments.
Group. Prior to its official implementation, the

guidelines were further explained and
The main challenges with the adopted structure
disseminated at a specially convened
were to secure coherent and unified project
Coordination Workshop, attended by all sub-
implementation, while benefiting from the highly
project coordinators. The tool proved its
decentralized project execution, and to
immediate effect in terms of administrative
guarantee the implementation of all prior GEF
efficiency, transparency and availability of
commitments, mainly in terms of global benefits,
information, and clear definition of
in the context of a highly ´nationalized´ and
responsibilities.
internalized project.


As project activities progressed and the
The harmonization and codification of
preparation of the Final Reports approached, the
administrative procedures and reporting
need for a common reporting was established. A
standards together with periodic coordination
Guide for the Preparation of Consultancy
workshops with the participation of all actors
Reports was produced and made available to all
involved proved essential in the context of the
consultants and sub-project coordinators. The
highly decentralized São Francisco project. As
effect was immediate in terms of harmonization
the project was structured in 29 sub-projects
of reports presentation and formats, as well as
(distributed throughout the almost 640 thousand
ensuring technical quality of their content.
km2 basin) and was executed in direct

partnership with 4 Federal institutions, 3 State
(ii) At the END of the project.
bodies, 4 Universities, and 4 NGOs, in the

context of institutional participation of more than
450 institutions, 200 consultants, and 1,260
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collaborators, it was a clear necessity to
discipline and unify all project procedures,
focusing on the attainment of all project
objectives defined in the Project document.

REFERENCES

Website: www.ana.gov.br/gefsf

Isabelle Vanderbeck
isabelle.vanderbeck@unep.org

Maria Apostolova
mapostolova@oas.org

KEYWORDS

S Project management
S Project design


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