GFAS supports SAPA baseline assessment in Sierra Leone.
As part of ongoing efforts to align biodiversity conservation with social sustainability and climate-resilient livelihoods, a Social Assessment of Protected Areas (SAPA) is currently being implemented across nine priority landscapes in Sierra Leone. The assessment represents a core baseline activity of the Nature, Nature-based Tourism and Agriculture for Development (NN-TARD) project, a EUR 9 million initiative funded by the European Union and implemented in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and national stakeholders.
The SAPA methodology is an internationally recognised, participatory framework designed to systematically assess the social impacts of protected and conserved areas on local communities. In Sierra Leone, this marks the first time such a comprehensive social impact assessment of protected areas is being conducted nationwide. The process is carried out in close collaboration with local communities, customary authorities and civil society organisations, ensuring that local knowledge, livelihoods and governance realities are embedded in conservation planning from the outset.
The current SAPA assessment focuses on identifying both positive and negative social impacts of conservation measures, including access to natural resources, livelihood opportunities, benefit-sharing mechanisms, gender dimensions and potential conflict risks. The findings will directly inform the design and implementation of NN-TARD interventions, supporting equitable, inclusive and socially accepted conservation outcomes, while simultaneously strengthening biodiversity protection and climate resilience.
Dr. Cosmas Kombat Lambini, Vice President of the German Federal Association for Sustainability (GFAS), is currently supporting this process on the ground in Freetown through capacity building for three leading conservation NGOs in Sierra Leone. His role includes training national teams on the SAPA methodology, supporting field implementation, and ensuring methodological rigour and alignment with international sustainability standards. Through this engagement, BVNG’s core values – environmental protection, social justice and participatory governance – are translated into concrete action in a Global South context.
This work highlights the relevance of German sustainability expertise in international development cooperation and demonstrates how socially grounded assessment tools such as SAPA can enhance the legitimacy, effectiveness and long-term impact of conservation and climate initiatives. GFAS welcomes initiatives that connect evidence-based sustainability approaches with tangible benefits for both communities and ecosystems.
