In the fourth Phase of the NRAF, the stakeholders are fully involved in the implementation of the initiative including activities such as further building capacity among implementers, on-the-ground implementation, coordination and management of activities, and monitoring of progress, among others. This Phase of implementation will be more successful if the previous Phases have been thoroughly carried out.
Selected key questions for Phase 4
- Is the implementation plan in place and are we keeping up with it?
- Are we keeping up with capacity building needs?
- Does the governance of the initiative follow its function?
- Do we have a system in place to monitor progress and the quality of the process?
- Do we have a platform to discuss challenges?
- Do communication mechanisms provide sufficient information on the performance of the initiative?
Example
Implementing in South Africa: IWaSP, WWF and SAB have been implementing a partnership in the hops-growing region of South Africa (Southern Cape) since 2014 to improve water security in this water-stressed region. Interventions include the removal of invasive tree species which use up to 40% more water than local species, monitoring groundwater levels, improving water efficiency on hops farms and creating a multi-stakeholder platform that could take ownership of addressing shared water challenges in the future. This last action is an essential step to take the partners into the Scale-up/Exit phase of the partnership. This case study has proved the importance of creating a detailed implementation and communication plan, agreed upon by all parties during the Commit phase, as this will impact on the success of the Act phase.
The Compass Dimensions and Aspects that are most commonly associated with NRAF Phase 4: Act
- Future Possibilities: empowerment – inspire, enable, and awaken passion and options for change
- Wholeness: mutual support – enhance one another’s strengths
- Engagement: collective action – drive joint implementation and delivery of results
- Innovation: excellence – pursue mastery and grow knowledge
