Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP/GEF Project “Shepherding Biodiversity Back into South Africa’s Productive Landscapes” GEF Project ID 9382 (2016-2020)

This report is a Terminal Evaluation of a UNEP/GEF Shepherding Biodiversity Back into South Africa’s Productive Landscapes project implemented between 2016 and 2020. The project's overall development goal was to foster biodiversity conservation on livestock farms, through a return to human shepherding and the development of a wildlife-friendly produce branding scheme, leading to Payment for Ecosystem Services as a tool in conservation and local economic development. The GEF grant was intended to serve as a catalyst for a 25-year (2015-40) research initiative, managed by the Executing Agency, Landmark Foundation. The evaluation sought to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact) and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability. The evaluation has two primary purposes: (i) to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements, and (ii) to promote learning, feedback, and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among UNEP, and the relevant agencies of the project participating countries.