1. Integrating Ecosystem Solutions into Policy and Investments (IES): Focal Regions and Innovation Fund

2. IES Theory of Change  Engage and align with public, civil society and private sector partners in each region who create or re-frame water and ecosystems investments or implementation strategies  Integrate WLE research to assess the long-term impacts, risks and trade-offs of these investments and strategies  Strengthen the capacity of decision makers, WLE partners and regional and national organizations  Draw out lessons learned on sustainable intensification for cross-regional application

3. Review of IES Focal Region Steps

4. Focal Region Progress  Process to roll out four focal regions approved in March  Review of SC approved concept notes by regional stakeholders completed  All concept notes adapted into open calls for EOIs  All four focal region calls issued  Two calls closed – over 200 EOIs received with very positive feedback from CO, SC external and regional partners  On track to receive over 400 EOIs across the four focal regions  Strong review process put in place

5. Focal Region Progress Continued  Impact Pathways being developed following from CCAFS model to build coherence with existing flagships and within IES  Focal Region teams being hired  Integration of gender and ecosystems  Writeshops to be held in October and November  Contracting in November and December  Projects to commence in January and initially run for two years with potential to move into second phase

6. Writeshops  Each writeshop runs for 4-5 days Objectives  Significant progress on proposals and workbooks  Jointly develop impact pathways  Common understanding of WLE and its goals  Develop relationships across teams and cross project engagement  Understand how projects fit into global and regional impact pathways  Understand the support provided by the Focal Region team and program team  Understand coordination mechanisms, reporting mechanisms, roles and responsibilities and processes

7. Writeshops Continued Outputs  Project impact pathways  Revised regional impact pathway  Draft proposals  Clear process for finalizing proposals  Understanding of other projects, inter- connections and potential areas of collaboration  Understanding of opportunities that WLE provides at program and regional levels

8. Writeshop Dates and Locations  Greater Mekong: Vientiane, Lao PDR – 13 th to 17 th October  Nile and East Africa: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 21 st to 24 th October  Volta/Niger: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - 4 th to 7 th November  Ganges Kathmandu, Nepal – 11 th to 14 th November

9. Innovation Fund  Three innovation funds selected by three members of the SC and two members of MC along with Andrew  17 Countries covered: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Peru, Kenya, Tanzania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam  7 WLE Center Partnerships: CIAT, IFPRI, CIRAD, ICRAF, IWMI, Biodiversity, WorldFish (WF)  22 External Partners: The Nature Conservancy, Natural Capital Project, Nairobi Water Fund, Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania, Kings College London, Stockholm Resilience, Centre, SNV World, Washington State University, Univ. Minnesota, INERA, University of Development Studies, University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMASS); University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), L’Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD); Planning Commission of Pakistan (PCP), COWAS, Water Resources Coordination Centre (WRCC), Niger Basin Authority (NBA), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund, (WWF), Pakistan Water Partnership (PWP) and International Human Rights Observer (IHRO)  Innovation funds will be aligned with IES impact pathway and existing flagships to integrate and avoid overlap

10. Innovation Fund Titles:  Targeting agricultural innovation and ecosystem service management in the Northern Volta - Biodiversity  Finding common ground: bringing together ecosystem services, agricultural productivity and smallholder livelihoods in landscape planning – CIAT  A generic ABM framework for complex ecosystem service analyses in WLE focal regions - IFPRI