Decline in ecosystem services is a global issue of critical importance as indicated in the findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA2005). This decline has significant implications for human well-being. There are growing evidences from international and national ecosystems assessments that the harmful effects of the degradation of ecosystem services - the decrease in the capacity of an ecosystem to deliver services � are borne disproportionately by the poor. This contributes to growing inequality, poverty, food insecurity and social conflict. In all regions, the condition and management of ecosystem services is a dominant factor for the goal of poverty alleviation. This project aims to undertake pilot studies in the two selected countries to address the limited attention given by decision-makers to the role of ecosystems in providing sustainable livelihoods of people. This is envisioned to be done by identifying the linkages of ecosystems and sectoral and macroeconomic policies of these countries. This project focuses on the need to integrate ecosystem service assessment findings into development policies, ensuring the stronger link between fiscal and monetary policies for economic growth and poverty alleviation. Building on selected Sub Global Assessments (SGAs) that have already completed their assessments and generated scientific information on the state of ecosystems, this project will focus on developing analytical framework and adopting tools and methods for decision- and policy-makers to assist them in mainstreaming ecosystem management approaches into development and poverty alleviation policies with close involvement of national and local stakeholders.