INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: 73295 Date ISDS 18-Sep-2012 Prepared/Updated: I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Tajikistan Project ID: P133327 Project Name: TAJIKISTAN SECOND PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PROJECT (P133327) Task Team Leader: Bobojon Yatimov Estimated Appraisal Date: 27-Sep-2012 Estimated Board Date: 15-Nov-2012 Managing Unit: ECSAR Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Irrigation and drainage (89%), Public administration- Agriculture, fishing and forestry (8%), Public administration- Other social se rvices (3%) Theme: Rural services and infrastructure (75%), Rural policies and institutions (19%), Improving labor markets (3%), Social safety nets (3% ) Financing (in USD Million) Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 IDA Grant 18.00 Global Agriculture and Food Security Program 27.90 Total 45.90 Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment Is this a Repeater project? Yes 2. Project Objectives The project development objectives are to (i) provide employment to food insecure people through the rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage infrastructure, (ii) increase crop production in response to improved irrigation and drainage infrastructure, and (iii) support the development of improved policies and institutions for water resource management, as a means to improve food availability and food access for low-income people in poor rural areas supported by the project. 3. Project Description The repeater project will scale up a $10.1 million emergency food security project (Public Employment for Sustainable Agriculture and Water Management) financed by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank during 2010-2011. A public works program to renovate drainage and irrigation infrastructure was the major focus of this project, providing temporary employment to food insecure households in the short-term and increased crop production in the medium-term. Some 402,000 man.days of work were created, which provided around 10,600 beneficiaries with an average income of 1176 TJS/person (approx. $250). The infrastructure renovated included 1,820 km of irrigation canals, 317 km of collector and drainage canals and the installation of 305 water outlet gates. Approximately 43,300 households benefited from the combined impact of income transfers and improved access to irrigation over 44,300 ha. The project also contributed to the reform of water resource management policies, and the introduction of river basin management as the basis for sustainable management of Tajikistan’s water resources. It was implemented in 5 districts of Khatlon, the poorest region of Tajikistan. The Khatlon region has been selected as the project area for two major reasons. First, evidence from surveys consistently show that this is the poorest and most food insecure region in Tajikistan. Second, the region has a high agricultural potential that remains unrealized due in part to the deteriorating irrigation infrastructure. The proposed financing will address Khatlon’s pressing needs for rural employment and rehabilitation of its irrigation systems. According to a joint assessment of food security in Tajikistan carried out by WFP, WHO and DFID (2009), approximately 1.4 million people in Khatlon were identified as food insecure with 390,000 of them considered to be “severely� food insecure. Consequently, the IDA and GAFSP financing would enable irrigation improvements to be extended to 12 additional districts of Khatlon. In addition to the long-term benefits provided by the project on irrigation, temporary employment will be provided to around 30%-40% poor rural households in the area. The repeater project has the same general design as the original project. The project has three main components: Component I: Public Works and Rehabilitation of Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure (total Bank funding of USD 35.82 million, of which USD 21.85 million GAFSP funds and USD 13.97 million IDA funds). Sub-component Ia: Employment Generation for Food Insecure Households through Public Works (GAFSP financing of USD 10.07 million). Food insecure people from the project districts will be employed for manual cleaning of secondary and tertiary irrigation canals. Expenditure will include payments to beneficiaries, employer contributions to beneficiary social security taxes, social mobilization and labor force administration costs, and the procurement of low-cost tools for manual labor. Sub-component Ib: Mechanized and Other Works (GAFSP contribution of USD 11.78 million and IDA contribution USD 10.63 million). In addition to manual works, rehabilitation will require: the rental and purchase of machinery (excavators, bulldozers and closed drain flushing equipment), the purchase and installation of irrigation gates, irrigation canal and structure repair works, pipeline network repairs and strategic pump station and vertical drainage well repairs. Sub-component Ic: Flood Channel Emergency Works (IDA financing of USD 3.34 million). The project will finance the emergency restoration of a flood channel that traverses and protects the city of Kulyab as well as reduces risks for agriculture land and irrigation systems supported through the project down in Vose district. Component II: Technical Assistance to Support Policy and Institutional Reform for Water Resource Management (total Bank funding of USD 8.07 million, of which USD 4.035 million GAFSP funds and USD 4.035 million IDA funds).This component will finance technical assistance to the MAWRM and other relevant institutions to support the reform of water resource management. Sub-components comprise: Sub-component IIa: National-level Policy, Legislative and Institutional Formulation (GAFSP contribution of USD 1.17 million and IDA contribution USD 1.17 million). The project will assist the GoT to: (i) further develop the legal basis for integrated water resource management and water sector reform, (ii) transform the MAWRM into a Ministry of Water Resources (MWR), (iii) prepare a National IWRM strategy to identify priorities for improving water resource management in Tajikistan, and (iv) establish a Water Resources Information Center. Sub-component IIb: River Basin Planning (GAFSP contribution of USD 0.54 million and IDA contribution USD 0.54 million). The project will assist the GoT to implement river basin management in the Kafernigan river basin. The project will assist the GoT to implement river basin management in the Kafernigan river basin. Sub-component IIc: Develop and Strengthen Irrigation and Drainage Institutions (GAFSP contribution of USD 2.33 million and IDA contribution USD 2.33 million). The project will assist the GoT to: (i) build independent, financially-autonomous irrigation and drainage service providers responsible for the management of off-farm hydraulic assets and for water delivery to water user associations; (ii) support the transformation of existing region and district level institutions into the new institutional framework; and (iii) establish and strengthen water user associations. Component III: Project Implementation. (GAFSP financing of USD 2.01 million). A project management unit (PMU) to be managed under the World Bank-financed Ferghana Valley Water Resource Management project will be the main implementation agency. It will be responsible for: implementation and coordination, financial management and procurement, communication and awareness programs, environmental management and safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation. 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The project will be implemented in 10 selected districts of Khatlon region and in 2 districts of DRS, which are located in the south and south west part of the country and have a territory of more than 52 thousand Square km. It covers three agro-climatic areas – Vakhsh, Kulyab and Hissor, which are characterized by high temperatures and long-term frost-free period. Together Khatlon region and DRS makes a population of about 4.3 million people, which is about two third of the country’s population. The vast majority of its residents live in rural areas, about 3.7 million people versus about 695 thousand urban settlers. Due to deforestation, improper irrigation and excessive use of agricultural lands combined with unregulated chemical inputs the region’s land resources are affected by salinization, wind/water erosion and water logging. Most of the irrigation and drainage infrastructure is in danger of collapse. The selected districts are located in three river sub-basins: (a) Vaksh Sub- Basin: Yovon, Khuroson, Jomi, Rumi, Bokhtar, Jilikul; (b) Pyanj Sub-Basin: Vose, Hamadoni, Pyanj; and (c) Kafernigan Sub-Basin: Nosiri Khusrav, Ridaki and Hisor. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Arcadii Capcelea ( ECSEN ) Lola Ibragimova ( ECSSO ) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered ? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 Yes This OP is triggered as the project activities (small-scale earth moving, concrete works, cleaning up existing drainage channel structures; rehabilitation/replacement of pumps as well as rehabilitation of pumping stations and of a flood channel in Kulyab city), might generate some environmental impacts: water and air pollution; noise, soil erosion; dumping of excavated sediments and other materials from irrigation and drainage channels, structures; occupational hazards, etc. To address these issues, the borrower has updated the Generic Environmental Management Plan for the initial project and based on it, will prepare for each selected irrigation scheme a site- specific EMP, and in accordance with WB and national EA rules and procedures, will disclose and publicly consult it in the participating rayons. For each pump station to be rehabilitated as well as for rehabilitation of the Kulyab city flood channel, the client will prepare Checklist EMPs. These EMPs will be used for project implementation. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No No. As the proposed activities will be located on the existing irrigation areas, none of them will have impacts on protected areas or important nature habitats. Forests OP/BP 4.36 No No. The project activities will be implemented on irrigation areas with no impacts on forests. Pest Management OP 4.09 No No. OP 4.09 on Pest Management is not triggered as the project does not require the purchase and/or use of pesticides, and based on previous experience in the region, the improved irrigation infrastructure will not lead to changes in the crops production which would require usage of more pesticides. The main crop will remain cotton with a limited application of pesticides due to their high costs. However, the project in view of longer term considerations and changes in demand and supply trends will allocate resources within its public outreach campaign to carry out information dissemination activities in support to Integrated Pest Management in the project area. Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 No No. As the proposed activities will be located on the existing irrigation areas, none of them will have impacts on physical cultural resources. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No N/A Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 No No. The policy is not triggered because: (i) rehabilitation works will be done on existing irrigation/drainage canals and collectors; (ii) rehabilitation works related to upgrade of the pumping station buildings including replacement of pump, when necessary, will be done only on the footprints of existing facilities. The will be no civil works related to construction of new pumping stations. In order the avoid any tree cutting during rehabilitation works, while preparing site specific EMP, the borrower will analyze this issue and in such cases those canals/collectors will be excluded from the project activities. Similarly to the practice of the original project, tree cutting along the canals will be avoided. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No No Projects on International Waterways Yes The project area covers irrigation network OP/BP 7.50 which draws water from the Amu Darya River through Tajikistan’s territory and then flows into the Aral Sea. Thus the project triggers OP 7.50. At the same time, the proposed investments under the project are only for renovation of irrigation canals and improvements of drainage infrastructure along with the purchasing agricultural machinery, which are not expected to change the volume of extraction/discharge water or quality of water of these rivers, but rather will lead to more effective irrigation and drainage of the water. Under the first PAMP, an exception to the notification requirement under Paragraph 7(a) of OP 7.50 was granted. Such exception was also received under PAMP II. Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 No N/A II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the Restructured project. Identify and describe any potential l arge scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: The project will support a series of civil works which would consist of: earth moving, concrete works, cleaning up existing drainage collector structures; rehabilitation/replacement of pumps and deep wells, rehabilitation of existing pumping stations and of Kulyab city flood channel. Although most of these works are fairly small scale and will be done manually, they might generate some adverse environmental impacts: water and air pollution; noise, soil erosion; dumping of excavated sediments and other materials from irrigation and drainage canals, structures; occupational hazards, etc. At the same time, the project will bring several positive environmental and social impacts, and in particular, reduction in: water logging, salinization and water losses; improved irrigation distribution; reduction in seepage losses from main canal and over-supply of irrigation, with a beneficial effect for the area - a lower water table, a lower risk of salinity, and less stagnant water pools in the village causing health problems. Direct positive impacts will be also generated by increased production, more employment and increased income. The OP 4.01 is triggered as the project will support a series of activities which will generate some environmental and social impacts. As the project area covers irrigation network which draws water from the Amu Darya River and then flows into the Aral Sea, the project triggers also World Bank OP 7.50 on International Waterways. The proposed investments under the project are only for renovation of irrigation canals, and improvements of drainage infrastructure along with the renovation of pumping stations, which are not expected to change the volume of extraction/discharge water or quality of water of these rivers, but rather will lead to more effective irrigation and drainage of the water. Based on this it was requested an exception from the Bank with regard to the notification requirement under Paragraph 7(a) of the Policy. OP 4.09 on Pest Management is not triggered as the project does not require the purchase and/or use of pesticides, and based on previous experience in the region, the improved irrigation infrastructure will not lead to changes in the crops production which would require usage of more pesticides. The main crop will remain cotton with a limited application of pesticides due to their high costs. However, the project in view of longer term considerations and changes in demand and supply trends will allocate resources within its public outreach campaign to carry out information dissemination activities in support to Integrated Pest Management in the project area. The project will also not trigger OPs on Forests, Physical Cultural Resources as well as on Natural Habitats, as all proposed activities will be implemented within the existing irrigation areas. Lastly, the project activities will not trigger Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 as all project activities will be done within existing irrigated areas, no land acquisition and/or other resettlement issues are expected to arise. The rehabilitation works related to upgrade of the pumping station buildings including replacement of pumps, when necessary, will be done only on the footprints of existing facilities. Similarly to the practice of the original project the tree cutting along the canals will be avoided 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: The long term and indirect project impacts are positive and associated with: (a) improved agricultural productivity; (b) Increased Farm Income, Alleviation of Poverty; (c) Reduction in Water Losses; (d) Improved Water Resources Management; (e) Prevention/reduction of potential flood impacts on Kulyab city and downstream districts. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. N/A 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. To address potential adverse impacts the client has updated and will apply the Generic Environmental Management Plan (GEMP) which was prepared and applied for the initial project. Based on the GEMP there will be prepared site-specific EMPs, taking into account the concrete conditions of the selected irrigation scheme and/or drainage network as well as for the pumping stations and flood canal in Kulyab city repairing, after the detailed design of each sub-project will be done. The GEMP ensures that the proposed prevention/mitigation measures and monitoring activities identified during the subprojects EA will be properly undertaken during the project implementation. The GEMP includes the following: (a) short description of applicable laws, policies on environment procedures for EA as well as EA institutions and responsibilities; (b) Environmental Guidelines (EG) specifying: (i) potential environmental and social impacts of the rehabilitation of irrigation canals, improvements of drainage infrastructure activities; (ii) proposed mitigation and monitoring measures to be applied during the project implementation; (iii) description of the EMP Checklist which will be applied for activities related to pumping stations and flood channel repairing; (c) description of implementing arrangements, including supervision and monitoring, as well as reporting; and (d) analysis of the EA institutional capacity of the implementing agencies along with the proposed technical assistance to adequately implement the EA requirements for the subprojects to be supported. The GEMP also specifies necessary steps for preparing site-specific EMP of the selected Irrigation Schemes (ISs) and/or of the Drainage Canals (DCs) as well as for EMP Checklist for mentioned above activities. Furthermore, it specifies the project will support only rehabilitation of the on farm irrigation infrastructure and of the flood channel in Kulyab city when land acquisition is not necessary and there are no any resettlement issues. The overall management responsibility for the project will rest with the Ministry of Amelioration and Water Resources (MAWR) and the Administration of Khatlon region. The Fergana Water Resource Management Project Management Unit (PMU) will be the leading operational institution for the implementation of the proposed project and carry out all project implementation in accordance with the Operations Manual (OM). The PMU also will ensure that the EMP provisions are fully integrated into implementation of the project, including monitoring and reporting required by the World Bank. Proper implementation of the EMP provisions and field monitoring are the main responsibilities of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) at the regional level. Contractors will be responsible for implementation of the rehabilitation works in accordance with environmental requirements specified in the bidding documents and the EMP. PIU will work closely with State Committee on Environment Protection (SCEP) in implementing the EMPs. The existing PMU has previous experience in dealing with safeguards issues as it implemented several WB including the first project. The WB supervision missions done in May and November 2011 show the EMPs implementation is at satisfactory level. The main safeguards responsibilities within the initial project were assigned to the PMU which conducted site inspections prior to, and during the rehabilitation activities to ensure compliance with the contract conditions and the EMP. The supervision and monitoring of proper implementation of the measures required by the EMP was the responsibility of the PIU located in the field, closer to the project sites. The PIU conducted regular site visits to verify that the appropriate environmental preventive actions and/or mitigation measures have been implemented. Such environmental monitoring included observations of soil and water within and around the rehabilitation sites as well as of potential impacts on vegetation and on workers safety. Furthermore, in these supervision and monitoring activities have been involved also the local Ecological Inspectors. The status of compliance with agreed environmental preventive and mitigation measures was periodically reported by the PIU to the PMU which included them in their regular reports on project implementation. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. The Project Management Unit (PMU) has disseminated the updated GEMP to the Ministry of Amelioration and Water Resources Management (MAWRM), Ministry of Agriculture, Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan, and other relevant ministries for their review and comments, and also, on August 01, 2012, the document was posted on websites of the CAREC (www.carecnet.org) for its access to wide public. On August 03, 20102 the PMU has organized a consultation on the draft document. After the consultation, the document was revised to consider inputs from consulted parties. On August 30, 2012 the final draft GEMP was posted on the website of the Ministry of Amelioration and Water Resources and subsequently approved by the World Bank and disclosed in Infoshop. B. Disclosure Requirements Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other Date of receipt by the Bank 30-Aug-2012 Date of "in-country" disclosure 30-Aug-2012 Date of submission to InfoShop 13-Sep-2012 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting) OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Does the project require a stand-alone EA (including EMP) report? Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] If yes, then did the Regional Environment Unit or Sector Manager Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] (SM) review and approve the EA report? Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated in Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] the credit/loan? OP 7.50 - Projects on International Waterways Have the other riparians been notified of the project? Yes [ ] No [ X ] NA [ ] If the project falls under one of the exceptions to the notification Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] requirement, has this been cleared with the Legal Department, and the memo to the RVP prepared and sent? Has the RVP approved such an exception? Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] Bank's Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] the project cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with Yes [ X ] No [ ] NA [ ] the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? III. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Bobojon Yatimov Approved By: Regional Safeguards Name: Agnes Kiss Date: 09/24/2012 Coordinator: Sector Manager: Name: Dina Umali-Deininger Date: 09/20/2012