INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: ISDSA7440 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 30-Jan-2014 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 31-Jan-2014 I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Georgia Project ID: P133828 Project Name: Irrigation and Land Market Development Project (P133828) Task Team Peter Goodman Leader: Estimated 30-Jan-2014 Estimated 23-May-2014 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: ECSAR Lending Investment Project Financing Instrument: Sector(s): Irrigation and drainage (90%), General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector (3%), Public administration- Agriculture, fishing an d forestry (3%), General public administration sector (4%) Theme(s): Rural services and infrastructure (90%), Land administration and management (10%) Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) or OP No 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies)? Public Disclosure Copy Financing (In USD Million) Total Project Cost: 63.30 Total Bank Financing: 50.00 Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 0.00 International Development Association (IDA) 50.00 International Fund for Agriculture Development 13.30 Total 63.30 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? 2. Project Development Objective(s) Page 1 of 15 The project development objective (PDO) is to improve (i) delivery of irrigation and drainage services in selected areas and (ii) policies and procedures for land registration. 3. Project Description Public Disclosure Copy The Irrigation and Land Market Development (ILMD) Project consists of three components: Component 1 Irrigation and Drainage Improvement (US$58.00 million including US$45.20 million IDA Credit and US$12.80 million IFAD Loan) Irrigation and Drainage Rehabilitation and Modernization Subcomponent 1. Scope of Rehabilitation and Modernisation: This subcomponent would finance the rehabilitation and modernization of selected irrigation and drainage systems including design, design supervision, construction and construction supervision. It would support the rehabilitation of headworks, primary and secondary (off-farm) canals, tertiary (on-farm canals), small dams where necessary, and any other minor structures as needed in the project areas. The Project will restore previously irrigated and drained areas only, and not build new schemes. Based on an assumed average cost of US$1500 per ha, Project funding would be sufficient to rehabilitate approximately 33,000 ha. 2. While a large part of the rehabilitation will involve reconstruction of original systems, there will be opportunities to modernize water control and delivery structures, including automation of headworks or introduction of SCADA to monitor and control water distribution in some of the larger canal systems. Low-pressure drip and sprinkler systems may also be employed in some schemes to improve water use efficiency. The Project will employ international design expertise where necessary to enhance the modernisation aspects of design. 3. Selection Of Schemes: Schemes will be selected based on criteria including: (i) water available to the scheme without affecting adversely other users in the basin, (ii) maximum cost of rehabilitation about US$3,000 (for the main, secondary and tertiary systems), (iii) community Public Disclosure Copy willingness to participate; (iv) potential to establish viable water user organizations or alternative institutional arrangements for on-farm irrigation management; (v) technical viability of rehabilitation; (vi) willingness to pay for water, financial and economic viability; (vii) complementarity between selected schemes in order to minimize off-farm rehabilitation costs per ha; and (viii) complementarity with other sector developments ongoing in the area; as well as positive environmental, social and safeguards assessments. Selection will be preceded by a public information campaign to ensure widespread participation in consultations with water users on designs. Flood Control Improvement Subcomponent This subcomponent will finance: (i) improvement of flood control systems serving irrigation and drainage schemes selected under the Project, including design, construction and construction supervision of flood improvement and control systems which will include construction of gabions, check dams, embankments, dikes for headworks, main canals, secondary canals and tertiary canals- this would involve small works only; and (ii) study of required measures for erosion control in the catchment area of these schemes and implementation thereof. This will result in the reduced vulnerability of small farmers in the rehabilitated irrigation command areas to intermittent floods. Strengthening of Irrigation and Drainage Institutions Subcomponent I. National Irrigation and Drainage Strategy: The Project will finance technical assistance to support the Department of Amelioration to prepare a National Irrigation and Drainage Strategy. The Strategy Page 2 of 15 will define the government’s long term vision for (i) national regulation and monitoring or irrigation water delivery including environmental monitoring; (ii) institutional arrangements for on-farm and off-farm irrigation s ervices; (iii) water pricing and cost recovery; and (iv) rehabilitation and Public Disclosure Copy modernization. The strategy would also define the government’s approach to increasing resilience to climate change through improved irrigation management. II. National Rehabilitation and Modernisation Plan: The Project will finance technical assistance and operating costs for the preparation of a national rehabilitation and modernisation plan that will prioritize rehabilitation and modernization over the next 5-10 years as a basis for nationwide government and donor funded investments. The plan will be based on (i) technical assessments following completion of the on-going inventory to identify all canals and structures and their functional condition; (ii) financial and economic assessments of the viability of rehabilitating different types of systems in different agro-climatic regions; (iii) social assessments of the impact of rehabilitation and (iv) environmental assessments including an assessment of the impact of rehabilitation on national and river basin water balances and the implications of climate change. Participatory rehabilitation is an important principle and the plan will include farmer consultations assess their priorities. Opportunity to introduce modernizing technologies will be identified. Examples of modernizing technologies include more efficient conveyance, distribution and application of water for irrigation (to reduce waste of water), newer and cheaper technology for water measurement, and new pumping technology. The FAO MASSCOTE approach (Mapping System and Services for Canal Operation Techniques) may also be applied to identify the extent to different which types of modernization are appropriate to Georgian irrigation and drainage systems. The approach involve using rapid appraisal methods to map system capacity, stresses, operation and maintenance practices, performance and needs for modernization. III. Institutional Strengthening of UASCG in Management Operations and Maintenance: The Project will finance: (i) Maintenance management improvement - technical assistance to prepare guidelines on the preparation of maintenance plans for on-farm systems, off-farm systems and dams, the preparation of Public Disclosure Copy costed maintenance plans and operating guidelines for each Project irrigation schemes well as training of UASCG staff on this topic; (ii) Maintenance equipment - the purchase of new UASCG maintenance and cleaning equipment (including, excavators, bulldozers, small pickup trucks, technical service vehicles, back loaders, compressors, weed cutters, GPS devices, canal diggers), office facilities and equipment needed to service Project irrigation schemes. (iii) Water delivery management improvement - technical assistance for the introduction of improved methods for estimating crop water requirements, scheduling and monitoring water deliveries well as training of UASCG staff on this topic; (iv) Water delivery technology improvement - computer programs for calculating crop water and irrigation requirements (such as Crop Wat from FAO), IT upgrading and measuring devices for improved water delivery in Project selected schemes; (v) Irrigation service plans and performance based service agreements - Technical assistance to prepare guidelines on irrigation service plans and service agreements between UASCG and their clients for each scheme, as well as delivery of training to UASCG staff on this topic. The service agreements would define water delivery and maintenance performance standards as a basis for payment system and arrangements for dispute resolution. (vi) Billing system technology improvements -IT software and equipment upgrading to improve billing and financial management systems as well as trainin g of staff in how to use improved billing systems. Page 3 of 15 IV. Preparation of Operation, Maintenance and Financing Plans for Each Scheme. The plan will include: (i) preparation of a costed operation and maintenance schedule; (ii) an estimate of full Public Disclosure Copy operation and maintenance costs for the scheme, to be included in the annual budget of the organization responsible for maintenance; and (iii) calculation of the relative contribution to operation and maintenance costs from irrigation service fees from farmers and government subsidies to that organization. V. Institutional Arrangements for On-Farm Service Delivery: On-farm irrigation services will be provided by the UASCG until such time as water users indicate their interest in participating in on-farm water management. During the transition period the Project will raise awareness of options for on-farm irrigation service amongst water users and assist them to determine the most suitable options. There Project will explore options for service delivery both in terms of the range of functions undertaken by the WUO and how the WUO employs resources to undertake these functions. VI. Preparation of annual UASCG Business Plans for 2015/16. Component 2 - Land Market Development (US$3.5 million IDA Credit) The Component will finance the pilot phase of the Strategy and Draft Action Plan for Reform Land Registration June 2013 (hereafter the Draft Action Plan). The key elements of the Component include: A. Policy Development - the expected result of which will be: (i) Recommended policies and associated legal reforms, which would define how different land possession scenarios would be dealt with under the pilot. This would include defining standards for evidence in the absence of primary documentation, simplifying registration in inheritance cases, setting procedures for regularizing occupied areas which are larger or smaller than the size allocated in original privatization, rules for Public Disclosure Copy discriminating state and municipal properties, and streamlining conflict resolution procedures. (ii) Recommended revisions to those policies, legal reforms and dispute resolution mechanisms at the end of the pilot as a basis for the nationwide implementation. The Project would finance international and local TA and operating expenses of a Land Reform Unit (LRU) to be established under NAPR to implement this component. B. Pilot Registration - the expected result of which will be registered land titles for all land plots included in the pilot. A number of pilot districts will be selected for the pilot based a classification of the variety of land tenure situations in the country, and implement pilot registration in these locations over a 30 month period The Draft Action Plan calls for an initial focus on only agricultural lands in rural areas and the pilot will therefore initially focus exclusively on agricultural land. Eight areas containing a total of about 28,000 parcels have been preliminarily selected for piloting. Expansion of the pilots to adjoining non-agricultural lands in rural areas may be considered as a subsequent phase of pilots, to be funded by government outside the Project, if a policy consensus for doing so becomes clear. Results from pilots will inform the design of national roll-out of land registration in years 2-5 of the project. The Project would finance salaries of additional short term NAPR and other staff and associated operating costs, private surveyor contracts, surveying equipment, computer hardware and software, and international and local technical assistance for the key elements of the pilot which include: (i) training of staff and surveyors; (ii) public awareness and social mobilization; (iii) land title document collection; (iv) surveying land plots; (v) updating maps and registration documents; Page 4 of 15 (vii) dispute resolution; and (viii) registration and issue of electronic certificates. C. Impact Evaluation - the expected result of which will be a quantitative assessment of joint and Public Disclosure Copy individual impact of land reform and irrigation rehabilitation on land transactions, land disputes, land investment, productivity and profitability. The Project would finance a contract with a local survey company and supporting international and local TA. Component 3 - Project Management (US$1.8 million including US$1.3million IDA Credit and US $0.50 million IFAD Loan) This component would finance overall project management, including coordination and technical supervision of the implementation, financial management, procurement, and monitoring and reporting on implementation progress. The Project will be implemented by the Project Implementation Unit, which will be established by the MoA. 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The Project will be implemented county-wide. Individual investments may be made in any irrigated and drained area of the country. Most of these investments will not be finally selected by the time of Project preparation. Three irrigation schemes have been already selected for irrigation rehabilitation: Kvemo Samgori Scheme in Kakheti Region, Tbisi-Kumisi Scheme in Kvemo Kartli Region and Zeda Ru Scheme in Shida Kartli Region. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Darejan Kapanadze (ECSEN) Joanna Peace De Berry (ECSSO) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The Project will help to improve irrigation and BP 4.01 drainage efficiency in several existing Public Disclosure Copy deteriorated schemes. This would imply rehabilitation or replacement of damaged hydraulic structures, and cleaning and lining of canals. No new schemes will be constructed and no new agricultural areas will be covered with irrigation/drainage services. Scheme rehabilitation will improve service provision to the areas currently covered and could allow service delivery to some of the areas previously served, but later cut-off due to deterioration of the infrastructure. The Project will improve efficiency of water use by decreasing water loss during transportation through the rehabilitation and upgrading of damaged canals, and by educating, training and advising farmers on optimal planning of irrigation and the use of new technologies. Activities proposed for the Project support trigger OP/BP 4.01 Environmental Assessment. Based on the nature and scope of the Page 5 of 15 planned physical works, the Project is classified through environmental screening as Category B. Its expected environmental and social impacts are Public Disclosure Copy low to medium. The Project does not carry risks of destroying natural habitats, damaging forest stands, significantly altering hydrology of the natural waterways, or affecting other ecosystems in any tangible and/or irreversible ways. The Project will support works on the schemes most of which are not identified at the Project preparation phase, though the nature and scope of these works are well known upfront and will be mostly similar in various locations. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was developed to cover all key aspects of screening, risk assessment, environmental evaluation and management planning of the schemes to be rehabilitated. Environmental screening of sub-project proposals will be part of their selection for the Project support. Screening will imply examination of water availability for the proposed irrigation schemes. ESMF provides sufficient information on the expected impacts and needed mitigation measures of all proposed investments. Depending on the complexity and associated risks of individual sub-projects, their environmental Public Disclosure Copy assessment (EA) may be required, resulting in the production of an EA report, including an Environmental Management Plan (EMP). In most cases, though, it is expected that completion of a simplified Environmental Management Plan Checklist for Irrigation Reconstruction Activities would be sufficient. ESMF carries detailed guidance on the selection and application of relevant tools for environmental review and mitigation planning. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 Yes The project aims at improving water availability and drainage for the serviced areas and, possibly, restoration of some agricultural areas back to irrigation/drainage. It is anticipated that because of improved services delivery, agriculture will Page 6 of 15 intensify in the coverage areas, which could entail more intensive usage of pesticides. Hence, OP 4.09 Pest Management is triggered despite the Public Disclosure Copy fact that the Project will not finance their purchase and/or support to their application. While there is no need to develop a Pest Management Plan, promotion of good pest and pesticide management practices, including Integrated Pest Management (IPM), will be supported by complementary projects including (i) the parallel GEF/ IFAD financed Enhancement of Agricultural Resilience and Competitiveness Project which will involve field demonstrations in the project area including on integrated pest management and (ii) USAID support for the development of the national extension service which is also expected to include development of extension and training material for integrated pest management which will be delivered in the Project area. Under the Project, an extension plan for each scheme will be prepared defining the agricultural extension activities to be undertaken by GEF, USAID or other projects in the project areas, including in relation to pest management, to ensure that farmers are adequately informed about best practice on past management. Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No Because the Project will not finance any new BP 4.11 construction, no negative impacts on the known Public Disclosure Copy physical cultural assets is expected. Likelihood of encountering chance finds is also modest, because no much excavation works will be required for rehabilitation of the existing irrigation schemes or provision of small flood control structures. However, if any archaeological finds are encountered in the course of earth works, the contractor will be mandated to immediately take activity on hold and inform the client. The client will contact the State Agency for Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments and seek guidance on the further course of action. Works may resume only after receiving formal permission from the State Agency for Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP Yes Under Component 1, the rehabilitation of 4.12 primary-, secondary- and tertiary-level irrigation Page 7 of 15 infrastructure may necessitate land acquisition, although every attempt will be made to agree rehabilitation design plans that minimize land Public Disclosure Copy acquisitions. The policy is triggered and a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) has been prepared for the Component and will be disclosed in country and via the World Bank prior to Appraisal. Should land acquisition be required, the RPF will guide the development of site specific Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) to ensure that the possible risks of resettlement, loss of land and loss of income are mitigated. Under Component 2, the piloting of the land registration process may require resolving cases where landowners have extended their residences or land use onto State-owned land. Formalization of ownership could result in people losing access to State-owned land with adverse economic impacts. Rather than applying OP4.12 to this component however, it is agreed that a ‘Country Systems’ approach should be followed. In this case the country system to be evaluated for equivalence and acceptability (per OP 4.00) are the Land Reform Strategy and Action Plan and Operations Manual, which will set out the policy and standards to address such cases of loss of access to land, and the institutional mechanism Public Disclosure Copy which is being set up to implement them. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 Yes Some of the irrigation schemes to be rehabilitated under the ILMD Project are fed with water from the existing reservoirs. No new reservoirs will be constructed under the project, but because operation of some Project-supported schemes will depend on the integrity of the dams of the existing reservoirs, OP/BP 4.37 Safety of Dams is triggered. It means that for any scheme included for rehabilitation into the ILMD Project’s work program and dependent on a dam-supported reservoir, technical condition of such dam, as well as its operation and maintenance pattern will be examined and remedial actions will be undertaken as part of the Project, as required. More specifically, due diligence for ensuring dam safety may include updating of the dam safety information, undertaking physical works and/or providing additional equipment to address critical Page 8 of 15 issues of dam safety, and establishing a dam safety panel to review dams-related documentation and advise on the required actions. Public Disclosure Copy Projects on International Yes Most of the irrigation schemes of East Georgia, Waterways OP/BP 7.50 including those provisionally identified for the Project support, abstract water from trans- boundary rivers Mtkvari and Alazani, or their tributaries. Water drained from the agricultural lands in West Georgia is discharged to the rivers draining into the Black Sea. Project interventions will not increase water intake or discharge beyond the designed parameters of the existing schemes, because they will be strictly limited to the rehabilitation of the existing irrigation and drainage infrastructure without altering of their original capacities. Therefore, while OP/BP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways is triggered, communication between the riparian states on the project interventions is deemed unnecessary. An exception to notification is sought by the Project team from ECAVP and the memo requesting an exception has been cleared by LEGEN and LEGLE. Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No The Ministry of Agriculture has provided written 7.60 confirmation that Project investments will not take place in Project disputes areas. II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management Public Disclosure Copy A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: Under Component 1, the ILMD Project will help to improve irrigation and drainage efficiency in several existing deteriorated schemes and provide small flood control structures mostly aimed at safeguarding these target schemes from secondary damage after re-entering into operation. This would imply rehabilitation or replacement of damaged hydraulic structures; cleaning and lining of canals; arrangement of gabions, check dams, embankments, and dikes for headworks, main canals, secondary canals and tertiary canals. No new schemes will be constructed and no new agricultural areas will be covered with irrigation/drainage services. Scheme rehabilitation will improve service provision to the areas currently covered and could allow service delivery to some of the areas previously served, but later cut-off due to deterioration of the infrastructure. The Project will improve efficiency of water use by decreasing water loss during transportation through the rehabilitation and upgrading of damaged canals, and by educating, training and advising farmers on optimal planning of irrigation and the use of new technologies. Its expected environmental and social impacts are low to medium. The Project does not carry risks of destroying natural habitats, damaging forest stands, significantly altering hydrology of the natural waterways, or affecting other ecosystems in any tangible and/or irreversible ways. Page 9 of 15 Construction-phase impacts of the Project activities will be typical for rehabilitation of the existing irrigation schemes, limited in time, and mostly contained within the work sites. Social impacts of works in the section of canals, where encroachment to the right-of-way has happened in the past, Public Disclosure Copy may be the most sensitive impact of the construction phase. If service roads are impassible, or access to irrigation infrastructure is otherwise restricted to the extent that the planned works cannot be undertaken without affecting people's economic activity and/or residence, then involuntary resettlement will occur. The borrower will then be challenged to provide full compensation according to the guiding principles of OP/BP 4.12, RPF developed for this project, and the requirements of the national legislation. Under Component 2, the piloting of the land registration process may require resolving a small number of cases where landowners have extended their residences or land use onto State-owned land. Formalization of ownership could result in people losing access to State-owned land with adverse economic impacts. Addressing this scenario has implications for the project, where the adverse impact will need to be mitigated, but also poses a land access issue with national level implications – requiring a strategic national policy response. Therefore a ‘Country Systems’ approach will be followed. In this case the country system to be evaluated for equivalence and acceptability (per OP 4.00) are the Land Reform Strategy and Action Plan (LRSAP) and Operations Manual (OM), which are to be developed under the Project, The challenge for the client will be to develop the LRSAP and OM to also adhere to OP 4.12. At the operation stage of the irrigation schemes to be rehabilitated under the Project, avoiding possible negative impacts of water logging, intensified agriculture, and excessive intake of water from natural aquifers would be important. The borrower will also have to safely maintain dams that support reservoirs feeding the irrigation schemes, apply a basic mechanism for detecting and addressing irrigation water quality issues, provide enabling environment for affordability of water fees, and mediate conflicts for water use that may arise in future. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities Public Disclosure Copy in the project area: Implementation of the ILMD Project will not directly influence competition for water use, because rehabilitation of schemes under the Project will not imply increase of water intake by the schemes. However, operation of the rehabilitated schemes in future may be affected by intensified water use upstream, or economic development downstream may cause increase demand for water which will be limited during irrigation season due to operation of irrigation schemes. This may potentially trigger conflicts between water users and hinder growth unless watershed management planning is consistently applied. Flood irrigation is the main technique used in Georgia. Over the extended periods of time, it may potentially cause soil erosion and salinization through water logging. Therefore, some areas under flood irrigation will require existence and proper operation of drainage systems. Application of flood irrigation method in the areas with highly percolating soils, high ground water table and saline lower layers of soil will have to be excluded to avoid soil degradation and economic loss to agriculture. Rehabilitation of the irrigation infrastructure will result in better yields, may lead to diversification of crops, and eventually increase incomes of rural families from agriculture. Along with highly positive social impacts of the above, activation of agro-production in better irrigated areas and land plots brought back to production as a result of resumed irrigation services may lead to Page 10 of 15 increase in use of agrochemicals. Handling and application of pesticides carries risks to the heath of people exposed to pesticides, consumers of the products farmed with the use of pesticides, and may damage environment (soils, surface water, and ground water) with hazardous pollutants. In Public Disclosure Copy order to reduce public health and environmental risks of excessive, unsafe, or improper use of pesticides the project beneficiary farmers will be provided with information on the IPM principles and guidelines on safe storing, handling, and application of pesticides. This will be delivered by two complementary projects: including (i) the parallel GEF/ IFAD financed Enhancement of Agricultural Resilience and Competitiveness Project which will involve field demonstrations in the project area including on integrated pest management and (ii) USAID support for the development of the national extension service which is also expected to include development of extension and training material for integrated pest management which will be delivered in the Project area. UASCG operates based on licenses for water intake issued by the Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources Protection. However, the licensing procedure is not based on the environmental impact assessment of the permitted intake. There is no national standard or formally adopted methodology for defining an ecological water flow to be maintained in natural water bodies by any types of water users. Therefore, the risk of damage to river ecosystems from water intake and discharge by irrigation schemes does exist. The licenses held by UASCG are valid till 2015, for the water intake from specific river basins for the needs of specific irrigation schemes. These licenses represent the primary tool of regulation of water use, however they are based on water demand and on the scheme’s design capacity of water intake rather than on the scientifically worked out amounts of ecological water flow required for sustaining aquatic ecosystems. At present, MENRP is in the process aligning the national environmental legislation with the guiding principles adopted in the EU. The new Water Law is in works, and MENRP is striving for the adoption of conventional new methodology for establishing ecological water flow in surface water bodies. It is expected that by the time of expiry of the licenses held by the UASCG, more advanced rules of licensing will be in place, and will apply from 2015 onwards. The same is expectation holds for regulation of discharged water quality. Public Disclosure Copy 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. The Project was designed to make interventions only to those irrigation schemes, rehabilitation of which would not lead to the increase of water abstraction as compared to the originally designed capacity of schemes. This choice was made to ensure that the Project financed activities would not result in adverse environmental and social impacts, because increased water intake might result in deterioration of aquatic ecosystems of rivers and/or increased competition for water use. 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. The borrower developed an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and for Component 1 - a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) to lay out guiding principles for carrying out environmental and social screening of the proposed sub-projects, assessing their potential impacts, selecting measures for mitigating negative impacts, and monitoring application of these mitigation measures. Three site-specific Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) were also produced for the schemes already identified for rehabilitation under the Project. All of these safeguard documents were shared with and approved by the Bank. ESMF carries instructions for works providers on the course of action in an unlikely case of chance finds during earth works. RPF provides guidance on the development of Resettlement Action Plans (RPFs) if rehabilitation of irrigation canals cannot be undertaken without temporary or permanent restriction of the land Page 11 of 15 use by its private owners, or if any other possible types of impacting private property occur. For Component 2, the client will develop the LRSAP and the OM so that it meets OP 4.12 requirements. The appropriateness of the legal/policy framework and the effectiveness of the Public Disclosure Copy institutional structures and performance will be assured by the WB's direct involvement in developing and deploying them. In addition, a legal covenant under the project will state that LRSAP and Operations Manual are to be satisfactory to the Bank and to contain policies and procedures of equivalence with OP 4.12. Because some of the schemes to be rehabilitated under the ILMD Project depend on the dam- supported reservoirs, the borrower agreed to include assessing of dam's safety and addressing outstanding issues, if found, into the Project design. The borrower is committed to establish a dam safety panel, following the guiding principles of OP/BP 4.37, by the time when designing of the TA and possible delivery of works and/or goods for the improvement of dam safety commences according to the Project implementation plan. Some agricultural areas, which had been out of irrigation due to deteriorated infrastructure, will be brought back to irrigation as a result of ILMD Project implementation. This is likely to stimulate agro-production, and subsequently – the use of pesticides. The borrower is committed to explore synergies with other projects and to provide its own support to water user associations in the promotion of sound pesticide use practices, including Integrated Pest Management (IPM). For Component 1, the MoA will be the Project implementing agency. It has acted in this capacity for several Bank-supported projects in the past. This Ministry also has vast experience of collaborating with other multilateral and bilateral development agencies. It is expected that a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established within the MoA for Component 1 and will be responsible for fiduciary management, monitoring and evaluation. Key technical partners will be the Amelioration Policy Department and the Land Department of the MoA, Because the previous Bank-financed projects implemented by the MoA closed several years ago and the Ministry underwent series of institutional reforms since then, MoA currently has no in-house Public Disclosure Copy capacity of safeguards management and will have to create in within the PIU, once established. Either staff members or consultants of PIU shall be designated for facilitating development of safeguards documents for the Project investments, overseeing adherence of the Project-financed works to the safeguard policies, conducting environmental and social monitoring of the Project implementation, and reporting on the monitoring outcomes. Creating institutional capacity of PIU, satisfactory to the Bank, will be a condition for the Project effectiveness and its maintenance will be mandatory throughout the Project life. For Component 2 the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) will be the implementing agency. The key implementing partner will be the National Agency for Public Registry (NAPR) which will act as the Project Implementation Unit for this component. NAPR will hire consultants with relevant experience in management of Bank project, given that they have no recent experience of managing Bank projects. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. MoA, MoJ, NAPR, Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, UASCG, municipalities of farmers' settlements that use irrigation services, Water User Associations, and individual users of irrigation services are the Project stakeholders. Page 12 of 15 MoA prepared ESMF and RPF in a participatory manner, receiving inputs from key stakeholders. These documents, along with the three site-specific EMPs, while in draft, were publicly disclosed through the MoA's web page. Hard copies of EMPs in Georgian language were made available at Public Disclosure Copy the local municipalities. Public consultation meetings were held in Tbilisi, to discuss ESFM and RPF with the national stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental sectors. Consultations with the Project affected people were held on the site-specific EMPs in Kvemo Kartli Schem❅ (Kakheti region), Tbisi Kumisi Scheme (Kvemo Karti region), and Zeda Ru scheme (Shida Kartli region). The documents were finalized afterwards and the minutes of public consultation meetings were attached. The same procedures will be applicable to all site-specific EMPs and RAPs, if required, throughout the Project life. B. Disclosure Requirements Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other Date of receipt by the Bank 19-Nov-2013 Date of submission to InfoShop 29-Jan-2014 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors "In country" Disclosure Georgia 29-Jan-2014 Comments: Disclosed on MOA website and verify by Bank team. Letter of confirmation from MOA received. Resettlement Action Plan/Framework/Policy Process Date of receipt by the Bank 07-Nov-2013 Date of submission to InfoShop 29-Jan-2014 "In country" Disclosure Georgia 29-Jan-2014 Public Disclosure Copy Comments: Disclosed on MOA website and verify by Bank team. Letter of confirmation from MOA received. Pest Management Plan Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? NA Date of receipt by the Bank NA Date of submission to InfoShop NA "In country" Disclosure Comments: 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 OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Page 13 of 15 Does the project require a stand-alone EA (including EMP) Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] report? Public Disclosure Copy If yes, then did the Regional Environment Unit or Sector Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Manager (SM) review and approve the EA report? Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the credit/loan? OP 4.09 - Pest Management Does the EA adequately address the pest management issues? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Is a separate PMP required? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] If yes, has the PMP been reviewed and approved by a Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] safeguards specialist or SM? Are PMP requirements included in project design?If yes, does the project team include a Pest Management Specialist? OP/BP 4.12 - Involuntary Resettlement Has a resettlement plan/abbreviated plan/policy framework/ Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] process framework (as appropriate) been prepared? If yes, then did the Regional unit responsible for safeguards or Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Sector Manager review the plan? OP/BP 4.37 - Safety of Dams Have dam safety plans been prepared? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Have the TORs as well as composition for the independent Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Panel of Experts (POE) been reviewed and approved by the Bank? Has an Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) been prepared and Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Public Disclosure Copy arrangements been made for public awareness and training? OP 7.50 - Projects on International Waterways Have the other riparians been notified of the project? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] If the project falls under one of the exceptions to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] notification 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 [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] World Bank's Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ ] 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 [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Page 14 of 15 Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the project cost? Public Disclosure Copy Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? III. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Peter Goodman Approved By Regional Safeguards Name: Agnes I. Kiss (RSA) Date: 30-Jan-2014 Advisor: Sector Manager: Name: Suzy H. Yoon-Yildiz (SM) Date: 31-Jan-2014 Public Disclosure Copy Page 15 of 15