Page  1
SIERRA LEONE-RAPID RESPONSE GROWTH POLES: COMMUNITY-BASED 
LIVELIHOOD AND FOOD SUPPORT PROGRAM 
 
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) 
 
July 2010 
 
E2564 
Page  2
SIERRA LEONE-RAPID RESPONSE GROWTH POLES: COMMUNITY-BASED 
LIVELIHOOD AND FOOD SUPPORT PROGRAM 
 
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) 
 
July 2010 
 
1. I
NTRODUCTION
 
The objectives of this project are to: (i) reduce hunger and deprivation in two of the poorest 
districts directly affected by the global economic crisis and recent drought and flooding in the 
Seli River area by distributing food packages to at some 6000 people; and (ii) restore livelihoods, 
sustain services, and enhance local capacities through rapid response growth poles (RRGP) 
activities. 
 
The project is comprised of three components: 
 
Component 1
:
Rapid response growth pole (RRGP) income, food and livelihood security sub-
projects is composed of three sub-components implemented by the National Commission for 
Social Action (NaCSA) for emergency assistance through food-for-work (FfW) and cash-for-
work (CfW); agricultural and fishing livelihood restoration; immediate access for remote 
villages; and expanded delivery of education and health services targeting about 1,200 at-risk 
households and broadly benefitting over 23,000 poor households affected by extreme events of 
flooding and severe drought. These are described below: 
 
Sub-component 1.1: District level access/transport and social services rapid response sub-
projects 
–
administered by District Councils -- (i) 40 kms of foot trails connecting remote 
villages to services and markets; (ii) installation of renewable energy to 2 schools and 2 health 
centers for evening classes targeted for vulnerable groups and 24-hr 
emergency medical services; and (iii) boat building and landing points for 24 marginalized 
villages across the river -- labor intensive works constructed by workers from 1,200 at-risk 
households receiving FfW during the emergency period of 6 months and 500 community-
selected at-risk laborers receiving CfW over a period of 2 years, including 
sub-project O&M; 
 
Sub-component 1.2: Community driven development (CDD) food security and livelihood 
restoration sub-projects -- executed by Community User Committees (CUCs) organized by local 
villages for: (i) agricultural food production (swampland and upland conservation farming); and 
(ii) 6 Communications Centers for risk management (weather and crop forecasts, disaster risk 
and prevention information using telecommunications, computer, etc) – labor intensive works by 
500 at-risk workers receiving CfW over a period of 2 years, including sub-project O&M; 
 
Sub-component 1.3: Small grants for at-risk and vulnerable groups administered by CUCs in 
identified at-risk villages following a community-based selection and approval process: (i) 50 
grants/$5,000 per grant for agribusiness units (ABUs) and Fishing Cooperatives (FCs) for food 
security related activities (e.g. grain stock, post harvest, fishing inputs, etc); and (ii) 50 
Page  3
grants/$5,000 per grant for vulnerable groups (disabled, women, youth, e.g. maternal and infant 
health, job skills and information, adult and youth education, self-help industries, labor 
intensive youth reforestation and soil conservation, etc); 
 
Component 2
:
Establishment of community-based social accountability and participatory 
monitoring mechanisms -- capacity strengthening to ensure emergency support is carried out in a 
fair and flexible manner, consisting of 2  sub-components: 
 
Sub-component 2.1: RRGP monitoring and social accountability leadership training on the 
application of tools like expenditure tracking, report cards, and impact evaluation provided by 
NaCSA CDD-trained and experienced "coaches or facilitators" for 320 community leaders (local 
officials; FFS, ABU, FC and vulnerable groups' representatives) 
 
Sub-component 2.2: Impact evaluation -- consisting of baseline and follow-up panel socio-
economic surveys; stakeholder workshops; and grievance mechanism to be contracted to a Sierra 
Leonian field-based NGO 
 
Component 3: Project management -- composed of a small 2-person unit under the Ministry of 
Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) to organize Steering Committee meetings and national 
workshops; distribute progress reports prepared by NaCSA (the project's implementing arm); 
prepare financial and audit reports and project completion reports 
 
Public consultation process 
 
Some public consultations were conducted as part of the original EIA. Further 
consultation 
of stakeholders was conducted in the project area and in Freetown during the recent 
EIA 
update studies. Moreover, plans were made for further consultation as the project is 
completed and operated. This was done through the medium of a formal Public 
Consultation and Disclosure Plan (PCDP), which was issued during the update 
study 
period. The consultations anticipated in the PCDP were as follows: 
 
•
on
the ToR of the re
cent EIA studies, known as ‘scoping’; 
•
during conduct of the further EIA studies; 
•
on
the present EIA report; and 
•
during project completion, commissioning and operation. 
 
The findings of the ‘scoping’ consultations were summarised in a Scoping Report, 
which 
was also issued in 2005, and re-issued in connection with this project in July 2010. 
This was used to refine the scope of work for the any potential EIA studies, as 
needed for the sub-project grants. The scoping meetings also discussed future 
consultation requirements, resulting in a framework and mechanisms for 
consultation at and beyond project completion. The mechanisms, which are 
compatible with the current national and local-level institutional and regulatory 
Page  4
context, include the establishment of a Community Liaison Committee and a 
Grievance Procedure. 
 
District, Chieftain and Village leaders requested the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources 
(MoEWR) in July 2008 to provide urgent support  for 24 of the poorest  villages in the Seli River 
area who are in danger of hunger and malnutrition. Worsening of social and economic conditions 
in these villages escalated in 2008 due to extreme occurrences of drought and flooding, and 
where the impacts of the food and fuel crisis have been severe (as shown from results of a socio-
economic survey completed in December 2008).  
 
Discussions about implementing arrangements for “small but quick-implementing” sub-projects 
at community and district levels were first started in 2004 and 2005 by the MoEWR. At that 
time, there were several stakeholder consultations, a socio-economic survey (in 2004), and 2 
needs assessments organized. Later, in 2007, the MoEWR organized a national stakeholders 
forum, and it was in this forum that the use of existing decentralization mechanisms, such as the 
National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), would be applied as a model for this project.  
 
In August, 2009, local leaders from three of the poorest chiefdoms (Diang, Kalansogoia, and 
Kasunko) expressed concerns about persistent hunger and the rise in morbidity and mortality 
rates due to malnutrition, malaria, and other water-borne diseases.  Another  series of 
consultations and focus group meetings were held in these chiefdoms in August to December, 
2009, organized by MoEWR and facilitated by local Sierra Leonian NGOs, to better ascertain the 
extent of assistance needed to address these urgent problems.  The specific activities, decision 
making structure, and implementing arrangements were identified at these consultations and the 
recommendations from these consultations are reflected in the design of this proposed project. 
 
District, Chieftain and Village leaders requested the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources 
(MoEWR) in July 2008 to provide urgent support  for 24 of the poorest  villages in the Seli River 
area who are in danger of hunger and malnutrition. Worsening of social and economic conditions 
in these villages escalated in 2008 due to extreme occurrences of drought and flooding, and 
where the impacts of the food and fuel crisis have been severe (as shown from results of a socio-
economic survey completed in December 2008).  
 
Discussions about implementing arrangements for "small but quick-implementing"  sub-projects 
at community and district levels were first started in 2004 and 2005 by the MoEWR. At that 
time, there were several stakeholder consultations, a socio-economic survey (in 2004), and 2 
needs assessments organized. Later, in 2007, the MoEWR organized a national stakeholders 
forum, and it was in this forum that the use of existing decentralization mechanisms, such as the 
National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), would be applied as a model for this project.  
 
In August, 2009, local leaders from three of the poorest chiefdoms (Diang, Kalansogoia, and 
Kasunko) expressed concerns to the Minister (MoEWR) about persistent hunger and the rise in 
morbidity and mortality rates due to malnutrition, malaria, and other water-borne diseases. 
Another  series of consultations and focus group meetings were held in these chiefdoms in 
August to December, 2009, organized by MoEWR and facilitated by local Sierra Leonian NGOs, 
to better ascertain the extent of assistance needed to address these urgent problems.  The specific 
activities, decision making structure, and implementing arrangements were identified at these 
Page  5
consultations and the recommendations from these consultations are reflected in the design of 
this proposed project.  
 
Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework 
 
The national administration of environmental management is discussed, 
particularly the functions of the Department of the Environment (EPD) of the 
Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and Environment, and the Wildlife 
Conservation Branch (WCB) of the Forestry and Wildlife Division of the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security. The capacity of these institutions to 
monitor a large project such as BHP is noted to be limited (and recommendations 
for capacity-building are made in chapter 12). The national EIA Procedures of 2002 
are discussed, and it is noted that recent work to update the EIA, including the 
consultation procedures, is in compliance with the official  procedures. 
 
Relevant World Bank Safeguards Policies 
 
The World Bank Safeguards Policies that are applicable to the project are Environmental 
Assessment (OP/BP4.01) and Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP4.12). The project is linked to the 
Bumbuna Hydroelectric Environmental and Social Management Project in terms of proximity of 
affected villages, and in terms of the history of the origin of the request for the project. It is 
administered by the same Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR).  This ESMF will 
be disclosed at the Bank Info Shop and in-country by MoEWR. 
 
As noted in the 2005 Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and the 2008 Updated RAP reports, Sierra 
Leone has a dual system of land law. In the provinces, land laws are administered predominantly 
as part of customary law. A more general land law, consisting mainly of received English Law, 
applies exclusively to land in the Western Area. The Bumbuna Project is situated in the Northern 
Province and thus falls under the area of provincial land, in particular, the Provinces Land Act 
Cap 122 of the Laws of Sierra Leone 1960.  
Based on this law, compulsory acquisition vests in the acquiring party the total interest of the 
former owner. So the interest transferred would depend strictly on the way the property was 
previously held. For example, leasehold property would be transferred as leasehold. The only 
legislation in Sierra Leone that provides for compulsory acquisition of land for public works or 
developmental purposes is the Public Lands Act Cap 116. This Act would have served the 
purposes of this project but its applicability is limited and it is not applicable to the Provinces. 
The Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No 6 of 1991 in Sec 21 prohibits the deprivation of 
property except if certain stringent conditions are met for the compulsory acquisition of property 
in limited circumstances. Further, the Compulsory Acquisition of Property Act (Constitutional 
Safeguards) Act of 1961 provides for the procedure to be applied in cases of compulsory 
acquisition of property. Section 47 of the Act provides for compensation. 
 
The conditions that make compensation ineligible are: (a) the degree of urgency that led to the 
acquisition; (b) any reluctance on the part of the project affected person to sell the land; (c) any 
damage suffered by the person which, if caused by a private person, would not be a good cause 
Page  6
of action; (d) any resulting damage to the land done after the date of acquisition; (e) any later 
increase in the value of the land resulting in the future use of the land; (f) any outlay or 
expenditure made on the land after the publication of the warrant; and (g) The special suitability 
of the land for the purpose to which it is going to be put. In addition, no compensation can be 
paid for unoccupied lands. The act defines these as land left for a period of over twelve years 
without any use being made thereof either for habitation, water storage or cultivation. 
 
2. I
MPLEMENTATION 
A
RRANGEMENTS
 
The implementing agency is the Project Management Unit (PMU) of the MoEWR. The PMU 
will be working closely with NaCSA since the implementation model is based on NaCSA’s 
experiences with small-scale sub-projects and with the cash-for-work program. The main 
decision making body is the Steering Committee, composed of representatives from the District, 
Chiefdom, and government agency representatives from NaCSA, agriculture, environment, 
education and health. Annex 1 describes the decentralized, local institutional  set-up. 
 
Most communities in Sierra Leone have recently undertaken participatory planning processes to 
satisfy requirements in the LGA (2004) for establishing Ward and District development plans. 
Accordingly, communities will apply for sub-project grants by completing simple, application 
forms, based on their already established priorities. This proposed JSDF project will add value to 
these development plans by covering gaps – such as sub-projects that involve more than one 
community.  Thus, one of the aims of this project is to encourage the creation of inter-
community sub-projects, using the RRGP concept. A description of possible sub-projects is 
presented in Annex 2. 
 
General procedures for grant awards are: 
 
·
Village Committees
:
Based on existing Village Plans (under the LGA), Village Committees 
will submit sub-project proposals for approval by the Steering Committee; and once 
approved, a Community User Committee (CUC) will be formed. Members of the CUCs will 
be elected by the respective communities and membership will be composed of, at the 
minimum, 40% female and two youth representatives (one female, one male); and each CUC 
will contain at least one district/ward development committee member to facilitate 
coordination.   
·
District/Ward Councils
:
Sub-project grant applications for districts (wards) will be 
reviewed and endorsed by District/Ward Councils based on simple feasibility criteria to 
ensure that the proposed sub-project is from the approved menu of options, and will not 
duplicate existing or planned development interventions of districts, NaCSA or other donors 
and NGOs. Sub-project proposals from the District/Ward Councils will be approved by the 
Steering Committee. 
·
Steering Committee
:
A
multi-stakeholder Steering Committee, chaired by the Minister of 
Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR), and composed of representatives from government 
agencies, district/ward, CUCs, and NGOs will approve the eligibility criteria for defining 
beneficiaries and the sub-project proposals. 
 
Throughout implementation, the project will provide:  
 
Page  7
ƒ
District and Village/Community Coaches
 who will help in the preparation of detailed sub-
project plans; 
ƒ
Legal Assistance
 will be made available for drafting the 3-party MoU which will be signed 
by authorized representatives of the CUC, District/Ward Councils,  representative of the 
Steering Committee;  
ƒ
CUC Contractors
 (e.g. NGOs) who will assist the CUCs with implementing and monitoring 
their sub-projects; 
ƒ
Relief Centers 
at the district level (2 districts) to coordinate the food-for-work and cash-for-
work schemes, patterned after NaCSA decentralized set-up; initial funding for 2 
coordinators, but later financing will be built into the District Development Plans; and 
ƒ
Communications Centers 
at the village level, comprising between 5 to 10 villages per 
center, to be managed by 3 village youth workers; initially funded by the project in the first 
year, but later financed from the 5% contributions from sub-projects (specified in the contract 
prior to sub-project execution between the beneficiary and CUCs). 
 
General Grant Rounds or Cycles 
 
It is anticipated there will be two cycles for awarding sub-project grants. This reflects a learning-
by-doing approach since this would be the first time that the MoEWR would be implementing 
sub-projects. Even though MoEWR will be relying heavily on the experienced staff and ongoing 
programs of NaCSA, the project is proposed to be undertaken in a simple and straightforward 
manner and using village and district coaches who will assist in sub-project design. The 
recommended first round of sub-projects identification and approval process will take place 
within three months after project effectiveness, possibly by first quarter 2010, with at least two to 
three sub-projects awarded for each of the three districts.  Lessons from this First Round will be 
used to refine implementation processes before the next round, which is expected to start by end-
2010. 
 
Selected communities will initially receive training on grant procedures and project 
implementation. These communities, as noted earlier, will be selected on the basis of three 
composite poverty indicators: (i) deprivation 
–
villages identified to have severe incidence of 
hunger and disease, with high morbidity and mortality rates; (ii) remoteness – as defined in terms 
of access to basic social services, with remote communities receiving higher scores than those 
closer to existing social services; and (iii) vulnerability – as defined by topography and land use, 
such as hilly terrain and drought-stricken areas receiving higher priority, compared to villages 
near more fertile swamplands.   
 
Based on the Procedure Manual, CUCs will be trained on infrastructure O&M. Local NGOs may 
be contracted to provide this training. The PMU of MoEWR will maintain a roster of 
organizations that CUCs can engage to provide these services.  
 
Special Programs for Vulnerable Groups   
 
Vulnerable groups -- youth, women, and disabled people --  capacity building components will 
consist of three main activities: 
 
1.  Village-based marketable trade skills program for young women and men
:
consisting of 
outreach training in five or six villages selected through stakeholders consultations. 
Page  8
Between 20 to 25 youth leaders from nearby villages will participate in a course.  On-the-
job expe
rience with ‘mentors’ (local trades people- carpenters, masons, etc.- who will 
take on participants as apprentices) will be covered.   
 
2.  Business and life skills for youth, women, and disabled groups
:
an outreach training 
program for these vulnerable populations in the areas of business and life skills will be 
held in the poorest, remote villages and coordinated with delivery of livelihood sub-
projects; 
 
3.  Community-based small grants for vulnerable groups
:
this small grants scheme will 
provide a limited amount of funds (up to $5,000 per grant) to cover small-scale social 
mobilization projects that will help in organizing groups of youth, women, and disabled 
people and using a simplified application form (e.g. to fund focus group meetings; small 
group livelihood; sports-or other social-related organizing events, etc)   
 
A
local expert working with youth and disabled groups, and a gender specialist, will be hired to 
assist in the design of training activities and to help in the preparation of applications. As needed, 
the experts will also identify NGOs and training institutions active in the area. For example, the 
experts may work with local trades people who could act as mentors for youth, women, and 
disabled apprentices in the village-based livelihood and training programs, and to provide the 
trainees with starter kits to disseminate and upgrade their tools to other villages (e.g., a tried-and-
tested program was the farmer field schools, introduced in Sierra Leone by the U.N. Food and 
Agriculture Organization). 
 
3. E
NVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL 
S
CREENING
,
A
SSESSMENT AND 
M
ANAGEMENT
 
Environment and social safeguards issues will be addressed and incorporated in the screening of 
all sub-project activities. There will be an Environmental and Social Management Framework 
(ESMF) checklist for sub-projects to assist local governments to screen and carry out 
environmental and social appraisal of activities and prescribe a set of mitigation and monitoring 
measures during implementation and operation of the sub-projects to eliminate, offset, or reduce 
adverse environmental and social impacts to acceptable levels; and establish a screening process 
for sub-projects so as to enable local government staff to identify potential environmental and 
social impacts of sub-projects and to address them by incorporating the relevant mitigation 
measures into the designs of the sub-projects. 
 
The following steps will be applied to address environment and social issues at all stages of the 
sub-project cycles (village-level infrastructure projects). 
 
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Actions
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Objective: Ensure that environmental and 
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stages of project cycle
.
Page  9
ƒ
Educate beneficiaries about 
environmental and social issues and 
NaCSA requirements 
ƒ
Promote environmentally beneficial and 
socially acceptable projects 
ƒ
ƒ
Ensure conformity with national 
environmental and social  policies and 
strategies
 
Actions: 
ƒ
Provide technical assistance directly to 
project formulators when needed or 
direct them to qualified specialists. 
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Ensure impact and mitigation measures 
are considered by project proposers
 
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Objective
:
Ensure that environmental and 
social impacts have  been analysed and 
appropriate mitigation measures designed. 
Actions: 
ƒ
Screen proposals to categorize projects 
by type of environmental review and 
social impacts that will be needed. 
ƒ
ƒ
Carry out either an Environmental 
Review, Limited Environment 
Assessment or full EA, or a Social 
Assessment, Abbreviated Resettlement 
Action Plan, or Indigenous Peoples Plan 
Framework to identify impact and 
design mitigation measures.
 
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Objective:
 Select the most needed and 
environmentally and socially sound 
projects. 
Actions: 
ƒ
Once project is screened and any 
environment  review or social 
assessment is completed, project can be 
approved if it meets environment 
viability criteria. 
ƒ
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If environment and social 
recommendations are not satisfactorily 
included in project design, project may 
be rejected.
 
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Objective:
 Prepare contracts with 
environment and social safeguards clauses 
for implementing partners. 
Actions: 
ƒ
Undertake site visits to ensure that 
environment and social criteria and 
mitigation measures are incorporated 
into the project as required by the 
contract. 
ƒ
Require design changes if unforeseen 
impacts occur. 
ƒ
ƒ
Approval of environmental and social  
context required to issue final payment 
for construction
 
6
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operation to assess success of 
environment and social screening and 
mitigation efforts 
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Determine if changes needed to improve 
environment and social impact 
assessment process 
ƒ
ƒ
Meet with contractors and communities 
to get feedback.
 
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The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) is familiar with World Bank environment and social 
safeguards policies, and the Project Management Unit (PMU), under the Ministry of Energy and 
Water Resources (MoEWR) has been set up as an integral part of the ministry. Some of the 
personnel who have been trained on safeguards and fiduciary management from existing 
WB/IDA assisted projects (e.g. Project Implementation Units) have been moved to the newly 
established PMU.  In addition, there are experienced officers in t
he
GoSL’s National 
Page  10
Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), who have successfully implemented decentralized sub-
projects, including use of relevant environment and social safeguards framework.  Lastly, the 
twinning of international consultants with local staff in GoSL,  and with partners in the NGO and 
business community, is aimed at further improving competence for dealing with safeguards 
issues. 
 
This ESMF  provides the guidelines that GoSL’s NaCSA is currently using for decentralized 
sub-projects involving districts, wards, and villages. 
The following criteria have been 
adopted: 
 
·
The sub- projects do not envisage displacing any settlers  
·
The sub-projects will not be located in environmentally important areas, nor 
destroy habitats without providing adequate mitigation efforts  
·
The small-scale infrastructure investments under Component B will cover 
various sectors such as village renewable energy systems; repairs of village 
water supply, mini hydro, drainage, sanitation; improvement of existing solid 
waste management; construction of foot paths; repairs or enhancements 
(electrification) of schools and health facilities; boat building; debris clearance 
for boat landing points; etc  
 
The exact nature of the small-scale investments cannot be foreseen at this time, 
since they will only be identified and managed by local governments (villages) 
through a participatory planning and budgeting process during project execution. 
The potential environmental and social effects of these common community 
development projects, however, are well understood, unlikely to be significant, and 
readily manageable. These small sub-projects will be operated and managed by 
Community User Committees (CUCs).
 
4. M
ONITORING AND 
R
EPORTING
 
Two general components for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) will be applied to environmental 
and social screening, and in the assessment of design and mitigation measures in cases where 
there are identified environmental and social impacts. One is the use of stakeholder social 
accountability mechanisms, which will be applied with a component focused on environmental 
and social safeguards. The other is participatory project monitoring and evaluation, where local 
leaders will be trained in assessing the quality of application of environmental and social 
safeguards. The project has a separate activity for training and capacity strengthening on 
safeguards monitoring and evaluation. 
 
Page  11
The mechanisms and roles for M&E more broadly include:  
 
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the beneficiary-driven community driven development 
(CDD) approach,  will include a section on 
environmental and social safeguards screening and 
application; 
ƒ
Imbedded in implementation with transparent criteria 
for the award of grants, is a separate section on 
environmental and social safeguards; etc. 
ƒ
Beneficiaries are self-monitoring the screening and 
application of environmental and social safeguards 
criteria; 
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used as part of safeguards M&E; 
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Tracking of environmental and social safeguards  key 
indicator; 
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Monitor overall progress towards the achievement of 
project results (against project development objective 
and performance indicators), including application of 
relevant environmental and social safeguards;  
ƒ
Monitor district/ward and community activities in 
terms of consistency, and where relevant, quality of 
application of, environmental and social safeguards;    
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Contracted  (preferably from Africa region) M&E 
evaluator will include an assessment of quality of 
implementation of the ESMF, as applied; 
 
An external (preferably African regional) M & E expert will help design M&E elements that will 
include a separate section on environmental and social safeguards. A M&E database system, 
such as the one established for the Decentralization Secretariat (NaCSA), and managed by an 
M&E expert, will also be set up using quantitative and qualitative evaluation indicators that will 
also cover environmental and social safeguards measures.  
 
Page  12
5. 
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CHECKLIST
 
A
checklist to assess the application of environmental and social safeguards will be used. This 
checklist is organized into the types of sub-project activities, and if applicable, their potential 
impacts on the environment and on affected communities. 
 
Short Term Emergency Support 
Food-for Work and 
Cash-for Work 
Schemes 
 
District Relief Centers  
200 households 
24 villages 
2
districts 
District RRGP 
livelihood sub-projects: 
 
12 sub-projects at district level: 
Farm to market foot trails 
Hybrid/renewable energy for existing schools and health centers 
Boat landing points (clearing debris) 
Long term rapid response growth pole (RRGP) livelihood and food security sub-projects 
Village small-scale 
water supply systems 
(repairs of water wells; 
water pumps) 
 
12 sub-projects at district level: 
Powering village centers communications and training 
Energizing agribusiness centers; Communications centers to provide 
agricultural risk management works (agricultural weather and crop 
forecasting; agricultural market information and extension training) 
Increasing fish outputs, boat building, etc 
Small grants   
100 small grants:  
farmer field schools; agribusiness units, fishing cooperatives to 
improve agricultural livelihoods 
RRGP monitoring and 
social accountability 
 
Community leadership training 
Youth, women, and disabled groups 
NaCSA village training program on expenditure tracking, report 
cards, etc 
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS 
Will the site activity 
include/involve any of 
the following potential 
issues and/or impacts: 
1. 
 
Rehabilitation of existing community centers 
·
Site specific vehicular traffic 
·
Increase in dust and noise from construction 
·
Construction waste
 
[
]
Yes  [ X] 
No 
2. 
 
New construction of foot trails; boats (canoes) 
·
Excavation impacts and soil erosion 
·
Increase sediment loads in receiving waters 
·
Site specific vehicular traffic 
·
Increase in dust and noise from demolition and/or 
construction 
·
Construction waste
 
[
]
Yes  [ X] 
No 
3. 
 
Repairs of water boreholes, existing water supply systems 
·
Effluent and / or discharges into receiving waters
 
[
]
Yes  [X] 
No 
Page  13
4. 
 
Any type of historic building(s) and districts 
·
Risk of damage to known/unknown historical or 
archaeological sites
 
[
]
Yes  [X] 
No 
5.  Acquisition of land
1
(as applicable) 
·
Encroachment on private property 
·
Relocation of project affected persons 
·
Involuntary resettlement 
·
Impacts on  livelihood incomes
 
[
]
Yes  [X] 
No 
6. Hazardous or toxic materials
2
·
Removal and disposal of  toxic and/or hazardous demolition 
and / or construction waste 
·
Storage of machine oils and lubricants 
[
]
Yes  [X] 
No 
7. Impacts on forests and/or protected areas 
·
Encroachment on designated forests, buffer and /or protected 
areas 
·
Disturbance of locally protected animal habitat 
[
]
Yes  [X] 
No 
8. Handling / management of medical waste 
·
Clinical waste, sharps, pharmaceutical products (cytoxic and 
hazardous chemical waste), radioactive waste, organic 
domestic waste, non-organic domestic waste 
·
On site or off-site disposal of medical waste 
[
]
Yes  [X ] 
No 
9. Traffic and Pedestrian Safety 
·
Site specific vehicular traffic 
·
Site is in a populated area 
[
]
Yes  [ X] 
No 
1
Land acquisitions includes displacement of people, change of livelihood encroachment on private property, 
including restriction of access and covering persons living and/or squatters and/or operate a business (kiosks) on 
land that may be acquired. 
2
Toxic / hazardous material includes and is not limited to asbestos, toxic paints, removal of lead paint, etc. 
Page  14
Annex 1: Overlap of Traditional and Local Governance Structures:  
Responsibilities for Implementation of the ESMF at Local Level 
 
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Traditional Leaders 
 
Local Government 
Main 
Responsibility
Under traditional practices 
 
Allocation of community land, 
dispute settlement to promote 
community harmony, peace and 
security; customs, cultural and 
traditional practices. 
 
Under the local government Act 
(2004): 
 
Primary responsibility for planning 
development and government 
services delivery in Districts; project 
identification, approval and 
implementation responsibilities; 
coordination of extension services of 
line ministries in the district. 
 
Primary 
Actors
ƒ
Paramount Chiefs   
ƒ
Village Chiefs  
ƒ
Mama Chiefs 
ƒ
Village Elders 
 
Chiefs are elected by Traditional 
Authorities (TAs) a college 
typically comprised of local 
land-owning lineages. 
ƒ
District Councils and various 
Committees 
ƒ
Ward Development Committees 
 
District Councils and Ward 
Development Committees are elected. 
WDCs must include 5 men and 5 
women. The Paramount Chief sits on 
the Council and heads the WCDs in 
their Chiefdoms 
 
Development 
Instruments
ƒ
Not applicable 
 
ƒ
Annual and longer-term District 
Development Plans built on Ward 
Development Plans and district-
level initiatives 
ƒ
Ward Development Plans building 
on community and village level 
interests 
 
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Local religious leaders (specifically, 
the Village Imam or Priest) 
ƒ
Secret Societies for men (Poro 
–
ƒ
Civil society interests (e.g. academia, 
training institutions, youth organizations)  
ƒ
Private sector interests (e.g. mining and 
Page  15
with hunter traditions) and women 
(Sande) 
ƒ
Teachers, instructors, retired civil 
servants and other educated persons 
living and working in the 
communities villages 
ƒ
Formative farmers’ trade groups in 
the basin 
ƒ
Rural development cooperatives 
 
agro-processing industries, construction 
companies and smaller trading companies 
in the basin) 
ƒ
National and local media 
ƒ
SLANGO, an umbrella organization 
representing national and international 
NGOs. 
ƒ
NAF/SL, a national association of farming 
cooperatives that hopes to become the 
voice of the community-driven rural 
development process. 
Page  16
ANNEX 3: Description of Project Communities 
 
The selection of the country’s 2 poorest districts (Koinadugu and Tonkolili) is based on criteria 
defined in the government’s CAS for Sierra Leone and the PRS. The CAS supports a 
decentralization approach for poverty reduction, including transfer of resources to support 
decentralized governance. It is also consistent with the scope of the July 2008 Food Crisis 
Response Development Policy Grant (P113219), which was aimed at stabilizing the economy 
while empowering District/Ward Councils.   
 
The project affected communities identified for the RRGP are one of the poorest in Sierra Leone, 
with subsistence levels below $1.00 per day, qualifying them as recipients of food aid based on 
criteria developed by the UN World Food Programme. During the decade-long civil unrest, many 
houses and lands in the Seli River Area were burned and assets destroyed by rebels who wanted 
to occupy the area and capture its resource rich mines. About 40% of youth in the area were 
recruited as “boy soldiers,” and several of the victims of the atrocities remain unemployed. Due to 
the large number of war refugees, the U.N. established 2 of its largest post-conflict camps in the 
area.  
 
The project will cover 2 districts, 6 chiefdoms,  approximately 23,359 households, and about 
147,966 people in the Seli River Area.  There are 24 poor villages and within these villages, the 
poorest 200 households will be selected through a village nomination process and verified 
through socio-economic appraisal done by local Sierra Leonian NGOs. The criteria for direct 
food-for-work and cash-for-work will be based on the definition used by U.N. World Food 
Programme. The table below summarizes the distribution of population across these districts. 
 
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Kasunko 3,818 21,415 
Diang 2,480 
17,501 
Koinadugu 
 
Kalansogoia 2,502  17,009 
Sambaya Bendugu 
3,336 
22,704 
Kafe Simiria 
3,563 
18,397 
Tonkolili 
 
Kholifa Rowala 
7,660 
50,940 
Total  
23,359 
147,966 
Page  17
ANNEX 4: Environmental and Social Screening Process and Responsibilities 
 
Stages Management 
responsibility 
Implementation 
responsibility 
1. Screening Environmental and Social Impacts of Sub-
Projects with some infrastructure: Selection including 
public consultation
 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
2. Determination of appropriate environmental and social 
categories
 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
2.1. Selection validation 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
2.2. Classification of Project: Determination of 
Environmental Work  
Review of screening
 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
3. Implementation of environmental work 
 
NaCSA 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
3-1. If EIA is necessary
 
NaCSA 
NaCSA 
3.1.a Preparation of terms of reference
 
NaCSA, PMU 
NaCSA, PMU 
3.1.b Choices Consultant
 
NaCSA, PMU 
SC 
3.1.c  Realization of the EIA, Public Consultation 
Integration of environmental and social management plan 
issues in the tendering and project implementation, 
 
NaCSA, PMU 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
4. Review and Approval
 
NaCSA, PMU 
SC 
4.1 EIA Approval (B1)
 
NaCSA, PMU 
NaCSA, PMU 
4.2 Approval simple measures (B2&c)
 
NaCSA, PMU 
NaCSA, PMU 
5. Public Consultation and disclosure
 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
6. Follow up and monitoring 
 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials 
7. Development of monitoring indicators 
NaCSA, PMU 
CUCs, District 
Officials