The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 04/19/2021 | Report No: ESRSA01432 Apr 19, 2021 Page 1 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) South Sudan AFRICA EAST P169120 Project Name South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Agriculture and Food Investment Project 4/13/2021 6/1/2021 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture and Planning Food Security Proposed Development Objective The project development objective is to strengthen capacity of farmers and their organizations and improve Public Disclosure agricultural production. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 62.50 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The project will build on previous World Bank investments and compliment other donor programs to support increased food production in South Sudan. Beyond helping farmers produce food for self consumption and surplus for market, it will invest in capacity building, technical assistance, skills enhancement, seed production, extension delivery, and increasing access to farm tools so that farmers can expand their production capacity. D. Environmental and Social Overview Apr 19, 2021 Page 2 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The project as a whole targets smallholder farmers in selected rural areas. Geographical targeting in the project will follow an analysis of criteria based on the principles including equity (government and opposition territory), security, and agricultural potential. The Project will directly benefit at least 100,000 smallholders/farmers (producers) spanning over an area covering approximately 100,000 ha through trainings and skills enhancement in agronomic practices, pest control, pre- and post-harvest handling processes; increased access to improved agricultural inputs including high-quality seeds, appropriate tools and machinery. At the appraisal stage, an initial list of 13 counties across nine states have had identified to start with. It is expected that the project activities will be scaled up to other counties after the project effectiveness. South Sudan is a landlocked country that falls almost entirely (96 per cent) within the Nile River Basin in East-Central Africa. The country is covered by extensive grasslands, wetlands and tropical forests. Its natural assets include significant agricultural, mineral, timber and energy resources. The climate is mostly hot and dry, with seasonal rains that allow for two or three harvests a year in the country’s green belt. Apart from oil, its natural resources are largely unexploited and only 4.5 per cent of its potential arable land is cultivated. Livelihoods in the northern dry areas are dominated by seasonal agriculture, pastoralism, fishing, and hunting. South Sudan is characterized by a large number of distinct social and cultural groups for which it is essential that project interventions are accessible, culturally appropriate and inclusive which require, understanding of their traditional farming practices for equal access to project benefits via culturally appropriate forms of meaningful consultations to their specific needs and livelihood models. The majority of the project beneficiaries are Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved, Traditional Local Communities (IP/SSAHUTLCs) who meet the Public Disclosure requirements of ESS7 and no stand-alone plan will be developed. The small holder farmers in South Sudan constitute mainly women due to the protracted civil war, implying the gender dynamics in the country. The marginalized minority ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups in South Sudan comprise, people affected by human-made social and economic shocks, refugees, IDPs, soldiers, demobilized soldiers (including those displaced), child soldiers, young girls, women headed households, child headed households, female ex-combatants, etc. The fragility context in South Sudan requires a proportional risk assessment not to exacerbate conflict, including involvement of children in agricultural activities. Due to the small-scale investment to rebuilding or distribution of assets for post-harvest handling and food storage, through market access roads, market facilities, and small water harvesting infrastructure, the scope of land take is assessed low. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity At the country’s formation in 2011, formal governing institutions were created, but given the years of conflict and the breakdown of formal structures, they commenced from a generally low foundation. The new government’s capacity to formulate policy and implement programs is still limited, but is developing and evolving. Institutional frameworks to accomplish environmental, social and climate- change commitments are still at the nascent stage due to the low priority in the context of the ongoing situation of conflict, as well as the lack of technical capacity and financial resources. The project implementing entity, shall be the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) at the national level and the agriculture officials at the state, county, and payam level. MAFS further intends to directly contract FAO to support this project implementation, in compliance to ESF requirements, and prepared E&S instruments for this project, environment and social risk management responsibilities shall cascade down to FAO to ensure compliance to Apr 19, 2021 Page 3 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) ESF requirements. This will be clearly articulated in contract to be signed between MAFS and FAO. MAFS shall ensure FAO compliance to the ESCP and all prepared ESF instruments and regularly report to MAFS on implementation of ES mitigation measures. MAFS shall in return be responsible for overall ESF compliance and reporting to the bank. FAO and MAFS shall establish a PMU that will be supported by decentralized PIUs working at the project level. As such, FAO will manage all core functions including program management, coordination, partner and community mobilization and facilitation, capacity building, training, environmental and social management, procurement, financial management (FM) and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). FAO will regularly submit semi-annual progress reports as well as MTR and project completion reports to the MAFS and the Bank. A baseline survey will be conducted during the first three months of the project as well as additional surveys at the MTR and project completion, and periodic reviews, assessments and case studies as appropriate. Furthermore, FAO will hire an independent Third-Party Monitor (TPM) to independently monitor and review project performance on a six-monthly basis. The TPM will report independently to the MAFS, FAO and the World Bank. The ToR for the TPM shall be reviewed and cleared by the World Bank before being launched for procurement. FAO has previously served as an implementing agency under the EFNSP project and the precursor Emergency Food Crisis Response Projects under the safeguards policies regime. Given that this will be the first time the South Sudan team is directly contracted to implement a project under World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Environmental and Social Standards (ESS), training, capacity building and mentoring on the new ESF, ESSs and the prepared instruments will be undertaken and embedded in the design of the project to enhance the project management team capacity to manage and supervise environmental and social risk. This shall also be extended to It’s network of vetted INGOs and NNGOs that expand its reach throughout the country—both government and opposition aligned areas. Public Disclosure In South Sudan, due to prolonged conflict, the institutions and services are considerably weak, especially at the local level. The RALP works to avoid any duplication and intends to coordinate and complement to the extent feasible and avoid building parallel systems, that the households benefit from the interventions provided by each project (one on cash transfers, local service delivery and the third on enhancing agricultural production) are able to graduate out of poverty. The project will not create or develop any new agriculture markets. Existing agricultural markets, trader, dealers, middlemen are dysfunctional due to conflict, insecurity and reduced production and demand. The project will facilitate the functioning of agricultural markets i.e. provide training, common platform; such as, producer groups for traders, dealers, middlemen to buy and sell agricultural inputs and produce. The project will not build any new roads or agricultural markets; but will support renovation and rehabilitation of existing roads, infrastructure and markets thus no additional land or clearance of vegetation is required. II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) High Environmental Risk Rating High Component 1, 2 and 3 of the project seeks to mobilize, support and build the capacity of targeted farmers and extension services for improving agricultural production and enhancing adaptive capacity to climate risks. They focus on helping targeted farming communities return to sustainable crop production for household food security and income generation. These components present several positive impacts ranging from increased access to farm Apr 19, 2021 Page 4 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) inputs, access to knowledge and skills, modern technologies, access to rural finance and credit facilities, advisory and extension services, crowding of farm labor as well as agricultural produce value addition. It will also enhance farmers access to important training on environmental and social subjects including how to better understand climate risks and coping methods both from an adaptation angle as well as from a mitigation perspective as a co- benefit to many of the adaptation options. Other areas of training will include leadership, codes of governance, conflict resolution, capital formation through savings, financial management, basic accounting and bookkeeping, business planning and marketing. It is also expected that these components will result to widespread adoption of sustainable land use and farming practices that will address climate-related events such as floods and droughts, consequently managing soil erosion and degradation. Needless to mention, this will result to increased production of both high income &high nutrition value crops, thus food security, improved nutritional health &income flow. However, some of the activities in component 2 will result to renovation, rehabilitation or establishment of household on farm agricultural infrastructure (like water harvesting, storage &irrigation systems, food storage facilities); &market infrastructure. These may be accompanied by installation of energy efficient sources of energy like solar systems for lighting use &possibly irrigation. There will also be delivery of agricultural inputs including quality seeds, efficient farms tools &equipment. These activities shall have limited civil works and will result to generation of construction solid &liquid waste, electronic waste from decommissioned batteries &solar panels, dust, noise &other rehabilitation related Occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards &impact. Other OHS impacts may result from the introduction of new mechanized farm tools that farmers have to get used to, treated seeds that may be eaten, increased use of biopesticides &fertilizers, &general waste management from seed companies &agricultural enterprises. All these impacts would be site-specific &manageable through proper enforcement of the ESMPs, Integration of sustainable sources of energy &water during subproject design, marking of treated seeds as Public Disclosure “Not for Consumption” &continuous stakeholders training &awareness. With the additional complexity of the fragile country context &the inability of the World Bank to conduct on-the-ground supervision because of security challenges, coupled with the countries weak legal &institutional arrangements to manage, supervise &enforce ESF compliance during implementation, predisposes the project to a “High” environmental risk rating, a gap the implementing partner to be contracted (FAO) & a third party monitoring agency are expected to bridge. The project has prepared &consulted upon all instruments that include the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) to further identify &assess the anticipated negative impacts and risks, as well as identified indicative mitigation measures as necessary to manage them. The ESMF has been accompanied with other additional tools like the Security Management Plan to help manage the security risk within areas where the project activities will be implemented, Cultural &Chance Find Procedures, SEP Framework, LMP, Crisis and Emergency Management Plan, ESCP documenting material measures & actions are developed and agreed. Social Risk Rating High The CDD core local institutions will be used for local investment planning &coordination &for conflict resolution. The local level implementation approach improves community resilience &cohesion through strengthening local institutions &citizen engagement through participatory planning process. Thus, RALP will use the system developed by the Local Governance &Service Delivery Project (P127079) &its successor South Sudan Enhancing Community Resilience &Local Governance Project (P169949). The CDD-type planning approach shall reduce potential social risks during the implementation process &expected to have a positive social impact in the targeted areas. Component 2, the support to producer organizations, mobilizing farmers and/or producer cooperatives interested in participating in seed production value chains, forming & strengthening seed companies and local enterprises engaged in seed development, multiplication, and sales &promoting agro-dealerships &agriculture-focused enterprises requires the project to develop an objective targeting criteria. The improved nutrition component should observe the socio- Apr 19, 2021 Page 5 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) cultural values and dietary habits of target communities. Despite the use of a composite project targeting index, for the identification of project beneficiaries, the possibility of exclusion of vulnerable households cannot be ruled out at this stage. Social risks could emanate from the country FCV context with varying intensity to the potential project area. These social risks are compounded due to (i) the multiple roles of women (reproductive, productive (farmers) and family head), (ii) exclusion of remote areas in project targeting due to inaccessibility, (iii) residual errors in composite project targeting index which may leave vulnerable groups behind, (iv) lack of functional grievances mechanism, (v) intra-communal tensions over implementation issues, (vi) project supported assets becoming targets for violent groups, (vii) exacerbating project beneficiaries to insecurity due to project support, (viii) mobility of people needing for project benefit may increase insecurity of beneficiaries, (ix) agricultural inputs may not be affordable to the cash poor and vulnerable groups, and (x) possibility of adverse effects from influx of labor for construction activities and implementing agency workers. However, given the small-scale nature of subprojects and sourcing of labor locally, the risk of labor influx is likely to be minimal. In addition, the key social risks and impacts identified include i) Conflict over selection of beneficiaries, resource allocation in financing purchases through farmer organizations, and distribution of inputs to members; ii) resurgence of violence that places inputs, equipment and structures at risk of damage or complete destruction; iii) Security and health risks (iv) GBV; v) Conflicts over provision of employment or contracts; vi) Conflict resulting from attraction of returnee/IDP populations to communities that have improved production systems and social infrastructure; (vii) Disputes over use of land and property for project activities where ownership and access rights are contested (for both public and private property, as well as protected areas), based on historical and current large-scale displacement and seasonal migration due to conflict, ethnic / political affiliations, or cultural norms and customary land tenure laws (which discriminate against women) and and competing claims to ownership or use of the same land from community of Public Disclosure ethnic groups as most land are owned and managed customarily, which may pose additional risk to VLDF approach; (viii) Inadequate implementation of E&S safeguards tools due to lack of capacity amongst the implementing partners (IPs). Violence (political, criminal, ethnic, etc.) and GBV are two forms of concern as result, escalating social risks. The GBV risk has been rated high and commensurate mitigation measures identified. Details on GBV/SEA in ESS4. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: The breadth, depth, and type of analysis of the assessment and management of environmental and social risks and impacts will depend on the nature, scale, and potential environmental or social impact of the menu of sub-projects to be proposed during project implementation. A detailed environmental and social screening exercise has been provided in the ESMF to advice on the level of detail of environmental and social passements required for the various candidate subprojects. At the moment the anticipated risks may be generalized to include those related to rehabilitation and renovation of agricultural infrastructures, markets and existing access roads. These may include but not limited to both liquid and solid waste generation, dust, both environmental and occupational noise and both civil and rehabilitation related occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards and impact. Even though the project components do not directly support any activities that would promote expansion and encroachment of new farms into natural and/or protect habitat, there exist a risk that some farmers who may not be aware of the sustainable agricultural practices may venture into natural habitat resulting to deforestation, pollution of soils and surface Apr 19, 2021 Page 6 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) wetlands by fertilizers and intensive use bio-pesticides. Other OHS impacts may result from the introduction of new mechanized farm tools; development and operation of areas for storage, processing (threshing, milling, drying), housing small equipment such as fruit dryers, canning, labeling; treated seeds that may be eaten; fertilizers and biopesticide use and general waste management from farmer based seed production centers and agricultural enterprises. Other impacts relate to the existing contextual security risks that presents an ever-evolving volatile environment to work in. As such, siting of project activities could easily result into community conflicts over beneficiaries and location of sub-projects; creation of physical targets for violent groups; labor influx risks; GBV/SEA risks by project and sub/contractor staff; and protection of labor providing inputs to the project. Given that specific sub-projects and locations will not be known prior to project implementation, a framework approach has been adopted. Consequently, the ESMF prepared for the predecessor agriculture project (Local Governance and Service Delivery Project (LGSDP ) P127079) has been updated to: (a) provide a methodology for screening viable sub-projects; (b) guide integration of good environmental and social practices into sub-project design and management, especially the integration of sustainable sources of energy and water into the sub-project designs; (c) recommend management strategies for the identified E&S risks and impacts and (d) be consistent with the relevant World Bank’s Environment and Social Standards (ESS). The Stakeholder Engagement Framework (SEF), Social Assessment (SA), GBV Action Plan, Safety and Security Management Plan and the Labor Management Procedures (LMP), Cultural Heritage and Chance Find Procedures, Crisis and Emergency Management Plan among others have also been prepared to complement the ESMF. The client (MAFS) will be expected to obtain clearance from the Bank and disclose these ESF instruments prior to appraisal. Importantly, the project has also adapt the existing Social Assessments prepared for different projects including for EFNSP to address questions of conflict- Public Disclosure sensitive engagement as well as addressing vulnerability. Critical lessons learned on these projects include: Ensuring full time engagement and support of both environmental and social specialist; Early preparation of safeguards tools for subprojects to avoid delays in clearance and approval; Ensuring socially inclusive and conflict-sensitive community mobilization approach to guarantee an impactful involvement of beneficiaries in project implementation and monitoring; Conflict affected communities need awareness raising, training and time to overcome mutual suspicion, fear and distrust of each other, backed up by a robust, transparent and quick grievance redressal system to nurture harmony and social cohesion; Prevention of elite capture of project benefits, by employing a participatory community-based beneficiary identification process to reach the needy farmer households that are food insecure; Due to the ongoing conflict and contest over access to resources, it is important to ensure that women (given the important role they play in agriculture), IDPs and vulnerable groups are not left behind and that they actively participate and benefit from the project interventions i.e. information, seeds and inputs distribution, technical knowledge, training, extension services and access to productive assets; Applying innovative and gender-sensitive strategies to: (i) ensure access to land and security of tenure to all targeted groups, and where necessary Internally Displaced Person’s through a social contract with the Boma and Payam level leadership; Ensuring membership and empowerment of women in farmer organization including women’s groups as targets for extension and outreach activities; Ensuring inclusion of youth who currently are less inclined to participate in agriculture; and For projects operating within a volatile security situation, flexibility in project design and execution is critical to keep implementation at pace. At the time of project closure, safeguards performance on these projects was moderately satisfactory. All these E&S risk management tools are expected to inform the short, site-specific assessments that will produce standard ESMPs that can be easily tailored to type and location of sub-projects (based on the ESMF guidance). Tender Apr 19, 2021 Page 7 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) documents and contracts will require the implementing entity to comply with the agreed LMP, national regulations, labor and working conditions, occupational health and safety plans and procedures. The implementing entity or contractors will also be requested to prepare Construction-Occupational Health and Safety Plans (COHSP) based on the measures described in the LMP, ESMF, ESIA/ESMP and the requirements of ESS2. The project and its contractors and subcontractors will ensure application of the World Bank Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHS Guidelines), Health and Safety Good industry practices (GIIP, such as OSHA) to avoid, minimize or reduce adverse impacts on human health and the environment. These commitments with timelines have been agreed on together between the World Bank, MAFS and FAO have been included in the ESCP. Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) will not be prepared as the project will not involve involuntary land acquisition and resettlement. However, if the need arises for small portion of land, it is expected that voluntary land donation Framework (VLDF) developed and annexed with the ESMF will guide the process. The VLDF would apply accordingly to the WB principles of the ESS5. Further, a Contingent Emergency Response Manual will be prepared as part of the project implementation manual (PIM), detailing the fiduciary, safeguards, monitoring and reporting, and any other necessary implementation arrangements in the event of a specific eligible disaster. The identified implementing partner to MAFS; FAO served as an implementing agency under the EFNSP project and the precursor Emergency Food Crisis Response Project as an Implementing entity. FAO has performed well on earlier projects. It has a large presence on the ground and has expanded its staffing to include an Environmental and Social Specialist who will be supported by an Environmental Officer, Social Officer and GBV Officer. As with other UN organizations, FAO has been assessed by the World Bank at the corporate level enabling it to use its own procedures (on fraud and corruption investigation, financial management, procurement). Regarding environmental and social risk Public Disclosure management for the proposed project, the World Bank ESF will be applied to the project, including any activities not financed by the World Bank but considered “associated” according to the definition provided in the ESF. FAO and its sub contractors shall implement the project consistent with the requirements of the World Bank ESF and the ESSs. FAO is also performing this role for the World Bank in Somalia. Most importantly, FAO is the UN specialized agency tasked with addressing hunger and food security world-wide and has global experience in the same. FAO, as the implementing agency of major agriculture and food security projects in the country for USAID, the EU, and others, it will be in a better position to coordinate investments across agencies to maximize impact in a target area. It may engage a network of vetted INGOs and NNGOs that expand its reach throughout the country—both government and opposition aligned areas. MAFS shall recruit a TPM that will report independently to both the borrower and the Bank. While acknowledging the FAO’s global experience in preparing and supervising several ongoing projects under the new WB ESF, the FAO South Sudan team in preparing and supervising the EFNSP and EFCRP under the safeguards regime, this is however going to be the first time the South Sudan FAO team is implementing a project under the ESF. Training and capacity support on World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and Environmental and Social Standards (ESS)will therefore be needed to better enhance capacity of FAO and the third party monitoring agency engaged by them to ensure compliance. The Bank will also be available to offer guidance and advisory on other environmental and social instruments prepared for the project, i.e. (ESMF, LMP, SEP, IPMP, SMP, etc.) ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Apr 19, 2021 Page 8 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) The project targets rural farming families, as well as the local markets which support these families to bring their farm products to market. The project will work closely with leadership at the County, Payam, and Boma levels, as well as traditional leaders and members of villages. The project will also provide pilot support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps and in urban/peri-urban settings. Application of ESS10 will be closely monitored through the implementation of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP). MAFS with support from FAO at this stage have prepared a Stakeholder Engagement Framework ( SEF) that will guide the preparation the preparation of subproject Stakeholders Engagement Plan (SEP) and will be updated as needed. The SEF outlines the characteristics and interests of different stakeholders of the project. The key stakeholders of the project include the implementing agency: the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) at the national level and the agriculture officials at the state, county, payam, and Boma level; Implementing Partners (FAO and AGRA); the community members; and other national and international NGOs. Additional stakeholders include other government ministries, UN, bilateral donors, and NGOs such as CAMP, IDMP Working Group or the Inter-ministerial Steering Committee. The SEF will account the details of relevant stakeholder groups, as well as timing and methods of engagement throughout the life of the project, appropriate to the different population groups, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, consistent with the requirements of ESS7. Project-level Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) will be established. MAFS and FAO will establish and operationalize a project-level GRM that is culturally appropriate, effective, accessible and shall be known to all affected population. FAO will conduct awareness raising for the affected communities about the presence of the GRM and inform their right to file any concerns, complaints and issues they have related to the RALP. All grievances received will be directed to the call center, the helpline operator will follow up internally as per the established procedures and policies. The GRM will be a distinct mechanism that will allow Public Disclosure stakeholders, at the community level, to provide feedback on project impacts and mitigation programs. The PMU, specifically the Risk Manager, will be responsible for monitoring the availability and implementation of the GRM. Monitoring and reporting will be supervised by FAO staff. Members of the community, through their representatives, will have a role to undertake both compliance monitoring and impact monitoring. The overall RALP environment and social progress report will have a distinct section on GRM that include the complaints recorded, resolved, and referred to the formal court system. The project will also establish and operate a separate grievance mechanism for all direct and contracted workers to raise workplace concerns, as provided under ESS2. Grievances related to GBV-SEA and Labour will follow specific GRM processes detailed respectively in the Framework for Addressing Gender-Based and Child Violence, Sexual Exploitation and Harassment against Women and Children and the Labour Management Procedures. Cases of GBV- SEA can be reported through a FAO toll free number (882) solely dedicated for PSEA or through the general Project GRM. This will be made explicit in all community awareness sessions and be a part of the publicly disclosed information. The GBV-SEA referral system will guarantee that survivors receive all necessary services, including medical, legal and counselling, and cases will be reported to the police where applicable. All relevant staff of the PCU, PMU, PIU, FAO and contractors will receive training on receiving GBV-SEA complaints and referral systems including World Bank Good Practice Note on ‘Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) in Investment Project Financing’, ideally during the project initiation phase and as part of the staff welcome package. More information on the GBV-SEA GRM is in the main text of the ESMF. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts Apr 19, 2021 Page 9 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions The project implementation will require direct and indirect labor hired by the implementing agencies. A labour management procedure (LMP) was prepared for the project and it has both direct and indirect workers. The direct labor include people employed directly by MAFS and FAO to work specifically in relation to the project in the PMU at the Head Office in Juba, as well as in FAO field offices across target counties. ; expert from the MAFS for the project; agriculture expert at the state, county, payam, and boma level including extension workers; producer organizations workers; community resource persons; and farmers. There may be contracted staff through consultancies for the implementation of the project including the third-party monitoring agency to be engaged by FAO. Indirect labor include, contracted labor for the agri-business i inputs and outputs suppliers; seed companies and local enterprises engaged in seed development, multiplication and sales; networks of agro-dealers, traders, rural retailers, community labor could be mobilized for the community-based seed propagation and bulking, and the formation of farmer-managed seed banks and seed cooperatives. The ESMF screening process refer to and pay special attention to any sub-project that may require contract labor. Once the Recipient is established, the written labor management procedure (LMP) applicable to this project has been prepared as per ESS2 requirements, including respective Occupational Health and Safety provisions (according to the national regulation, general WBG EHS general guidelines and relevant FAO standards). The LMP prepared for this project include procedures in case of risk of violence towards project staff. The possible incidence and extent of labor influx has been assessed, with concurrent risks addressed. A Grievance Redress Mechanism for these contract Public Disclosure workers which takes into consideration the potential risks related to SEA/SH are well articulated proportionate to the nature and scale of the potential risks and impacts to these workers. Further, potential risks could emanate from the use of child labor work on farms and activities that involve construction and SEA/SH. The LMP defines the potential labor requirement and define the minimum age, among other things. South Sudan has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2012. The country has ratified 7 out of 8 fundamental conventions of ILO, including the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) (ratified in 2012) with the Minimum age specified: 14 years. FAO that will be directly contracted to implement this project responsibilities to ensure compliance that mitigation measures articulated in the LMP that i) avoid the use of child labor in the Project; and ii) promote acceptable conditions for work on family farms (safety, access to schooling) and all other measures shall be complied with. Besides the mobilized labor for undertaking the sub-project activities involving construction, there will be workers of the FAO and its sub-contracted workers involved in the implementation of the project activities on the ground. These workers will sign a code of conduct that will govern their responsibility in discharging work related to the project. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The project will finance sub-projects to include small water harvesting and irrigation infrastructure. As this is not expected to have potential significant impacts on water quantity and quality given that activities will be limited to house hold rain harvesting and irrigation infrastructure, thus upstream and downstream water balance challenges are not expected, application of the resource efficiency measures of ESS3 will be sufficient to manage any minor impacts here. Activities into protects areas is a “NO” and already included in the project exclusion list. Farmer Apr 19, 2021 Page 10 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) sensitization and training will be conducted, including strike adherence of the E&S activities screening process and the implementation of ESMPs. The project will promote sustainable use and conservation of soil and water, both of which are likely to have positive impacts on ecosystem services. The project will not finance the purchase and/or use of chemical pesticides, there for an integrated pest management framework or plan is not need however, in the event that Component 4: CERC is activated in relation to events that require use of pesticides, an integrated pest management plan shall be prepared then to manage any potential direct and indirect risk. Besides, the CERC sets out preconditions that shall need to be met in the event chemical pesticides are to be used. Agricultural training to be delivered as part of Component 1and 3 will include pest management techniques to mitigate the risk of fall army- worm, including push-pull technologies, bio-pesticides, and human surveillance. Integration of sustainable and renewable energy sources will also be integrated into the sub-projects design to ensure energy efficiency and sustainability. All mechanical equipment and tools to be purchased under component 2 are expected to be energy efficient and further meet the national emission standards. Farmers shall also be trained on their safe use, maintenance and waste disposal to they are always operating with in the manufactures specifications and do not result into any form of pollution. ESS4 Community Health and Safety Specific potential risks to farming families supported by this project include safety relating to bio-pesticides/ insecticides as well as bio-fertilizers. Water harvesting infrastructure will need to include fencing to protect children and animals. Distributed tools (malodas, East African hoes, and ox ploughs) could be diverted to other non- agricultural purposes. There is a risk to communities that they might, in desperation, consume seeds treated with Public Disclosure pesticide and/or fertilizer. Lastly, any small nature of civil or mechanical works e.g., water harvesting infrastructure will be designed and constructed by qualified engineers in accordance with good international practice. Land transport risk associated with transportation and distribution of seed and other agricultural products and equipment associated with the project is eminent and consequently land transport safety for workers, communities within which the project vehicles transvers and the goods and equipment themselves. The ESMP for activities under component 2 is expected to provide good controls on land transport risk. Community safety in relation to violent conflicts, including looting/raiding and related risk of GBV/SEA, is being addressed by the selection of FCV sensitive interventions during the design and will further be addressed by close consultations and cooperation with communities and local formal and informal authorities. The ESMF, SMP and the SA have further identified and discussed these risks as well as any others, and have propose mitigation measures for adoption, including informing IA commitments in the ESCP. The measures include adherence to codes of conducts, and specific implementation arrangements including the role of TPM. Due to the overall country FCV contextual, violence (political, criminal, ethnic, etc.) and GBV are the two forms of concern for community health and safety. The country conflict and violence context is volatile and has been engulfed in armed conflict. Women and children bear a disproportionate burden of the violence in the protracted conflict. A Conflict Sensitivity Tool shall be developed and adopted as part of the ESMF to assess and manage specific risks and impacts related to conflicts. Based on this Tool, measures and actions shall be adopted and implemented as part of subproject ESMPs to manage the risks of conflict related to subproject activities. South Sudan has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence (GBV) in the world. Key factors that influence GBV include the general normalization of violence, a breakdown of the rule of law, and increases in opportunistic crime Apr 19, 2021 Page 11 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) often linked to high levels of poverty. The practice of child marriage, wife inheritance, and abduction—linked closely to patriarchal practices of bride price—remains prevalent due to conflict, and the deteriorating economic situation. The GBV risk has been assessed and rated high. A Framework for Addressing Gender-Based and Child Violence, Sexual Exploitation and Harassment against Women and Children Guidelines has been prepared for the project which will guide the preparation of the GBV Action Plan for subprojects along with the World Bank Good Practice Note. The project will prepare a GBV action Plan and as a high risk GBV project, MAFS will hire a Third-Party Monitor (TPM) overseeing implementation of the GBV mitigation measures, prepare a clear strategy of service provision in areas where are gaps in GBV services (recruitment of GBV service providers and PIU will recruit a GBV specialist. A security management plan was prepared to ensure that safeguarding of personnel and property is carried out in a manner that avoids or minimizes risks to the project-affected communities and workers and it will be updated during project implementation to capture the local context. Based on the Security Risk Assessment, different security measures shall be implemented to reduce the level of risk to acceptable levels which shall be synthesized in the security management plan. The measures shall be proportional to the potential risk. FAO and its sub contractors shall retaining direct responsibility over the security and safety of its direct and contracted workers, including their assets and properties in ensuring that they are safe during project implementation. The SMP will be guided by the principles of proportionality and GIIP, and by applicable law, in relation to hiring, rules of conduct, training, equipping, and monitoring of such security workers. The details on the FAO’s and its sub contractors systems to manage security risk to community and project workers will be assessed as part of the project preparation prior to project appraisal. The COVID-19 outbreak has heavily impacted South Sudan, with dozens of senior elites testing positive. The spread of Public Disclosure the virus therefore risks exacerbating simmering tensions, putting further pressure on the fragile political settlement. The risk of COVID-19 will be addressed by the UN guidance during the project implementation to limit Community Health vulnerability. Main Guidance are the WHO guidance on prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Governmental instruction, the UN Inter-Agency Guidance Note on Indigenous Peoples and COVID-19 and all international good-practice on consultations under COVID-19 and innovative approaches established by World Bank, UN, and other development agencies. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The project will work closely with traditional authorities, who control all of the rural land. The project does not anticipate any involuntary land acquisition as it will rehabilitate the exiting market and other related infrastructures. The project will not create or develop any new agriculture markets. Existing agricultural markets, trader, dealers, middlemen are dysfunctional due to conflict, insecurity and reduced production and demand. The project will facilitate the functioning of agricultural markets, i.e., provide training, common platform such as producer groups for traders, dealers, middlemen to buy and sell agricultural inputs and produce. The project will not build any new farm to market roads or agricultural markets; and would support existing roads, infrastructure and markets which as such would not require any additional lands. If the need arise for small portion, it is expected that the VLDF will support the process. This will include protection of vulnerable households, including female-headed households and households belonging to sub-clans. The VLDF defines the process of due diligence as per the provisions of the ESS-5 satisfactory to the Bank. The project will not build any new infrastructure; thus, no new land acquisition is anticipated under this project. All new subprojects which require land acquisition will not be eligible for financing from the project resources. The VLDF process has defined the required due process and eligibility criteria for voluntary Apr 19, 2021 Page 12 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) donation of land for the project activities. As the VLDF has outline robust stakeholder’s engagement process, that will avail space for the respective processes to generate mitigation measures commensurate with the social and contextual risks. It is expected that IDPs living within villages will continue to be allotted land to grow annual crops. The project will ensure regular consultations between IDPs and host communities to pro-actively mitigate risks of conflicts over land. Again as land tenure in South Sudan is managed under the custodian of the traditional leaders. The project will ensure that beneficiaries have better access and security on the use of land as per the customs of the traditional systems in the project intervention regions. While access to land and security of tenure to all targeted groups will be ensured, including Internally Displaced Persons through a social contract with the Boma and Payam level leadership ensuring that IDPs and project beneficiaries do not impinge of the rights or livelihoods of other landholders. The ESMF shall include a provision to determine whether and when a Resettlement Policy Framework is required for specific circumstance not covered by the voluntary land donation framework. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources Project activities in agro-ecological zones 4 (high potential) and 3 (less potential) to support improved agricultural production may run close to the Sudd -- a major swamp area and Ramsar site. This being the case, the ESMF has considered these direct, indirect, and cumulative project-related impacts on the Sudd and suggest detailed screening of these sub-project to ensure they don’t fall with in the exclusion list and further ensure that design considerations and mitigation measures to apply mitigation hierarchy to minimize adverse impacts. The project will also assess requirements of access to living natural resources for project interventions (grazing areas, water sources) and, as noted above, engage in community consultations to ensure its sustainable allocation and usage. The ESMF developed Public Disclosure has also included guidance for subproject and activities screening and assessment to ensure suppliers for nutritional support activities, seeds and any other potential natural resource commodity required for the project, do not present any environmental and social risk to sensitive ecosystems. Importantly, an exclusion list has been agreed on, and will be updated during the subproject screening phase to ensure any high risk activities that may adversely affecting natural or critical habitats are excluded and avoided. Besides, component 1 and 3 include farmer training on several environmental subjects including sustainable agricultural practices. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities South Sudan is characterized by a large number of distinct social and cultural groups for which it is essential that project interventions are accessible, culturally appropriate and inclusive. This is relevant for this project mainly from two perspectives: on the one hand, understanding of their traditional farming practices will be essential to ensure equal access to project benefits via culturally appropriate forms of meaningful consultations and respective adaptation of interventions to their specific needs and livelihood models. On the other hand, group distinctions are widely used as markers by conflict parties and questions of targeting as well as protection from violence need to take this into account as presented under ESS1 above. The SA prepared for this project articulates the social, political and economic dynamics of access to land and potential for conflict among IDPs and host communities. This further extends to assess access to communal natural resources required for successful project interventions, including water sources and grazing areas for livestock. The prepared social assessment has provided guidance to the project on how to mainstream respective measures in the project design to address particular vulnerabilities. As per the SA and defined project activities FPIC shall not be applicable for this project. Since the overwhelming majority of project Apr 19, 2021 Page 13 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) beneficiaries in South Sudan belong to the Indigenous people category, a stand-alone IPP is not required and elements of the SA will be included in the overall project design. ESS8 Cultural Heritage As Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (RALP) may possibly operate in both rural and urban areas, the potential for chance find of cultural or archaeological significance during on-farm and market infrastructure investment is eminent. The ESMF prepared is cognizant of this risk and developed a chance find procedures to guide the project towards complying with ESS8 requirements. Also, the sub-project screening process in the ESMF will exclude activities located in, or in the vicinity of, any known or recognized cultural heritage site and will include specific mitigation measures to avoid negative impacts if the sub-project screening process does not otherwise exclude these areas. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries This ESS applies to Financial Intermediaries (FIs), i.e. public and private financial services, which channel financial resources to a range of economic activities. This ESS is not currently relevant to this project. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No Public Disclosure This policy is not applicable, as there is no large-scale new water infrastructural development. Project interventions will be limited to small-scale water harvesting infrastructure that focuses on capturing and retaining rainwater. OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No This policy is not applicable to this project. B.3. Reliance on Borrower’s policy, legal and institutional framework, relevant to the Project risks and impacts Is this project being prepared for use of Borrower Framework? No Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: The World Bank Task Team recommends that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization which has served as an implementing agency under the EFNSP project and the precursor Emergency Food Crisis Response Project as an Implementing entity. FAO has performed well on earlier projects. FAO has a large presence on the ground and has expanded its staffing to increase its quality control capacity. As with other UN organizations, FAO has been assessed by the World Bank at the corporate level enabling it to use its own procedures (on fraud and corruption investigation, financial management, and procurement), however WB ESF and ESSs shall apply on Environmental and Social risk management. FAO is also implementing a similar project under the ESF in Zimbabwe: P171114 - Zimbabwe Recovery and Resilience Framework where Environmental and Social safeguards performance has been satisfactory. It’s also implementing another project in project in Somalia under the ESF but as a contractor where its performance is equally satisfactory. Most importantly, FAO is the UN specialized agency tasked with addressing hunger and food Apr 19, 2021 Page 14 of 15 The World Bank South Sudan Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods Project (P169120) security world-wide. FAO, as the implementing agency of major agriculture and food security projects in the country for USAID, the EU, and others, it will be in a position to coordinate investments across agencies to maximize impact in a target area. The FAO may engage a network of vetted INGOs and NNGOs that expand its reach throughout the country—both government and opposition aligned areas. While acknowledging the FAO’s experience in the implementation of the EFNSP and EFCRP under the safeguards regime, training, capacity building and mentoring on the new WB ESF and the prepared instruments will be undertaken and embedded in the design of the project to enhance the project management team capacity to manage and supervise environmental and social risk. The team will also benefit from the experience of FAO global E&S team that is currently preparing and implementing other projects under the new ESF. IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Mohammad Imtiaz Akhtar Alvi Title: Senior Agriculture Specialist Telephone No: 5358+5358+6047 / 251-11-5176047 Email: ialvi@worldbank.org Contact: Jeren Kabayeva Title: Agriculture Specialist Telephone No: +1-202-473-6211 Email: jkabayeva@worldbank.org Public Disclosure Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: Ministry of Finance and Planning Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Mohammad Imtiaz Akhtar Alvi, Jeren Kabayeva Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Helene Monika Carlsson Rex Cleared on 19-Apr-2021 at 11:24:9 GMT-04:00 Safeguards Advisor ESSA Peter Leonard (SAESSA) Concurred on 19-Apr-2021 at 17:29:48 GMT-04:00 Apr 19, 2021 Page 15 of 15