@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprcoverpage#doctemplate Report No: PIDIAF0064 Project Information Document (PID) Appraisal Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 24-Jan-2025 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprbasicinformation#doctemplate BASIC DATA A. Product Information Main: Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) Operation ID Product/Financing Instrument P171933 Investment Project Financing (IPF) Beneficiary Country/Countries Geographical Identifier Ghana Ghana Practice Area (Lead) Environment, Natural Resources & the Blue Economy Borrower(s) Implementing Agency Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Lands and The Republic of Ghana Natural Resources Additional Financing Request 2 Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date 27-Jan-2025 08-Apr-2025 Development Objective Original Development Objective (Approved as part of Approval package on 30-Aug-2021) to strengthen integrated natural resource management and increase benefits to communities in targeted savannah and cocoa forest landscapes Components Component 1: Institutional strengthening for participatory landscape management Component 2: Enhanced governance in support of sustainable ASM Component 3: Sustainable crop and forest landscape management Component 4: Project monitoring and knowledge management Component 5. Contingent emergency response @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprprojectfinancing#doctemplate COSTS & FINANCING (US$, Millions) SUMMARY Page 1 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 Proposed Last Approved Addition Total Total Operation Cost 103.35 13.94 117.30 Total Financing 103.35 13.94 117.30 Of which IBRD/IDA 75.00 0.00 75.00 FINANCING DETAILS Additional World Bank Group Financing Last Approved Financing Total International Development Association (IDA) 75.00 0.00 75.00 IDA Credit 75.00 0.00 75.00 Non-World Bank Group Financing Trust Funds 28.35 13.94 42.30 Global Environment Facility (GEF)NEW 12.75 13.94 26.70 Global P'ship for Sust. and Resilient Landscapes - PROGREEN 15.00 0.00 15.00 Extractives Global Programmatic Support 0.60 0.00 0.60 IDA Resources Credit Grant SML Guarantee Total Ghana 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 National Performance-Based 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Allocations (PBA) Total 75.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 75.00 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprenvsocrisk#doctemplate Other Decision (as needed) Page 2 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 B. Introduction and Context Country Context 1. Ghana, a country in West Africa with a population of 34 million people in 20231, has achieved remarkable success in economic growth over the recent decades, with significant contribution from renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Since 1990, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Ghana had more than quadrupled, and in 2011 the country hit a significant milestone when it joined the ranks of the Lower Middle-Income Countries. In 2023, export earnings from gold, cocoa, and oil accounted for about 80 percent of all exports.2 Though the economic structure is shifting to services, 35 to 45 percent of the jobs are still based on renewable natural resource sectors, including agriculture, forestry, livestock, and fisheries.3 2. However, growth has been unequal, and unsustainable growth could imperil future economic development. It is noteworthy that Ghana’s Adjusted Net Savings4 have been negative since 2007 despite a simultaneous increase in the stock of non-renewable capital. In other words, the economic benefits of energy and mineral resources and intensified land use have been outweighed by the costs of degraded forest areas and environmental impacts as a result of unsustainable practices.5 The cost of environmental degradation due to unsustainable use of land for agriculture, forests and mining stands at 2.8 percent of national GDP (2017).6 If the current natural resource extraction remains unchanged, Ghana will see its natural resource base destroyed over the long term, with fewer opportunities to sustain growth and share prosperity. 3. Weak economic growth, limited government spending, and high inflation—particularly in food prices—have worsened living standards, pushing more people into poverty and increasing the risk of food insecurity. Poverty in Ghana had been on a downward trend since the 1990s, but the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic marked a turning point, leading to a rise in poverty levels since 2020. Poverty remains highest amongst rural populations dependent on natural resources and agriculture. In addition, the deterioration of natural capital disproportionally exacerbates poverty amongst vulnerable rural communities and amplifies natural disaster and climate risks. 4. Climate change poses a significant threat to Ghana’s sustainable economic growth . Climate change threatens to adversely affect the health and well-being of people and communities, livelihoods, natural and agricultural resources, and infrastructure,7 which could derail progress on economic and social development. The rural regions of the country are more exposed to impacts of climate change due to a higher vulnerability of assets and livelihoods, lower ability to cope and recover from disasters, and the effects of risk on saving and investment behavior.8 Ghana's Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Climate Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change9 include (a) building resilient economies and societies, (b) enhancing landscape restoration, and (c) ensuring responsible 1 https://data.worldbank.org/country/ghana accessed on October 29, 2024. 2 Bank of Ghana, 2024, Summary of Economic and Financial Data. 3 GLSS6. (2014, August). Ghana Living Standards Survey Round 6: Main Report. Retrieved from http://catalog.ihsn.org/index.php/catalog/5350/download/65128; and Ghana Statistical Service (2016). 2015 Labour Force Report. Retrieved from http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/publications/Labour_Force/LFS%20REPORT_fianl_21-3-17.pdf 4 ANS adjusts the conventional measure of (gross) national savings for (a) asset depletion; (b) environmental damage; and (c) investment in human capital. 5 Ghana – Country Environmental Analysis (English). Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group (p. ii) 6 Ghana – Country Environmental Analysis (English). Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. 7 Government of Ghana MESTI. (2012). National Climate Change Policy. 8 Hallegatte, Stéphane, Mook Bangalore, Laura Bonzanigo, Marianne Fay, Tamaro Kane, Ulf Narloch, Julie Rozenberg, David Treguer, and Adrien Vogt- Schilb. 2016. Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty. Washington, DC: World Bank. 9MESTI. (2021). Ghana: Updated Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement (2020 – 2030) Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Accra. Page 3 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 production and consumption as its key objectives.10 Sectoral and Institutional Context 5. Ghana’s agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors are major sources of revenue and livelihoods. The sector contributes about 19% of GDP with food crops (particularly cocoa and maize) and employs about 3.3 million of the rural population. Cocoa is a predominant commodity in agriculture and accounts for 7 percent of GDP11 and a large, though declining, share of exports (18 percent export earnings in 2023 as compared to about 25 percent a decade ago12). Aquaculture is a growing sector in Ghana, as the country is one of the top producers of farmed tilapia in Sub-Saharan Africa. 6. Natural resource-based sectors also provide significant employment opportunities. Agriculture is the largest employer of the workforce, employing 36.1 percent for the labor force;13 cocoa sector is reported to employ 1 million households.14 Together, renewable and non-renewable natural resources contribute significantly to livelihoods for the most vulnerable rural communities. Rural employment makes up 49.1 percent (4.6 million) of total employment in Ghana. Informal employment, including a huge number of unskilled workers in agriculture and forestry, provides livelihoods for more than 70 percent of the rural population, particularly to the country’s poorest households.15,16 7. However, agricultural productivity, especially in the cocoa sector, is declining due to land degradation, illegal mining, competing land uses and climate change. Long dry spells and flash floods, wildfires, and erratic precipitation are becoming increasingly frequent in the targeted landscapes, thus negatively affecting the microclimatic conditions necessary for optimum crop production. Agriculture is predominantly rainfed and subsistence, therefore, many farmers are poor and food insecure, engaging in unsustainable land use practices, including deforestation, in search of food sources and illegal mining to supplement their meager farm incomes. Aquaculture often serves as an alternative source of livelihood and protein / food security in resource-dependent communities; however, the sector is susceptible to disease outbreaks triggered by poor management practices and seasonal water quality issues. The agriculture and fisheries sectors are also plagued by lack of integrated land use planning, weak extension services, poor inter-ministerial or sectoral coordination, weak enforcement of laws and regulations, and low participation of local communities in natural resource management. Agricultural expansion often happens at the expense of forested areas, resulting in biodiversity loss in landscapes. 8. Improved institutional and regulatory frameworks are critical for sustainable management of natural resources: Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) as well as their respective agencies are responsible for management of the natural resources, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) - for agriculture, and Fisheries Commission – for fisheries, including aquaculture. Yet there are no universal platforms for tackling challenges and targeting communities collectively, with the same objective. 9. The Government of Ghana has in recent years initiated a number of sectoral reforms to address the challenges in agricultural productivity, forest landscapes management, and sustainable small-scale mining. Collaborative efforts between government agencies at the national and sub-national levels have led to better coordination of plans and strategies towards 10 Ghana’s NDCs includes actions that Ghana has committed to undertake as part of its climate change mitigation and adaptation agenda. The implementation of the actions is expected to help attain low carbon climate resilience through effective adaptation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction in the following priority sectors: a) sustainable land use including food security; b) climate proof infrastructure; c) equitable social development; d) sustainable mass transportation; e) sustainable energy security; e) sustainable forest management; and f) alternative urban waste management. 11 3rd Ghana Economic Update. Agriculture as an Engine of Growth and Job Creation, World Bank, 2018. 12 Bank of Ghana, 2024, Summary of Economic and Financial Data. 13 Ghana Census of Agriculture, National Report. Ghana Statistical Service 2019. 14 3rd Ghana Economic Update. Agriculture as an Engine of Growth and Job creation. World Bank 2018 15 Ghana Labour Force Report 2015 16 3rd Ghana Economic update. Agriculture as Engine of Growth and Job Creation. World Bank 2018 Page 4 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 sustainable cocoa production. Several initiatives (funded both by the private sector and development partners) are ongoing in the cocoa sector to increase dialogue, improve productivity and returns to farmers, and reduce environmental degradation. The Government of Ghana (GoG) also supports initiatives to reduce cocoa frontier expansion by providing incentives for rejuvenating old cocoa plantations and bringing old cocoa fallows under more sustainable agroforestry-based cultivation. The collaboration between MLNR, Forestry Commission (FC) and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has resulted in a dialogue process that established the Cocoa Forest Initiative (CFI), a government partnership with more than 34 leading cocoa and chocolate companies to end deforestation and forest degradation driven by cocoa production in Ghana. More harmonization is needed in production and traceability of sustainable cocoa supply chains, as several different standards are in use. This is particularly imperative in light of the need for Ghana’s cocoa industry to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR);17 the GoG already established a Ghana Cocoa Traceability System (GCTS) which is being piloted in three out of 70 cocoa districts of Ghana,18 but awareness of its requirements among farmers and other actors in the value chain (purchasing clerks, depot managers, and transporters) is low, and it needs to be rolled out in more districts. 10. Improvement in food and nutrition security are core components of the agricultural development and poverty reduction strategy of the GoG as per the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy. Several ongoing government policies and investments are tackling landscape degradation and transforming food systems such as the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy, Cocoa Sector Development Strategy, Food System Strategy and Investment Plan (2023-2030), Aquaculture Development Plan (2022), Planting for Food, and Green Ghana. C. Proposed Development Objective(s) Development Objective 11. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to strengthen integrated natural resource management and increase benefits to communities in targeted savannah and cocoa forest landscapes. The PDO remains unchanged. 12. The PDO is measured through the following key indicators: To strengthen integrated natural resource management 1. Areas for which appropriate land use planning has been undertaken under spatial sub-basin plans – end target: 12,440,931 ha (no change) 2. Land area under sustainable landscape management practices (as an aggregation of the following practices) (ha) – original end target: 2,947,667; revised end target: 2,956,797 • Area under conservation agriculture (ha) – original target: 110,400; revised end target: 118,400 • Trees in production landscapes outside of forests / agroforestry (ha) – original target: 16,000; revised target: 17,130 • Area under collaborative, integrated and innovative management and with improved climate resilience (CREMAs) (ha) – end target: 1,712,553 (no change) • Area under improved catchment management (ha) – original target: 5,800; revised end target: 7,800 • Area under sustainable forest management (ha) – original target: 1,076,414; revised end target: 1,203,513 • Abandoned mine areas restored (ha) – end target: 2,000 (no change) 3. Licenses issued for ASM operations (number) – end target: 2,000 (no change) 17The EUDR requires companies to ensure that the products they place on the European Union market are not associated with deforestation. 18GCTS ensures the Ghana cocoa beans are traceable from the port of shipment to the plot of land. The GCTS will enable Ghana to provide the geolocations of the plots of land that produced each shipment of cocoa that Ghana intends to place of the EU market, which is a key requirement under the EUDR. Page 5 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 4. Environmental and social management system for ASM established and operational (yes/ no) – baseline – No; target – Yes (no change). To increase benefits to communities 5. People in targeted areas with increased benefits as a result of the project (number) – original target: 257,296; revised end target: 275,436 Including sustainable land management practices (number) – original target: 229,422; revised end target: 246,122 Including alternative livelihoods (number) – original target: 27,080; revised end of project target: 28,520 including female (number) – original target: 102,918; revised end of project target: 110,174 including youth19 (number) – original target: 37,143; revised end of project target: 41,316 D. Project Description 13. In February 2024, the GEF council approved the concept note for Ghana’s entire GEF-8 allocation under the Food Systems Integrated Programme (FS-IP). This approval provides additional financing (AF)20 to the GLRSSMP for scaling up ongoing restoration, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable land and water management activities in the current target districts. The AF will also expand these activities to two new districts, Sefwi Wiawso and Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipalities in the Western North Region within the Pra River Basin. 14. The proposed AF is fully in line with the GEF-8 objectives for the Food Systems IP, including (i) shifting production towards sustainable and regenerative foods production – including food crops and commodities such as maize and cocoa and (ii) sustainable aquaculture management. 15. The proposed AF will expand GLRSSMP’s integrated and participatory landscape management approach to improve landscape and biodiversity corridor connectivity, support sustainable forest management, promote sustainable land and water management technologies, diversify livelihoods, advance climate-smart agriculture, and enhance sustainable aquaculture production. The project will retain its four substantive components, with AF scaling up activities under components 1, 3, and 4. 16. Component 1: Institutional strengthening for participatory landscape management21 (original cost – US$14.21 million; AF – US$1.31 million; total cost – US$15.52 million) aims to strengthen the planning and policy framework by conducting spatial planning at sub-national levels and fostering partnerships to support the adoption of for integrated landscape management (ILM) approaches at scale. 17. Key AF activities under Component 1 include: (i) development of Spatial Development Frameworks for Sefwi Wiawso and Twifi Atti Morkwa Districts; (ii) development of structure plans for Kwahu East and Bosome Freho Districts; (iii) mapping and land use analysis to identify areas for interventions such as trees on farms, restoration of degraded areas, and integration of indigenous trees within cocoa farms; (iv) sensitization of cocoa farmers on compliance with the EUDR; (v) development of environmental and social impact assessment guidelines for the sustainable aquaculture sector; (vi) preparation of an operational manual for the cocoa quality management system, and (vii) creation of an ecotourism investment guide for sites with ecotourism potential within the cocoa forest landscape. 19According to Ghana’s national youth policy (2010), youth is defined as those between 15 and 35 years of age. 20This is the first AF to the project. The datasheet refers to “Additional Financing Request 2� due to system processing issues with migration of the project processing from Operations Portal 3 to Operations Work Space. 21Institutional strengthening of governance and partnerships includes key agencies and stakeholders that are relevant to integrated landscape management and overall delivery of the PDO. Page 6 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 18. Component 2: Enhanced governance in support of sustainable artisanal small-scale mining (US$17.48 million) aims to strengthen the regulatory framework for ASM by modernizing regulatory instruments and building the capacity of key government agencies involved in ASM regulation and compliance monitoring at national and sub-national levels. Component 2 will not receive additional financing. 19. Component 3: Sustainable crop and forest landscape management (original cost - US$60.28 million; AF – US$11.94 million; total cost – US$72.22 million) focuses on linking improved food production and ecological integrity through investments in production and forest landscapes. This is achieved by promoting climate-smart agriculture, conservation, restoration, and alternative livelihoods activities through participatory processes. 20. Key AF activities under Component 3 include: (i) piloting of GCTS in additional districts, including farmer and cocoa value chain actors’ awareness, and rehabilitation of moribund cocoa farms; (ii) provision of inputs and extension support for aquaculture development; (ii) improved management of forest reserves including rehabilitation of degraded sections and establishment of green firebreaks; (iii) expansion of the Digya-Kogyae Wildlife corridor to connect the Bomfobiri Wildllife Sanctuary; (iv) Additional livelihood support to CREMAs; (v) preparation of participatory micro-watershed management plans; (vi) restoration of riparian areas; (vii) support for sustainable land and water management subprojects in beneficiary communities; (viii) value chain development including investments in business and capacity building on value addition for cocoa farmer cooperatives, women groups, and fish farmers and traders. 21. Component 4: Project monitoring and knowledge management (original cost - US$11.39 million; AF – US$0.7 million; total cost – US$12.09 million) aims to support robust project management and monitoring (including financial, internal audit, and procurement management; monitoring and evaluation [M&E]; E&S risk management; supervision, implementation, and monitoring of the grievance redress mechanism [GRM]; monitoring implementation of the Gender Action Plan; and so on); better communication outreach and dissemination; appropriate stakeholder engagement; and adequate knowledge management. 22. Key AF activities under Component 4 will include: (i) annual planning reviews; (ii) regular technical and financial supervision (including internal audit); (iii) environmental and social risk management; (iv) monitoring and evaluation (US$0.5 million); (v) trainings and awareness creation; and (v) knowledge management and knowledge exchanges in the context of the FS-IP (US$0.2 million). 23. Component 5. Contingent Emergency Response Component has a zero allocation and can be drawn up to allow the GoG to respond quickly in case of an eligible emergency. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidlegalpolicyandscreeningrisk#doctemplate Legal Operational Policies Policies Triggered? Current Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Area OP 7.60 No Summary of Screening of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The overall Environmental and Social (E&S) risk and impacts of the proposed project is rated Substantial. The risk classification takes into consideration the E&S risks associated with the proposed activities as well as the institutional capacity of the implementing agencies in managing E&S risks on Bank funded projects. The overall E&S risk Page 7 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 management responsibility of the project will rest with the EPA PCU. The PCU has been staffed with an E&S Specialist and a Gender Specialist with experience in managing WB financed projects e.g., Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP), the Africa Environmental Health and Pollution Management Program (AEHPMP) and the ongoing GLRSSMP. EPA is the main entity responsible for the management of E&S risks and impacts on the project, but with the support of the other implementing agencies – the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA); the Forest Services Division (FSD) and Wildlife Division (WD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), and Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). The proposed project is intended to have positive environmental impacts in forest landscapes, promote reforms and address environmental and social issues related to Ghana’s natural resource management. The project has an overall objective of improving / greening current practices related to subsistence agriculture, management of riparian / watershed areas, forested areas within and between gazetted areas through adequate trainings, extension, and investments in natural resource management. However, project activities can create temporary unintentional environmental, health, and social challenges when not properly managed. The challenges of sustainable forest and cocoa landscape management in Ghana stem from a complex network of stakeholder interests, including regulatory agencies, traditional authorities, political leaders, landowners, FBOs, CSOs, NGOs, and timber companies. Effective project success requires broad coordination and engagement with these groups, including Ministries, local assemblies, and vulnerable populations like women, youth and migrant farmers. The Borrower will implement an updated SEP, which details stakeholder interests, barriers to participation, and engagement methods. Additionally, the updated SEP includes a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) to address concerns from project-affected individuals and stakeholders. While the exact number of workers is unknown, no large-scale labor influx is anticipated as the project scope is limited, with a preference for hiring local labor. In the case of the Wildlife Division for instance, construction workers were mobilized from the Estates Department for activities including the viewing platforms and staff quarters. The Borrower has assessed risks related to child and forced labor, and proposed measures to prevent them, including screening and monitoring. In accordance with ESS2 and the Ghana Labor Act 2003, the project prohibits forced labor and the employment of children under 18. Financial or technical support will not be provided for any activities that promote child labor, particularly those that are exploitative or harmful to children's well-being. Project activities related to aquaculture, woodlot establishment, agroforestry, and cocoa intensification may involve the use of pesticides and fertilizers, as well as consumption of energy, water, and raw materials, leading to waste generation. Uncontrolled pesticide use can cause harmful environmental effects, including soil and water contamination, poisoning of non-target organisms, and pest resistance. However, pesticide use has been and is expected to remain low during AF implementation. For continued guidance, the Borrower will apply the existing Integrated Pest Management Plan (PMP) aligned with ESS3, which assesses specific risks associated with pesticide use in agriculture, aquaculture, plant nurseries, and agroforestry activities. The risk of inappropriate pesticide use which could pollute community water sources and lead to health issues, has been very low so far. Potential conflicts which arise between farming communities and Fulani pastoralists over limited grazing areas during the dry season, has been on a downward trend mainly as a result of government action. The project aims to establish and manage rangelands to provide grazing and sustainably reduce conflicts. Additionally, human-wildlife conflicts which occur due to water scarcity, prompting confrontations between wildlife guards and local communities, has also been on a downward trend due to the significant contributions of the parent project. To mitigate these conflicts, the AF will scale up provision of waterholes for wildlife in protected areas and water dugouts for livestock. ESIAs/ ESMPs will be prepared for specific subproject sites, where applicable. Project activities involving the establishment of rangelands and construction of CREMA facilities may lead to physical and economic displacement due to land acquisition. Under the parent project, the principle of avoidance has been largely applied and has therefore eliminated the risk of displacement. Land use planning has integrated social, economic, and environmental criteria, and these will be continued under the AF. Before enforcing protected area boundaries, activities will be screened for potential social impacts on people's assets and livelihoods, prioritizing their welfare. This approach has helped to identify and mitigate adverse impacts related to the Page 8 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 community's economy and land tenure. Since specific sites are not yet determined for the AF, the Borrower will apply the existing joint Resettlement Policy Framework and Process Framework to guide risk assessment and management, including preparation of Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) where required. A social conflict assessment is needed to better understand the status of land-related tensions that arose some years ago between chiefs and tenant farmers in the Sefwi-Wiawso area to guide the rehabilitation of moribund cocoa farms under the AF. The conflict assessment will establish how the project could heighten any existing/ latent tensions, and its implications for stability and human security, and propose mitigation measures accordingly. The risk of construction activities in national parks and protected areas (such as constructing wildlife tracks, satellite camps, and water points) to local ecology and biodiversity (such as habitat loss and fragmentation, affecting critical habitats) has been almost insignificant so far under the parent project. Vegetation clearance has been and is expected to be minimal in addition to the fact that siting of these facilities has purposefully avoided sensitive sections of the Protected Areas. However, any unavoidable site-specific impacts would be minimized or mitigated through site specific ESIAs/ ESMPs. E. Implementation Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 24. The AF will maintain similar institutional and implementation arrangements as the parent project, which are aligned with existing government agencies and their mandates. The national-level project structure comprises the Joint Project Steering Committee (PSC), respective Project Coordinating Units (PCU) on mining and land restoration, and the Implementing Agencies (IAs). 25. The Project is guided by a joint Project Steering Committee (PSC) co-chaired by MLNR and MESTI and comprising all implementing agencies relevant to both sectors to improve coordination. The PSC operates as the primary policy decision- making body for the project, with overall oversight responsibility for project administration and joint project activities. At the technical level, the Project Management Platform (PMP) provides a forum to deliberate on technical issues concerning project implementation. The PMP includes project focal persons from the IAs and other technical institutions relevant for project implementation. The National Sustainable Land Management Committee (NSLMC) (as a standing committee of the Government of Ghana) serves as the technical advisory function for the project landscape restoration activities. 26. The Project Coordinating Unit on Mining (PCU-Mining) falls under the leadership of MLNR and is responsible for project coordination, fiduciary management, and supervision of implementation, as appropriate, for the mining sector activities under the project. The PCU-Mining consists of a Project Coordinator (PC-Mining), who is the administrative head, and other relevant staff. The PCU-Mining is coordinating closely with all Implementing Agencies of mining-specific project components and coordinates directly and regularly with the PCU-LR. 27. The Project Coordinating Unit – Landscape Restoration (PCU-LR) is housed within the EPA Headquarters with a full- time coordinator, and other relevant staff, and is tasked, amongst others, with managing and coordinating operations of implementing agencies, preparation of workplans, and reporting for the landscape restoration activities under the project. The PCU-LR coordinates closely with all Implementing Agencies of LR project components and coordinate directly and regularly with the PCU-Mining. 28. Implementing Agencies (IAs) have direct responsibility for implementing the various components and activities of the project. IAs liaise with the respective PCUs to prepare an implementation workplan and budget, provide inputs into the Page 9 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 procurement plan, draft terms of reference, and oversee the procurement process. IAs are also responsible for executing their respective work programs, tracking project expenditures and monitoring project results. The key implementing agencies include (i) on landscape restoration - MOFA, EPA, COCOBOD, Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission; (ii) on mining – MC, GGSA, Lands Commission, Ghana EITI, and PMMC. 29. Under the AF, the Fisheries Commission will be added as an IA on the LR part of the project. 30. The project also engages with technical service providers as required and appropriate, in accordance with the work plans, in support of training, extension, and value-chain activities. 31. At the sub-national level: • Within the two project target landscapes, the Local Steering Committee (LSC) are the project oversight body responsible for strategic policy decisions. There are two LSCs: one for the Northern Savannah Zone project areas and one for the Cocoa Forest Landscape regions. • At the technical level in each landscape, EPA provides coordination and technical support through two Technical Coordination Offices (TCO), based at the Regional EPA offices in Bolgatanga (covering the Northern Savannah Zone) and Ashanti Region (covering the Cocoa Forest Landscape). The TCOs have the following responsibilities: (a) help coordinate micro-watershed planning under subcomponent 3.1. and other cross-sectoral field activities; (b) develop a Memorandum of Understanding with each project district on SLWM activities and complementary investments; (c) implement the SLWM performance verification mechanism under subcomponent 3.4; and (d) implement environmental monitoring activities for the project. • The District Planning and Management Committees (DMPC) are responsible for coordinating project implementation at the district level. The DPMC is chaired by the District Chief Executive assisted by the District Coordinating Director who is the Technical and Administrative Head of the District Assembly. Membership of DPMC includes representatives of Implementing Agencies at the decentralized level on both sides of project (LR and SSM). They are responsible for project implementation, data generation, processing, archiving and transmission to the regional and national offices, preparation of work plans and budgets at the district level (where necessary) and monitoring and technical backstopping on project interventions. They support project activities at the operational/community level and in ASM Designated Areas. The DMPCs lead participatory processes related to preparation of community watershed management plans at the micro-watershed level. • Specifically for ASM, the District Small-Scale Mining Committees (DSMC), which are statutory bodies for ASM under the Minerals and Mining Act, are responsible for project oversight and policy decisions on small-scale mining operations within the mining districts. • Actual implementation of activities is led by specific implementation agencies in accordance with their regular mandates. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidisdscontactpoint#doctemplate CONTACT POINT Page 10 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 World Bank Madhavi M. Pillai Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist Morten Larsen Sr Mining Spec. Olamide Oluwaseyi Bisi-Amosun Natural Resources Management Specialist Borrower/Client/Recipient The Republic of Ghana Nelly Mireku Head of World Bank desk, Ministry of Finance NMireku@mofep.gov.gh Implementing Agencies Environmental Protection Agency Isaac Acquah Project Coordinator icacquah@hotmail.com Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Patrick Agbesinyale Chief Director agbesi38@hotmail.com Samuel Asante-Asamani Project Coordinator sasamani.glrssmp@mlnr.gov.gh 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 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidapproval#doctemplate APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Madhavi M. Pillai, Morten Larsen, Olamide Oluwaseyi Bisi-Amosun Page 11 The World Bank Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (P171933) – Additional Financing Request 2 Approved By Practice Manager/Manager: Lia Carol Sieghart 19-Nov-2024 Country Director: Michelle C. Keane 24-Jan-2025 Page 12