The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) Project Information Document/ Public Disclosure copy Identification/Concept Stage (PID) Concept Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 28-Aug-2024 | Report No: PIDDC00418 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Operation Name Operation Short Name Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Regenerative Ag Climate Resilience in Ethiopia Operation ID Financing Instrument P505075 Investment Project Financing (IPF) Beneficiary country/countries Region Ethiopia Ethiopia Environmental and Social Risk Classification Public Disclosure copy Moderate Date PID Prepared Estimated Date of Approval 09-Feb-2024 20-Jan-2025 Borrower(s) Implementing Agency Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) SUMMARY Total Operation Cost 2.75 Total Financing 2.75 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS Non-World Bank Group Financing Trust Funds 2.75 Japan Social Development Fund 2.75 B. Introduction & Context Country Context Over the past three decades, Ethiopia has achieved notable progress in human and economic development, becoming one of Africa's fastest-growing economies. From 2000 to 2016, the nation halved extreme poverty, cut Page 1 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) undernourishment by 70%, and raised per capita income from $335 in 2010 to $1,028 in 2022. Despite these advancements, approximately one-quarter of Ethiopians still live in extreme poverty[1], and the country is among the world's poorest and most food-insecure nations. Rural areas are home to about 88% of the impoverished population[2]. Recent challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts in Northern Ethiopia, surging food and energy prices, and climate-related increases in droughts, floods, pests, and diseases, have likely exacerbated extreme poverty and food insecurity. By 2020, undernourishment affected one-quarter of the population, a significant increase from 14% in 2016, and in 2022, an estimated 34% of children under five were stunted[3]. Currently, over 20 million people are impacted by conflict and climate change, which have considerably decelerated economic growth. The average GDP growth of 6.2% over the past three years is 3.2 percentage points lower than the pre-pandemic rate[4]. Additionally, the proportion of the working-age population in employment has dropped by 14% from 81% in 2013 to 67% in 2021, while unemployment among labor market participants has risen from 5% to 9%[5]. The cumulative effects of recurring droughts and extreme weather have undermined recent developmental and food security progress and redirected limited development funds to relief initiatives. Ethiopia has endured eight major droughts in the last 15 years. These conditions are particularly dire for pastoralists and agropastoralists in the arid and semi-arid rangelands, where drought and climate variability are common. Since 2020, severe drought conditions have affected approximately 13 million people in Southern and Eastern Ethiopia, predominantly pastoral and agropastoral Public Disclosure copy (PAP) communities[6]. Drought and flooding have led to significant livestock and crop losses, resulting in increased poverty, destitution, and complex vulnerabilities. In 2023, an estimated 11.8 million individuals required food aid in drought-stricken regions, a 59% increase from early 2022, and 3.8 million women and children needed support for malnutrition prevention or treatment[7]. Climate change, conflict, and recurrent desert locust invasions have depleted assets and heightened vulnerability to future shocks in these communities. The growing frequency of extreme weather events and droughts risks overwhelming the traditional economic and social coping strategies and resilience measures of pastoralist communities. These events disrupt the delicate equilibrium between land availability for grazing, livestock existence, and human population impact. Additionally, state-led economic development and diversification efforts have repurposed land, reducing grazing areas and exacerbating land degradation, competition for water and pasture, and inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic conflicts[8]. Therefore, it is imperative to transition from a cycle of disaster response to investing in sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. [1] https://data.worldbank.org/country/ET [2] https://data.worldbank.org/country/ET [3] World Bank. 2023. World Development Indicators [4] National Bank of Ethiopia. 2023. [5] Ethiopia National Labour Force Survey. 2021. [6] Ethiopia: Humanitarian Response Summary 2023 [7] World Food Programme. 2023. Regional Drought Response Plan, January–December 2023 [8] http://www.fess-global.org/Publications/Other/Climate_Change_and_Conflic_%20in_Ethiopia.pdf Sectoral and Institutional Context Pastoralists and agro-pastoralists (PAP) in Ethiopia occupy approximately 61% (1.1 million sq.km) of the nation's land area. They are responsible for a significant portion of the national livestock, including an estimated 42% of cattle, 7% of goats, 25% of sheep, 20% of equines, and all camels[9]. Consequently, PAP communities are key contributors to both Page 2 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) domestic and export markets for livestock and livestock products. Their livestock rearing practices are complemented by crop farming and other non-farm activities, particularly in agro-pastoral regions. Among pastoralists, agro- pastoralism is emerging as a viable livelihood strategy and a pathway to resilience, relying on rain-fed farming and improved access to irrigation to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Moreover, the dryland areas inhabited by PAP communities are rich in natural resources, including minerals, forests, Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs), medicinal plants, and associated indigenous knowledge. However, these opportunities remain underexploited, and the transformation of PAP livelihoods in dryland areas is hindered by various socioeconomic and environmental challenges. The vast PAP territories in Ethiopia are characterized by arid and semi-arid agro-ecologies, where water scarcity is a critical constraint for both livestock rearing and crop production. Frequent extreme weather events, such as droughts, elevated temperatures, and floods, pose significant climate change-related threats to PAP livelihoods. The increasing human and livestock populations, coupled with the overuse of resources, are exacerbating aridity. Deforestation, overgrazing, and poor farming practices on marginal lands contribute to soil erosion and the degradation of rangelands and water points. Private and public investments in communal rangelands are intensifying the pressure on and accelerating the degradation of these lands, leading to a decline in vegetation cover and an increase in infestation by less palatable and nutritious weedy species. Alien invasive species encroachment is further accelerating this Public Disclosure copy degradation process. Resource scarcity, linked to land degradation, is also fueling conflicts among PAP communities, resulting in deaths, displacement, asset depletion, increased poverty, and heightened vulnerability to other shocks. Conflicts restrict the mobility of PAP communities, leading to the overuse of rangelands and water points. Overall, land degradation, along with the prevalence of transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases and erratic weather conditions, has contributed to poor livestock productivity and rising levels of poverty and food insecurity in PAP areas. This situation highlights the need for prudent management to promote a more balanced and sustainable integration of crop and livestock systems. However, the sustainability of agropastoralism faces significant socio-economic and institutional challenges, including weak institutional capacity, inadequate investment in technology and infrastructure, limited agricultural knowledge and skills, and lack of access to customized extension services, inputs, markets, and information. Interventions aimed at strengthening community productivity, climate adaptation, and resilience, while sustaining and regenerating the environment, are crucial. Regenerative agriculture, a nature-positive approach, offers a new farming future for food production. It encompasses principles and practices designed to regenerate and enhance soils, biodiversity, and ecosystems, and promotes ecological, social, and economic resilience within planetary boundaries. The transition towards regenerative agriculture practices requires capacity building, extension services, and other vital support mechanisms to reduce vulnerability and improve recovery from shocks during and after protracted or recurring crises. The government's efforts to improve the livelihoods of pastoralists have received significant support from development partners, including the World Bank. Effective from June 21, 2024, the Lowlands Livelihood Resilience Project Phase Two (LLRP II) has been approved with an overall budget of USD 424 million (World Bank/IDA-USD 340 million, co-financed by IFAD-USD 80 million, and supported by Community counter funding from MSEs-USD 4 million). The primary objective of the LLRP II project is to enhance the livelihoods and climate resilience of 3 million pastoral and agro-pastoral communities across 120 woredas (districts) in eight regions of Ethiopia's lowlands, aiding them in better withstanding the adverse effects of climate change. The project comprises four major components, with component-3 focusing on "Climate Resilient and Sustainable Livelihoods (CRSL)" by promoting climate-smart agriculture and livestock technologies, innovations, and approaches. The proposed JSDF project "Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience in Ethiopia" (Regenerative Ag) aims to intensify, foster synergy, and increase complementarity with the climate-smart approaches Page 3 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) outlined in component 3 of the LLRP II. It supports agro-pastoral communities in the Somali, South Ethiopia, and Southwest Ethiopia Regions towards a sustainable and resilient future by promoting regenerative agriculture. [9] IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) (2017). Email: www.icpald.org Relationship to CPF The proposed JSDF project, centered on advancing climate-resilient agriculture within Ethiopia's drylands, is in line with pillar 3 (resilience and inclusiveness) of the World Bank's Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Ethiopia (2018– 2023). It also aligns with the country's national climate and development policy initiatives, including the National Determined Contribution (NDC) and the Ten Years Perspective Development Plan (2021–2030), which have adopted the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy as a pathway to sustainable development. This strategy supports the Government's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change adaptation and mitigation, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Public Disclosure copy This project is set to introduce, pilot, and validate regenerative agriculture as a new farming paradigm for agro- pastoralists, coupled with other innovative approaches to effectively address system-level challenges and achieve objectives that span soil health, productivity, nutrition, income, and resilience. It will employ a participatory and holistic approach, executing interventions that span the entire value chain, while also being tailored to specific contexts and unique situations. Additionally, it will incorporate a bio-circular economy framework to enhance Resource Use Efficiency through the integration of crops and livestock. The project will create Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Model Villages (NSA-MVs) to tackle nutrition issues. Moreover, it will introduce Agro-pastoral Learning Platforms (APLPs), a complement to LLRP II's Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Centre for Knowledge (PACK) approach, bolster Pastoralist Training Centers (PTCs), and fortify the links between education, research, and extension services. The Pioneer-Positive Deviance (P-PD) approach will also be utilized to identify and cultivate the exceptional behaviors and strategies of talented individuals within the communities, thereby facilitating peer-to-peer learning among the agro-pastoral communities. To ensure inclusivity, the project will actively involve women from male-headed households, women-headed households, and youth. The project will further introduce various innovative models currently in use by the applicant organization, the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), including those that enhance access to seeds (Community-Based Seed Multiplication); support production, aggregation, and marketing (commodity association); encourage farming as a business venture (Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion, SHEP); improve the provision of farm services (Private Service Provision); ensure last-mile delivery of inputs and extension services (Agro-dealership); strengthen milling and value-addition activities (Agro-Processing Enterprise); and promote financial inclusion (Community Saving for Investment in Agribusiness). In addition, the project will utilize diverse digital tools that are customized for specific target groups, to supplement traditional face-to-face extension and improve accessibility to information, finance, and markets. This will involve the deployment of a Digital Classroom System (DCS) for farmers' video-based group learning, the Ma’ed Farm Suit (MFS) mobile application for Extension Agents’ information access, and the Amplio Talking Book for self-learning among farmers with limited literacy. Thus, by ensuring the inclusivity and resilience of the historically underserved agro-pastoral communities, the proposed JSDF project is well-aligned with pillar 3 of the CPF. Page 4 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) C. Development Objective Development Objective Improving livelihoods and climate resilience of agro-pastoralists through regenerative agriculture practices in the Lowlands of Ethiopia. Key Results The PDO level achievements will be monitored using the following key result indicators: • Targeted agro-pastoralists reached with climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices (75 percent disaggregated by gender and youth,) • Targeted agro-pastoralists who adopted at least two regenerative farming and related climate smart agricultural technologies and practices (60 Percent, disaggregated by gender and youth), • Increased productivity of selected crop commodities (25 percent), and Public Disclosure copy • Targeted households with at least 25 percent income increment (40 percent, disaggregated by gender and youth) D. Preliminary Description Activities/Components The proposed JSDF project will include four components: (1) Promoting regenerative agriculture to improve soil fertility, health, and agro-ecosystem resilience; (2) Increasing livelihoods, household nutrition, and income; (3) Strengthening the human and institutional capacity of agro-pastoral communities; and (4) Project management, monitoring, and evaluation. The project components and subcomponents are outlined below. Component 1. PROMOTING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE ($959,996.20) This component introduces and promotes regenerative farming practices that enhance soil fertility, crop and livestock productivity, adaptation to climate change and overall resilience. Regenerative farming, also known as Regenerative Agriculture, is critical to ensuring sustainable and inclusive food systems. Positive benefits include increased farm profitability, economy and livelihoods, biodiversity enhancement, improved health and nutrition, increased carbon sequestration, improved ecosystem services, strengthened climate change adaptation, and resilience. This component will use regenerative agriculture practices as an entry point to assist agro-pastoralists in transitioning to more sustainable, climate-resilient, and biodiverse farming and livestock raising to meet food, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion goals, thereby greatly contributing to improved access to healthy and nutritious diets for women and children, and improved food security. This component will have two sub- components. Page 5 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) Sub-Component 1.1: IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH FOR INCREASED AGRO-ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE AND ENHANCED CROP PRODUCTIVITY Under this sub-component, using the agro-pastoral Learning Platform (APLP) approach, the project will identify, bundle and promote a suite of best-fit Regenerative Agriculture technologies and good practices that will help improve soil health and fertility, enhance crop productivity, and contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation, and agro- ecosystem resilience. This would include Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), reduced soil mechanical disturbance, soil and water conservation practices, small-scale farm implements and machinery, and climate-smart agriculture practices. The regenerative practices to be promoted will also enhance productivity and sustainable use of irrigation schemes. Crop varieties that are more productive, climate-resilient, nutrient-sensitive, and tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses will be introduced. Eco-friendly pest and disease management techniques will be promoted following the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles. Sub-Component 1.2: IMPROVING FOOD PRODUCTION AND RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY Sub-component 2 will focus on increasing production efficiency by reducing postharvest food losses in grain and Public Disclosure copy horticulture crops. Accordingly, improved post-harvest loss management technologies and practices, such as small- and medium-scale crop harvesting and threshing machinery, grain storage technologies, and perishable crop shelf-life extending technologies, will be identified, bundled and promoted. In addition, with this sub-component, the project aims to optimize the use of farm resources and create a regenerative system that ensures sustainable agricultural practices by leveraging crop-livestock system interdependence in a circular bio-economy principle. The project will deliver on promoting multi- purpose crops and trees for food, feed, natural resource management, and fuel on a land-saving approach; promoting forage and fodder production, food and feed processing, and preservation; improving livestock handling and management practices; and maximizing the utilization of organic waste from livestock for nutrient-rich compost and developing a closed-loop system that enhances soil fertility for crop production. Component 2. INCREASING LIVELIHOODS, HOUSEHOLD NUTRITION, AND INCOME ($925,199.12) This component aims to improve agro-pastoralists' livelihoods, nutrition, and income by boosting the availability, access, and utilization of nutritious and healthy foods, raising nutrition literacy and improving business and entrepreneurial skills and income. Further, the project employs a Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach, which encourages farmers to shift from “Grow/raise and Sell” to “Grow/raise to Sell” mindsets. A SHEP approach allows them to start profitable farm businesses and enhance their income while also improving their autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Inclusive approaches that help to purposely address women (women in male-headed households, and women-headed households), and unemployed youth will be used. The livelihood strategies will be selected based on socio-economic and biophysical contexts and local needs and priorities identified under LLRP II which will be further complimented with specific need assessment missions. Sub-Component 2.1: IMPROVING PRODUCTION AND ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS AND HEALTHY FOODS Under this sub-component, the project will achieve temporal and spatial farm diversity for increased diverse nutritious food production by integrating poultry, small ruminants, pulse crops, and biofortified crops into the farming system in optimal combinations. It will additionally promote women-led homestead food production (permagardens/perma Page 6 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) culture-based horticulture, and poultry) with improved water availability, as well as irrigation-based vegetable production in outfields. Furthermore, the project will strengthen agro-pastoralists' nutrition literacy and food security through an array of interventions. Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Model Villages (NSA-MVs) will be established to promote diet diversification through production, food cooking demonstrations, local recipe development, and food fairs. Sub-Component 2.2: ENHANCING AGRI-BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT This sub-component will focus on boosting agribusiness and entrepreneurial skills among youth and women in agro- pastoralist communities by stimulating innovation, increasing capacity, and promoting economic empowerment. This will be achieved through strengthening/organizing women- and youth-led and owned enterprises, and better access to crucial inputs, technologies, and services. Furthermore, the project aims to enhance the financial understanding and knowledge of agropastoralists, while also connecting them to the LLRP II endeavors in order to establish a network with fintech services like Telebirr/M-Pesa, which will ultimately result in enhanced financial accessibility for the agropastoralists. Public Disclosure copy Additionally, this sub-Component focuses on reorienting and empowering agropastoralists’ market orientations via the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach. The project will strengthen agropastoralists' collective marketing, market linkage, and access to market and financial information. Approaches like couples’ engagement and deliberate targeting will be employed to enhance the participation of women, and unemployed youth. Component 3. STRENGTHENING THE HUMAN AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY OF AGRO-PASTORAL COMMUNITIES ($ 495,035.02) Component 3 will strengthen the human and institutional capacity of agropastoralists through its two subcomponents. Agro-pastoral Learning Platforms (APLPs), an approach related to agro-pastoral field school concept described in component 3 (sub-component 3.1) of the LLRP-II, will be established as a last-mile extension delivery model to enable two-way communication, enhance collective learning, nurture local knowledge, behavior and strategies, and evaluate the effectiveness of technological packages to be introduced to Agro-pastorals (APs). This component also focuses on short-term hands-on on-the-job training for Extension Agents and agropastoralists; assisting universities in developing demand- driven curricula; strengthening Education - Research-Extension linkages; and equipping enterprising women. Furthermore, Pastoralist/Farmers Training Centers (P/FTCs) would be enhanced to provide effective extension and advisory services, including the strengthening of a P/FTC Management Committee to ensure ownership and sustainability. Digital technologies will be employed to support face-to-face extension, address the low population-to- land ratio, expand and scale innovations, and bridge the digital divide. Sub-Component 3.1: STRENGTHENING AP’S LEARNING AND EXPERIENCE-SHARING PLATFORMS AND IMPROVING TECHNICAL CAPACITY OF EXTENSION AGENTS This sub-component focuses on strengthening agro-pastoral learning and experience-sharing platforms to provide a sustainable mechanism for knowledge exchange and collaboration among agro-pastoral communities. APLPs will be established and used for technology demonstration, farmer-to-farmer experience sharing and learning; and feedback gathering. Universities/ Research institutions will incorporate agro-pastoral knowledge into formal education curricula and research agendas; and Education- Research-, and Extension linkages will be strengthened. The project will also strengthen the hard and soft skills of EAs at PTCs to provide pastoralists with effective extension and advisory services. Page 7 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) In order to bring about behavioral and social change, the JSDF project in partnreship and technical support from ILRI, will implement a Pioneer-Positive Deviance (P-PD) approach. This approach involves studying the behaviors and strategies of exceptional individuals or groups within agro-pastoral communities who have managed to overcome challenges and find superior solutions, despite facing similar or even more difficult circumstances and having access to the same resources, and transferring this knowledge to the wider community[1]. Further, the PTC Management Committee will be strengthened; and resource centers will be established at the PTCs and outfitted with essential facilities. The JSDF project will also compliemnt to the “PACK” approach for knolwdge exchnage and learning supported under LLRP II. Sub-Component 3.2: ENHANCING KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER This sub-component focuses on digital technology that will allow APs and entrepreneurs to readily access information. In addition to those platfomrs supported under LLRP II, the JSDF project will use the Sasakawa Africa Association's (SAA's) crop-based mobile application, Ma'ed Farm Suit (MFS), which targets Extension Agents to access agricultural information; Amplio Talking Book (ATB), an audio-enabled semi-digital device designed for less literate people; and will connect agropastoralists to existing national digital platforms, radio stations, and other digital service providers. The Public Disclosure copy LLRP II website and other web based platforms will also be used to share knowledge products among LLRP-II project intervention areas. Component 4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT, MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING ($ 372,063.34) Component 4 establishes an adequate mechanism for project management, coordination, and monitoring and evaluation, and learning, and will have two sub-components: Institutional Arrangement, and Monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and documentation. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with key government organizations including the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands (MILLs), Minstry of Agriculture (MoA), Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and the Cooperatives Agency, taking advantage of their facilities and personnel. The project will also be closely linked to the LLRP II project to ensure coordination, synergy, and complementarity. The proposed implementing agency (SAA) will appoint Focal Persons at each level of government, whose salaries will be borne by their respective organizations. The project will adhere to adequate monitoring, evaluation, reporting procedures, adaptive learning mechanisms, and capturing and disseminating lessons. Sub-Component 4.1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT: This includes setting up a project office at the SAA office in Addis Ababa, staffed by three people (a Program Officer, an accountant, and a driver); Designating Focal Persons from the Partner Organization - the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands (MILLs), International and National Agricultural Research Institutions and leveraging LLRP II Project Offices - and making use of their personnel and facilities at the regional, zonal, and woreda levels. Sub-Component 4.2: MONITORING, EVALUATION, REPORTING, AND DOCUMENTATION: This sub- component involves carrying out needs assessments and intervention contextualization, conducting mid- and end-term evaluations, field monitoring and learning, review meetings by steering and technical committees, reporting, and documenting impact stories and disseminating information. Further, knowledge products like manuals and best practices will be produced and relevant evidence for scaling and revision of policies and practices will be documented. The project will use the baseline study of the LLRP-II project as a reference point to measure the results. Page 8 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) Environmental and Social Standards Relevance E. Relevant Standards ESS Standards Relevance ESS 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Relevant Impacts ESS 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant ESS 2: Labor and Working Conditions Relevant ESS 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant ESS 4: Community Health and Safety Relevant ESS 5: Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Not Currently Relevant Public Disclosure copy ESS 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Relevant Resources ESS 7: Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Relevant Traditional Local Communities ESS 8: Cultural Heritage Not Currently Relevant ESS 9: Financial Intermediaries Relevant Legal Operational Policies Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) 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 As noted in section A.1, the main but small-scale environmental risks that may result from the project activities include mishandling and disposal of agrochemicals; safety hazards during farm work; inefficient water use leading to scarcity and pollution; soil degradation from poor farming methods; harm to biodiversity and ecosystems from water use, pollution, and non-native species; and waste from livestock and poultry. The potential social risk is Moderate which is related to the adoption of regenerative farming practices that may lead to conflicts over land use; create or exacerbate the existing social discrimination or exclusion and vulnerability of the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups; security risks including temporary inaccessibility of the project implementation areas for the implementation, follow-up, and monitoring of sub-projects activities, criminal targeting of project assets (robbery/ theft), safety hazards at project sites, demonstration/ civil unrest and others in the implementation areas; and risks to community health and safety including GBV/SEA/SH. The project implementing entity will use the ESMF which was prepared for the LLRP II (P180076) given that this project aims to strengthen the activities supported by LLRP II. The ESMF will be used as a Page 9 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) basis for the identification and management of E&S risks. Sasakawa Africa Association will prepare an Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) and a simplified Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) prior to the appraisal. Contact Point World Bank Esayas Nigatu Gebremeskel Senior Livestock Specialist Borrower/Recipient : Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands Seid Omer Public Disclosure copy LLRP I and II National Coordinator oseidhaik@yahoo.com Implementing Agency : Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) Melese Liyeh Regenerative Agriculture Expert melesel@saa-safe.org Fentahun Mengistu Country Director fentahun@saa-safe.org For more information, contact: Page 10 The World Bank Regenerative Farming for Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project Information Document (PID) in Ethiopia(P505075) The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects Public Disclosure copy Page 11