Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: AC2865 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 03/30/2007 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Mali Project ID: P105155 Project Name: Agricultural Services and Producer Organizations Project Task Team Leader: Olivier Durand Estimated Appraisal Date: April 2, 2007 Estimated Board Date: May 24, 2007 Managing Unit: AFTS4 Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector (50%);Agricultural extension and research (20%);Crops (15%);Agricultural marketing and trade (15%) Theme: Rural services and infrastructure (P);Rural policies and institutions (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 17.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 Financing Gap 5.00 5.00 B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN] The proposed additional financing will allow for scaling-up institutional reforms successfully promoted during the project, especially in terms of improving agronomic research performance, promoting demand-driven extension services and empowering producer organizations. Without changing its development objectives and its implementation modalities, the project will expand its activities in the field of technology transfer to achieve more tangible results and increase its impact on the ground. C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN] The project is organized in four components: (A) reforming public services and reorganizing the Ministry of Rural Development; (B) improving the efficiency, relevance and sustainability of the national agricultural research system; (C) improving the efficiency, relevance and sustainability of the national agricultural extension system; (D) empowering producers and promoting their organizations. Page 2 The objective of the proposed additional financing is to scale up project achievements beyond institutional reforms, promoted so far towards demand-driven and accountable agricultural services, by increasing and broadening ASPOP impact in terms of technology transfers to producers. The emphasis will thus be put on consolidating and expanding technology transfer mechanisms between research, extension and POs. This is consistent with the ASPOP development objective, especially the sub-objectives of "consolidating and expanding the technology generation and transfer system on a demand-driven basis". Technology transfer activities will target the following specific areas: seed production (potatoes plant multiplication); livestock (goat milk production); small scale village irrigation; water management (vegetable production); productivity increase (cowpeas production); post-harvest operation (small scale processing and improved storage techniques). Innovations will concern production techniques, water management practices and post-harvest technologies used at the farm level, as well as public equipments, technologies and infrastructure managed by producer associations or water user associations. Financing mechanisms and implementation arrangements set up by ASPOP will be used to confirm their relevance and efficacy. This will contribute to strengthen research/extension/POs linkages for a better and broader technology dissemination. The additional financing will also give the opportunity to consolidate key activities specific to each component. The Ministerial component (A) will complete the design of public services reorganization, including the redistribution of human resources among regional and central levels. Then implementation will be undertaken in the framework of the next PRSC. The research component (B) will complete some key strategic and demand-driven research programs and will strengthen its regional collaborative programs through an initial contribution to the West African Agricultural Productivity Project (WAAPP). The extension component (C) will expand the test for the transfer of extension activities to private operators and will develop new approaches of on-farm field trials as a contribution to strengthen research/extension/POs linkages. The producer organizations component (D) will move forward with capacity-building for farmer leaders by supporting the elaboration of 3-year and multi-donor action plans for regional agricultural chambers. The financing mechanism for capacity-building projects for grassroots POs will be renewed but eligibility criteria will be revised to stimulate the preparation of more impacting, income-generating and productivity-oriented projects. New capacity building programs will be developed to support national POs, especially the newly formed cotton producer cooperatives in the perspective of the cotton sector privatization. No major changes would be introduced but the proposed activities will initiate major changes that will be introduced in the design of a future operation (transfer of support to public services into budgetary support; consolidation of the different demand-driven financing mechanisms into a national agricultural development fund, etc.). Implementation arrangements will remain unchanged. D. Project location (if known) This is a national program. Page 3 E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN] The Government of Mali is familiar with the Bank's Safeguard Policies, based on experience with other Bank-funded projects, in which the Government successfully met the safeguard requirements. In the agriculture and rural development sector, the Ministry of Agriculture has acquired a sound experience in environmental impact assessment and pest management plan with three major Bank-funded operations dealing with environmental issues and agricultural productivity: the National Rural Infrastructure Project, the ASPOP and more recently the Agricultural Competitiveness and Diversification Project. The appraisal mission will review the existing Environment management Plan, including its Pest Management Plan, to check if it is still appropriate and up to date. Its application so far by the Ministry of Agriculture and producer organizations will be assessed as well. If needed, recommendations will be provided for a better monitoring and a strict application of safeguards policies as the project will expand its technology transfer activities and productive investments. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Mr Amadou Konare (AFTS1) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X This policy will be triggered due to the implementation of sub-projects for productive investments in the framework of technology transfer activities. The existing Environmental Management Framework prepared for ASPOP will be reviewed during appraisal to confirm if it is still appropriate and recommendations will be formulated to ensure strict application during the implementation of this additional financing. Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X As part of the Environment Management Plan mentioned above, the ASPOP has a Pest Management Plan in place. The appraisal will review the implementation status of this plan and will provide if needed recommendations to ensure its strict application during the additional financing period as the project will expand its activities in the field of technology transfer and small scale productive investment projects. Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) X Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN Page 4 A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS would be prepared: N/A B. For simple projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage ISDS: 04/02/2007 C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing 1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS. An environment and social impact assessment report was disclosed in the Infoshop on January 26, 2001 and published in Mali for public disclosure on February 13, 2001. This report is still relevant, no revision will be made. However, a review and assessment of the effective implementation of the existing safeguard instrument, namely the Environmental and Social Management Framework assorted with a Pest Management Plan, will be carried out before the effectiveness of this additional financing. The results and lessons learned from this evaluation are intended to help implement safeguard measures better. The SMU has agreed to accept transfer of the safeguard responsibilities. IV. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Task Team Leader: Mr Olivier Durand 03/30/2007 Approved by: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Mr Warren Waters 03/30/2007 Comments: Sector Manager: Ms Mary A. Barton-Dock 03/30/2007 Comments: 1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in-country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons. Page 5