The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC | Lao People's Democratic Republic | Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2019 | Seq No: 7 | ARCHIVED on 28-Jun-2022 | ISR51208 | Implementing Agencies: Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 14-Mar-2019 Effectiveness Date: 21-Jun-2019 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 23-May-2022 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 23-May-2022 Original Closing Date: 31-Mar-2024 Revised Closing Date: 31-Mar-2024 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objective is to support the design and implementation of a nutrition-sensitive social assistance program to improve nutrition behaviors, and enhance the convergence of nutrition-focused interventions. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Component 1: Developing the building blocks of a social protection system:(Cost $3.00 M) Component 2: Conditional cash transfer program:(Cost $16.70 M) Component 3: Coordination, management, monitoring and evaluation:(Cost $7.30 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Implementation Status and Key Decisions The implementation of project activities has progressed well. The project is on track to achieve the Project Development Objectives (PDO) indicators. The Project Management Unit (PMU) applied the Proxy Means Test (PMT) to all the target areas and is successfully implementing the conditional cash transfer program in 634 villages (phase 1). A total of 22,933 beneficiaries (91.6 percent of all eligible for phase 1 of the program) were enrolled in the Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) program. The fifth payment to beneficiaries is being conducted in June 2022. The key focus of the program in the next months would be to ensure to cover the gap in coverage of beneficiaries and plan efficiently and effectively for the scale-up of the program in the control villages. In terms of nutrition convergence, the project teams in both Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) are operational and convening regular meetings at the central, provincial, and district levels. M&E tools such as impact evaluation, village score card, and spot check are also developed and applied. The need to use the nutrition progress indicators to inform the nutrition convergence 6/28/2022 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) interventions and to ensure that village nutrition convergence days get organized at least quarterly was agreed upon during the last implementation support mission in early June 2022. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Moderate Moderate Moderate Macroeconomic Substantial Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Substantial Substantial Technical Design of Project or Program High Substantial Substantial Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Low Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Substantial Other -- Substantial Substantial Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Objective 1: Develop a targeting, information, and monitoring system for social protection programs IN01133998 ►Indicator 1: Percentage of households with periodically updated socio-economic survey information reported in the social registry. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 90.00 100.00 80.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 Numerator: Number of households in the target area for whom the socio-economic PMT questionnaire has been administered at the household level and data migrated to the social registry. The PMT will be applied every two years and information will be available in the social registry no later than 2 months after Comments: implementation of the survey. Denominator: Total number of estimated households living in the target area. The estimated number of overall households living in the target area would come from population estimates. 6/28/2022 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) Objective 2: Improve nutrition behaviors IN01133999 ►Beneficiaries of social safety net programs (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 15,189.00 22,993.00 42,743.00 Date 16-Nov-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Mar-2024 IN01134026 Beneficiaries of social safety net programs - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 11,215.00 18,753.00 38,460.00 IN01134027 ►Indicator 3: Percentage of children 6–23 months from cash transfer beneficiary households consuming foods from four or more recommended food groups. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 40.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 Numerator: Children, 6-23 months old from cash transfer beneficary housholds who are reported to have consumed at least four out of the seven reccomended food groups (using a classification of food groups Comments: based on international recommendations) during the 24 hours preceding the time of interview. Denominator: Total number of children 6-23 months from cash transfer beneficary housholds in the area of intervention. Objective 3: Enhance convergence of the multisectoral nutrition approach in targeted provinces IN01134000 ►Indicator 4: Number of villages in project districts where at least three nutrition convergence projects have been implemented. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 498.00 498.00 528.00 Date 26-Oct-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 Number of villages in the target districts in which three or more projects (from health, WASH, PRF, IFAD financed project, and this project) are implementing their respective project activities. IFAD and PRF will Comments: be implemented in separate villages. Overall Comments PDO Indicator 1 is achieved, and 2 and 4 are on track. Indicator 3 data is not yet available. Information will come from the impact evaluation mid- line. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components 6/28/2022 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) Component 1: Developing the building blocks of a social protection system IN01134028 ►Indicator 1: Development of a social registry. (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 This indicator is met if the social and beneficiary registry information systems are developed and operational where developed means that the information systems software are developed and operational means that they are working on line. The information collected as part of the socio-economic survey will Comments: be regularly migrated into the social registry, and for the beneficiary registry in the area of interventions information on CCT program beneficiaries and on beneficiaries of WB financed nutrition convergence programs will be reported. IN01134031 ►Indicator 2: Percentage of households surveyed with the PMT questionnaire in target areas. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 90.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 Numerator: Number of households surveyed with the PMT questionnaire in the target areas Denominator: Number of households living in the target area. The estimated number of overall households living in the Comments: target areas would come from population estimates and from the household level survey collected for the overall nutrition convergence approach impact evaluation every other year. Component 2: Conditional cash transfer program IN01134029 ►Indicator 3: Percentage of project beneficiary households who participate in community nutrition sessions at least once per month. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 92.00 97.80 90.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 This information is from the CCT MIS. Since the MIS data cannot differentiate those who actually received the services and those who could not receive the services due to a lack of services, the record reported Comments: here could be higher than the actual rate. IN01134032 ►Indicator 4: Percentage of cash transfers reaching target areas within 5 days of scheduled payment date. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 26.18 0.00 80.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 This indicator is meant to capture the efficacy of project delivery systems, specifically payment systems. A schedule for cash transfer payments will be developed once all systems are in place, taking into Comments: consideration the time it takes for each step to be completed, to the point where the cash is made available for collection by its intended beneficiary. This indicator will only measure the timeliness of the 6/28/2022 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) cash transfer in terms of when it is made available to the beneficiaries (in cash or as electronic payment). Cash collection by beneficiaries will not be measured by this indicator. IN01134034 ►Indicator 5: Percentage of children under 2 years from cash transfer beneficary housholds receiving growth monitoring and promotion services according to the standard monitoring schedule. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 91.90 97.70 40.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 This information is from the CCT MIS. Since the MIS data cannot differentiate those who actually received the services and those who could not receive the services due to a lack of services, the record reported Comments: here could be higher than the actual rate. IN01134036 ►Indicator 6: Number of female village facilitators trained to use new SBCC tools. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,600.00 Date 11-Jul-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 The new SBCC tools are being developed. Comments: IN01134038 ►Indicator 7: Percentage of grievances addressed and/or resolved within the stipulated service standards for response times. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 37.00 99.00 90.00 Date 24-Jul-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 As discussed in the GRM section, the stipulated service standards for response times are currently being reviewed and updated in the Cash Transfer Manual, and thus the actual data could not be captured in the Comments: current reporting period. It is expected to be reported from the next reporting period. IN01134039 ►Indicator 8: Percentage of female direct cash transfer recipients who report increased decision-making power on spending decisions for the household. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.00 Date 26-Oct-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 This indicator refers to the CCT beneficiaries and will only be reported after the impact evaluation mid-line Comments: will be collected in summer 2022. IN01134040 ►Indicator 9: Percentage of pregnant women from cash transfer beneficary housholds with at least 4 ANC contacts during their pregnancy. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 95.60 96.00 60.00 6/28/2022 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) Date 23-Jul-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 This information is from the CCT MIS. Since the MIS data cannot differentiate those who actually received the services and those who could not receive the services due to a lack of services, the record reported Comments: here could be higher than the actual rate. Component 3: Coordination, management, monitoring and evaluation IN01134030 ►Indicator 10: Number of spot checks implemented. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 1.00 3.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 Although COVID-19 delayed the implementation of a systematic spot check, the first spot check was Comments: implemented. IN01134033 ►Indicator 11: Percentage of project districts convening a multisectoral nutrition coordination meeting at least once every three (3) months. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 10.00 100.00 90.00 Date 11-Sep-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 IN01134035 ►Indicator 12: Percentage of cash transfer monthly reports generated in a timely manner. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 90.00 Date 24-Jul-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 The PMU prepares the report monthly using the CCT MIS. However, it is currently relying on the manual process of exporting and creating a report. The PMU is in the process of automating the reporting Comments: functions of the MIS. IN01134037 ►Indicator 13: Number of cross-sectoral surveys carried out to evaluate different convergence interventions. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 1.00 1.00 3.00 Date 12-Nov-2018 22-Nov-2021 03-Jun-2022 29-Dec-2023 The objective of this indicator is to report on the evaluation of the overall nutrition convergence approach. Comments: The number of cross-sectoral surveys refers to independent surveys carried out for the purpose of evaluating the impact of the convergence approach. Overall Comments IR 6/28/2022 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) The updates for indicators 3,5, and 9 are updated using compliance data while awaiting the impact evaluation survey. The mission found that the number reported previously in terms of compliance includes those who comply with the conditions because of a lack of service availability (the program, by design, classifies beneficiaries as compliant when services are not available) therefore presenting inflated data. For Indicator 6, the new SBCC modules are being finalized, and the training will be conducted soon. Information for Indicator 8 will be available at the mid-line impact evaluation. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P162565 IDA-63740 Effective USD 27.00 27.00 0.00 13.66 13.19 51% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P162565 IDA-63740 Effective 14-Mar-2019 09-May-2019 21-Jun-2019 31-Mar-2024 31-Mar-2024 Cumulative Disbursements 6/28/2022 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Reducing Rural Poverty and Malnutrition Project (P162565) Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 6/28/2022 Page 8 of 8