The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 01/24/2021 | Report No: ESRSC01827 Jan 25, 2021 Page 1 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Bangladesh SOUTH ASIA P175820 Project Name Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Agriculture and Food Investment Project 2/15/2021 5/28/2021 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Government of Social Development Bangladesh Foundation Proposed Development Objective Improve livelihoods of the poor and extreme poor, enhance their resilience and support rural entrepreneurship in Public Disclosure project areas Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 340.00 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The proposed Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (RELI) aims to improve livelihoods of the poor and extreme poor, enhance their resilience and support rural entrepreneurship in project areas in Bangladesh. The recent disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent climate-induced events such as cyclone Amphan have compounded the vulnerability of poor and extreme poor rural communities in Bangladesh. The proposed project provides immediate livelihood support for rural communities, while contributing to building back better in a greener, sustainable, and resilient way. The project will build on the Nuton Jibon Livelihood Improvement Project (NJLIP, P149605), which showed great success in reaching the poor and poorest and will tailor livelihood Jan 25, 2021 Page 2 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) opportunities in order to respond to the following urgent needs: (i) Respond to the impact of the crises on the livelihood of vulnerable rural households and support recovery and resilience building; (ii) Help rural households graduate out of poverty through income-generating activities (IGA); (iii) Support NJLIP’s current beneficiaries who had graduated from poverty pre-crisis but have fallen back into poverty because of the crisis; and (iv) Support rural entrepreneurship for sustained post-COVID-19-crisis economic recovery. Under Component A – Community Institutions and Livelihood Development activities include support to developing and strengthening community organizations and financing community plans; providing technical and financial support for livelihood improvement and income-generating activities, small-scale infrastructure development, and health and nutrition support. Under Component B – Business Development and Institutional Strengthening activities include increasing livelihood opportunities of the poor and extreme poor by organizing them in producer groups (PGs), cooperatives or federations, improving their market and business orientation, and developing linkages and partnerships with market actors and service providers; supporting rural entrepreneurship to enhance livelihoods and resilience; establishing Nuton Jibon Community Societies (NJCS) to ensure the sustainability of village institutions; and providing meaningful skill development training and sustainable employment for the un/underemployed youths. In addition, awareness raising and support to address climate change and climate-induced risks will become an integral part of the proposed activities, thus strengthening beneficiaries’ climate resilience. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, Public Disclosure environmental, social] The project will be implemented in 20 districts covering 61 upazillas (sub-districts) with about 550,000 households. Out of this total 20 districts, 12 will comprise of existing NJLIP coverage areas while the remaining 8 will be new districts. The beneficiary households and communities, and as well as the new districts will be identified before the appraisal. The selection will be based on specific criteria focusing on the poverty level of the households, communities and districts. The project coverage districts will be scattered in geographically throughout the country but the communities all will be in rural and agrarian settings, and also not close to any forested areas or protected areas. The project aims to support economic self-reliance of extreme poor and marginalized communities – 90% of the targeted beneficiaries are women – through The interventions such as community mobilization, institution building at community level, awareness raising and creating market access. The main activities consist of cash transfer to the targeted households, group savings and health and nutritional support services to the beneficiaries, activities contributing to improving livelihoods will be prioritized, such as the support to developing and strengthening community organizations, and financing community plans. The project will also support climate resilience building during community mobilization; and through technical and financial support to beneficiaries by raising beneficiaries’ awareness to climate change and climate-induced risks. The project does not anticipate any land acquisition. The support for small-scale community level infrastructure construction such as, office building for the community organizations will be carried by purchasing land based on “willing buyer willing seller” modality and in the case of the repairing and/or refurbishment of rural trails and roads through voluntary land donation. The land required for all these cases is likely to be very small (1-5 decimals). Jan 25, 2021 Page 3 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) Detailed and robust procedures will be prepared for both voluntary land donation and land purchase under willing buyer willing seller modality. All land thus obtained will be transferred to the ownership of the concerned communities . No or very little labor influx is anticipated for these construction related activities. The project is expected to have indigenous population, besides other marginalized and vulnerable communities as beneficiaries. In any case, majority of the beneficiaries will be women, a generally disadvantaged section of population in the traditional Bangladeshi society. The project’s Small Ethnic and Vulnerable Community Development Framework (SEVCDF) will include robust provisions for inclusion of all the disadvantaged and marginalized communities including the indigenous peoples in all project activities so that everyone gets equal benefits from these. The cash transfer and mobilization activities under the project may lead to greater exposure of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and sexual harassments (SH) related risks given the societal characteristics of contemporary Bangladesh. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The project will be implemented by Social Development Foundation (SDF), an autonomous trust under the Ministry of Finance. SDF has long experience of implementation Bank-supported project from the days of SIPP I. It currently has a dedicated E&S Unit in the organogram and staffs assigned on E&S risk management both in the Head Office and field level offices as well. However, the proposed project will be the first under Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and SDF is expected to require technical backstopping from the Bank on properly managing the related E&S risks including on SEA.SH under the ESF. The project’s ESMF will include an assessment of the borrower’s capacity and the findings from Public Disclosure this assessment will indicate the required environment and social staffing and as well the E&S capacity building support for the proposed project. The Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) will incorporate these requirements as part of the borrower’s commitment for the implementation of the project. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate Environmental Risk Rating Moderate Sources of environmental impacts is linked to two major project components vis-à-vis activities. First, from the civil works which includes, construction of office buildings for community institutions at district, cluster and village levels, and Community Infrastructure Works (CIW) would lead to the construction of climate-resilient tube-wells, culverts, earthen road constructions/repairs, community latrines/urinals, drains, water tanks, and water distillation / desalination plants at village level. Second, from project supported rural livelihood activities such as household based small and medium scale manufacturing, including dairy, poultry and fish farms, cottage industries producing organic fertilizer and pesticides, handicrafts like ornaments, baskets, mats etc. However, these activities are likely to have localized and reversible negative but limited environmental impacts on air, soil, water and natural setting. Potential impacts on environmental components are – small scale land cover and land use changes, water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution, soil contamination, solid waste generation, and community and occupational health/safety. But the scale of impacts is small and limited, localized and reversible. The project anticipates no significant impacts on local aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. Jan 25, 2021 Page 4 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) Considering the nature of potential impacts, the project environmental risk is rated as ‘Moderate’. As the locations of the proposed interventions are not specified, it is suggested that the Implementing Agency (IA) will follow the framework approach and will prepare an ESMF before appraisal following the ESF. Environmental assessment study (i.e. IEE/ESIA, where applicable) will further detail out this analysis as applicable based on professional judgment and public consultations, and prepare an ESMP implementation during the project operation. The ESMF will detail out the procedure of Environmental Assessment following the applicable ESS and other Banks guidelines and directives. The major recommendations of the ESMF will be incorporated in the ESCP. Social Risk Rating Moderate No land acquisition is anticipated under the project. The construction of office buildings for the Community Organizations will be purchased through “willing buyer willing seller” modality. The repairing and refurbishments of the rural roads and trails and as well as installation of water supply systems are likely to require very small amount of land and will rely on voluntary donation from the communities. The project’s ESMF will include detailed procedures for both voluntary land donation and willing buyer willing seller approaches. The project anticipates very low or no labor influx. The civil and infrastructure-related works will be carried out primarily by the communities. However, for some specialized works, such as water supply system or office buildings of the community organizations, this may entail hiring of contracted and primary supply workers. The project’s Labor Management Procedures (LMP), including site-specific Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), and Labor Management Plans, will promote better labor management practices and other appropriate legal measures such as against the use of child labor in all project activities. Public Disclosure Many of the project activities, such as cash transfer, carry inherent risks of SEA/SH given the traditional patriarchal values and societal characteristics of the contemporary Bangladesh. A SEA/SH screening will, thus, be carried out based on the Bank’s recently developed Matrix on Cash Transfer programs, and subsequently a SEA/SH Management Plan detailing the necessary mitigation measures will be prepared that is proportionate to the related risks under the project. A considerable percentage of beneficiaries are expected to come from indigenous communities and and as well as from other marginalized and disadvantaged groups. The borrower will prepare a Small Ethnic and other Vulnerable Community Development Framework (SEVCDF) that will provide the necessary guidelines in designing and delivering project benefits which are appropriate to the needs and cultural traditions of the social groups involved. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: The project is likely to have localized and reversible negative but limited environmental and social impacts on air, soil, water and natural setting. However, the potential negative impacts could be minimized or eliminated by adopting standard mitigation measures; there is also scope to enhance some of the beneficial impacts to be generated from the project. Thus, the project’s positive impacts are expected to vastly outweigh the potential negative impacts. Jan 25, 2021 Page 5 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) Community Infrastructure Works (CIW) would lead to the construction of tube-wells, culverts, earthen road constructions/repairs, community latrines/urinals, drains, water tanks, office buildings for community institutions at district, cluster and village levels, water distillation/desalination plants may generate pollutants that would have minor and localized negative impacts on surrounding soil, water, air and natural setting. Another possible source of environmental impact would be from the project supported rural livelihood activities such as household based small and medium scale manufacturing, including dairy, poultry and fish farms, cottage industries, these activities may generate local level pollutions, especially in and around homestead. However, again these impacts will be relatively localized, reversible and with a proper management plan easily manageable. The main anticipated E&S risks and impacts of the project are likely to relate to: (1) occupational and community health and safety, (2) water, air & noise pollution, soil contamination, solid waste generation and management, (3) ensuring appropriate benefits to the marginalized and disadvantaged groups including the indigenous peoples from the project activities; (4) managing and mitigating the SEA/SH risks and (5) risk of child labor – all of which need to be addressed. The project will adopt a frameworks approach given that the project’s locations at community level are not yet identified. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) will thus be developed to provide guidelines and rules to screen subprojects for environmental and social risks and impacts and their management. ESMF will suggest appropriate measures in accordance to the WBG Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines and GIIP relevant to the sub-project activities e.g. Aquaculture, Dairy and Poultry Production, Water purification and Sanitation, small scale construction and rehabilitation, etc. Public Disclosure The ESMF will also detail the procedures for land purchase under “willing-buyer willing-seller” modality along with voluntary land donation for the small-scale repairing/refurbishment of the rural roads and trails and installation of water supply systems. The ESMF will also take into account the borrower’s E&S systems, carry out an institutional capacity assessment, and identify disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the context of the project. Following the guidelines of the ESMF, the borrower will prepare a Project Operational Manual (POM) that will lay down the detailed operational and implementation procedures of the project activities at the field/community level. When the communities at the sub-project will be identified, they will be screened, and an ESIA and/or ESMP may be carried out and prepared, as needed. The project will ensure that environmental and social impact assessment addresses all potential environmental and social direct and indirect impacts of the project throughout its life: pre-project, during project and operation stages; and also suggest appropriate mitigation measures. If any additional impacts are identified, ESIAs and ESMP will be reviewed and updated. A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), proportional to the requirements of the project, will be prepared and disclosed prior to appraisal). The SEP will identify the vulnerable and marginalized groups and will include provisions to include them in all project activities so that they equally benefit from the interventions. The Labor Management Procedures will identify the related labor risk and provide the necessary mitigation measures. Similarly, the project’s Small Ethnic and Vulnerable Community Development Framework (SECVDF) will lay down the guidelines for inclusion of the indigenous and as well as other marginalized communities and to ensure that they equally benefit from the project activities that is appropriate to their needs and cultural traditions. Finally, the borrower will prepare a SEA/SH Management Plan proportionate to the related risk. The SEP, LMPs, SECVDF and the SEA/SH Management will be prepared and disclosed prior to appraisal. Jan 25, 2021 Page 6 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) The salient points of the ESMF will be incorporated in the ESCP. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: The borrower’s E&S framework is not considered for the project. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure The borrower will develop a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) proportional to the scale and complexity of the project and its associated risks and impacts. The client will engage in meaningful consultations with all stakeholders throughout the project life cycle including during ESMF preparation, paying attention, in particular, to the inclusion of women/girls and vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and as well as the indigenous communities. Extensive stakeholders’ engagement will also be required at the ESIA/ESMP stage in the project sites to discuss components, sub-components, activities, potential positive and negative impacts and measures taken to mitigate those impacts. The draft SEP will be prepared as early as possible in the project cycle and will be disclosed prior to appraisal. The SEP will include a detailed schedule of activities and information on the process for engaging the stakeholders. The client will actively seek feedback from stakeholders on the project’s operation and takes measures to incorporate these inputs in the implementation of the activities. The borrower will also maintain records of the consultations and disclose these to the public through proper channels. Finally, the borrower will set up a project-specific Grievance Mechanisms (GM) to address cases of grievance in a timely manner and following due process. Public Disclosure B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions The proposed constructions will include Community Infrastructure Works (CIW) would lead to the construction of tube-wells, culverts, earthen road constructions/repairs, community latrines/urinals, drains, water tanks, office buildings for community institutions at district, cluster and village levels, water distillation/desalination plants. Except the construction of office buildings for community institutions at district and cluster levels all other construction activities will be largely carried out by the community organizations and in some cases, they may employ specialized labor such as mason, who may not be available among the communities. The project will also employ direct workers, essentially the SDF staffs and in some cases, possibly primary supply workers as well, as in case of office building constructions at district and cluster levels, the community may need to hire contractors. However, these are small buildings in semi-unban settings and contractors are likely to hire labors from the community without creating any labor influx. The borrower will prepare the Labor Management Procedures (LMP) for the project that will identify the different types of labors engaged by the project including the procedures of their employment. The LMP will include specific provisions against child labor and it will be disclosed before appraisal. The LMP include a specific GRM to deal with labor-related cases of grievance that will be set up with the detailed procedures elaborated in the LMP. In addition, Occupational Health & Safety Plan (OHSP) following the World Bank Group Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines will be prepared by the contractors, which will be specified in the bidding documents and in the contracts. Jan 25, 2021 Page 7 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) The project supported rural livelihood activities, especially the agri-activities are unlikely to hire outside labour. Even the small home-based manufacturing units will employ labour from the community. The project is expected to have low or no labor influx from outside of the community. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The project targets to sustainable increase in agricultural productions which is likely to increase the usage of fertilizer and pesticides. However, taking example from the preceding project (NJLIP) one of the most popular livelihood activities was to produce organic fertilizer and pesticides and this trend is likely to increase further and it is expected that the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticide will be minimum. If necessity, only the approved pesticides, vaccines, vet-medicines and fertilizers may be in used and regularly be monitored through standard traceability protocols. Specifically, processing facilities as well as feed storage areas may need to control pests as well utilizing pesticides or rodenticides. Therefore, the ESMF will incorporate pest management guidelines and provides a negative list of pesticides. In manufacturing enterprises, it is possible that some small quantities of solid and liquid waste would be generated, to minimize the impact each of these activities have to go through an environmental and social impact screening. Construction of Community Infrastructure Works (CIW) may generate construction waste, emissions to air, increase noise level, pollute water and soil during construction phase. The client will address these localized minor pollution issues through standard management procedures as detailed out in the ESMF and ESMP. Public Disclosure ESS4 Community Health and Safety Many of the project activities, such as cash transfer, carry inherent risks of SEA/SH given the current characteristics of Bangladeshi society, specially in the rural areas. The ESMF will lay down the process for carrying out screening of SEA/SH related risks and measures to be taken. In addition, the borrower will prepare a SEA/SH Management Plan that will identify and detail the related risks and mitigation measures including a SEA/SH focused GM along with, as necessary, SEA/SH service providers. The Project’s Operational Manual (POM) also include a Code of Conduct for the project staffs on SEA/SH related issues. The cash transfer to the beneficiaries will be carried out through transfer of bank account or savings groups and the project management will facilitate the beneficiaries in opening and maintaining bank accounts so that no eligible beneficiary is left out because of having no bank account. The construction activities may also expose communities to health and safety risks, including issues related to noise, vibration, dust pollution and waste disposal/management, albeit these are likely to be minimal. The transportation of construction materials may also lead to some temporary adverse impact on the communities. Adequate engineering, health and safety measures will be adopted to avoid any issue on community health. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The project does not anticipate any involuntary land acquisition. Nevertheless, this ESS is triggered. The amount of land necessary for construction of Community Organizations’ office is expected to be no more than 5 decimals and it will be purchased directly from land owners through “willing-buyer willing-seller” method. The repairing/refurbishment of small infrastructures (e.g. rural trails, roads, installation of water supply systems, etc.), in Jan 25, 2021 Page 8 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) some cases, may require also some land and this will be ensured through voluntary land donation from the communities. The amount of land for such purposes is expected to be very small, no more than 1-2 decimals. The project's ESMF will include detailed guidelines in this regard. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources The project villages are located in agrarian rural areas and not expected to be nither in or near to forested areas nor within the protected areas. Project is likely to have any direct or indirect impact on forests/vegetation (natural/planted). However, this should be reviewed/confirmed/screened during preparation of sub-projects; once more location-specific information are available. The procedures to carry out screening process will be laid down in the ESMF according to the ESS6 standards and guidance note as well as IFC PS6 guidance note. Client will also include this in the POM so that the screening activities can be carried out by the project beneficiaries under the guidance of the field staff and to be verified by the E/S specialists. Though the project is not expected to impact forest or protected areas, but community infrastructure works may bring small-scale land cover and land use changes in the homesteads which in turn can have some impact of rural biodiversity. However, these changes would be naturally neutralized or rebuilt due to its minor nature in a vast rural landscape. The ESMF will provide screening procedure to avoid disturbance as much as possible of the rural biodiversity. If any significant habitat is identified during screening, the community will take appropriate measure to avoid them following the procedures described in the ESMF and will consider measures for mitigation hierarchy to address project minor impacts and risks on biodiversity and living natural resources that would ensure no net loss on natural habitats. Public Disclosure ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities The project locations will fall within areas that have indigenous/tribal population. The client will, thus, prepare a Small Ethnic and other Vulnerable Community Peoples Development Framework (SECVDF) that will detail the procedures for the active inclusion of the IP/tribal communities in the project activities and also specify project benefits which are appropriate to the needs and cultural traditions of the social groups involved. Based on the guidelines of the SECVDF, the client will prepare sub-project specific a Small Ethnic and other Vulnerable Community Peoples Development Plan (SECVDP), as required. ESS8 Cultural Heritage The project does not anticipate impacts on cultural heritage. However, as a standard practice, Chance Finds Procedures will be included in the ESMF, and a chance finds clause will be included in works contracts of the community organizations requiring contractors to stop construction if examples of cultural heritage are encountered during construction. The Borrower will also have to notify and closely coordinate with the relevant country authority for the salvaging and restoration of such cultural heritage. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries Not Relevant, as no financial intermediaries will be engaged in this project Jan 25, 2021 Page 9 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) B.3 Other Relevant Project Risks Not applicable C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways TBD OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas TBD III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners Not applicable B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: Actions to be completed prior to Appraisal: Public Disclosure • Preparation, consultation and disclosure of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) with E&S capacity assessment of the implementing agency. • Preparation, consultation and disclosure of the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) • Preparation and disclosure of Labor Management Procedures (LMP) • Preparation and disclosure of Small Ethnic and other Vulnerable Community Development Framework (SECVDPF) • Preparation and disclosure of SEA/SH Management Plan • Preparation and disclosure of Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): • Preparation and implementation of ESIA and/or ESMP and SEVCDP, as required, for subprojects. • The engagement and timeline of E&S specialists (both environment and social) • Borrower’s capacity development on E&S issues and risk management • Implementation of ESMF, SEVCDF/SEVCDP, SEP, LMP, OHS and SEA/SH Management Plan C. Timing Tentative target date for preparing the Appraisal Stage ESRS 27-Jan-2021 IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Jan 25, 2021 Page 10 of 11 The World Bank Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement Project (P175820) Contact: Jean Edouard Albert Saint-Geours Title: Senior Economist Telephone No: +1-202-473-8816 Email: jsaintgeours@ifc.org Contact: Samina Yasmin Title: Agriculture Economist Telephone No: 5764+4118 Email: syasmin@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: Government of Bangladesh Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Social Development Foundation V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects Public Disclosure VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Samina Yasmin, Jean Edouard Albert Saint-Geours Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Christophe Crepin Recommended on 15-Jan-2021 at 14:06:12 GMT-05:00 Safeguards Advisor ESSA Agnes I. Kiss (SAESSA) Cleared on 24-Jan-2021 at 23:40:0 GMT-05:00 Jan 25, 2021 Page 11 of 11