INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: AC6845 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 02/12/2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Moldova Project ID: P143202 Project Name: Emergency Agriculture Support Project Task Team Leader: Anatol Gobjila Estimated Appraisal Date: Estimated Board Date: March 19, 2013 Managing Unit: ECSAR Lending Instrument: Emergency Recovery Loan Sector: Crops (100%) Theme: Rural markets (40%);Social risk mitigation (30%);Other rural development (30%) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0 IDA Amount (US$m.): 10 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 0.00 B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN] The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to mitigate the negative effects of the 2012 drought by helping to restore corn and wheat production and prevent livestock destocking in the most affected districts C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN] The project will support the Government strategy to address the emergency situation, reduce the risk of escalation, and facilitate recovery from the 2012 drought. To achieve the above objective, the project will contribute cash and technical assistance (extension services) to the farmers in the districts that have been most affected by the 2012 drought so as to maintain investments to plant spring crops, and particularly corn. Corn plays a role as animal fodder and its scarcity will lead to animal destocking. The short-term emergency objective of the proposed project complements longer-term objectives of existing operations that are supporting adaptation to climate change in agriculture and disaster preparedness. The project would include the following three components: Component 1: Cash Transfers to Affected Farmers. This component will have the following two objectives: (i) to compensate a share of the losses that farmers suffered during the 2012 season, and (ii) to provide an incentive for planting winter wheat and corn during the 2013 campaign so as to reduce the risk of animal destocking. To achieve these objectives, the component will distribute cash to targeted farmers. Component 2: Training and Awareness. This component has two objectives: (i) to generate awareness about the cash transfer program so as to avoid elite capture and allow for the mechanism to create sufficient incentives for affected farmers to plant during the 2013 campaign, and (ii) to train farmers on proper animal feeding practices; and (iii) to study the feasibility of using corn silage as a drought mitigation option. The feasibility study would include adaptive research to test the economic, social, and environmental feasibility to produce small-scale corn silage in Moldova. Silage production presents an environmental risk: if the moisture content of corn for ensilage is above certain limits, it can produce a toxic "silage liquor". Thus the feasibility study will assess this risk and mitigation measures. The adaptive research will not require any civil works. Component 3: Project Implementation. The component would support costs associated with project implementation, including operational and consulting costs for fiduciary, component coordination, monitoring and evaluation support to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and its Agency for Interventions and Payments in Agriculture. D. Project location (if known) The project will be implemented in the rural areas of the country (31 out of a total of 34 districts). E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN] The Project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI). MAFI has extensive experience in successfully implementing World Bank projects (ex. on-going RISP II and RISP II AF, Avian Influenza projects, etc) which are FI projects and include sub- loans financing as well as public awareness and training activities with regard to various aspects of agricultural production (agricultural chemicals use; climate change adaptation; soil and water conservation). The Ministry of Agriculture has a highly qualified Environmental Specialist in the Consolidated Agriculture Project Management Unit who is responsible for project safeguards issues. CAPMU has a successfully performed its environmental and social due dilligence under past projects and a December 2012 supervision mission concluded that the EA framework under a project under implementation is being carried out at a high level by CAPMU. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Mr Arcadii Capcelea (ECSEN) Ms Klavdiya Maksymenko (ECSSO) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X This OP is not triggered as the project will provide cash transfers to farmers affected by the 2012 drought as well as reimbursing them ex-post for crops already planted. MAFI confirmed that financial support will be provided only to farmers who plant crops on existing non-irrigated Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD arable lands. Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X As planting wheat and corn will be done only on existing arable lands no any impacts on natural habitats are expected. Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X N/A Pest Management (OP 4.09) X The project will not support purchasing of pesticides and will not lead to their increased use. Furthermore, the amount of agricultural chemical use is very low and is used mostly for the horticultural sector in Moldova, which will not be supported under the project. Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) X N/A Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X N/A Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X The project will support farmers cultivating wheat and corn on their own arable land or the arable land they officially lease under a formal agreement. Thus no land acquisition or resettlement will take place under the project. Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X N/A Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X N/A Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X N/A Environmental Category: C - Not Required III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS would be prepared: N/A B. For projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage ISDS: 01/23/2013 C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS. Not applicable 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. IV. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Task Team Leader: Mr Anatol Gobjila 12/14/2012 Approved by: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Ms Agnes I. Kiss 01/31/2013 Comments: Sector Manager: Ms Dina Umali-Deininger 01/31/2013 Comments: