INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Public Disclosure Copy Report No.: ISDSC2260 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 19-Feb-2013 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 20-Feb-2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Bangladesh Project ID: P133251 Project Name: Agricultural Research and Technology Support Project (P133251) Task Team Ousmane Seck Leader: Estimated 22-Feb-2013 Estimated 15-Apr-2013 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: SASDA Lending Specific Investment Loan Instrument: Sector: Agricultural extension and research (75%), Public administration- Agriculture, fishing and forestry (10%), General agriculture, fish ing and forestry sector (10%), Agro-industry, marketing, and trade (5%) Theme: Rural services and infrastructure (65%), Rural markets (15%), Other rural development (5%), Climate change (15%) Financing (In USD Million) Public Disclosure Copy Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 Free-standing Cofinancing Trust Fund 23.72 Total 23.72 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? B. Project Objectives The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has proposed to provide a grant to improve agricultural productivity and farm incomes in the country through research into appropriate technology, increased adoption of low risk-high reward technologies in marginalized areas, and fostering farmers’ links to markets. The project will build on the lessons learned and good practices developed in the World Bank financed Bangladesh National Agricultural Technology Project and the Bangladesh Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project. C. Project Description The grant will finance research, extension, and supply chain development through sub-projects, demonstrations, and training. Activities will emphasize low-risk, high reward investments targeting Public Disclosure Copy resource-constrained, small and marginal farmers. 1. Funds for Agricultural Research Support will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the national agricultural research system. This is a grants-based activity that is national in scope, and funds will flow through 2 windows: • Competitive Grants Program (CGP) will finance collaborative short- and medium-term applied and adaptive research by public, private, civil society, and academic institutions. It will also provide funds to increase the capacity of KGF, the implementing agency, with the addition of 2-3 experts to their team. • Sponsored Public Goods Research (SPGR) will support long-term strategic and cross cutting research on production and improvement of critical crops—e.g., oilseeds, pulses, horticulture, floriculture, spices, etc.—aimed at improving varieties to meet consumer demand and adapt to changing climate conditions. It will also support research programs on disaster management, ICT, livestock, farm machinery, post–harvest technology, farming systems, and other issues in farm management and agricultural production. 2. Technology Adoption will support the establishment of a decentralized, demand-led extension service that is knowledge intensive as opposed to input-intensive and that is accountable to farmers, particularly small and marginal farmers. It will focus on further scaling up best practices emerging from the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) and increasing the adoption of low-risk/high reward technologies in under-served remote areas through (i) mobilization of common- interest groups (CIGs); (ii) decentralization of extension service; and (iii) enhancing efficiency of national institutions involved in agricultural extension. 3. Supply Chain Development to increase and diversify sources of income for small and marginal farmers by identifying local, national, and international markets for producers and facilitating the services that will help them access those markets on a competitive footing. Under NATP, this component was limited to 10 districts. The USAID funds will enable expanded outreach Public Disclosure Copy to additional districts and scaling up existing good practices. 4. Project support and coordination will monitor and evaluate investment activities and increase communication throughout the agriculture research, development, and extension system. It will also finance special studies related to the project objectives. The PCU for the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) will assume overall coordination for implementation of grant activities. USAID will provide US$25 million in the trust fund, and the World Bank will act as sole administrator. After deducting standard World Bank management fees, the amount available for direct investment is US$23.715 million. The invested funds will finance grants, goods, works, services, training, and overhead operating costs associated with implementing the grant activities. The project team will provide detailed information on the final design of project components and the investment costs assigned to each component—along with detailed cost tables by expenditure category—in the project appraisal document. D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) All the districts under the ARTS project experience normal flooding from 30 cm to 2.5 m during the monsoon season (June to October). There are also occasional aggravated floods and droughts during winter. Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Faridpur, Magura, and Sirajgonj Upazilas are affected by slight to moderate drought during the Rabi season (winter season) while parts of Jhinaidah experience severe drought. The Bhola Districts is prone to cyclones and tidal surges ranging from less than one meter is some parts and above one meter in other parts. The key environmental issues that will need to be addressed by the project are: (1) possible depletion Public Disclosure Copy of groundwater due to irrigation; (2) saline water intrusion in groundwater and surface water in select sites; (3) improvement of soil quality; (4) improvement of water quality particularly in ponds and water bodies; and (5) Decrease the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Since some of the target sites have high level of groundwater depletion, technologies and strategies that improve the efficiency of irrigation and/or reduce the dependence on groundwater, as well as, enable the recharge of groundwater should be included in the design of the project. This project is classified as Category B where potential adverse environmental impacts on human population or environmentally important area are less adverse. The site-specific impacts few if any are irreversible and in most cases irreversible and in most cases mitigation measures can be designed more readily. The environmental safeguards that are triggered are Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 and Pest Management OP 4.09. Since the project interventions are site specific, the EA includes an Environmental Management Framework (EMF) with clear guidelines on the institutional mechanism to implement environmental management under the project. The project may be implemented in areas where Indigenous People live. A Social Management Framework will be prepared by January 31, 2013 to include an Indigenous People’s Planning Framework. Given that the Government of Bangladesh prefers to address IPs as tribal or ethnic minorities, the above mentioned framework may be titled Tribal Peoples/Ethnic Minorities Development Framework based on further discussion and agreement with the implementing agency. The project does not anticipate land acquisition or displacement (physical or economic) of people for any of the project activities; therefore it will not trigger OP 4.12, Involuntary Resettlement. The SMF will clearly mention that no land acquisition and/or displacement will either be required or allowed for any of the sub-projects. Should the need for community infrastructure like tube-wells arise, these will be installed on the basis of mutually agreed arrangements between cooperatives and Public Disclosure Copy communities on voluntary and mutually beneficial terms. The SMF will elaborate and explain these arrangements after adequate consultation with the communities. The SMF will include (among others) a screening procedure for the sub-projects, guidelines for conducting social impact assessments, eligibility criteria for all affected entities under the relevant World Bank policies, a consultation and communication strategy, implementing arrangements for the above mentioned plans and activities, guidelines for a grievance mechanism and a monitoring and evaluation framework, as well as disclosure procedures. E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies The EA assesses the capabilities of the Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) and the implementing institutions to (a) screen subprojects, (b) obtain the necessary expertise to carry out EA, (c) review all findings and results of the EA for individual subprojects, (d) ensure implementation of mitigations measures (including, where applicable, an Environmental Management Plan), and (e) monitor environmental conditions during project implementation. The on-going NATP project actively incorporates and promotes food safety and improved water quality in aquaculture, composting and biogas, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) such as the use of pheromone traps and light traps, and the training of pesticides dealers, balanced fertilizer use to reduce the dependence on fertilizers, and Alternate Wet and Drying (AWD) technologies to promote efficient water use. The project has also developed a monitoring mechanism to determine the positive impacts of the various technologies. The EMF builds upon what has already been developed under NATP. Emphasis is put on the institutionalization of the screening and monitoring of the activities that are being implemented by each of the departments. Public Disclosure Copy F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Yuka Makino (SASDC) Sabah Moyeen (SASDS) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes BP 4.01 Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 Yes Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No BP 4.11 Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 Yes The project may be implemented in areas where Indigenous People live. Since the specific locations of the sub-project activities have not yet been identified, a Social Management Framework will be prepared by January 31, 2013 to include an Indigenous People’s Planning Framework. The latter will be used by the implementing agency as the guideline to Public Disclosure Copy prepare site specific actionable plans to mitigate identified impacts on IPs. The SMF will contain clear guidance on a consultation and communication strategy which is culturally acceptable to the communities. Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No The project does not anticipate land acquisition 4.12 or displacement (physical or economic) of people for any of the project activities; therefore it will not trigger OP 4.12, Involuntary Resettlement. The SMF will clearly mention that no land acquisition and/or displacement will either be required or allowed for any of the sub-projects. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International No Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No 7.60 III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 10-Jan-2013 Public Disclosure Copy B. 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: 1/31/2013 IV. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Ousmane Seck Approved By: Regional Safeguards Name: Sanjay Srivastava (RSA) Date: 04-Feb-2013 Coordinator: Sector Manager: Name: Madhur Gautam (SM) Date: 20-Feb-2013 Public Disclosure Copy 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.