The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 03/26/2021 | Report No: ESRSA01380 Mar 26, 2021 Page 1 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Yemen, Republic of MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH P176129 AFRICA Project Name Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Agriculture and Food Investment Project 3/18/2021 4/27/2021 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) FAO Proposed Development Objective The Project Development Objective is to improve availability and access to food and nutritious diets, both in the short Public Disclosure and medium term, for targeted households in the Project Area, and to enhance Yemen's capacity to respond to food insecurity. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 127.00 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? Yes C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The project focuses on building the resilience of Yemeni households to food security crises and improving household food security and nutrition by increasing food availability, access and utilization in the project areas. The project aims to serve as a scalable platform for broad-based support to food security in Yemen going forward. The project encompasses complementary activities to address the three core aspects of food security, including improving household incomes (improved food access), restoring and expanding agricultural production (improving food availability), and enhancing nutrition at the household level (improved nutrition). To achieve these objectives, the project includes five components, including: (1) Improving household incomes through Cash-for-Works for agricultural Mar 26, 2021 Page 2 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) production infrastructure; (2) Increasing production and sale of nutritious crop, livestock and fish products; (3) Improving the nutritional status of rural households; (4) Capacity building for food security management; and (5) Project management and knowledge management. The project aims to work through several Implementing Agencies – FAO, UNDP, and WFP, - which allows for both tailoring and scaling-up interventions based on the needs on the ground in Yemen. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The specific locations where project sub-components will be implemented have not yet been identified. The project will be implemented in selected governorates in Yemen. The primary beneficiaries of the project are poor rural households who are most affected by food insecurity in the targeted governorates. Within the targeted governorates (the targeting will be done on the basis of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Food Insecurity, district-level project sites will be selected based on the food insecurity and malnutrition levels. Districts with the highest level of food insecurity and malnutrition will be prioritized. The presence of aggravating factors (floods, the impact of COVID19-related restrictions, and desert locusts) will be one of the selection criteria. The other criteria will include agriculture as a major source of livelihood (proportion of the rural population), the poverty level of the household, and whether the household has benefitted from other relevant programs in agriculture and livelihood support/food security. The criteria will be detailed in the Project Operations Manual (POM) which will be prepared by effectiveness. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity Public Disclosure The FAO, UNDP, and WFP Country Representations in Yemen would be directly responsible for implementing the project and coordinating all project activities at the sub-national level. FAO, UNDP, and WFP will be the recipient of the IDA and GAFSP financing, as well as the overall managing and implementing agency responsible for project implementation, including environmental, and social aspects, as well as monitoring and reporting. FAO, UNDP, and WFP will help ensure financial and technical accountability of the implementing partner organizations (such as Social Fund for Development, and Public Works Project) and ensure appropriate training and capacity building of the staff of the implementing partner organizations. FAO will have a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) based in Sana’a, and technical staff deployed in its Aden sub-office and other decentralized hubs to ensure the day-to-day management of the project, including all fiduciary, environmental, and social aspects, as well as monitoring and reporting. That structure would build on the experience with previous grants implemented by FAO in the country. Moreover, the FAO team in Sana’a is backstopped by a dedicated team of technical experts at the Regional (Cairo) and Headquarters (Rome) level in line with the Level 3 fast-track procedures established due to the emergency in Yemen. UNDP will have a dedicated project team based in Sana’a, including international specialists in M&E, Environmental and Social Safeguard, and Adaptive Management. The team is backed up by a sub-office in Aden and other sub- regional offices. The project will have support from the regional hub and from experts in New York. Additional Procurement support is provided from Malaysia. The structure builds on the experience with previous WB grants implemented by UNDP in the country. Mar 26, 2021 Page 3 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) WFP has limited staffing in E&S risk management capacity and will rely on the gender specialist currently in place to handle GBV issues. It is mentionable that there is an ongoing World Bank-funded operation, namely: Yemen Restoring Education and Learning Project (P175036) which is implemented by 3 agencies, including WFP. Nonetheless, and as the ongoing operation is still starting, WFP E & S risk management capacity is yet to be developed and currently still has limited experience with WB financed projects' environmental and social requirements. It should be mentioned that WFP will work with the other agencies i.e UNDP and FAO on the development and implementation of the E & S instruments and measures, this would also allow WFP to benefit from the adequate expertise as well as arrangements that FAO and UNDP have already in place e.g. Monitoring and reporting OHS issues. Moreover, for the purposes of safeguards staffing, WFP will hire a project-level safeguards specialist and supporting staff including gender specialist who will manage GBV and labor issues (e.g. OHS specialist), as detailed in the ESCP, to ensure (i) screening of subprojects; and (ii) regular monitoring and reporting. WFP local partners. WFP is planning to engage with local NGOs which will be identified at a later stage, during the community consultations after the project areas have been finalized. Governorates tentatively flagged for implementation include Lahj, Hadamaut, Hajjah Amran, Sana’a and Ibb, however these will be confirmed after further consultation. UNDP and FAO have a good track record of successfully implementing safeguards requirements and compliance with World Bank policies. Under the ongoing projects, management units have improved their safeguards capacities through several capacity-building and training programs. Unfortunately, some fatalities related to these projects occurred in 2018 and 2019. However, following these tragic incidents, Safeguards Corrective Action Plans (SCAPs) Public Disclosure were put in place. These plans were followed and implemented to the satisfaction of the Bank, and both UNDP and FAO as well as the local partners were able to learn from these incidents and enhance their safeguard practices. FAO has also demonstrated good performance under SAPREP project in terms of GRM functionality and handling of grievances including a dedicated unit equipped with multi-channels uptake and experience staff. However, it will require training and capacity building for managing OHS, GBV, and GRM awareness raisin. SFD was established in Yemen by law No. 10/1997, as one of the social safety network components, to alleviate the side effects resulting from the economic reform programs. The SFD is working under a Board of Directors headed by the Prime Minister, and comprising members from government, NGOs, Private, and Financial sectors. The SFD is fully autonomous in accordance with its establishment Law and its Manual of Operations. The Managing Director leads the SFD's executive body in the Main Office and the SFD's nine branches, which cover all the governorates of Yemen. Institutionally, SFD’s central office in Sana’a will provide overall support in implementing the project’s components, the branch offices in Aden, Amran, and El Mukalla will provide support and coordination for the project activities also in Abyan, Lahj, Saada, and Shabwa; while branch offices in Hajjah, Taiz, and Al-Hodeidah will provide support and coordination in their own governorates. Staff in the branch offices include a branch manager, procurement officer, financial management (FM) officer, technical officer for the quality supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (M&E), Information Technologies (IT) which are involved in the day-to-day activities. Additional personnel will be recruited to cover areas where there are gaps. Mar 26, 2021 Page 4 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) SFD has experience in managing environmental and social aspects as part of implementing the ongoing World Bank- supported operations – the Emergency Crisis Response Project (P159053) and its additional financings as well as the Smallholder Agricultural Production Restoration and Enhancement Project (P162659). Furthermore, SFD is the local implementation partner of the Yemen Desert Locust Response Project (P174170) and the Yemen Emergency Social Protection Enhancement and COVID-19 Response Project (P173582) both of which apply the World Bank ESF. While performance on safeguards was initially challenging, SFD has significantly enhanced their safeguards capacities through these projects despite the ongoing conflict. Currently, SFD maintains adequate institutional arrangements for the implementation, monitoring, and reporting on safeguards aspects. The existing environmental and social Risks management system of SFD includes a section for E&S Safeguards and OHS aspects, which is staffed with four OHS Officers. This section reports to the Technical Unit. The Environmental and Social Officer in the Head Office is in charge of supervising SFD’s 10 E&S focal points at the regional/governorate level, which are deployed as follows: three in Aden, two in Taiz, two in Hajjah, and one FP in each of Hodiedah, Amran and Mukalla. Focal points cover E&S aspects as well as OHS. SFD also has Community Officers at each of SFD’s 30 branches who are also responsible for training and awareness on, among others, gender-based violence. SFD developed an ESMF in 2014 as well as an OHS Policy in 2018. Both instruments and policies were updated in 2020. Furthermore, there is a Management Information System (MIS) which is used in subprojects' screening, classification, and reporting. Similarly, the Public Works Project (PWP) has developed an adequate environmental and social institutional structure with support from World Bank projects, including Emergency Crisis Response Project (P159053), Integrated Urban Services Emergency Project (P164190) and Emergency Social Protection Enhancement and COVID-19 Response Public Disclosure Project (P173582) which applies the World Bank ESF. PWP structure includes an E&S Safeguards' Unit which was formally established in August 2018 with 2 officers covering environmental, social, and gender aspects as well as an OHS sub-unit to provide overall support, monitoring, and coordination on OHS aspects. At the branch level, PWP maintains E&S focal points to ensure compliance with OHS measures. Furthermore, site technicians are deployed at each site to monitor and report on the technical compliance of subprojects including E&S aspects. It is mentionable that under the cash for work program, SFD and PWP will be responsible for preparing site-specific ESMPs, including OHS aspects, and UNDP will be reviewing such plans before submitting them to the World Bank for review and clearance. For the interventions supported by FAO, SFD and FAO PMU will be preparing site-specific ESMPs and IPMs including OHS aspects, before reviewing them by FAO and submitting such plans to the World Bank for review and clearance. In terms of policies and frameworks, PWP is updating its ESMF to be in line with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). New OHS Guidelines/procedures were prepared including screening tools that are required at the site level, e.g. monitoring and reporting checklists and templates. However, same as SFD, PWP does not have prior experience of Bank-financed projects under ESF and is not familiar with the ESF requirements. Since 2018, SFD and PWP have embarked on a capacity-building program on E&S aspects including OHS. Under these programs, over 4000 individuals including staff, site engineers, consultants, contractors, and site workers have received training on E&S safeguards as relevant to their roles. The main implementing agencies (FAO and WFP) have an effective GM system in place to handle all grievances related to Project activities with dedicated GM focal points. Additionally, the local implementing partners (SFD and PWP) Mar 26, 2021 Page 5 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) have an active GM with multi-channels for receiving and addressing complaints and fully equipped with dedicated staff. UNDP will take overall responsibility for managing complaints received throug II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Substantial Environmental Risk Rating Substantial The environmental risk is considered Substantial given that the project will support several interventions that might be associated with environmental risks and impacts and the implementation agencies' ESF capacity remains limited. Environmental risks and impacts are expected to be site-specific, reversible, and generally of low magnitude that can be mitigated following appropriate measures; nonetheless, based on the implementation experience of ongoing projects, particularly those involving labor-intensive interventions, and the identification of significant Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) gaps, there is a significant risk for fatal incidents or serious injuries to occur under the project, particularly under the interventions of component 1 (Alleviating immediate food security needs by improving household incomes) since the activities under this component will provide temporary work opportunities to a large number of local community members who are un-skilled, largely illiterate, and with little or no knowledge or experience in applying OHS measures. Furthermore, there is a risk of COVID-19 transmission among community workers if worksites are not managed appropriately and injuries due to the potential explosion of a remnant of war (ERW). Component 1 will also support Public Disclosure the rehabilitation of small-scale rural land and water infrastructure and access roads to isolated villages/communities, therefore improper management of materials that will be used for the rehabilitation activities might lead to the generation of waste and open dumping in the environment. In addition, the project might support some interventions such as rehabilitation of terraces and construction of hydroponics which might increase the use of pesticides (the project will not finance procurement of pesticides) and fertilizers which should be applied and disposed of adequately and in a controlled manner. It is mentionable that the project will have several positive impacts including through supporting the hydroponics and aquaponics which will enhance the economically - environmentally friendly and sustainable development solution for the beneficiaries and will pilot interventions that are of high productivity and save land and water consumption for irrigation. This may encourage other farmers to replicate this intervention at a larger scale and spreading scientific knowledge to other farmers countrywide. Social Risk Rating Substantial The proposed project is expected to bring significant social benefits to the targeted communities. It will contribute to the alleviation of food security and improvement of household income through the Cash for Work program, support restoration of local food production and increase the sales of crops and livestock and promote diversified nutrient crops. Particular attention and efforts would be given to the promotion of youth and women participation and maximizing their benefits through dedicated subcomponents under the project. Mar 26, 2021 Page 6 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) The project could face possible adverse social impacts and risks. The proposed interventions in farmland and irrigation works are of rehabilitation and maintenance nature. They are planned to take place within their existing footprints and are expected to be quite small in scale. Therefore, land acquisition or resettlement needs are not anticipated under the project. A negative exclusion list will be developed for the project. However, these activities could have potentials for labor-related impacts and risks, such as possible child labor, forced labor, discriminatory practices in recruitment, occupational health and safety issues, and GBV/SEA risks, and even possible conflicts within potential beneficiary communities. The project faces a potential risk of elites or better-connected individuals or groups capturing project benefits, affecting poor and vulnerable groups receiving their due share of project benefits. These could include the elderly, poor farmers, women, and individuals displaced by the ongoing conflict. The overall country security situation poses another challenge for the project and is a key risk for the project implementation. In addition to the general conflict and security situation the country faces, the project may face possible conflicts among local communities, interested groups, and factions over project benefits distribution. Given the above, the project's social risks are considered Substantial. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment Public Disclosure ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: ESS1 is relevant as there are potential environmental and social risks and impacts associated with the project’s interventions. Key environmental and social risks include exposing project workers and communities to health and safety risks during the implementation of works if project activities are not adequately managed. It is anticipated that activities that might cause potential negative impacts will be financed under component 1, particularly the labor- intensive community subprojects which will finance Cash for Work (CfW). The proposed project is not anticipating any significant threats against biodiversity and habitats The project has not intended an introduction of alien or non- native, species in the project areas of implementation. No adverse or irreversible impacts are expected on cultural heritage. However, minor, localized, and mitigate negative impacts might be caused under the project including noise, generation of dust and solid wastes, water use increase, and energy demand increase. These impacts might be caused during rehabilitation works under the cash for work program which will support the rehabilitation and maintenance of terraces, on-farm water harvesting facilities (underground cisterns and open wadi pits), watershed management/rainwater harvesting structures in mountainous areas (check dikes and gabions/retaining walls in wadi beds), spate irrigation works in lower mountains and foot-hills (small spate diversion canals, shallow wells, and springs), irrigation canals and farm-level conveyance systems, rehabilitation of small rural access roads to isolated villages/communities. Interventions to be supported under component 4 might also cause minor, localized, and mitigatable impacts such as noise, generation of dust, solid wastes, and OHS impacts which might occur during the construction phase of hydroponics and aquaponics. Some of these impacts are also expected during the operation phase as well. Mar 26, 2021 Page 7 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) Based on the implementation experience of the ongoing World Bank-supported operations, and the identification of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) gaps, there is a risk for fatal incidents or serious injuries that may occur under the project, particularly under the labor-intensive community interventions of component 1. This is anticipated as the project will provide temporary work opportunities to a large number of local community members who are un- skilled, largely illiterate, and with little or no knowledge or experience in applying OHS measures. Furthermore, there is a risk of COVID-19 transmission among community workers if worksites are not managed appropriately. Apart from the labor-related risks mentioned above, the key social challenge is how to ensure that project services and benefits can reach all segments of the targeted beneficiary population in a transparent, equitable, and inclusive manner, particularly for disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals and groups. Besides, apart from the general conflict and security situation the country faces, the investment benefits may give rise to possible conflict among local communities, interested groups, and factions over the sharing and distribution of project benefits. To address this, FAO UNDP and WFP will take these into consideration in selecting and designing subcomponent investment activities and conducting stakeholder engagement. They will jointly prepare a security management plan (SMP) and will work closely with its implementing partners, such as SFD, PWP, and Small Micro Enterprise Promotion Service (SMEPS), to define key selection criteria for target areas and provide a participatory, inclusive and transparent mechanism to identify and target beneficiaries based on clear eligibility criteria. At the same time, the ESMF, as explained below, will be prepared to help screen, plan, and mitigate potential adverse environmental and social impacts stemming from the selection and implementation of sub-projects. A TPMA will be hired to monitor environmental and social requirements and help ensure compliance. Public Disclosure The conflict in Yemen is having a particularly negative impact on women and their ability to perform their daily activities, including farming and raising animals. The project will support women farmers under Cash for Work activities to restore their agriculture land and other livelihood activities, and by providing training in target areas, such as community health, nutrition, and cultivation of plants in home gardens to promote diversified nutrient crops and small ruminant husbandry. The project will also support promoting women rural entrepreneurship and distribute special foods for malnutritioned children, pregnant and lactating women by WFP. Moreover, the project will enhance women involvement and participation in agricultural extension services, various elements of the value chain, and agriculture-related services. Project Components 2 and 3 have designed dedicated subcomponents to targeting women beneficiaries. To mitigate potential risks and impacts, the project initiated the development of the ESMF which will be finalized by the three implementing agencies including provisions on OHS and GBV action plan. The final ESMF will include provisions and planning requirements to (i) screen and assess potential environmental and social impacts of the project activities, (ii) outline the objective and principles to be followed in addressing environmental and social impacts, (iii) propose mitigation measures to address identified environmental and social impacts under all components of the project and (iv) implementation arrangements, including organizational setups, staffing, and responsibilities, as well as monitoring mechanisms and relevant guidelines, procedures, and protocols including WBG EHSGs. Furthermore, subproject activities will be screened against environmental and social criteria that will be included in the ESMF, and subsequent site-specific environmental social assessment and planning instruments and mitigation plans will be prepared -if needed- during the implementation phase and will be implemented before the commencement of any physical activities. The ESMF will be prepared completed and disclosed within two months of project Effectiveness. No disbursement will be undertaken under comp 1 and 3 until the final ESMF and site-specific ESMPs – if deemed needed – are in place. All site-specific ESMPs will be reviewed and cleared by the World Bank. Mar 26, 2021 Page 8 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) It is mentionable that the rehabilitation of terraces under component 1 as well as the operation of hydroponics and aquaponics under component 4 might lead to an increase in using pesticides and fertilizers. If pesticides will be used, they will adhere to principles as defined in the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan which will be prepared following the Environmental and Social Standard 3 on ‘Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management. As part of the ongoing operations FAO, UNDP, SFD, and PWP have established an environmental and social management system with adequate policies, procedures, capacity, and resources, focusing on OHS aspects. Under the proposed operations, the agencies will continue to enhance these systems and strengthen some areas, particularly, raising awareness of staff, engineers, consultants, contractors as well as beneficiaries on OHS aspects. In this context, these agencies will continue to implement capacity building programs targeting different groups and identified areas, including capacity building of senior managers and officials of implementation, and monitoring agencies on ESMF and PMP as well as capacity building program for project managers, supervisors, consultants and contractors on OHS tools and their application in the field. The timeline and budget for implementing the capacity- building program will be detailed in the ESMF and PMP. It is mentionable that some EHSGs are relevant for this project, including but not limited to OHS, community health, and safety, pollution prevention. The project’s implementing agencies will follow the COVID-19 guidelines and technical advisories issued by WHO in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The international best practice is outlined in the WHO “Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response”, annexed to the WHO “COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan” (February 12, 2020). Further guidance is included in the WHO “Key considerations for repatriation and quarantine of travelers in relation to the outbreak of novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV” (February 11, 2020). All these policies and advisory are available on the WHO website. Considering the high-security risk in which the project Public Disclosure will be implemented, FAO will use their security management plans that define how projects workers and equipment are secured. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure This project mainly supports on-going development programs in-country. Stakeholder engagement has been ongoing in these areas to a varying extent. Based on these early experiences, a large number of stakeholders are anticipated to be engaged in the project. These include public institutions, such as government agencies at the national and local level, FAO, UNDP, WFP and its project implementing partners, civil society organizations, farmer organizations, such as water user associations, and different groups of targeted project beneficiaries communities. The targeted beneficiaries could include farmers, pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and fishing communities; agro-enterprise producers, processors, and traders; internally displaced people, field agricultural extension officers, animal health workers. Based on early sector experiences, vulnerable or disadvantaged groups may include but are not limited to, historically underserved and disadvantaged communities in certain parts of the country, households facing food insecurity and food shortages, female-headed and elderly-headed households, internally displaced persons, people with disabilities, extremely poor and Illiterate persons. The extent of the stakeholder engagement so far has been limited to consultations between the FAO, UNDP, WFP, SFD, PWP, and the MAI. The consultation focused on their respective findings on stakeholder needs, preferred Mar 26, 2021 Page 9 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) methods of communication, and key obstacles based on their ongoing works within the potential project areas. A preliminary stakeholder engagement plan has been drafted. This preliminary SEP also draws from lessons learned from FAO and UNDP during the earlier SAPREP project YECRP project and REAL project from the ongoing projects like the Desert Locust Project and the lessons learned from WFP during the ongoing Education Project, as well as recommendations from the SFD and PWP’s extensive on-ground network. Further stakeholder analysis and consultations will be carried out in the finalization of the project design and this SEP will be updated accordingly. The implementing agencies (FAO, UNDP, and WFP) will be responsible to update the preliminary SEP within two months after the effectiveness date. Site-specific ESMPs. For the purpose of preparing site-specific ESMPs, all implementing agencies will be responsible for considering a clear mechanism for consultations prior to the finalization and implementation of each ESMP. To address complaints or concerns related to project activities, the proposed project will adopt the GM of FAO UNDP and WFP in addition to the SFD and PWP GM. The FAO and WFP will take overall responsibility for managing complaints received through SFD and SMEPS, under components 2 – 4, and UNDP will take overall responsibility for managing complaints received through SFD and PWP under comp 1. The FAO will disseminate the hotline number at regional and local levels to increase accountability at those levels to citizens’ inquiries. This GM system will include multiple uptake mechanisms (telephone, complaints box, website, email, and text messaging). UNDP will be managing complaints received under component 1. It will be critical to have good communication on the processes of the GM system, both in terms of beneficiaries’ rights and the boundaries of the system. Complaints received by the GM system will be registered, tracked, investigated, and promptly resolved. This GM is summarized in the Public Disclosure Stakeholder Engagement Plan and will be further elaborated and updated. 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 project is expected to recruit and deploy direct workers, contracted workers, possibly community workers, and primary supply workers. Direct workers will be required for all project implementation offices, including FAO, UNDP, WFP, and the local implementing partner organizations. Contractors will recruit and mobilize workers for their contracts for their respective works. Community workers may also be organized and mobilized under the Cash for Work component and NGOs and volunteers under WFP’s components. All these could bring their associated labor impacts. These impacts and risks could include the possible use of child labor and forced labor, discriminatory practices in recruitment, occupational health, and safety issues and GBV/SEA risks, and even possible conflicts with local communities. A labor-management procedure (LMP) will be developed by the key implementing agencies in coordination with the local implementing partners and will take responsibility for implementation and monitoring under the project in line with relevant domestic laws and ESF ESS2. This LMP will guide FAO, UNDP, WFP, and IPs in the management of labor-related issues under the project, in which working conditions will be included with a clear emphasis on the recruitment process. The LMP will also describe work conditions and the prevention of forced and Mar 26, 2021 Page 10 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) child labor, and OHS risks, and non-discrimination measures. The LMP will provide details on enforcing all workers to sign a Code of Conduct (CoC) with clear guidance and responsibilities. A specific Grievance Mechanism (GM) will be prepared to enable workers to complain or provide their feedback on their working conditions. Occupational health and safety will be considered during implementation. An OHS plan will be developed as part of the LMP and will include procedures on incident investigation and reporting, recording and reporting of non- conformances, emergency preparedness and response procedures, and continuous training and awareness to workers, and specific measures to prevent COVID-19 from spread amongst workers if necessary. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management ESS3 is relevant. The project will support the rehabilitation of terraces and the construction of hydroponics which might lead to increasing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, yet the project will not support the purchase of such chemicals. Pesticide toxicity and misuse could potentially lead to pollution of soil, water, air, and cause harm to non- target organisms, as well as negative impacts on health and safety, particularly of farmers or those who apply pesticides. To mitigate such risks, FAO will prepare a stand-alone Pest Management Plan including a screening procedure to determine if site-specific PMPs will be prepared. The PMP will include, inter alia, measures for (i) adequate transportation, storage, handling, and management of pesticides; (ii) management of stocks in an effective, efficient, and transparent way, (iii) suggested capacity building program that will be conducted to farmers for Public Disclosure adequate storage, transportation, and management of pesticides (iv) disposal of unwanted or surplus pesticides and waste resulting from applying pesticides and for any COVID-related material. Given the nature and scale of the physical interventions foreseen under the project, it is not expected to make significant use of resources such as water, energy, and raw materials. In addition, it is not expected that activities supported under the project will significantly generate pollution. However, the final ESMF will propose guidelines that will be used to the assessment of the potential cumulative impacts of water use upon communities, other users, and the environment. The Smart agriculture principles will propose the relevant mitigation measures. Regarding As the promotion of hydroponics, the implementing agency will adopt measures specified in the EHSGs to optimize energy usage. Considering that the nature of the project, the implementing agencies will not estimate sources of air pollution, including GHG emissions. The ESMF and subsequent site-specific ESMPs will identify any measures which will be required to ensure efficient use of water and energy, as well as proper disposal of wastes associated with activities such as debris and other residues from rehabilitation, works under component 1, and construction works of hydroponics and aquaponics under component 3, Waste generated by these activities will be disposed of at approved sites according to with the national laws and regulations. The site-specific ESMP outlined in the final ESMF will include mitigation measures to minimize and manage the noise levels by applying standard restrictions to hours of site work. It is also mentionable that component 1 will support cash-for-work interventions which will support farmers for the rehabilitation of water resources which will improve resource management i.e. water in targeted areas which will involve positive outcomes in line with the objectives of ESS3. Each agency will monitor the implementation of site-specific ESMPs and provide the required oversight and support for capacity building on resource management e.g energy, water, etc., and as provided in the ESMPs. Mar 26, 2021 Page 11 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) ESS4 Community Health and Safety The project could face GBV and SEA risks during the implementation of the project. A GBV risk assessment will be conducted for the project at the start of the project implementation and a GBV action plan will be developed based on this assessment, including a specific grievance redress mechanism related to cases of GBV and SEA. This GBV action plan could be part of the project ESMF. Measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 within communities will be included in the updated generic ESMP annexed in the ESMF. FAO, UNDP, and WFP will recruit an NGO experienced in GBV assessment to monitor and report on potential cases. Besides, the project will have security risks under the current conflict and security situation in the country. To mitigate these social risks, FAO, UNDP, and WFP will jointly prepare a security management plan (SMP) and will work closely with SFD, PWP, and SMEPs to define key selection criteria for target areas; these criteria will form part of the stakeholder engagement process, including the disclosure of public information and outreach related to the project. It is not anticipated to deploy security forces by the implementing agencies under the Project. Nonetheless, WFP is planning to rely on its security personnel for several sites component 3.3. WFP had an adequate security management plan which will adapt in a manner acceptable to the requirements stipulated under ESS4. Public Disclosure ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The proposed interventions in farmland and irrigation works under Component One are of rehabilitation and maintenance nature. They will all be planned to take place within their existing footprints and are expected to be quite small in scale. A negative exclusion list will be developed for the project to avoid land acquisition or resettlement. Large-scale land acquisition or resettlement needs are not anticipated under the project at this stage. For possible unanticipated needs of a small amount of land taking, a resettlement framework proportional to expected risks and impacts will be prepared to guide planning in such eventualities. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources The project's physical interventions will be limited to the existing rural centers. The proposed project activities are not anticipating any significant threats against biodiversity and habitats The project has not intended an introduction of alien or non-native, species in the project areas of implementation. However, the ESMF will propose relevant measures that may improve the landscape where cash-for-work activities will be undertaken. An exclusion list will also be proposed to avoid any threats against natural and modified habitats. It is mentionable that the overall sustainability of the primary production activities, as well as their potential impacts on local, nearby, or ecologically linked habitats, biodiversity, and communities including cumulative impacts, will be assessed as part of site-specific assessments and mitigation measures will be provided as needed and monitored by implementing agencies. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities Mar 26, 2021 Page 12 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) There are no communities falling under the ESS7 definition of indigenous people/sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities. This standard is not considered relevant. ESS8 Cultural Heritage This standard is not considered relevant. No cultural heritage impacts are expected under the project. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries This standard is not relevant because there is no involvement of financial intermediaries. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No B.3. Reliance on Borrower’s policy, legal and institutional framework, relevant to the Project risks and impacts Public Disclosure Is this project being prepared for use of Borrower Framework? No Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: N/A IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Sandra Broka Title: Senior Agriculture Economist Telephone No: +1-202-458-9644 Email: sbroka@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: FAO V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Mar 26, 2021 Page 13 of 14 The World Bank Yemen Food Security Response and Resilience Project (P176129) The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Sandra Broka Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Lia Carol Sieghart Cleared on 25-Mar-2021 at 15:33:8 GMT-04:00 Public Disclosure Mar 26, 2021 Page 14 of 14