Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet (Updated) Report No: AC533 Section I - Basic Information Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 09/28/2004 A. Basic Project Data (from PDS) I.A.1. Project Statistics Country: CAMEROON Project ID: P070656 Global Supplemental ID: P073020 Project: CAMEROON FORESTRY/ENVIRON. Task Team Leader: Giuseppe Topa Authorized to Appraise Date: May 7, 2004 IBRD Amount ($m): Bank Approval: March 29, 2005 IDA Amount ($m): 15.00 Global Supplemental Amount ($m): 20.00 Managing Unit: AFTS3 Sector: Central government administration (50%); Lending Instrument: Sector Adjustment Loan (SAD) Forestry (50%) Status: Lending Theme: Rural policies and institutions (P); Other rural development (P); Other environment and natural resources management (P); Environmental policies and institutions (P); Biodiversity (S) I.A.2. Project Objectives (From PDS): Background Forest exploitation and related activities contribute significantly to the economy of Cameroon. They were 8.9 percent of national GDP on the FY 1999/2000, and have grown at a rate of 4.7 percent per year since then. The sector likewise contributes significantly to exports where it represented 28.2 percent of the total non-oil exports in the same period. Forest sector financial performance has continued to expand in recent years but this good performance has not been matched by comparable improvements in the ecosystem protection and sustainable management of forests. Degradation has continued to occur mainly due to short term forest exploitation strategies of the private sector and the government, and expansion of low input/low output agriculture into forest areas. Cameroon harbors a wide range of African forest types: from south to north, evergreen and semi-deciduous rainforest, forest galleries, wooded savannas and scrub land create a continuous phytosociological succession. National parks and reserves have been created to conserve biodiversity and contribute to local income in all country's natural regions: from the Lake Chad's arid steppes to the South's equatorial rain forest. The entire rural population, at various levels, relies on forest products for food, medicine, fire wood and construction materials. These populations also earn cash income by trading bush meat, medicine, rattan and other products. Cameroon is committed to develop and manage a biologically representative network of protected areas that would include 90 percent of its biodiversity much of which is of global importance. Despite the efforts to create this network of protected areas and the support from the international community, management of these areas is still lacking, resulting in loss of biodiversity. Many of these areas are de-facto open to illegal logging and poaching. Local population have little participation in the benefits from and commitment to conserve parks and reserves. The forests' potential for eco-tourism is under-valued, due also to weaknesses in park management, transport and infrastructure. Forest and biodiversity erosion needs to be reversed in such a way that strengthen economic development 2 ISDS and secure community benefits. To this effect, PSFE (Programme Sectoriel Forêts et Environnement) favors a territorial zoning approach whereby positive economic, social & ecological outcomes are sought at the landscape level by better management of lands resources in "Ecosystem units". An Ecosystem unit is a non-official label for an area comprising interconnected protected areas (national parks & reserves), hunting zones (privately or community-managed concessioned--French acronym ZIC or ZICGC) together administered as UTOs (French acronym for Technical Operational Unit) as well as gazetted production forests administered as UFA (French acronym for Forest management Unit) and community forest of the rural domain. Project development objective Bank funds are provided in support to a national program, the Forest & Environment Sector Program (FESP or Programme Sectoriel Forêts Environnement PSFE), in the form of a Forest & Environment Sector Adjustment Credit (FESAC). The FESAC's development objective is to strengthen public and private efforts to achieve socio-economically and ecologically sustainable use of national forest and wildlife resources. The project seeks to: (1) promote the sustainable management of rainforests and savanna lands, (2) increase local community involvement in and benefits from sustainable management of natural resources, (3) improve the institutional and organizational capacity to implement new policies and regulations for forest management and timber industry development; and (4) to enhance conservation of biodiversity, and supply environmental services of national & global relevance. I.A.3. Project Description (From PDS): The project will disburse in tranches on the basis of agreed targets. Mechanisms & triggers will be elaborated. The project will adopt a broad sectoral lending approach, and will include the five following components: C.1. Regulation and environment information management C.2. Production forests management C.3. Protected area & wildlife management C.4. Community forest resources management C.5. Institutional strengthening, training & research Component 1. Regulation and environment information management Component 1 will involve the following three subcomponents: (1) Environmental regulations & impact assessment, including (i) preparation of environmental standards, (ii) drafting & approbation of environmental regulations, (iii) information & training on regulation enforcement, (iv) preparation of a guide for impact assessment & training for its use, (v) environmental audits, (vi) studies on financial and fiscal mechanisms for sustainability of impact assessment; (2) Cartography and multi-resource inventories, including (i) resource monitoring in production forests, (ii) design and implementation of an Environmental Information System with map production capacity, (iii) monitoring of threatened species, and (iv) design of environmental indicators; and (3) Information and environmental awareness including (i) design, training and operation of an information system, (ii) environmental awareness campaign, (iii) design and implementation of a communication strategy. Component 2. Production forests management 3 ISDS Component 2 will involve the following 5 subcomponents: (1) Country Zoning plan including (i) completion of phase 6 & 7 zoning in forest zone, (ii) zoning of savanna zone; (2) Implementation of Forest Management Plans including (i) completion of UFA gazetment, (ii) preparation of UFA management plans & training for implementation, (iii) assistance UFA management, (iv) monitoring of implementation of management plans, and (v) stimulation of certification process; (3) Promotion of a wood product industrialization including (i) promotion campaign, (ii) reduction of logging waste, (iii) organization of in-country log market, (iv) promotion of wood product utilization, and (v) support to efficient in-country transformation; (4) Control operations and sanctions including (i) design of a control strategy, (ii) strengthening of control institutions and tools, (iii) support to new control technologies, and (iv) monitoring of law infractions; and (5) Valorization of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) including (i) identification of NTFP commercial routes/operators/customers, (ii) standardization of NTFP inventories and identification of production sites, (iii) design of strategy for each potentially valuable product or class of products, (iv) research & development on collection and transformation, and (v) market promotion. Component 3. Protected area & wildlife management Component 3 will involve the following 8 subcomponents: (1) Biodiversity planning & zoning including (i) finalization and validation of the country protected area network, (ii) creation of new protected areas; (2) Knowledge & information management including (i) development of a Monitoring Information System (MIS), (ii) training of MIS users, (iii) ecological data collection and treatment, (iv) map and MIS report production; (3) Participatory protected area & hunting zone management including (i) design and adoption of new regulations, (ii) support to community involvement on protected area management, (iii) support to community management of hunting zones, and (iv) community consultation & training; (4) Design & implementation of protected area management plans including (i) design & implementation of a national bushmeat control strategy, (ii) surveillance of protected areas and hunting zones, (iii) design of management plans, (iv) implementation of management plans with provision of work, equipment, training and operations funds, (v) monitoring of implementation performance; (5) Optimization economic benefits of protected areas & hunting zones including (i) design and implementation of new wildlife trade strategy, (ii) review of wildlife fiscality, and (iii) review of tourism management, development & revenue retention in protected areas; (6) Legal & institutional reform of protected areas & hunting zones management including (i) standardization of management plans, (ii) job adaptation training, (iii) audit of institutional capacity, (iv) support to Garoua Wildlife School, (v) design and adoption of new wildlife and protected area law or regulation; (7) Sustainable financing of wildlife & protected areas including (i) revision of management of public funds (e.g. FSF), (ii) review of wildlife & protected area fiscality, (iii) feasibility study national foundation, (iv) if (iii) positive, creation, capacity building and fund raising for new foundation; and (8) National Biodiversity Strategy update. Component 4. Community forest resources management Component 4 will involve the following 3 subcomponents: (1) Community forestry including (i) review of the legal & institutional framework, (ii) socioeconomic studies, (iii) preparation/diffusion of procedure manual, (iii) support to land identification and allocation, (iv) support to planning and implementation of community forest management; (2) Reforestation and forest regeneration including (i) review of legal framework for community plantations, (ii) strengthening of ANAFOR, (iii) support to forest seed market, (iv) support to plantations, (v) research & demonstration, (vi) creation FDP (French acronym for an equalization fund for forestry taxes "Fonds de Péréquation"); and (3) Promotion of fuelwood supply including (i) support to strategic unit, (ii) development of planning tools, (iii) forest exploitation control, (iv) community management of savanna gazetted forests, (v) support to professionalization of charcoal-makers, (vi) support to charcoal-making optimization, (vii) support to trading circuits, (viii) 4 ISDS diversification of domestic energy. Component 5. Institutional strengthening, training & research Component 5 will involve the following 4 subcomponents: (1) Restructuring the ONADEF in ANAFOR including (i) feasibility studies, (ii) audit of ONADEF & ANAFOR, (iii) design/implementation of a human resources reconversion plan, (iv) organization support to ANAFOR; (2) Strengthening the MINEF including (i) support to MINEF's reorganization, (ii) actualization of institutional & legal framework, (iii) installation of new structures, (iv) design o f a human resource management strategy, (v) re dispatching of human resources, (vi) training, (vii) rehabilitation of work place and provision of equipment, (viii) strengthening of financial management capacity, (ix) revision financial management modes, (x) internal & external audits; (3) Rehabilitating education and research in forestry and environment sector including (i) strengthening of the ENEF (French acronym for National Forestry School), (ii) strengthening EFG (French acronym for Garoua Wildlife School), (iii) strengthening FASA (french acronym for the Dschang University of agriculture), (iv) strengthening of CRESA (french acronym for the Regional Center on Agriculture ), (v) prospective study on long term needs; and (4) Coordination PSFE and good governance including (i) consultation and information of stakeholders, (ii) support to PSFE implementation capacity in MINEF, (iii) internal monitoring MINEF, (iv) external monitoring & evaluation. I.A.4. Project Location: (Geographic location, information about the key environmental and social characteristics of the area and population likely to be affected, and proximity to any protected areas, or sites or critical natural habitats, or any other culturally or socially sensitive areas.) The scope of the proposed operation is not location-specific, but rather national. The project will strengthen national institutions and the civil society in ways that forest protection will be more effective and forest use better managed, controlled and environmentally and socially responsive. Geographical boundary of PSFE intervention will target priority landscapes delimited by "Ecological Units " made of interconnected protected areas, hunting zones administered by UTO, gazetted production forest, administered by UFA, and community forests of the rural domain. Each "Ecological unit" is centered around a core protected area. The Wildlife & Protected Area Strategy has opted to secure 50 protected areas. The total surface area of the present protected area network is about 14 percent and with the proposed extensions it will come near to 17 percent of the national surface area. The proposed network is expected to include 90 percent of Cameroon's biodiversity. The PSFE targets 26 priority areas for gazetment and/or improvement of management effectiveness. The selection was based on criteria such as ecosystem coverage, size, potential connectivity, ongoing conservation activity & status. The following is a subset of the priority network: (1) Kilum Ijim, (2) Bouba Bek, (3) Nki, (4) Kupé, (5) Bakossi, (6) Banyang Mbo, (7) Ndongore, (8) Ebo, (9) Mont Oku, (10) Campo marine, (11) Mont Cameroon, (12) Lac Lobeke, (13) Mbam Djerem, (14) Faro, (15) Bouba Ndjida, (16) Campo-Ma'an, (17) Korup, (18) Waza, (19) Bénoué, (20) Dja, (21) Takamanda, (21) Rumpi Hills, (22) Douala Edea, (23) Mont Nlonako, (24) Vallee de Mbere, (25) Mpem & Djim, (26) Ramsar sites: Lake Chad, etc. GEF & IDA support will target sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation within nine under-funded "Ecosystem units" comprising of UTOs, UFAs and community forests. FESAC will therefore disburse its tranches based on verified results in Ecosystem units centered around these protected areas: (1) 5 ISDS Waza with Lac Chad and Logone plains, (2) Korup, Takamanda and Rumpi Hills complex, (3) Bakossi & Mount Kupe complex, (4) Campo Ma'an & Campo-Marine complex, (5) Mbam & Djerem, (6) Mts Nlonako and Ebo complex, (7) Ndongoro wetland, (8) Bouba Bek/Nki complex et (9) Benoué complex. B. Check Environmental Classification: A (Full Assessment) Comments: Through its focus on sectoral policy, institutional reform, forest industry reorganization incentives, rehabilitation of degraded national parks and biodiversity conservation sites, the project is expected to have a strong positive impact on the environment. While there will be no displacement of people, no meaningful infrastructure investments under the project, and only positive impacts on the environment are anticipated, a (Category A) environmental assessment is being proposed. The highly demanding Cat. A consultative process has given the project the broadest possible exposure to stakeholders and environmentally concerned groups both in Cameroon and abroad. This results in a richer feedback to help improve project design and anticipate possible requests for clarification at the time of Board approval. The EA analysis has proceeded in parallel with project preparation so that findings have been incorporated into overall project support for strengthening MINEF's and other agencies' capacity to monitor, evaluate and mitigate environmental impacts of activities taking place in the forest environment. Only OP 4.01 is triggered by SECALs. However, because of the special nature of the project and the enhancements that consideration of the other safeguards policies would bring to it, the same analytical and management activities that they would call for is being carried out nevertheless. C. Safeguard Policies Triggered (from PDS) (click on for a detailed desciption or click on the policy number for a brief description) Policy Triggered Environmental Assessment (OP 4.01, BP 4.01, GP 4.01) Yes No Natural Habitats (OP 4.04, BP 4.04, GP 4.04) Yes No Forestry (OP 4.36, GP 4.36) Yes No Pest Management (OP 4.09) Yes No Cultural Property (OPN 11.03) Yes No Indigenous Peoples (OD 4.20) Yes No Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) Yes No Safety of Dams (OP 4.37, BP 4.37) Yes No Projects in International Waters (OP 7.50, BP 7.50, GP 7.50) Yes No Projects in Disputed Areas (OP 7.60, BP 7.60, GP 7.60)* Yes No Section II - Key Safeguard Issues and Their Management D. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues. Please fill in all relevant questions. If information is not available, describe steps to be taken to obtain necessary data. II.D.1a. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts. Significant issues : The PSFE seeks to : (1) promote the sustainable management of Cameroon's rainforests and savanna lands, (2) increase local community involvement in and benefits from sustainable management of natural resources, (3) improve the institutional and organizational capacity to implement 6 ISDS new policies and regulations for forest management and timber industry development; and (4) to enhance conservation of biodiversity, and supply environmental services of national & global relevance. In that sense, the PSFE and its different activities are likely to have no significant or undesirable environmental and social impacts. Environmental Assessment : The OP 4.01 has been triggered and an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) has been designed during the preparation phase of the PSFE. The ESMF has been conducted by a multi-disciplinary team and involved large participation and consultative works with all concerned parties in the different provinces of the country. The ESMF has identified the potential environmental and social issues that could result (directly or indirectly) from activities of the PSFE and proposed measures to avoid or mitigate these adverse effects. The ESMF proposed screening tools to assess potential adverse impacts of different activities of the PSFE before implementation. Where adverse impacts are anticipated, appropriate steps are taken either through adjustment of the activities or integration of mitigation measures. The ESMF ensured that the PSFE was designed in compliance with national environmental policies and with donor's safeguard policies. The national framework for the environmental management is defined by the Law 96/12, 5 August 1996 portant Loi Cadre relative à la gestion environnementale but some regulatory texts are still missing, leading to significant shortcomings in the application of the Law. The Administration's environmental management capacity is still weak; a special audit of the SPE has been conducted during the preparation of the project to lay out strengthening of SPE's central and field services. Natural Habitats. The PSFE activities will operate in and/or encompass a number of natural habitats. However the PSFE impacts on natural habitats are likely to be very positive notably through the promotion of sustainable management of production forests and community participation in natural resource management. The PSFE is likely to directly and indirectly induce a reduction of the pressure on natural habitats by clearly defining the zoning plan and strengthening the control capacity of the Administration. The project will support the validation and implementation of this network that will cover nearly 17% of the national surface and should conserve to the tune of 90% of Cameroon's biodiversity. The protected area network will be managed in the context of landscapes and regional zoning plans determining land-use and modalities there-off. Wildlife corridor functions will be established and biodiversity hotspots will be identified in forest concessions (UFAs) and sport hunting zones (ZICs) in the peripheral zones of protected areas. The establishment of community hunting zones will be an important element of the landscape approach. The project will ensure wildlife conservation in both dry and humid forests representing the country's diversity of natural habitats. The sustainable management of dry woodlands will be forcefully addressed through the establishment of community based fuel wood master plans around major energy consumption centers in the savanna regions of the country. Ultimately, the environmental benefits of this approach are expected to be substantial, and will provide significant opportunities for increasing the viability of managed woodlands. GEF & IDA support will target sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation within nine under-funded "Ecosystem units" comprising of UTOs, UFAs and community forests. FESAC will therefore disburse its tranches based on verified results in Ecosystem units centered around these protected areas (1) Waza with Lac Chad and Logone plains, (2) Korup, Takamanda and Rumpi Hills complex, (3) Bakossi & Mount Kupe complex, (4) Campo Ma'an & Campo-Marine complex, (5) Mbam & Djerem, (6) Mts Nlonako and Ebo complex, (7) Ndongoro wetland, (8) Bouba Bek/Nki complex, and (9) Benoué complex. Forestry. The PSFE is a sectorial program dedicated to sustainable management of forests and green environment concerns. 7 ISDS (i) Financing commercial logging operations or the purchase of logging equipment for use in primary tropical moist forests. The project will not in any ways direct or indirect stimulate, promote, encourage or finance activities leading to increased level of logging in Cameroon. All project activities related to logging will aim at bringing logging activities under strict forest management rules, full law enforcement, transparency at the national and international level and local participation. The project will actively work to stop all commercial forest use activities that are conducted outside the framework of approved management plans that ensure protection of sensitive, biologically important and watershed catchments. Participatory forest management will allow for expansion of village and community based plantation efforts, management and rehabilitation of woodlands. (ii) Use of a sector-wide approach for forest management. The National Forest Policy, the National Forest Action Plan, the forestry legislation, and technical guidelines all constitute essential components of a solid sector-wide approach to the forest sector in Cameroon. All of the Bank's policy commitments in this regard have been addressed by GoC and include: adoption of policies and a legal institutional framework for forest management; adoption of an appropriate forestry conservation and development plan; use of social, economic and environmental assessments of commercial forests; setting aside compensatory preservation forests; and establishment of institutional capacity to implement and enforce these commitments. As currently designed, the project will strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Environment and Forest as a whole. It will be implemented through the Ministry of Forests, with enhanced participation of civil society and private sector in the decision-making process and program implementation. (iii) Stakeholder consultation including the private sector and local people in forest management. Provisions for continuing stakeholder consultations are made in the framework of project preparation and design. These include stakeholder mapping, consultation and information. Provisions are made in the law to ensure that gazetment process for production forests and protected areas take into account the claims of local communities. For protected areas, industrial production forests (Unités Forestières d'aménagement ­ UFA), community forests and community managed woodlands, the basic premise for future sustainable use is the development and implementation of forest management plans. These plans have been, are being and will be defined by a process that involve stakeholders and nurture stakeholder participation and benefit sharing arrangements. National legislation and regulatory instruments include specific provisions for ensuring that all stakeholders, from the private sector to local people, are included in the development of forest management plans. Over the past few years, Government progressively got used to integrate the views of private sector within the preparation of new implementation decrees. During the PSFE preparation phase, two national fora (June 2000 and December 2002) have been organized on the MINEF initiative to consult all the concerned parties (civil society, private sector, NGOs). Some consultations have been led by the project design Team in all the 10 provinces of the Country. Indigenous Peoples. Pygmy populations maintain a presence in the forests of southern Cameroon. The purpose of the procedures described in this directive is first to ensure that indigenous peoples benefit from development projects and secondly, to ensure that potentially adverse impacts on indigenous peoples is avoided or mitigated. According to OD 4.20, an "Indigenous Peoples development Plan" has been prepared as a separate document during the preparation phase of the PSFE. The IPDP specifies what needs to be done concerning consultation, information, participation of and planning with indigenous communities and addresses any potential adverse impacts and how to mitigate them. It was prepared to ensure that the PSFE will respect the dignity, rights and culture of Pygmy population and that they also benefit from the PSFE. Involuntary Resettlement. The operation is not expected to require, involve or indirectly generate 8 ISDS involuntary resettlement of people. Construction of new Forest Department Headquarters, and local forest stations will be undertaken in areas that already belong to and are occupied by the Government. No new sites is expected to be acquired in the framework of the project and no legal or illegal occupants will need to move and re-settle to accommodate project related construction works and new buildings. II.D.1b. Describe any potential cumulative impacts due to application of more than one safeguard policy or due to multiple project component. This program was designed to generate and speed up institutional reforms, enhance community participation, improve control and accountability of forest industry, rehabilitate degraded national parks and biodiversity conservation sites. The Environmental Impact Assessment did not identify any specific cumulative impacts due to the implementation of the PSFE. Special attention has to be given to the interactions between the PSFE and other rural development projects such as the PNDP: indeed some components, such as the community forests, are promoted in both programs and coordination has to be established as soon as possible between the implementation structures -at all levels (national and local)- to avoid adverse impacts due to redundant interventions. II.D.1c Describe any potential long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area. The EIA has not identified potential long-term undesirable impacts as a direct or indirect consequence of this project but highlighted the fact that undesirable effects could derive from unsatisfactory implementation of activities. For examples : l Unsatisfactory implementation of management plans in UFAs and community forests resulting in an erosion of biological diversity in Cameroonian forests. l Uncontrolled road access in UFAs and National Parks leading to increase in illegal poaching activities. l Extension of protected area network without ensuring a minimum satisfactory management in existing PA. l Uncontrolled impacts of eco-tourism activities (pressure on natural resources and specifically on wildlife). The specific interests of Pygmy populations are not appropriately taken into consideration to ensure an equal access to natural resources and benefits, resulting in their marginalization II.D.2. In light of 1, describe the proposed treatment of alternatives (if required) No alternative project designs were considered to be necessary on environmental grounds, as no negative environmental impacts are expected from the project. In the absence of adverse impact to mitigate, the design of alternatives was felt to be superfluous. However alternatives were considered on grounds other than potential negative impact. These are: (i) No direct Bank investment in the sector. This strategic option was considered as an option that might push the Govt. to invest its own resources in this sector, now that the policy framework has been largely improved through Bank dialogue and adjustment lending. This option was reconsidered due Govt. limited investment capacity and its still fragile capacity to overcome, alone, the strong vested interests that exist in the sector. In fact it was found that a close relation with the Bank and other international development 9 ISDS partners was beneficial to keep on track and consolidate the forest sector reform process. (ii) Support through a hybrid adjustment and capacity building operation. The idea was to support the forest sector through a hybrid operation including policy based measures and TA. This option was reconsidered given the fact that key policy reforms that could be tackled through conditionalities have indeed been completed and that there was a need to shift to policy implementation. Other shortcomings of this options were: the not so positive record for Bank hybrid operations and the desire of the Government to move away from multiple donor- and lender-funded TA interventions. II.D.3. Describe arrangement for the borrower to address safeguard issues The key issues related to environmental and social safeguards are summarized here: The ESMF proposes that environmental and social considerations be fully incorporated into the participatory process for identifying, implementing and monitoring activities of the PSFE, in order to ensure that all operations are screened for their potential impacts and that they are all consistent with both national policies and World Bank safeguards policies. Ensure the adequacy of implementing institutions to address environmental management and implement the ESMF - OP/BP 4.01.At the beginning of the 90s, the GoC has significantly improved the sector's legal framework, but new rules are not entirely implemented up to now. Law No 94-01 January 20, 1994 and Law n° 96-l2 August 5, l996 respectedly set the framework for forestry and forest-related environmental matters and for the environment. Although there are still significant shortcomings in the national environmental management and regulatory framework, the forest sector is supported by a strong policy and legal framework to address potential environmental concerns which could arise as a result of this project. These are specifically contained in the relevant National Forest Policy, the National Forestry Action Plan, and in a body of regulations that were defined in close collaboration with the donor community and the World Bank in the framework of the Third Adjustment Credit (1998-2002). The present project will not require major remodeling of existing policies but will involve important institutional reforms to reinforce the capacity of the Administration to implement the existing legal and regulatory framework. During the preparation phase of the PSFE, a sectoral institutional audit has been led and recommendations have been formulated and reported in the Component 5 of the PSFE "Institutional strengthening, training ad research". A specific audit has been focused on the Secretariat Permanent à l'Environnement (SPE/MINEF), which is the structure in charge of ensuring that environmental concerns are duly integrated and respected in all activities led by all Ministerial Departments. The recommendations of this audit are already available and have been integrated into the design of the operation. The ESMF has produced screening tools to anticipate potential adverse impacts of PSFE activities. The PSFE will ensure that all levels of project management are given adequate preparation/sensitivity training in socio-environmental issues and will build capacity for implementation of the ESMF both at the central and field levels. Some synergies will have to be found with the ESMF of the PNDP, specifically on the questions of training and sensitization of service providers and local communities on environmental and social issues. Avoid or minimize involuntary resettlement as it applies in particular to encroachment in forest reserves - OP/BP 4.12. The project is not expected to require, involve or indirectly generate any voluntary or involuntary resettlement. The Government preparation team has confirmed that involuntary resettlement would not be carried out in conjunction with any project implementation activity. Government 10 ISDS has also agreed that in the unforeseen event that involuntary resettlement becomes necessary in the course of project implementation, a detailed resettlement plan will be completed and subject to IDA review well in advance of any resettlement actions associated with any of the project components. The problem of encroachment in reserved forests is less pronounced in Cameroon than in most comparable African countries. Pygmies maintain a presence in these forests and will continue to be present in many production forests in the South of Cameroon, but this is not an encroachment issue. It will not require or involve any re-settlement (see sections below on social issues). Government has put in place various mechanisms to limit the problem of encroachment, including boundary demarcation, increased patrols, and modification of existing forest boundaries in case of claims supported by reasonable evidence of customary or modern rights presented by forest dwellers and supported by socio-economic fact finding missions. The Government of Cameroon has developed a set of detailed guidelines which define methods for defining forest reserve boundaries, identifying encroachment problems, consulting with offenders and establishing fines and provisions for getting such offenders off designated lands. The project will help implement and improve them as experience is accrued. The project will promote community-based forest management through promotion of community forests. A new regulation was adopted in 2002 (Arrêté 518/MINEF/CAB) to empower local communities in land management decisions, give them priority right over industry in the process of allocation of exclusive forest rights in areas surrounding or in proximity to their villages. A specific fiscal framework as well as specific administrative procedures are being discussed between MINEF, MINFIB and MINAT to encourage local population to manage their natural resource while preventing excessive forest exploitation by logging companies and countering vested interested. The project will also strengthen effectiveness of benefit sharing schemes for communities living in buffer zones around reserved forests and UFAs. Avoid or minimize adverse impacts on indigenous peoples (notably the Pygmies) ­ OD 4.20. In the absence of specific measures, pygmy communities will not be able to share in the benefits of the PSFE and would face increased risks of marginalization. To realize the potential positive impacts and to mitigate the potential negative impacts, to guarantee that the indigenous population has equal or better opportunities to participate in the benefits offered by the PSFE, that the right, dignity and culture of the indigenous forest population are respected, that the PSFE fulfill the requirements of the OD 4.20 and that the PSFE is able to fulfill its development objective and "assure that the living conditions of the rural population are sustainably improved through the sustainable management of forest ecosystems", the GoC will carry out the recommended mitigation measures summarized in the following activities: Establish equal legal opportunities · Establish the capacities necessary to implement an IPDP following the OD 4.20. · Establish equal legal conditions for all indigenous people (ID-cards). · Establish equal legal conditions for all settlements of indigenous people (village). · Establish community forests and/or communal hunting zones for all IP communities. · Establish new forestry regulations, which legalize the IP to utilize their land. · Establish a national policy on indigenous people. Establish equal technical opportunities · Provide the IP with technical capacities to participate actively in natural resource management. · Provide the relevant GoC staff and other stakeholders with the technical capacities to cooperate successfully with the IP. · Promote research on the IP and provide space for information on the IP. 11 ISDS Establish equal financial opportunities · Adjust the distribution patterns of the forestry revenue to provide the IP with the necessary funds to participate activities and decision making processes. Establish equal organizational opportunities · Facilitate the representation of IP in all forest related decision making bodies. · Facilitate priority access for IP to forest related job opportunities. · Establish a participatory monitoring and evaluation system for the IPDP of the PSFE. Establish equal cultural opportunities · Sensitize the IP on the risks of the development process. · Assist the IP associations in capacity building to preserve the loss of traditional knowledge, culture and livelihood patterns. · Foster the creation of forums for communication and exchange between IP and other ethnical groups and accompany this process of mutual understanding. Implement and Monitor the PSFE-IPDP. Due to the fact that the GoC has already programmed the establishment of an implementation structure for the IPDP of the PNDP, it is advisable not to create an additional structure for the implementation of the IPDP of the PSFE, but to adjust the PNDP-IPDP structure. The adjustment would be based on the exchange of representatives to increase the information flow and facilitate the fine tuning of the activities. As a matter of fact 8 amongst the 16 activities of the PSFE-IPDP have already been adopted as GoC policy within the PNDP (2003). The GoC has already agreed to the creation of an ad-hoc committee for the IPDP of the PNDP, that will operate till the IPDP structure is in placed (foreseen for the end of 2004). This ad hoc committee is constituted by : 1 representative of the PNDP (Coordinator), 1 representative of MINAS (Sub-department of marginalized populations), 1 representative of international NGOs (which is already working with Baka, Kola and Aka in Cameroon and prepared to provide its own funding for working in this committee ­ if there are more than one NGO interested to participate, they should form a network similar to the national network of NGOs RACOPY), 1 representative of national NGOs (RACOPY), 1 CODEBABIK representative, 2 ASBAK representatives. This committee should be increased by 1 representative of the PSFE who could be the Deputy Coordinator of the IPDP ad hoc committee. II.D.4. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. Key stakeholders include: the Cameroonian population at large that has shown an increasing interest in the conservation and management of forests; national institutions and NGOs; local governments; villages and communities in forest/woodland adjacent communities; and forest companies and traditional small scale saw-millers. The international community interested in global environmental and governance issues should also be included among the project stakeholders. 12 ISDS Consultations during the Project design The project design has been discussed publicly with a range of stakeholders since January 2001. Major events in the participatory process include: (a) two national fora organized in June 2000 and in December 2002, with field level staff, NGOs, the private sector and the national press; (b) Joint missions with MINEF, donor community, private sector and NGO representatives in Yaounde, as well as other parts of the Government such as Ministry of Finance, Agriculture, Land Management and the Prime Minister's Office (October 2001, February 2002, June 2002, January 2003, June 2003); (c) Regular meeting with MINEF and local representatives of the donor community (d) workshops specifically dedicated to local NGO's and external MINEF staff; and (e) field missions to the provinces including ten regional workshops. Such participatory process will intensify as the project preparation moves forward ; and at least two additional national seminars are planned. The project team design has ensured consultations with local representatives of Administrations, civil society, private sector, NGOs in each of the 10 provinces of the country. Project preparation identified the typology and the special needs and opportunities of collaboration with the different actors. Clear guidelines from the Governments were obtained regarding how to deal with the various stakeholder types identified through the stakeholder mapping. Moreover deeper and detailed socio-economic studies have been and will be undertaken by various actors including the private sector in the course of standard procedures to design and implement forest management plans. Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMF). Stakeholder consultation was a key tool in achieving the ESMF objectives. The ESMF team covered an intensive schedule of interviews with key stakeholders and informants, especially with representatives of MINEF at both in Yaoundé and at the provincial levels, of private sector, of communes and communities and NGOs. Field surveys were led in 6 different provinces by the ESMF team (Nord, Extrême-Nord, Littoral Sud-Ouest, Sud et Est) in June-July 2002. The purpose of these visits was to meet and consult with local representatives of the different Administrations (Forestry, Agriculture, Plan, Land management), as well as with representatives of communes and communities to verify the initial analysis of the Project's potential environmental and social impacts. Meeting agendas typically included an introduction of the ESMF team and of participants/consultees, a brief overview of the project, views and comments of the consultees, and specific questions from the ESMF team regarding the details of environmental and social sensitivities, people's interaction with the environment, and potential impacts of the project. A briefing meeting in Yaoundé to present and discuss preliminary findings of the fieldwork was held on July 2002. An additional work was conducted in July 2003 by an independent consultant to ensure the conformity of the ESMF with the WB safeguard policies and the national legal framework. The final report has been analyzed by the Interministerial Commission on Environment and made available for public consultation Disclosure: Hard copies of the ESMF report have been be disclosed in all the 10 provinces of the Cameroon and in the Infoshop in Washington, with summaries both in English and French, prior to appraisal (see disclosure requirements below). Indigenous People Development Plan (IPDP). The IPDP field surveys were carried out in two phases : (i) first phase on June-July 2002, (ii) second phase on August 2003. Both phases were based on participatory meetings and in close collaboration with all stakeholders (governmental agencies, donor organization, indigenous population as defined in OD 4.20, other rural populations, NGOs, etc.). 13 ISDS The findings and recommendations reported in the draft document were discussed in a participatory workshop (including representatives of the Pygmies and representatives of PSFE, MINAS and several NGOs) on August 2003. The main actors of this IPDP are the MINEF, the sub-department of marginalized population in MINAS, MINAT, MINEPAT, national and international NGOs working on indigenous peoples issues in Cameroon, the associations of the indigenous people and the Baka, Kola and Aka themselves. At the present level, all the participants agreed with the general findings and recommendations but none of the stakeholders seems able ­ even in their own perception - to implement an IPDP in accordance with the OD 4.20, without further training and the assistance on an international technical advisory body. It is documented that all stakeholders are willing to act in accordance with the documented best practice of interaction with indigenous people ­ the OD 4.20 ­, but that they are in dire need of training to increase their technical, financial and organizational competences to achieve a harmonic cooperation in the process of PSFE implementation. Disclosure: Hard copies of the IPDP report have been disclosed in all the 10 provinces of the Cameroon and in the Infoshop in Washington, both in English and in French, prior to appraisal (see disclosure requirements below). E. Safeguards Classification (select in SAP). Category is determined by the highest impact in any policy. Or on basis of cumulative impacts from multiple safeguards. Whenever an individual safeguard policy is triggered the provisions of that policy apply. [ ] S1. ­ Significant, cumulative and/or irreversible impacts; or significant technical and institutional risks in management of one or more safeguard areas [X] S2. ­ One or more safeguard policies are triggered, but effects are limited in their impact and are technically and institutionally manageable [ ] S3. ­ No safeguard issues [ ] SF. ­ Financial intermediary projects, social development funds, community driven development or similar projects which require a safeguard framework or programmatic approach to address safeguard issues. F. Disclosure Requirements Environmental Assessment/Analysis/Management Plan: Expected Actual Date of receipt by the Bank 1/22/2004 1/22/2004 Date of "in-country" disclosure 1/22/2004 1/22/2004 Date of submission to InfoShop 2/3/2004 4/20/2004 Date of distributing the Exec. Summary of the EA to the Executive 3/31/2004 Directors (For category A projects) Resettlement Action Plan/Framework: Expected Actual Date of receipt by the Bank Not Applicable Not Applicable Date of "in-country" disclosure Not Applicable Not Applicable Date of submission to InfoShop Not Applicable Not Applicable Indigenous Peoples Development Plan/Framework: Expected Actual Date of receipt by the Bank 1/22/2004 1/24/2004 Date of "in-country" disclosure 1/22/2004 1/22/2004 Date of submission to InfoShop 2/3/2004 5/7/2004 Pest Management Plan: Expected Actual 14 ISDS Date of receipt by the Bank Not Applicable Not Applicable Date of "in-country" disclosure Not Applicable Not Applicable Date of submission to InfoShop Not Applicable Not Applicable Dam Safety Management Plan: Expected Actual Date of receipt by the Bank Not Applicable Not Applicable Date of "in-country" disclosure Not Applicable Not Applicable Date of submission to InfoShop Not Applicable Not Applicable If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why. Signed and submitted by Name Date Task Team Leader: Giuseppe Topa 09/27/04 Project Safeguards Specialists 1: Robert A. Robelus/Person/World Bank Project Safeguards Specialists 2: Project Safeguards Specialists 3: Approved by: Name Date Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Thomas E. Walton 09/27/04 Comments Giuseppe, Please incorporate comments from the meeting Robert and I had with you this afternoon. Most of them are relatively minor. However, since the operation is designated a SECAL, you need to make some changes in the table showing safeguards policies triggered. Only 4.01 applies to SECALs; the others should be "un-checked" or indicated "no". We agree, though, that even though the other policies don't apply, there are aspects of the project for which they are relevant. Consequently, in the accompanying text, I would suggest words to the effect that "Only OP 4.01 is triggered by SECALs. However, because of the special nature of the project and the enhancements that consideration of the other safeguards policies would bring to it, the same analytical and management activities that they would call for is being carried out nevertheless." With that introduction, you can leave the rest of the text and its references to the policies intact. Thanks, Tom Sector Manager/Director Joseph Baah-Dwomoh 09/27/04 Comments The above comments from Regional Safeguards Coordinator have been incorporated into the present version.