The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) REPORT NO.: RES43661 RESTRUCTURING PAPER ON A PROPOSED PROJECT RESTRUCTURING OF AFCRI-SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT IN SADC MEMBER STATES APPROVED ON APRIL 24, 2014 TO SADC SECRETARIAT WATER AFRICA EASTERN AND SOUTHERN Regional Vice President: Hafez M. H. Ghanem Country Director: Deborah L. Wetzel Regional Director: Mark R. Lundell Practice Manager/Manager: Maria Angelica Sotomayor Araujo Task Team Leader: Anna Cestari The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AMCOW: African Ministers' Council on Water IGRAC: International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre IHP: Intergovernmental Hydrological Program IWMI: International Water Management Institute SADC: Southern Africa Development Community SADC- GMI: Southern Africa Development Community Groundwater Management Institute The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) BASIC DATA Product Information Project ID Financing Instrument P127086 Investment Project Financing Original EA Category Current EA Category Partial Assessment (B) Partial Assessment (B) Approval Date Current Closing Date 24-Apr-2014 31-Dec-2020 Organizations Borrower Responsible Agency SADC Secretariat University of the Free State,University of the Free State Project Development Objective (PDO) Original PDO To support sustainable management of groundwater at national and transboundary levels across SADC Member States. OPS_TABLE_PDO_CURRENTPDO Summary Status of Financing (US$, Millions) Net Ln/Cr/Tf Approval Signing Effectiveness Closing Commitment Disbursed Undisbursed TF-16748 24-Apr-2014 15-Jan-2015 30-Jun-2015 31-Dec-2020 2.00 1.78 .22 TF-16970 24-Apr-2014 15-Jan-2015 30-Jun-2015 31-Dec-2020 8.20 8.20 0 Policy Waiver(s) Does this restructuring trigger the need for any policy waiver(s)? No The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) I. PROJECT STATUS AND RATIONALE FOR RESTRUCTURING 1. This Restructuring Paper requests an extension of the closing date of the project from December 31, 2020 until June 30, 2021, to address delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns and restrictions. This extension will allow the successful completion of all pending project activities and ensure their sustainability thereafter. A letter requesting the extension was sent by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat to the World Bank on September 15, 2020. 2. The PDO is attainable within the extended implementation period. The proposed 6-months extension represents a cumulative extension of the closing date of 24 months hence requiring RVP level approval. 3. Based on the discussions and findings of the mission with the Southern Africa Development Community Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) and the SADC Secretariat completed on October 20, 2020, no other changes are required. The activities to be implemented during the extension period do not require reallocations among disbursement categories. Project Background 4. The Development Objective of the Project is to support the sustainable management of groundwater at national and transboundary levels across the SADC Member States. 5. The project consists of four components: A: Operationalization of the SADC-GMI; B: Strengthening institutional frameworks for sustainable groundwater management; C: Advancing knowledge & information-sharing on transboundary and national groundwater; D: Promoting groundwater infrastructure development; 6. Approved on April 24, 2014, the project became effective on June 30, 2015. In the early stages, implementation suffered delays because the establishment of the SADC-GMI took longer than envisaged. This delay was due to the complexity of a) setting up the institute as a subsidiary of the SADC and b) a hosting agreement with the University of the Free State in South Africa. Once these administrative hurdles were overcome, the implementation started to pick up pace with a strong performance of the SADC-GMI’s management. Yet, the time lost at the beginning of the project could not be fully recovered and an extension of the closing date of 18 months from June 30, 2019 to December 30, 2020 was agreed upon in February 2019. Project implementation has progressed well with Component A and B rated satisfactory and component C and D moderately satisfactory. These ratings reflect the latter two components’ complex implementation which entails extensive engagement with the 16 SADC Member States and works on the ground. These two components have been particularly impacted by COVID- 19 restrictions. Project Status The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) 7. The project is performing well, and it is on track to achieve its objectives. As documented in the latest ISR approved on November 7, 2020, several of the indicators have achieved or exceeded their targets. Some intermediate results indicators, mostly pertaining to training and studies under component C and the number of block grants under component D, are yet to be achieved and are expected to be substantially achieved with the extension. Disbursement at the end of August 2020 was at 98 percent (with USD 1,540,542 committed but unspent). All contracts have been signed, execution is underway, and no new activities are being contemplated. • In the few years since its creation, the SADC-GMI has managed to become a well-recognized center of excellence in the field of groundwater management and knowledge, leading capacity building and knowledge initiatives in the region and becoming the prime repository for groundwater-related information in the SADC region. • In this capacity, SADC-GMI has established formal cooperation with 5 Transboundary River Basin Organizations (RBO) in SADC to share and promote the role of groundwater in basin management and generated shared knowledge in SADC through studies undertaken in three transboundary basins. Among the many capacity-building efforts at the national and transboundary level, it has enhanced groundwater capacity and advocacy in the region through its Young Professionals Internship Program, whereby 65 professionals have been trained and it established National Focal Groups within the administrations of five SADC Member States. • SADC-GMI has also developed active partnerships with government agencies and groundwater knowledge institutions in the region and beyond [including International Water Management Institute (IWMI), UNESCO- Intergovernmental Hydrological Program (IHP), International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), USAID, African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW)] by implementing joint studies and activities. It has improved regional data and information sharing by establishing the SADC Groundwater Information Portal and the online SADC Groundwater Literature Archive, with about 180,000 visitors to date. SADC-GMI also initiated 12 innovative Sub-Grant projects in ten SADC Member States, building reliable and clean groundwater infrastructure and ensuring its local management by promoting sustainable groundwater management practices and strengthening groundwater monitoring & data management. 8. The next phase of the project, to be financed by the Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) Trust Fund, is being prepared and it is planned for approval by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors on June 16, 2021. The new project proposes to scale up and deepen actions and engagements where the SADC-GMI has been successful in mobilizing countries around cooperative action and sustainable management of groundwater, which is critical to building resilience, including food security, in an uncertain climate future. II. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED CHANGES 9. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, the implementation pace has slowed down significantly, especially under Component D which finances the ongoing sub-grant infrastructure pilot projects that require construction works and associated field activities in ten SADC Member States. SADC-GMI has taken early actions. It has developed and has been implementing a Covid-19 mitigation plan since the early stages of the Pandemic in March 2020, yet while workshops and training could be conducted virtually, works on the ground were repeatedly interrupted. During the latest implementation support mission (October 2020) the team has assessed that it will not be possible to complete all activities by the current closing date of The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) December 31, 2020. According to the revised implementation schedule an extension of the closing date by six (6) months until June 30, 2021, is required to complete all pending project activities successfully and ensure their sustainability thereafter. 10. Additionally, the proposed extension would facilitate a smooth transition between this phase and the next phase of engagement with SADC and SADC-GMI, with the clear advantage of maintaining adequate SADC-GMI staffing and full operational capacity. 11. The end target date for project indicators will also be updated to coincide with the revised closing date. III. SUMMARY OF CHANGES Changed Not Changed Results Framework ✔ Loan Closing Date(s) ✔ Implementing Agency ✔ DDO Status ✔ Project's Development Objectives ✔ PBCs ✔ Components and Cost ✔ Cancellations Proposed ✔ Reallocation between Disbursement Categories ✔ Disbursements Arrangements ✔ Disbursement Estimates ✔ Overall Risk Rating ✔ Safeguard Policies Triggered ✔ EA category ✔ Legal Covenants ✔ Institutional Arrangements ✔ Financial Management ✔ Procurement ✔ Implementation Schedule ✔ Other Change(s) ✔ The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) Economic and Financial Analysis ✔ Technical Analysis ✔ Social Analysis ✔ Environmental Analysis ✔ IV. DETAILED CHANGE(S) OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_LOANCLOSING_TABLE LOAN CLOSING DATE(S) Original Revised Proposed Proposed Deadline Ln/Cr/Tf Status Closing Closing(s) Closing for Withdrawal Applications TF-16748 Effective 30-Jun-2019 31-Dec-2020 30-Jun-2021 30-Oct-2021 TF-16970 Effective 30-Jun-2019 31-Dec-2020 30-Jun-2021 30-Oct-2021 . The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) . Results framework COUNTRY: Eastern Africa AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States Project Development Objectives(s) To support sustainable management of groundwater at national and transboundary levels across SADC Member States. Project Development Objective Indicators by Objectives/ Outcomes RESULT_FRAME_TBL_PDO Indicator Name PBC Baseline End Target Development of the SADC Groundwater Management Institute to a recognized center of excellence Development of the SADC Groundwater Management Institute n/a GMI established with 80% satisfaction to a recognised center of excellence (Text) Transboundary institutions strengthened to improve regional cooperation Transboundary institutions strengthened to improve regional Operating with full staff, work-prgrm & long-term Financial Establ. cooperation (Text) Mgmt Plan impl. Enhanced capacity for sustainable transboundary groundwater management Enhanced capacity for sustainable transboundary groundwater management in the Ministries responsible for groundwater in n/a 70% of capacity demand met SADC MemberStates (Text) Promoting infrastructure solutions for the development of groundwater resources Direct project beneficiaries (Number) 0.00 5,000.00 Female beneficiaries (Percentage) 0.00 40.00 PDO Table SPACE The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) Intermediate Results Indicators by Components RESULT_FRAME_TBL_IO Indicator Name PBC Baseline End Target D: Promoting groundwater infrastructure development Running of a fully integrated data management system: stores, connects, collects & makes available information from No Yes groundwater initiatives and data sources (Yes/No) # of documents produced on financing of construction and 0.00 5.00 maintenance of groundwater infrastructures (Number) Sub Grant Manual Implemented (Text) None Updated & implemented Improved strategic analyses conducted and knowledge products developed to illustrate the evidence base for cooperation needs 0.00 4.00 and challenges (Number) C: Advancing knowledge & information-sharing on transboundary and national groundwater Number of joint activities conducted with international 0.00 25.00 groundwater organisations (Number) # of people received training dedicated to groundwater data 0.00 120.00 collection, management & sharing (Number) # of people directly benefitting from demonstration/pilot 0.00 200.00 groundwater infrastructures (Number) # of research studies completed on groundwater management 0.00 7.00 challenges selected by SADC Member States (Number) # of people receiving training in infrastructure solutions in 0.00 180.00 priority areas of Member States (Number) # of visitors to SADC GMI website (Number) 0.00 20,000.00 % of participants satisfied with seminars and workshops conducted on knowledge transfer with ‘excellent’ outcome 0.00 80.00 (Percentage) The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) RESULT_FRAME_TBL_IO Indicator Name PBC Baseline End Target % of trained groundwater practioners who deemed training and 0.00 80.00 manuals satisfactory (Percentage) Advanced scientific knowledge enabling sustainable transboundary groundwater management among SADC Member 0.00 4.00 States (Number) Percentage of times on-demand technical assistance requests 0.00 80.00 from SADC Member States met (Percentage) B: Strengthening institutional frameworks for sustainable groundwater management # of guideline notes on policy and legislation for transboundary 1.00 10.00 and national aquifers developed and disseminated (Number) MoU Signed between SADC Secretariat and the University of the No MoU MoU signed Free State (Text) # of trainings dedicated to providing guidance to stakeholders on identifying solutions for strengthening legal, policy, and 0.00 10.00 regulatory tools (Number) # of manuals produced which provide operational support for groundwater infrastructure development (including 0.00 4.00 management of environmental and social impacts) (Number) # of people learning applied skills from demonstration/pilot 0.00 60.00 groundwater infrastructures (Number) A: Operationalisation of the SADC Groundwater Management Institute # of Interns/ Seconded with the regional internship programme 0.00 45.00 at SADC-GMI (Number) SADC-GMI obtains Subsidiarity Status of SADC (Text) Not obtained Subs status granted # of sub-grant pilot activities at SADC Member States level 0.00 15.00 completed with satisfactory outcome (Number) The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086) RESULT_FRAME_TBL_IO Indicator Name PBC Baseline End Target Strengthened transboundary institutions with improved analytic tools, knowledge products, data, forecasting, and/or capacity for 0.00 5.00 improved water and climate risk management (Number) Financial resources sought and secured for long-term None grant/ revenues secured sustainability &/or expansion of operations (Text) IO Table SPACE The World Bank AFCRI-Sustainable Groundwater Management in SADC Member States (P127086)