INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: ISDSC617 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 05-Mar-2012 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Middle East and North Africa Project ID: P130343 Project Name: MENA- Desert Ecosystems and Livelihoods Knowledge Sharing and Coordination Project (P130343) Task Team Leader: Kulsum Ahmed Estimated Appraisal Date: 00-undefined-0000 Estimated Board Date: 02-Oct-2012 Managing Unit: MNSSD Lending Instrument: Technical Assistance Loan Focal Area: Multi-focal area Sector: General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector (30%), General water, sanitation and flood protection sector (30%), Other industry (30%), Other Renewable Energy (10%) Theme: Biodiversity (20%), Other rural development (20%), Other environment and natural resources management (20%), Water resource manageme nt (20%), Climate change (20%) Financing (In USD Million) Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 Global Environment Facility (GEF) 1.00 Total 1.00 Environmental Category: C - Not Required Is this a Repeater project? No B. Global Environmental Objective(s) The proposed project objective is to build and strengthen networks among selected organizations in participating countries to increase dialogue and understanding of the sustainable use of desert ecosystems. Public Disclosure Copy C. Project Description The proposed project is designed as a first step towards strengthening long-term capacity in the region in terms of raising awareness and generating knowledge on the importance of harnessing desert ecosystems to enhance livelihoods. Given that governments are in place for shorter time frames compare to institutes and centers of excellence, efforts to support these relevant entities in the four participating countries are important, as this provides an opportunity to create local capacity for policy analysis and influence over the longer time frame. This focus on institutes is also complementary to the focus on national agencies in each of the national projects, and will allow for a more objective dialog of lessons learned based on field level experiences. The project is also an opportunity to link relevant national organizations across the four participating countries to begin to build a network for the entire region. This proposed regional project also aims to build the capacity of one institute to take a leadership role on program level information flow (including M&E), so that replication potential of good practices is enhanced. Given the proposed project objectives and level of funding, it is essential that the project is designed in such a way that the relatively small grant is used efficiently and effectively to contribute to the achievement of project objectives. Hence, project design aims to adhere to the following key principles: (i) Activities to be financed should be beneficial to at least two or more participating countries. (ii) A mechanism needs to be developed and put in place so that all four participating countries can agree with activities financed under the regional project. (iii) Implementation arrangements should be simple (i.e. one implementing agency), so that the project can be prepared quickly and funds can flow easily. (iv) No funds are to be pre-allocated by country or by component nor should funds be transferred to specific countries (all funds should flow through one implementing agency). (v) Program monitoring capacity needs to be created, with a formal mechanism for countries to share national level indicators and results to be aggregated at the program-level (to fulfill reporting requirements under the GEF program). The proposed project would consist of the following three components. 1. Establishing and Strengthening Networks for Knowledge Exchange on Policies pertaining to Desert Development. Approximate cost: US$ 800,000. The aim of this component would be to establish and strengthen existing networks between key institutions to encourage sharing of information and to help build a community of practice that can help in particular to provide guidance to policy-makers on matters related to the sustainable development of desert ecosystems. This suggests the sharing of existing practices, lessons and practical solutions to answer questions such as: How can environmental policies and regulations be better designed to allow for the sustainable use of natural resources in order to generate employment and improved livelihoods while preventing the degradation of the resource? How can policies and related regulations be designed to encourage better water management? What policy levers are important to encourage ecotourism? What are different income generation options for desert communities that use desert goods and services optimally and what policies and actions are needed to make sure these are realized in a sustainable way? What is the existing experience in incorporating a focus on ecotourism in a country’s tourism strategy, and what elements are important to increase the market share of ecotourism? Proposals to be financed would be identified and submitted by institutions in the four participating countries for financing to the implementing Public Disclosure Copy agency. The following types of activities would be eligible for financing under this component: (i) Workshops or training sessions that bring together relevant stakeholders from MENA-DELP participating countries to share information about pilot MENA-DELP country projects, other relevant desert ecosystem and livelihood enhancement experiences (in participating or other countries), as well as emerging knowledge on related policy guidance. These workshops could have a sectoral focus or a cross-sectoral focus, with deserts as the key central theme. (ii) Study tours to share information about pilot MENA-DELP country projects or other similar projects (in participating and/or other countries). (iii) Moderated internet discussions through networks between sectoral experts to discuss key issues or emerging lessons and related policy implications on aspects related to the optimal use of desert goods and services in the context of a given productive sector. (iv) Studies linked to developing related policy guidance on integrating biodiversity management and SLWM dimensions into respective production sectors with a focus on desert ecosystems. An additional responsibility of the institute taking the lead with a particular activity under this component would be to prepare a short summary report of the activity and publish it for broader dissemination. 2. Program Level Monitoring. Approximate cost: US$ 100,000. The component would consist of the establishment of a programmatic level monitoring and evaluation system (based on aggregating national project level indicators and results). Grant agreements for the four national level projects will require that information on indicators is also shared with the agency taking the lead with this component. Under this component, progress reports on program level results would be produced, for Bank and GEF review, and subsequently for dissemination. 3. Project Management. Approximate cost: US$ 100,000. This component would finance the project management costs of the regional implementing agency (up to a maximum of US$50,000) and finance the travel and meeting-related costs of the project Steering Committee. D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The project is intended to engage the four participating countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco) under the MENA-DELP. E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies N/A F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Public Disclosure Copy II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 No Project activities will not result in any adverse environmental and social impacts. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 No Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 No Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 No Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International Waterways OP/BP No 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 No III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN 1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons. A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 19-Jul-2012 B. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS: N/A IV. APPROVALS Public Disclosure Copy Task Team Leader: Name: Kulsum Ahmed Approved By: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Name: Nina Bhatt (RSA) Date: 06-Mar-2012 Sector Manager: Name: Hoonae Kim (SM) Date: 06-Mar-2012 Public Disclosure Copy