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Consultant for Environmental and Social Management Framework

Consultant for Environmental and Social Management Framework(International) job with Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and livestock About Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and livestock

The overall project development objective (PDO) of the IAIDS project is to increase adoption of improved crop production technologies through expanding development of certified seeds and improving access to agricultural inputs of reliable quality.

The project will deliver a variety of interventions in the agricultural inputs sector. First, the project will increase production of certified seeds and develop local capacity for continued development of the seed industry. Second, it will develop accredited facilities and regulatory frameworks for safety and quality control of inputs. Third, the project will implement capacity building programs that will contribute to appropriate handling, storage and use of fertilizers and other agro-chemicals. Fourth, the project will design and operationalize a demand-led action plan to improve and develop market based input delivery systems for seeds, fertilizers, other agro-chemicals, and farm machinery and equipment. The main focus will be on wheat (the major staple crop) but industrial crops, vegetable crops and perennial horticulture crops will also be included in project activities. The project will also explore how innovative information and communication technology (ICT) applications may support these interventions , including use of mobile phone applications to verify quality of agro-chemicals.

The project will adopt a two-phased implementation approach. The first phase will be two years, followed by a three-year second phase that will be based on lessons learned and physical and institutional infrastructure developed in the first phase. A mid-term review of the Project will further inform the design of phase 2.

Component A: Improved Seed Production and Certification will focus on expanding multiplication of both breeder seed (BS) and foundation seed (FS) building on the existing institutional system , while developing local capacity for transitioning to national systems with minimal external support. In particular, the existing system of multiplying breeder seed to foundation seed is inefficient, realizing a multiplication ratio of 20 instead of the potential of 50. The main reasons for the low multiplication ratio are lack of proper equipment and other facilities, poor agronomic practices, and insufficient trained staff. The project will do a need assessment and finance the required equipment (for land preparation, planting, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest processing). More land may also have to be developed, but no land acquisitions are expected because the project will use (government-owned) land that is already reserved for this purpose. In addition, the project will do training needs assessment and deliver the required skills to key staff. Phase 1 will also invest in completing the institutional and regulatory framework for the seed industry, including improving the capacity for seed certification. Phase 2 will fully transition multiplication of breeder and foundation seeds to respectively the Agricultural Research Institute of Afghanistan (ARIA) and the Improved Seed Enterprise (ISE) national agricultural research institutes following their capacity building under the first phase. Phase 2 will also support the private sector to stimulate the establishment of new private seed enterprises (PSE) in more provinces to bring production of certified seed (CS) closer to farming communities.

Component B: Quarantine Networks and Quality Control for Agro-chemicals will support the completion and operationalization of the institutional and regulatory framework for quality and safety standards on fertilizers and other agro- chemicals, including an input certification system. A quality verification system supported by mobile phone applications will be explored to support checks by farmers and traders. Phase 1 will also construct and equip a quality control laboratory for agrochemicals and provide capacity building in the areas of laboratory testing of agrochemicals and safe handling and application of agrochemicals for traders, MAIL extension workers, and farmers. Phase 2 will support expansion of quality control laboratories for fertilizers and agro-chemicals to entry points for imports.

Component C: Improvement and Expansion of Inputs Delivery Systems will consist of an in-depth survey-based study to get a better handle on the functioning of agricultural input markets and demand-side issues such as farm budgets and willingness to pay. The survey will interview input users (farmers), input sellers (shopkeepers, traders and importers) and government field extension staff. The results of the study will be used to develop an action plan for investments required to improve input delivery to farmers and better tailor supply to demand. Phase 2 will focus on operationalizing the action plan. This may include strengthening and expanding Ag Depot and Farm Service Center programs; piloting creation of alternative forms of input delivery systems with farmer groups, CDCs etc; and education and extension programs to demonstrate selected input technology packages as well as farm machinery and equipment.

Component D: Project Implementation and Management The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL). The following main technical Directorates from the MAIL side will be involved in the preparation and implementation of the proposed project: (i) for Component A (Improved Seed Production and Certification): Improved Seeds Enterprise (ISE); (ii) for Component B (Quarantine Networks and Quality Control for Agro-chemicals): Plant Protection Directorate (PPD) and Quality Control Directorate (QCD); (iii) for Component C (Improve and Expand Input Delivery System): QCD and Private Sector Directorate (PSD); and (iv) for Component D: (Project Management, Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation): General Directorate for Programs (GDP). Moreover, the project will establish strong links with the Research Directorate and Extension Directorate.

Job Details • Position: Consultant for Environmental and Social Management Framework(International) • Vacancy No: Re-announcement- • Functional Area: Administrative • Duration: Short Term • Number of position: 1 • Salary: As per our standard salary scale • Date Announced: 26 December 2011 • Closing Date: 13 January 2012 • Location of Job: Kabul- Afghanistan

• Job Summary: The consultant will be an environmental and social safeguards specialist and work in close collaboration with the Project Team, participating directorates of MAIL, the Pest Management Plan consultant, as well as relevant experts hired by MAIL for managing similar environmental and social issues in other relevant Bank-assisted projects, e.g. the Horticulture and Livestock Project (HLP) and the On Farm Water Management Project (OFWP) to design and Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for the IAIDS project. The consultant will report to the National Project Director of the IAIDS Project.

The consultant should study all relevant documents, relevant World Bank Operational Policies, Afghanistan Environmental Law and Regulations, and ESMF and PMP documents for the HLP and OFWMP. The consultant should also study the currently available draft documents on pesticide management in the country, available implementation arrangements, obstacles and achievements in the adoption and application of environmental and social safeguard measures in Afghanistan and identify relevant gaps.

The consultant shall assess the local needs and propose relevant recommendations in the context of Afghanistan for the IAIDS projects that can overcome the identified ESMF implementation weaknesses in other relevant projects in MAIL. The consultant shall also carry out a training needs assessment as part of the ESMF. • Duties & Responsibilities: The consultant will be an environmental and social safeguards specialist and work in close collaboration with the Project Team, participating directorates of MAIL, the Pest Management Plan consultant, as well as relevant experts hired by MAIL for managing similar environmental and social issues in other relevant Bank-assisted projects, e.g. the Horticulture and Livestock Project (HLP) and the On Farm Water Management Project (OFWP) to design and Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for the IAIDS project. The consultant will report to the National Project Director of the IAIDS Project.

The consultant should study all relevant documents, relevant World Bank Operational Policies, Afghanistan Environmental Law and Regulations, and ESMF and PMP documents for the HLP and OFWMP. The consultant should also study the currently available draft documents on pesticide management in the country, available implementation arrangements, obstacles and achievements in the adoption and application of environmental and social safeguard measures in Afghanistan and identify relevant gaps.

The consultant shall assess the local needs and propose relevant recommendations in the context of Afghanistan for the IAIDS projects that can overcome the identified ESMF implementation weaknesses in other relevant projects in MAIL. The consultant shall also carry out a training needs assessment as part of the ESMF.

Specific responsibilities

The environmental and social safeguards specialist will specifically be responsible for the following:

A. Assessment of past ESMF implementation in Bank-assisted projects • Collect and review all relevant documents, e.g., Afghanistan Agriculture Development Master Plan, Afghanistan Water Law, Environment Law and relevant regulations, Natural Resources and Forest Law, Land Acquisition Law, Law on managing land affairs, other relevant regulations, and relevant project documents of the Bank-assisted Horticulture and Livestock Project (HLP), On Farm Water Management Project (OFWMP), Emergency Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (EIRP) and other relevant projects (National Solidarity Program etc).

• Collect and review relevant World Bank Operation Policies, especially OP 4.01, OP 4.12 and OP 4.09 as well as other relevant Bank Procedures.

• Review the social and environmental safeguards implementation in HLP, OFWMP, EIRP and other relevant projects (NSP etc) and its compliance with WB operational safeguards policies and relevant national laws and regulations - this will be done through review of project documentation and selected field visits to relevant project sites and interview/discussion with stakeholders.

• Review whether Land Acquisition has taken place in any of the subprojects of HLP, OFWMP, EIRP and other similar projects - and whether ESMF guidelines and procedures were followed including documentation of the process. If ESMF guidelines were not followed, identify the reasons.

• Review experiences of environmental and social safeguards implementation and monitoring from subprojects of HLP, OFWMP, EIRP, NSP etc.

• Meet with key relevant staff of the above-mentioned projects to discuss ESMF compliance and actions taken, including problems encountered so far.

• Meet with relevant staff of the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) and get informed about NEPA’s rules, regulations and requirements.

• Review ESMF compliance for a carefully selected group of subprojects, representative of the overall set of OFWMP and HLP subprojects with respect to subproject size, type and location, and any other relevant criteria.

• Study the Pest Management Plan (PMP) of HLP and the survey results about pesticide use and availability in the market undertaken by HLP.

B. Assessment of safeguards requirements for the IAIDS project • Identify stakeholder groups that may be affected by the activities of the IAIDS project and identify their specific social and environmental issues - and undertake consultations with these stakeholders. • Investigate macro/regional level social and environmental issues that would need to be considered in the analysis of alternatives, planning and design of the subprojects. Develop a plan to address the identified macro/regional social and environmental issues. • Assess the scope of the government plans and strategies for the seed multiplication program, regulations for applying chemicals - and assess the probable impacts of these government plans and strategies on subsistence farmers, their sustainability and their possible impacts on the local environment. Identify appropriate institutional arrangements for their mitigation. • Propose adequate and functioning grievance procedures and mechanism for addressing of social disputes cause by IAIDS project activities. • Identify constraints, if any, regarding the adequacy of existing social considerations during preparation, design and execution stages of the project. C. Develop the ESMF for the IAIDS project, including procedural guidelines/tools and methods for implementation and documentation

The ESMF will allow the early identification of potential adverse social and environmental impacts and provide broad guidance for their effective mitigation. Consistent with existing national legislation, the objective of the ESMF is to help ensure that activities under the project will: • Protect human health; • Prevent or compensate for all negative impacts of the project (both social and environmental); • Prevent environmental degradation as a result of either individual subprojects or their cumulative effects; • Enhance positive environmental and social outcomes; • Ensure compliance with World Bank safeguard policies as well as the Afghanistan Environmental Law. Since the IAIDS project will support multiple subprojects, the detailed designs of which may not be known at this stage, the ESMF shall ensure due diligence in managing potential environmental and social risks and the effective application of the World Bank’s safeguard policies. To achieve this, the ESMF will provide guidance on the approach to be taken during implementation for the selection and design of subprojects, and the planning and description of feasible and appropriate mitigation and environmental enhancement measures. Thus, the ESMF shall describe how the potential environmental and social impacts of all subprojects will be managed during preparation, implementation, and in the post-implementation periods. The ESMF consultant will: • Assess the draft proposal for IAIDS Project in terms of safeguards requirements according to national legislation (Environmental Law 2007) and other relevant regulations, WB operational policies and prepare the Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) accordingly in view of the assessment under (b) above. • Identify criteria for triggers that would activate national policies on environmental and social safeguard issues as well as relevant World Bank operational policies such as OP 4.12 on Involuntary Resettlement, OP 4.9 on Pest Management and OP 4.01 on Environmental Assessments. The ESMF will include guidelines for developing the environmental and social management plan (ESMP) to be followed in case these are triggered. • Formulate an appropriate safeguards approach based on the findings of past safeguards implementation in HLP, EIRP, OFWMP and other relevant Bank-assisted projects. • Include screening procedures for environmental and social safeguard issues at the subproject level, including exclusion criteria, and appropriate confirmation of de-mining of project areas. • Incorporate effective monitoring, inspection and environmental auditing and reporting measures to be followed by the grant recipient. • Propose procedures for a sample social and environmental impact assessment (SEIA) of subprojects. The procedures will include a format for a simple checklist of social and environmental criteria to be taken into account in the evaluation of micro-projects and a process to discuss social and environmental issues with the communities and other stakeholders throughout the process of subproject formulation and implementation. The procedures should be designed to ensure that the SEIA process is seen as assisting the design of subprojects and not as an obstacle to project implementation. • Develop guidelines to ensure that the operation and implementation plans prepared by implementing agency and local governments for project-related investments take into account social and environmental considerations and mitigation measures identified during subproject evaluation. • Recommend any regulations which may be required for efficient safeguards implementation and compliance for future projects. • Lay out the principles for mitigation of safeguards. • Provide a stakeholders consultation strategy. • Provide a generic Grievance Redressal mechanism. • Ensure disclosure of safeguards information. D. Assessment of capacity constraints and development of a capacity building plan and draft supervision/monitoring and reporting strategy A capacity building plan should be prepared to mainstream social and environmental management in the activities by the end of the IAIDS project implementation period. Earmarking staff for environmental and social management and improving their skill-sets would be simultaneously pursued during project preparation and implementation. The following three investigations will be covered in the capacity building plan: • Identify institutional, training and monitoring requirements associated with the social and environmental impacts, mitigation measures and enhancements. • Assess the capacity and efficiency of MAIL as the government implementing agency and other contracted agencies in monitoring, supervising and implementing the ESMF of the IAIDS project. • Identify the staff and capacity building requirements for efficient implementation and monitoring of ESMF under IAIDS project. • Draft a plan for capacity building of MAIL staff in order to improve their understanding of the concept and process of environmental and social safeguards. Include a plan for building adequate social and environmental management capacity in the implementing agencies (clients), their Implementing Partner agency and the contracting firms.

In addition, a strengthened Monitoring, Reporting and Supervision Strategy will be formulated for implementation of ESMF with specific recommendations for PIU and MAIL. Any relevant changes to guidelines, standards and regulations which would improve medium and long term environmental and social management in MAIL should be included.

Outputs The main output will be a final report which would consist of the four parts detailed below along with an estimated budget for the capacity building and supervision/monitoring of the ESMF: A. Assessment of past ESMF implementation in MAIL projects and comparison with experiences from related projects and draw lessons learned. B. Assessment of potential social and environmental impacts of the IAIDS project and consequent safeguards requirements. C. Draft ESMF including procedural guidelines/tools and methods for developing mitigation measures along with implementation mechanism. D. Assessment of capacity constraints in MAIL and agencies vis-à-vis implementation of ESMF; draft plan for capacity building; proposal for supervision/monitoring and reporting of environment and social safeguard issues in the IAIDS project and MAIL. E. The completed ESMF report including all parts mentioned above with procedural guidelines/tools and methods for implementation with attached forms. Reporting

The Consultant is expected to provide the following outputs, as per the schedule given below:

Product Due date (1) Inception Report including outline of the approach, methodology and work plan 10 days after arrival (2) Draft ESMF implementation report for the IAIDS project 30 days after the arrival of the team (3) Presentation of report to the client and stakeholders 35 days after arrival (4) Final comprehensive report incorporating feedback 40 days after arrival

Desired Candidate's Profile • Experience: 10+ years • Nationality: Any • Gender: Any • Qualifications: The consultant should have expertise and experience in both environmental and social management issues. Specifically the following qualifications are required:

• At least MSc degree in environmental sciences and/or social studies. • At least 10 years of experience in project management, design and implementation of environment and social related projects and programs in developing countries. • Experience in post-conflict situations. • Experience with World Bank rules and procedures. • Good communication skills and fluency in English (written and spoken) - essential. • Expertise with proven record of successful performance in similar consultancies in the near past. • Experience in design and implementation of institutional reform, public administration capacity building related projects.

Submission Guideline • HR Department Contracted Staff Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Our Address is: Kabul University Road, Kabul, Afghanistan

Note: *No resume will be taken under consideration without having a cover letter. *Only selected candidates will be called for interviews. vacancies@mail.gov.af Please specify the job title and vacancy number in your cover letter.

Keywords

How to apply:

• HR Department Contracted Staff Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Our Address is: Kabul University Road, Kabul, Afghanistan

Note: *No resume will be taken under consideration without having a cover letter. *Only selected candidates will be called for interviews. vacancies@mail.gov.af Please specify the job title and vacancy number in your cover letter.