World Bank Project Appraisal Document - GAFSP

water losses; improved irrigation distribution; reduced seepage losses from the main canals and
reduced over-supply of irrigation water. Further, longer-term benefits include: a lower water table,
lower risk of salinization, and less stagnant water in the villages with fewer consequent health
problems.
61. Triggered WB OPs. The project will trigger OP 4.01 as it involves activities with some
environmental and social impacts. As the project area includes an irrigation and drainage network that
draws water from tributary of the Amu Darya River and then discharges water back into the river and
thence to the Aral Sea, it also triggers World Bank OP 7.50 on International Waterways. The proposed
investments for the public works component are not expected to change the volume of
extraction/discharge water or quality of water of the relevant rivers, but rather will lead to more
efficient irrigation and drainage. As an exemption was obtained for notification requirement under OP
7.50 on International Waterways in the original project, an equivalent exemption has been obtained for
the repeater project on the ground that it has the same design and so a similar impact on international
waterways.
62. OP 4.09 on Pest Management is not triggered as the project does not require the purchase
and/or use of pesticides, and based on previous experience in the region, the improved irrigation
infrastructure will not lead to changes in the crops production which would require usage of more
pesticides. The main crop will remain cotton with a limited application of pesticides due to their high
costs. However, the project in view of longer term considerations and changes in demand and supply
trends will allocate resources within its public outreach campaign to carry out information
dissemination activities in support to Integrated Pest Management in the project area. The project will
not trigger OPs on Forests, Physical and Cultural Resources, or Natural Habitats as all activities will
be implemented within the existing irrigation areas. Experience from the original project also shows
that there will be no need to cut fruit trees belonging to private farmers.
63. Project environmental category and measures to address potential environmental and social
impacts. The project qualifies as Category B.
64. A Generic Environmental Management Plan (GEMP) was prepared and used for the original
project as the on-farm irrigation and drainage rehabilitation activities were similar in all selected
districts. This GEMP was updated and will be used for the repeater project. Based on this updated
GEMP the Recipient will prepare site-specific Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) for each
selected irrigation scheme, as well as for pumping stations and Kulyab city flood channel
rehabilitation, which will be publicly disclosed and consulted in participating districts. These EMPs
will be used during the project implementation.
65. Bank supervision missions in May and November, 2011 showed that the implementation of
environmental safeguards for the original project was satisfactory. As required, the PMU and its
regional branch conducted regular site inspections prior to and during rehabilitation activities to ensure
compliance with contract conditions and the EMPs. The PMU included environmental clauses in the
contracts for contractors, which were monitored for compliance during the civil works. The original
project also hired a specialized NGO to provide environmental training and disseminate information.
The regional branch conducted regular site visits to verify that appropriate environmental preventive
actions and/or mitigation measures were implemented.
15