Promotion of climate-resilient lifestyles among rural families in Gutu (Masvingo Province), Mutasa (Manicaland Province) and Shamva (Mashonaland Central Province) Districts

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Zimbabwe Sahara and Sahel Observatory

26 November 2019 Promotion of climate-resilient lifestyles among rural families in Gutu Project/Programme title: (Masvingo Province), Mutasa (Manicaland Province) and Shamva (Mashonaland Central Province) Districts Country(ies): Zimbabwe National Designated Climate Change Management Department, Ministry of Authority(ies) (NDA): Environment, Water and Climate Development Aid from People to People in Zimbabwe (DAPP Executing Entities: Zimbabwe) Accredited Entity(ies) (AE): Sahara and Sahel Observatory Date of first submission/ 7/19/2019 V.1 version number: Date of current submission/ 11/26/2019 V.2 version number A. Project / Programme Information (max. 1 page)

☒ Project ☒ Public sector A.2. Public or A.1. Project or programme A.3 RFP Not applicable private sector ☐ Programme ☐ Private sector

Mitigation: Reduced emissions from: ☐ Energy access and power generation: 0% ☐ Low emission transport: 0% ☐ Buildings, cities and industries and appliances: 0% A.4. Indicate the result ☒ Forestry and land use: 25% areas for the project/programme Adaptation: Increased resilience of: ☒ Most vulnerable people and communities: 25% ☒ Health and well-being, and food and water security: 25% ☐ Infrastructure and built environment: 0% ☒ Ecosystem and ecosystem services: 25%

A.5.1. Estimated mitigation impact 399,223 tCO2eq (tCO2eq over project lifespan) A.5.2. Estimated adaptation impact 12,000 direct beneficiaries (number of direct beneficiaries) A.5. Impact potential A.5.3. Estimated adaptation impact 40,000 indirect beneficiaries (number of indirect beneficiaries) A.5.4. Estimated adaptation impact 0.28% of the country’s total population (% of total population)

A.6. Financing information

A.6.1. Indicative GCF funding requested (max Amount: 9,393,500 Currency: USD Financial Instrument: Grants 10M)

A.6.2. Indicative co- Amount: 356,500 Currency: USD Financial Instrument: Grants financing Institution: DAPP

A.6.3. Indicative total project cost (GCF + co- Amount: 9,750,000 Currency: USD finance) disbursement A.6. Estimated duration of period: 60 A.7.2. Estimated project/ 300 project/ programme: repayment period, if Programme lifespan applicable: A.8. Is funding from the A.9. Is the Environmental and ☒ Yes ☒ Yes Project Preparation Social Safeguards Category C or ☐ No No Facility needed? I-3? ☐ The project seeks to reduce the vulnerability of communities and A.10. Provide rationale for smallholders´ agricultural production to climate change. The project is the ESS categorization categorized as C given that all expected project activities are gender (100 words) inclusive, participatory and adapted to manage vulnerability and risk produced by changes in rainfall patterns and increasing intensity of Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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droughts. Adaptation activities are mainly related to the implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture practices as well as building of institutional and household adaptive capacities. A.11. Has the CN been ☒ Yes ☐ Confidential A.12. Confidentiality shared with the NDA? ☐ No ☒ Not confidential The project main objective is to improve the capacity of rural communities to adapt to climate change through promoting climate-smart agriculture practices, improving smallholder farmer's access to markets and improving A.13. Project/Programme stakeholders' capacities for participatory planning at district level. The rationale, objectives and approach combines enhancing institutional capacities for climate change approach of programme/project (max adaptation planning, scaling up climate-resilient agricultural production, 100 words) improving organization of farmers and facilitating access to markets, finance and insurance services. Project execution and coordination will be carried out by DAPP in partnership with MWEC, EMA and Agricultural Research Centre-ARC. B. Project / Programme details B.1. Context and Baseline (500 words) B1.1. Climate change vulnerabilities and impacts Zimbabwe has been experiencing a warming trend, evidenced by a 0.4ºC increase in annual mean temperatures, with most of the warming taking place over the last three decades [1]. The IPCC (2007) predicts a 3.1ºC temperature increase by 2100 together with a reduction in precipitation in Southern Africa of about 15%. According to the World Bank (2015), increase in temperature may result in evapotranspiration increases and runoff declines. The recent 1.5ºC IPCC Report (2018) projects that Zimbabwe will face precipitation deceases from 10 to 20%, with longer dry spells [2]. As such, Zimbabwe may become both hotter and drier, with huge implications for agricultural production.The most important agricultural risk in Zimbabwe is drought. It affects agricultural production and food security [3]. The country is divided into five agro-ecological regions based on a combination of factors including rainfall regime, temperature and the quantity and variability of average rainfall, as well as soil quality and vegetation. The suitability of cropping declines from Region I through to Region V [4]. The majority of the smallholder farmers are located in regions IV and V, where the risks of crop failure are extremely high and crop yields are generally low. Southern areas of Zimbabwe are projected to experience more significant climate change impacts than the rest of the country [5]. In addition, Zimbabwe is susceptible to an array of extreme weather events such as droughts, heatwaves, heavy rains, flash floods, strong winds and hailstorms. An example of this is the recent Cyclone Idai, which affected more than 270,000 people in Zimbabwe in March 2019 [6]. Agro-ecological Regions I and II are the most favourable for specialized and intensive farming, but comprise only 17% of the entire country. The rest of the country makes up natural Regions III, IV and V, where rainfall is erratic and inadequate, making rain-fed agriculture a risky venture. Gutu and Mwenezi districts were selected for this project since are particularly vulnerable to climate change [7]. Half of Gutu district land is under regions IV and V, while the whole Mwenezi district land falls into those vulnerable regions, with 90% of its area under region V [8]. Furthermore, drought proneness level is moderate in Gutu and severe in Mwenezi [9]. Farmers and their livelihoods are heavily dependent on rain fed agriculture and water resources. However, with increasing intensity of droughts and other hazards, this traditional coping strategy may no longer suffice in future without major interventions. In its effort to enhance water security for agricultural livelihoods, the government of Zimbabwe has been investing in smallholder irrigation schemes; however, the majority of rural population in communal areas remain with limited Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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access to irrigation. Unsustainable land use practices in the catchments and on farms degrade ecosystem services and exacerbate the impacts of climate change on water and crop productivity. Some examples of unsustainable practices are land clearing, deforestation, overgrazing, cultivation on steep slope, bush burning, among others. As a result, average dam storage capacity has been reduced [10]. Only 4.3% of cultivated land is irrigated at national level [11]. The prevalence of rain-fed agriculture and a lack of efficient water infrastructure, water scarcity significantly contributes to food insecurity and low household incomes. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) [12], Gutu and Mwenezi districts are projected to suffer severe food insecurity from October to December 2019. For this period, Gutu was classified in Crisis (ICP phase 3), while Mwenezi was classified in Emergency (ICP phase 4). While smallholders are also trying to move out of subsistence and commercialise their cropping activities, the lack of access to technical support, resilient agro- inputs, markets and finance is inhibiting these efforts. Accumulation of all these factors makes rural smallholder farmers, the poorest communities in Zimbabwe, extremely vulnerable to climate change.

B1.2 Alignment with national priorities, plans and programmes The present project is aligned with the Comprehensive Agriculture Policy Framework (2012-2032), Food and Nutrition Security Policy (FNSP) (2012) and the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio- Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET) (2013 - 2018) since it addressed the main challenges with the aim of ensuring food security and livelihoods of small farmers. Zimbabwe is implementing the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Project with support from UN Environment as a Delivery Partner. Between July 2016 and June 2018, the country benefited from GCF support to strengthen the capacity of the WC. Furthermore, a 3-year Readiness Project titled “Building capacity to advance the National Adaptation Planning process in Zimbabwe” was approved in 2018 with the aim of building capacities to advance the National Adaptation Planning process, including the integration of climate change adaptation priorities into national and sub-national development planning. The present project will be complementary to the GCF Readiness in the Gutu and Mwenezi districts. Relevant consultations with the NDA were held in September and October 2019 to identify synergies with the ongoing Readiness activities. Previous pilot experiences for developing District Adaptation Plans (DAPs) in Zimbabwe [13] show that DAPs have a little use due to lack of funding and limited political relevance. Indeed, DAPs are seen as a “parallel” instrument to the existing District Development Plans (DDPs) already in place. Therefore, the NDA has highlighted the transformational potential of mainstreaming climate change into the existing DDPs. Furthermore, additional efforts should be done to reach the farmers on the ground with the products and results of the NAP. There are currently strong links between a declining natural resource base and the weakening of local institutions that have been traditionally the pillars for protection of natural resources and vulnerable social groups within communities. Indigenous, traditional and scientific knowledge should be integrated into evidence-based planning frameworks in order to enhance decision making by communities, local authorities and higher-level policy makers. Flexible, localized and responsive adaptation measures will be necessary. In the context of the project, traditional knowledge will be collected and integrated as an input for mainstreaming climate change into development planning processes at local level (more details in section B.2).

B1.3. Main root causes and barriers (i) Financial resources, planning capacities, knowledge and for climate change adaptation are limited. Zimbabwe relies heavily on external financing because domestic financial resources for climate Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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change adaptation are limited. Rural District Councils, for example, do not have adequate funds to respond to extreme weather events and are unable to provide protective infrastructure or alternative settlements to those living in hazard-prone areas. Furthermore, Rural District Councils do not currently have sufficient climate information or vulnerability data to respond to the impacts of climate change. As a result, existing development tools, such as District Development Plans, do not benefit from mainstreaming climate change. Project Component 1 will address these barriers (more details in Section B.2). (ii) Lack of capacities for scaling-up climate-smart agriculture. In addition, there is a significant lack of technical capacity to turn Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) concepts into easy-to-understand knowledge resources that can be used by farmers. Gender disaggregated data on climate change, its impacts and adaptation strategies are still limited in Zimbabwe. Despite there is limited evidence, some studies show that climate change is negatively affecting smallholder farmers who are mainly women. These women also face barriers in terms of accessing financial services to support adaptation investments including climate-resilient inputs and technologies and value-addition. Project Component 2 and 3 will address these barriers (more details in Section B.2). (iii) Limited climate-smart agricultural production, post-harvest processing and integration in value chains Currently, limited production and limited post-harvest options also prevent the adaptation process. It would be essential to maximize production during favourable cropping seasons in order to fall back on such harvests during poor years. Investments in post-harvest processing and storage technologies are therefore also required. Lastly, access to inclusive financial services and locally developed insurance models is limited. Project Component 3 will address these barriers (more details in Section B.2). (iv) Limited inclusion of civil society, academia and private sector in climate change planning Overall, the Government departments and ministries play a central role in national climate change planning and there is limited inclusion of civil society organisations (CSOs), non-government organisations (NGOs), research institutions, private sector actors and vulnerable communities in decision-making. Public-private community partnerships relating to climate change considerations are currently insufficient. CSOs can help to close the gap between vulnerable communities, private sector and policymakers. Project Component 1 and 4 will address these barriers (more details in Section B.2).

[1] Mtisi, S., & Prowse, M. (Ed.) (2012). Baseline report on climate change and development in Zimbabwe. Government of Zimbabwe. [2] IPCC, 2018: Global Warming of 1.5°C.An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. [3] Word Bank, 2019. Zimbabwe: Agriculture Sector Disaster Risk Assessment. [4] Zimbabwe's National Climate Change Response Strategy. 2015. [5] CIAT; World Bank. 2017. Climate-Smart Agriculture in Zimbabwe. CSA Country Profiles for Africa Series. International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT); Washington, D.C. 24 p. [6] UNICEF 2019. Cyclone Idai: More than 1.5 million children urgently need assistance across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. UNICEF website, 27 March 2019. [7] Annex 2 includes a map indicating the location of the project and agro-ecological regions in Zimbabwe. [8] OCHA, 2007. Reliefweb Services. Zimbabwe: Agro-ecological Zones. [9] UNDP, 2016. Mapping of Selected Hazards Affecting Rural Livelihoods in Zimbabwe. Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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[10] FAO Aquastat, 2016. Zimbabwe Water Resources Country Profile. [11] FAO. 2016. AQUASTAT Country Profile - Zimbabwe. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Rome, Italy. [12] Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Acute Food Insecurity Analysis. August 2019. [13] GEF/EMA- Scaling up Adaptation in Zimbabwe, through Strengthening Integrated Planning Systems (2014-2018). B.2. Project / Programme description (1000 words) B2.1. Expected set of components and activities

The global objective of the proposed project is to strengthen the resilience to climate change of agricultural livelihoods of vulnerable communities, particularly women, in central and southern Zimbabwe. The specific objectives are (a) to strengthen institutional systems for climate-responsive planning; (b) to enhance the resilience of agricultural practices to climate change; (c) to improve the integration of farmers in resilient value chains. The project objectives will be achieved thought the implementation of four combined and interlinked components:

Component 1. Enhancing institutional CCA planning capacities This component includes activities related with enhancing the capacities of relevant stakeholders related with climate change adaptation at local level. The main outcome of Component 1 will be a strengthened institutional system for climate-responsive planning and development (Outcome 1.1.). To this aim, the available information on disaster risk and climate vulnerabilities at district level will be enhanced (Output 1.1.1.), through conducting a disaster risk and climate vulnerability assessment (DRCVA) (A1.1.) in the two targeted districts, Gutu and Mwenezi, including the dissemination of the DRCVA results (A1.2). The project will take advantage of the synergies between disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA). Multi-hazard risk assessments and vulnerability mapping, which are essential elements of DRR, identify the spatial distribution of climate- related hazards and geological hazards at different scales, and assess the exposure to and vulnerability of farming systems, and evaluate the overall level of risk. The combined analysis of multi- hazard risk assessment and mapping with downscaled climate change scenarios provides a harmonized framework for assessing all the potential hazards in specific geographic areas. This combined analysis facilitates short- and long-term CCA planning [3]. Therefore, a combined CCA and DRR approach will be adopted for conducting the DRCVA under activity A1.1. The information produced will be used for capacity building activities under Outputs 1.1.2 and 1.2.3 described below. Next, the knowledge and capacities of key stakeholders on climate change adaptation will be increased (Output 1.1.2), through a training for smallholder farmers on vulnerabilities, impacts and adaptation options (A1.3), which will be delivered to 6,000 famers in Gutu and 6,000 farmers in Mwenezi. Farmers will receive training on climate change vulnerabilities at local level, expected impacts under future scenarios and adaptation options, including disaster-risk reduction strategies. The information will be packaged in a format that communities understand, considering the use of local languages. This capacity building activities will be embedded into the day-to-day trainings delivered by Farming Instructors and the field staff of the Department of Agriculture and Extension Services (AGRITEX). In addition, EMA and Agricultural Research Council (ARC), based on the information produced by the assessment at district level, will deliver a training for Rural District Governments, Extension Departments, NGOs, private sector and academia on climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation options (A1.4). The training will include representatives from existing participative Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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structures that are formally part of the planning process, such as the Village Development Committees (VIDCO), Ward Development Committees (WADCO) and District Development Committees (DDC). The project will contribute to mainstream climate change into District Development Plans (Output 1.1.3) though a training on methodologies for mainstreaming climate change into DDPs (A1.5). The content of the training will be based on the Manual prepared under the ongoing GCF Readiness Project in order to ensure consistency with harmonized planning processes at national level. This activity will be delivered in consultation and with technical support from the MEWC. Furthermore, a workshop for participatory selection of locally appropriated adaptation options (A1.6) will be jointly delivered by the project team, EMA, ARC and MEWC, with participants from of Rural District Governments, Extension Departments, farmers, NGOs, private sector and academia. During the workshop, potential adaptation options (identified during the CC vulnerability assessment under activity A1.1.) will be discussed and validated. Main conclusions and recommendations will be gathered and systematized by the project as inputs for mainstreaming climate change into DDPs formulation and update processes.

Component 2. Promoting climate-resilient agricultural methods This component will support farmers to adopt adaptation options in order to enhance their resilience. The component is a combination of in-field training on climate-smart agriculture and promotion of locally adapted technologies, including climate-proof irrigation schemes. The first outcome of Component 2 will be an enhanced resilience of agricultural practices to climate change effects including drought (Outcome 2.1). This will be achieved through the promotion of CSA practices by small-scale farmers (Output 2.1.1), drought-resistant crops and agroforestry systems (Output 2.1.2). Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach to managing landscapes - cropland, livestock and forests -that address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change. In the context of the project, we use the FAO definition for Climate Smart Agriculture: an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate [3]. CSA aims to simultaneously achieve three outcomes: (i) Increased productivity, since produce more food to improve food and nutrition security and boost the incomes of 75 percent of the world's poor who live in rural areas and mainly rely on agriculture for their livelihoods: (ii) Enhanced resilience, since reduce vulnerability to drought, pests, disease and other shocks; and improve capacity to adapt and grow in the face of longer-term stresses like shortened seasons and erratic weather patterns; and (iii) Reduced emissions, since pursue lower emissions for each calorie or kilo of food produced, avoid deforestation from agriculture and identify ways to suck carbon out of the atmosphere. Conservation Agriculture is one example of CSA practice that has been widely piloted and demonstrated effectively in Africa. Years of trials on farmers' fields have shown that conservation agriculture produces higher and more stable yields compared to the traditional conventional ridge tillage system. From the second cropping season onwards, maize yields for example are 11-70% [1] higher with conservation agriculture, especially in years of low rainfall. For the promotion of CSA practices (Output 2.1.1), DAPP applies an approach for supporting farmers to organize themselves and strengthening their capacities known as Farmers´ Club. The approach delivers tangible, cost-effective benefits compared to other similar schemes, with cost ranging between USD 100 to USD 250 a year per farmer. This is because the Farmers' Clubs is framed within the established structure of local communities, cutting costs for personnel, training and communication. In the context of the project, 48 Farmers´ Club, 250 members each, will be established (A2.1). The distribution per districts will be 24 FCs in Gutu and 24 in Mwenezi, reaching 6,000 small-scale farmers in each district. In order to reach the expected 12,000 famers benefited by the project, 100 extension workers will be trained on CSA agriculture (A2.2). 48 demonstration plots will be used to teach new Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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techniques and showcase results, one per each Farmers´ Club (A2.3.). Demonstration plots are a central part of the training activities on CSA and are installed in communitarian land that has been made available by the community. Annex 4 includes pictures of CSA practices implemented under the FCs Project in Mutasa such as low-erosion irrigation techniques (Picture No. 2 and No. 4) and saving- water techniques such as organic mulching which reduces evapotranspiration (Picture No.10), among others. Tailor-made training on CSA, irrigation schemes and solar technology systems will be conducted within the two operational districts to benefit farmers participating in the Project (A2.2). The project will provide agricultural inputs and tools to participating farmers (A2.4) that will owned by Farmers´ Clubs and used at the demonstration plots. A team of farming instructor will deliver continuous on-farm technical assistance and coaching on CSA practices, ensuring weekly visits to farmers that enable a good understanding of farmers´ needs and timely support (A2.5). As an essential adaptation strategy for smallholder farmers, drought resistant crops and agroforestry systems will be promoted (Output 2.1.2). Most appropriated areas for such practices will be selected in close consultation with the communities (A2.6). Drought resistant seeds will be procured by the project and provided to farmers. For example, sorghum, millet and rapoko (finger millet) are drought resistant crops with potential of being sold through mealie meal, stock feeds and beer manufacturing value chains. (A2.7). Community-managed nurseries for tree seedlings production will be constructed (A2.8.), and high quality tree seedlings will be provided for starting-up tree production (A2.9). Furthermore, other activities will be done for promoting the adoption of agro-forestry practices such showcasing the advantages these systems at the demonstration plots (A2.10). Farmers will be encourage to adopt agroforestry practices including fruit trees such as oranges; and trees for firewood production and fencing such as gum tree. The expected result is to cover 1,200 hectares with agroforestry practices. The purpose of promoting agroforestry is to take advantage of the combination of trees, crops and livestock which mitigates environmental risks, helps create a permanent soil cover against erosion, minimizes damage from flooding and enhances water storage, while increases productivity. In the context of the project, agroforestry is relevant for climate change adaptation due to: (1) helps to reduce deforestation caused by firewood taken from natural forests; (2) reduces vulnerability of crops to climate change since trees provide shelter to crops; (3) reduces wind erosion; (4) improves soil and water quality; (3) diversifies farmer products and increases their income; and; (6) contributes to GHG sequestration in the soils, up to 1.4 ton CO2eq per hectare under agroforestry per year. The second outcome of Component 2 is an increased availability of water for productive use (Outcome 2.2.) through the rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure (Output 2.1.1) and promotion of Solar PV powered irrigation systems (Output 2.2.2.). The project will install climate-proof small-scale irrigation systems. We use the term small-scale irrigation to refer to small-sized schemes including technologies for lifting, conveying, storing and applying irrigation water, in combination with in-farm water harvesting systems. The present project will rehabilitate and improve the irrigation infrastructure of targeted smallholder farmers (Output 2.2.1). By the end of the project, it is expected that 1,200 hectares will be under improved irrigation. Baseline studies will identify existing boreholes in targeted wards, including functional boreholes, partially functional and non-functional ones. Based on this information, the project will procure the construction and rehabilitation of boreholes to a specialised company (A2.11).This activity will be done with the support of the community member, that will also be involved in the construction of locally appropriated rainwater-harvesting systems (A2.12) and low- erosion field channels (A2.13), with the technical support of Field Instructors and Extension Workers. In addition, the project will install solar photovoltaic (PV) irrigation systems servicing one-hectare demonstration plots in each of the 48 Farmers´ Clubs (Output 2.2.2.). Main components of the system are a solar pump unit (20,000 litres/day), PV modules array (including stand and frame), an elevated locally manufactured PVC tank (5,000 litres of capacity) as well as field piping lines and taps. When Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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some of the activities are done by the community (line excavations and mixing concrete), the total cost of the system in rural Zimbabwe is approximately USD 8,500 per hectare under irrigation. The project will procure the provision of irrigation equipment to a specialized company (A2.14), which will be in charge of its installation (A2.15) and delivering a training on O&M to the farmers (A2.16). An O&M manual will be produced using a language that it is understandable by farmers, both in English and in local language, as appropriated.The long-term sustainability of the irrigation systems is ensured by an O&M fund, which is a common feature in most irrigations in the country including in the target districts. Each irrigation scheme has an Irrigation Management Committee (IMC) that is selected among the farmers as per the irrigation constitution. The Committee is responsible for the administration of the fund, including its collection, upkeep and use, with support of government extension staff. Annex 4 includes pictures of a small-scale irrigation and water harvesting systems at farm level, which were installed in the context of the UNEP FC project in Mutasa (2017-2018). These systems include: (i) construction and rehabilitation of boreholes (Picture No.5 to 8); (ii) provision of manual pumps, both “bush pumps” (the standard hand pump in Zimbabwe, used for pumping water from boreholes) and “hip pumps” (lightweight and portable manual water pump for use in field) (Picture No. 3); and (iii) construction of low-erosion field canals (Picture No. 2).

Component 3. Increasing family income and health The first outcome of Component 3 will deliver an enhanced integration of farmers in resilient value chains (Outcome 3.1.). Effective integration of smallholder farmers in agricultural value chains is as a pre-requisite for building community resilience to climate change. Thus, Farmers´ resilience is the result of both implementing CSA practices, which will increase agricultural production, and the capacity of farmers to process and add value to their production. Higher-value products that are effective sold in local and national markets will increase farmers´ income, which is a core element for at household- level resilience. Therefore, the project will promote that 8 processing groups are established (Output 3.1.1), 4 in Gutu and 4 in Mwenezi districts. Firstly, farmers will be selected among the Farmers´ Club members (A3.1.), taking into account their suitability for post-harvest activities and their willingness to join processing groups. Then, farmers will receive training on agro-business, entrepreneurship marketing and sales (A3.2), including the operation of processing equipment. The training will also address how to use market information, identification of viable markets and administrative management of an enterprise (e.g., record keeping and financial management). Furthermore, farmers will trained to increase their understanding of contracts, mutual accountability between farmers and market players, and promoting mutually beneficial contractual agreements, with focus on contract farming. The project will also construct 4 processing centres, 2 in each of the targeted districts (A3.4.), including the procurement of and provision of materials and processing equipment (A3.3.). Processing groups will transform drought resistant crops promoted under the project. For example, sunflower will be transformed into cooking oil using a sunflower oil processing machine; groundnuts into peanut butter using a peanut butter processing machine; and drying of vegetables using vegetable dryers. This will facilitate value-addition to their production. Enhancing the capacities to process raw productions to produce high value products is essential for integrating small-scale farmers into value chains and increasing income. Processed agricultural products are easily stored, conserved, transported and finally sold. The project will promote that Farmers´ Clubs take advantage of economies of scale in order to increase productivity, reduce cost and facilitating access to markets. In this regards, the access of farmers to markets will be improved (Output 3.1.3.) through the promotion of cooperatives, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and contract farming schemes. In particular, the project will support the formation, strengthening and coaching of 8 cooperatives, 4 in each targeted district (A3.5). The project will promote PPPs, in particular approaches involving Rural District Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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Councils, locally based agricultural companies and cooperatives under the project (A3.6). Some potential private partners in Gutu and Mwenezi have been identified: (1) National Foods demands sorghum, millet, finger millet (rapoko) and maize for mialie meal and stock feeds production; (2) National Breweries and Ingwebu demand sorghum, millet, finger millet (rapoko) and maize for beer manufacturing; and 3 Schweppes Zimbabwe demands citrus fruits for juice (mazoe) and jam production. The project will link farmers with these companies or others that are operating under contract farming schemes (A3.7). Farmers will be supported for the negotiation, sign and follow-up of contracts (A3.8) to ensure that agreements are mutually beneficial in the long-tem. Farmers association will be engaged as well, in particular the Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) and Zimbabwe Farmers Unions (ZFU). Both have the mandate of promoting the marketing of small-scale farmers production, including the promotion of contract farming schemes. The second outcome of Component 3 is a reduced risk to agricultural losses due to dry spells and drought (Outcome 3.2), which will be achieved through improving the access of farmers to micro-insurance products (Output 3.2.4) and financial services (Output 3.2.2.). Regarding micro-insurance solutions for smallholder farmers, the project will establish links with GCF/WFP Project SAP007 : Integrated Climate Risk Management for Food Security and Livelihoods in Zimbabwe focusing on Masvingo and Rushinga Districts (A3.9), which is based on WFP's Rural Resilience Initiative (R4). The GCF/WFP/R4 project will develop micro-insurance products covering the risk of drought and day spells. Once services are piloted in some districts, micro insurance will be made available for any farmers in the country. The insurance covers the value of inputs and drought resistant crops during the rainy season (November- April), with a premium USD 15.00. The present project will sensitize and train farmers on micro- insurance products developed under the GCF/WFP/R4 project (A3.10). Old Mutual Ltd., the firm selected by WFP, will deliver insurance services. Payments of premiums and to farmers will be done with the mobile ICT tool EcoCash developed by the telecom company ECONET. Finally, the project will promote the enrolment of farmers under micro-insurance schemes (A3.11). To this aim, the project will replicate the approach of the GCF/WFP/R4 project: 100% of the premium will be covered by the project the first year, with a progressive co-payment from year 2 onwards that will grow from 25% to full payment done by the farmer. Regarding improved access to financial services, the project will promote community-based saving groups (A3.12). Based on a mapping of existing financial service providers with presence in targeted districts (A3.13), the project will establish links between Farmers´ Clubs and service providers (A3.14). For example, the Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe (AGRIBANK) is present in both Gutu and Mwenezi districts.

Component 4. Knowledge sharing and communication Component 4 will seek an enhanced knowledge and awareness on climate change (Outcome 4.1) thought sharing of lessons learnt (Output 4.1.1) and climate information dissemination (Output 4.1.1). Following a project´s communication plan (A4.1), the project will disseminate information on lessons learnt and project results through a dedicated website, project publications and specific events (A4.2). The main sources of information will be the disaster risk and climate vulnerability assessment (DRCVA) and the results of the participative workshop to identify locally appropriated adaptation options at district level. Based on this information, awareness raising materials will be produced and disseminated in schools, churches and community centres (A4.3). Regarding climate information, the project will establishing links with the GCF-WFP-R4 Project, which will further develop a module for disseminating climate information through the EcoFarmer bundle of services. The module allows sending SMS with key weather and cropping information to farmers, adapted to their specific conditions (A4.4). The project will use EcoFarmer to disseminate climate information in support of their Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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risk reduction strategies and cropping decision-making processes (A4.5.).

B2.2. Scaling up and potential for transformation DAPP has implemented projects for increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers in Gutu, Mutasa and Shamva Districts. Farmers' Clubs Zimbabwe started in 1996 in Bindura/Shamva as the model of agriculture meant to increase small-scale rural farmer production, incomes, and food and nutrition security. The model has since been replicated in other parts of Zimbabwe and has also spread to several Southern African countries with high success for increasing productivity, incomes, food and nutrition security of small-scale farmers. In 2016-2018, the project “Sustainable lifestyles among rural families in Zimbabwe: Small-scale conservation farming to change lifestyles in Africa and beyond”, funded by UNEP, benefited 2,000 rural farmers in Gutu and Mutasa districts. For further information, please refer to Annex 3, which includes the Final Evaluation Report of the mentioned project. Lessons learnt will be gathered, systematized and disseminated (participative workshop under activity A1.6 and dissemination under A4.3). This exercise will help to validate the applicability of the manual on mainstreaming climate change into local planning developed by the ongoing GCF Readiness in Zimbabwe. Once adaptation options are incorporated to DDPs in Gutu and Mwenezi, it will be easier to replicate the experience in other districts with similar conditions. Since the MEWC, EMA and Extension Departments will be fully involved in the project, they will be in a good position to replicate the intervention in other districts. Potential private partners involved in contract farming schemes (National Foods, National Breweries, Ingwebu and Schweppes Zimbabwe) and associations of farmers and producers such Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) and Zimbabwe Farmers Unions (ZFU) will be also pivotal for scaling up interventions in other districts.

B2.3. Implementation arrangements Under the overall guidance of OSS, the project will establish a country level steering committee, chaired by the MEWC. In addition, to ensure effective implementation, regular planning and monitoring meetings will be organized on national, provincial and district levels. Naturally, frequent communication and collaboration between stakeholders will take place all the time, based on the agreed work plans and coordination done by DAPP. The beneficiaries/recipients will also participate in planning and monitoring of the project in each district. Lastly, DAPP will report to OSS in compliance with the grant rules and agreed requirements. The proposed project will be executed/managed by local NGO DAPP, under the overall guidance of OSS, in close cooperation with selected government departments, civil society organisations, and beneficiaries. While the expected focus areas of each partner were described in section B.2, the implementing capacity can be briefly described as follows: Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate (MEWC). The NDA is involved in the improvement of agricultural methods and development of small-scale irrigation systems. The MEWC has experience in coordinating national climate change response planning and implementation through various sectors. It was specifically set up to implement the Climate Change Policy and the NCCRS. Department of Agriculture and Extension Services (AGRITEX) is responsible for capacity development, including climate information, communication and delivery of climate smart packages. AGRITEX has a network of decentralised offices, with district and community- based personnel who will operationalise the climate services network, and agriculture information services. AGRITEX has a division dedicated to agribusiness and marketing; which will be critical in sustaining the project investments. Environment Management Authority (EMA) will Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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undertake vulnerability assessments at local level, support strategic planning at local level and support sustainable land use management activities. They have carried out similar assessments planning duties in other districts too, in collaboration with local and international partners. Agricultural Research Council (ARC) is the leading agency when it comes to development and assessment of climate-smart agriculture practices in Zimbabwe.

B2.4. Key financial and operational risks Some implementation related risks have been identified: (i) Communities may not adopt the CSA practices and water management techniques introduced by the project. In this regard, capacity strengthening of the AGRITEX officers in each province is built into the project, specifically to facilitate adoption of climate smart practices. EMA has proven track record in their capacity and approach in addressing the future impacts of long-term climate change and the adaptive capacity of communities to cope with increased frequency and intensity of droughts and seasonal shifts. (ii) Irrigation farmers may fail to commit to payment of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of irrigation infrastructure. The anticipated surplus production of crops will generate income for farmers, providing them with disposable income to invest in an irrigation O&M fund. In addition, the project will invest in strengthening the leadership skills of Irrigation Management Committees to be able to motivate fellow plot holders to invest in O&M. (iii) The markets can inhibit diversification. To mitigate this risk, value chain and market linkages support, particularly through facilitating engagement with private sector, will stimulate market growth. For example, it is forseen that Schweppes Ltd Zimbabwe and the Business Council for Sustainable Development Zimbabwe (BCSDZ) will support the project with trainings in agribusiness, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales. They will also help for establishing post-processing groups and centres. (iv) An inadequate management of the project may result in deficiencies in targeting of proposed interventions, poorly delivered livelihood interventions, delayed implementation and inadequate monitoring and evaluation. In this regard, a dedicated and qualified Project Management Unit (PMU), with support from Project Steering Committee (PSC), and oversight by OSS, will ensure effective project management. Qualified technical expertise will be procured based on the activity needs and requirements.

[1] Evidence of impact: Climate-smart agriculture in Africa'. CCAFS Working Paper no. 86. 2014. [2] A more visual overview of linkages between Components, Outcomes, Outputs and Activities is attached in a Logical Framework table in Annex 5 [3] FAO, 2017. Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. http://www.fao.org/climate-smart-agriculture- sourcebook/about/en/

B.3. Expected project results aligned with the GCF investment criteria (500 words) B3.1. Impact potential Overall, the proposed project will contribute to the GCF impact levels for adaptation (Decision B.07/04) of increased resilience of vulnerable agricultural livelihoods (1.0) and enhanced water and food security for smallholder farmers (2,0). The project will benefit an estimated 12,000 people directly (60% women, 40% men) and 40,000 people indirectly (21,000 women and 19,000 men). Indirect Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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beneficiaries were estimated taking into account the average size of household in Gutu and Mwenezi districts, 4.1 and 4.6 respectively; as well as sex ratios, 87 and 86 men per 100 women respectively [3]. The estimated adaptation impact of the project will be 0.08% of the national population reached directly and 0.28% of the national population reached indirectly (total population of 14.439,018 people in 2018). Fundamentally, food and water security will facilitate and sustain surplus production and guarantee improved health and well-being of the targeted communities. Direct beneficiaries will comprise individuals who operate or directly benefit from the targeted 48 irrigation schemes, as well as farmers immediately surrounding the irrigation schemes. The majority of irrigation-scheme operators are expected to be women.Despite the project is mainly focused on adaptation of rural communities, there will be indirect impacts on climate change mitigation related to sustainable land and water management, mainly related to agroforestry, improved irrigation and rain water harvesting practices. Total sequestration of GHG is estimated at 399,223 tCO2eq over a project lifespan of 25 years. The methodology used for calculating the net climate change mitigation benefits of the land management practices is based on a World Bank meta-analysis of carbon sequestration in several regions including Africa [3]. During the proposal development stage, a more accurate GHG sequestration potential will be estimate following the FAO Ex-Act Tool [4].

B3.2. Paradigm shift To address the above barriers and implement a holistic, sustainable adaptation solution for smallholder farmers, it is necessary to transform the way water and agricultural investments are designed and implemented. Climate resilience in Zimbabwe depends on the understanding that climate variability and climate change and ecological constraints are problems that require a comprehensive response. For example, in-field rainwater harvesting is a cost-efficient technique for both recharging aquifers and increasing water availability for irrigation. Therefore, one intervention has the potential of addressing ecosystem services protection as well as farmers´ adaptation to water scarcity. However, when designed as standalone actions, results of interventions are compromised. In order to transform the way water and agricultural investments are designed and implemented, climate change adaptation (CCA) needs to be integrated into local level planning and budgeting processes, which at the same time is key for scaling up interventions. Many tools exist to support these efforts, but mainstreaming CCA in local plans has been slow to translate into robust action on the ground. Experience from other relevant projects bringing together CCA strategic planning and interventions on the ground (such as EMA/UNDP Project "Scaling up adaptation in Zimbabwe”) show that the lack of a clear scale-up strategy, as well as a limited size of farmers´ groups, which compromises the economies of scale in agricultural production, are the key contains for further adoption. Indeed, farming activities are affected by specific circumstances including capacities of farmers.

To face this challenge, in order to achieve sustainable, paradigm-shifting and transformational change, the proposed project will adopt a combined approach:

(i) strategic climate change planning processes at district level will be enhanced with a strong knowledge base generated thought scaling-up adaptive interventions on the ground; and (ii) market- development approach, which focuses specifically on commercialization and value-addition activities, will support a climate-resilient value chain.

This project will be transformational since addresses some of the key constrains for effective CCA, as follows: Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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helps District Governments to mainstreaming climate change into District Development Plans, with impact on long-term adaptation; takes advantage of knowledge and lessons learnt from interventions on the ground, which enables quick prioritization of the most appropriate adaptation options for the local conditions. uses a proven scale-up strategy, thanks to self-driven Farmers' Club structures, which will facilitate replication within the district and to other districts/provinces beyond the scope of the project; contributes to create an enabling environment through improved market linkages due to economies of scale of larger groups (Farmers´ Clubs of 250 members) and enhanced private partners´ support;

B3.3. Sustainable development The project delivers multiple sustainable development co-benefits. Environmentally it promotes the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices such as rainwater harvesting or agroforestry, both with direct benefits to ecosystem services protection. Economically, 12,000 smallholder farmers will diversify their sources of income, with a better integration in value chains though contract farming schemes and the establishment of 8 processing groups and 4 processing centres. At institutional level, the project will enhance the capacity of district governments, national agencies and local stakeholders to mainstream disaster risk reduction and climate change into development planning and budgeting. Socially, the project will enhance the organization of communities around farmers´ clubs, with active promotion of women participation in decision-making processes.

B3.4. Needs of recipients Rural household incomes remain low, while high inflation remains a challenge. Some indication of these challenges was mentioned in section B.1. Given the limited fiscal space and low institutional capacity, Zimbabwe is unable to address the needs of vulnerable communities. In addition, climate change funding received by the country is low compared to other countries in the region. Options for alternative funding are limited, mainly due to ongoing political and economic challenges.Climate change and variability represents another threat to the economy. For example, the Southern Zimbabwe, where two of the selected Provinces are located, is predicted to become less suitable for the production of important crops including maize and sorghum. Average of at least 1 million people are food insecure and every year and additional 2 million risk becoming food insecure during the dry season. According to ZimVAC 2019 Rural Livelihoods Assessment [1], 59% of the national population will be under food insecurity prevalence during the peak hunger period (January to March 2020). This translates to about 5, 5 million rural people. Zimbabwe is also vulnerable due to its high dependence on surface water for water supply. Measures to increase water storage, distribution and efficient use, are therefore critical for adaptation.

B3.5. Country ownership Relevant national and local level authorities and civil society representatives have taken part in the project development process, and the local ownership will remain a key principle during the full proposal development and implementation. The proposed project is aligned to Zimbabwe's global commitments made through ratification of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. The project will contribute to Zimbabwe's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)[2]. The proposal is also aligned to National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS) and National Adaptation Process (NAP) Road Map. It also takes advantage of the lessons learnt from Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, (ZIMASSET). Finally, the project is connected to the Zimbabwe Agriculture Investment Plan 2013-2017 (ZAIP). ZAIP's next phase will Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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need financial, policy and political commitment from all applicable stakeholders. The project will be complementary to the GCF Readiness Project in Gutu and Mwenezi districts, as follows: (i) it will facilitate aware raising activities and training for vulnerable groups on climate change adaptation though Farmers´ Clubs, which is an effective platform to provide knowledge while influencing perceptions and aptitudes of farmers; and (ii) it will support the adoption of harmonized CC planning tools though the use of the training Manual for for mainstreaming CCA into District Development Plans produced under the GCF Readiness in Gutu and Mwenezi, and therefore, will contribute to further validation of the tool and dissemination. Consultative process with stakeholders: In 2018, meetings were held with the stakeholders, including the smallholder farmers in the three districts. These meetings resulted in identification of current district, provincial and national level challenges and gaps related to climate change and agriculture, and based on that, ideas for solutions were defined. All partners are committed to fine-tune the project idea during the full proposal stage. In September and October 2019, consultations were held with the NDA regarding the alignment of the project with the ongoing GCF Readiness Project for strengthening NAP implementation at national level. As a result, the NDA provided a set of recommendations for aligning the Readiness activities in Gutu and Mwenezi. Those recommendations have been incorporated in the concept note.

B3.6. Efficiency and effectiveness Most importantly, the intervention will be based on existing capacities and experiences, with the aim of further improving them. This includes the capacity of local authorities and civil society. For example, the farmers' club model used by DAPP is a low-cost way to organize and strengthen local communities, which ultimately enables a high adaptation impact in the project areas with limited resources. The project will also take advantage of synergies offered by existing climate change initiatives. The target is that the economic benefits earned by the beneficiaries will circulate back to country's economy, resulting in economic development. Lastly, the project is expected to reduce GHG emissions with at USD 24/tonCO2eq.

[1] Zimbabwe: Vulnerability Assessment Committee Results 2019. [2] Zimbabwe's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC). First Report Submitted to UNFCCC. 2016. [3] World Bank, 2012. Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils. Report No. 67395-GLB. [4] FAO. EX-Ante Carbon balance Tool (EX-ACT). http://www.fao.org/tc/exact/ex-act-home/en/ [5] Zimbabwe National Census 2012.

C. Indicative financing / Cost information (max. 2 pages) C.1. Financing by components Please provide an estimate of the total cost per component and disaggregate by source of financing. Indicative cost GCF financing Co-financing (USD) Component Output Amount Financial Type Amount Financial Name of (USD) Instrument (USD) Instrument Institutions Enhancing institutional climate 1,000,000 950,000 Grant Private 50,000 Grant DAPP change adaptation planning Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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capacities. Promoting climate- 4,224,00 resilient 4,400,000 Grant Private 176,000 Grant DAPP 0 agricultural methods Increasing family income and health 2,813,00 2,900,000 Grant Private 87,000 Grant DAPP through 0 value chain development . Knowledge sharing and 962,500 933,625 Grant Private 28,875 Grant DAPP communicati on Project Managemen 487,500 472,875 Grant Private 14,625 Grant DAPP t

Indicative total cost (USD) 9,750,000 9,393,500 356,500

For private sector proposal, provide an overview (diagram) of the proposed financing structure. C.2. Justification of GCF Funding Request (300 words) GCF's contribution is critical for this project due to the urgent need for enhanced adaptation capacity for vulnerable communities at risk of high exposure to climate impacts in rural Zimbabwe. Although a number of investments have been implemented towards water and food security, most have not taken into account climate considerations at a large scale, resulting in most gains being lost due to climate variability and extreme events.This Project will be one of the first large scale climate centered project in Zimbabwe that will strengthen simultaneously the resilience of water supply and agricultural production and the capacities of district government to plan actions and leverage funding from domestic and international sources. Zimbabwe corresponds to GCF's priorities for country support. Although not identified as a Least Developed Country (LDC), it has some same characteristics as LDCs. It is a low-income, food deficit country, ranked 156 out of 187 on the 2018 UNDP Human Development Index. The country continues to face economic stress, which has implications on food security, especially for vulnerable groups in rural areas. The Government of Zimbabwe in the NCCRS acknowledges that climate resilience requires adopting climate smart approaches in agriculture. However, the Government lacks financial resources to meet these adaptation needs, most of which need public financing. This tendency over the time will increase the vulnerability of communities living in rural areas to climate change resulting in higher poverty. National expenditure on food imports and reliance on food aid will continue to increase as the inability to cope with climate variability increases. Zimbabwe has not been able to take proper advantage of climate funds: Only 0.7% of the multilateral and bilateral climate funds received by the SADC counties until 2016 went to Zimbabwe [1]. Due to the extremely limited resources, the lack of institutional capacities and the limited political commitment to change, the CSA agriculture initiatives contained in the policy frameworks are very seldom implemented. Climate Change participatory vulnerability assessments, climate change planning, promotion of drought tolerant crops or conservation agriculture practices are overall more the exception to the rule, and, when initiatives are conducted, usually they are not scaled Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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up. For example, GEF funded EMA/UNDP Project Scaling up adaptation in Zimbabwe [2], piloted the development of District Adaptation Plans (DAPs) in three districts: Chimanimani, Chiredzi and Buhera. However, an evaluation report of the project highlighted the lack of a clear scaling-up approach that limits a wider adoption to reach the expected 10,000 direct beneficiaries and 50,000 indirect beneficiaries. In addition, the limited size of the groups and volume of commodities produced resulted in weak market linkages [3].The Zimbabwe Agriculture Investment Plan (2013-2018) indicates that the sector requires investments of at least US$2 billion per year to fully utilise its production potential. US$35 billion will be cumulatively needed by 2030 for adapting to climate change in the agriculture sector. Zimbabwe aims to achieve this through joint efforts between the government, private sector, development partners and technology and funding mechanisms foreseen in context of the UNFCCC. GCF funding will play a catalytic role in furthering market development and private sector engagement, supporting business development among farmers and attracting private sector investments for water and agriculture technologies, value-chains, and climate information, finance, and risk insurance provision. The project will safeguard water security and promote climate resilient production, thereby enabling uninterrupted production and supply of agriculture produce. GCF's resources will also contribute to stopping the recurrent process of rehabilitation or aid for water and food security. Through the paradigm-shifting approach of focusing on adaptation planning with a market-driven approach, the project will leverage investments in water supply and resilient agriculture production. In addition to addressing the barriers facing vulnerable farming communities to increase their climate resilience, GCF resources will play a critical role in catalyzing domestic financing to incentivize further infrastructure development and investments in agriculture and climate information.

[1] CARE, 2017. Policy analysis. Food security, nutrition, climate change resilience, gender and the small-scale farmers. Zimbabwe [2] GEF funded EMA/UNDP Project "Scaling up adaptation in Zimbabwe with a focus on rural livelihoods, by strengthening integrated planning systems" (2014-2018) [3] UNDP, 2017. Mid-Term Review. Scaling up adaptation in Zimbabwe, with a focus on rural livelihoods, by strengthening integrated planning systems. GEF Project ID: 4960; UNDP PIMS ID: 4713 C.3. Exit Strategy and Sustainability (300 words) C3.1 Long-term sustainability of the project

The project has strong governmental endorsement and support. A major strength of the proposed investments is that they will be community driven and owned. It includes the principle of participatory and systematic monitoring of sustainability, which is designed to continue after the implementation of the project. During the implementation, the structures, as well as rights and duties of various stakeholders on different levels will be addressed.

Rural District Councils in Gutu and Mwenezi will play a key role in the long- term sustainability of climate change adaptation planning structures at local level. The project will produce knowledge and lessons learnt on the most-appropriate adaptation options at local level, which will feed directly into the formulation and update of District Development Plans. Existing participative structures that are formally part of the planning process, such as the Village Development Committees (VIDCO), Ward Development Committees (WADCO) and District Development Committees (DDC) will be part of the process. The integration of existing structures into a whole cycle of mainstreaming climate change into DDPs, which will happen during the project implementation, will ensure that these climate-enhanced Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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activities continue beyond the project.

The organization around Farmers´ Clubs builds sustainability and social development related to water supply, cropping and land use, and climate planning and risk management. The involvement of subnational institutions such as Rural District Councils, Agriculture Extension Officers, Irrigation Management Committees (IMCs), private sector, NGOs and local CBOs will ensure continued support to local smallholder farmers beyond the project. Community managed savings and lending schemes and micro-insurance will safeguard project gains. Some of the key activities linked to the sustainability of the project include:

i. Addressing the capacity and coordination needs for climate planning and agriculture service provision, water management, and disaster planning so that impacts can be sustained beyond the project; ii. Strengthening community irrigation committees and other structures, particularly focusing on their capacity to manage and maintain irrigation cropping and infrastructure. iii. Putting in place a mechanism for long-term sustainable savings to provide funds for operations and maintenance of irrigation infrastructure; iv. Revitalising the practices and markets for climate smart agriculture inputs, facilitating market development for surplus produce; v. Stimulating private sector engagement through agricultural value-chain support, micro-small enterprise development, as well as access to finance and insurance services; and vi. Improving knowledge management and learning products and platforms to ensure impacts are replicated and scaled up.

The proposed project enhances the capacities of communities and extension staff, strengthens institutional coordination and planning capacities, knowledge management mechanisms (such as farmer field schools), and improves market linkages, all of which enable sustained impact and create potential to scale-up and replicate the impact to other beneficiaries and areas. Specifically, potential scaling-up and replication opportunities include:

i. The multidimensional approach to improving the resilience of farmers and revitalize of water supply systems. This climate centered approach can be scaled-up to other systems in target areas as well as replicated to other geographical regions of the country and the SADC region. ii. Climate smart knowledge transferred through a ‘training of trainer's' approach and farmer field schools that can replicated for adoption among dryland farmers beyond Zimbabwe. iii. Access to finance and risk insurance models scaled-up to other sectors and communities to support a variety of investments. iv. Support on value-addition market linkages to enable scale-up and catalyze markets, through more farmer groups and private sector involvement.

C.4 Stakeholders engagement in the project or programme (300 words) DAPP has a long-term relation with the MEWC. DAPP Farmers´ Club Projects, which started in 1996, integrated national agriculture extension services in the programs for mutual benefit - the farmers learn from the extension workers, and the extension system is reinforced in a dynamic exchange. For example, AGRITEX, subsidiary body of the MEWC and leading extension services Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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provider in Zimbabwe, has been strongly involved in Farmers´ Cub Projects in Makoni, Masvingo, Gutu and Mutasa districts.

The concept note has been shared and discussed with the GCF focal point and the NDA. Further engagement needed for the development of full funding proposal in 2019 will include close consultations between DAPP, NDA and OSS, as well as other partners. A working group consisting of all partners will be established to support this, and it will consider views from different levels, from household level to national level. The community level and district level planning will be the key levels of planning and consultation. In addition, the PPF related support is expected to contribute to the development of the proposal. To prevent any duplication or confusion, DAPP and NDA will liaise with all relevant actors in the sector, including UN Agencies, Multilateral Development Banks, as well as local and international NGOs. D. Annexes

☒ ESS screening check list (Annex 1) ☒ Map indicating the location of the project/programme (as applicable) ☒ Evaluation Report of previous project (as applicable) Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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Annex 1: Environmental and Social Screening Checklist

Part A: Risk Factors

Please indicate your answers to the questions below and provide an explanation on the response selected. In cases when the TBD response has been selected please explain briefly why you are not able to determine now and when in the project cycle the question will be addressed.

If the criteria is not applicable to the project you may write N/A in the justification box.

Exclusion criteria YES NO Will the activities involve associated facilities and require further ☐ ☒ due diligence of such associated facilities? The project activities will not involve any associated facilities, hence no further due diligence is required. Will the activities involve trans-boundary impacts including those that would require further due diligence and notification to affected ☐ ☒ states? The project will take place in Gutu and Mwenezi Districts. There will be no activities near the borders with other countries, nor will any major waterways be included in the project's activities. No further due diligence will be needed to address this. Will the activities adversely affect working conditions and health and safety of workers or potentially employ vulnerable categories of ☐ ☒ workers including women and children? The project will build the capacities of vulnerable smallholder farmers targeting 60% women improving their health and wellbeing through enhancing their food, nutrition, and income security. The partners use a Human-Rights Based Approach, assuring health and safety of workers, and assuring that any form of discrimination, intolerance or violence is avoided. Will the activities potentially generate hazardous waste and pollutants including pesticides and contaminate lands that would require further studies on management, minimization and control ☐ ☒ and compliance to the country and applicable international environmental quality standards? The project will comply with applicable national and international environmental standards. Agriculture techniques mainstreamed through the project will be based on climate-smart agriculture, including conservation agriculture. There will be no promotion of pesticides or other hazardous in the project. Interventions will be based on the lands of individual farmers and communities. Will the activities involve the construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of critical infrastructure (like dams, water ☐ ☒ impoundments, coastal and river bank infrastructure) that would require further technical assessment and safety studies? The project will not involve any large infrastructure, such as dams, water impoundments or other water infrastructure. Any small infrastructure introduced by the project will be based at the level of the farmers' fields, and farmers will be capacitated in the maintenance and operation of those. Will the activities potentially involve resettlement and dispossession, land acquisition, and economic displacement of ☐ ☒ persons and communities? The project will strengthen land and water management systems and improve agriculture practices of communities, on farmers' and community lands, and with participation and consent of those. This will not involve resettlement or dispossession or economic displacement. Interventions will be Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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based on the lands of individual farmers and of communities. Will the activities be located in or in the vicinity of protected areas and areas of ecological significance including critical habitats, key ☐ ☒ biodiversity areas and internationally recognized conservation sites? The project will not take place in or near Protected Areas, critical habitats, key biodiversity areas or conservation sites. None of the target districts is close to any recognized conservation site. Will the activities affect indigenous peoples that would require further due diligence, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and ☐ ☒ documentation of development plans? The project will not affect indigenous peoples. It will work with smallholder farmers in districts where the organizations have been operating. The project interventions are planned in districts different than the districts where the two peoples self-identify as indigenous in Zimbabwe are located. These are the: Tshwa (Tyua, Cuaa) San, who are found in the Tsholotsho District of Matabeleland North Province and the Bulalima-Mangwe District of Matabeleland South Province in western Zimbabwe Doma (Wadoma, Vadema) of Chapoto Ward in Guruve District and Mbire District of Mashonaland Central Province and Karoi District of Mashonaland West Province in the Zambezi Valley of northern Zimbabwe. Will the activities be located in areas that are considered to have archaeological (prehistoric), paleontological, historical, cultural, ☐ ☒ artistic, and religious values or contains features considered as critical cultural heritage? The project will not be located in areas that are considered to have archaeological, cultural or artistic values. Nor will it contain features considered as critical cultural heritage. The proposed intervention sites in Gutu are Wards 20, 29 and 31. None of them is near Great Zimbabwe. Selected sites are located at 40km, 45km and 50km far from the ruins respectively. Regarding Mwenezi, the proposed sites are not near the Gonarezhou National Park located in the neighboring Chiredzi district.

Part B: Specific environmental and social risks and impacts

Assessment and Management of Environmental YES NO TBD and Social Risks and Impacts Has the E&S risk category of the project been ☒ ☐ provided in the concept note? Has the rationale for the categorization of the project been provided in the relevant sections of the concept ☒ ☐ note? Are there any additional environmental, health and safety requirements under the national laws and ☐ ☐ ☒ regulations and relevant international treaties and agreements? An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be needed for the irrigation schemes promoted under the project. The EIA for small-scale projects with minimal impacts, such as the irrigation schemes under the present project, falls into the Category A- Minimal Risk accorind to the provisions of the Environmental Management Act (Act 13 of 2002, Amended by Act 5/2004), First Schedule (section 2 and 97). In this regards, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), one of the partners of the project, which holds the mandate of facilitating EIA processes at national level, will ensure that the EIA of irrigation schemes is conducted according the provisions of the above mentioned Environmental Management Act. Water-harvesting infrastructures will not require Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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specific assessment regarding water related diseases. Due to the small-scale nature of the water harvesting systems, the risk of the proposed assets and activities is considered low. However, some residual risks are possible, as identified during the E&S risk screening. Those risks will be further assessed during the PPF-E&S risk assessment, and appropriated mitigation measures will be provided. Are the identification of risks and impacts based on ☒ ☐ ☐ recent or up-to-date information? The identification of risks and impacts is based on recent information from the Zimbabwe Intended National Determined Contributions and Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee Results 2018 Labour and Working Conditions YES NO TBD Will the activities potentially have impacts on the working conditions, particularly the terms of employment, worker’s organization, non- ☐ ☒ ☐ discrimination, equal opportunity, child labour, and forced labour of direct, contracted and third-party workers? The proposed activities will not negatively impact working conditions, terms of employment and will foster equal opportunities for all. Will the activities pose occupational health and safety ☐ ☒ ☐ risks to workers including supply chain workers? The project will not pose any occupational and safety risks to workers including supply chain workers. Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention YES NO TBD Will the activities generate (1) emissions to air; (2) discharges to water; (3) activity-related greenhouse ☐ ☒ ☐ gas (GHG) emissions, (4) noise and vibration; and (5) wastes? No emissions will be generated to air or discharges to water. The project will promote sustainable agriculture systems and practices with a positive impact on the environment. Biodegradable waste will be recycled. Will the activities utilize significant amount of natural ☐ ☒ ☐ resources including water and energy? To reach its goals the project will use energy and water in responding to the adaptation needs of the women, men, youth and children. The project will promote the use of solar powered irrigation systems and improve wetland management practices. Will there be a need to develop detailed measures to reduce pollution and promote sustainable use of ☐ ☒ ☐ resources? The project will promote long term sustainable use of resources use to reduce pollution and reduce environmental degradation Community Health, Safety, and Security YES NO TBD Will the activities potentially generate risks and impacts to the health and safety of the affected ☐ ☒ ☐ communities? The activities will not generate risks and impact to the health and safety of the affected communities, as the project promote climate smart technologies that improve their health and wellbeing, reinforced by nutrition and health sensibilization Will there be a need for an emergency preparedness ☒ ☐ ☐ and response plan that also outlines how the affected Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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communities will be assisted in times of emergency? The project will promote the development of District Disaster Reduction Plans that will guide communities in times of emergencies. We will link up with the Civil Protection Units in the respective provinces in order to minimise damages in case of emergencie(s) Will there be risks posed by the security arrangements and potential conflicts at the project ☐ ☒ ☐ site to the workers and affected community? The project is premised on the Do no Harm principles to ensure that no conflicts or insecurity is fuelled by the intervention Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement YES NO TBD Will the activities likely involve land acquisition and/or ☐ ☒ ☐ physical or economic displacement? The project is based on consultations with the target beneficiaries and it has their consent and full support. It will involve voluntary participation which will ensure a win-win situation for vulnerable groups. Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable YES NO TBD Management of Living Natural Resources Will the activities potentially introduce invasive alien species of flora and fauna affecting the biodiversity of ☐ ☒ ☐ the area? The project will promote the conservation of local species of flora and fauna which will not affect the biodiversity of the area. No invasive species will be introduced. Will the activities have potential impacts on or be dependent on ecosystem services including ☐ ☒ ☐ production of living natural resources (eg.agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, forestry)? The project will strengthen the resilience of ecosystems and the natural environment, hence activities will have no negative impacts on the ecosystems or on ecosystem services. Indigenous Peoples YES NO TBD Will the activities potentially have any indirect impacts on indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, or ☐ ☒ ☐ vulnerable and marginalized groups? The project will not have any indirect impacts on indigenous people though it will strengthen the collaboration of indigenous knowledge system and scientific knowledge. Cultural Heritage YES NO TBD Will the activities restrict access to the cultural ☐ ☒ ☐ heritage sites and properties? The project activities are nowhere near cultural heritage sites and properties, hence access to cultural heritage sites and properties will not be jeopardized Will there be a need to prepare a chance-find procedure in case of the discovery of cultural heritage ☐ ☒ ☐ assets? Given the scope of the project, it is highly unlikely that any activities might lead to the discovery of cultural heritage assets. Stakeholder engagement and grievance redress Yes NO TBD Will the activities include a continuing stakeholder engagement procress and a grievance redress ☒ ☐ ☐ mechanism and integrated into the management/implementation plans? Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1

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The project will ensure continued stakeholder engagement processes and grievance redress mechanism through the project inception meeting, project review and coordination meetings as well as joint monitoring and evaluations.

Part C: Sign Off

Sign-off: Specify the name and designation of the person responsible for the environmental and social screening and any other approvals as may be required in the accredited entity’s own management system.

Mrs. Khaoula Jaoui, [email protected] Climate Finance and Environmnet Expert OSS' Social and environmental Committee member