Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme (Avcp) – Project 1
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Language: English Original: English PROJECT: AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (AVCP) – PROJECT 1 COUNTRY: UGANDA SUMMARY OF ABBREVIATED RESETTLEMENT ACTION PLAN For 5 households affected by the irrigation scheme development component of the Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme FEBRUARY 2017 Prepared by the Government of Uganda Project Name: AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (AVCP) – PROJECT 1 Project Number: P-UG-AAZ-003 Country: UGANDA Department: OSAN Division: OSAN.1 Environmental Category: 2 1. Description of the project, project area and area of influence The infrastructure development component of the Agriculture Value Chain Development Program-Project 1 will enable the development of the Achomai/Sironko irrigation scheme located in Bukedeya/Bulambuli Districts. Feasibility studies and engineering designs of the irrigation scheme were prepared by the Government of Uganda (GoU) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The irrigation infrastructure includes head works, canal and drainage network, on farm development, flood protection dyke, and on farm road network. With the development of the proposed scheme smallholder farmers in the project area will transform from climate dependent rain-fed farming to a more sustainable commercial oriented agriculture. The project will construct a bridge over Sironko River at the intake site to connect Bukedea and Bulambuli Districts. In addition, an access road will be provided to link the irrigation schemes with the nearest existing road network located upstream of project site that leads to Mbale city; the major trading centers close to the project area. This will improve evacuation of the produce, access to input supply and provision of other social services necessary for the livelihood of farmers in the project site in particular and the surrounding areas in general. 2. Potential Impacts The proposed irrigation development activities will result in the loss of household structures; these structures are largely made from mud and wattle and brick iron sheet roof. The Project Affected Persons (PAPs) being relocated are entitled to compensation at full replacement costs in accordance with national standards. The project area that was considered was inspected and recommended by government officials (land department) as it would impact a limited number of families (5). The area would also be advantageous from logistic perspective for the lowland rice irrigation. 3. Community Participation Stakeholder meetings (SHMs) and public consultation meetings (PCMs) were held with stakeholders including community members and government officials at the district level with the aim of discussing the EIA/RAP studies and ensuring the smooth implementation of the proposed project. Project committee members were also invited for the purpose of informing community people of the progress of the meeting. Public announcements of the meeting were done through radio broadcasting and posters. For the convenience for the community people, local languages (Lugis for Bulambuli District, Iteso for Bukedea District) together with English were used for these announcing media and in the meeting. Generally, community people were favorable toward the Project and they showed their opinion that they wanted to be selected as the project site. Some of the issues raised by stakeholders are highlighted below: Issues/Concerns Responses What will happen to farmers who have land only RAP is being prepared. GOU will consider those within the protection dyke? farmers in the RAP. What will happen to cattle keepers? Whose land will Basically, people are grazing their cattle at be grazing land? surrounding other people’s land now. If the land owner converts his land to farm land, the cattle owner has to find grazing land by himself. The width of buffer zone from the centre line of the The most suitable width considering controlling river is rather wide. floods and preserving eco-system will be decided. How will the flood become to the neighboring land Drainage, intake facility and canal will control the outside the project site? flood. There will be no harm to the neighboring outside land. What will happen to graves? RAP is being prepared. GOU will consider graves and spiritually important places. Grievance Mechanism should have been explained At the moment, the idea of Grievance mechanism more detail. was shown, and the complete mechanism will be established in next Detailed design stage. Community people should submit facts of them to Actually, few community people know their the social-economic survey for the rightful data incomes or their land acreage exactly, so they collection. (by CDO) cannot answer the right answer. What will happen to the owner within the Buffer It will be discussed during the RAP process. zone? Possibility of building bridge across the Sironko The project will not construct bridges across the River ricer Grievance mechanism is needed for present land Noted. This grievance mechanism is for RAP. mapping results Grievance on land issue can be submitted LC1 and ALC, and JICA will not touch any land issue. Will NEMA take wetland? EIA report will be submitted to NEMA. NEMA is the government authority who controls the whole environmental issue. NEMA will not take your land. Compensation GOU will compensate for the land to be taken for the facility. The dyke of right side of the river also should be JST designs the dyke of right side of the river, constructed. Without right side dyke, will flood however, PISD will not construct the dyke on the become harder than present? right side. GOU is aware of the right-side dyke and will discuss about it with development partners. Source: Volume-Ii Sironko/Acomai Irrigation Scheme Development Project JICA/GoU study 4. Socio-economic studies From the baseline survey, respondents included 267 beneficiaries located within the project area. Land Tenure Within the project area in Bukedea, survey results indicated customary land (89.8 %) as the most predominant land tenure system while freehold and leasehold are 9.4 % and 0.8 % respectively. However, according to the hearing survey to District officials conducted by JST, there should be less freehold tenure, and none of lease holder. Although District does not have correct figure of these tenure, according to the District officials, because most of community people do not have the correct knowledge about the differences of land tenure, they responded they were freeholder or leaseholder. Assets owned Survey results show that majority of households owned land (85.3 %), house (82 %), domestic animals (65%) and radio (55.6 %) Few households owned cars (3.0%), motorcycles (7.1 and TV sets (4.5 %) and mobile phones (51 %). Type of House Structure Most households were mud and wattle (41.4 %), mud block (26.3 %) and Reed, thatch or sticks (26.3%). Only a few structures made of mud block with plaster (0.7 %) brick wall (0.7 and concrete blocks were found in the area and these are mainly found in the per-urban centres of the project area. Levels of Income Results from the field survey reveal that 30.2 % of respondents earn more than USh 1,500,000 and 5.9 % respondents earns between USh 1,000,000 - 1,500,000. 21.2 % respondents earn between USh 500,001- 1,000,000 while 13.5 % earns USh 400,001-500,000. 5 % had monthly income of less than USh 100,000 per month. Vulnerable Groups The project implementation will interrupt the normal ways of life of the people in the project area and there might be loss of livelihood, social network, accessible education, and transport and health services. Particular emphasis should be made on the vulnerable groups who include the elderly, women, child headed household, sick and disabled. The project will give One-time special assistance for each vulnerable household affected by the project. It is important that vulnerable people are identified and profiled in more detail during design stage. This will help to have solutions to be formulated and mitigation measures put in place to ensure that they are able to live a good life even after the project disruption. According to the socio-economic survey, among 267 respondents, there are 66 vulnerable people out of estimated 1,967 people. 5. Legal Framework This A-RAP has been prepared in consistence with the applicable policy provisions of the Government of Uganda and those of the African Development Bank- Integrated Safeguard Systems (ISS), the requirements are outlined below: The Constitution of Uganda (1995): According to the Constitution, all land belongs to the people of Uganda and is held in trust by the Government. However, the Government is authorized to acquire land for a public purpose and compensate affected persons in accordance with the law. Such acquisition is subject to the provisions of Article 26 (1) of the Constitution, which gives every person in Uganda a right to own property. The Constitution also prescribes the tenure regimes in accordance with which rights and interests in which land may be held namely; Customary, Freehold, Mailo and Leasehold. It provides procedures to follow during the acquisition of land for public interest and provides for the “prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation” prior to taking possession of the land. National Land Policy (2013): This policy addresses the contemporary land issues and conflicts facing the country. The vision of the policy is: “a transformed Ugandan society through optimal use and management of land resources for a prosperous and industrialized economy with a developed services sector” while the goal of the policy is: “to ensure an efficient, equitable, and optimal utilization and management of Uganda’s resources for poverty reduction, wealth creation, and overall socio-economic development.” The Land Act (1998): The 1998 Land Act addresses land holding, management control, and dispute processing. The Act creates a series of land administration institutions, namely, Uganda Land Commission (ULC), District Land Boards (DLB), Parish Land Committees (PLC), and District Land Tribunals (DLT).