1 Royal Government of Cambodia (Rgc) I. Background
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ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA (RGC) Land Allocation for Social and Economic Development (LASED) Project (Credit No. 44410-KH and Grant No. H3860-KH); and Associated JSDF-Funded Projects on: (1) Strengthening Good Governance in Land Distribution Project (TF091833) (2) Strengthening Civil Society-Government Partnership to Deliver Land Tenure Security Project (TF091836) (3) Community Empowerment Through Access to Land Project (TF091839) Mid-Term Review and Sixth Joint IDA-GIZ Implementation Support Mission October 3-21, 2011 Aide Memoire I. BACKGROUND 1. Overview. The World Bank (the Bank) Team1 and GIZ Team2 assembled in Cambodia on October 3-21, 2011 to carry out the Mid-Term Review (MTR) and Implementation Support Mission for the: (a) “Land Allocation for Social and Economic Development (LASED) Project”; and (b) associated NGO-implemented social land concession (SLC) projects supported under the World Bank’s Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) namely: (i) “Strengthening Good Governance in Land Distribution Project” being implemented by Wathnakpheap (WP); (ii) “Strengthening Civil Society-Government Partnership to Deliver Land Tenure Security Project” being implemented by Habitat for Humanity International in Cambodia (HFHI-C); and (iii) “Community Empowerment through Access to Land Project” being implemented by Life with Dignity (LWD). 2. The mission held meetings and discussions in Phnom Penh with the: (a) officials of the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC), National Committee for Sub-national Democratic Development (NCDD); (b) staff of General Secretariat for Social Land Concessions (GSSLC) and Secretariat of the National Committee for Sub-national Democratic Development (NCDDS); (c) representatives and staff of associated partner–NGOs implementing SLC activities/projects; and (d) Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC). Field visits and meetings with officials and representatives at the sub-national level (provincial, district and commune) were also undertaken in the Provinces of: (a) Kratie; (b) Kampong Cham; (c) Kampong Thom; (d) Battambang; (e) Kampong Speu; and (f) Kampong Chhnang. 3. Mission Objectives. The primary objectives of the mission were to review the project implementation progress to date, assess the key achievements and factors affecting progress, and recommend measures to improve 1 The World Bank Team was led by Ms. Mudita Chamroeun (Task Team Leader, EASTS) and included Messrs/Mmes. Steven Schonberger (Lead Operations Officer, AFTAR), Maria Theresa G. Quinones (Senior Operations Officer, EASPS), Sarin Kim (Implementation Support Specialist, EASTS), Munichan Kung (Rural Development Officer, EASTS), Satoshi Ishihara (Senior Social Development Specialist, EASTS), Josefo Tuyor (Senior Environment Specialist, EASPS), Bunlong Lang (Environment Specialist, EASTS), Saroeun Bou (Communications Officer, EACSF), Seida Heng (Financial Management Specialist, EAPFM), Kimhin Sun (Financial Management Specialist, EAPFM), Sreng Sok (Procurement Specialist, EAPPR), Sirirat Sirijaratwong (Procurement Analyst, EAPPR), Latharo Lor (Procurement Specialist, EAPPR), Yasuo Konishi (Consultant, JCTF), Julian Abrams (Infrastructure Specialist, Consultant, FAO-CP), Nuno Santos (Economist FAO; desk review), Jonathan Mills Lindsay (Senior Counsel, LEGEN; desk review) and Narya Ou (Program Assistant, EACSF). Ms. Jeeva A. Perumalpillai-Essex (Sustainable Development Leader, EASTS) and Mr. Luc Lecuit (Senior Operations Officer, EACTF) joined some of the mission meetings. The team also met with Mr. Qimiao Fan (Country Manager, EACSF). 2 The GIZ Team was led by Dr. Franz-Volker Mueller (GIZ Land Team Leader) and included Messrs/Mmes. Dr. Helmut Albert (Head of Section, Agricultural Policy and Rural Areas), Thorben Kruse (Land Rights Program Adviser), Frank Sobek (Chief Technical Advisor, GIZ IP/GOPA), Mr. Phat Phalit (Technical Advisor, GIZ IP/GoPA) and other field staff/consultants. 1 implementation and increase the project’s likelihood of meeting its development objectives, including potential restructuring or reallocation of funds, as well as identifying other operational and technical requirements for possible expansion of the program by the Government. The detailed mission TORs is attached as Annex 1. 4. The mission conveys its sincere thanks and appreciation for the collaboration and support extended to the mission by the MLMUPC3, MOI4; GSSLC; and NCDDS. The mission would also like to thank the local authorities and officials in the provinces, districts and communes visited; GIZ and GIZ contracted IP/GOPA Field Teams; WP; HFHI-C; and LWD for their cooperation, support and active participation in the mission activities. 5. This Aide Memoire summarizes the mission’s overall assessments of the project performance, including key lessons learned, highlights the key issues and risk which require prompt attention by the Government’s Implementing Agencies (IAs) at different levels, and presents the agreed Action Plan to address the identified issues. This Aide Memoire is subject to the confirmation of the World Bank Management. II. ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE (PDO) 6. Continued good progress has been made by the project towards achieving its PDO given the current level of implementation progress, and the updated risk assessment which confirms that risk identified have been successfully mitigated so far and a need to continue to close monitoring. The project’s relevance has likewise been re-confirmed as it is one of the components of the government’s sub-sector program on land distribution, as manifested in the priority given to the implementation of other Government Social land Concession (SLC) Programs nationwide. The SLC processes piloted under the project function well for registering land for SLCs which have resulted in the achievement of the following outcome indicators. Please see Annex 2 for the details of the Results Framework and Monitoring, and Annex 3 for the details of the review of the Critical Risks and possible controversial aspects identified in the Project Appraisal Document (PAD). (a) Adoption of improved soil management and agricultural production systems. Close to 100% (MTR target is 40%) of land recipients who have settled in the first four sites are into backyard and agricultural farming, using improved agricultural technology learned in their previous life with labor force selling, and the training and technical assistance provided by GIZ and the sub-national agencies. To date, around 1,044 hectares have been planted with annual and permanent crops – with cassava (74%) as the most popular crop due to its high demand and good price in the market. Oher crops planted are rice, beans, corn and tree crops. (b) Selection of land recipients according to the agreed criteria. All the land recipients (100% vs. MTR target of 90%) in the first four sites were selected based on the agreed criteria stated in the Project Implementation Manual (PIM). The same selection process and criteria will be adopted in the succeeding sites. (c) Adoption of dispute resolution mechanism. A total of 331 complaints were registered regarding the selection of beneficiaries through the official complaint handling mechanisms. The complaints constitute about 7% of the total number of applicants. All (vs. MTR target of 70%) have been carefully reviewed following the provisions in the PIM. Of the cases filed, 42% have been fully addressed, while the rest were dismissed as these refer to complaints from applicants who were not qualified to get lands as per the criteria, but still insisted to be part of the project and thus lodged these complaints. Wathnakpheap (a JSDF- partner Local NGO) has also helped in the dissemination of the dispute resolution process, and assisted the complainants in preparing documents and/or lodging complaints. Continuous efforts to address complaints and information dissemination to the wider public will be critically important. 3 The Kick-Off and Wrap-Up Meetings were chaired by H. E. Prak Ham (Secretary of State, MLMUPC). 4 The mission met with H.E. Ngan Chamroeun, Deputy Director General, General Department of Local Administration, and Deputy Head of NCDDS, Ministry of Interior 2 III. LESSONS LEARNED 7. The mission worked closely with the RGC, commune officials, land recipients, JSDF-partner NGOs, GIZ and other stakeholders to identify key lessons learned from the LASED implementation experience to date (Annex 4). The Bank mission acknowledges the rich documentation prepared by GIZ on the lessons learned. All these lessons are intended as input in the continued LASED implementation and sustainability of initial gains, as well as to the on-going and planned SLC and related activities of the RGC and its partners. The lessons learned indicate that LASED is on-track in terms of demonstrating the feasibility to implement the processes of transparent and participatory land and beneficiary selection, and provision of assistance to land recipients. However, the ability to sustain and scale-up these activities depends on the following: (a) Further refinement of the procedures and framework for SLCs. LASED has demonstrated that clear operational processes, based on RGC legal framework, combined with effective communication and transparency can bring national and local level authorities, communities, NGOs and development partners into a common, collaborative Government-led effort to support poverty reduction with better results for the target group – even in the traditionally conflictive