Quarterly Report November 2016 – January 2017

Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund Third Party Monitoring Supervisory Agent

Management Systems International

Date: February 22, 2017

Management Systems International (MSI) staff prepared this paper to contribute to the discussion and understanding of the important development challenges facing policymakers and practitioners. 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 1

Table of Contents Acronyms...... 4 Executive Summary ...... 5 1. Overview ...... 5 2. Findings ...... 8 3. Trend Analysis ...... 14 4. Second Quarter ...... 16 5. Beneficiary Story ...... 17 EQUIP IMPACTING LIVES OF THE RURAL AFGHANS ...... 17 Afghanistan Rural Access Project ...... 18 1. Primary Objectives ...... 18 2. Overview ...... 18 3. General Findings ...... 21 4. Monitoring Data Utilization ...... 27 5. Trends ...... 28 6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations ...... 28 Education Quality Improvement Program ...... 29 1. Primary Objectives ...... 29 2. Overview ...... 29 3. General Findings ...... 32 4. Data Utilization ...... 37 5. Trends ...... 37 6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations ...... 39 Irrigation Restoration and Development Project ...... 40 1. Primary Objectives ...... 40 2. Overview ...... 40 3. General Findings ...... 43 4. Data Utilization ...... 45 5. Trends ...... 45

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 2

6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations ...... 46 National Solidarity Program - Infrastructure ...... 47 1. Primary Objectives ...... 47 2. Overview ...... 47 3. General Findings ...... 50 4. Data Utilization ...... 56 5. Trends ...... 56 6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations ...... 57 On-Farm Water Management Project ...... 59 1. Primary Objectives ...... 59 2. Overview ...... 59 3. General Findings ...... 62 4. Data Utilization ...... 65 5. Trends ...... 67 6. Lesson Learned and Recommendations ...... 67

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 3

Acronyms

ARAP Afghanistan Rural Access Project ARTF Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund BoQ Bill of Quantities CC Community Contracting CDC Community Development Council CDP Community Development Plan CM Citizen Monitors CPM Community Participatory Monitoring CTTC Champions Technical Training Center DLP Defect Liability Period EIIC Environmental Impact Identification Checklists EMIS Education Management Information System EMP Environmental Management Plan EQUIP Education Quality Improvement Program ESFP Environmental and Social Focal Point ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan FP Facilitating Partner GoA Government of Afghanistan GRM Grievance Redress Mechanics IA Irrigation Association IMS Information Management System IRDP Irrigation Restoration and Development Project ISD Infrastructure Services Department MAIL Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock MCG Maintenance Cash Grants MoEd Ministry of Education MoEW Ministry of Energy and Water MoF Ministry of Finance MoPW Ministry of Public Works MRRD Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development MSI Management Systems International NCB National Competitive Bidding NSP National Solidarity Program O&M Operation and Maintenance OFWMP On-Farm Water Management Project PED Provincial Education Directorate PAP Project Affected People PMU Provincial Management Unit QA Quality Assurance QC Quality Control QEG Quality Enhancement Grant RBG II Second Round Block Grants SA Supervisory Agent SBST Single Bitumen Surface Treatment TPM Third Party Monitoring TTL Task Team Lead

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 4

Executive Summary

1. Overview

The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent (SA), led by Management Systems International and supported by Altai Consulting and the Champions Technical Training Center, conducted 429 subproject site visits in 33 out of 34 provinces across Afghanistan. A breakdown of the site visits conducted in the first quarter of Year II is shown in Figure 1.

ARTF Projects Year II Target First Quarter Results Year II Remaining ARAP 150 41 109 EQUIP 750 190 560 IRDP 100 25 75 NSP 800 146 654 OFWMP 100 23 77 APSDP 8 4 4 TOTAL 1,908 429 (22%) 1,479 (78%)

Figure 1: Year II site visit targets, first quarter results, and remaining visits broken down by ARTF project

In addition to conducting 429 site visits by subject matter experts (i.e. civil engineers and social scientists), the SA also submitted 977 verified observations to Government of Afghanistan (GoA) ministries from 62 trained Citizen Monitors (CMs) located in 20 provinces. A total of 2,254 verified CM observations have been submitted to GoA ministries since April 2016. This includes observations submitted by seven CMs identified through crowdsourcing in Herat and Nangarhar provinces. The location and number of CMs by province is shown in Figure 2.

CITIZEN MONITORS BY PROVINCE 7 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Figure 2: Citizen Monitors by project and province

Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate and list the location of all 429 subprojects monitored in the first quarter.

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Figure 3: Location of ARTF subprojects visited in the first quarter of Year II

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MONITORING BY PROVINCE: QUARTER 1, YEAR II 46 32 27 26 24 19 16 16 15 15 15 14 14 12 12 11 10 10 10 10 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 6 5 4 4 1 1

Figure 4: Subproject site visits by province in the first quarter of Year II

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2. Findings

The quantity of findings accrued since the start of the ARTF monitoring program in November 2015 allows the SA to identify patterns related to all five ARTF projects’ primary objectives:

• Design, material and workmanship quality • Operation and maintenance (O&M) compliance • Environmental, gender, and social safeguard compliance • GoA, contractor, facilitating partner (FP), Irrigation Association (IA) and Mirab performance • GoA data verification

2.1. Project Quality and Compliance Based on a standard five-point grading system (1 being the lowest grade, 3 being satisfactory, and 5 being the highest grade) applied by the SA on all subprojects that were monitored, Figure 5 shows the average overall project quality and compliance grades for the 429 ARTF infrastructure subprojects monitored in the first quarter.

Grade by Project: Quarter 1, Year II

4.5 4 3.9 3.5 3.5 3.7 3.6 3 3.0 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 ARAP EQUIP IRDP NSP OFWMP

QTR 1

Figure 5: Average overall project quality and compliance grades for 429 ARTF infrastructure subprojects monitored in the first quarter

Figure 5 shows the 429 ARTF projects that were monitored in the first quarter received overall average grades between satisfactory (3.0 for EQUIP) and good (3.9 for OFWMP). A breakdown of the individual ARTF project grades is provided below:

• Afghanistan Rural Access Program (ARAP): In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 41 sections of 15 ARAP subprojects in six provinces. Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) subprojects received an average overall grade of 3.6, and Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) subprojects received an average overall grade of 3.4. Four asphalt and two concrete paved roads received an overall average grade of 4 (good), while five bridges received an average grade of 3.8 (good) and four gravel roads, received an overall average grade of 3.3 (satisfactory).

• Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP): In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 190 EQUIP subprojects in 28 provinces. EQUIP subprojects received an overall average grade of 3.0 (satisfactory) with 65 subprojects receiving unsatisfactory grades (below 3.0), 112 receiving satisfactory grades (between 3.0 to <4.0), and seven receiving good grades (4.0).

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• Irrigation Restoration and Development Project (IRDP): In the first quarter of Year II, the SA visited eight canals, two hydrological stations, and two material tests in seven provinces. IRDP canals received an overall average grade of 3.7.

• National Solidarity Program (NSP): In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 146 completed NSP subprojects that were awarded Maintenance Cash Grants (MCGs). NSP subprojects were monitored in 31 provinces and covered six different infrastructure sectors (education, irrigation, power, rural development, transportation, and water supply and sanitation). The NSP subprojects received an overall grade of 3.6 (between satisfactory and good).

• On Farm Water Management Project (OFWMP): In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 20 ongoing and three completed OFWMP subprojects in eight provinces. The OFWMP subprojects obtained the highest overall average grade of 3.9 (good) of all projects monitored in the first quarter.

In the first quarter, the SA identified a number of deviation patterns on each ARTF project:

• ARAP: Out of 15 subprojects monitored, four (MSI-AR-0036, MSI-AR-0025, MSI-AF-0507 and MSI-AF-0508) were delayed due to design modifications, cold weather, a shortage of material, a lack of good quality stones, social issues, and security problems. Three subprojects (MSI-AR-0289, MSI-AR-0080 and MSI-AR-0079) were in the last days of their Defects Liability Period (DLP), but no maintenance was done on those projects. Surface wearing course damages, wash-boarding, ripples, settlement, and deformation had developed, which were not repaired and maintained by the contractor on these subprojects.

• EQUIP: A total of 134 schools (70% of the schools that were visited) were overcrowded, with more than 40 students per classroom and with students studying in shifts. Because of their location, 28 EQUIP schools are at risk of landslides or floods. A common theme at many unsatisfactory schools was missing components, low-grade materials and/or poor workmanship that did not meet the approved specifications. O&M plans were missing at 148 out of 153 completed schools. Some of these common problems can be attributed to missing design, material and construction specifications. Late contractor payments also caused schedule delays at 118 (62%) EQUIP subprojects.

• IRDP: At all canals that were monitored in the first quarter, the contractors stated that they were conducting the required material tests. However, no material testing documentation was available at any of the sites to verify these claims.

• NSP: Of the 146 subprojects that were monitored in the first quarter, 17 were officially reported as complete, but upon inspection they had incomplete work items. A total of 21 wells were inoperable due to poor design and/or site surveying, broken riser rods, and/or O&M issues. Although required in the NSP technical standards, expansion joints for pathways and retaining walls were not specified in design drawings at eight subprojects. O&M Plans were missing at 76 (40%) NSP subprojects visited in the first quarter.

• OFWMP: IAs collected funds for canal maintenance, but no OFWMP subprojects that were monitored in the first quarter had a maintenance plan to utilize the collected money. No other major patterns were reported, although unique deviations were observed at individual subprojects. These included back filled material not being compacted or leveled according to the specifications despite the work being reported as 100% complete, concrete segregation in a culvert slab, pointing and stones in sections of stone masonry canal lining not conforming to the specifications, bed concrete being of low material and workmanship quality, incorrect mix

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design, and culvert reinforcement steel not being installed according to the design. Minor deviation patterns, which were observed, include lids and panels at most outlet structures being damaged or missing, steel control gates were not being installed in their frames, and some canal features being generally worn out and requiring maintenance.

In the first quarter, the SA also identified a number of good practices on ARTF subprojects:

• ARAP: Qualified engineers and project managers, as well as skilled and unskilled workers, were observed at all subprojects. Contractors also deployed necessary, operable equipment on-site at all eight ongoing subprojects.

• IRDP: Contractors hired skilled and unskilled workers from local communities at all IRDP subproject sites. Mirabs were properly managing water use and canal maintenance on all the canal visited this quarter. Security guards at all hydrological and metrological stations reported regular salary payments.

• OFWMP: IAs and Mirabs at all OFWMP subprojects were reported to be performing their duties according to their bylaws. These included informing end users of proposed work, collecting and managing the water use fees, informing the community of water allocation plans during and after the rehabilitation work, conducting necessary maintenance, and coordinating with the MAIL-OFWMP team. At all 23 canal schemes community members that were interviewed expressed satisfaction with the rehabilitation work.

2.2. Environmental, Gender, and Social Safeguard Compliance In consultation with the World Bank, the SA developed three broad impact indicators as well as several specific monitoring indicators related to environmental, gender, and social safeguard findings:

• Environment-friendly and socially sustainable development • Female participation in sustainable development • Occupational health and safety

The level of environmental, gender, and social safeguard compliance varied between ARTF projects, in terms of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs), and the consultation of women.

2.2.1. Environmental Friendly and Socially Sustainable Development

• ARAP: ESMP documentation was available at all eight ongoing ARAP subprojects. GRMs were established at all eight ongoing subprojects, but documentation was only available at one site. The most frequent grievances were related to worker wage payments. Out of the 15 subprojects monitored, three subprojects obtained sand and gravel from nearby riverbeds, causing minor environmental impacts. None of the road subprojects had water catchments to prevent road erosion. Dust control was implemented to control air pollution from construction activities at all eight ongoing subprojects. Land was acquired at three subprojects, and land transfer documents were available at two sites. Abbreviated Resettlement Action Plans (ARAPs) were developed for two subprojects where Project Affected People (PAP) were reported.

• EQUIP: None of the 190 monitored schools had an ESMP available. Land was reportedly acquired by the community at 106 EQUIP sites, but land acquisition documents were available at only 45 sites. GRMs were in place at 60 subproject sites, but documentation was available at only four subprojects.

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• IRDP: An Environmental and Social Focal Point (ESFP) was not assigned at two out of the eight monitored canal subprojects in the first quarter. Local communities were involved in the selection of quarry sites, borrow pits, work camps and waste disposal depots at all IRDP subprojects. GRMs were in place at seven of the eight monitored IRDP canal subprojects, but records were not available at any site. No additional land was required for IRDP subprojects at seven out of the eight canals. The contractor and IRDP officials stated that a land transfer deed was prepared at the Khwabgah Canal, but it was not made available to the SA during the site visit.

• NSP: ESMPs were available at 11 (61%) of the RBG completed sites sited. Site Selection Criteria Checklists were available at 13 (72%) of the RBG completed sites. Environmental Impact Identification Checklists (EIICs) were available at 13 (72%) completed RBG subprojects, although sizable, negative environmental impacts issues were observed at six sites. Land acquisition was required at 28 out of 146 sites, and land transaction documents were available at 26 out of the 28 sites. GPS coordinates were included in the land transaction documents at only five subprojects. At 16 out of 18 RBG sites, CDC members were aware of Grievance Redress Mechanisms, but no grievance was documented at any of the sites that were monitored. CDCs reported that most conflicts were resolved verbally through the CDC or conflict resolution committee.

• OFWMP: ESMPs were available at all 23 subprojects. They included environmental impact mitigation measures, a selection of haul routes, a worker safety plan, plans for the strengthening of the traditional Mirab system, and IA/Mirab capacity building plans. Trees were cut down at 21 out of 23 subprojects, and tree replanting was not done at any of the subprojects. Replanting was planned for the end of subproject work. Sand and gravel were obtained from nearby rivers at 19 out of 23 subprojects. GRMs were established at all monitored subprojects, but records were available at only 13 out of 23 subprojects.

2.2.2. Female Participation in Sustainable Development

• ARAP: Out of 15 ARAP subprojects, women were consulted on nine subprojects in the planning phase and during implementation, but documentation for consultation was available at only three sites. Based on the available documents at all eight ongoing subprojects, the community was involved in site selection for working camp waste disposal.

• EQUIP: Women were consulted in the planning and implementation phases at 53 subprojects, but documents for consultation were available at only four sites. School Management Shuras (SMSs) were established at 178 (94%) of the sites, and women were also SMS members at 87 (49%) EQUIP subprojects.

• IRDP: Women were consulted about project plans and prioritization at four out of eight canal subprojects.

• NSP: At 128 (88%) of the 146 sites, women were members of the CDC, and at 89 (70%) of 128 mixed-gender CDCs, women held office or were in decision-making positions. Women signed onto the Community Development Plans (CDPs) at 86 (59%) of the CDCs. Women were consulted during the planning and implementation phases at 86 subprojects, and documentation for women consultation was available at all 86 sites. Community Participatory Monitoring (CPM) was established in 18 (12%) communities, and all18 CPMs had female members. • OFWMP: The MAIL-OFWMP team held meetings with women at 17 out of 23 subprojects, and documentation for women consultation was available at 14 out of 23 subprojects.

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2.2.3. Occupational Health and Safety

• ARAP: At all eight ongoing subprojects, workers were equipped with PPE. • EQUIP: An incident reporting mechanism was not available at any of the ongoing subprojects. • IRDP: An incident reporting mechanism was available at all ongoing sites, and no life safety issues were reported in the first quarter. • NSP: Life safety issues were observed at six subprojects. • OFWMP: An incident reporting mechanism was available at all ongoing sites, and no life safety issues were observed in the first quarter. Laborers were equipped with PPE at 11 sites, and a first aid kit was available at only 3 sites.

2.3. Participatory Monitoring Program

When an ARTF subprojects needs more frequent monitoring than just once or twice by an independent subject matter expert, capable and vetted Citizen Monitors (CMs) provide targeted and timely, first hand observations of subproject activities and outputs consisting of geo-tagged, date- stamped photos and textual descriptions. The SA validates the accuracy and content of CM observations before cataloging and sending all verified CM observations to the ministries. Critical and time sensitive CM observations are submitted to the ministry(ies) as soon as they are verified.

Based on site selection criteria agreed upon with the World Bank and the respective GoA ministries, CMs are identified for ongoing subprojects where the ministries requested a need for more frequent subproject monitoring. CMs are provided on-site training by the SA prior to beginning their observations. CMs also communicate with the SA almost on a daily basis to discuss their subproject progress and to receive guidance. Figure 6 shows the summary of observations reported under each project by the CMs and Figures 7 shows the location of the CMs with different color code for insecure and remote areas. Observations Project Number of CMs 1st Quarter of Year 1 Total Year II ARAP 5 211 53 264 EQUIP 17 145 245 390 IRDP 20 431 287 718 OFWMP 20 490 392 882 TOTAL 62 1277 977 2254

Figure 6: CM observations by project.

Information provided by the CMs impacts ARTF subprojects in many ways, including: • Provides feedback to GoA ministries about important milestones and critical deviations which enable the ministies to take immediate corrective actions before contractors leave the site and it is too late. • Independently tracks activities at sites to ensure construction schedules are met. • This monitoring approach has also provided an opportunity for the ministries to gather any social or project information from the site e.g., verify social conflict reported by the contractor, delivery of material on the site, availability of contractor’s engineer, work-in-progress report, etc. It has proven a useful tool, especially for the remote and insecure areas where it is difficult to visit by the ministry officials. • The CM initiative has also established a linkage between the ministries and the community

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Figures 7: CMs location by remoteness and security conditions.

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3. Trend Analysis

Three indicators were analyzed for trends: project overall average grades, deviation patterns and deviation rectification by the ministries and contractors. The SA used monitoring results from 2014 to 2016 to conduct an initial trend analysis.

• Project Overall Average Grades: Figure 8 compares the average overall grade for each project in the first quarter of Year II against those of the previous two years. While four of the five project grades remained the same or within a difference of 0.1, OFWMP showed a marked and steady improvement from 2014 to 2017. Probable reasons for this significant improvement include an improved OFWMP canal design process, and improved construction monitoring and support from the regional and central MAIL-OFWMP teams.

OVERALL TREND BY PROJECT: INFRASTRUCTURE

Historical (previous TPM 2014-2015) Year 1 QTR 1, Year 2 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.1 3.1 3.0 2.9

ARAP EQUIP IRDP NSP OFWMP

Figure 8: Overall average grade comparison by project

Deviation Patterns: The SA has submitted a total number of 988 deviations to the five GoA ministries since the inception of the Third Party Monitoring Program in November 2015, 684 (69%) of the total deviations were related to material and workmanship quality, 158 (16%) were related to design issues, 82 (8%) were related to environmental, gender and social safeguards, and 59 (6%) were related to O&M issues. Approximately 30% (299) of the total deviations were reported on OFMWP subprojects. This included 68 deviations related to environmental, gender and social safeguard issues, 29 related to O&M issues (e.g. canal lining was filled with debris, cleaning work was required, lid and panel of turnout structure was not available, etc.), 87 related to design and the approval system (e.g. constructed stone masonry wash structure not specified in the design drawings, culvert location changed from the designed distance from intake, etc.), and 115 related to material and workmanship quality. Design deviations were mostly related to a lack of MAIL approval because the design was changed to meet site-specific needs. But no approval was obtained prior to the site visit. Deviations patterns across the five ARTF projects are shown in Figure 9.

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% of the Nature of Deviations ARAP EQUIP IRDP NSP OFWMP Total Total Material and 232 131 66 140 115 684 69% workmanship quality Design issues 12 8 10 41 87 158 16% Electrical issues 5 5 1%

Environmental, gender and social safeguard 14 68 82 8%

issues Operations and 8 22 29 59 6% Maintenance issues Total 252 144 90 203 299 988

% of total 26% 15% 9% 21% 30%

Figure 9: Deviations pattern across five projects

• Deviation Rectification by GoA Ministries: In the first quarter of Year II, the SA reported a total of 270 deviations to the five GoA ministries. From the start of the current monitoring program in November 2015 through January 2017, the SA has reported a total of 988 deviations to the GoA line ministries. To date, the five GoA ministries have responded to 556 deviations (56%). But 227 of the 556 responses did not include the prerequisite geo-tagged and date-stamped or identifiable photos needed to verify that the corrective actions were conducted. As a result, only 329 (33%) of the identified deviations were adequately addressed by the GoA ministries. Some deviations, such as cracks and major deflections in the roof, roof truss and GI sheet wear and tear, boundary wall foundation stones being placed without mortar, and others were structural in nature. The ministries, FPs and contractors need additional time to correct these. In some cases, especially for EQUIP, deviations were related to O&M issues, and it is difficult to rectify these in the absence of O&M funds. Figure 11 breaks down the deviations reported for each ARTF project (see Figure 10).

Total Deviations Corrective Verifiable Deviations Deviations Reported Actions GoA ARTF Reported Reported Unrectified by the SA reported by Ministry Project by the SA by the SA Deviations in Year II, the GoA Corrective in Year I in Years I Quarter I ministries Actions and II (D) = (B + (A) (B) (C) (E) (F) (G) = (D - F) C) ARAP 188 64 252 173 122 130 EQUIP 87 57 144 57 4 140 IRDP 52 38 90 27 15 75 NSP 142 61 203 90 30 173 OFWMP 249 50 299 209 158 141 TOTAL 718 270 988 556 329 659 56% 33% 67%

Figure 10: Status of deviations observed and reported to GoA ministry since project inception

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4. Second Quarter

In the second quarter, the SA plans to monitor 529 ARTF subprojects distributed between six ARTF projects and located across all 34 Afghanistan provinces. Figure 11 illustrates the distribution of sites that are to be monitored by the SA in the second quarter of Year II.

TARGET FOR QUARTER 2, YEAR II

248 189

40 24 24 4

ARAP EQUIP IRDP NSP OFWMP APSDP

Figure 11: Subproject site visits to be conducted in the second quarter by the SA

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5. Beneficiary Story

EQUIP IMPACTING LIVES OF THE RURAL AFGHANS

Since 2015, Sayed Khadim has been the principal at the Kaisaw Girls High School in Kaiti District of Daikundi province.

“There will be increased community stake holding, less migration, and youth will be inclined to take up a pen instead of a gun”

Sayed Khadim was born in 1958, and his family includes his wife, four sons, three daughters and two sisters. His father was a farmer who died 15 years Sayed Khadim, the principal of Kaisaw ago. His brothers migrated to Iran in 1995. Girls High school

Sayed Khadim’s elder son and one of his daughters graduated from high school and have gone on to receive higher education in Kabul. His other sons and daughters are studying at the village school.

Sayed Khadim told his story to the SA. He related it to the progress made in the Afghanistan educational system and how the World Bank-funded EQUIP school is impacting lives in the local community. Sayed Khadim said “I completed my primary education in my village, but there was no school for higher education in my village or nearby villages. So, I had to go to the district center to attend high school. You can imagine how difficult it was for a son of a farmer to survive in the district center on meager financial support from home. Nonetheless, I completed my higher education by doing odd jobs on holidays. Had there been a high school in my village, it would have been much easier for me.”

Sayed Khadim continued, “Now, we have a high school in my village with qualified teachers. This school was constructed through EQUIP. This has not only helped interested students to continue their higher studies without facing the challenge I faced, but it has also spread awareness in the community to send their children to school. The villagers now understand that education is the key to a better life and school enrollment has increased significantly.”

Furthermore, Sayed Khadim added, “If such a mechanism can be developed where educated people like me can get a job in their own village and live with their family, there will be increased community stakeholding, less migration, and youth will be inclined to take up a pen instead of a gun. I am so happy and content that I can contribute to the greater cause of nation-building, help my sons in farming and still live with my family in my native village.”

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Afghanistan Rural Access Project

1. Primary Objectives

In Year 2, the Supervisory Agent (SA) is tasked to conduct 150 site visits to select Afghanistan Rural Access Project (ARAP) subprojects that were implemented by the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) and Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). The SA’s primary and secondary objectives are:

1. Monitor civil works contracts, design, documentation, and workmanship quality; perform random quantity checks and comparisons with Bills of Quantity (BoQ); review for quality and compliance with Environmental Social and Management Plans (ESMPs), security regulations, Abbreviated Resettlement Action Plans (ARAPs), and Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs); record contractor capacity, onsite mobilization and technical staff quality; and other relevant activities related to contract management, including timely payment. 2. Monitor the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) contracts on completed roads. 3. Recruit and train qualified local citizen monitors to supplement TPM work in collaboration with the World Bank, MoPW and MRRD ARAP implementation teams. 4. Provide ARAP TPM program data in web-based format to the MoPW and MRRD. 5. Perform material testing on select subprojects identified by the ministries and WB.

2. Overview

In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 41 ARAP subprojects in six provinces (see Figure 13 and Figure 14). Figure 12 provides a breakdown by category of ARAP subprojects, which were visited through the end of the first quarter of Year 2, as well as those to be visited in the remaining quarters.

Quarter 1 Year II Categories Year II Target Results remaining Asphalt 35 12 23 Bridges 17 5 12 Gravel Roads 50 10 40 RCC 3 0 3 Roads Under Maintenance 32 12 20 Plain Cement Concrete Pavement Road 7 2 5 Post Disaster 5 0 5 Building 1 0 1 Total 150 41 (27%) 109 (73%)

Figure 12: Table of ARAP subproject sites visited in the first quarter of Year 2

Subproject site selection focused on asphalt roads, gravel roads, bridges, roads under maintenance, and concrete paved roads during this quarter. MoPW and MRRD staff accompanied the SA to all 41 subproject site visits that were conducted in the first quarter.

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Figure 13: Locations of ARAP subprojects visited in the first quarter

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ARAP Subprojects Monitored by Province

Asphalt Bridge Gravelling Concrete Road

3

2

1

0 Kabul Parwan Kapisa Takhar Jawzjan Daikundi

Figure 14: ARAP subproject site visits by province in the first quarter of Year II

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3. General Findings 3.1. Construction and Maintenance Compliance Based on the utilized grading system (1 being very poor and 5 being very good), ARAP subprojects, which were monitored in the first quarter received an average overall grade of 3.5 (good). MoPW subprojects received an average overall grade of 3.6, and MRRD subprojects received an average overall grade of 3.4. This average overall grade demonstrates a satisfactory to good rating in construction, including design, materials and workmanship. Figure 15 breaks down the overall average grades for ARAP sub-projects by province.

Province Grade Kabul 4.0 Parwan 4.0 Kapisa 3.25 Takhar 3.5 Jawzjan 3.64 Daikundi 3.38

Figure 15: Overall average grades for ARAP subprojects monitored in the first quarter by province

Salient construction and maintenance findings at ARAP subprojects in the first quarter include:

• Two MoPW gravel and asphalt road subprojects (MSI-AR-0036 and MSI-AR-0025) were behind schedule and missed their planned completion dates of July 30, 2016 and September 09, 2016, respectively. Design modifications, cold weather, material shortages, a lack of good quality stones, social issues, and security problems caused delays at these subprojects.

• Two MoPW bridge subprojects (MSI-AF-0507 and MSI-AF-0508) were also behind schedule and missed their extended completion date of August 15, 2016. Moving the bridge location, heavy rainfall, flooding, project remoteness, and security in the Jalriz district of Wardak province contributed to the delays. MSI-AF-0508 subproject work was temporarily delayed because the contractor has two other ongoing ARAP subprojects in Daikundi province, and laborers were shifted to the other two projects for a short time.

• Rehabilitation of the 0.30 and 0.40 km segments MRRD concrete road and drainage structures (MSI-AR-0509 and MSI-AR-0510) from Bazaare Kohna to Deh Bala Village of Jabalussaraj District in Parwan Province was extended 100 and 40 meters, respectively, by the community. These extensions were not in the Scope of Work (SoW) at the project design stage. Some sections of the retaining walls that were missing in the original design were added to subproject MSI-AR-0509. Subproject MSI-AR-0510 work was delayed due to community problems and a lack of an alternative transportation methods for construction material.

• At the time of the SA site visit, the MRRD gravel-surfaced road subproject (MSI-AR-0289) in Daikundi province was in the last month of the Defects Liability Period (DLP). The SA observed that no maintenance had been conducted during the DLP, although retaining wall expansion joints fill and side drains were missing at most locations. Surface wearing course wash-boarding, ripples, settlement, and deformation had developed and were not repaired by the contractor. Retaining walls were designed and built at locations where culverts were needed, and a pipe culvert and a slab culvert were hydraulically undersized.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 21 • Two MoPW asphalt road subprojects (MSI-AR-0080 and MSI-AR-0079) in Jawzjan province were completed. At the time of the SA site visit, these subprojects were in the fourth month of the DLP, and no maintenance had been conducted. Most culvert headwalls were short and were not visible to traffic, representing road hazards. At subproject (MSI-AR-0089), side drain placement is needed at KM 13+000 to open the water flow channel into the culvert. Similarly, at subproject (MSI-AR-0079), a culvert wing wall at KM 2+700 was damaged, and the asphalt wearing course was raveling in parts at KM 1+300 and KM 5+000.

• At the time of the SA site visit, the MRRD gravel-surfaced road at subproject (MSI-AR-0289) in Daikundi province was in the last month of the DLP. No maintenance had been conducted, although retaining wall expansion joints fill and side drains at most locations had not been installed. Surface wearing course wash-boarding, ripples, settlement and deformation had developed and were not repaired by the contractor. Retaining walls were designed and built at locations where culverts were needed. A pipe culvert and a slab culvert were also hydraulically undersized (see Figure 16).

Figure 16: Undersized slab culvert for Khadir District Center to Shalgham Village Road (MSI- AR-0289), Khadir District, Daikundi Province

• At MRRD bridge subproject (MSI-AF-0509) in Takhar province, the contractor used standard grade plywood and wooden planks for the bridge deck slab and girder formwork instead of the required grade. Untreated plywood and timber have a porous surface and absorb water from the concrete mix, undermining the water-cement ratio and quality of the concrete. This project is only 75% completed and did not meet the scheduled January 2017 completion date (see Figure 17).

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 22

Figure 17: Standard grade plywood and planks being used for bridge formwork at RCC Girder Bridge (MSI-AF-0509) in Kalafgan, Takhar Province

• Due to improper surveying and design at two MRRD gravel road maintenance subprojects (MSI-AMR-0161 and MSI-AMR- 0163), the conducting of maintenance on one slab and nine culvert pipes, as well as the extension of two existing culverts, was not included in the approved design package. At subproject (MSI-AMR-0161), five culverts, backfill material, and compaction from KM 10+800 to 14+800 did not match the design specifications. The subgrade material also appeared to have a high clay content. At subproject (MSI-AR-0163), five potholes developed, and the gravel wearing course was completed with poor quality material at 11 locations, suggesting the plasticity index and CBR value did not conform to the specifications.

• At MoPW asphalt road maintenance subproject (MSI-AMR-0162) in Kabul province, surface cracks and potholes were not sealed according to the design specifications at six locations (see Figure 18). Maintenance for an existing bridge protection wing wall and an existing causeway was not included in the approved SoW. The repair and maintenance of several surface cracks, road shoulders, and side drains are yet to be conducted at the subproject.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 23

Figure 18: Sealed joint at subproject (MSI-AMR-0162), Paghman District, Kabul Province

3.2. Contractors’ Performance Contractor key staff are specified in each ARAP road contract. Qualified engineers and project managers were observed by the SA at all ARAP subprojects monitored in the first quarter of Year II. An adequate labor force, consisting of skilled and unskilled workers, was observed at all eight ongoing subprojects that were monitored.

Seven ARAP contractors received an overall average grade of 4.0 (good) for their workmanship and material. Ilyas Wais Construction and Road Building Company was awarded three contracts, and they consistently performed well. Elham Nabi Zada Construction Company, Bilal Tawab Construction Company, Brand Supper Construction Company, Ghulam Nabi Yaqoobi Construction & Road Building Company and Bakhtar Pairoz Construction Company each implemented one subproject. Community contracted subprojects consistently performed well. Yahya Yosufi Land Builder and Engineering, as well as Cosmo Road & Construction Company Ltd performed at a relatively lower level but was still graded as satisfactory.

Figure 19 shows the average overall grade by contractor:

Number of Number of Average Contractor Name Project Type(s) Contracts Inspections Grade Ilyas Wais Construction and Road Building 3 5 Asphalt & Bridge 4.0 Company Yahya Yosufi Land Builder and Engineering 1 5 Gravelling 3.0 Concrete Paved Community of Deh Bala Village 2 2 4.0 Road (PCC) Cosmo Road & Construction Company Ltd 1 5 Gravelling 3.0 Elham Nabi Zada Construction Company 1 1 Bridge 4.0

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 24 Bilal Tawab Construction Company 1 3 Asphalt 4.0 Brand Supper Construction Company 1 3 Asphalt 4.0 Ramz Construction Company 1 1 Bridge 3.0 Ghulam Nabi Yaqoobi Construction and Road 1 1 Bridge 4.0 Building Company Hamkar Construction Company 1 5 Gravelling 3.2 Kapisa Kohna Deh Construction Company 1 4 Gravelling 3.3 Bakhtar Pairoz Construction Company 1 2 Asphalt 4.0

Figure 19: The average overall grade by contractor in the first quarter of Year II

3.3. Contractor Equipment Quality Contractors deployed the necessary and operable construction equipment at all eight ongoing subproject sites that were visited by the SA during this quarter (see Figure 20 and 21).

Figure 20: Excavator and dump truck being used for river water diversion in the construction of an RCC girder bridge in Khadir District of Daikundi Province (MSI-AF-0079)

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 25

Figure 21: Roller compactor at an ARAP subproject in Mahmmod Raqi, Kapisa (MSI-AMR-0163)

3.4. Environmental, Gender and Social Safeguard Compliance The SA verified the availability of documents at ARAP subproject sites and surveyed key stakeholders, including MoPW and MRRD representatives, CDCs, Shuras and community members in order to collect information on environmental, gender and social safeguard compliance. Notable findings include:

• Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) documentation was available at all eight ongoing ARAP subprojects. • A total of 15 trees were cut down at one subproject site (MSI-AR-0025) and replanting is scheduled to take place when the weather improves. • A Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) was established at all eight ongoing ARAP subprojects. The most frequent grievances were related to workers’ wage payments. • Three subprojects obtained sand and gravel from nearby riverbeds, and this caused minor environmental impacts. • Most road subprojects did not have water catchments to prevent erosion. • At subproject (MSI-AR-0025), the land owner did not allow the road to be widened at KM 9+614. • At all eight ongoing subprojects that were monitored this quarter, haul routes did not cause environmental degradation or accelerated erosion according to SA engineers’ observations. • Dust control was implemented to avoid and control air pollution from construction activities at all eight ongoing subprojects. • Women were consulted on nine subprojects during the planning and implementation phases. • Based on the available documents at all eight ongoing ARAP subprojects, the community was involved in site selection for work camp waste disposal areas. • Land was acquired at three subprojects, and land transfer documents were available at two of the sites (MSI-AF-0509 and MSI-AF-0510). At subproject (MSI-AR-0025), the need for

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 26 additional land was not reported in the ESMP, but the subproject required 324 square meters of private land at KM 9+614. • At all eight ongoing subprojects visited in the first quarter, workers were equipped with personal protective equipment. An example is provided in the Figure 22.

Figure 22: Laborers equipped with PPE at subproject (MSI-AF-0510) in Taluqan District, Takhar Province.

• At three subprojects (MSI-AR-0025, MSI-AF-0509 and MSI-AF-0510) land was acquired. But a Project Affected People (PAP) was not documented at one of these subprojects (MSI-AR- 0025). • The abbreviated resettlement action plans were developed for two subprojects (MSI-AF-0509 and MSI-AF-0510) where PAPs were recorded.

4. Monitoring Data Utilization

The SA identified a total of 64 deviations in the first quarter. These were distributed between MoPW (23) and MRRD (41) subprojects. The most frequent deviations were related to causeways surface concrete cracks, side drains not placed to drain off surface water, loosely compacted backfill in culverts, unapproved design deviations (existing culvert maintenance not included in the design and undersized culverts), settlement, rutting, deformation, and improper subgrade preparation.

Between February 2016 and January 2017, 252 ARAP deviations were observed and reported to the MPW and MRRD by the SA. During this period of time, the SA received a total of 173 responses from ARAP Regional Offices regarding the identified deviations, which were either correction notices or feedback on actions taken. Out of these 173 responses, 122 corrective actions were verifiable. The remaining 51 responses did not include the prerequisite geo-tagged and date-stamped, or identifiable photos for verification.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 27 5. Trends

A number of trends were identified in the first quarter:

• At most ongoing ARAP subprojects monitored in the first quarter, a water catchment plan was not designed for erosion prevention. • Seven ARAP subproject contracts need to be amended because the projects were delayed and extensions were needed for all of them. • Although material test results were available for review on all eight ongoing ARAP subprojects, material warranties were not available at any of the subprojects. • Analysis of Year II first quarter findings compared to Year I findings showed an improved quality of asphalt roads and a slight decreased quality in gravel roads monitored (see Figure 23).

PERFORMANCE TRENDS

Year 1 QTR 1, Year 2 4 3.77 3.8 3.45 3.43 3.1

BRIDGES ASPHALT ROADS GRAVEL ROADS

Figure 23: ARAP subproject performance trends

6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Important lessons learned in the first quarter and the resulting recommendations include:

• At all three road subprojects under Defect Liability Period (DLP), existing structures (culverts and a bridge) required maintenance, and side drain placement was not proposed in the approved design packages. A proper survey needs to be conducted by the MoPW and MRRD to include all road items planned for maintenance. • At the time of the SA site visit, three ARAP road rehabilitation subprojects were nearing the end of their DLP, but no maintenance had been conducted. Retaining wall expansion joints fill and side drains at all subprojects were missing. The surface wearing course at these subprojects developed wash-boarding, ripples, settlement and deformation. Subproject contract DLP clause conditions should be revised to require contractors to correct critical deviations as they develop, in order to prevent more severe damage to the road. • Side ditches and drains are missing at all subprojects. This will cause the roads to erode at accelerated rates. Contractors need to pay more attention to side drains as they are a critical element to improving the longevity of road life. Most road surface damage or washouts are due to poor side drains. • Four subprojects were delayed due to design modification, remoteness, heavy rainfall/floods, and security reasons. The ARAP team should consider ways to develop more realistic schedules that take into account these factors.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 28 Education Quality Improvement Program

1. Primary Objectives

In Year II, the Supervisory Agent (SA) is tasked to conduct 750 site visits to select EQUIP subprojects implemented by the Ministry of Education’s (MoEd) Infrastructure Services Department (ISD). The SA’s primary monitoring objectives, according to the EQUIP Terms of Reference, are:

1. Monitor school design, documentation, construction and maintenance quality; track identified deviations; verify bid compliance; assess Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs); and discuss remedial measures with the ISD. 2. Observe and report on ISD engineer performance, including contract management and payment processing, at all levels of subproject supervision. 3. Randomly monitor teacher and student attendance and compare them with EMIS and payroll data. 4. Conduct spot checks to assess the availability and use of textbooks/learning materials in classrooms and the use of Quality Enhancement Grants (QEGs). 5. Recruit and train qualified citizen monitors to conduct participatory inspections. 6. Train MoEd ISD staff to use the SA’s field data collection and management systems. 7. Provide TPM program data in web-based format to the MoEd. 8. Identify incomplete work items and determine their probable causes. 9. Monitor textbook distribution at the PED and school levels.

2. Overview

Of the 750 site visits to be conducted in Year II, 450 will be to EQUIP subprojects that have never been visited by the SA, and 300 will be to recently completed or under-construction subprojects. In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 190 EQUIP subprojects in 28 provinces (see Figure 24, 25 and 26).

Quarter 1 Year II Categories Year II Target Results Remaining

Projects not visited by MSI or the previous SA 450 137 313

Recently Completed & Under Construction 300 53 247

TOTAL 750 190 (25%) 560 (75%)

Figure 24: EQUIP subprojects visited in the first quarter of Year II

ISD representatives accompanied the SA to 124 out of 190 EQUIP subprojects in the first quarter. According to the Provincial Education Department (PED), ISD representatives could not accompany the SA to 66 EQUIP subproject sites due to the lack of budgeted funds for staff transportation and per diems, and understaffing at the provincial level.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 29

Figure 25: Locations of EQUIP subprojects visited in the first quarter

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 30 EQUIP SUBPROJECTS BY PROVINCE IN QUARTER 1

25

23

18

13 12 12

10

9

7 7 6 6 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3

2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1

Figure 26: EQUIP subproject sites visited by province in the first quarter

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 31 3. General Findings 3.1. Construction, Maintenance and Contract Management Compliance Based on the utilized grading system (1 being very poor and 5 being very good), EQUIP subprojects, which were monitored in the first quarter, received an overall average grade of 3.0 (satisfactory) with 65 subprojects receiving unsatisfactory grades (below 3.0). Figure 27 breaks down the overall subproject grades by province.

GRADE BY PROVINCE 4 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3 3 3 3 3 3 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.6 1.9

Figure 27: Overall average grade by province for EQUIP subprojects monitored in the first quarter

Salient findings at EQUIP subprojects in the quarter include:

• Many students attend classes in tents or other temporary structures that are not conducive to a good learning environment. At 134 of the schools, overcrowding was observed, and students had to study in shifts. There were more than 40 students per classroom noted in these schools. • A total of 28 EQUIP schools were located in areas prone to landslides or floods. • Late contractor payments caused schedule delays at 118 subprojects. • A lack of boundary walls and basic facilities, like latrines and drinking water wells (the water quality was tested), were observed at thirteen schools. This could discourage students, especially girls, from attending school. • Based on SA observations at EQUIP schools monitored in the first quarter, the number of classrooms under construction is not suitable for the number of potential students.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 32 • Thirty-eight subprojects had missing components and/or workmanship that did not meet the required specifications. Examples included missing boundary walls, garbage collection points, expansion joints in walls, and the use of low quality mortar. An example of a poor quality garbage incinerator is provided in Figure 28.

Figure 28: Zahoo School, Garbage collection point (MSI-EQ-1324) Gardez District, Paktia Province

• Operation and Maintenance (O&M) plans were missing in 148 out of 153 completed schools. The most common deferred maintenance issues included broken/missing door hardware and window panes, spalling floor concrete and wall plaster, peeling interior/exterior paint, and leaking roofs. • A total of 30 schools had peeling paint or spalling wall plaster. This was a common issue in schools where “Plaster Stops” and “Plaster Drip Edges” were not in the design drawings. An example of poor quality plaster is given in Figure 29.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 33

Figure 29: The plaster of the boundary wall was not per project specification requirements at Akhund Khil High School (MSI-EQ-1307) in Paktia.

• A total of 66 schools had broken door hardware and panels, missing window frames/panes, and/or insect screens. In most cases, hardware quality was not specified in the construction documents. An example is given in Figure 30.

Figure 30: Broken door at the Machalghoo Girls School (MSI-EQ-1331) in Ahmadabad District, Paktia Province

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 34 3.2. Environmental, Gender and Social Safeguard Compliance Salient environmental, gender and social safeguard findings in the first quarter include:

• None of the 190 schools that were visited had an Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP). • Women were consulted in the planning and implementation phases at only 53 (28%) of the subprojects visited, but the documents for consultation were available at only four of these sites. • A School Management Shura (SMS) was established at 178 (94%) of the sites monitored, and women were also members of the SMS at 87 (49%) subprojects. • Land was acquired at 106 sites, but land acquisition documents were available at only 45 subprojects. • Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs) were in place at 60 subprojects that were visited, but documentation for the GRMs was available at only four subprojects. • A total of 99 EQUIP schools monitored were mixed gender. 23 were girls only, while 57 were boys only and 11 were PED facilities. A total of 2,316 male teachers and 738 female teachers were recorded by the SA. A significantly higher number of male students were recorded as attending EQUIP schools that were visited: 80,718 male students versus 39,016 female students.

3.3. EMIS Data Comparison Although only random sampling was required per the contract, the SA surveyed student and teacher attendance at all 190 EQUIP subprojects that it monitored in the first quarter and compared them with data from the MoEd EMIS database. Salient findings include:

• With the exception of 21 out of the 190 schools, SA-collected teacher attendance data did not match MoEd Education Management Information System (EMIS) data. • With the exception of three out of 190 schools, SA-collected student data did not match EMIS data.

Assuming that a 10% (+/-) variance is an acceptable benchmark, an analysis was done and it determined that:

• The variance in teacher data was within the range of 10% (+/-) at 20% (38) of the schools. • The variance in student data was within the range of 10% (+/-) at 43% (82) of the schools.

It is evident from the SA findings that EMIS data is not current. A focused and systematic approach needs to be taken in order to identify and address the root causes of the discrepancies.

3.4. Learning Material and Quality Enhancement Grants A total of 152 of the 190 EQUIP sites, which were visited, received QEGs 1, 2 or both. Books, learning aids, and laboratory equipment were being utilized by students and teachers at 102 of the subprojects (67%). Figure 31 shows QEGs received by schools that were visited this quarter.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 35 QEG Utilization

Number of subprojects provided QEG 35%

Number of subprojects NOT provided 52% QEG

Number of subprojects where learning aids optimally used 13%

Figure 31: QEG utilization by the subprojects monitored during the quarter

Figure 32 shows QEGs by province at schools visited in the first quarter

Figure 32: QEGs by province at schools visited in the first quarter

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 36 3.5. Payroll Data Comparison The SA received payroll data from the MoEd’s Department of Registration and Payroll Processing, and a comparison was done for 30 randomly selected schools. Out of 30 randomly selected schools, a variance was noted at only two schools (MSI-EQ-0062 in Badakhshan and MSI-EQ-0910 in Kandahar). These variances were due to administrative reasons (teachers being on leave and out of country therefore not being paid), and there was no case that was observed, which could not be justifiably explained.

4. Data Utilization

In the first quarter, the SA submitted 57 deviations to the ISD for corrective actions. The most frequent deviations were spalling plaster, peeling paint, missing/damaged garbage collection points, differential settlement, and buildings being located in areas with a high risk of landslides or flooding.

Between February 2016 and January 2017, the SA shared 144 EQUIP deviations with the ISD. In return, the SA received 57 correction notices or feedback on action taken by the ISD. Out of these 57 responses, only four corrective actions were verifiable. The remaining 53 responses did not include the prerequisite geo-tagged and date-stamped or identifiable photos for the corrective actions.

Although the ISD developed a mechanism for sharing critical and frequent deviations with the PEDs, there has been little follow up on the part of the PEDs and the ISD in terms of the correction and prevention of deviations. ISD management needs to ensure that the PEDs are following up on deviations that have been reported and agreed upon.

To assist the ISD in understanding the probable root causes for the identified deviations, as well as to develop the necessary corrective actions, the SA conducted monthly review meetings. The Supervisory Agent, and the regional and central engineering teams of the ISD-MoEd attended these coordination meetings, and a plan of action to address the reported deviations was discussed.

5. Trends

Trends that were identified in the first quarter include:

• A total of 68 subprojects (36%) were graded unsatisfactory (< 3.0). Figure 33 below shows the grade received by the subprojects that were monitored during the quarter.

Project Phase < 2.0 2.1 to 2.5 2.6 to 3.0 3.1 to 3.5 3.6 to 4.0 EQUIP I 2 7 19 14 1 EQUIP II 3 3 12 20 4 EQUIP II ADD PP 1 2 39 23 7 EQUIP II Old PP 1 0 9 10 6 EQUIP II Pilot Project PP 0 0 1 3 3 Total: 7 12 80 70 21 % of total for the quarter: 0% 5% 33% 51% 11%

Figure 33: Grades obtained by the subprojects that were monitored during the quarter

• A comparison of overall grades given to 140 CC subprojects and 50 NCB subprojects showed that the subprojects implemented through National Competitive Bidding (NCB) process had a marginally higher quality of workmanship. NCB subprojects had an average overall grade of 3.2 (slightly above satisfactory) versus 2.9 (slightly below satisfactory) for CC subprojects.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 37 Figure 34 shows the breakdown of CC and NCB subproject sites visited this quarter by province.

Figure 34: CC and NCB EQUIP subprojects visited in the first quarter and broken down by province

The Supervisory Agent did a trend analysis by region for the subprojects, which were monitored during the quarter, and noted that the subprojects in the South region performed best among the group with a grade of 3.6. This was followed by the Central region (3.2), and the Eastern region (3.0). Subprojects in the Western region and the Northern region obtained below satisfactory grades (2.8). Please see Figure 35 below.

Grade by Region

3.6 3.2 3.0 2.8 2.8

East West Center North South

Figure 35: Grades by region for the EQUIP subprojects monitored during the quarter

• A total of 28 schools were located in areas with a high risk of landslides and slope failures.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 38 • O&M plans did not take place at 184 of the subprojects that were visited. O&M plans and funding were not available at 148 out of 153 completed schools. • Laboratory equipment, learning aids, and books procured through QEGs were not utilized due to space constraints at 50 of the schools. The equipment was kept in storage. • Electrical systems, such as junction boxes, switches, wiring, and lights, were not installed according to the design specifications at eight EQUIP subprojects. • Spalling plaster and peeling paint was observed at 66 EQUIP schools. Old CC schools that were six to eight years old are in need of urgent repair and maintenance. • Roof deviations were observed at 26 sites. These primarily consisted of leaks and damaged/missing downspouts. Some flat roofs had inadequate slopes that allowed water to pond and seep through the ceiling below. Missing downspouts often led to peeling paint and spalling plaster as water infiltrated the walls. • Compliance with environmental, gender and social safeguards continues to fall short. None of the subprojects had an ESMP available, and women were consulted at only 28% of the sites monitored during the quarter.

6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Important lessons learned in this quarter and the resulting recommendations include:

• The quality of plaster and paint would benefit from waterproofing improvements, proper phasing of plaster, improved paintwork, and better attention to quality management. • Contracts must require, at a minimum, a sloped roof (recommend 6%), adequate scuppers, and downspouts leading to the ground, without exception. • Roofs and structural supports must be designed to resist earthquakes and expected snow loads, as failure poses one of the greatest life safety risks. • Greater attention needs to be paid to concrete quality. Segregation, smooth aggregate, improper mix design, and improper curing techniques were commonly-observed deviations. • A lack of O&M plans is a general trend across all projects. O&M plans and funding should be institutionalized in order to deal with minor repairs and maintenance. Many deviations, which were observed, were directly related to deferred maintenance. A properly implemented O&M plan will increase the lifespan of the project. • Proper site surveys should be conducted to identify and mitigate environmental risks (i.e., flooding, landslides, hygiene issues). • Schools should be sized to accommodate the actual number of students in a community. • The payment processing system should be streamlined to avoid delays that lead to project abandonment. • Improved environmental, gender, and social safeguard compliance is required. • Due to the lack of laboratories, libraries and resource rooms, QEG materials provided were not always used to their potential. The availability of resource rooms should be ensured before releasing a QEG to a school.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 39 Irrigation Restoration and Development Project

1. Primary Objectives

In Year II, the Supervisory Agent (SA) is tasked to conduct 100 site visits on the IRDP subprojects implemented by the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW). Three primary monitoring-related objectives, as well as two additional objectives, are defined in the IRDP TPM Terms of Reference:

1. Monitor construction, contractor and maintenance compliance 2. Monitor environmental, gender and social safeguard compliance 3. Recruit and train qualified local Citizen Monitors (CMs) to supplement TPM work 4. Train MEW staff to use the SA’s field data collection and management systems 5. Provide TPM program data in a web-based format to the MEW/IRDP

In the first quarter of Year II (November 2016 to January 2017), the MEW requested that on-going canal subprojects receive visits. The SA was also tasked by the MEW to monitor hydrological and meteorological stations that submitted unreliable data.

2. Overview

In the first quarter, the SA conducted 25 site visits to IRDP subprojects (21 sections of 8 canals, 2 hydrological stations, and 2 material tests) in seven provinces (Logar, Panjsher, Parwan, Ghor, Laghman, Kunar and Nimroz - see Figure 37 and 38). Figure 36 provides a breakdown, by category, of IRDP subprojects, which were visited through the end of the first quarter, as well as those to be visited in the remaining quarters.

Year II Quarter 1 Year II Categories Target Results Remaining Completed Hydrological Stations 10 2 8

Completed and Ongoing Medium-Sized Subprojects 48 6 42

Material Testing Quality Assurance 10 2 8

River Bank Protection 15 0 15

Completed and Ongoing Large-Sized Subprojects 17 15 2

Total 100 25 (25%) 75 (75%)

Figure 36: Table of IRDP subproject sites visited in the first quarter of Year II

The MEW representatives accompanied the SA to all the 25 IRDP subproject sites monitored.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 40

Figure 37: Locations of IRDP subprojects visited in the first quarter of Year II

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 41 IRDP SUBPROJECTS VISITED BY PROVINCE

8

7

6

5

8 8 4

3

4 2

2 1 1 1 1

0 GHOR KUNAR LAGHMAN LOGAR NIMROZ PANJSHER PARWAN

Figure 38: IRDP subproject site visits by province in the first quarter of Year II

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 42 3. General Findings 3.1. Construction and Maintenance Compliance Based on the utilized grading system (1 being very poor and 5 being very good), IRDP canal subprojects, which were monitored in the first quarter, received an overall average grade of 3.7 (good). This average overall grade demonstrates a higher than satisfactory quality in all aspects of construction, including design, materials and workmanship.

Notable IRDP subproject findings observed and recorded in the first quarter, include:

• The constructed parts of eight IRDP canals subprojects were in compliance with MEW specifications for design, material and workmanship quality. • Equipment inspected at two hydrological stations were in compliance with MEW technical specifications. • The Mirabs were properly managing water use and canal maintenance at all canals visited. • At all the canal subprojects contractors stated that they conducted the required material tests, however, no documentation was available at any of the sites to verify these claims. • Prime contractors conducted all work at the subprojects visited. No work was subcontracted. • Contractors hired skilled and unskilled workers from local communities at all IRDP subproject sites visited. All laborers were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), and contractors reported no injuries at any of the projects. • Security guards at the four hydrological and metrological stations reported regular salary payments. • A Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) was available at all monitored canals, but no documentation pertaining to reported grievances was available at any site visited. • Community women were consulted at four out of eight subprojects monitored. Consultation documents were available at only the Oshtor Khan Canal (MSI-IRDP-305). • Two material tests were conducted by the CTTC to determine the quality of back filling at Charikar Canal (MSI-IRDP-324). The material was found to meet the specifications.

Figure 39 shows a well-constructed, reinforced concrete off-take structure at the Khwabgah Canal (MSI-IRDP-332). The concrete surface is smooth and leveled without segregation and/or cold joints. While Figure 39 depicts concrete works of predominantly good quality, there were concrete segregation issues as well

Figure 39: Well-built off-take structure at the Khwabgah Canal Irrigation Scheme – Lot-4 (MSI-IRDP- 332) Charborjak district, Nimroz province.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 43 Figure 40 shows segregation at the RCC ring beam at the Oshtor Khan Canal (MSI-IRDP-305). Smooth-sided river aggregates were used in place of crushed aggregate. There were also voids in the beam indicating improper vibration during concrete placement.

Figure 40: Segregation and smooth aggregates in the reinforced ring beam on the Oshtor Khan Canal (MSI-IRDP-305) in Center district, Ghor province

3.2. Environmental, Gender and Social Safeguard Compliance The SA verified the availability of documents at IRDP subproject sites and surveyed key stakeholders, including MEW representatives, Mirabs, CDCs, Shuras and community members, in order to collect information on environmental, gender and social safeguard compliance. Notable environmental, gender and social safeguard compliance findings include:

• Local communities were involved at the selection of quarry sites, borrow pits, work camps and waste disposal depots at all IRDP subprojects monitored in the first quarter. • An Environmental and Social Focal Point (ESFP) was not assigned at two out of the eight (MSI-IRDP-246 and MSI-IRDP-361) canal subprojects that were monitored. • Women were consulted about project plans and prioritization at four out of eight canal subprojects (MSI-IRDP-305, MSI-IRDP-306, MSI-IRDP-246 and MSI-IRDP-342) monitored. Community women did not report any concerns regarding the canal schemes subproject. • GRMs were in place at seven of the eight monitored IRDP canal subprojects, but grievance records were not available at any subproject. A GRM was not in place at MSI-IRDP-361. • No additional land was required for IRDP subprojects at seven of the eight canals monitored. Land was acquired at the Khwabgah Canal (MSI-IRDP-332). The contractor and responsible IRDP officials said that a land transfer deed was prepared, but it was not available at the site. • Contractors obtained sand and gravel from a nearby riverbed at all eight canals monitored in this quarter. Figure 41 shows where a riverbed that was clearly affected by the extraction of

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 44 sand and gravel at MSI-IRDP-246-a). This effect was not reported by Irrigation Associations (IAs) on other subproject sites.

Figure 41: The riverbed was affected as a result of sand removal by the contractor at MSI-IRDP-246- a in the Chaghcharan district, Ghor province.

4. Data Utilization

The SA submitted 38 deviations to the MEW in the first quarter for corrective action, of which 20 were related to material and workmanship quality, four were related to design issues, and the remaining 14 were related to gender and social safeguards. Since November 2015, when the current ARTF monitoring program began, the SA has submitted 90 deviations to the MEW for corrective action. The most common deviations were related to segregated concrete, inadequate backfill compaction, and low quality stone masonry canal lining. The SA received feedback from the MEW for 27 of the 90 deviations and based on geo-tagged and date-stamped photos supplied by the MEW, 15 of the 27 deviations were verifiably resolved. A total of 75 deviations are still open, including 13 deviations reported on meteorological and hydrological stations.

5. Trends

Although a very slight drop in overall average grade occurred in the first quarter compared to results from the previous two years, IRDP subprojects continued to deliver good design, material and workmanship quality (see Figure 42).

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 45 PERFORMANCE TREND

3.82 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.78 3.76 3.74 3.72 3.7 3.7 3.68 3.66 3.64 Historical (previous TPM 2014-2015) Year 1 Quarter 1, Year 2

Figure 42: IRDP subproject overall average grades from 2014 to 2017

6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Important lessons learned in the first quarter and resulting recommendations include:

• The MEW should provide approved design changes to the SA before monitoring visits. • At all IRDP subprojects monitored in the first quarter, each contractor reported that material testing programs were in place, however, no supporting documents were available at any site visited. The MEW should implement a material test submittal log and tracking system. These documents should be shared with the SA before subproject site visits. • A lack of GRM documentation was consistently observed at all sites. IRDP has done a good job at introducing GRMs at all sites, but the MEW needs to focus on institutionalizing documentation supporting GRMs at all project sites.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 46 National Solidarity Program - Infrastructure

1. Primary Objectives

In Year II, the Supervisory Agent (SA) is tasked to conduct 634 site visits to MRRD subprojects, which are broken down into 200 Maintenance Cash Grants (MCG) subprojects, 400 Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project (CCAP) subprojects, and 34 block grant infrastructure subprojects. The primary NSP monitoring objectives are:

1. Monitor technical as well as operational and maintenance (O&M) plan compliance 2. Monitor environmental, gender, and social safeguard compliance 3. Verify Management Information System (MIS) data maintained by NSP

2. Overview

In the first quarter of Year II, the SA monitored 146 NSP MCG subprojects in 31 provinces covering six sectors: education, irrigation, power, rural development, transport, and water supply/sanitation (see Figure 43, 44 and 45).

Year II Quarter 1 Year II Categories Target Results Remaining NSP completed subprojects with MCG 200 146 54

Block Grant Infrastructure Monitoring 34 0 34

Citizens’ Charter Afghanistan Project (CCAP) 400 0 400

Total 634 146 488

Figure 43: NSP infrastructure sub-project sites visited in the 1st quarter

A total of 132 out of the 146 completed NSP subprojects, which were visited, were operational. Ten subprojects were partially-operational. The remaining four subprojects were non-operational due to a combination of design issues and a lack of O&M plans.

The NSP site selection criteria, which was applied this quarter, was in line with the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) and World Bank’s guidance. Additional criteria used to select the subprojects included:

• Subprojects in provinces involved with MCG phases I, II, and III • Subprojects where the physical work started under the MCG

Representatives from the MRRD/NSP team accompanied the SA to 137 (94%) of the 146 sites that were visited. The SA conducted unaccompanied visits to five sites in Kabul and three sites in Faryab because the Provincial Management Unit (PMU) stated they did not have an available engineer. One site visit in Daikundi was unaccompanied because it was conducted on a holiday.

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 47

Figure 44: Location of NSP infrastructure sites visited during the first quarter of Year II

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 48

Subproject type monitored by province in the first quarter of Year II

12

10 1

8 2

3 6 2 4

1 1 1 2 2 3 1 3 1 1 4 2 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 4 2 1 1 5 1 1 5 5 1 3 3 1 2 4 2 4 4 2 4 3 3 3 1 3 3 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

Transport Irrigation Water and Sanitation Rural Development Power Education

Figure 45: NSP subproject sites visited by province and sector in the first quarter of Year II

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3. General Findings 3.1. Construction and Maintenance Compliance Based on the utilized grading system (1 being very poor and 5 being very good), the overall average grade from 146 NSP infrastructure subprojects that were monitored in the first quarter was 3.6 (between satisfactory and good) for design, materials and workmanship. Figure 46 breaks down the overall grades received by NSP infrastructure subprojects by sector. Figure 47 breaks down the overall grades by category.

Overall Grade by Subproject Sector

3.8 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.2

3.1

3 Irrigation Water and Education Rural Transport Power Sanitation Development

Figure 46: Overall average grades given to NSP infrastructure subprojects broken down by sector

GRADE BY CATEGORY IN QUARTER I

4

3.5 3.7 3 3.4 3.5 2.5 2.9

2

1.5

1

0.5

0 MAINTENANCE WORKMANSHIP MATERIAL DESIGN

Figure 47: Overall average grades given to NSP infrastructure subprojects broken down by category

Salient, cross-cutting issues observed in the first quarter include:

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 50

• MRRD/NSP-supplied data claimed that MCG sub-projects in Wardak province were ongoing. But according to the PMU, they had not been started. As a result, those subprojects were not visited. • A total of 17 subprojects were officially complete, but upon inspection, it was noted that they had incomplete items, including box culvert headwalls, handicap access ramps/rails, expansion joints, retaining wall backfill, latrine doors/ventilation pipes, and canal pointing/concrete caps (see example in Figure 48 and a list of subprojects in Figure 49).

Figure 48: Missing doors on the dry latrine built in Zard Sang Village, Panjab District of Bamyan Province (MSI-NS-61857)

S.N Sub-project ID S.N Sub-project ID S.N Sub-project ID

1 MSI-NS-40302/ 16-1614-0007-1-a 2 MSI-NS-1729/ 16-1614-0003-1-b 3 MSI-NS-67988/ 32-3211-0052-1-a 4 MSI-NS-2458/ 05-0501-0115-1-a 5 MSI-NS-30470/ 12-1208-0053-1-b 6 MSI-NS-5782/ 02-0201-0013-1-b 7 MSI-NS-61857/ 28-2805-0002-1-b 8 MSI-NS-7591/ 02-0207-0043-1-a 9 MSI-NS-68660/ 34-3401-0024-1-b 10 MSI-NS-71564/ 01-0108-0025-2-a 11 MSI-NS-86036/25-2502-0050-1-c 12 MSI-NS-55261/24-2408-0012-1-b 13 MSI-NS-68183/33-3301-0031-1-a 14 MSI-NS-68506/33-3306-0013-1-a 15 MSI-NS-34439/14-1401-0202-1-a 16 MSI-NS-64229/30-3006-0023-1-a 17 MSI-NS-540/24-2401-0001-1-d

Figure 49: Complete sub-projects with missing components that were officially reported

• Four subprojects were inoperable due to poor design or O&M issues (MSI-NS-5012/01-0110- 0005-1-a, MSI-NS-45174/19-1901-0007-1-c, MSI-NS-37002/15-1502-0047-1-a, and MSI-NS- 30396/12-1208-0003-1-a). An example of poor maintenance is provided below in Figure 50.

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 51

Figure 50: Cover for the water reservoir damaged in the floods and not maintained (MSI-NS-37002) Qulqun Soy village, Hazrat Sultan District of Samangan Province

• Community contributions were only 9% at 21 subprojects (see Figure 51).

No. Sub-project ID No. Sub-project ID No. Sub-project ID 1 MSI-NS-45174/ 19-1901-0007-1-c 2 MSI-NS-46480/ 19-1907-0027-1-a 3 MSI-NS-71564/ 01-0108-0025-2-a 4 MSI-NS-77108/ 18-1812-0038-2-a 5 MSI-NS-9574/ 03-0310-0025-2-a 6 MSI-NS-71634/ 01-0108-0027-2-a 7 MSI-NS-5012/ 01-0110-0005-1-a 8 MSI-NS-5029/ 01-0110-0013-1-a 9 MSI-NS-12009/05-0501-0129-1-a 10 MSI-NS-81565/11-1115-0104-2-c 11 MSI-NS-26044/11-1101-0060-1-c 12 MSI-NS-30475/12-1208-0056-1-b

13 MSI-NS-2458/05-0501-0115-1-a 14 MSI-NS-30448/12-1208-0035-1-b 15 MSI-NS-49044/20-2009-0097-1-b 16 MSI-NS-62678/29-2902-0020-1-a 17 MSI-NS-51147/21-2101-0102-1-c 18 MSI-NS-56570/25-2501-0009-1-e 19 MSI-NS-63859/29-2919-0003-1-a 20 MSI-NS-86036/25-2502-0050-1-c 21 MSI-NS-63856/29-2919-0002-1-a

Figure 51: Subprojects with less than 10% community contribution

• Three culverts were missing at subproject MSI-NS-12009/05-0501-0129-1-a. • A total of 21 wells were inoperable due to poor design, poor site surveying, and/or O&M issues. The wells were dry or had broken riser rods (MSI-NS-63859/29-2919-0003-1-a, MSI- NS-63859/29-2919-0002-1-a, MSI-NS-62481/29-2901-0036-1-b, MSI-NS-65611/31-3105- 0012-1-a, MSI-NS-65596/31-3105-0005-1-a, MSI-NS-41477/17-1706-0079-1-a, MSI-NS- 62678/29-2902-0020-1-a). • Although required in the NSP standard specifications, expansion joints for pathways and retaining walls were not specified in the design drawings at eight subprojects. The absence of expansion joints causes uncontrolled structural and surface cracks (see Figure 52).

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 52

No. Sub-project ID No. Sub-project ID No. Sub-project ID

1 MSI-NS-86036/25-2502-0050-1-c 2 MSI-NS-55261/24-2408-0012-1-b 3 MSI-NS-68506/33-3306-0013-1-a

4 MSI-NS-65978/31-3107-0033-1-a 5 MSI-NS-NS-56570/25-2501-0009-1-e 6 MSI-NS-74977/ 09-0902-0134-2-a 7 MSI-NS-74823/ 08-0821-0029-2-a 8 and MSI-NS-84978/ 08-0818-0044-2-a

Figure 52: Subprojects missing expansion joints in designs

• A total of 76 (54%) out of 140 completed subprojects, which were visited in the first quarter, had no O&M plans. For the remaining six subprojects, five power line supply sites and one school subproject, Da Afghanistan Brishna Shirkat (DABS) and the Ministry of Education (MoEd) are responsible for O&M issues.

3.2. Environmental, Gender and Social Safeguard Compliance The SA verified documents at NSP subproject sites and surveyed key stakeholders, including Facilitating Partner (FP) staff, community members and Community Development Councils (CDCs), in order to collect information on environmental, gender and social safeguard compliance. Notable findings from the first quarter include:

• Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) were available at 11 (61%) of Repeater Block Grant( RBG )completed sites that were visited. • The Site Selection Criteria Checklist was available at 13 (72%) of the RBG completed sites visited. • Environmental Impact Identification Checklists (EIICs) were available at 13 (72%) of the completed subprojects. Sizable negative environmental impacts issues were observed at six subprojects (MSI-NS-5012/ 01-0110-0005-1-a, MSI-NS-61857/ 28-2805-0002-1-b, MSI-NS- 72991/ 08-0821-0038-2-a, MSI-NS-20900/ 08-0816-0004-1-c, MSI-NS-65693/ 31-3106-0004- 1-a, and MSI-NS-13389/ 06-0601-0167-1-a). An example environmental issue is shown in Figure 53.

Figure 53: Effluent draining away from a latrine block at subproject (MSI-NS-61857/ 28-2805-0002-1- b) causing unsanitary conditions.

• Life safety issues were observed at six subprojects that were visited (MSI-NS-65693/ 31- 3106-0004-1-a, MSI-NS-3241/30-3006-0011-1-b, MSI-NS-37013/ 15-1502-0050-1-a, MSI-

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 53

NS-37002/ 15-1502-0047-1-a, MSI-NS-33415/13-1312-0007-1-d, and MSI-NS-68660/ 34- 3401-0024-1-b). • At 128 (88%) out of 146 sites monitored, women were members of mixed and gender- separate CDCs (see Figure 54).

GENDER PARTICIPATION

90

80

70

60

50 89 82 86 40

30 46 20

10 18

0 CDCs consisting CDCs segregated CDCs with no CDCs with Women signed of both gender by gender in female female as office on CDP sub-committees members bearer

Figure 54: Women participated in the CDCs at 146 sites monitored during the first quarter of Year II

• At 89 (70%) of 128 CDCs, women held office and were in decision-making positions. • Women signed onto CDPs at 86 (59%) of the CDCs monitored. • Women were consulted during the planning an implementation phases at 86 sites, and documentation for women consultation was available at all 86 sites. • At 42 out of 146 sites visited, CDCs had held meetings in the past three months. • Land acquisition was required at 28 out of 146 sites. The land transaction documents were available at 26 out of these 28 sites. GPS coordinates were included in the land transaction documents at five subprojects. • At 16 out of 18 RBG sites, CDC members were aware of Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs), but no grievance was documented at any of the sites that were monitored. CDCs reported that most conflicts were brought to attention and resolved verbally through the CDC or conflict resolution committee. • Community Participatory Monitoring (CPM) was established at 18 (12%) communities, and women were members of all the 18 CPMs (see Figure 55).

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 54

Community Participatory Monitoring (CPM)

160 146 140

120

100

80

60

40 18 18 20 0 0 Total CDC monitored CPM established CPM with female members CPM without female members

Figure 55: Community Participatory Monitoring findings for communities visited in the first quarter of Year II

3.3. Maintenance Cash Grant The SA visited 146 NSP Maintenance Cash Grant (MCG) subprojects in 31 provinces in the first quarter.

Key findings include:

• Communities involved with the 146 NSP MCG subprojects, which were monitored, received a total of AFN 78,516,852 (USD $1,175,402) according to the Maintenance Plan Form 1. This benefited 34,454 families in 31 provinces. • A total of 8,114 skilled laborers and 149,280 unskilled laborers worked at 146 subprojects from the start of the MCG program start to the date of the SA’s visits visit. • At the 146 MCG subprojects that were visited through January 2017, a total of AFN 3,719,344 (USD $54,858) was paid to skilled laborers and AFN 49,461,127 (USD $729,515) was paid to unskilled laborers from the MCG program start to the date of SA visit. • A total of 433 females worked as unskilled laborers at eight MCG subprojects, and a total of AFN 143,800 was paid to the female unskilled laborers. Those females assisted with curing concrete pathways, laundry, and cooking. • At all sites visited, Maintenance Plans and Paid Labor Logbooks/Registers were maintained at all subprojects. • The most common activities under MCGs are road gravelling, water supply network rehabilitation, pathway construction, canal cleaning, and retaining wall construction. • At 91 out of 146 subprojects, CDCs established four-member committees of local villagers to identify skilled and unskilled laborers. At the remaining 55 sites, CDCs directly identified laborers. • Community members reported no grievances at any of the subprojects visited through January 2017. • PMU Engineers visited all 146 subprojects. Social organizers did not visit seven MCG sites.

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 55

4. Data Utilization

The SA identified 61 NSP subproject deviations in the first quarter of Year II. The most common deviations were related to their design, operation and maintenance, and the quality of workmanship. Of these 61 deviations, 13 were considered critical and requiring immediate attention from the MRRD. These deviations include a water reservoir roof covering truss washed out in a flashflood, the foundation of a canal and the forebay not compacted properly, scouring (washing out) at the foundation of a protection wall, contraction joint or expansion joints not being constructed for the protection wall, etc. A total of 35 reported deviations were moderate in nature. Examples of these deviations included an apron's concrete being destroyed, a non-operational hand pump with a broken riser rod, weep holes and expansion joints not being specified in the design drawings, concrete caps not being placed, missing headwalls of culverts, etc. The remaining 13 deviations were of low priority and mainly related to O&M. None of the 61 deviations reported the first quarter were addressed by the MRRD.

A total of 203 deviations were reported to the MRRD between January 2016 and January 2017, with 39 of the deviations determined to be un-rectifiable or lessons learned issues. Deviations include design issues, missing retaining wall weep holes /expansion joints, and washed out wells. Out of the remaining 164 deviations, 90 were addressed by the MRRD through corrective action measures. Out of these 90 deviations, 30 were verifiable through supplied geo-tagged and date-stamped photos. The remaining 134 deviations are still open.

5. Trends

Trends identified in first quarter include:

• NSP subprojects consistently received satisfactory to good grades from 2011 to 2017 (see Figure 56).

3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.5 Historical (previous TPM 2014-2015) Year 1 ( November 2015 to October Year 2 (November 2016 to January 2016) 2017)

Figure 56: Performance trend of NSP subprojects

• Female participation in CDCs and CDPs was high in Takhar, Nangarhar, Daikundi, Badakhshan, Balkh, Herat, Jawzjan, and Parwan provinces. There was no female participation in Zabul and Kunar provinces.

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 56

• An Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) was available at all sites monitored in Herat, Kabul, Khost, Parwan, and Badghis provinces. ESMPs were not available at any sites monitored in Balkh, Laghman, Badakhshan, and Faryab provinces. • An Environmental Impact Identification Checklist (EIIC) was available for all subprojects facilitated by CHA, SDO, NPO/RRAA, Afghan Aid, IRC, and DACAAR. It was available for only 40% of the subprojects facilitated by BRAC, MADERA, UN-Habitat, and CARE International. • A comparison of overall subproject grading by facilitating partner is provided in Figure 57.

GRADE BY FPs IN QUARTER-I of YEAR 2

30

25 3.4 20 3.9 15 3.5 3.8 3.5 10 3.8 3.5 21 3.4 3.6 3.4 15 3.3 3.6 3.7 3 3.6 5 3.7 11 11 9 3.2 3.2 11 6 3.8 6 8 4 6 8 5 3 4 5 4 4 5 0 2 2

# of visited sub-project Grade

Figure 57: Subproject grade by facilitating partner.

6. Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Important lessons learned and recommendations from the first quarter monitoring period include:

• One of the major challenges faced by the SA was the unavailability of an NSP infrastructure subproject list with updated status information. Ongoing and completed subprojects were selected for monitoring based on data provided by the MRRD. Approximately 50% of the sites selected for monitoring had not been started. It would contribute to the overall effectiveness of the monitoring process to have the MRRD/NSP database regularly updated and shared with the SA. • Greater care should be taken to properly define site locations and create subproject-specific designs. O&M plans should be institutionalized across all subprojects and O&M training should be conducted at the CDC level. • PMU engineers should conduct closeout inspections to verify project completion before issuing completion documents. • PMU engineers should review design packages for compliance with NSP standards and specifications. • The MRRD/NSP team should work with the CDC’s to increase female participation and/or establish female subcommittees. • All NSP infrastructure subprojects should have ESMPs, Site Selection Criteria Checklists and/or Environmental Impact Identification Checklist documents as part of their required

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 57

environmental compliance. An EIIC should be prepared with an appropriate mitigation plan to address negative environmental impacts. • CPM is a beneficial approach implemented by the MRRD/NSP to improve subproject performance, improve transparency and accountability, and encourage a feedback mechanism at the community level to take corrective actions. Based on the data collected in the first quarter, only 18 communities (12%) had established CPMs.

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 58

On-Farm Water Management Project

1. Primary Objectives

In Year II, the Supervisory Agent (SA) is tasked to conduct 100 site visits to OFWMP subprojects implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL). Three primary monitoring- related objectives, as well as three additional objectives, are defined in the OFWMP TPM Terms of Reference:

1. Monitor the strengths and weaknesses of Irrigation Associations (IAs) 2. Monitor Mirab effectiveness and subproject implementation support 3. Monitor water delivery to end water users and utilization of the water by these users 4. Train Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) M&E staff to utilize the Supervisory Agents’ field data collection and management systems 5. Provide MAIL with TPM program data in web-based format 6. Monitor the infrastructure component of the OFWMP subprojects

OFWMP subproject site selection in the first quarter was conducted according to the general site selection criteria, which was agreed upon with the MAIL and the World Bank at the beginning of Year II. In addition to selecting completed subprojects from the OFWMP master list to monitor in the first quarter, the MAIL requested the SA to include OFWMP ongoing subprojects.

2. Overview

In the first quarter, the SA conducted site visits to 23 OFWMP subprojects in eight provinces (see Figure 59 and 60). Figure 58 provides a breakdown of OFWMP subprojects visited in the first quarter, as well as those to be visited in the remaining quarters of Year II.

Quarter I Year II Location Year II Target Results Remaining Kabul Region 18 3 15 Nangarhar Region 22 13 9 Baghlan Region 20 3 17 Balkh Region 22 1 21 Herat Region 18 3 15 Total 100 23 (23%) 77 (77%)

Figure 58: OFWMP subproject sites visited in the first quarter of Year II

MAIL representatives accompanied the SA to all 23 OFWMP subproject sites that were monitored. Of the 23 OFWMP sites visited, three were completed. On the remaining 20 subprojects, construction was ongoing. At the time of the first quarter site visits, all 23 subprojects were operational with beneficiaries receiving irrigation water from the canals.

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 59

Figure 59: OFWMP subprojects visited in the first quarter of Year II

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Quarterly Report: November 2016 – January 2017 60

OFWMP MONITORING BY PROVINCE

6

4

3 3 3

2

1 1

Kapisa Samangan Kabul Baghlan Herat Kunar Nangarhar Laghman

Figure 60: OFWMP subproject sites visited by province in the first quarter of Year II

st 8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1 Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 61

3. General Findings 3.1. Construction and Maintenance Compliance Based on the utilized grading system (1 being very poor and 5 being very good), the 23 OFWMP subprojects that were monitored by the SA in the first quarter received an overall average grade of 3.9 (good). Notable deviations observed in this quarter include:

• Although work was reported by the MAIL to be 100% complete, at the Balochabad Canal (MSI-OFWM-206), back-filled material was not compacted or leveled according to the approved specifications. • Concrete segregation was found in a culvert structure slab at the Kalatak Canal (MSI-OFWM- 151) (see Figure 61).

Figure 61: Concrete slab heavily segregated with questionable strength at Kalatak Canal (MSI- OFWM-151)

• At the Khwajagi Canal (MSI-OFWM-119), the pointing and stones in the stone masonry canal lining sections were of low quality and did not conform to the required specifications. • At Branch 1 of the Ferozabad Canal (MSI-OFWM-147), the bed concrete was of a low quality material and workmanship. The mix design was incorrect and a reverse slope was observed (see Figure 62).

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 62

Figure 62: Low quality concrete in the bed of the brick masonry canal lining at the Ferozabad Canal (MSI-OFWM-147), Qarghayi District, Laghman Province

• Culvert reinforcement steel was not installed according to the approved design at the Zardaab Canal (MSI-OFWM-219) (see Figure 63).

Figure 63: Steel bars were not installed according to the design at the Joye Qadeema Canal (MSI- OFWM-219), in Chahar Asyab District, Kabul Province.

3.2. Irrigation Association and Mirab Performance Based on observations and community interviews, the SA found the following:

• Irrigation Associations (IAs) at the monitored OFWMP subprojects were performing their duties according to their bylaws. This includes collecting and managing the water use fees,

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 63

informing the community of water allocation plans during and after the rehabilitation work, and coordinating with the MAIL OFWMP team. • Mirabs at the monitored OFWMP subprojects were performing their maintenance responsibilities with no reported complaints from end users. • At all OFWMP subprojects monitored, end users stated that they were informed by the IA and Mirabs of proposed canal work in advance. • The IAs collected funds for canal maintenance, but no maintenance plans were available at any OFWMP site visited. • The MAIL team and the IA reported that communities contributed 10% of the total contract cost (money and in-kind contributions, like labor) at all OFWMP sites visited. • All 23 canal schemes monitored in the first quarter were operational.

3.3. Environmental, Gender and Social Safeguard Compliance Notable environmental, gender and social safeguard compliance findings from the first quarter include:

• Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) were available at all 23 subprojects monitored. They included environmental impact mitigation measures, a selection of haul routes, a worker safety plan, a plan for strengthening the traditional Mirab system, and an IA/Mirab capacity building plan. • According to the Mirabs, trees were cut down at 21 out of 23 subprojects visited (see Figure 64 and 65). Tree replanting is planned for the end of the subprojects’ rehabilitation work.

Figure 64: Roots of one of the larger cut trees along canal MSI-OFWM-146

8005414 ARTF Third Party Monitoring Program – Year II 1st Quarter Report: Nov 2016 – Jan 2017 64

Figure 65: Several larger trees were cut down along canal MSP-OFWM-208 at Qazi Banda village in Chawkay district, Kunar province.

• Sand and gravel were obtained from nearby rivers at 19 out of 23 subproject sites visited. SA observations of the extraction sites did not reveal any significant environmental impacts from the gravel extraction. • A Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) was established at all subprojects that were, but records were available at only 13 out of 23 subprojects visited. • Private land was not required at any subproject that was monitored in the first quarter. • The MAIL-OFWMP team held meetings with communities at 17 out of 23 subprojects. Documentation of women consultation was available at 14 subprojects visited in the first quarter. • No life safety issues were observed in the first quarter.

4. Data Utilization

The SA submitted 50 OFWMP deviations to the MAIL in the first quarter. Out of these 50 deviations, 22 were related to environmental, gender, and social safeguard issues, 26 to material and workmanship quality, and the remaining two involved design issues. Since the beginning of the ARTF TPM program in November 2015, the SA has reported 299 OFWMP deviations to the MAIL. Out of these 299 deviations, 73 were related to environmental, gender, and social safeguard issues, 110 were related to material and workmanship quality, 87 were related to design and the approval system, and 29 to O&M issues.

Through the end of the first quarter of Year II, the MAIL-OFWMP team and contractors corrected 158 deviations (52% of the total reported deviations) reported by the SA. The corrective actions were verified using the geo-tagged and date-stamped photos supplied by the MAIL and their contractors. An example corrective action taken by the MAIL-OFMWP team is shown in Figure 66 and 67.

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Figure 66: The Koftiban canal (MSI-OFWM-043) was filled with debris.

Figure 67: The cleaned Koftiban canal (MSI-OFWM-043).

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5. Trends

Trends seen in the first quarter findings include:

• The SA reported consistent improvement in OFWMP subprojects monitored. As evident from Figure 68, OFWMP subprojects were below average quality (<3.0) in 2014-15. Significant improvements were noted in OFWMP subprojects monitored in the first quarter of Year II, resulting in an average overall grade of 3.9 (good).

OVERALL PERFORMANCE TREND

4.5 4 3.9 3.7 3.5 3 2.9 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Historical (previous TPM 2014-2015) Year 1 Quarter 1, Year 2

Figure 68: OFWMP Performance Trend

• There have been encouraging trends shown by the OFWMP-MAIL team in responding to deviations reported by the SA. The OFWMP team responded to the highest number of deviations among all five projects (ARAP, EQUIP, IRDP, NSP and OFWMP) monitored by the SA in the quarter.

6. Lesson Learned and Recommendations

Some important lessons learned in the first quarter and resulting recommendations include:

• Mirabs are responsible for canal maintenance and repair through the use of dues collected from water end users. No O&M plan was available at any OFWMP subproject monitored in the first quarter. The MAIL team should develop and implement O&M plans for each OFWMP subproject. • Instead of lids and panels, mechanical sluice gates should be installed. Most lids and panels observed during site visits were damaged or missing. • The SA reported design revisions made at all OFWMP subprojects monitored in the first quarter, but no supporting documentation of prior MAIL approval was available at any site. A possible cause of this non-compliance is delays and difficulties in getting MAIL approval. The current OFWMP design change and approval process should be reviewed.

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