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Strategic Environmental Assessment (Sea) Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized NATIONAL HORTICULTURE & LIVESTOCK PROJECT (NHLP) Public Disclosure Authorized STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (SEA) November, 2012 Public Disclosure Authorized Prepared by: Dr. Emmanuel D. NGOLLO International Expert Ibrahim Rahamani, HLP Staff 1 TABLE OF CONTENT ACRONYMS.........................................................................................................................................................4 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................7 LIST OF BOXES...................................................................................................................................................8 LIST OF FIGURES ..............................................................................................................................................9 SUMMARY.........................................................................................................................................................11 PART 1: SEA FRAMEWORK AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH..............................................20 1.1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................20 1.1.1. National Context: linkage between poverty and environmental degradation ....................................20 1.1.2. Scope of the Stud................................................................................................................................21 1.1.3. SEA Justification and objectives………............................................................................................22 1.2. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................................................22 1.2.1. Concept and general views on the SEA..............................................................................................23 1.2.2. Organization of the SEA study for the Agricultural and Rural Development sector ........................25 1.2.3. Plan and structure of the SEA report … ............................................................................................26 1.2.4. Norms and standards of the SEA........................................................................................................26 1.2.5. Constraints and limits of the study......................................................................................................26 PART 2: ANALYSIS OF THE INITIAL STATE DE OF THE BIOPHYSICAL AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT OF AFGHANISTAN……………………………………….……………………………27 2.1. GLOBAL PRESENTATION OF THE BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT...............................................27 2.1.1. Major Climatologic Characteristics ...................................................................................................27 2.1.2. Major physical characteristics of the environment……………………………….............................28 2.1.3. Characteristics of ecosystems and agro-ecological zones…………..................................................29 2.2. GLOBAL PRESENTATION OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT......................................32 2.2.1. Demographic Characteristics…… ....................................................................................................34 2.2.2. Socio-educational Characteristics .....................................................................................................36 2.2.3. Health and Nutrition Characteristics………………….……………….............................................36 PART 3: POLITICAL ANALYSIS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF SEA INTEGRATION………..……...38 3.1. Policy Framework and Strategic Directions for Environmental Integration................................................38 3.1.1. Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction (EGPR)…………………...…….....................................38 3.1.2. National Strategy for Sustainable Development…….........................................................................39 3.1.3. National Agriculture Development Framework and Strategic Orientations.......................................39 3.2. Legal Framework of Environmental Governance for the Integration of SEA.....................................40 3.2.1. Legislation relative to Environmental Assessments .........................................................................42 3.2.2. Analysis of the Consistency of Environmental Governance Instruments with International Conventions and Community Agreements...................................................................................................43 3.2.3. Analysis of the Consistency with the World Bank Safeguard Policies …………….........................44 3.3. Institutional Framework for the Integration of SEA………..................................................................46 3.3.1. Governmental Institutions...................................................................................................................46 3.3.2. Research Institutions and Non-governmental Actors.........................................................................50 3.3.3. Technical and Financial Partners........................................................................................................51 3.3.4. Framework for Cooperation and Exchange between the Environmental Actors...............................51 3.3.5. Analysis of the Mainstreaming of Environment into Agricultural Policies..… ……….………...…52 3.4. Analysis of Constraints to mainstream SEA into Environmental Governance Instruments ……….53 3.4.1. Constraints for Mainstreaming SEA in the Policy Instruments.........................................................53 2 3.4.2. Constraints to Implementing Coherence Environmental Policy in the Agricultural Sector...............54 3.4.3. Constraints Related to the Incompleteness of Legislative Instruments and Environmental Governance...................................................................................................................................................54 3.4.4. Constraints Related to the Weakness and the Non-application of the Legislation on EIA……........55 3.4.5. Constraints Related to the Inadequacy of the Institutional Framework in Steering SEA Procedures ……………………………………………………………………………………………………...….…...55 3.4.6. Constraints Related to Dialogue Deficit between Stakeholders Involved in the SEA Process.…....57 3.4.7. Constraints Related to the Lack of Technical Expertise in SEA……………....................................58 3.4.8. Constraints related to the weaknesses of financial capacity..........................................................59 PART 4: IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF ISSUES FOR THE INTEGRATION OF SEA IN THE AGRICULTURE (HORTICULTURE & LIVESTOCK) AND WATER SECTORS IN AFGHANISTAN……………………………………………………………………………...……60 4.1. Issues Related to the Development of Agriculture and the Integration of SEA...................................60 PART 5: IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATIONAL HORTICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK PROJECT...............................................62 5.1. Analysis of Impacts Related to Agricultural Sector (Horticulture and Livestock) Programs………62 5.1.1. Potential Positive Environmental Impacts of NHLP..........................................................................65 5.1.2. Potential Negative Environmental Impacts of NHLP.........................................................................66 PART 6: TECHNICAL PROCEDURES AND INCENTIVES MEASURES FOR THE SEA IMPLEMENTATION…….…………………………………………………………….………...72 6.1. Selection Procedures and Environmental Coverage of NHLP…...........................................................72 6.2. Information and Outreach Programs for Actors on the SEA Procedures ...........................................79 6.3. Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance Program..........................................................................79 6.4. SEA Environmental and Monitoring Indicators.....................................................................................80 6.5. Indicators for the Implementation of SEA...............................................................................................81 6.6. Proper Procedures of SEA Assessment ………………….......................................................................83 6.7. Institutional Capacity Building and Coordination Measures …………………...................................84 6.7.1. Institutional Arrangements for SEA Monitoring and Implementation...............................................85 6.7.2. Establishment of a Steering Committee (SC) ....................................................................................85 6.7.3. Strengthening of Technical Services of Environmental Expertise………...……….….................88 6.8. Measures to Strengthen the Legislative and Regulatory Instruments.…….........................................88 6.9. Measures to Strengthen Environmental Management Tools.……........................................................89 6.10. Financial Capacity Building Measures...................................................................................................90 6.11. Strengthening Equipment and Technical Infrastructure Measures....................................................91 6.12. Training and Human Capacity
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