Naoko Ishii, PhD Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY 1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433 USA INVESTING IN OUR PlANET Tel: 202.473.3202 Fax: 202.522.3240/3245 E-mail: [email protected] www.TheGEF.org March 07,2014 Dear LDCF /SCCF Council Member, UNDP as the Implementing Agency for the project entitled: Afghanistan: Strengthening the Resilience of Rural Livelihood Options for Afghan Communities in Panjshir, Balkh, Uruzgan and Herat Provinces to Manage Climate change-induced Disaster Risks.. has submitted the attached proposed project document for CEO endorsement prior to final approval of the project document in accordance with UNDP procedures. The Secretariat has reviewed the project document. It is consistent with the proposal approved by the LDCF/SCCF Council in March 2013 and the proposed project remains consistent with the Instrument and LDCF /GEF policies and procedures. The attached explanation prepared by UNDP satisfactorily details how Council's comments have been addressed. We have today posted the proposed project document on the GEF website at www.TheGEF.org for your information. We would welcome any comments you may wish to provide by April 04,2014 before I endorse the project. You may send your comments to [email protected]. If you do not have access to the Web, you may request the local field office ofUNDP or the World Bank to download the document for you. Alternatively, you may request a copy of the document from the Secretariat. If you make such a request, please confirm for us your current mailing address. Sincerely, Naoko Ishii Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson Attachment: GEFSEC Project Review Document Copy to: Country Operational Focal Point, GEF Agencies, STAP, Trustee REQUEST FOR CEO ENDORSEMENT PROJECT TYPE: Full-sized Project TYPE OF TRUST FUND:LDCF For more information about GEF, visit TheGEF.org PART I: PROJECT INFORMATION Project Title: Strengthening the resilience of rural livelihood options for Afghan communities in Panjshir, Balkh, Uruzgan and Herat Provinces to manage climate change-induced disaster risks. Country(ies): Afghanistan GEF Project ID:1 5202 GEF Agency(ies): UNDP GEF Agency Project ID: 5098 Other Executing Partner(s): Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation Submission Date: January 31, and Livestock (MAIL) 2014 GEF Focal Area (s): Climate Change Adaptation Project Duration(Months) 60 Name of Parent Program (if n/a Agency Fee ($): 855,000 applicable): For SFM/REDD+ For SGP 2 A. FOCAL AREA STRATEGY FRAMEWORK Trust Grant Focal Area Cofinancing Expected FA Outcomes Expected FA Outputs Fund Amount Objectives ($) ($) CCA-1 1.1 Mainstreamed 1.1.1 Adaptation measures LDCF 700,000 1,700,000 adaptation in broader and necessary budget development frameworks at allocations included in country level and in relevant frameworks targeted vulnerable areas CCA-1 1.2 Reduced vulnerability 1.2.1 Vulnerable physical, LDCF 4,521,500 86,300,000 to climate change in natural and social assets development sectors strengthened in response to climate change impacts, including variability CCA-1 1.3 Diversified and 1.3.1 Targeted individual LDCF 2,653,500 11,600,000 strengthened livelihoods and community livelihood and sources of income for strategies strengthened in vulnerable people in relation to climate change targeted areas impacts, including variability CCA-2 2.3 Strengthened awareness 2.3.1 Targeted population LDCF 700,000 1,700,000 and ownership of groups participating in adaptation and climate risk adaptation and risk reduction processes at local reduction awareness level activities Project Management Cost LDCF 425,000 1,700,000 Total project costs 9,000,000 103,000,000 1 Project ID number will be assigned by GEFSEC. 2 Refer to the Focal Area/LDCF/SCCF Results Framework when completing Table A. GEF5 CEO Endorsement Template-December 2012.doc 1 B. PROJECT FRAMEWORK Project Objective: Strengthening the resilience of rural livelihood options for Afghan communities in Panjshir, Balkh, Uruzgan and Herat Provinces to manage climate change-induced disaster risks. Grant Trust Grant Confirmed Project Component Type Expected Outcomes Expected Outputs Fund Amount Cofinancing ($) ($) 1. Climate responsive TA Climate change risk and Climate change scenarios LDCF 1,400,000 3,400,000 local development variability integrated developed for the planning into local planning and agriculture sector in selected provinces budgeting processes Trained at least 250 provincial MAIL officials, farmers and pastoralists on climate risk information and appropriate response measures 15 climate sensitive Community Development Plans formulated 2. Enhanced rural TA Rural income and At least 800 women LDCF 2,653,500 11,600,000 livelihoods livelihood opportunities trained on alternative for vulnerable livelihoods to farming (e.g. embroidery and communities enhanced carpet weaving) and diversified. Business development training in handicrafts and small-scale manufacturing provided to 50 rural entrepreneurs and 30 SMEs 2,000 hectares of degraded rangelands planted with stress resistant seedling varieties Inv Productive Small-scale storage LDCF 4,521,500 86,300,000 infrastructure reservoirs (less than 20m improvements high) built in selected river sub-basins in 12 communities Micro-water harvesting techniques introduced in 12 communities 20 karezes and canals improved and rehabilitated to reduce water losses At least 20 check dams, contour bunds and other facilities built to conserve GEF5 CEO Endorsement Template-December 2012.doc 2 water and enhance groundwater recharge Subtotal 8,575,000 101,300,000 Project management Cost (PMC)3 LDCF 425,000 1,700,000 Total project costs 9,000,000 103,000,000 C. SOURCES OF CONFIRMED COFINANCING FOR THE PROJECT BY SOURCE AND BY NAME ($) Please include letters confirming cofinancing for the project with this form Cofinancing Sources of Co-financing Name of Co-financier (source) Type of Cofinancing Amount ($) GEF Agency UNDP Cash 1,000,000 Bilateral Aid Agency (ies) USAID Investment 70,000,000 National Government MAIL Cash 30,000,000 National Government MAIL In-kind 2,000,000 Total Co-financing 103,000,000 1 D. TRUST FUND RESOURCES REQUESTED BY AGENCY, FOCAL AREA AND COUNTRY n/a F. CONSULTANTS WORKING FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COMPONENTS: Grant Amount Cofinancing Project Total Component ($) ($) ($) International Consultants 531,500 0 531,500 National/Local Consultants 463,000 0 463,000 G. DOES THE PROJECT INCLUDE A “NON-GRANT” INSTRUMENT? No (If non-grant instruments are used, provide in Annex D an indicative calendar of expected reflows to your Agency and to the GEF/LDCF/SCCF/NPIF Trust Fund). PART II: PROJECT JUSTIFICATION A. DESCRIBE ANY CHANGES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE PROJECT DESIGN OF THE ORIGINAL PIF4 No significant changes in alignment with the project design of the original PIF have been made. All outputs have been contextualized to fit Afghanistan’s needs. A.1 National strategies and plans or reports and assessments under relevant conventions, if applicable, i.e. NAPAS, NAP national communications, TNAs, NCSA, NIPs, PRSPs, NPFE, Biennial Update Reports, etc. No change A.2. GEF focal area and/or fund(s) strategies, eligibility criteria and priorities. 3 PMC should be charged proportionately to focal areas based on focal area project grant amount in Table D below. 4 For questions A.1 –A.7 in Part II, if there are no changes since PIF and if not specifically requested in the review sheet at PIF stage, then no need to respond, please enter “NA” after the respective question GEF5 CEO Endorsement Template-December 2012.doc 3 No change A.3 The GEF Agency’s comparative advantage: No change A.4. The baseline project and the problem that it seeks to address: 1. There are a number of national programmes/projects that address baseline related problems that the project will build on and seeks to influence. 2. Current GEF projects in Afghanistan include the preparation of the INC (Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC), which was signed by government in early 2012, and the preparation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which will run through the end of 2013. This LDCF initiative will integrate the knowledge from the INC programme, and will make use of the administrative and policy vehicle created by this project in the form of the NCCC (National Climate Change Committee). The GEF NBSAP project concentrates on the development of a strategy, as well as the mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation within NEPA, MAIL and other ministries. UNEP is also implementing a LDCF-funded project focusing on early warning systems and adaptation. This project will ensure that there is no overlap of activities between the two projects, and that there is strong cross-pollination of concepts and exchange of lessons learned with respect to conservation protocols and community interactions. Finally, this LDCF financing will be operating upon the priority activities identified during the NCSA/NAPA project funded by GEF and completed in 2005. 3. The National Solidarity Programme develops the ability of Afghan communities to identify, plan, manage and monitor their own development projects. The NSP is a very large scale programme funded by multiple donors, including the World Bank, the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF, funded by 14 different nations), the Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF), and a number of bilateral partners. It is implemented by the MRRD. The NSP is the primary vehicle for promoting rural development in Afghanistan, and it operates through the establishment and empowering of CDCs throughout the country. These CDCs prepare community development plans, and apply for funding of such activities through the NSP. Activities undertaken by CDCs include a number of infrastructural improvements such as provision of irrigation canals, access roads and bridges, water supply and sanitation improvements, and MHP schemes. The NSP also provides education and livelihoods improvements, although these account for a small part of the budget. As of September 2011, the NSP had disbursed over $888 million to CDCs, and spent more than $1.2 billion.