DIRECTORATE GENERAL AGRICULTURE ENGINEERING & WATER MANAGEMENT, GOVT. OF SINDH Government of Sindh Public Disclosure Authorized mteratu SoN E nuNE Assesment USEA1 for AProps Snlh I n Water Muapint IS(UWMI Project Public Disclosure Authorized JULY 2003 Public Disclosure Authorized i L~~"Y OSMALSMANI Public Disclosure Authorized Erg*A Wfihe -RPannrg- Mappn- Technokxjy iRi 1 l>j ;3-! ' OSMANI & CO. (PVT.) LTD. !iWEL Osmani House, 245/2-K, Block-6, PECHS, Karachi x - ,t. l Tel:(92-21)453600708,4546541,Fax:(92-21)4534691 , Email: ocl-khiosmani.com web: wwwosmani.com __I_F__ 'V/ -DIRECTORATE GENERAL -AGRICULTURE ENGINEE & WATE NAGEMENT, - .OV, O I.,-.VOINDL . Government of Sindh Integrated Social & Environmental Assessment [ISEAJ For AProposed Sindh On-Farm Water Management [SOFWM] Project JULY 2003 FINAL REPORT E797 July 2003 | .. !_ - 0,~~ . 'SM'_''ANI, _ 44.1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OSMANI 8 CO..(PVT.) LTD '. - ' fB Osmani House, 245/2-K Block-6 PECHS, Karachi Tel: (92-21) 45360008, 4546541, Fax: (92-21) 4534691 Email: ocl-khi@osmanicor we w osmani. com 5 S . thL ,-Lr;'t; " 5, UMjil..|}.,"I Integrated Social & Environmental Assessment for A Preface Proposed Sindh On-Firm Water Management Project PREFACE The report in hand is the Final of the Integrated Social & Environtmental Assessotentt (ISEA) for a proposed Sindh On-Farm Water Management Project (SOFWMI). This report encompasses the research, investigations, analysis and conclusions of a three month study carried out by M/s Osmani & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., Consulting Engineers for the Government of Sindh, Directorate General and Agriculture Engineering & Water Management. The Proposed Sindh On-farm Water Management Project, being negotiated between Government of Sindh and the World Bank entails a number of interventions aimed at improving the water management and institutional reforms in the province of Sindh. The second largest province in Pakistan, Sindh has approx. 5.0 Million Ha of farm area irrigated through three barrages and 14 canals. The canal command areas of Sindh are planned to be converted into 12 Area Water Boards (AWBs) whereby the management, operations and maintenance would be carried out by elected bodies. Similarly the distributaries and watercourses are to be managed by Farmers Organizations (FOs) and Watercourse Associations (WCAs), respectively. The Project focuses on the three established Area Water Boards (AWBs) of Nara, Left Bank (Akram Wah & Phuleli Canal) & Ghotki while also covering the remaining 10 Canal Command Areas. The major project interventions include the following targets:- * Social mobilization of 100 Farmers Organizations in three established AWBs * Improving and partial lining of 4000 watercourses with 60% witlhin the three established AWBs and 40% in other irrigated areas of Sindh. * Precision land leveling of around 40,000 Ha of Land * Improving / rehabilitating 100 distributaries / minors in the three established AWBs * Improving / rehabilitating 25 branch canals in the three established AWBs * Establishment of 100 demonstration centres. The exact locations of the project activities would be determined during the implementation phase based on farmers demand, as well as social and environmental criteria. The Final Report is being presented in the following four sections: Section I - Main Report Section 11 - Proposed Implementation Framework Part 1: The Framework Part 2: Operationlization of the Framework. Section III - Proposed Pest Management Plan Given the complexity of the subject as well as the requirements of the study, the time given for the assignment was short, specially since the study had to depend heavily on secondary data to be gathered from a number of government and private sector agencies. Issues such as the law and order situation in some of the areas of fieldwork also impeded progress. While reading the report, it should be kept in mind that the objectives of the assignment were limited to study of social and environmental issues related to the project interventions. Whereas the ultimate goal of such interventions is poverty alleviation, this study refers specially to the intended outputs and components. In a broader perspective, however, this ISEA looks at social inclusions (of specially disadvantage people), pest management, waterlogging and salinity, drainage, water quality issues etc. Osimianii & Companiy (Pvt.) Ltd. Page-Ii OSMANI Consulting Engineers www.osmani.com Integrated Social & Environmental Assessment for A Preface Proposed Sindh On-Farm Water Management Project Another factor which should be highlighted here is that there is a change in perspective from the previous On-Farm Water Management Projects, from the view point of project design and implementation as well as of the recipients. While the project design and implementation has shifted towards a more participatory approach and institutional refonrs, the recipients' perception towards the project has been affected by the persistent drought conditions and scarcity of irrigation water during the last four years in Sindh. The drought and water scarcity has magnified the impacts of the already inequitable & mismanaged system of irrigation water distribution wherein the tail enders are always at a loss. This has greatly affected the mindset of the fanners who are now more concemed about the actual availability of water rather than the institutional reforms and improvement of water delivery mechanismiis. The coinciding of institutional reforms with the drought has created an impression that the water scarcity has to do something with the institutional reforms (which has been played up by certain interest groups opposed to the institutional reforms). It goes without saying that the institutional reforms as well as improvement of irrigation water delivery mechanism are directed towards addressing the conservation and equitable distribution of water. However due to the drought and subsequent deteriorations in the water distribution, the response of the farmers was not as enthusiastic towards the program as could have been at a time when the drought impact was not present. As such, much more emphasis is required on the knowledge dissemination and publicity of the program so as to create a conducive environment for the project implementation. The ISEA study ha*s therefore taken into account this specific phenomenon while finalizing the assessment and the recommendations. The Consultants wish to put on record the support provided by a number of people and agencies in collection of data and finalization of the report. The team work that ensued among the Government of Sindh, the World Bank and the Consultants during the preparation of this report was the result of conmitment of all the persons involved to identify the social and environmental impacts and to improve the project design for maximizing the benefits to the poor. Special thanks are due to the following: Agricultuire Department, Government ofSinhl.l: Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Memon, Additional Secretary Mr. Aslam Ali, Director PMC, Mr. Rao Abdul Jabbar, DG AE&WM Mr. Shaukat Rahamoo, Director OFWM Mr. Arif Khairi, Deputy Secretary, Agriculture Departmient Tlhe World Bank. Mr. Usman Qamar, Task Team Leader Mr. Qazi Azmat Isa, Sr. Comrunity Development Specialist Ms. Simi Kamal, Consultant Mr. Viqar Zakaria, Consultant. Mr. Qayum Shaiklh, Consultant The Consultants also wish to acknowledge the assistance and support provided by different offices and agencies in data acquisition specially WAPDA, NDP, SIDA, PDC, Irrigation & Power Department, GoS, and Sindh EPA. The ISEA teanm wishes to acknowledge the cooperation of farmers and haris during detailed discussions and the household surveys without which it would not have been possible to accomplish the task. Osmani & Company (Pvt.) Ltd. Page -2 OSMANI Consulting Engineers www.osmani.com Integrated Social & Environmental Assessment for A () Proposed Sindh On-Fnrm Water Management Project LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACS Additional Chief Secretary AD Assistant Director ADB Asian Development Bank AERC Applied Economics Research Centre AE&WM Agriculture Engineering & Water Management AWB Area Water Board BP Bank Policy (The World Bank) CCA Culturable Command Area CCBs Citizen Community Boards CWMP Conmmand Water Management Project DA Department of Agriculture DBG Drainage Beneficiary Group DD Deputy Director DG AE&WIM Directorate General Agriculture Engineering & Water Management EDO Executive District Officer EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FFS Farmers Field Schools FGD Focus Group Discussion FGW Fresh Ground water FO Farmers Organization FOC Farmers Organizations Council FOs Fanrers Organizations FSL Full Supply Level FT Filed Team GIS Geographical Information System GoP Government of Pakistan GoS Government of Sindh Ha Hectare HC HARI Committee ICR Implementation Completion Report IDA International Development Association (The World Bank) IDMTA Irrigation & Drainage Management Transfer Agreement IEE Initial Environmental Examination IIMII : International Irrigation Management Institute (Renamed as IWMI) IMD Index of multiple Deprivation Osmani & Company (Pvt.) Ltd. 1 OSMANI Consulting Engineers www.osmani.com Integrated Social & Environmental Assessment for A Proposed Sindh On-Farm Water Management Project IP Indigenous People IPD Irrigation & Power Department IPM Integrated Pest Management ISDS Integrated Safeguard Data Sheet ISEA Integrated Social & Environmental