Ethnic Minority Development Plan Project Number: 53050-001 July, 2020 People’s Republic of China: Hunan Xiangxi Rural Environmental Improvement and Green Development Project Prepared by: The People’s Government of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Project Management Office of Work Leading Group for ADB Financed Project of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (As of 28 April 2020) Currency unit – yuan (CNY) CNY 1.00 = $0.1416 $1.00 = CNY 7.0617 ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank CNY Chinese Yuan XPG Xiangxi Prefecture Government DDR Due Diligence Report XDRC Xiangxi Development and Reform Commission XEPB Xiangxi Environmental Protection Bureau XFB Xiangxi Finance Bureau Xiangxi Housing & Urban-Rural Construction XHURDB Bureau DI Design Institute XLRB Xiangxi Land Resource Bureau XWRB Xiangxi Water Resource Bureau EA Executing Agency EMDP Ethnic Minority Development Plan FGDs Focus Group Discussions FSR Feasibility Study Report GAP Gender Action Plan HPG Hunan Provincial Government IAs Implementing Agencies Integrated Urban–Rural Development Pilot Area IURDPAAB Administration Bureau IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management LAR Land Acquisition and Resettlement LURT Land Use Right Transfer M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MOU Memorandum of Understanding NPS Non-Point Source PAM Project Administration Manual PLG Project Leading Group PMO Project Management Office PPMS Project Performance Management System PRC People’s Republic of China PSA Poverty and Social Analysis RP Resettlement Plan RRP Report and Recommendation of the President SDAP Social Development Action Plan SPS Safeguard Policy Statement TLU Temporary Land Use TOR Terms of Reference TPA Targeted Poverty Alleviation TrTA Transactional Technical Assistance WTP Willingness-To-Pay WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plants WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS cm – centimeter g – gram h – hour ha – hectare kg – kilogram kg/d – kilogram per day kg/m3 – kilogram per cubic meter km – kilometer km/h – kilometer per hour kV – kilo–volt kV/m – kilo–volt per meter kw – kilo-watt L – liter L/d – liter per day m – meter m2 – square meter m3 – cubic meter mu – 666.67 square meters NOTE In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. EXCUTIVE SUMMARY E1. Introduction 1. This Ethnic Minority Development Plan (EMDP) has been prepared to ensure that ethnic minority people in the project area (Miao and Tujia) are able to participate in and get equal benefits from the Project, and that any negative impacts that might affect them are either avoided, minimized or mitigated. Adequate provisions to enhance economic conditions of the local residents, including the ethnic minorities, have been integrated into the project design. The EMDP is based on relevant laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and in accordance with the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Safeguard Policy Statement (2009); and prepared by Xiangxi Prefecture Government(XPG), with the coordination of Xiangxi Project Management Office (PMO), implementing agencies, and assistance of TrTA social development specialists. E2. Project Description 2. Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture(Xiangxi Prefecture) is located in the northwest of Hunan province in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) and at the junction of the central and western parts of China. It is the only part of Hunan province targeted for China Western Development 1 and it is the National Western Development Demonstration Zone and National Industrial Transfer Undertaking Demonstration Zone. Xiangxi covers a total area of 15,500 square kilometers and has jurisdiction over 7 counties and 1 city. The total population was 2.97 million in 2018 and the urbanization rate was about 46.5%. 3. The proposed project will address the weakness of rural areas in Xiangxi prefecture and assist Xiangxi in its long term sustainable social and economic development through: (i) improvement of waste and sanitation management facilities and services with innovative technologies and approach, such as decentralized rural wastewater management; (ii) developing market-oriented locally- featured agricultural products through demonstration of production, processing and cold chain logistics to produce high quality products meeting the requirements of premium markets; (iii) industrial integration to enhance the agricultural value chain and promote rural tourism for poverty reduction and rural vitalization, making effective utilization of the beautiful rural landscapes, historical and cultural heritages, cultural customs, and the locally-featured agricultural products in Xiangxi. 4. There are three outputs of the Project, including: (i) Rural waste and sanitation management facilities and services in Xiangxi improved; (ii) Locally-featured agricultural products in Xiangxi developed; and (iii) Agricultural value chain in Xiangxi improved through industrial integration. The project outcome is the improved rural living environment and enhanced industrial productivity in the 7 counties and 1 city of Xiangxi prefecture. E3. Socioeconomic Characteristics of Ethnic Minorities 5. At the end of 2018, Xiangxi Prefecture had ethnic minority population of about 2.39 million, accounting for 80.3% of the total residents, among which are Tujia (43.97%) and Miao (35.60%). Within the project areas, a total of 422,022 people in 236 villages / communities of 35 townships in the project area will be directly benefitted, including a minority population of 368,307, accounting for 87.30% of the total beneficiaries. 6. Both the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups have their own spoken languages, instead of written languages. Except some cultural, religious, and linguistic differences, the local minority communities have a socioeconomic profile similar to that of the Han people. E4. Project Impacts and Benefits 7. The Project will benefit local residents, including minority residents, through: 1) managing the water environment; 2) improving the living environment; 3) providing better wastewater and waste collection services; 4) promoting the inheritance of minority culture and the protection of intangible cultural heritage; 5) improving residents’ environmental protection awareness; 6) promoting agriculture and tourism development; 7) offering nearby employment opportunities; and 8) attracting people to return home for business startup. 1 China Western Development is a policy adopted in 1999 to develop the western regions that lagged behind severely. i 8. In the meantime, the Project’s adverse impacts on the Han people and ethnic minorities mainly include: 1) potential increase in water / wastewater treatment charges; 2) LA; 3) construction impacts; 4) dissemination of AIDS / STIs, influenza, COVID-19, etc.; 5) a social risk potentially related to ethnic minorities, namely conflicts arising from the lack of understanding of and respect for minority religions and customs among non-local workers, managers, etc. at the construction stage. E5. Consultation and Disclosure 9. During social impact analysis and EMDP preparation, meaningful consultation was conducted with the ethnic minorities and the project stakeholders, and their needs, concerns and suggestions have been included in the project design. The EMDP includes a detailed action plan and a grievance redress mechanism, which have been agreed on with the PMO and the IAs, and will disclose to the local ethnic minorities. At the implementation and operation stages, consultation will be conducted with minority residents in a culturally appropriate manner timely, with the establishment of an appropriate participatory M&E mechanism. In addition, a public hearing on wastewater treatment charges involving minority residents will be held. Subsequent project information will be disclosed by means of newspaper, Web, WeChat and other new media. E6. EMDP Action Plan for the ethnic minority villages/communities 10. For the 236 minority villages / communities in the project area, a detailed action plan has been included in this EMDP. The main targets for the minority villages / communities include: 80% of participants in public consulting and related activities in all project outputs are from minority residents; 80% of job opportunities at the construction and operation stages are first made available to minority residents; and all contractors and workers accept special training on minority religions, cultures and customs. 11. The action plan focuses on taking measures in minority villages / communities in the project area to promote the participation of ethnic minorities in all project activities, to ensure respect for the cultural beliefs and customs of ethnic minorities throughout the project process, to promote the inheritance of minority culture and the protection of intangible cultural heritage; and to ensure that the project activites are inclusive and culturally appropriate. E7. Implementation and Institutional Arrangements 12. The EMDP will be implemented by the Xiangxi PMO and the IAs of the 8 project counties / cities, and coordinated by the local governments. Each IA and PMO will appoint at least one staff member to manage and coordinate EMDP implementation. The Xiangxi PMO will supervise the IAs and other local government agencies to implement such measures,