Senegal - Social Development Fund Project : environmental assessment (executive summary only)

E-395 SENEGAL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FUND PROJECT ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY June 2000   - 2 - Executive summary of environmental assessment Environmental assessment of the 7 sub-projects considered not only direct or indirect impacts but also the cumulative impact of sub-projects. Main focus of the EA is on reducing the risk of expansion of STDs and AIDS related to the migration of the labour force and to the potential risk of changes in sexual behaviour that can be reduced by an improvement of income and by inappropriate handling of biomedical waste. Moreover, by displaying the generic impacts associated with specific types of infrastructure against main characters of agro-ecological zones, the potentially positive and negative impacts the sub-projects were identified as follows: a) Environmental impacts Impact of roads Destruction of vegetation cover, loss of soil moisture, soil erosion and risk of surface water contamination Impact of hvdraulic works: Positive impacts related to creation of water pools and artificial wetlands and reforestation lots. Negative impacts during construction relate to destruction of vegetation cover by access roads for transport of construction material. Cumulative impacts relate to the reduction of water resources, soil and water pollution and increase of animal and human water-associated diseases. Sanitation works: Great ecological and health benefit would come out of the construction of latrines in rural areas if they are designed in a participatory way and well maintained after construction in order to minimize health risks associated with fecal contamination and pollution of water bodies. Agriculture and NRM sub-projects: These sub-projects will be the regeneration of soil, faune and flora if the tree species selected are adapted to local conditions and if use of vegetal material fencing is avoided during construction. Negative impacts are predicted as stemming from diminution of water sources due to tree nursing and watering. In socio-economic terms, access to fuel wood for women will be greatly facilitated. Improved household nutrition is also likely to be a major benefit.  -3 - Construction sub-proiects: During construction, loss of biodiversity and pollution and nuisance will be caused by this type of project. Also, STDs and AIDS can be triggered locally if biomedical waste is not properly handled and the health situation around construction caps are not monitored and coped with. Micro-finance sub-projects: Impacts can largely be positive with regard to increase in income generated and improvement of household nutrition, negative impacts relate to solid waste generation and potential increase in respiratory diseases. Institutional measures: The lack of environmental awareness and of sustainability in the management of the project implementation would be a source of negative impact such as the degradation of natural resources. Therefore, an environmental management plan including an operation manual and a monitoring and a management plan is proposed as part of the project preparation process. b) Mitigation measures Impact on natural resources During construction phase, major identified negative impacts related to degradation of vegetation. Therefore, it is necessary to optimise project the chaise of sites and management measures by means of: Effective implementation and monitoring of environmental rules that are proposed in the operation manual. Promotion of ecologically adapted construction methods and material with appropriate training of beneficiaries; By setting funding levels and grouping projects into sub-projects that will be subject to EA prior to investment; Funding reforestation projects where/when important forest degradation is likely to occur. Impact on water resources They relate to large-scale or important cumulative use of resources or pollution from fertilizers and/or pesticides. A thorough knowledge of the availability of water is needed in order to estimate and manage the needs of each project. Priority should be given to agricultural projects based on traditional practices (i.e. use of organic fertilizer) to avoid pollution of soil and water resources  - 4 - Impact on Hy-fiene and public health All type of wastes, solid, liquid and biomedical can be generated with significant negative incidence on health and hygiene. The project management system should include advice from medical staff and subscribe to the prescription of the Bale Convention for handling bio- medical waste. The project should also impose waste collection and disposal to proponents and contractors. Socio-economic impacts With regard to the looseness of land and property laws and their inefficient enforcement, the SIF management will benefit from early and appropriate definition of target beneficiary groups to avoid conflicts during the project implementation phase. Environmental Management Plan The EMP proposes ways of properly handling mitigation measures by identifying institutional responsibility, setting up procedures for implementation and estimating cost. The SF project is analyzed in terms of sustainability and therefore, some capacity building activities are planned and implemented before investment in subprojects. Road subproiects The management of impacts will proceed through compensation of deforested areas and destruction caused to crop fields. The assessment of pollution and nuisance and firm commitment (under the terms of contract) of contractors to integrate necessary construction and maintenance measures are also required. Hydraulic works Before funding and construction work can start, the contractor should engage his responsibility at avoiding any loss of biodiversity whenever possible, at assessing or seeking adequate information for assessing the quantity and quality of water resources, and at holding public meetings to optimize the design and operation rules. Sanitation works On site the project proponent should investigate hydrogeology or at least at regional level before any choice of waste storage system is made. The contractor should also avoid destruction of vegetation during construction and maintenance. Construction proiects The contractor should be instructed clearly and accountable for avoiding destruction of vegetation in the site. Biomedical waste generated by health center and posts should be  -5 - handled by sanitary structures within the norms and recommendations from the Bale Convention. Agriculture and NRM activities These activities should be given priority in investment. All agricultural projects (rainfed crops, gardening and irrigation should be managed in a way to avoid pollution from pesticides and fertilizers and within respect of the environmental quality of water resources. Input from specialized institutions would help the SF project management staff to properly assess the risks and take necessary steps toward sustainability. Microfinance projects These type of activities can generate solid and liquid waste. The SF management should properly include environmental measures into the design of the subproject and also fund waste collection projects. The recycling of waste can in some circumstances be beneficial to natural resource management (i.e. organic waste collection and use as fertilizer in agriculture). Institutional axis Proper incorporation of environmental management in the training programme of the SF will yield major benefit and would greatly enhance the economic performance of subprojects and funded activities. A capacity building plan has been designed within the EA for the first phase of the project (5 year). a) Institutional responsibility The national project management committee and agencies that are entitled to select projects must retain institutional responsibility for environmental management. The implementation of the EMP will start by the selection of environmentally viable projects that can forrn the basis for capacity building in environmental management. Therefore, the National Committee should include a representative of the Ministry of Environment with the responsibility of mainstreaming environment into the SF. b) Training programme Agencies responsible for project selection will need training in environmental assessment and integration of environment in the project contract. Beneficiaries (NGOs, private proponents and community groups) need to be fully aware of environmental prescriptions for contracting and operating projects and therefore, environmental education programme and campaign for building awareness are to be performed. This programme should be specific to operating rules contained in the environmental assessment document. The following table assesses the needs for training in environmental management.  - 6 - Table: Assessment of needs in capacity building SF project agencies Needs Comments Mainstreaming environmental policy into the SF and A Representative of Ministry monitoring proper implementation of Emp at national National Committee of 'Environment level - Recruitment of an The (contracting) environmental specialist will design environmental specialist procedures for monitoring, training and information for FISS (Management) - Contracting Consultant the SF and subprojects when / where needed - Input of an env. Structures in charge of Specialist in each Receptors of training and responsible for on the ground selection and implementation of structure for training and implementation and monitoring of mitigation measures infrastructure and subprojects screening and for the satisfactory environmental management of - Training in env. mgmt each project, including selection procedures, communication and final assessment. Structures en charge of implementing subprojects (NGO, OCB, Private, - Public meeting for raising environmental awareness Structures in charge of project and explaining the EMP design and implementation measures, (Beneficiaries, NGO and OCB) - Training on avoiding negative impacts (targeted training)  -7- c) Costs of the EMP Costs for implementing the EMP include training of managers and beneficiaries, and hiring of environmental officers. Costs estimates are 95 millions CFA in the first 5 year phase of the project (See table below) Table: Cost estimates for capacity building activities (in FCFA) Structures Human Res. Number Unit cost (FCFA)* Total cost** National committee Representative Min. Environm. (01) Environmental FISS (High level consultant (01) 6.000.000 30.000.000 management) (1 month / year) Environmental Structures in charge of consultant Six (06) 4.000.000 20.000.000 selection and (1 in each region) 10 days input per 3 implementation of infrastructure and month, 4 times subprojects _ _ Structures en charge of implementing subprojects - Consultant / 3 sessions per reg. 1.000.000 per 18.000.000 (NGO, OCB, Private, trainer x 6 regions training session -Training sessions 4.500.000 per region 27.000.000 TOTAL 95.000.000 *: par an ** preniere phase (5 ans)