Empowering food insecure and vulnerable communities ... · • Increased income opportunities (using food assistance for assets modality) for vulnerable households, especially during

Empowering food insecure and vulnerable communities through climate services and diversification of climate sensitive livelihoods in the Kyrgyz Republic

Kyrgyzstan | World Food Programme

15 June 2016

Project/Programme Title: Empowering food insecure and vulnerable communities through climate services and diversification of climate sensitive livelihoods in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Country/Region: Kyrgyz Republic

Accredited Entity: UN World Food Programme

National Designated Authority: State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry

PROJECT / PROGRAMME CONCEPT NOTE GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 1 OF 5

Please submit the completed form to [email protected]

A. Project / Programme Information

A.1. Project / programme title Empowering food insecure and vulnerable communities through climate services and diversification of climate sensitive livelihoods in the Kyrgyz Republic.

A.2. Project or programme Project

A.3. Country (ies) / region Kyrgyz Republic

A.4. National designated authority(ies)

Mr. Abdykalyk Rustamov Director State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry

A.5. Accredited entity United Nations World Food Programme

A.6. Executing entity / beneficiary

Executing Entity: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Labour and Social development Beneficiary: Poor, food insecure communities in rural Kyrgyz Republic

A.7. Access modality Direct ☐ International ☒

A.8. Project size category (total investment, million USD)

Micro (≤10) ☒ Small (10<x≤50) ☐ Medium (50<x≤250) ☐ Large (>250) ☐

A.9. Mitigation / adaptation focus Mitigation ☐ Adaptation ☒ Cross-cutting ☐

A.10. Public or private public

A.11. Results areas (mark all that apply)

Which of the following targeted results areas does the proposed project/programme address?

Reduced emissions from: ☐ Energy access and power generation

(E.g. on-grid, micro-grid or off-grid solar, wind, geothermal, etc.)

☐ Low emission transport (E.g. high-speed rail, rapid bus system, etc.)

☐ Buildings, cities, industries and appliances (E.g. new and retrofitted energy-efficient buildings, energy-efficient equipment for companies and

supply chain management, etc.)

☐ Forestry and land use (E.g. forest conservation and management, agroforestry, agricultural irrigation, water treatment and management, etc.)

Increased resilience of: ☒ Most vulnerable people and communities

(E.g. mitigation of operational risk associated with climate change – diversification of supply sources and supply chain management, relocation of manufacturing facilities and warehouses, etc.)

☒ Health and well-being, and food and water security (E.g. climate-resilient crops, efficient irrigation systems, etc.)

☒ Infrastructure and built environment (E.g. sea walls, resilient road networks, etc.)

☐ Ecosystems and ecosystem services (E.g. ecosystem conservation and management, ecotourism, etc.)

A.12. Project / programme life span 4 years

1 Please use the following naming convention for the file name: “[CN]-[Agency short name]-[Date]-[Serial number]” (e.g. CN-ABC-20150101-1).

mailto:[email protected]


A.13. Estimated implementation start and end date

Start: June, 2017 End: May, 2021

B. Project/Programme Details

The Fund requires the following preliminary information in order to promptly assess the eligibility of project/programme investment. These requirements may vary depending on the nature of the project/programme.

B.1. Project / programme description (including objectives)

The Kyrgyz Republic is highly vulnerable to climate risks due to the high frequency of climate-related disasters and the dependency of its rural economy on climate sensitive natural resources. Recent climate projections for the Kyrgyz Republic indicate that climate change will have a profound impact on climate sensitive rural livelihoods (see Government of the Kyrgyz Republic 2009; World Bank 2013). The current warming trend will continue, with an increase of 2°C in average temperature by 2060 and 4–5°C by 2100. As rainfall is also projected to decline during the summer months, the risk of drought will increase markedly. At the same time, precipitation is projected to rise in winter, increasing the risk of floods and landslides. Rainfall is also likely to become more variable.2 Despite progress made in reducing extreme poverty in the Kyrgyz Republic in the last few years, climate risks pose significant threats to sustainable livelihoods and food security. Recent events, such as the increasing numbers of floods and mudflows each spring, drought and severe cold spells, and the consequent impact on livelihoods (including outmigration) and food security highlight the country’s heightened vulnerability to climate risks. In response to this, the proposed project objective is to develop climate services and build diversified and climate resilient livelihoods for marginalized communities, reaching up to 27,000 households in most vulnerable regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. The proposed adaptation approach will empower the most food insecure and vulnerable communities of Kyrgyz Republic who are most at risk from climate change and aim at building institutional capacity both at national and sub-national levels to better understand needs and develop effective responses to manage increasing climate risks The proposed project will contribute to the capacity of the Government of Kyrgyz Republic, its line ministries, and importantly local authorities, to execute and implement climate change adaptation programmes to combat food insecurity and nutrition challenges in the country. In addition to fostering knowledge sharing and capacity building through its first two components, the project will promote knowledge and awareness, establish monitoring and planning tools and foster inter-sectoral coordination between key stakeholders within the government through a third cross-cutting component on capacity strengthening using a multi-sectoral approach. This will further strengthen full national ownership and implementation capacity to effectively manage the adaptation response in the Kyrgyz Republic. Proposed components, outputs and outcomes: Component 1:Development and/or provision of climate services to support food security and livelihood resilience Outputs:

• Opportunities and needs for production, delivery and communication of operational climate services for communities are identified, based on in-depth capacity and needs assessment of climate service providers at national level.

• Development of need-based tools, models and building an integrated system (linking with other stakeholders) for improved generation of climate information.

• Technical trainings on climate services at government agencies to interpret and disseminate climate information models for use at rayon (district) and community levels.

• Effective delivery of the climate information to vulnerable communities. Outcomes: Vulnerable communities are empowered and able to make informed decisions, respond to climate risks and opportunities, and adapt to climate-related changes in planning their livelihoods. Component 2: Build community resilience and increase adaptive capacity of vulnerable groups3 Outputs:

2 World Bank Group – Kyrgyz Republic Agricultural Sector Risk Assessment 3 Specific activities based on location will be planned during the full proposal development stage


• Improved and adapted agriculture management practices by small farmers to combat rainfall variability and temperature rises.

• Opportunities developed to engage women in off-farm activities for additional income generation. • Reduced dependency on climate sensitive livelihoods through diversification of activities using local inputs

and resources4 • Improved nutrition training focusing on vulnerable groups in all target communities including on diversification

of diets. • Value chains analysed and regional entrepreneurs engaged to link communities with market demand. • Increased income opportunities (using food assistance for assets modality) for vulnerable households,

especially during the off-season, provided through building physical infrastructure and livelihood assets.

Outcomes: Livelihoods are diversified and climate resilient with improved market access for vulnerable smallholder farmers. Component 3: Capacity strengthening and augmentation using a multi-sectoral approach

• Awareness raising, learning and behaviour change workshops conducted with communities to manage the localized impacts of climate change.

• Authorities at village and rayon levels (incl. water/pasture user associations) trained to design, and understand climate impacts and incorporate it in local development plans and strategies.

• Documentation of lessons learned and best practices to support future learning and inform policies and strategies and programmes of multiple government agencies.

• Curricula for ToT workshops and farm demonstrations formulated based on local target community needs. • Internship programs developed to provide opportunities for youth to gain experience while completing

education.

Outcomes: Knowledge, skills, and ownership by local communities and government to manage climate risks and adaptation measures is increased. . The activities under this proposal will partner with various agencies and build upon already accomplished works in the following project sites:

Project name Agency Location (province) Scaling up productive water and the MIT (micro irrigation technologies) market creation project, phase II.

Helvetas International, The Training, Advisory and Innovation Centre ZOKI.

Osh, Batken, Jalalabat, Naryn, Talas, Chuy, Yssik-Kul.

Livestock and market development programme I & II

IFAD/ARIS Naryn, Issik-Kul. Batken, Jalalabat, Osh.

Conserving biodiversity and reducing poverty through improved management of forests and pasture.

GIZ, SAEPF, MoA, CAMP Alatoo, Agrolead, Rural advisory service of Jalalabat.

Jalalabat

Strengthening of livelihoods through CCA in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

GIZ, MoA, MoES, local administrations, agricultural service providers.

Batken

Ecosystem based adaptation (EbA) in high mountainous regions of Central Asia.

GIZ, SAEPF, Public Foundation CAMP Alatoo, Mountain society research institute, Michael Succow Foundation for the protection of nature, German research center for geoscience, UNIQUE Forestry and Landuse GmbH.

Naryn oblast

Support for national productive safety nets, building longer term community resilience in the Kyrgyz Republic

WFP Osh, Batken, Jalalabat, Naryn, Talas.

4 human resources, natural resources, in-kind contributions and agricultural inputs


B.2. Background information on project/programme sponsor

Describe project/programme sponsor’s operating experience in the host country or other developing countries. Government partner agencies for the project Ministry of Labour and Social Development The Ministry of Labour and Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic is responsible for implementing state policy on labour, which includes supporting employment related issues of the population, labour protection, and social protection (including socially vulnerable groups). In addition, it also addresses issues in the sphere of family and gender development. The main aim and objectives of the Ministry are:

• Improving state policy in the sphere of labour, its protection, assisting on employment, social protection, family protection and children, social protection for elderly and disabled categories of citizens, and supporting the implementation of the state programs;

• Developing the labour relations and the system of labour payment within the sphere of the economy; • Creating an enabling environment to increase national employment levels; • Improving social protection of unemployed citizens; • Developing and organization of the system of state support, including the state allowances, compensation

payments for the unprotected categories of the citizens • Supporting gender equality • Developing and effective provision of the social services for the socially unprotected categories of citizens.

The Ministry for Agriculture and Melioration of the Kyrgyz Republic The Ministry for Agriculture and Melioration of the Kyrgyz Republic is the central governmental executive authority that implements the national policy on agriculture, land and water resources, irrigation and land reclamation infrastructure and processing industry. The objectives of the Ministry are as follows:

• Formulating the common national policy on the development of agriculture, water, fishery and processing industry, as well as on veterinary-sanitary and phytosanitary security and on harm-free application of pesticides and agrochemicals;

• Meeting the national internal needs for agricultural products and increasing the country’s export capacity; • Identifying priority directions and strategies for development of innovative research efforts, based on

demands of agricultural producers and processors and the national interests, and facilitating adoption of scientific and technical innovations in production sphere;

• Planning interstate allocation of water resources formed in the territory of the Republic and regulating, together with other public authorities, the interstate water relations;

• Meeting demands of all water users; • Taking measures for land conservation and soil protection from degradation and for adjustment of land users’

boundaries. State Environmental and Forestry Agency at the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic The State Environmental and Forestry Agency at the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic is a government authority responsible for policy implementation and regulation in the area of environmental conservation, environmental security, and nature use. The objectives of the Agency include:

• Implementing policy and regulating the areas of environmental conservation and nature use, as well as monitoring and assessing the state of natural objects and resources, including forestry and hunting management;

• Preventing possible negative consequences from planned management, economic and other activities for the natural environment by conducting environmental impact assessments of such activities;


• Establishing and developing international cooperation in environmental protection, ecological security, and nature use.

Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic is an executive state body authorized to implement state policy on Civil protection, fire and radiological safety and hydrometeorology. The core functions of the ministry are monitoring the disaster risks, coordination of emergency response and relief assistance, training and awareness raising of relevant government officials and population on disaster preparedness, carry out disaster mitigation activities and provision of specialised information including meteorological, agro-meteorological and hydrological information. The Hydro meteorological Agency at the Ministry of Emergencies is a branch that undertakes activities in hydrometeorology and observations over environmental pollution. The objectives of the Ministry are as follows:

• Monitoring and forecasting of natural and manmade disasters, planning activities related to civil protection, and training relevant government authorities and population on disaster preparedness and response;

• Protection of population from emergency situations through disaster prevention and protection measures; • Organization and facilitation of search and rescue operations, emergency response and relief activities and

damage assessment

Objectives of the Hydro-meteorological Agency under the Ministry of Emergency Situations are as follows: • Systematic observation of meteorological, hydro meteorological, agrometeorological conditions of crops and

pasture vegetation, monitoring and data collection on water, air and land pollution; • Forecasting of weather, water level in the rivers, crop productivity and extreme climate events; • Monitoring of glaciers, lake outbreak and avalanches; • Dissemination of public information on impending disasters and hydro meteorological hazards;

WFP in the Kyrgyz Republic Country Experience: Since launching its operations in the Kyrgyz Republic in late 2008, WFP’s overarching objective has been to strengthen the government’s capacity to reduce food insecurity and undernutrition and to support communities’ long-term resilience. Initially operating in an emergency capacity, WFP reached nearly a million most vulnerable people with food assistance following the global food crisis, harsh winters, the failed harvests of 2008 and the inter-ethnic violence in Osh and Jalal-Abad in 2010. As WFP interventions have shifted to development and recovery, WFP has implemented development projects to support more than half a million people to build a more food-secure future through asset creation, income generation activities and natural resource management. WFP’s current activities focus on optimization of the national school meals programme, rural development, social protection, disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. WFP also facilitates the capacity of the country to ensure sustainable food security by supporting food security and nutrition policies, strategies and programmes and related institutional capacity development.

Strategies and Policies: Globally, WFP has comprehensive policies, strategies and tools to support nations to ensure sustainable food security, nutrition and resilience, and actively contributes to both the formulation and implementation of global strategic policies, strategies and guidelines. These include:

a) WFP’s Strategic Plan 2014 – 2017: e.g. Strategic Objective 3 “Strengthen the capacity of governments and

communities to establish, manage and scale up sustainable, effective and equitable … safety-net systems…”; b) WFP’s 2004, and 2012: Update of WFP’s Safety Nets Policy – The Role of Food Assistance in Social

Protection; c) The SDGs and Zero Hunger Challenge: “Eliminating hunger involves investments in … decent work, social

protection…” d) The Sendai Framework on disaster risk reduction; e) The High-level Panel of Experts of the Committee on World Food Security report on Social Protection for Food

Security which recommends “...governments to formulate and implement social protection measures against hunger…”.

Strengths: Through its worldwide operations, WFP has gained significant experience in the following:

• Comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the root causes of food insecurity, including chronic poverty, disasters, climate change, under-nutrition, seasonality and local-level needs;


• Identifying, prioritizing and implementing livelihood rehabilitation/restoration/creation through participatory community mobilization and participation of key stakeholders;

• Optimization of food security and nutrition, social protection and safety net systems, including strategy and programme formulation, targeting, systems design and awareness raising and advocacy;

• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, impact and a return on investments;

• Support to capacity development through investments in institutional capacity and human capital; • Mainstreaming of gender, nutrition and environment/natural resource management; • As a member of the international Social Protection Inter-Agency Coordination Board to support governments

in the design and implementation of the Social Protection Floor. Describe financial status and how the project/programme sponsor will support the project/programme in terms of equity, management, operations, production and marketing. The concept for the proposed project requests a grant. As the multilateral implementing entity, WFP will support the project management and operations by providing technical inputs, project oversight and administrating the project funds. It will also be responsible for generating annual reports for the donor to release the next tranche of funding as well as ensuring that funds are disbursed and used according to agreements made with the GCF. All communications including reporting to the donor will be the responsibility of WFP. As the Executing Entities (EE), MoA, MLSD and MES will jointly be responsible for the day-to-day execution and technical supervision of the project activities. They will oversee and coordinate the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the program; execute agreements with the local government units to ensure effective implementation; and establish and oversee the Project Management Unit. They will also lead project procurement activities including management of the supply and service contracts of various suppliers. The EE will submit quarterly progress reports as well as details on expenditures to WFP in order to release the next tranche of funding.

B.3. Market overview

Describe the market for the product(s) or services including the historical data and forecasts. N/A Provide the key competitors with market shares and customer base (if applicable). N/A Provide pricing structures, price controls, subsidies available and government involvement (if any). This is a grant based climate change adaptationproject aiming to strengthen the livelihoods of the most vulnerable poor in remote areas. The activities or the project do not generate revenue for the implementing entities or the donor.

B.4. Regulation, taxation and insurance

Provide details of government licenses, or permits required for implementing and operating the project/programme, the issuing authority, and the date of issue or expected date of issue. N/A. Describe applicable taxes and foreign exchange regulations. N/A Provide details on insurance policies related to project/programme. Financial Market Overview is not applicable in this case. However, for activities related to procurement of services including training by WFP staff, Section 7 of UN Privileges and immunities state that the UN agencies are exempt from all direct taxes. If services are procured by government, national regulations on taxation may apply.

B.5. Implementation arrangements

WFP will be the Implementing Entity (IE) while the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD) and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) will jointly execute the project. The MoA, MLSD and MES are accountable to WFP for managing the project, including the monitoring and evaluation of project interventions, achieving project outcomes, and for the effective use of


resources. WFP will develop the project document in consultation with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (GoKR) and other stakeholders involved. WFP will sign the Grant Agreement with the GCF and a Memorandum of Understanding/Standard Operating Procedures will be prepared and signed between WFP and the GoKR. Field Level Agreements will be signed with NGOs if certain outputs need to be executed by them. WFP will manage the funds from GCF, and will disburse quarterly in advance against agreed work plans, to a project account managed by the EE. WFP will ensure the quality of the project deliverables, fiduciary risk management, progress monitoring, results monitoring, value for money analysis and reporting to GCF. A detailed project management structure will be provided during the proposal stage. Provide a timetable showing major scheduled achievements and completion for each of the major components of the project/programme. See Annex 6

C. Financing / Cost Information

C.1. Description of financial elements of the project / programme

Please provide: • a breakdown of cost estimates analysed according to major cost

categories.

• a financial model that includes projection covering the period from financial closing through final maturity of the proposed GCF financing with detailed assumptions and rationale;

• a description of how the choice of financial instrument(s) will overcome barriers and achieve project objectives, and leverage public and/or private finance.

A detailed financial breakdown will be provided with the project proposal. Annex 5 provides a year-wise breakdown of the below given budget.

Component Output Amount (in USD)

Local Currency

Strengthening climate services to enhance food security and livelihood resilience

Assessment of the capacity (gaps and opportunities) of the climate services

100,000 6,800,000

Building and integrating the climate services system

1,200,000 81,600,000

Delivering and interpreting the climate information

1,100,000 74,800,000

Build community resilience and increase adaptive capacity

Providing assistance for diversifying livelihoods with a focus on women

2,250,000 153,000,000

Improving community infrastructure and assets during lean season through food assistance for work, improving access to markets, building value chains

2,400,000 163,200,000

Capacity strengthening and augmentation using a multi-sectoral approach

Technical trainings on climate services 470,000 31,960,000 Awareness raising, skills development, coaching modules and trainings by type

1,300,000 88,400,000

Guidance manuals and trainings on CCA 230,000 15,640,000 Guidance manuals for CC vulnerability and risk assessment

120,000 8,160,000


Documentation of lessons learned/best practices

90,000 6,120,000

Total 9,260,000 629,680,000

C.2. Project financing information

Financial Instrument Amount Currency Tenor Pricing

Total project financing (a) = (b) + (c)

…………………

(b) Requested GCF amount

(i) Senior Loans

(ii) Subordinated Loans

(iii) Equity

(iv) Guarantees

(v) Reimbursable grants *

(vi) Grants *

………………… ………………… ………………… …………………

…………………

9.2

million USD ($)

( ) years

( 4 ) years

( ) %

( ) %

( ) % IRR

* Please provide detailed economic and financial justification in the case of grants.

Total Requested (i+ii+iii+iv+v+vi) 9.2 million

USD ($)

(c) Co-financing

Financial Instrument Amount Currency Name of

Institution Seniority

…………………

…………………

…………………

…………………

Options

Options

Options

Options

…………………

…………………

…………………

…………………

Lead financing institution: ………………………

(d) Covenants

(e) Conditions precedent to disbursement

D. Expected Performance against Investment Criteria


Please explain the potential of the Project/Programme to achieve the Fund’s six investment criteria as listed below.

D.1. Climate impact potential [Potential to achieve the GCF's objectives and results]

Expected total number of direct and indirect beneficiaries and number of beneficiaries relative to total population (e.g. total lives to be saved from disruption due to climate-related disasters)

The project directly contributes to the GCF’s strategic results areas for adaptation, namely: increased resilience of health, water and food security and; increased resilience of livelihoods of people and communities, strengthening of institutional and regulatory systems for climate-responsive planning and development, increase in generation and use of climate information in decision making as well as strengthening of awareness regarding climate risks adaptive capacity and reduced exposure to climate threats. It will assist 120,000 direct beneficiaries living under national poverty levels, and up to 1.1 million indirect beneficiaries who live in proposed project locations. (Annex 3) The number of direct beneficiaries (120,000) is a preliminary approximation of the total population in the shortlisted districts living under the national poverty levels. The number of indirect beneficiaries (1.5 million) pertains to the total population of the target rayons (not extreme poor) that would benefit indirectly from the activities of the project (e.g. climate services in the area can be used by households not involved in agriculture). This number will be finalized at project proposal stage.

Methodology: WFP’s Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) examined geographical variation of food insecurity and vulnerability at sub-national levels to support evidence-based geographical targeting and programme design. In the Kyrgyz Republic, WFP applied Integrated Context Analysis (ICA)* (see Annex 3) and identified the areas where people have been most affected by recurrent food insecurity and the main stressors and shocks in each area. The ICA overlaid the information and maps of chronic poverty and recurrence of climate shocks, the two main drivers of food insecurity in the Kyrgyz Republic. The ICA grouped all 40 districts into five categories based on the severity of these two dimensions. The result shows significant regional disparities in the key variables that affect food security. A larger proportion of the population in the provinces of Batken, Osh, Jalalabad and Naryn are exposed to recurrent climatic shocks and their impacts are exacerbated by land degradation. The levels of their resilience to recurrent shocks are also low due to low agricultural productivity, as well as limited income opportunities and poor physical access to markets due to remoteness. The proposed project will therefore target the communities in these provinces.

D.2. Paradigm shift potential [Potential to catalyze impact beyond a one-off project or programme investment]

Provide the estimates and details of the below and specify other relevant factors.

Innovation – Fostering collaborations through climate services and livelihood development activities. Climate information has existed in many countries and the infrastructure currently exists within the Kyrgyz Republic. However, thus far, these services have not made sufficient inroads to the ultimate user base, i.e. the communities. As a result, information collected by the meteorological teams have been unused. The rural communities, on the other hand, suffer losses due to the unpredictability of weather. Through this project, the GoKR will be able to connect the information providers and interpreters of information with the final users thereby increasing the value of existing information and delivering concrete benefits. To create climate information services that are relevant to farmers on a broad scale, climate


forecasters will collaborate with research institutes (including universities like University of Central Asia), extension services, rural development agencies, farmers, NGOs, the media and the private sector. Through detailed assessment and a multi-disciplinary working group, a two-way information flow between providers of climate services and users will be created. In addition, established climate services will be made available to complement other existing projects in the Kyrgyz Republic and foster partnerships with other organizations in the country. Linking farmers, NGOs, universities (e.g. Agrarian University, Tian Shan Policy Center) with the government – the service providers – will provide a climate services model that has full national ownership, is sustainable and can thereby continue beyond the project’s life, with possible further expansion nationwide in the future.

WFP’s existing project on productive safety nets has already created a robust partnership with local authorities including the main government counterparts such as MLSD, MoA, SAEPF, MES, UNDP, FAO’s Global Environment Facility (GEF) project, EU, UN WOMEN and GIZ. This project will build upon existing partnerships in sites where existing projects could have synergies with the proposed intervention.

Potential for scaling-up and replication (e.g. multiples of initial impact size) The project has a strong rationale for replication and scale-up. Some of the rationales include the project’s cost effectiveness, its alignment with national policies as well as its inclusion of communities throughout the project implementation. The proposed intervention has selected communities in the most vulnerable districts of the Kyrgyz Republic. The selection criteria for the project sites include poverty, malnutrition as well as climate vulnerability (See Annex 3). Lessons learnt from project implementation will be documented and regular workshops for monitoring and validation will be undertaken to revise the implementation strategy if required. There is high replication value of the project within Kyrgyz Republic and success stories and lessons learnt could be replicated to neighbouring rayons (districts) within the oblast (province/state). In addition, since the regional geography is similar, border regions in neighbouring countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan could also learn from and implement similar projects. This project will reach 120,000 people living under national poverty levels (23% of the total population of the selected regions) and up to a maximum of 1.1 million people in the rural areas where the project will be implemented, (19% of the Kyrgyz/Rayon population of 5.62 million5). Over 50% of the population live in the Oblasts of Jalalabad, Osh, Naryn and Batken6 where the proposed model will be implemented and can be scaled-up. Furthermore, as most Rayons have a unique set of conditions, these will be taken into consideration in systems design, so that an adapted approach is offered by the project to meet rayon specific circumstances. Such an approach could also serve as a model for neighbouring regions. In addition, the trainings, lessons learnt and climate services capacities incorporated at the national level could be replicated across the country, reaching up to 5 times the current target beneficiary numbers.

Potential for knowledge and learning The project will emphasize the collection, analysis and dissemination of lessons learnt and best practices that might be beneficial to the design and implementation of similar future projects. A key cross-cutting component of the proposed intervention is capacity development. In addition to training and awareness workshops, this component also aims at targeting the dissemination of and support to the scaling-up of best practices, while also generating the opportunity for spontaneous and autonomous adaptation in communities with similar ecological and socio-economic conditions. To ensure sustainability of the intervention, partnerships will be established with national research institutions such as Agrarian University and the University of Central Asia. Both successes and failures will be documented and incorporated into the future pedagogy (syllabi, modes and duration) of training courses related to climate change. During the initial consultations, it was deemed best to involve researchers and current students (through internship programs) to support the government in executing the project. This would benefit both parties and create a future skilled work force. A partnership with the National Institute of Strategic Studies will enable lessons learnt to be further integrated into policy briefs for use in national development planning. Lessons and case studies will be disseminated within and beyond the project intervention through:

• Existing information sharing networks and forums (for e.g. the K-Link knowledge sharing platform) • Public media articles in both national print and electronic media; • Local media news in local language; • Policy briefs for national, oblast, and Rayon level decision makers;

5 National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic 2015 est. 6 Ibid


• Exchange visits from adjacent communities and government decision makers to promote replication of best practices and to bring an adaptation focus into local development planning processes, especially village development plans;

• Training and short courses on climate change for local communities, NGOs, CBOs, and local government officers; • National and regional stakeholder workshops for knowledge dissemination to government authorities and

agencies Contribution to the creation of an enabling environment The proposed project takes a multi-pronged approach to creating enabling conditions for continuous investments into the development of climate resilient livelihoods. The following are the key enabling conditions: (i) The project's proposed intervention aims at (1) strengthening the potential of local communities in the face of climate change and; (2) addressing capacity deficits by improving skills and developing value chains aimed at revitalizing local economies. This will create a long lasting market environment where local and regional demand will be met by the targeted communities. During initial stakeholder meetings with government agencies, NGOs as well as farmers (See Annex 8), observations were made on the negative impact on the production of many staples as a result of adjustments related to the country’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union. Despite an existing demand for many products such as vegetables, fruits, honey, herbs, etc. local communities lack the capacity to meet market demand. The project will aim at exploring new markets and take advantage of the Eurasian Customs Union to help generate longer-term demand for local products. (ii) Improved climate services capacities/mechanisms will provide information for rural beneficiaries as well as emergency services and hence take a cross sectoral approach to upgrade knowledge and capacities of government agencies both at national as well as the Rayon levels. Timely and actionable information will also help manage the resources and needs of the rural poor in a pro-active manner and help mitigate the losses (harvests, assets and livestock) caused by climate extremes.

Contribution to the regulatory framework and policies This project complements the Climate Change Priority Areas described in the national priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic (in addition to the Second National Communications) by promoting research-based actions, new livelihood activities, and improved advisory services at local government level as well as extension services. An initial review of the existing enabling environment identified several gaps (seen annex 2) which were presented to the technical team of the Climate Change Coordination Commission (CCCC) housed in the State Agency on Environmental Protection and Forestry (SAEPF). The technical advisory team of the National Designated Authority was in agreement on the need to tackle these findings. Accordingly, the proposed project intervention will bring about a shift in the planning for and adaptation to climate risks faced by poor rural communities in the Kyrgyz Republic. Actionable information, training and concrete adaptation activities will enable farmers to avoid the damage caused by the inefficient use of resources, and in turn, save national resources for use in response to the negative impacts of climate change such as droughts and variable rainfall. The proposed project will use a combination of approaches such as provision of extended weather forecasts directly to rural communities, livelihood diversification and improving market access, and a more systematic approach to training and documentation of lessons learnt. Component 3 will explicitly ensure that lessons are captured, evaluated and disseminated actively across the country. Trainings will also aim at developing implementation capacity of the GoKR at national and sub-national levels. The project will partner with the National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS) – a national research institute directly under the auspices of the Prime Minister that provides policy support and recommendations to the national government. NISS will play a key role in documenting lessons learnt from the project through the lens of national development policies and strategies. These policy documents will enable the government to better plan rural development interventions, keeping in mind the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable populations. The impact from the project in terms of raising awareness amongst communities, policy makers, local authorities and user associations is expected to have a catalytic effect on the incorporation of approaches to climate change into future planning. A more informed national apparatus will enable better planning and prioritization of resources and investments in climate change adaptation and food security. At the community level, more resilient livelihoods with diversified income sources would result in a decrease in the impact of climate shocks and improved production in the agricultural sector. This would also create appropriate conditions for the development of sustainable value chains to take advantage of regional and international market demands.

D.3. Sustainable development potential [Potential to provide wider development co-benefits]


The project is closely aligned with the SDGs through its focus on building adaptive capacity and resilience—as well as integrating climate change considerations into national policies, strategies, and planning. By supporting the national government in building climate resilient livelihoods, the project will help address Goal 2, "End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition", as well as Goal 13, “Taking Urgent Action to Fight Climate Change.” Beyond these explicit food security and climate-focused links, however, supporting the project also helps address Goal 5 on “Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment” as well as Goal 17 and related targets on “Strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development.” Crop failures due to rainfall variability and drought have caused hunger, malnutrition and poor health in Kyrgyz Republic. Climate change is expected to increase and intensify the occurrence of extreme climate events over the coming years and decades. Although climate change affects everyone regardless of class, race, age or gender, its impacts are disproportionally felt by the poor and rain-dependent smallholder farmers. Gender inequality in rural areas of Kyrgyz Republic also mean that women are particularly disadvantaged. They have less access to information, training, and credit, and women-headed households lack sufficient labour power (UNICEF, 2011). The 2012 gender inequality index ranks the Kyrgyz Republic 64th of 148 countries. Women have low access to resources and low decision-making power. Women whose husbands are migrant labourers also have additional farming and livestock burdens. On the other hand, women carry out a large portion of the farm work and provide household food supplies from vegetable gardens. The growing number and severity of disasters triggered by climate change will further increase the burden on women and communities that are already vulnerable at present. Frequent crop failure will seriously affect their livelihoods. Women and children may be forced to contribute even more to household income, without being released from their domestic responsibilities. Education and health outcomes for children will be affected negatively. Assistance is therefore clearly needed to build the resilience of women to the impact of climate change while attempting to change prevailing gender inequalities. Through this project, women will be trained on the importance of nutrition as well as skill development in order to generate income through provision of inputs, seeds and water for irrigation and drinking. They will benefit from training in numeracy, literacy and business. With more income and resources at their disposal, women will be empowered to make decisions for their family, pay school fees and other expenses as well as dedicate time for their own health and well-being leading to reduction in stress. Training women will also improve the nutrition of their children. This project will give a particularly strong focus on the development of rural livelihoods, targeting the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities. The project strategy also takes into account the physical and economic vulnerability of rain-dependent farm families. Outputs of component 2 will seek to build resilient livelihoods of vulnerable groups in the face of the more unpredictable and damaging weather patterns, and to develop alternative livelihoods as part of broader government efforts to address the underlying drivers of extreme poverty, food insecurity & malnutrition and climate change. Outputs from this component will create direct incomes for rural households during the lean season from labour opportunities. The implementation of activities under Component 1&2, will therefore result in additional economic benefits, namely: a. Reduced losses: Through this project, rural communities will be empowered to make better decisions related to

their existing livelihoods, and as a result, will be able to use their inputs (including labour allocation) more efficiently. Climate services will enable farmers to make informed decisions, better manage risk, reduce post-harvest losses, take advantage of favourable climate conditions, and adapt to change. In addition, there will be improved resource allocation for items such as seeds, livestock, and human labour. Access to markets will mean that no produce goes waste and that production is based on market demand rather than uninformed optimism.

b. Resilient incomes: In the short-term, skills will be developed (practical and activity based) in order for diversification of livelihood activities and awareness raising. Increased incomes for men and women will result from alternative livelihoods through cultivation of high value crops, reforestation/afforestation activities, and post-production activities. Payments and incentives will be provided to farm families in the project communities to enable their participation in activities to build physical infrastructure and livelihood assets as identified in Component 2. The payment scheme would be structured to government-approved rates and implemented during minor rainfall season when most rain-dependent farmers are without employment and income. In the medium-term, new value chains will create demand for the commodities produced by rural commodities as well as create post-production employment opportunities, such as packaging, storage and processing. In the long-run, the project aims to create local economies that are self-sustaining through linkages with regional markets.

c. Government resources: Estimates indicate that climate induced extreme events caused economic losses totaling US $80,000,000 over the last decade.7 Most of the climate risks are faced by rural vulnerable populations due to the lack of accurate information and early warning. If rural populations are able to avoid losses, it would enable the government administration to shift investments from risk recovery to preparedness and development.

7 ADB estimates. Based on GFDRR. 2011. Vulnerability, Risk Reduction, and Adaptation to Climate Change: Kyrgyz Republic Climate Risk and Adaptation Country Profile and the International Disaster Database. www.emdat.be


The project may not be sufficient to fully address the negative impacts of climate change or reverse degradation from climate change and other drivers, but it will give local government, civil society and communities the tools and knowledge to tackle climate change effects over a longer time frame. It is expected that local actors will be fully empowered at the end of the four year project duration to continue their work without significant additional external funding and with more limited technical support. Knowledge and experience delivered through the project will create added value and will be adopted into existing government programmes and policies, thus creating multiplier effects over wider areas.

D.4. Needs of recipient [Vulnerability to climate change and financing needs of the recipients]

Vulnerability: Climate change vulnerability in the Kyrgyz Republic is a product of many common risk drivers. These include the remoteness of rural populations, which suffer from high rates of poverty and food insecurity, as well as low levels of connectivity by infrastructure and service provision. Health outcomes are poor, further increasing the sensitivity of affected populations to the health risks present in the aftermath of a natural hazard. Agriculture forms a significant part of the economy of Kyrgyz Republic, but a lack of investment has left the sector underdeveloped and highly susceptible to shocks. Insufficient employment opportunities have created untenable economic prospects for many people, driving significant levels of external labour migration leaving behind inherently vulnerable population cohorts such as women and children. Figure 3. Vulnerability to Climate Change

Source: Fay and Patel (2008). Taken from World Bank, June 2009, Adapting to Climate Change in Europe and Central Asia

With respect to climate change adaptive capacity, the Kyrgyz Republic fares poorly (Figure 4) in the region (only fourth to last in the list of Europe and Central Asian countries). Figure 4. Adaptive Capacity to Climate change


Source: Fay and Patel (2008). Taken from World Bank, June 2009, Adapting to Climate Change in Europe and Central Asia Sensitivity: Poverty disproportionately affects rural populations, young persons and women, increasing the vulnerability of these groups. The national poverty rate is 38% but there is considerable regional variation in prevalence.8 In Bishkek oblast, the World Bank estimates the poverty rate is 13%, compared with an estimated 33% in Jalalabad oblast, 32% in Batken oblast and 40% in Osh oblast, all of which are in the south of the country.9 The prevalence of poverty also impacts educational attainment and national skill levels, as a large proportion of young people in poverty do not complete secondary schooling.10 A considerable gender gap is also present in Kyrgyz Republic, with women experiencing greater barriers to accessing capital than men. Women are also heavily employed within the informal sector, increasing income insecurity.11 Food insecurity is a widespread issue affecting population wellbeing where the impacts of climate change are likely to further exacerbate the situation. According to the UN, around 1.4 million people in Kyrgyz Republic are food-insecure, and 15% of the population is classified as experiencing severe food insecurity.12 Many of those affected are considered the most vulnerable to climate change due to their exposure to frequent natural hazards and low livelihood opportunities.13 Micronutrient deficiencies and anemia are identified as particular health concerns arising from food shortages and lack of dietary diversity. Health issues, including a tuberculosis epidemic and rising HIV rates, are also perpetuated by a lack of health infrastructure and low levels of health knowledge amongst the population.14 In 2011, 10% of the population did not have access to healthcare services and 18% of the rural population does not have access to improved water supplies.15

8 World Bank, World Development Indicators, 2014, Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population). Available at http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.NAHC [Accessed on 6 November 2014]. 9 World Bank, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit Europe and Central Asia Region, Mahadevan, M., Yoshida, N., & Praslova, L., April 2013, Poverty Mapping in the Kyrgyz Republic: Methodology and Key Findings, Table 5. Available at http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2013/04/16/000445729_20130416152925/Rendered/ PDF/766900WP0P12200ty0Map0Apr4020130ENG.pdf 10 Government of the Kyrgyz Republic/United Nations in the Kyrgyz Republic, March 2011, United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the Kyrgyz Republic 2012-2016. Available at https://data.unfpa.org/downloadDoc.unfpa?docId=411 11 Ibid 12 Ibid 13 Ibid 14 Ibid 15 Government of the Kyrgyz Republic/United Nations in the Kyrgyz Republic, March 2011, United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the Kyrgyz Republic 2012-2016. Available at https://data.unfpa.org/downloadDoc.unfpa?docId=411 ; WHO/UNICEF, 2014, Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation 2014 update. Available at http://www.unicef.org/gambia/Progress_on_drinking_water_and_sanitation_2014_update.pdf

https://data.unfpa.org/downloadDoc.unfpa?docId=411

http://www.unicef.org/gambia/Progress_on_drinking_water_and_sanitation_2014_update.pdf


Extensive labour migration leaves behind groups sensitive to the impacts of natural hazards. High levels of unemployment and a lack of earning opportunities have led to significant levels of external labour migration, leaving behind more vulnerable groups. Over one million men and women – equivalent to half of the working-age population – have sought work abroad, mainly in Russia and Kazakhstan.16 This is acknowledged by the fact that 30.3% of the country’s GDP is comprised of remittances.17 Risks of natural hazards Natural hazards pose significant threats to the wellbeing and livelihoods of rural populations in Kyrgyz Republic. The majority of the populations of Kyrgyz Republic reside in foothills and low valleys; locations that are typically the most exposed to natural hazards. Livelihoods and infrastructure in these areas are exposed to a range of natural hazards, including landslides, mudflows and flooding. Landslides, flash floods and mudflow events may become more frequent in future due to climate change. Large inter-annual rainfall variations are a factor in the formation of landslides. Heavy slope wetting due to rainfall or snow and glacier melt acts to mobilize landslides. Mudslides may also be initiated by torrential rain at high altitudes. Longer-term impacts of prolonged glacial retreat will include reduced river flow, affecting downstream users. The majority of Kyrgyz Republic’s annual rainfall occurs in the winter months when temperatures are very low. Irrigation during summer months is heavily reliant on rivers fed by glacier and snow melt. Any long-term reduction in river flow caused by glacial retreat is likely to negatively affect the agricultural industry that contributes almost a fifth of the country’s annual economic output.18 National Capacity to implement projects While climate change response planning is developing on a national level, the government’s efforts to adequately engage with local stakeholders have been very limited. The Kyrgyz government has indicated its commitment to climate change adaptation, with policy frameworks implemented at the national level of government. However, implementation is weak at the provincial and district levels. The government has achieved little in engaging adequately with civil society groups and other key sectoral organizations, as well as vulnerable groups such as women. As a result, local authorities often do not have adequate knowledge or resources to participate in climate change adaptation planning activities. Financial and economic needs Kyrgyz Republic’s macro-economic environment is significantly challenged. According to the IMF, despite significant reform efforts over the past two decades, persistent structural weaknesses limit potential growth. Dependence on gold, remittances, and foreign aid leaves the economy vulnerable to external shocks and makes it difficult to generate broad-based prosperity. As productivity lags, growth continues to rely on large-scale capital spending and an abundant supply of labour. The link between credit expansion and economic growth is weak as the financial sector is still underdeveloped. Poverty is high, with large differences in development across regions. Still nascent institutions, frequent changes in government, and a challenging business environment further hamper economic development. The regional economic slowdown that was transmitted primarily through a decline in remittances, a slowdown in trade, and exchange rate pressures has amplified domestic vulnerabilities. At the same time, large external borrowing has significantly increased debt levels, and the depreciation of the som has elevated financial and debt vulnerabilities. The economy continues to face significant challenges associated with the weak regional economic environment, high public debt, and the transition to the Eurasian Economic Union. These challenges, together with volatile growth and inflation, increase the economy’s vulnerability to external shocks.19 The proposed project will address some of Kyrgyz Republic’s structural, institutional and financial barriers that make it particularly vulnerable to climate change. Through improved climate services, rural livelihoods dependent on agriculture will be made more resilient. Through income diversification, market access and value chain development, the agriculture sector will become more sustainable, informed and resilient. By building its knowledge base, the national as well as regional administration will be well-informed, coordinated and better prepared to respond to climate shocks and plan adaptation activities for the future.

16 UNISDR, Sub-regional Offi ce for Central Asia and Caucasus,2010, In depth Review of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Kyrgyz Republic. Available at http://www.unisdr.org/fi les/14436_14436INDEPTHREVIEWOFDRRINKRfi nal1.pdf; International Labour Organization, 2009, Labour Migration and Productive Utilisation of Human Resources: Kyrgyz Republic. Available at http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/eurpro/moscow/info/publ/kri19oc09.pdf 17 World Bank, 2015, Remittances as % of GDP. Available at http://data.worldbank.org/ 18 World Bank, 2014, Agriculture, value added (as % of GDP). Available at http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS/ 19 http://www.imf.org/external/np/country/notes/kyrgyzrep.htm

http://www.unisdr.org/fi%20les/14436_14436INDEPTHREVIEWOFDRRINKRfi%20nal1.pdf

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/eurpro/moscow/info/publ/kri19oc09.pdf

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS/

http://www.imf.org/external/np/country/notes/kyrgyzrep.htm


D.5. Country ownership [Beneficiary country ownership of project or programme and capacity to implement the proposed activities]

Coherence and alignment with the country’s national climate strategy and priorities in mitigation or adaptation Actions for adaptation to climate change are developed and included in the National Priorities for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2017 (“Priority Directions”). The Kyrgyz Republic has developed sectorial plans and programs for adaptation in all vulnerable sectors, including agriculture, energy, water, emergencies, healthcare and forest and biodiversity. This project complements the Climate Change Priority Areas described in the national priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic (in addition to the Second National Communications) by promoting research-based actions, new livelihood activities, and improved advisory services at local government level as well as extension services. The proposed intervention addresses the poverty-food insecurity-malnutrition nexus by introducing training and income generation activities aimed at dietary diversification and improved access to food and nutrition. This project also complements the sub-section on capacity building in the SNCCC through strengthening of technical capacity for weather forecasting, climate modeling and integrated impact assessment, integrating future climate change and its impacts in government policies, mainstreaming climate change into national, sectoral, and spatial development planning. Finally, lessons learnt throughout the project implementation will be used in building an understanding, competence and replication capacity of key government agencies.

Through component 3 of this project, GoKR and partners will be empowered to ensure that food security and nutrition are integrated into policies and programmes. WFP has already advised the GoKR on development of the social protection action plan for 2015–2017, the food security and nutrition programme for 2015–2017, and contributed to the formulation of the national climate change adaptation programme and the Scaling-up Nutrition (SUN) movement.

Brief description of executing entities (e.g. local developers, partners and service providers) along with the roles they will play. The project will be executed jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Melioration (MoA), Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD) and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES). Component 1 will be executed by MES with support from research institutes and universities to improve existing climate services and develop the service where gaps exist. Component 2 will be executed jointly by MoA and MLSD since it pertains to development of agricultural and rural livelihoods. Linkages with other agencies (including GIZ, AKDN, ARIS etc) will be established to build upon existing work and link with future plans. Field Level Agreements will also need to be signed with NGOs in order to execute certain activities. Component 3 is a cross-cutting area which will involve all the executing entities as well as policy partners such as the National Institute of Strategic Studies.

Since the NDA and the Climate Change Coordination Commission is part of the State Agency on Environmental Protection and Forestry (SAEPF), it will also be an integral part of the project and head the National Project Steering Committee. In addition, the project will explore linkages and synergies in areas where project sites overlap with existing or planned projects. As such, emphasis will be given to forging partnerships with other partners. Preliminary consultations with the various stakeholders underlined the potential for the same. UN agencies, as well as international organizations such as EBRD, World Bank, GIZ and JICA will be consulted. Local NGO partners such as AKDN, Agrarian University etc. will also play an important role in project activities.

Stakeholder engagement process and feedback received from civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders A comprehensive stakeholder consultation was conducted between April and May 2016 with various government agencies, NGOs, universities and research institutions. A field trip was also undertaken to Jalalabad Oblast to consult with local officials at the district level as well as with the local heads of villages. A report on the consultation process is attached in Annex 8. Existing needs and gaps were understood and the concept note was drafted based on ground level requirements. During the full proposal development


stage, these preliminary discussions will be built upon and a full proposal will be submitted which will be more comprehensive.

D.6. Effectiveness and efficiency [Economic and financial soundness and effectiveness of the proposed activities]

Provide details of the below and specify other relevant factors (i.e. debt service coverage ratio), if available.

• Estimated cost per t CO2 eq (total investment cost/expected lifetime emission reductions)

• Co-financing ratio (total amount of the Fund’s investment as percentage of project) • Economic and financial rate of return

- With the Fund’s support - Without the Fund’s support -

This information will be developed during the full proposal stage

E. Brief Rationale for GCF Involvement and Exit Strategy Please specify why the GCF contribution is critical for the project/programme. With the recent economic and financial crises and the political instability in the Kyrgyz Republic, the MoA, MLSD and MES have been challenged, within their existing budgetary authority and institutional capacity, to carry out responsibilities in the areas of agriculture, land management, social protection, and responding to natural disasters in the country. This also further constrains them from pioneering new and innovative practices and technologies for sustainable climate change adaptation. At the local level, the relevant civil society organizations that manage much of the country’s pasture lands, water and forest resources (i.e. Pasture User Associations (PUAs), Water User Associations (WUAs), and Community Forest Associations (CFAs)) continue to employ traditional approaches focusing primarily on increasing production and improving water resource management. Thus, there is currently limited capacity in Kyrgyz institutions, both GoKR and civil society, to tackle the underlying impact of climate change and exacerbation of food insecurity and malnutrition, which requires more innovative and sustainable solutions to address the risks posed. In addition, since the target locations include the extreme poor, it is less lucrative for the private sector to invest in developing services. Please explain how the project/programme sustainability will be ensured in the long run, after the project/programme is implemented with support from the GCF and other sources. Sustainability is at the core of the design and strategy of the project. The project aims to integrate planning for climate change resilience into Rayon and national level policy, programmes and budgets. It will empower communities to better understand the causes of their food insecurity and how these are affected by climate change, and will draw them into a participatory process of developing practical and tangible solutions. Training local and provincial government officials in supporting these processes will also ensure stakeholders have the tools to continue their work towards the vision of climate resilience beyond the duration of this project. Sustainability at the community level will be promoted by ensuring that actions are community-driven to increase ownership and commitment, and that they undergo a thorough socio-economic-environmental assessment prior to approval and implementation which will also support the identification of self-sustained economic incentives for project participants. Assets created under the project will be prioritized and decided through a community participatory approach so that the community will be motivated to maintain, repair and replace them with their localized knowledge, skills, and resources after the project closes. NGOs, extension services and others involved in implementation will receive proper training and implementation and will be closely monitored by the project team. Outcomes from the project will not only be sustainable because of community involvement in project design, implementation and monitoring. Community members will see concrete benefits in a variety of ways, for example through better allocation of resources, increased productivity, and better access to markets. Local government will also have the capacity to better support community-driven and owned processes. Local residents will see value in services (trainings etc.) provided by their peers and will be willing to pay for those services. Combined, all components of the project will create a virtuous cycle where good policy, improved capacity and concrete adaptation actions empower communities to adapt to the effects of climate change and to reverse environmental damage, which if unchecked would further increase vulnerability. The knowledge and lessons learnt delivered by the project will be captured through regular monitoring and validation workshops, documented in accessible reports, shared and


discussed with all relevant stakeholders, thus promoting the application and replication of valuable lessons in a wider scope beyond the project itself.

F. Risk Analysis Please describe the financial and operational risks and discuss mitigating measures. Please briefly specify the substantial environmental and social risks that the project/programme may face and the proposed risk mitigating measures. Please see Annex 7 on Risk Management

G. Multi-Stakeholder Engagement Please specify the plan for multi-stakeholder engagement, and what has been done so far in this regard. There have been extensive preliminary discussions (details in Annex 8) with various government agencies, NGOs, research institutes as well as farmers to understand the food security and climate adaptation conditions and identify gaps. In addition, consultations were held with stakeholders (such as GIZ, AKDN) whose existing projects could be enhanced by linking certain components of the proposed concept. A field mission was also undertaken to one of the target oblasts and meetings were held at the district and local levels with local government authorities as well as community members to understand the needs on the ground and how policy and strategy could be best converted into practical applications. The preliminary consultations were followed by a group consultation workshop on 20th May where all the parties were invited. Findings from the preliminary meetings as well as concept note recommendations were presented to them for their feedback and suggestions. The workshop was divided into a technical session followed by guided brainstorming to get everyone on board the idea. A detailed presentation was made to the NDA and his technical team on May 13th and suggestions for improvement were incorporated in the current version of the concept note. Followed by the workshop, the concept note was revisited and revised based on the input from various stakeholders. At the proposal stage, more substantial meetings will be held and collabourations/linkages will be chalked out with key partners including other UN agencies, EBRD, ADB.

H. Status of Project/Programme

1) A pre-feasibility study is expected to be completed at this stage. Please provide the report in section J.

2) Please indicate whether a feasibility study and/or environmental and social impact assessment has been

conducted for the proposed project/programme: Yes ☐ No ☒ (If ‘Yes’, please provide them in section J.)

3) Will the proposed project/programme be developed as an extension of a previous project (e.g. subsequent phase),

or based on a previous project/programme (e.g. scale up or replication)? Yes ☐ No ☒ (If yes, please provide an evaluation report of the previous project in section J, if available.)

I. Remarks Variations including risk insurance: Adding risk insurance into the project components is an area that could be further explored at the project proposal stage. Government regulations and frameworks exist to support this idea. In addition, there exist large areas of government nurseries which could be used as in-kind pay-outs to the insured who have lost saplings as a result of extreme weather.


J. Supporting Documents for Concept Note

☒ Map indicating the location of the project/programme ☐ Financial Model ☒ Pre-feasibility Study ☐ Feasibility Study (if applicable) ☐ Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (if applicable) ☐ Evaluation Report (if applicable)