Integrating Environmental Safeguards into USAID Food

Assistance Projects

Erika Clesceri, PhD, Bureau Environmental Officer; Tracy Thoman, PhD, Senior Program Officer; USAID DCHA, Washington

FFP M&E Workshop Zimbabwe Programs

Harare, September 2013

5 min: Quickfire Challenge

40 min: Plenary Presentation

Coffee Break

60 min: Break-Out Exercise

15 min: Plenary Stakeholder Feedback

Session Timetable

By the end of this session, you will have:

1. Discussed two types of USAID recommended environmentally-sensitive indicators.

2. Identified opportunities for “greening” the project results frameworks and indicator systems.

3. Learned about innovative approaches for environmental monitoring.

Session Objectives

Quickfire Challenge (5 min):

Question: How are the environment and food security related?

How is environmental degradation and climate risk related?

Climate, Environment and Resiliency

Source: Adapted from IPCC 2012, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Causal Linkages between Food Availability and the Environment

Food Insecurity

Poor CropProduction

Salinization

Erosion

Drought, Desertification

and Climate Changes

Lack ofIrrigation

Poor Maintenance of Irrigation

Canals, Water Use Conflict

Climate-Smart

Agriculture

Soil Nutrient Mining

Poor Soil Fertility

WaterShortage

Poor Agricultural

Inputs

Ineffective Pesticide

UsePoor Soil Water

Retention

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Reliance on groundwater likely to increase…

African groundwater resources poorly understood….

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Environmental Resilience Thinking

What ecological goods and services are needed for this project? Are fuelwood stocks for cooking food aid in Zimbabwe well

managed?

What harm (wastes or damage) to natural resources might result? Will roads increase deforestation and erosion in Zimbabwe?

What are impacts of the environment (floods, droughts) on the project? Is physical and social infrastructure capable of responding to

flooding?

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Goals for Sustainability

The goal of Title II projects is to reduce food insecurity during the project. Communities will need to sustain their natural resources to support food security for generations to come…

"Anybody can dig a hole and plant a tree. But make sure it survives. You have to nurture it….“

-Wangari Maathai, Nobel Laureate (1940-2011)

Environmental Safeguards & Compliance

Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) is…

A formal analysis that identifies:

• Potential impact of projects on the environment

•Measures to mitigate these impacts

Environmental Mitigation Monitoring Plan (EMMP) is…

IEE

EMMPA formal plan that identifies:

•Indicators

•Frequency and Persons responsible

Activity for IR X.X

Potential Impact

Monitoring Indicator

Frequency of Data Collection

Method of Verification

Well rehabilitation

Ground water contamination

Wells Distanced from latrine

Monthly by Field Agents

Visual Inspection, Field Reports

It is a management plan for Environmental safeguards, which are linked to project results and indicators.

What is the Purpose of the EMMP?

Requirement in the FY13 Request for Application (RFA) for Zimbabwe Projects

“The M&E Plan should include gender and environmental indicators to permit the measurement of food security gains while promoting gender equity and safeguarding environmental goods and services.”

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Results Framework (RF)

Results Framework (RF)

Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT)Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT)

Food for Peace Results and Indicator Frameworks

Cross Walking M&E with the EMMP…

1. Identify results in the RF that have an environmental component.

2. Compare results with analysis conducted in the EMMP.

3. Reflect the EMMP analysis in the IPTT indicators, where practicable.

OK…, how?

OK, how???

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Assumptions

FFP Results Framework

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CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES: Gender, Capacity Building

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Environmental Issues Annotated for the RF

Title II IR EMMP Issues

IR 1.1: Protected Communal Assets (Roads, Agriculture/Irrigation)

Roads: Erosion, Wash Out, Protected Area Encroachment, Conflict over Access

IR 2.1: Nutrient Rich Diet Nutrition/Health: Biomass Energy, Medical Waste (vaccinations)

IR. 2.2: Water and Sanitation Water: Poor Well/Latrine Construction, Water Contamination, Ground Water Drying, Poor O&M

All: Direct Distribution Fumigant Pesticides, Fuelwood, Solid Waste

Assumptions

Greening the FFP Results Framework

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CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES: Gender, Capacity Building, Environment

What does it mean in practice to have Environment as a cross-cutting theme in Food for Peace results and indicator frameworks?

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As for Gender, we have two types:

1.Stand-Alone Indicator.

2.Integration Indicator.

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What are some Environmentally-Sensitive Indicators?

1. Stand-Alone Environmental IndicatorsTo measure progress towards planned project

environmental results, throughout the life of the activity.

E.g., For Climate Change and Natural Resources Management

But this alone is not enough…20

Purpose of Environmentally-Sensitive Indicators?

2.Environmental Integration IndicatorsTo measure progress towards planned project results while incorporating environmental mitigation measures, throughout the life of the activity.

E.g., For Irrigation, Roads, Water, Sanitation, etc.

A typical FFP project, will have more of the Integration type of environmentally-sensitive indicator, than the Stand-Alone.

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Purpose of Environmentally-Sensitive Indicators?

Environmental Impact Sectors

What sectors of the FFP Zimbabwe programs are associated with potential environmental impacts?

PVO Climate Change

Cookstoves Ag/NRM/Pesticides

WASH Irrigation

WV X X X X X

CNFA X X X X

NRM: (Indicator # 4.5.2-2): Number of hectares under improved technologies or management practices as a

result of USG assistance

Stand-Alone Environmental Indicator Measuring Progress of NRM Investments…

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Measuring Natural Resources Management (NRM) and Climate Change Adaptability under Feed the Future (FtF)

“…for both the projected future for agricultural landscapes and the needs of a growing world population, food security strategies must address the sustainable intensification of agriculture...Environmental degradation and climate change are critical cross-cutting issues that can affect the sustainability of FTF investments … “

USAID Feed the Future Indicator Handbook, V.7

http://feedthefuture.gov/sites/default/files/resource/files/Volume7_FTFNRM.pdf

Climate Change Adaptation: (Indicator # 4.8.2-26) Number of stakeholders with increased capacity to adapt to impacts of climate

change as a result of USG assistance

Stand-Alone Environmental Indicator for USG Climate Change Investments…

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Stakeholders with increased capacity include: •Implementing risk-reducing practices/actions to improve resilience to climate change 

•Using climate information in their decision making 

USAID GCC Indicator Handbook (2012)http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1865/GCC_Indicator_Handbook_Definition_Sheets_2012.pdf

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Stand-Alone Environmental Indicator for Fuelwood Needs for Commodity Cooking

How much firewood does a typical FFP program use?

~1 kg firewood/person/day x 70,000 beneficiaries x 365 d

~30,000 MT of firewood /yr

Indicator:

Amount of fuel or time saved by improved practices

Measured with Kitchen Performance Tests (KPTs)

Environmental Mitigation Monitoring

Plan (EMMP)

Environmental Mitigation Monitoring

Plan (EMMP)

Indicator Performance

Tracking Table (IPTT)

Indicator Performance

Tracking Table (IPTT)

Cross Walking IPTT with the EMMP…

Choose Environmental Integration Indicators for the IPTT by referencing the existing EMMP

Environmental Integration Indicator Approaches

Simple Environment Integration in a Standard Indicator…

For a Drinking Water Result Measured by the FFP Standard Indicator #40,

% of HH using an improved drinking water source

Ensure environmental integration by implementing in accordance with existing project EMMP analysis

•EMMP helps to adapt “improved” to project

•Does not constitute a change in the indicator!

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People are using, but this may not be what we mean by an “improved” drinking water source…

In addition to the WHO-UNICEF JMP definition in the PIRS, the EMMP unpacks the project-specifics of what is meant by an “improved” water source

Environmental Integration Indicators

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Depending on local context, the project may identify the need to track environmental integration indicators, in addition to Standard.

For roads,•# of road borrow pits or quarries restored• % of roads with community resource use

committees functioning

Sector Illustrative Indicators Chosen by FFP Projects

Pesticides / Inputs

% of farmers that can identify (a project-defined minimum number) safety measures for pesticide use

Water % of target beneficiary wells with a rapid assessment of drinking-water quality (RADWQ)

Sanitation # of communities maintaining open defecation free status (over a project defined minimum time period, suggest 1 year)

Irrigation Km of irrigation canals built or rehabilitated with appropriate design and planning standards

Additional Environmental Integration Indicators Rooted in the EMMP

Additional Environmental Integration Indicators Rooted in the EMMP

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Report on Environmentally-Sensitive Indicators in the ESRs and IPTT

Report on Indicators in the annual Environmental

Status Report (ESR) to inform PREP and the IPTT

IEE Approved

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Year 1 ESR

Year 2 ESR

Timeline

Year 3 ESR

CASE STUDY: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, GO GREEN STRATEGY (GGS)

• Program: CRS Madagascar, Title II, SALOHI Program• Objective: GGS is an approach to where PVO and

community members adopt an “environmental reflex” for project activities

• Approach: Tailored EMMP Yes/No Scorecards; Ranked Red, Yellow, Green; Monitored Monthly, Reported in IPTT as: % communities with “green” status in GGS

• Purpose: Compare results between communities to monitor progress, and where to focus more effort

“Took environmental compliance beyond the dry rules and regulations to permit understanding underlying values behind USAID’s environmental policy.” -SALOHI COP

Key Lessons Learned in GGS

1. Field Agents originally found that the scorecard was too cumbersome with data entry, therefore changed collection method to Recall.

2. Posting the GGS in the communities was critical, so they understand what they’d be scored on

3. Competition between community members within one region was very effective incentive (Prize of 100 Fruit Trees!)

Value of the GGS in SALOHI

• “…for field agents and community to know what “green” communities look like, and for [communities to practice] trash/ compost pits, cyclone proof housing of local materials, protected water and forest resources available for food and firewood today, and in the future.”

-SALOHI COPGGS Contacts:

Jennifer Peterson, SALOHI COP, Jennifer.Peterson@crs.org and Zoely Ramanase, SALOHI Environmental Coordinator, zoeli.ramanase@blueline.mg

Potential Research Area: Community Perception Indicators

• Capacity building to mitigate potential negative environmental impacts within communities is a critical aspect of project EMMPs.

• We want this capacity to be sustainable, but how do we know sound environmental practices will continue once our projects end?

• Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices: we can impart the knowledge, but how do we measure if the community key stakeholders VALUE the practice? Practices will only be sustainable if they are valued.

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WHY USE COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS? Sustainability

• Prior to Intervention: Measuring community perceptions of environmental best practices before an intervention could provide information regarding what attitudes should be targeted for maximum sustainability.

• End of Intervention: Measuring these perceptions at the end of our intervention could tell us if our capacity building efforts were successful and therefore if environmental best practices are likely to be sustained once we leave.

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1. Discussed two types of USAID recommended environmentally-sensitive indicators.

• Stand-Alone Environmental Indicators and Environmental Integration Indicators

2. Identified opportunities for “greening” the project results frameworks and indicator systems.

• Cross Walk your IPTT with EMMP!

3. Learned about innovative approaches for environmental monitoring.

• Go Green Strategy (GGS) and Community Perception Indicators

Session Results

Dr. Erika ClesceriBureau Environmental OfficerUSAID, Bureau for Democracy Conflict and Humanitarian Assistanceeclesceri@usaid.gov

For more information contact:

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Break-Out Exercise

1 hour

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Break-out Exercise

1. Explain how the project can use the EMMP to make the IPTT more environmentally sensitive. Specify two examples.

2. Explain how the project can use data collected from environmentally-sensitive indicators to modify project interventions.

3. How do you plan to measure community capacity in environmental sustainability best practices?

WV PROPOSED “GREEN” INDICATORSSector IndicatorWASH Percentage of sanitation facilities in functional condition 1 year-later

Agricultural Infrastructure, Irrigation

Percentage of infrastructure in functional condition 1 year-later

Number of functional maintenance committees established

Number of farmers applying effective water management techniques

NRM

Area in km2 under improved NR management practices as a result of USG assistance

Number of NRM plans with equitable access mechanisms by users

Number of watershed management plans developed

What do we mean by functional? Functional is described in the EMMP.

CNFA Proposed “Green” IndicatorsSector Indicator

Pesticides / Inputs

Agro-dealers with lists of GOZ approved fertilizers and pesticides

Number of farmers reporting use of micro-dosing techniques

Y/N: Farmers report use of non-chemical controls

WASHWater samples taken and tested (Y/N)Recommendation to users to boil water prior to consumption if contaminants found (Y/N)

Irrigation

Number of community members trained in operation and maintenance of irrigation system, including periodic fluctuation of water levels and canal maintenance % of farmers employing 2 or more irrigation best practice technique taught

NRM Area in km2 under improved natural resource management practices as a result of USG assistance

Ancillary Slides, For Reference Only

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Guidance for greening results and indicator frameworks

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Environmental and Sustainability Indicator Guidance

1.Green Recovery and Reconstruction (GRRT)

2.UNHCR / CARE International FRAME Project

Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit (GRRT), WWF & Red Cross

Modules: 1. Opportunities for Green Recovery

and Reconstruction: An Introduction2. Project Design, Monitoring and

Evaluation3. Environmental Impact Assessment

Tools and Techniques4. Strategic Site Selection and

Development5. Materials and the Supply Chain 6. Construction7. Water and Sanitation8. Livelihoods9. Disaster Risk Reduction10.Organizational Operations

Green Recovery And Reconstruction: Training Toolkit For Humanitarian Aid

Project Design, Monitoring and Evaluation

FRAME PROJECT

• Recognised gaps in available tools

• Needed innovative and appropriate approaches

• Needed an approach which addressed the whole cycle of programme management

• Needed a system which could reach across all sectors

• Wanted a product that could be used by different stakeholders and is capable of being adapted for different situations

UNHCR Environmental Indicator Framework

EXAMPLE OF A FRAME SCORE CARD

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USAID Sector Environmental Guidelines

New!