Public Disclosure Authorized AFRICA Malawi Environment Global Practice IBRD/IDA Adaptable Program Loan FY 2012 Seq No: 5 ARCHIVED on 13-Jan-2015 ISR17825 Implementing Agencies: Public Disclosure Authorized Key Dates Key Project Dates Board Approval date:14-jun-2012 Planned Mid Term Review Date:14-Sep-2015 Original Closing Date:31-Jan-2018 Project Development Objectives Effectiveness Date:07-Sep-2012 Actual Mid-Term Review Date:-- Revised Closing Date:31-Jan-2018 Public Disclosure Authorized Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The overall Program Development Objective of the Shire River Basin Management Program is to generate sustainable social, economic and environmental benefits by effectively and collaboratively planning, developing and managing the Shire River Basin s natural resources. The program would support the Government s Shire basin Policy Letter, and would have a duration of 12-15 years. The first phase project the Shire River Basin Management Program (Phase-I) Project (SRBMP) would establish coordinated inter-sectoral development planning and coordination mechanisms, undertake the most urgent water related infrastructure investments, prepare additional infrastructure investments, and develop up-scalable systems and methods to rehabilitate sub-catchments and protect existing natural forests, wetlands and biodiversity. Future phases would consolidate Basin planning and development mechanisms and institutions, undertake further infrastructure investments, and up-scale catchment rehabilitation for sustainable natural resource management and livelihoods. The Project Development Objective (PDO) of the SRBMP is to develop a Shire River Basin planning framework and improve land and water management for ecosystem and livelihood benefits in target areas. The project would:(a) strengthen the institutionalcapacities and mechanisms for Shire Basin monitoring, planning, management and decision support systems; (b) invest in water related infrastructure that sustainably improves water resources management and development; (c) reduce erosion in priority catchments andsedimentation and flooding downstream, while enhancing environmental services, agricultural productivity and improving livelihoods;(d) improve flood management in the Lower Shire and provide community level adaptatin and mitigation support; and (e) protect and enhance ecological services in the Basin. Public Disclosure Authorized Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Shire River Basin Management Program (GEF) (P127866) Global Environmental Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Global Environmental Objective (GEO) of the SRBMP is to develop a Shire River Basin planning framework and improve land and water management for ecosystem and livelihood benefits in target areas. (same as PDO) Has the Global Environmental Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Page 1 of 9
Components Name SHIRE BASIN PLANNING:(Cost $41.60 M) CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT:(Cost $45.00 M) WATER-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE:(Cost $59.00 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Progress towards achievement of GEO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating -- Substantial Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Project has been able to complete almost all of the planned procurements and critical consultancies and equipment are in place. The annual work plan and budget and training plan were assessed and discussed in detail for necessary revisions. The overall picture is that the program is getting back on track, while there are still many areas that require attention. The mission noted that while implementation continued to accelerate, a number of agreed actions have been seriously delayed, and will need to receive increased TT component management attention. Internal communication is still deficient and contract management and general oversight by component leaders needs to significantly improve. Disbursements, while still low, have picked up and the program has now disbursed 21% (up from 14% six months ago) and the project has been able to commit significant resources, such that the project will have to carefully project if it will not result into cost overruns. The Kamuzu Barrage contracts have all been signed and the contractors have mobilized; and so have the consultants on the final large consultancy on hydromet that was still outstanding. This has been a major milestone in the past six months. The Program Steering Committee agreed on the mandate for the Shire River Basin Agency and a tentative transitional arrangement. 1. With technical assistance to departments starting to pay off with quick wins in modernization and improved collaboration across departments, with young professionals being hired and more staff being seconded to understudy the consultants, and Shire Basin Agency staff in the process of being hired, there is great opportunity to quickly make leaps in modernizing the skill set and institutional processes, and show quick wins. However, it is also noted that this is spread unevenly through the project and some departments are thus far lagging behind in terms of their engagement. 2. Fiduciary performance remains satisfactory, especially with bulky procurements now largely completed. Funds flow to districts and communities continue to be problematic, while the fiduciary manual was completed and district staff were made aware of the arrangements. This is largely attributed to mismatch in expectations on functions and budgetary requirements and communication deficiencies. It was agreed that all these will be discussed in detail between project, districts, and the implementation service providers and clarified in January 2015. The mission rates both procurement and financial management as satisfactory. 3. The mission discussed again with TT and management concerns on delays in implementation of some subcomponents, most notably those with field level implementation (Component B on catchment management, including the GEF elements, and component C1 on flood risk management. The detailed action plan was only partially achieved. It was observed that some of the component leadership arrangements need reorganization so that responsibility and leadership for communication and contract management are clarified within these components. It has been very concerning to note that some specific measures that were agreed last mission were not implemented across the program, and these were re-emphasized during the mission: 4. (at least) fortnightly meetings on status of each sub-component with field implementers and relevant consultants initiated by sub-component leaders (VC, skype, phone) 5. Program management (liaison officer with support of M&E consultant) to follow up on gantt charts and sub-component deliverables (Microsoft Project) 6. Procurement unit to support contract management with deliverable database 7. Communications Specialist to maintain online project diary with key milestones, actions, meetings, dates, and timely share all interim deliverables for comment/clearances Page 2 of 9
8. It was agreed this mission that a communication flowchart needs to be improved for use within the program. A detailed project status write up is provided in the aide memoire. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance -- -- Substantial Macroeconomic -- -- Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies -- -- Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program -- -- Substantial Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability -- -- High Fiduciary -- -- Substantial Environment and Social -- -- Moderate Stakeholders -- -- Moderate Other -- -- Low Overall -- -- Substantial Results Project Development Objective Indicators Shire Basin plan developed by multi-sector Shire Basin Institution (Yes/No, Value N N N Y Date 01-Nov-2012 09-Dec-2013 05-Jan-2015 31-Jan-2018 Page 3 of 9
Vegetation cover change as a percentage of baseline in selected cathments (Percentage, Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 Date 01-Nov-2012 09-Dec-2013 05-Jan-2015 31-Jan-2018 Downtime for hydropower stations on the Shire river (Percentage, Value 8.00 8.00 8.00 7.20 Date 01-Nov-2012 09-Dec-2013 05-Jan-2015 31-Jan-2018 Households in targeted areas re-classified to lower risk (Number, Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 20000.00 Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Core) Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 400000.00 Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Core Supplement) Value 0.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 Page 4 of 9
PHINDGEOTBL Overall Comments Monitoring info by project is being collected, but not yet reported in format to update these in ISR with good level of comfort. Project is cleaning this up and providing info after which this information will be updated in this section. Global Environmental Objective Indicators indicators are identical to PDO indicators (Amount(USD), Value -- -- -- -- Date -- -- -- -- Overall Comments Intermediate Results Indicators Progress on Shire Basin knowledge base and decision support systems development, including ecological aspects (Text, Value None -- Beginnings of Spatial knowledge base, atlas, and work on DSS. Y Page 5 of 9
Hydromet stations with accessible data in real time (Number, Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 30.00 Average warning time for flood forecast information to reach targeted communities for improved preparedness (Hours, Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.00 Annual average sediment load from selected sub cathcments compared to control catchments reduced (ratio) (Percentage, Value 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.90 Proportion of households within targeted sub-catchments engaged in sustainable land and water management (Percentage, Value 15.00 20.00 20.00 75.00 Page 6 of 9
Total value of livelihood investment grants managed by targeted Group Villages (GVs) in Million Malawi Kwacha (Text, Value 0 -- -- 220 Date 01-Nov-2012 20-Jun-2014 20-Jun-2014 31-Jan-2018 Percentage increase in total value of agriculture related products marketed from targeted GVs (Percentage, Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.00 Average management Effectiveness scores for 6 targeted protected areas/forest reserves (Text, Value 39 -- -- 65 Kamuzu Barrage upgraded and operational with improved management (Yes/No, Value N N N Y Page 7 of 9
GV with improved community flood management infrastructure (Number, Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 40.00 New water investment plans prepared to pre/feasibility stage (Number, Value 0.00 0.00 1.00 4.00 Budgeted management plan established for Elephant Marshes (Yes/No, Value N N N Y Overall Comments This section will be updated based on forthcoming M&E report which was not available during the mission. Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed Disbursed P117617 IDA-51250 Effective USD 93.75 93.75 0.00 0.00 93.34 0% P117617 IDA-H7750 Effective USD 31.25 31.25 0.00 30.60 0.00 98% P127866 TF-12920 Effective USD 31.25 5.08 0.00 1.43 3.64 28% Page 8 of 9
P127866 TF-12921 Effective USD 31.25 1.50 0.00 0.48 1.02 32% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P117617 IDA-51250 Effective 14-Jun-2012 22-Aug-2012 07-Sep-2012 31-Jan-2018 31-Jan-2018 P117617 IDA-H7750 Effective 14-Jun-2012 22-Aug-2012 07-Sep-2012 31-Jan-2018 31-Jan-2018 P127866 TF-12920 Effective 22-Aug-2012 22-Aug-2012 07-Sep-2012 31-Jan-2018 31-Jan-2018 P127866 TF-12921 Effective 22-Aug-2012 22-Aug-2012 07-Sep-2012 31-Jan-2018 31-Jan-2018 Cumulative Disbursements Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) P127866-Shire River Basin Management Program (GEF) Page 9 of 9