A BRIEF ON THE NIGERIA EROSION AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT (NEWMAP) PREAMBLE Southern Nigeria is affected by massive and rapidly expanding gully erosion, an advanced form of land degradation with a devastating impact on lives and livelihoods. It is evident that the causes for gully formation differ by site, but are largely human, including: (a) improper road design and construction, particularly inadequate drainage; (b) poor solid waste management in urban and semi-urban areas that chokes the already inadequate drainage meant to prevent erosion; and (c) destructive and unsustainable land-use practices that remove protective vegetation cover including protective biodiversity and carbon rich areas, or disturb the fragile soil and uncontrolled mining for building materials. Land degradation and environmental insecurity are also accelerating in the North. High levels of population growth and poverty rates, resource depletion, rainfall variability, recurrent droughts and floods, soil infertility and erosion, and deforestation compromise the efforts of the 80% of northern Nigerians who depend on land and water resources for their economic and physical security. Yet a growing human footprint coupled with inefficient resource management and poor reservoir maintenance are depleting these natural resources. This situation has upset the region’s ecological balance and therefore the degree to which its ecosystems can provide services such as food and fibres production, freshwater provision, and flood regulation. Nigeria’s woody savannah systems are under stress from clearing and reduced rainfall. Reversing the trend in vegetative cover is necessary to store carbon in biomass and soils. While the carbon potential for dry lands are not as impressive as those for humid systems, they are nonetheless valuable, as carbon trends are also an indicator of overall ecosystem health and with it, basic land productivity and soil health. Available meteorological statistics shows that the country is already experiencing extreme climate variability in the form of droughts, floods, shifts in rainy season onset and completion, and increasing rainfall intensity. Climate-related disasters already affect Nigeria’s economy and society, as exemplified by the 2010 floods that displaced over 2 million people. Climate risks also are a significant factor in erosion in southern Nigeria, especially because of the very high rainfall intensity. Thus in response to all these challenges and the unimaginable devastation that the emerging scenario portend, a request for assistance was made in 2010 by Mr. President to the World Bank Nigeria office, to support the country in addressing severe erosion and its impacts in south-eastern Nigeria. The Federal Ministry of Environment in concert with the World Bank and its partner agencies have designed the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) to address on a multi-dimensional scale the menace of gully erosion in the south east as well as land degradation in the North. The project (NEWMAP) is in line with the growth and resilience goals of Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES (PDO) The Federal Government of Nigeria with support from the International Development Association (IDA) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) is to implement the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP). The core development objective of this project is to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion in targeted sub-watersheds The project will finance State-led interventions to prevent and reverse land degradation, initially focusing on gully erosion sites that threaten infrastructure and livelihoods in seven States: Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo Enugu and Imo. It will subsequently scale out to other states. Investments include a strategic combination of civil engineering, vegetative land management and other watershed protection measures, and community-led adaptive livelihood initiatives. The sustainability of these investments will be reinforced by strengthening institutions and information services across sectors and States, including support to improve governance, regulatory compliance, environmental monitoring, impact evaluation, watershed and land use planning, and totally strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to promote and implement climate- resilient, low- carbon development. COMPONENTS OF THE NEWMAP PROJECT The NEWMAP project has four components: (1) Erosion and Watershed Management Investments. (2) Erosion and Watershed Management Institutions and Information Services. (3) Climate Change Agenda Support. and (4) Project Management. Table 1: Project Component Component 1 Component 2 Component 3 Component 4 Title Erosion and Catchment Management Investments. Erosion and Catchment Management Institutions and Information Services Climate Change Agenda Support Project Management Sub-components 1A Gully Rapid Action and Slope Stabilisation 1B Integrated Catchment Management 1C Adaptive Livelihoods 2A Federal MDA effectiveness and services 2B State MDA effectiveness and services 2C Local Government capacity 2D Private sector capacity 3A Policy and Institutional Framework 3B Low Carbon Development Main activities Stabilise severe gulley erosion sites and conduct community-based catchment interventions Strengthen the enabling environment for effective erosion and catchment management. Strengthen government capacity to promote low carbon, climate resilient development. Procure goods and specialist services to support project management, safeguards, M&E and oversight. Main outcome Priority erosion sites rehabilitated, and more secure livelihoods and catchment services established. More capable, modernized and coordinated federal, state, and local institutions Government better equipped to respond to climate change and low-carbon development options demonstrated Established systems for project management, M&E and best-practices for future replication SCOPE / STRATEGIC APPROACH NEWMAP will take an integrated watershed management approach to erosion that will be informed by lessons learned on the interlinked challenges of poverty, ecosystem services, climate change, disaster risk management, biodiversity, institutional performance and governance. GEF and SCCF support will be fully blended with IDA resources to fund locally driven planning and replicable, innovative investment actions for protective tree cover and biodiversity, urban storm-water management, and water harvesting. Strategic Approach to Southern states NEWMAP’s strategic approach to Start with “damage control” i.e initial projects to slow the expansion of a targeted set of existing aggressive gullies that are still physically possible to stabilize, thereby reducing the loss to property and infrastructure and helping cultivate community ownership. Then use the gully intervention to leverage support for integrated watershed management and move towards greater adoption of sustainable land and water management practices by local people in the sub-watershed where the gully is located. The second stage will be followed up with enhance livelihoods in the sub-watershed and carefully implement local Resettlement Action Plans. Finally guarantee sustainability by strengthening relevant institutions and information services, including urban storm water drainage planning and management, planning for Imo-Anambra, Cross-River and Benin-Owena basins, building a better knowledge base, enhancing readiness for climate action. through improved disaster risk reduction and preparedness governance, better contract management, reporting transparency, open data, and beneficiary verification. Strategic Approach to additional states in the North NEWMAP’s strategic approach to northern intervention sites focuses on contributing to securing ecosystem function from erosion management measures in states in the Sokoto- Rima and Upper Niger basins. Given that gullies are not prevalent in the north, the project emphasis in these states will be more on broader soil erosion issues that compromise the natural resource base and associated livelihoods. For example, land degradation and drought threaten productive lands and the watersheds of important multi-purpose reservoirs (reducing reservoir lifespan). Natural regeneration of vegetation cover could be a low-cost and effective community-driven approach for the northern states. This will be achieved by promoting rangeland and woodland management with the participation of local communities setting up plans for communities to execute. This approach would contribute to Nigeria’s priorities for the Great Green Wall Initiative. PROJECT FINANCING The Project is predicated on an 8-year Strategic Investment Loan (SIL) of $508.59M, consisting of a $500M IDA concessional loan blended with GEF and SCCF grants totalling $8,59M. The Government of Nigeria’s contribution would amount to approximately $150M. This amount comprises (i) a federal cash contribution of $70M and an in-kind contribution of $24M for staff and office costs and payment of cash compensation for resettled people, and (ii) an in-kind contribution by each state of approximately $8M (for each of 7 states totalling $56M) for staff and office costs and pre-feasibility designs of intervention sites. State contributions to project financing are an agreed criterion for project participation Table 2: Financing Plan Total IDA GEF SCCF Fed Govt State Govt Component 1. Erosion and Watershed Management Investments Gully Rapid Action and Slope Stabilization (GRASS) 333,000,000 320,000,000 - - 3,000,000 10,000,000 Integrated Watershed Management 55,962,962 40,000,000 3,962,962 - 7,000,000 5,000,000 Adaptive Livelihoods 56,129,630 40,000,000 - 3,129,630 8,000,000 5,000,000 Sub-total 431,092,592 400,000,000 3,962,962 3,129,630 18,000,000 20,000,000 Component 2. Erosion and Watershed Management Institutions and Information Services Federal MDA Capacities and Services 30,000,000 15,000,000 - - 30,000,000 - State MDA Capacities and Services 21,500,000 10,000,000 - 1,500,000 - 10,000,000 Local Government and Community Institutions and Services 14,000,000 10,000,000 - - - 4,000,000 Private and Non-Government Sector Institutions and Services 5,000,000 5,000,000 - - - - Sub-total 85,500,000 40,000,000 1,500,000 30,000,000 14,000,000 Component 3. Climate Change Agenda Support Strengthen Policy and Institutional Framework 18,000,000 8,000,000 - - 10,000,000 - Promote Low Carbon Development 26,000,000 16,000,000 - - 10,000,000 - Promote Climate Resilient Development 26,000,000 16,000,000 - - 10,000,000 - Sub-total 70,000,000 40,000,000 - - 30,000,000 - Component 4. Project Mgt 58,000,000 20,000,000 - - 16,000,000 20,000,000 Total Project Costs 658,592,592 500,000,000 3,962,962 4,629,630 94,000,000 56,000,000 INSTITUTIONAL AND IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK The project is multi-sectoral and multi-state, involving many federal and state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local governments, communities, and civil society in southern and northern Nigeria. Each component, sub-component and activity will be implemented through relevant federal and state MDAs, relying upon a robust annual joint work programming process facilitated by the respective Project Management Unit (PMU) – one at federal level and one for each participating state (housed in the respective environment ministries). The various MDAs include those responsible for planning, economy and finance, works, agriculture, water resources, forests, transport, power, emergency response, as well as those focused on climate, space and hydrological information or watershed/basin regulation. The states in particular will be at the heart of project implementation. The vast majority of the project’s investments will occur at state level, as states have primary responsibility for land management and land allocations. In general, the federal level project structure will reinforce the state level by, for example, providing engineering and watershed management expertise, monitoring tools, benchmarking performance among states, and providing a platform for states to coordinate activities, such as across a shared watershed Federal level structures. The Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) is the lead coordinating agency. The overall project coordination will be carried out by an independent and multi-sectoral Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) hosted by FME. The FPMU is headed by a Federal Coordinator, staffed with a broad range of expertise, and supplemented by secondments from relevant MDAs. The strategic direction of the project is overseen by a NEWMAP Federal Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is chaired by the Environment Minister and composed of Permanent Secretaries, or Directors-General from relevant MDAs. A Technical Committee composed of relevant directors from key MDAs provides technical guidance to the FPMU. State level structures. There is a Project Management Unit in each state, headed by a State Project Coordinator. Each State PMU (SPMU) is hosted by its respective environment ministry and is staffed with a broad range of expertise, supplemented by secondments from relevant MDAs. Overseeing the SPMUs are NEWMAP State Steering and Technical Committees, which, similar to those at federal level, are composed of policy level and technical level officials, respectively, from relevant MDAs. Local Government Areas (LGAs) where a site under Component 1 is implemented will be strengthened with a NEWMAP Technical Officer who: (i) acts as liaison to their SPMU and MDAs; (ii) provides senior technical advisory services to communities; (iii) convenes affected and directly participating communities (liaising with neighboring LGAs as needed); (iv) closely interacts with the community facilitators; and (v) participates in site monitoring. LGAs will be involved in maintenance of works and will convene Site Committees with communities and other stakeholders. NEWMAP Site Committees are formed where a site intervention under Component 1 is implemented. These committees are formed from LGAs and community actors and the state and sub-state level stakeholders providing services to them, as well as contractors and consultants. The Site Committees will include a registered Community Association composed entirely of community members, a project facilitator from the community, and existing community organizations or new Community Interest Groups to be formed as needed. The Community Associations will receive sub-grants from their respective SPMU to manage sub-projects. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will be deployed as needed to assist in community mobilization and participation. The NEWMAP Technical Officer at the relevant LGA will provide additional support to the community level and link to LGA and state levels. Figure 1: Institutional Framework NEWMAP Federal Steering Committee Chaired by Minister FME, PS and Director-General level membership from Federal MDAs and rotating State Leaders. NEWMAP Federal Project Management Unit Headed by Federal Project Coordinator, hosted by FME NEWMAP Federal Technical Committee Chaired by PS FME Director level membership from MDAs NEWMAP Science and Technology Advisory Services Pool (contracted to Fed PMU) NEWMAP State Steering Committee Chaired by Commissioner for Environment, Commissioner level membership from State MDAs. NEWMAP State Project Management Unit Headed by State Project Coordinator, hosted by State Ministry of Environment. NEWMAP State Technical Committee Chaired by PS Environment, Director level membership MDAs Local Government Authorities NEWMAP Technical Officer NEWMAP Site Committees NEWMAP Community Facilitator Community Organizations Line Agencies Contractors & Consultants Figure 2: State Implementation Arrangements: Example of Anambra State EXPECTED PROJECT OUTCOMES The NEWMAP project is expected to yield major benefits in the form of the following actions: Improved erosion management and gully rehabilitation which will provide for: • Reduced loss of infrastructure including roads, houses, markets, and other real estate. • Reduced loss of agricultural land and productivity from soil loss caused by surface erosion and increased incomes for rural households resulting from improved agricultural and forest practices • Reduced siltation and sedimentation in rivers, canals and dam reservoirs leading to less flooding particularly in urban areas and with will also lead to preservation of some of the water systems for improved access to domestic water supply. • Improved access to economic activities, social services, and communication and road networks. • Progressively restored vegetative cover. Improve environmental conditions due to increased vegetation cover for wildlife, carbon sequestration, and make local microclimates more humid stabilization to preserve the landscape and biodiversity. • Efficiency gains in public administration and public spending through improved knowledge base, analytical tools, multi-sectoral coordination and stakeholder dialogue. • Increased social capital for the participating communities as they gain the experience to get collective or economic results MILESTONES ALREADY ACHIVED S/N MILESTONES DATE and STATUS 1 Approval of the NEWMAP Project by the Board of the World Bank May 12, 2012 2 Approval of the Borrowing Plan by the National Assembly, Federal Republic of Nigeria December 19, 2012 3 Approval of the NEWMAP Project by Federal Executive Council [FEC], Federal Republic of Nigeria April 3, 2013. 4 Signing of Financial and Grant Agreements between the Federal Government of Nigeria and IDA April 16, 2013 5 Approval of the NEWMAP Project by National Economic Council [NEC], Federal Republic of Nigeria August 29, 2013 6 Signing of Subsidiary Agreements [SA] with the Federal Ministry of Finance by all seven initial participating states. Achieved 7 Constitution of the Federal Project Management Unit [FPMU] and State Project Management Unit [SPMU’s] and establishment of Project offices Achieved 8 Constitution of the STEERING /TECHNICAL COMMITTEES at the federal level and corresponding bodies at the state levels Achieved 9 Finalization of the Project Implementation Manual [PIM] Achieved 10 Approval of the 18 Month Work Plan by the Federal Steering Committee (FSC) Achieved 11 Declaration of Project Effectiveness Project by the Board of the World Bank September 16, 2013 12 Procurement Process for Civil Works by Cross River and Edo States Ongoing NEXT STEPS In order to ensure the successful implementation of the project the following steps are critical: I. Launch of the project by Mr. President to underscore the significance of the project within the national agenda and set the tone for participating state governments who are the key drivers; II. To demonstrate commitment and leadership by providing the Federal portion of the counterpart fund; and III. Open discussion with interested states willing to enter the second phase of the project for the selection of participating states for Phase II.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 11:05:37 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015