Environmental & Social Safeguards

The World Bank and the Government of Malawi place significant emphasis on implementation of environmental and social safeguards policies in all the Bank supported projects. The policies are aimed at ensuring compliance with rules and regulations on environmental and social policies, regulations and guidelines in Malawi and the World Bank’s environmental and social operation policies. Specifically, the AGCOM safeguards policies are implemented following the AGCOM Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Integrated Pest management Framework (IPMP) and Resettlement Planning Framework (RPF) in order to comply with necessary statutory and regulatory approvals and ensure that the project is in line with sound environmental and social management practices.

1. Application of the Safeguards Policies under AGCOM
   AGCOM safeguards policies are applicable to all activities undertaken under the project. But they are particularly a requirement in AGCOM sub-projects implemented under the Productive Alliances (PA), Last Mile Infrastructure (LMI) and the Contingency Emergency Recovery Component (CERC). Sub-projects under these sub-components must adhere to the following safeguards requirements:
   1. must demonstrate specific positive environmental and social impacts.
   2. must use environmentally friendly technologies e.g. the use of cement blocks as opposed to red bricks.
   3. must demonstrate adoption of climate smart agriculture (for subprojects that involve crop production).
   4. shall be subjected to Environmental and Social Screening to determine the appropriate Safeguards instruments to be used for mitigating or eliminating the identified potential impacts. These will include capital investment projects.
   5. must prepare and submit appropriate safeguards instruments that may include Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports, Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) or Resettlement Action Plan (RAPs) depending on the nature and scope of the sub-projects, for approvals by Environmental Affairs Department (EAD), the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the World Bank.
   6. Project beneficiaries/implementers must demonstrate commitment to addressing issues of gender, youth and social inclusion through (1) relevant analyses to identify gaps and challenges, (2) formulating specific actions for closing the gaps and (3) including progress indicators of gender, youth and social inclusion in the results framework to be able to track progress towards achievement of desired outcomes.
2. Generic safeguards requirements under AGCOM support
   All beneficiaries, implementers and contractors under AGCOM must adhere to and implement generic Environmental and Social Guidelines. The main aim of the environmental and social guidelines is to prevent and/or mitigate the environmental and social risks associated with infrastructure development activities of the project. The guidelines therefore set out rules that all contractors have to understand, observe and adhere to during the course of their work in this project. The rules include environmental and social rules, Codes of Conduct and Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRM).
   1. Environmental and social rules
      These environmental and social rules include but are not limited to: waste management, pollution of water, air and soil, noise pollution, deforestation, dust emissions, Gender Based Violence (GBV), Violence Against Children (VAC), spread of HIV/AIDS, and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).
   2. Code of Conduct
      AGCOM Code of Conduct has been developed to prevent and/or mitigate the social risks in all infrastructure development interventions. Social risks in a project are many but this Code of Conduct is very particular to Child labour, GBV, HIV & AIDS, and occupational health and safety. The implementers and contractors shall therefore adapt/adopt the AGCOM Code of Conduct at the onset of the sub-projects, and also ensure that all implementer/contractor staff and workers are aware of, understand and sign the Code of Conduct.
   3. Grievance Redress Mechanism
      The implementation of the AGCOM sub-projects and activities at all levels may trigger some concerns, disputes, conflicts and grievances. AGCOM has therefore developed a Grievances Redress Mechanism (GRM) through which such issues can be handled and resolved. The implementation structures involves committees at community, district and national level where the grievances can be lodged. Specifically, the GRM Committees will identify grievances related to the implementation of this project; will ensure that the grievances, disputes or conflicts arising from implementation of this project are treated with urgency. The GRM ensure that project implementation timelines and overall schedules are not compromised due to delays in resolving the grievances, disputes or conflicts; minimizes the lengthy and expensive alternative litigations that protect affected persons (PAPs) might otherwise have to resort to. The GRM also provides a system through which stakeholders can provide feedback on the operations and impacts of the project. All AGCOM project related grievances may therefore be raised using the following four methods/ channels:
      1. In Person: By visiting AGCOM Project Offices located in Kanengo within Tobacco Commission on the First Floor of the building). Suggestion boxes will also be placed within AGCOM offices for written grievances.
          
      2. Through Post Office: by sending a letter in any major language of Malawi to the following address;
          
         The National Project Coordinator,
         The Agricultural Commercialization (AGCOM) Project
         First Floor Old Tobacco Commission Building
         P.O. Box 30134, Lilongwe 3, Malawi.
          
      3. By Phone: By calling, the following toll free number 2478.
          
      4. By Email: emails can be sent to the following address: grm@agcom.gov.mw
          
      5. The World Bank GRM: complaints may be logged using the following email; malawialert@worldbank.org
          
3. Useful Documents
   For effective implementation of AGCOM safeguards policies, the following documents are available as downloads or upon request, to serve as guides to beneficiaries, implementers, contractors stakeholders and the public.
    
   1. Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
   2. Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF)
   3. Pest Management Policy Framework (PMPF)
   4. Environmental and Social Guidelines for Contractors
   5. Environmental and Social Screening Form
   6. Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Manual
   7. Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Log Forms- Chichewa Version
4. AGCOM safeguards Contacts
   The AGCOM PIU has a Safeguards Section that is there to provide guidance and technical oversights on all safeguards issues of the project. So further inquiries on AGCOM safeguards can be made to the following:
    
   Ms Tryness Nkhoma Mankhwazi
   Environmental Safeguards Specialist
   Phone: +265 (0) 999 613 417/ +265 (0) 884 448 545
   Email: tryness.mankhwazi@agcom.gov.mw
   
    
   Dr Dyton D Maliro
   Social Safeguards Specialist
   Phone: +265 (0) 99 4581338
   Email: dyton.maliro@agcom.gov.mw