ESFM for Supporting Climate Resilience and Transformational Change in the Agricultural Sector in Bhutan (Dzongkhag)

ESFM for Supporting Climate Resilience and Transformational Change in the Agricultural Sector in Bhutan (Dzongkhag)

June 3, 2019

This Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) has been prepared in support of a project proposal entitled “Supporting Climate Resilience and Transformational Change in the Agriculture Sector in Bhutan” (the project) by the Royal Government of Bhutan to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). As this project is supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its role as a GCF Accredited Entity, the project has been screened against the UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards Procedure and deemed a Moderate Risk (GCF Environmental and Social Policy Category B) project. An ESMF has been preferred for the project over the preparation of an Environmental and Social Assessment Report as while for example, actual catchments are known for the irrigation activities, specific locations and interventions are not currently known and will be defined during project implementation. The Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) as the National Designated Authority and executing agency is mandated to assume a function of “secretariat body to the Government”. A Project Management Unit (PMU) for the implementation of the project and compliance with this ESMF. The project will improve the resilience of the eight provinces, through improved water and soil management to support agriculture production through enhanced water management; scaling up of sustainable land management technologies and promoting sustainable use of water and land resources by communities. Further, the project will provide climate-resilient road infrastructure to improve market accessibility; and thus the long-term growth of the agriculture sector. The project will directly benefit 27,598 agriculture households (118,839 people - 46.5% of the rural population of Bhutan) and 460,000 indirect people in eight selected Dzongkhags (Dagana, Punakha, Trongsa, Tsirang, Samtse, Sarpang, Wangdue Phodrang and Zhemgang) of Bhutan that are highly vulnerable to climate change induced extreme events. 

The full ESFM document in Enghlish and  Dzongkha, local language can be downloaded from Download Section.

For additional information, please contact; 

nawaraj.chhetri@undp.org OR chimi.rinzin@undp.org

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