Niger and Mauritania Additional Financing to PRAPS-2

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PRAPS-2 builds on the foundations of PRAPS-1. Like its predecessor, PRAPS-2 has been developed around five technical components, with the addition of focal areas that are essential to holistically address some of the core drivers of resilience among (agro)pastoral populations. The proposed activities will be implemented over a six-year period. Each component will include complementary activities at the national and regional level, conforming to the principle of subsidiarity of interventions between regional and national levels. Institutional capacity building will be supported across components and activities to create an enabling environment to govern the sector in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable manner.PRAPS-2 interventions will have regional spillover impact. Sahelian (agro)pastoral systems rely on natural resources extending across national boundaries to accommodate climate variability and the seasonality of resources, and they also rely on regional market outlets (mainly in coastal countries) to move livestock and livestock products. At the same time, this activity increases vulnerability to contagious livestock diseases (also termed “transboundary” diseases). PRAPS-2 combines investments at the national level with coordination and support from regional institutions to generate benefits extending beyond the individual countries participating in the Project (regional public goods). These benefits include a reduction in animal health risks in countries that are transit areas or destinations for livestock (which helps to protect livestock capital throughout the region), a reduction in competition for natural resources (which reduces the risks of land degradation and conflict), and improved trade facilitation (which leads to greater economic gains), and overall greater regional stability. PRAPS-2 will play a major role in forging essential cross-sectoral and cross-border collaboration, and it will ensure synergies and complementarities—spatial and thematic—between Project investments and other ongoing and planned interventions.PRAPS-2 will prioritize geographic areas based on three principles: (i) consolidating PRAPS-1 achievements in implementing natural resource and infrastructure governance mechanisms; (ii) reinforcing spatial coherence and clustering along key livestock mobility routes to increase synergies among interventions and avoid the dispersion of investments; and (iii) supporting cross-border cooperation and dialogue in the Sahel Region to tackle cross-border transhumance, regional trade, and planning along selected strategic livestock trade routes. Some interventions will be implemented nationwide, including those related to animal health, social inclusion, and institutional capacity building. The interventions in Niger and Mauritania to be supported through the proposed additional financing (AF) will complement other WB projects and partners interventions to respond to the food insecurity crisis, by providing short to medium term support to boost recovery and resilience of (agro)pastoral populations. The AF will scale up activities foreseen under component 2 and subcomponent 4.3 of the parent project, and add new activities under subcomponent 5.2. Details are provided in the project paper.PRAPS-II is built around the following: components.Component 1: Animal health improvement and veterinary medicine control The main outcome of this component will be increased capacity in Veterinary Services t o protect large and small ruminants from small ruminant plague (PPR) and Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), two transboundary animal diseases that cause major losses throughout the region. The proposed Project will pursue investments initiated under PRAPS-1 to establish more robust animal health systems in beneficiary countries (Subcomponent 1.1), finance vaccination and surveillance campaigns primarily targeting PPR and CBPP (Subcomponent 1.2), and support quality control of veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) (Subcomponent 1.3). Recognizing the highly contagious nature of PPR and CBPP and the public health threats of misusing VMPs and increasing antimicrobial resistance, this component will be implemented throughout t he beneficiary countries, with critical infrastructure (veterinary posts, vaccination pens) being upgraded primarily in underserved pastoral areas. Component 2: Sustainable landscape management and governance enhancement The main outcomes of Component 2 will be an increased area under sustainable landscape management and stronger governance of pastoral lands and livestock mobility, in compliance with agro-silvo-pastoral laws. Building on the legacy of PRAPS-1, the proposed Project will further secure mobility and enhance access to natural resources (Subcomponent 2.1); finance the construction, rehabilitation, and sustainable management of essential water infrastructure (Subcomponent 2.2); and support fodder production (Subcomponent 3.3). These activities will enhance the resilience of (agro)pastoralists to climate risks and—by improving grazing management and livestock productivity—will improve soil carbon sequestration and reduce livestock emission intensities to mitigate climate change and provide additional ecosystem services. To the extent possible, Project investments will be directed at well-targeted transhumance routes and key livestock mobility corridors at the local, national, and cross-border level, to ensure the geographic concentration of activities and enable dialogue between adjacent cross-border communities in support of peaceful transhumance and resource use. Component 3: Livestock value chain improvement The outcome of Component 3 will be improved pastoral livestock value chains (VCs), the facilitation of regional livestock trade, and better regional market integration. Building on the achievements of PRAPS-1, the proposed Project will continue to fill gaps in strategic market infrastructure along regional trade routes (Subcomponent 3.1), strengthen the capacities of national and regional producers' organizations (Subcomponent 3.2), and support innovative solutions for developing livestock VCs through subproject financing (Subcomponent 3.3). Activities under Subcomponents 3.1 and 3.3 will be prioritized along key regional trade routes where animals convoyed by foot move across borders to supply growing demand from markets in coastal countries.Component 4: Social and economic inclusion improvement, women and youth The outcome of Component 4 will be increased resilience as a result of expanding the socio-economic inclusion of (agro)pastoralists, particularly women and youth. PRAPS-1 successfully supported inclusion by improving access to skills training and technical and vocational training, and through direct support for the development of income-generating activities (IGAs). The proposed Project will provide continuity for these interventions by expanding access to technical and vocational training (Subcomponent 4.1) and IGAs (Subcomponent 4.3), focusing on a more structured approach for targeting young people and women. PRAPS-2 will also open a new area of work to promote the inclusion of pastoral populations in social and civil registries (Subcomponent 4.2). Component 5: Project coordination, institutional strengthening, crisis prevention and response Component 5 will focus on all aspects of Project management, including fiduciary management, safeguards, monitoring and evaluation, and communication (under Subcomponent 5.1). It will also support the development of institutional capacity (through adapted training as well as pastoral crisis prevention tools and procedures) and fill important knowledge and data gaps at the national and regional level (Subcomponent 5.2). The Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) will allow countries to respond swiftly to eligible crises or emergencies (Subcomponent 5.3).