Water

Fisheries

'Enhancement includes habitat manipulation (e.g., fish ladders, construction of artificial reefs) and the release of hatchery-reared fingerlings to increase fish biomass in lakes, reservoirs and marine waters. (p46)

'Where appropriate, the Bank will support the application of extensive fish-farming technologies employing indigenous knowledge for supplying fish, primarily for household consumption'. (p49)

'It is important that, in formulating projects [irrigation, drainage, hydropower and other sectors], their effects on fisheries resources be thoroughly assessed, and that any potential negative impacts be identified, investigated, and eliminated or mitigated'. (p56-7)

'…the Bank's Fisheries Specialists will be asked to review and comment on projects that are considered to have potential impacts on fisheries resources, and where so indicated appropriate remedial measures will be included in the design of the projects'. (p57)

Forestry

'The Bank's forestry policy is founded on three imperatives...

1. Protection: the protective functions of forests with respect to soil, water and biodiversity are vital for the welfare of present and future generations; hence, sustainability of forest ecosystems is an essential component of environmental conservation.
2. Production: forests provide renewable resources for the production of goods and services increasingly in demand; sustainable harvesting is a legitimate objective of the management of natural forests and human-made plantations. It must be cost effective, involving minimal waste.
3. Participation: the involvement of people- where appropriate, with the help of NGOs - in policy formulation and implementation is both an objective and a means of development; forestry is characterized by strong backward and forward linkages, and the participation of all true stakeholders can ensure a rational balance between its ecological and economic roles'. (p 11)

The Bank's policy and strategy on forestry development in its DMCs will be guided by the following principles:

'…

4. Forests are occupied by forest-dwelling communities as well as by recent forest dependent encroachers from around the forests. Any future forest development strategy must recognize and duly support the identity, culture, and rights of all such communities, including the constructive involvement of the recent encroachers, enabling them to have an economic stake in forests through land tenure arrangements that serve as an incentive for using and managing them sustainably. The identification of, and consultation with, interest groups involved in a particular forest area (including NGOs, elected local bodies, educational organizations, revenue officials, school teachers, and other relevant bodies in appropriate circumstances) should be a prerequisite for initiating any forest development strategy'

8. The intrinsic value of old-growth forests is irreplaceable; thus the Bank will promote investments or policies that will entail/encourage preservation of old-growth forests and designation of conservation areas to protect unique ecosystems'. (p.11-12)

'The Bank will not finance any rural infrastructure or other public investment project that contributes significantly, directly or indirectly, to deforestation or to the degradation and depletion of forests. Should any such deforestation or degradation become inevitable, the Bank will insist upon a compensatory mechanism to reforest or rehabilitate equivalent areas as appropriate in full consultation with affected communities'. (p13)

'The Bank will further assist DMCs in the protection of unique plant and animal associations that are threatened with extinction. Biodiversity conservation must be an integral component and criterion in the siting of timber concessions and in the design and management of logging systems and regulations. The Bank will encourage DMC governments to create and develop integrated protected areas (national parks, nature reserves, and other designations) in support of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Such areas should incorporate major ecosystems (old-growth forests; selected biodiverse communities of mangroves, wetlands and marine resources; grasslands; and deserts) and could be linked with a system of existing natural forests managed for timber production. The Bank will also promote development of forest management systems designed to accommodate the needs of endangered species, both flora and fauna'. (p17)

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