China, People's Republic of : Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Land Management in the Western Regions

Project Name

Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Land Management in the Western Regions

Project Number

48116-001

Country / Economy

• China, People's Republic of

Project Status

Closed

Project Type / Modality of Assistance

• Technical Assistance

Source of Funding / Amount

TA 8872-PRC: Sustainable and Climate-Resilient land Management in the Western Regions

Source	Amount
Global Environment Facility	US$ 5.25 million

Strategic Agendas

• Environmentally sustainable growth
• Inclusive economic growth

Drivers of Change

• Gender Equity and Mainstreaming
• Governance and capacity development
• Partnerships

Sector / Subsector

• Agriculture, natural resources and rural development /

Gender

Some gender elements

Description

In 2012, the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide capacity development technical assistance (TA) for Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Land Management in Western PRC. The TA, financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will complement government efforts to expand the regional scope of the PRCGEF Partnership on Land Degradation in Dryland Ecosystems and support sustainable land management (SLM) investments in selected provinces and autonomous regions. In February 2014, an ADB mission visited the PRC and reached an understanding with the government on the TA impact, outcome, outputs, cost estimates, financing plan, terms of reference for consultants, and implementation arrangements, including TA delegation.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

The PRCGEF partnership, initiated as a long-term cooperation agreement between the PRC, the GEF, ADB, and other development partners, promotes the introduction of integrated ecosystem management and SLM approaches to combat land degradation. It plays a key role in the PRC's efforts to enhance ecological civilization, improve dryland ecosystems, and reduce poverty in the PRC's western regions, where approximately 75% of the PRC's rural poor reside. The long-term programmatic approach was institutionalized for the provinces through mainstreaming strategies and action plans to ensure investment and financial flows for SLM and livelihood activities. The SLM practices applied in pilots and investment programs include reforestation, soil erosion control measures, greenhouses for vegetable production, mulching, grazing management, and irrigation control. These practices have been implemented alongside rural infrastructure, energy, biogas, solar energy, and other development activities for income generation and to improve livelihoods in the pilot sites. Policy options, legislation, thematic studies, capacity development, and knowledge management supported the activities. The achievements and experiences under the partnership are documented in various national and international publications.

Building on the work of the partnership since its establishment in 2002, ADB provided policy and advisory TA for the Integrated Strategy for Sustainable Land Management in Dryland Ecosystems. The new and broader-reaching strategy for the partnership (i) focuses on replicating and upscaling the achievements of the partnership, with a strong emphasis on provincial investments; (ii) targets capacity development and its linkage to demonstration and investment activities; (iii) adopts a broader financial resource mobilization strategy, taking into consideration government, private sector, and development partner resources, and innovative mechanisms like eco-compensation programs; and (iv) has a stronger link with the PRC's National Action Plan for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and close alignment with the secretariat of the PRC national committee for implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in the State Forestry Administration (SFA).

Through continued support for the partnership, ADB aims to support the PRC's sustainable development agenda, as presented during the Third Plenum of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Climate change and environmental sustainability are key considerations, including greater preparedness for extreme weather events and conservation of natural resources. The TA is also in line with ADB's country partnership strategy, 20112015 and the country operations business plan, 20142106 for the PRC in supporting the government's overarching strategic goal by focusing on inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth.

Impact

Degraded lands restored and local livelihood improved in the project areas in western PRC

Project Outcome

Description of Outcome

Strengthened capacity of the PRC government to introduce innovations in sustainable and climate-resilient land management

Progress Toward Outcome

TA was implemented smoothly. All activities under the project were completed by 31 Jan 2019. The TA is under final disbursement and account closing stage.

Implementation Progress

Description of Project Outputs

1. Resilience of landscape ecosystems to climate change improved (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; and Gansu, Qinghai, and Shaanxi provinces)

2. Management of degraded lands to support rural livelihoods and green development improved (Guizhou and Sichuan provinces)

3. Enabling environment and capacity for scaling up of SLM in Guizhou and Sichuan provinces enhanced

4. Project management supported

Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

Project activities under component 1, component 2, and component 3 were completed.

TA consultants (10 individual consultant and 1 consulting firm) completed tasks under the project, the final disbursement is expected to be completed by 15 April 2019.

Geographical Location

Gansu Sheng, Guizhou Sheng, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai Sheng, Shaanxi, Sichuan Sheng

Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects

Environmental Aspects

Involuntary Resettlement

Indigenous Peoples

Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation

During Project Design

During Project Implementation

Business Opportunities

Consulting Services

The SFA will be supported by CPMO staff, and international (18 person-months) and national consultants (439 person-months). It is expected that a consulting firm will be recruited to provide technical support for the implementation of the activities in the project areas. The SFA will be responsible for recruiting consultants following ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time). A consulting firm will be recruited using the quality- and cost-based selection at a qualitycost ratio of 80:20. The TA will also engage international and national individual consultants to support the project management office on day-to-day implementation of the TA. Twelve national consultants will be financed and engaged by ADB in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time) using the individual selection method. This method is considered appropriate and cost-effective given that (i) the organizational structure is already established for the Partnership, and (ii) local experts are required in each of the six provinces.

Procurement

The TA will be implemented as a delegated TA. SFA will be responsible for organizing and supervising procurement (the procurement plan is in supplementary appendix A). ADB-financed procurement will be conducted in accordance with ADB's Procurement Guidelines (2013, as amended from time to time). The ownership of purchased goods and services will be transferred to SFA upon TA completion.

Contact

Responsible ADB Officer

Niu, Zhiming

Responsible ADB Department

East Asia Department

Responsible ADB Division

PRC Resident Mission (PRCM)

Executing Agencies

National Forestry and Grassland Administration

Timetable

Concept Clearance

28 Apr 2014

Fact Finding

13 Feb 2014 to 17 Feb 2014

MRM

-

Approval

09 Jan 2015

Last Review Mission

-

Last PDS Update

16 Sep 2019

Funding

TA 8872-PRC