The Department of Agriculture (DA) is finalizing the framework that will guide the rollout of a $24.5-million technical assistance grant from the World Bank aimed at transforming and modernizing the country’s agriculture sector.

The plan, called the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), sets out how the DA will carry out the Technical Assistance for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in the Philippines (TASAT) project.

“The recipient shall ensure that the project is carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards and this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan, in a manner acceptable to the bank,” according to the nine-page draft document posted on the DA website.

The current draft outlines the agency’s responsibilities for managing environmental, social and labor-related risks during implementation.

The DA will establish a project management unit staffed with environmental and social specialists to oversee project activities and ensure compliance with World Bank safeguards.

It will also train agency personnel, local governments and partners on topics such as risk prevention, gender-based violence mitigation and grievance handling.

The ESCP also requires the DA to set up a grievance mechanism where farmers, project workers and affected communities can file complaints or raise concerns related to the project.

Regular monitoring reports will be submitted to the World Bank every six months, detailing progress on stakeholder engagement, risk management and corrective actions.

The DA said the completion of the plan is part of the agency’s preparations ahead of the project’s implementation, which supports the government’s broader Philippine Sustainable Agriculture Transformation program.

The initiative aims to help the agriculture and fishery sectors become more resilient, productive and responsive through digitalization and improved institutional systems.

Source - https://www.philstar.com