Social Safeguard Measures Activity. The Government is actively seeking support to strengthen irrigation investments in the Valley with social development activities designed to diversify current livelihood strategies, slow emigration from the Delta, link Podor to markets, and improve the ability of women and youth to take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by the improved prospects for agricultural production. The Program may support the Government’s efforts by financing certain social safeguard measures directly related to the Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project. Specifically, MCC Funding may be used for the construction of day care facilities, as well as the construction and initial operation of agricultural storage and information centers, and livestock multipurpose centers. In each case, these social safeguard measures are intended to complement the objectives of the Irrigation and Water Resources Management Project and/or to mitigate potential adverse impacts of the Project. For instance, the day care facilities should allow women to spend more time engaged in revenue-generating activities on the newly irrigated lands that will be allocated through the Project, while still providing their children with quality care. The agricultural storage and information centers are intended to provide much-needed price information and technical resources to decrease crop loss due to poor storage conditions. Finally, the livestock multipurpose centers are intended to provide much-needed technical resources and supplies to livestock owners, thereby reassuring pastoralists that might otherwise be marginalized by the Project because of the reduced amount of rangeland available for their herds. It should be noted that any use of MCC Funding for the Social Safeguard Measures Activity is entirely contingent upon the following three conditions being met: (1) provision by the Government of any supplemental information required by MCC, in form and substance satisfactory to MCC, to enable MCC to make a funding decision with respect to this Activity (this may include, inter alia, a comprehensive operational plan for each measure that describes diligenced costs, staffing and equipment information and requirements, and information on day- to-day operations and maintenance of the centers, both during the Compact Term and afterwards); (2) a decision by MCC in writing agreeing to fund the Activity, in whole or in part, together with any conditions to such agreement; and (3) satisfaction o...
