This Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) has been prepared based on the Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) for the project and as specified in Clause 10.02.(j) in the Funded Activity Agreement (FAA), according to the contents specified in the Annex of UNDP’s SES Standard 6 Guidance Note and Indicative Outline in Annex I of “Strengthening the resilience of smallholder agriculture to climate change-induced water insecurity in the Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions of Vietnam“ (SACCR) project’s Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework. This IPP has been updated to reflect changes to the project design, as detailed in the Restructuring Paper (RP) FP125-UNDP-13092023-RP, that have been approved by GCF.

This IPP was prepared based on desk review, screening and effective and meaningful participation consultation with stakeholders and Ethnic Minorities 1(EM) and data collection at project sites including additional works at two new districts in Khanh Hoa province (Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh districts). This includes a series of visits to the project sites and extensive engagement with EM people and communities, the village heads and communities leaders and local authorities. The plan has been prepared in accordance with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Social and Environmental Standards as an Accredited Entity (AE) to Green Climate Fund (GCF) and follows guidance set out in the project’s IPPF.

This IPP identifies EM populations at the project sites, their lands, resources and territories, their traditions and customs and both positive impacts and negative impacts from project activities/interventions on EM people and communities. The identified potential positive impacts are: i) increasing access to irrigation infrastructure and better means of water storage for agricultural production; ii) benefits from advanced water efficient irrigation techniques and technologies; iii) better market linkages and access; and) increased capacity for better livelihoods. The identified potential negative impacts include dust, noise and waste generation and potential disrupt to farming activities during constructions. These potential adverse impacts are temporary in nature and related to physical aspects of the project.

Following this, this plan sets out necessary mitigation measures and actions to implement these specific measures. Community’s right to withdrawal/denying consents and its relevant process were identified and established with the community. The IPP includes action plans, Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), capacity building and estimated budget and supported by project’s Gender Action Plan. Mitigation measures were identified and included in this IPP and other safeguards documents of SACCR project (i.e. Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP Rev1) Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF Rev1) – Rev1, amended Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF Rev1), Gender Action Plan (GAP Rev1), and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)).