ID: 1741
Presenting Author: Christel Buch Kristensen
Session: 725 - After the Assessment – Where’s the Value and What Happened in the End?
Status: pending
A 2023 follow-up of a private irrigation project assessed progress on ESAP commitments, offering insights into post-ESIA implementation challenges and the value of long-term monitoring in safeguard sy
The presentation will reflect on lessons learned from an independent environmental and social monitoring mission conducted in 2023 for a privately financed irrigation project in Central America. The review took place several years after the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and associated Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) had been approved.
The implementation status of 43 ESAP actions and ten environmental and social management plans was assessed. Fewer than half had been fully implemented. Gaps were identified in biodiversity protection, community health, labor conditions, pesticide use, cultural heritage, stakeholder engagement, and grievance mechanisms. Institutional limitations, unclear contractor roles, weak data systems, and the inclusion of infrastructure outside the original project area were flagged as key risks.
Although a safeguard framework aligned with international standards was in place, implementation suffered from fragmented oversight, limited training, and outdated information. These findings reveal a systemic gap between safeguard design and practical enforcement, especially in resource-constrained and decentralized settings.
This case highlights the value of post-ESIA monitoring in understanding long-term project performance. It raises important questions about the durability of environmental and social safeguards, the role of implementing institutions, and how oversight systems can be adapted to ensure lasting and meaningful impact in private infrastructure finance.
Christel Kristensen is a social impact specialist and COO at Nexus Interamerican Consulting, with experience in ESIA, safeguards monitoring, and institutional strengthening across Latin America and th