Expertise: hydrology, climate change
Expertise Group: Engineering
Consultant Source: National
TOR Keywords: community-managed agriculture, climate-resilient, irrigation, agricultural plan, farmer organizations, farmer-managed irrigation systems, hydrology
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
ADB has supported Nepal since late 1980s in rehabilitation of old and damaged farmers-managed irrigation
systems (FMIS). Those FMIS were constructed by farmers without engineering design and mostly having
annually constructed temporary intake and earthen canal with high seepage loss. The irrigation sector
projects included (i) rehabilitation of old systems with construction of permanent intake and lined
canals and infrastructure to minimize seepage loss, (ii) institutional strengthening of farmers and
formation of socially inclusive and gender sensitive water users association (WUAs) for taking
responsibility of appropriate operation and maintenance of the system, (iii) capacity building of
executing and implementing agencies for better project implementation and (iv) capacity building of
farmers in improved agricultural practices. The outcome of the project was effective and popular among
farmers and the government. The project started in late 1980 and is continuing with four projects in
series (community-managed irrigated agriculture sector project-additional financing [CMIASP-AF]
currently under implementation).
With the successful project results and large demand from medium to marginal farmers, the government
requested ADB during their country programming mission (CPM) 2021 and 2022 to continue the support in
similar modality after the closure of CMIASP-AF in December 2022. Following the government’s request,
the ADB CPM recorded the Climate Resilient Community Managed Irrigation Project (CRCMIP, the project),
allocating $115 million from ADB’s ordinary capital resources for ADB Board consideration (firm) in 2024
and standby for 2023.
The proposed CRCMIP will be designed for rehabilitating or constructing the following three types of
irrigation systems: (i) rehabilitation of about 100 numbers of minor FMIS in Province 1, Madhesh Pradesh
and Bagmati Province; (ii) construction of 13 new lift irrigation systems irrigating more than 1,400
hectares (ha) in the dry uplands of Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces; and (iii) rehabilitation of Rajapur
Irrigation Project (RIP) in Lumbini Province (14,500 ha gross command area). In 1991, ADB approved the
Rajapur Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (Loan 1113-NEP[SF]) that was rated as overall successful.
The scope of work in all the three types of systems in addition to climate resilient civil works
(permanent intake or pumping well, canal lining and pipe laying, and other infrastructures such as
intake modification and desilting basins in Rajapur Irrigation System) will include (i) institutional
strengthening of farmers including promotion of crop pooling; (ii) commercialization through formation
of farmers cooperatives; (iii) promoting climate resilience in farming through adaptive agricultural
practices; post-harvest support through construction of cooling chambers; and (iv) building knowledge on
climate risk management and adaptive capacity in farming of the local government and farmers.
The project outputs are: Output 1: Climate-resilient irrigation infrastructure in project areas
constructed or rehabilitated; Output 2: Irrigation Management strengthened; and Output 3: Climate-
resilient agriculture and irrigation practices adopted. These interventions will result in the following
outcome: Climate resilient irrigated agricultural productivity and sustainability enhanced.
A regional transaction technical assistance (TRTA) will support the project preparation.
The objectives of the TRTA for this project are to support analysis and preparation of the CRCMIP in
accordance with the government’s and ADB’s standards and expectations. They shall assess the current
CMIASP-AF projects and study reports of Rajapur Irrigation Project (RIP) and Lift Irrigation Schemes and
recommendations made for modifications to design and implementation arrangements. The consultants will
recommend CRCMIP’s scope, baselines, and targets, and prepare all project appraisal documentation, in
addition to preparing safeguard frameworks. International and national individual experts are being
recruited by ADB to perform these services.
The consultant team’s scope of work includes the following:
• Conduct technical, financial, economic, governance, social, environmental safeguards and GESI related
due diligence for CRCMIP. In doing so, ensure harmonization among other similar projects/programs in
Nepal, particularly those supported by ADB.
• Consider review and preparation of: (i) overall project design and economic feasibility; (ii)
procurement and implementation arrangements and procedures for farmers/WUA mobilization and
strengthening; (iii) implementation arrangements and procedures for agricultural development and on-farm
water management; and (iv) climate change risk assessment and management (for irrigation infrastructure
and agriculture), including identification of ways to help farmers better adapt to the risks of climate
change, and (v) prepare bidding documents for procurement of works, goods and services.
• Review the integrated crop and water management, implementation guidelines and recommend integrated
crop and water management (ICWM) implementation approach to enhance water use efficiency in CRCMIP.
• Prepare subproject selection criteria and check with the executing agency (EA) on the eligibility of
selected subprojects.
• Review quality of subproject preparation report (SPPR) and detailed design report (DDR), and
agriculture development plan prepared by the implementing agencies (IAs) and recommend if any further
verification is necessary.
• Ensure 50% of subprojects are procurement-ready to meet project readiness criteria.
• Assess the irrigation and agriculture sectors policy and institutional frameworks, identify gaps
associated with achieving the project objectives and provide improvement recommendations.
• Review technical capability of Rajapur IP intake design for flood and sediment management and
alternatives and provide inputs to finalize the design.
• Ensure that water efficiency, sustainability in operation, climate resilience and economic rate of
return are considered as priority elements in subproject design.
• Modernize the irrigation system design criteria to address farmers’ evolving needs and resilience to
climate change, and ensure appropriate and economical design of the schemes.
• Prepare draft loan documents for ADB Board consideration foreseen in 2023.
• Prepare consulting packages, construction supervision, project implementation support, farmers
agriculture support services and institutional strengthening (TOR, cost estimate and tender document).
• Prepare the terms of reference, cost estimate, and shortlisting criteria for project implementation
management consultant (PIMS) package for overall project management support to EA and IAs.
• Quality assurance and timely submission of all project related documents including project
administration manual and link documents satisfying ADB requirements.
• Prepare the design and monitoring framework of the project.
ADB, in consultation with DWRI, will undertake the recruitment and contract management of a team of
international and national individual consultants.
Scope of Work
The national hydrologist / climate change specialist will be responsible to prepare an assessments of
flood flows to support the design of small weirs for FMIS schemes. The assessment will incorporate the
latest research into flood flows in small catchments under climate change.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
(i) Review of climate research relating to peak one and five day rainfall events in Nepal under climate
change for the years 2050 and 2100.
(ii) Carry out an analysis of floods for 5 selected small rivers at the proposed FMIS Terai weirs using
HEC-HMS for different return periods (50,100,500 year and PMF) incorporating the projections for climate
change to 2050 and 2100.
(iii) Prepare guidelines for the methodology to estimate floods incorporating climate change for small
rivers in the Terai to be used by the divisional engineers.
(iv) Based on available river flow data from DWRI and at the Chisipani in the Karnali river assess the
maximum and minimum flows available to the Rajapur irrigation project for various return periods.
(v) Assess current and future abstractions for irrigation and other uses in the Lower Karnali river.
(vi) Examine existing relevant research and climate change modelling studies of the Karnali to estimated
projected changes to flow under climate change; assess the likely available flow to the Rajapur
Irrigation project, including indicative estimates of water available to the east bank.
(vii) Support other hydrological analyses for the CRCMIP as required.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
The Consultant shall meet the following qualification requirements:
• Preferably a master’s degree in hydrology (or equivalent).
• 7 years of work experience in hydrology assessment including assessment of climate change on flood
flows.
• Regional/Country experience and extensive knowledge of irrigation in Nepal.
• Strong hydrology analytical skills, written English skills with quality and banking report making.
• Have computer proficiency including the use of HEC HMS and GIS and have access to the relevant
software to carry out the analysis.
• Ability to carry out consultations effectively, excellent communication skills and ability to perform
effective teamwork.
Minimum General Experience: 15 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 7 Years
