LOAN-3124 NEP: Community-Managed Irrigated Agriculture Sector Project - PIMS Team Leader - Irrigation Engineering

Irrigation Engineering

Water, Irrigation Engineering

A. Background

The Community-Managed Irrigated Agriculture Sector Project (CMIASP) was approved by ADB on 17 November 
2004, became effective on 13 January 2006, and closed on 30 September 2014. CMIASP had the overall goal 
of promoting inclusive economic growth while reducing poverty in rural areas. Its specific objective was 
to improve agriculture productivity and sustainability of existing medium-sized farmer-managed 
irrigation systems (FMIS)  and thereby enhance the livelihood of poor men and women including ethnic 
minorities and Dalit. To achieve this objective, CMIASP rehabilitated 111 FMIS, with strengthened water 
users’ associations (WUAs) to independently manage their irrigation systems, in the Central and Eastern 
Development regions. Agricultural extension and livelihood enhancement services were also part of 
project component.

In order to continue supporting farmers in rehabilitation and management of FMIS after the completion of 
CMIASP, ADB on 10 April 2014 approved an additional financing in the project which is named CMIASP-AF 
(“the AF” or “the Project”). The AF became effective on 3 June 2014. Physical completion date of AF is 
31 January 2021 and project completion on 31 July 2021. AF will continue to achieve the goal and 
objective of CMIASP to rehabilitate and extend the irrigation coverage of farmer-managed irrigation 
systems in the eastern and central development regions, and strengthen WUA capacity to properly operate 
and maintain their systems. AF will also support the rehabilitation of select irrigation systems that 
are currently managed by government agency (AMIS), and transfer their management to the WUAs after 
system rehabilitation. The project aims to implement about 155 community-based subprojects (150 FMIS and 
5 AMIS).

The project impact will be increased national food security. The expected outcome will be that 
participating farmers increase agricultural production measured through (i) yields of major crops 
increased by at least 30% in subproject areas, and (ii) cropping intensity in irrigated areas increased 
by at least 30% in terai subprojects and 45% in hill subprojects. 

To achieve its expected outcome, the Project has the following four outputs:   

(i) Farmers in subproject areas have improved irrigation infrastructure. The project will support the 
participatory planning, detailed design, and construction of infrastructure such as diversion 
structures, cross-drainage works, improved and extended canal systems, and flood protection facilities. 
All subproject infrastructure design will be done in close consultation with WUAs. The project will also 
support the construction of tertiary water courses that bring the water to farm fields. WUAs will 
provide beneficiary contribution in labor and/or cash for subproject infrastructure costs, consistent 
with the government’s irrigation policy (2013).

(ii) WUAs independently manage irrigation systems in a socially inclusive and equitable manner. The 
project will empower WUAs to manage the rehabilitation of the infrastructure, operate and maintain their 
systems without government support, and distribute the water equitably and adequately throughout the 
command area. WUA executive committees will be reconstituted, as necessary, to ensure equal 
representation of the head, middle, and tail of the canal system, and to empower women and other 
disadvantaged farmers to lead in system management. WUAs in subprojects that are currently agency-
managed will develop plans to manage their systems without government support. In this context, 5 
currently ongoing agency managed irrigation systems will also be rehabilitated and O&M of the system 
will be transferred to WUAs after their strengthening.

(iii) Farmers adopt improved agricultural practices. Currently, agricultural practices in subproject 
areas are predominantly conventional. Farmers are using their own seed stock repeatedly for 5–10 years, 
resulting in lost production potential. Chemical fertilizer use is unbalanced, and farmers are not well 
trained in making organic fertilizers. Inefficient plot-to-plot flooding irrigation is regularly 
practiced rather than constructing field channels. The project will provide agricultural extension 
services to subproject areas to build the capacity of farmers in sustainable agricultural systems. 

(iv) National institutions are strengthened for effective irrigation service delivery. The project has 
already supported the preparation of policies for irrigation and integrated water resources management, 
a national water plan, improved procedures for project management, revised engineering manuals, and 
institutional strategy and action plans. The next phase of policy and institutional reforms will be 
supported through additional financing, including preparation of an irrigation act, updating the 
irrigation regulation, and preparing guidelines for management transfer and O&M. 

(v) The Project Executing Agency (EA) is the Department of Irrigation (DOI) of the Ministry of 
Irrigation and its Central Project Management Office (CPMO). Irrigation Development 
Division/Subdivisions in the central and eastern development regions are the Implementing Agency (IA) 
for implementing structure rehabilitation works. DOI and CPMO are responsible to manage project 
planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation; ensure strong coordination and dialogue between 
DOI and DOA stakeholders; manage the contract of project implementation and management support (PIMS) 
consultant; monitor and report on both physical and financial progress, prepare and update detailed 
project work plan and budget, implement training programs for project staff, give its “no objection” on 
detailed design reports with cost estimates and bid evaluation report for civil works, and manage an 
imprest account, fund flow, and loan disbursement.

(vi) Department of Agriculture and its Directorate of Agriculture Extension with a Project 
Implementation Unit (PIU/DOA) will be the second IA. The PIU is responsible for planning and supervision 
of the agricultural development and integrated crop and water management (ICWM) components; prepare work 
plan and budget for agricultural development and ICWM components; train DOA staff in implementing the 
agricultural development and ICWM in subproject areas; monitor, evaluate and report on the effectiveness 
of the agricultural development and ICWM components.

(vii) The project is planned to be supported by a Project Implementation and Management Support 
consultant (PIMS). The PIMS package will have a total of 1,146 person-months input of consultants 
through a national consulting firm; and 25 person-months input of international Team Leader/Irrigation 
Engineer (TL) as individual consultant who will supervise and guide the overall PIMS delivery in close 
collaboration and coordination with the PIMS Deputy Team Leader (DTL). 

B. Objective of Consultant Services

The objective of the consultant services is to assist the EA and the IAs in project management. The PIMS 
and the international TL in close coordination with the DTL will provide advice, assistance and training 
to project related institutions regarding all aspects of implementation so that the project achieves its 
intended outcome and output targets. The specific objectives of the consultancy service is to 
(a) Support subproject implementation following agreed procedures and arrangements, and propose further 
improvements if needed; 
(b) Capacity building and strengthening of directly concerned institutions including central line 
departments, local government institutions and water user associations (WUAs); and
(c) Project management through monitoring and quality control of both institutional processes and 
technical works for irrigation infrastructure and agriculture development. 

The scope of the consultancy services will include, but not necessarily limited to assist EA and IA in:

(i) supporting project implementation management activities; 
(ii) adopting project procedures and systems, and supporting in integration of the institutional 
development and the technical aspects of the project; 
(iii) ensuring that all project activities, including construction works are executed with the highest 
standards; 
(iv) implementing irrigation management transfer activities in the five Agency Managed Irrigation 
Systems (AMIS) with the support of the multidisciplinary irrigation management transfer (IMT) team of 
PIMS;
(v) reviewing subproject preparation reports (SPPRs), subproject implementation plans (SIP), and 
detailed design, and recommend for their approval
(vi) designing training plans and manuals for training WUAs and the staff of EA and IA;
(vii) maintaining, updating and effectively using the MIS for project monitoring; and
(viii) quality assurance of all reports aand deleverables.

The specific responsibilities of the TL will include the following:

1. Overall responsible for management, coordination, quality assurance, and timely delivery of all 
project activities in close coordination with the PIMS team;
2. Manage the coordination with the CPMO, PIU/DOA, RIDs as well as ADB and other relevant stakeholders 
and perform his/her professional duties in close cooperation with the Project Director and PIU/DOA Chief;
3. Prepare proper coordination mechanism between consultant’s team and EA/IA, and establish an agreeable 
information communication channel; 
4. Supportthe PIMS consulting team by developing overall project implementation plan, work plan for each 
individual specialist with their clear terms of reference and milestone of deliverables, and orient the 
entire team for their deliverables in close coordination with DTL, and support CPMO in periodically 
review their deliverables; 
5. Guide the CPMO and project team by developing implementation approaches and processes/procedures to 
be followed for key project cycle activities;
6. Perform quality control and timely delivery of all reports and deliverables and ensure that the views 
of the DOI and ADB are incorporated into the various reports as they are produced and reviewed. 
7. Prepare and submit the inception report for the PIMS services in cooperation with the PIMS team. 
8. Assist the CPMO in day to day management, timely identify critical  issues and urgent decisions to be 
made to address them, and report to CPMO with advice and recommendation;
9. Supervise and guide the deliverable of individual specialists and ensure that available resources are 
effectively used and engaged in project activities to collectively deliver the required services and 
outputs at high quality;
10. Coordinate project activities with those of other related development projects including agriculture 
development, irrigation, and water resources management;
11. Assist CPMO in managing the contract of PIMS consulting firm and be responsible for monitoring, 
evaluating and reporting each consultant’s deliverables. For this, support CPMO in developing a 
consultant performance quality monitoring system in agreement with PIMS project coordinator of the 
firm;  
12. Assist CPMO in maintaining, updating and effectively using the management information systems (MIS) 
established by CMIASP to ensure monitoring and quality control of subproject implementation through 
sound reporting, recording, and advising mechanisms on all processes and procedures. Ensure that MIS is 
developed and used in such a way that it provides all information required to measure achievements of 
project targets (DMF targets) and to prepare project completion report;
13. Review/update or prepare project implementation procedural guidelines, quality assurance guidelines, 
and assist project institutions in following them;
14. Timely advise measures to make over any delays to meet the targeted schedule;
15. Ensure technical quality of subproject implementation including the social agendas such as GESI 
action plan, safeguards plans, and development of indigenous people, dalit and vulnerable groups in the 
subproject command area;
16. Review, field check and comment on individual subproject preparation reports (SPPRs) and support 
through PIMS in preparation of detailed design reports, and recommend their approval by participating in 
the Project Appraisal Committee; 
17. Based on lessons learned during implementation, review and modify, as appropriate, the existing 
procedures and guidelines;
18. Ensure PIMS supports IAs to timely input information in MIS;
19. Assist CPMO and RID in training need assessment, prepare annual training plan and implement the 
program to effectively meet the needs of the project; 
20. Assist CPMO in weekly, monthly and quarterly projection of contract awards and disbursement, 
continually monitor the status, and timely advise CPMO of any risks in meeting the projections with 
recommendation; 
21. Support CPMO in procurement and management of project related goods and equipment;
22. With the support of the Senior IMT Specialist, assist DOI to prepare a guideline and criteria for 
full or partial management transfer of irrigation systems that are currently agency-managed; 
23. Keep track of procurement and contract administration related issues, and timely identify potential 
delays and advise the IA, RID and CPMO on recommended measures;
24. Prepare inception report and advise ADB Mission on need for updating PAM provisions. Prepare 
quarterly reports, annual reports, detailed mid-term review report, project completion report, and any 
other reports as required by CPMO and ADB;
25. Plan and coordinate knowledge development and preparation of impact stories, coordinate with media 
and disseminate project achievements.

Preferably a Master’s degree in irrigation or water resources engineering, and professional experience 
in managing multidisciplinary teams in irrigation/water resources project implementation in developing 
countries. Country-specific and region-specific work experience, and past experience in irrigation 
management transfer projects will be an added advantage. 

The consultant will have preferably 15 years’ experience in managing participatory irrigation 
development and irrigation management transfer projects. Experience as expert and/or team leader for 
externally financed project in Nepal or other countries in the region, preferably for ADB; experience in 
working with participatory planning methods and working with farmers organization will be an advantage. 
Fluency in written and spoken English, ability to draft concise reports, good communication skills, 
working experience with GIS application, computer skill with proficiency in computer based management 
information system is essential.