Study on potential of existing and innovative water harvesting technologies as method for water security in three demarcated pilot areas in the dry zones of the Horn of Africa

Study on potential of existing and innovative water harvesting technologies as method for water security in three demarcated pilot areas in the dry zones of the Horn of Africa.

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Duty station: Home based with travel within the IGAD Region to one pilot area only.
Required Consultants: 3 , one  dedicated to each IGAD pilot area
Type of Contract: Service
Contract Post Level: Short-term Consultancy
Starting Date: February 2013
Duration: 22 person-days spread between 1 February and 15 March 2013
Dead Line: 26 January, 2013

Background

The Inland Water Resources Management Programme (INWRMP) forms part of a major donor-supported effort to strengthen and reinforce the mandate of IGAD on behalf of its member states. The key issues that the region has faced in the past decade are related, among others, to instability arising from scarcity of water resources, coupled with the vagaries of the climate. Shortage of water undermines the people’s well-being and is a source of conflicts.
The focus of the INWRMP is, among others, on the establishment and institutionalization of regional cooperation( result area 1), the improvement of policy and legal frameworks for water resources management  (result area 2) , the strengthening of regional and national water resources management institutions,( result area 3) and the setting up of adequate information systems for decision making in water management.(result area 4) In particular, Result Area 3 and 4 – places emphasis on the  promotion of water harvesting technologies and practices as adequate response to droughts and survival of the rural communities. The vision statement of the INWRMP has been worded as:


VISION STATEMENT:

A HORN OF AFRICA WHERE THERE IS AN EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES FOR POVERTY ERADICATION, SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, REGIONAL COOPERATION, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTENANCE AND REALIZING WATER SECURITY BY 2025

Important is to realize water security, eradicate poverty and achieve environmental sustenance.

The Demo projects in the INWRMP.

The IGAD has selected three pilot areas for the documentation and experimentation of water harvesting technologies. The areas selected are:
1.    Lake Turkana and the Omo river basins,
2.   The north of the Victoria lake basin (Karamoja ) and
3.   The Jubba –Shebelle river basin. Due to the continuing political instability of the Jubba- 
Shebelle river basin, an alternative pilot area is selected being the border area between  
Djibouti and Somalia
The rationale behind the demo projects is to achieve water security in the dry zones.
INWRM program should embark on Demo projects for water security or water harvesting technologies
and practices showing the potential of innovating technologies.

At least five types of water harvesting technologies can be considered which are mentioned below:
1. Artificial groundwater recharge. (bore-hole with pipe and filter bed at the bottom of a low lying      
area where storm water are channeled through the pipes to the aquifer).
2.    Small Water Ponds.
3.    Opening up Valleys (wahdi’s) for catching water in canals to sites which fills up the aquifer.
4.    Sand dams, where water is stored in the sand layers of the river.
5.    Water catchment from air though screens where water condensates and be collected at the   
bottom.  
Any other water harvesting technology like rock surface catchments, cascades in rivers etc.
The water harvesting programmes are normally intended for community management. As a consequence, in order to ensure the sustainability of the project, Community should be capacitated to understand the monitoring of the aquifer and to maintain and control the infrastructure (water demand management).
The Questions and Terms which the consultant should address in this short consultancy include:
•    Identify the water harvesting projects and technologies used in the demarcated areas. Establish their basic characteristics like the catchment area, the irrigation area, (maps) the number of water users, the number of months the water harvesting structures can guarantee the average water demand of their users, the operation and management activities undertaken or required. the investment  and O+M costs , the potential for increasing the water harvesting storage
(extension).
•    Identify the water stress in the demarcated areas being the difference between the demand in a certain critical dry period (6 months or 9 months)of the different water uses and the supply.
•    What innovations have been undertaken in water harvesting technologies and what have been the results?
•    What has been the hydrological information system in measurements of parameters in the existing and new water harvesting programs? What minimum hydro information system should be installed and required? Who would manage these information systems? What would be the role of the national Hydro information system in these programs?
•    What have been the impacts of water harvesting projects built in the last 10 years?
•    What would be other alternative solutions in water production and distribution if water harvesting will not be sufficient? (tankers, temporarily migration to water rich areas.)
•    Can water harvesting structures been located in line with annual nomadic Itinerary?
•    What are capacity building requirements in water harvesting at the level of communities, government bodies, private sector and NGO’s.
•    What are the non hydrological monitoring requirements in water harvesting management? What are the present monitoring systems applied in water harvesting programmes.( crops ,market opportunities, socio economic improvement of target groups)
•    What are the plans for new water harvesting projects in the pilot areas.
•    How should previous water harvesting project been evaluated with a view on lessons learnt?

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the IGAD-INWRMP, TA Team Leader the incumbent shall:
1.    Review the existing feasibility and other studies made in the past, relating to water harvesting projects in the demarcated areas. Conduct a state-of-the art review of the water harvesting technologies available in similar environments.
2.    Propose appropriate institutional arrangements for the planning, implementation and management (O+M) of water harvesting structures;
3.    Propose adequate Hydro information systems for the management of the water harvesting
4.    Identify all potential stakeholders and partners in water harvesting in the demarcated area.
5    Explore financing mechanisms for the short, medium and long term for sustaining the water harvesting structures;
6.    Develop a capacity building strategy for the various stakeholders

Qualifications and Experience

An independent consultant or agency or organization with a background in community based water harvesting projects, organization development and at least five years experience in assessing the feasibility of water harvesting projects. Knowledge of rural development, agricultural and livestock livelihoods, land use planning and water harvesting technologies are essential. Competencies:
•    Good knowledge of market conditions in the IGAD member states and in the region;
•    Knowledge of requirements for water harvest technologies


Procedure for the submission of applications
Applications shall include
-Company profile , CV of consultants & staff
-Evidence showing that the Firm had relevant experiences in water harvesting design and implementation. - The above should be sent to the following address: ayenew.mequanent@igad.int, Procurement Officer-IGAD/INWRM-Programme, Cc. Debalkew Berhe, Program Manager –IGAD – debalkew.berhe@igad.int