Technical assessment and supervision for rehabilitation of Eight (8) Irrigation Canals in Jowhar District of Somalia under Cash for Works Programme

Overview of the project

The consultancy is part of the AICS funded project ARISE – Agriculture, Water Resources, Food Security, and Gender Equity for the Communities of Jowhar District, Hirshabelle, Somalia.

The overall objective of the action is to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable segments of the population affected by the humanitarian emergency in Somalia.

The specific objective of the action is to respond to the needs of the local population to improve their resilience and living conditions. Food security and the creation of livelihood opportunities, access to water and basic services (primarily nutritional and maternal-child health), and social protection networks remain a key aspect of this Initiative.

In order to ensure improved agriculture and to enhance access to and management of water resources in the proposed project area, CEFA is implementing rehabilitation of Eight (8) Irrigation Canals.

Jowhar District’s irrigation system depends on the water resources of the Shabelle River. Water from the river is fed into the irrigation system through a network of primary and secondary canals. During floods, heavy load of sediments is deposited by the Shabelle River in the primary and secondary canals. Lack of routine maintenance especially along the primary and secondary canals has led to reduction in the area of irrigation and hence reduced food production as potential irrigation farms are left fallow due to lack of irrigation water. In order to ensure improved water distribution and to put more land under irrigation, CEFA with funds from AICS has proposed to rehabilitate three irrigation canals with a total length of approximately 14.75 kilometers.

Objectives of the Consultancy:

The objective of the consultancy is to:

1. In collaboration with CEFA technical team, assess and verify the proposed canals for rehabilitation;
   1. Review and validate the proposed desilting quantities for the selected irrigation canals;
      1. Prepare schedule of quantities for excavation for each canal;
         1. In collaboration with CEFA technical team, identify and register workers and foremen who will conduct the cash for work activities on the canal rehabilitation;
         2. Conduct supervision of canal desilting works implemented by the community members through cash for works programme;

Scope of Consultancy:

This assignment will be executed in two (2) phases.

1. Phase one (1) will consist of technical assessments and preparation of schedule of Quantities for each canal;
2. Phase two A (2A) will consist of supervision of canal rehabilitation works.

Specific tasks to be undertaken by the Consultant in each per phase

Phase one (1) – Technical Assessment and Preparation of Schedule of Quantities

This phase will be characterized by mobilization, initial stakeholder engagements, site visits for the assessment of the already identified canals, topographic survey and preparation of schedule of quantities.

The assessment will cover at least 8 irrigation canals identified during the rapid assessments conducted by CEFA previously in Jowhar with a total length of 14.75Km

During Phase-1 of the assignment, the consultant will be expected to carry out the following tasks:

1. Mobilization of his staff and initial field visits and engagement of relevant stakeholders including target communities;
2. Liaise with the canal committees and the CEFA technical team to assess the identified canals to be rehabilitated/desilted;
3. Map the targeted irrigation canals and farmers and produce geo-referenced layouts showing the current areas under irrigation and potential total area targeted for each irrigation canal;
4. Carry out longitudinal and traverse survey along each canal;
5. In collaboration with CEFA technical team and local communities, obtain the secondary data available to establish the initial dimensions and levels of the silted canals in order to propose sound rehabilitation/ desilting plan;
6. The consultant will propose and recommend proper farmer-oriented operation, management, and maintenance mechanisms to ensure the rehabilitated canals remain useable in future.
7. Assess the existing condition of the canals, quantify rehabilitation works in terms of but not limited to: bush clearing, desilting quantities, and embankment formation among others;
8. The consultant will provide detailed photographic plates with marked locations for the status of the canals to be used as a baseline for comparison after rehabilitation.
9. Carry out topographical survey and mapping of the location of proposed infrastructure;
10. Produce cross sections and longitudinal profiles using the survey data showing existing ground level, proposed ground level, embankment level and water level;
11. Liaise with CEFA Irrigation Officer, Village Committee, Canal Committee to identify the farmers and workers;
12. Prepare and submit an implementation plan for all activities, to CEFA technical staff for review and approval.

Phase Two (2) – Supervision of rehabilitation works

During this phase the consultant shall be responsible for the supervision of the rehabilitation / desilting works for canals under Cash For Works Programme. The main tasks to be performed shall include but not limited to the following:

1. Mark and set out all the canals to be rehabilitated / desilted;
2. Assign and allocate work potions to individual farmers/workers;
3. Guide the workers on the procedures and methods to be followed during cleaning and de-silting of canals;
4. Provide timely assistance and direction to the workers in all matters related to clarification of the works and measurements;
5. Monitor the implementation of the work done to ensure appropriate levels and dimensions of the canals are attained and properly maintained;
6. Take and record measurements of the completed works in terms of length and volume excavated;
7. Maintain records of portions of work done by each farmers/worker and number of days worked;
8. Liaise with the CEFA technical staff for any technical guidance and approaches to be used for the execution of the works;
9. Report to the Project Manager and CEFA technical staff the measurements taken for each canal for approval and confirmation;
10. Report to CEFA every week (On Friday) the verified progress and completion of the works for each canal in form of measurements and pictorial evidence;
11. CEFA Jowhar will make payments through a specialized provider, Hormuud through mobile cash transaction to the workers based on the work done by each worker, portions of work done and or the number of days worked on pre-agreed rates. All the payments done must be reported with mobile cash transaction list and receipt to CEFA NBI on weakly basis and must be approved by the supervising engineer (evidence of payment must be attached) and CEFA local staff in charge;
12. Be on site at all times during canal rehabilitation works and ensure adherence to approved implementation plan;
13. Prepare and submit to the project manager assessments reports, weekly summary reports and Completion report
14. Perform all other tasks, not specifically mentioned above, but which are necessary and essential to ensure the successful implementation of the proposed canal rehabilitation works through cash for works programme.

Summary of Deliverables

The proposed assignment is expected to be executed in two phases:

• Phase-1 – Technical Assessments (2 Weeks)
• Phase-2 – Supervision of canal rehabilitation works 4 weeks. (Desilting to take 21days)

Phase 1-Technical assessment

All reports will be submitted to the Project Manager on or before the designated time and in appropriate formats including word, excel, pdf and AutoCAD (.dwg) for drawings.

Assessment Report

This report will be submitted within 2 weeks after signing the contract to confirm that the team has been established and has started working. The report will show detail out how the consultant intends to undertake the assignment; General information about the firm/individual including physical facilities available for this assignment; Detailed work plan and activity schedule with clear time frame; Any other information, conditions or restrictions that the Firm considers necessary to carry out the stipulated activities. The inception report will also include the findings and minutes of initial start-up meetings together with results of preliminary site visits including location maps.

• Updated methodology, Workplan and Staffing Schedule;
  • Initial start-up meetings and introductory meetings with the client and relevant stakeholders in the field
  • Results from initial site visits including photographs, location maps etc.
  • Location maps of the proposed projects sites;
  • Survey report;
  • Detailed canal layouts;
  • Detailed layouts showing the current land under irrigation and potential area.;
  • List / number of farmers currently served by each canal and the total potential number of farmers to be served by each canal after rehabilitation.
  • Longitudinal profile and sections for canal sections;
  • Conditional survey of canals showing the current situation including photo plates;
  • Schedule of proposed excavation quantities for each canal with comparison with initial quantities proposed from CEFA initial assessments;
  • Detailed works implementation plan / methodology;
  • Proposed site communication procedures and record keeping;
  • Template for works measurements sheets or daily records;
  • Template for weekly payments records to be used by CEFA to undertake mobile money payments.
• It is only upon review and acceptance of this report by the Project Manager that the Consultant will be deemed to have completed this deliverable of the assignment.

Phase 2- Supervision of Canal Rehabilitation Works

The objective of supervision of rehabilitation works is to ensure quality implementation of works as per requirement within the stipulated time frame and budget.

The reporting in this phase shall be as follows:

Weekly Summary Report

Weekly report summary report shall be submitted at the end of each week during rehabilitation works and will consist of but not limited to the:

• Progress of works for each canal within the week;
• Cumulative progress of works for each canal;
• Daily records of lengths and volume of canals desilted by each farmer/ worker and the amount due from payments;
• Daily record for foremen/supervisors and amount due for payments;
• Challenges encountered and how they were resolved;
• Photo plates for the ongoing works in each canal.
• Weekly payments records to be used by CEFA to undertake mobile money payments.

Completion Report

The Consultant shall prepare a completion report which will form a comprehensive record of the canal rehabilitation works, challenges encountered and solutions, recommended operational procedures and expenses.

Completion report shall be submitted within two (2) months from contract signing date and will comprise but not limited to the following:

• Detailed report on works implementation covering the entire period;
• Financial and physical summary of the Works;
• Copies of important Project records properly indexed and presented as annexes to the Main Report;
• Relevant comments on the Project that may help in the future implementation of similar projects;
• Picture album for works before, during and after rehabilitation.