Strengthening Participatory Irrigation Management and Project Management Capacity in Qinghai Province

During the 2009 country programming mission, the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) requested technical assistance (TA) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen participatory irrigation management (PIM) and project management capacity in Qinghai Province. The TA will complement the proposed Qinghai Rural Water Resources Management Project, which is scheduled for Board consideration in 2011. The TA is expected to play a crucial role in expediting irrigation management reforms and promoting monitoring and evaluation capacity development in Qinghai Province. The TA has three components: program design and training for PIM implementation and support to help farmers adopt advanced irrigation and farming technology, capacity development for effective project implementation and management, and support for the establishment of a project performance M&E system. The TA will review the current national and provincial policy and framework on PIM and irrigation reform in the PRC and Qinghai, assess the comprehensiveness of the policy and framework in meeting the needs of existing regulatory requirements in Qinghai, propose a comprehensive institutional framework for PIM and the WUAs in the province; develop a plan to implement PIM in the proposed loan project area; improve the institutional capacity for project management and implementation; and assist the executing agency in establishing a computer-based information system to monitor and evaluate the impacts, outcomes, and outputs of the investment projects in the sector.  The team leader will liaise between the implementing agency and the consultant team and be responsible for the overall quality of the reports of the entire team and each member; prepare an overall work plan that will refine and, if necessary, adjust each consultant’s deliverables and timing of delivery and will ensure the timely implementation of the technical assistance (TA); lead the preparation of inception, interim, draft final, and final reports, with contributions from other team members as defined in each consultant’s terms of reference; review the current irrigation management issues and constraints in Qinghai Province; prepare a framework and plan for implementing PIM and the WUAs in the project areas; design and prepare simplified manuals for PIM and WUA formation through close collaboration with the national PIM specialist; provide core training for the SDOs and model WUAs on irrigation technology scheduling and irrigation management in the project areas and on the importance of an irrigation service fee to carry out operation and maintenance (O&M) activities; assist the model WUAs in field trials and demonstrations for other WUAs and demonstrate alternative irrigation methods, including mini-sprinkler and drip; develop and refine the process for the WUA participatory O&M and participation in project implementation; assist in reviewing the equipment and software required for establishing a computer-based performance monitoring system; assist in drafting a standardized contract outlining management responsibilities for the SDOs and the WUAs, and develop bylaws that specify the responsibilities of the WUAs and their members; assist in developing training materials on project management, procurement, disbursement, financial management, environmental and social management, and help deliver training to the provincial project management office (PPMO) and the three county project management offices (CPMOs); assist in reviewing the current monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices and develop a computer-based performance monitoring system; and assist the PPMO in identifying key implementation issues and measures for resolving them.