Industry: Water Resources Region: Cameroon Transaction price: $1 million Transaction method: equity financing
Brief introduction:
Provide sustainable irrigation and drainage services to improve agricultural production in the Benue Valley irrigated area.
Details:
Component 1: Improved infrastructure and water management. The component is divided into three sub-components:
(a) Upstream water resources monitoring and coordination through the operation of the Lado Dam Water Management Committee (LADo Dam Water Management Committee) and the operation and safety of the Lado Dam;
(b) In terms of the regular budget: the rehabilitation of 1,090 hectares of irrigation areas in the region and the development of some 4,230 hectares of new irrigation areas; 3628 hectares were selected for agro-industrial development and 1496 hectares for use by farmers in existing surrounding villages;
(c) Transfer of irrigation management to cross-strait wuAs.
The sequence of project interventions is based on the following. First, lagadu's water management board needs to be up and running, and water release management needs to be strengthened where there is excess water. Secondly, the lagdu Right Bank Irrigation Scheme and the Left Bank Irrigation Scheme (LBIS) irrigation schemes need to be developed and transferred to their respective uAs. Wuas must be established and extensively trained, and implementation agreements between Meeden and WUAs must be put in place. There is also a need to establish a WUA monitoring unit in Meeden. This component contributes to climate change adaptation and mitigation. This component will fund research, advisory services, engineering, equipment and training.
Subcomponent 1.1:
Safety and operation of major hydraulic infrastructure. Based on existing research, especially dam safety assessment reports and a comprehensive hydraulic and hydrologic study of the whole basin. Six major activities envisaged for completion during the implementation period are envisaged in this sub-component :(I) the establishment of a water resources monitoring network and information system to improve the hydrometeorology of the entire basin, including the sub-basins of the kebe and the faro; (ii) Ensure the long-term operation and safety of the dam; (iii) The establishment of a panel of experts on dam safety and water management; (iv) Development of a joint flood forecasting model in the Benue and Mayoqubi river basins to improve dam management and discharge; (v) Establishment and implementation of a flood early warning system from Lado to the Nigerian border; (vi) Strengthening regional coordination.
Sub-component 1.2:
Irrigation and drainage infrastructure. A study to establish a detailed feasibility, updated design and tender documents is currently under way for the installation of approximately 10,000 hectares of irrigation schemes with an annual water demand of 205 million cubic meters. The entire irrigation scheme is expected to use a zero-discharge, gravity-based system. The project also plans to build about 18 kilometers of berms along the coast of the Benue River to withstand floods during the 100-year return period.
Sub-component 1.3:
Irrigation and drainage management. This sub-component will address the formidable challenge of ensuring the long-term viability/sustainability of irrigation and drainage services provided by irrigation schemes. The first step will be to approve, through the government, rules governing irrigation schemes in Adamawa, the North and the far North. On this basis, a scheme management code for each scheme will be developed, setting out the following basic rules :(I) land tenure arrangements; (ii) the rights and obligations of the water Association; (iii) Legal/financial supervision of the Water Association; (iv) Recovery/construction, training and Transfer agreements; (v) Rights and obligations of the Parties; (vi) Dispute resolution mechanism.
Component 2:
Agricultural production support services. Considering the redefined role of lamiden Benue Valley as a public sector agent, the component will focus on encouraging the role of the well-known private sector to improve production, markets and agricultural support services with a focus on improving the efficiency of rice and other irrigated crops along the value chain.
It will do so by supporting :(I) requirements for precision and land leveling, land consolidation services, agricultural inputs and advisory services, and mechanized rice planting operations; (ii) the supply of goods and services; (iii) Develop a network of management support centres through sub-components described below; (iv) Technological innovation and vocational training.
Sub-component 2.1:
Electronic certificate to initiate production in irrigated areas. This subproject will support farmers to buy agricultural inputs, pay for water, pay for (mechanized) labor, and perform precision and land leveling.
Sub-component 2.2:
Matching grants for production and agribusiness. This subproject will fund :(a) at least $9.5 million in farmer-led irrigation and agricultural services provisions related to activities, especially agricultural production, mechanization, and agricultural values, supported by matching grants to beneficiaries; Matching Grants the $1.5 million matching grants will be available to producer organizations, associations, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, farmers, and established agribusinesses or start-ups to achieve specific goals through a dedicated grant window. Results in enhanced production, value added, commercialization and service delivery for a period of three years, with co-financing of eligible sub-projects. Proposals will include investments, teaching assistants and working capital and will be prepared by professionals with the assistance of consultants.
Sub-component 2.3:
Establishment of an organizational Management support center. The project will facilitate a network of rural economic management centres. Based on a business-based support service delivery model, it will serve as a one-stop shop to provide farmers, producer organizations, water user associations, cooperatives and enterprises with high-quality assistance services that are affordable and appropriate to the financial capacity of recipients. These services typically include accounting, financial management, procurement management, and generally all functions that support the organizational and managerial functions of organized producers and businesses.
Component 3: Capacity building and implementation
This component will finance the institutional strengthening of certain public sector institutions, in particular the role of Meiden as a public agency responsible for the development of the northern region as a whole, and the implementation of projects through an initiative unit.
Sub-component 3.1:
Strengthening institutions. This cluster will focus on restructuring and training its staff. Restructuring will include the transfer of assets operation, such as in paddy field irrigation water users association management and land to the private sector is important in strengthening the lamy residual water user association support the role of management is mainly water infrastructure and supervision of hydrology, research, field of basin water resources management, and provide an early warning system and rapid response mechanisms, In case of floods and other emergencies.
Sub-component 3.2:
Agricultural innovation and training. The project will promote partnerships with other institutions providing education and training at three levels to improve irrigated agriculture in the benue valley :(I) higher education, such as marua university, garua college of agricultural technology; (ii) Technical and vocational training, such as the Specialized Centre for Agricultural Technology at Lagos; (iii) At the local level through the establishment of technology Innovation Centers (TIC). In the area of higher education and technical and vocational training, support will be given to an irrigation training scheme (ranging from civil engineering to irrigation schemes) to develop capacity in northern and northernmost Cameroon.
Sub-component 3.3:
Project implementation and monitoring and evaluation. This component will support the engineering implementation unit, which will be responsible for the day-to-day execution of the project. The proposed structure of the project implementation unit has been developed and agreed with public procurement authorities, and it is expected that the core group will be in place prior to its entry into force. The following section on implementation arrangements details the core functions and structures. Provision will be made for the salaries and allowances of the shelter staff and to cover operating costs. Government counterpart funds will pay for :(I) the expenses of the steering committee; (ii) Regional technical commissions; (iii) The Special Tendering Committee (iv) any costs (including allowances) related to the conduct of site visits, follow-up and oversight missions and similar activities; (v) Any other costs required for the implementation of projects not eligible for funding.
Component 4:
Emergency response. This component may request the reallocation of project funds to support emergency response and reconstruction efforts following the occurrence of a qualifying crisis or emergency. This component will be drawn from the uncommitted credit resources of other project components under this item for emergency purposes.