The project will be a stand-alone investment project. The project cost is tentatively estimated at $82.0 million with ADB financing $75.0 million from concessional ordinary capital resources loan (COL) and $7.0 million counterpart financing by the government. Climate change adaptation is estimated to cost $15.0 million. ADB will finance 100% of adaptation cost. Impact of the project will be inclusive economic growth through agriculture and irrigation aligned with National Strategic Development Plan and Rectangular Strategy on Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency, Phase III, 2014 to 2018. Outcome will be: water and agriculture productivity in the project areas enhanced. The projects will deliver two outputs to achieve the desired outcome and impact including (i) Efficiency and climate resilience of irrigation systems enhanced; and (ii) Water resource management improved.

The investments by the government, with support from ADB and other development partners, have been focusing mainly on the rehabilitation of irrigation. There is need to shift the focus to integrated approach for modernizing operational management, upgrading/remodeling, and building resilience against natural disasters. There is a large gap between the available and required resources for that purpose. ADB has been providing support to the Government for both financing as well as technical guidance for sustainable management of the sector. ADB has been supporting the government in implementing institutional, policy, and legal reforms and innovations. The recent innovation introduced by ADB in Cambodia, under Uplands Irrigation and Water Resources Management Sector Project approved in 2015, is a new approach for sustainable management of irrigation systems that integrates modernizing operational management, upgrading and remodeling infrastructure, increasing irrigation efficiency, enhancing water productivity, and building climate resilience. This is a major shift from conventional investment model that focused mainly on rehabilitation of canals.

The proposed Irrigated Agriculture Improvement Project will replicate and scale up the approach and new investment model introduced under the Uplands Irrigation Project. It shall support implementation of the government's National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) on Water Resources and Meteorology and ADB's sector strategy to enhance agricultural and rural economic productivity. The project will contribute to achieving targets defined in NSDP that is derived from the government's rectangular strategy. The strategy aims to develop and expand the country's irrigated land and manage its water resources more effectively by improving existing irrigation systems, making water user communities more efficient, building capacity of the water users, and reducing the vulnerability of the Cambodia's people to natural disasters. The project will also incorporate findings and recommendations of ADB's sector strategy including (i) enhancing agriculture productivity, (ii) promoting diversification, (iii) environmental sustainability and climate change, (iv) gender development, and (v) addressing institutional constraints. It shall be consistent with two of the major strategic thrusts and components of the Country Partnership Strategy 2014-2018, i.e. agriculture and physical infrastructure. It shall also conform to ADB's Water Operational Plan and Irrigation Subsector Guidance Note, 2017 that focus on increasing irrigation efficiency and water productivity; and Agriculture and Natural Resources Operational Plan that focuses on increasing agricultural productivity and improved management of natural resources.

CONSULTING SERVICES
The Asian Development Bank will recruit the consultants as per the Project Administration Instructions. One consulting firm will be recruited by using quality- and cost-based selection method at a ratio of 90:10 based on a full technical proposal. Four experts including (I) international procurement specialist, (ii) international environment specialist, (iii) international social development/safeguards specialist; and (iv) international gender specialist will be recruited as individual consultant.

Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
364 Monivong Blvd, Khan Chamkamorn Phnom Penh, Cambodia

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB

The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main