Component A: Water Resources Management: The objective of this component is to enhance capacity at the national and regional level to address the challenges of water resources management in Zambia. The component will provide support to: (a) construction, rehabilitation and upgrading of hydro-meteorological and groundwater monitoring networks; (b) review and upgrading of operating procedures and processes to enhance the capacity of hydro-meteorological and groundwater information management systems and functions; (c) enhancing institutional partnerships and collaborations; (d) review, upgrading and implementation of the national hydrological and hydrogeological information management systems, including the integration of spatial and remotely sensed data; (e) development of flood forecasting and early warning systems; (f) preparation of consolidated catchment and basin-level water resources development plans and carrying out associated strategic water assessments, including groundwater; and (g) implementation of arrangements and measures for water resource allocation, licensing, revenue and compliance monitoring and management. These activities will be supported through the provision of:

1. consultants services and technical assistance;
2. goods and equipment, including hydro-climatic and water quality equipment, bulk meters, computers, vehicles and office equipment;
3. works to establish hydrometeorological stations; and,
4. carrying out of training and capacity building activities to the sector. Component B: Water Resources Development The objective of this component is to address the infrastructure deficit through support to: (a) development and rehabilitation of small scale water resources infrastructure, such as small dams, weirs, gabions, and other small civil works intended to retain water, reduce erosion, enhance recharge and ensure productive application; (b) updating and climate screening the 1995 Dam Development Master Plan to identify a series of priority investments for further preparation; (c) preparation of studies in support of a proposed pipeline of future medium and large scale water resource investments; (d) supporting environmental and social assessments for future potential water resource investments; (e) carrying out community mobilization and sensitization; (f) development and implementation of a national dam safety monitoring program; and (g) development and implementation of a national managed groundwater development program. This will be supported through the provision of:
   1. consulting services and technical assistance for the planning for water resources infrastructure, along with the preparation of environmental and social safeguards instruments;
   2. works required for construction of infrastructure;
   3. goods needed to support implementation and,
5. operating expenses associated with workshops, training, community mobilization and capacity enhancement initiatives. Component C: Institutional Support The objective of this component is to strengthen the institutional capacity for water resources management and development, including both surface and ground water. The component will provide support to: (a) support for the set-up of institutions established under the Water Resources Management Act and implementation of their functions; (b) development of rules, plans, strategies and carrying out of studies, as needed, for the implementation of the Water Resources Management Act to ensure the sustainable and equitable development of water resources (c) building capacity for negotiations, conflict resolution, monitoring and compliance with international water instruments; (d) enhancing inter-agency coordination; and (e) financing of costs associated with project management, coordination and oversight. These activities will be supported through the provision of:
   1. consultants services and technical assistance;
   2. goods and equipment, including computers, vehicles and office equipment;
   3. training and capacity building activities; and,
   4. incremental operating costs to support the National Water Management

BENEFITS

The Project Beneficiaries are targeted rural communities who will benefit from improved small scale water resources infrastructure. Benefits will also accrue in key river basins to water users and improvements aggregated as the national level through allocation of water and rights. Construction/rehabilitation of some 100 small dams is estimated to have 1,000,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries over the next decade. It is estimated that direct investments in rehabilitation and multi-purpose upgrading of a dam affects some 10,000 beneficiaries.

CHINOKORO Herbert Mugwagwa

*Further contact information not provided at the time of disclosure*

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/.