Sri Lanka : Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program
ADB and the Government of Sri Lanka are working together to deliver surplus water from the Mahaweli river basin to its dry zone, where scarce supplies undermine agricultural output and household incomes. The Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program is helping the government complete a decades-old program that is moving water from the country s largest river to its dry zone, made up of North Central Province, Central Province, North Western Province and Eastern Province. The project is building more than 260 kilometers of new and upgraded canals, reservoirs, and other irrigation infrastructure. It is also helping to conduct studies on improving water management and delivery systems. In addition to providing more irrigation water, the project is delivering clean drinking water to over 350,000 people, resulting in improved community health in areas where chronic kidney diseases are prevalent. The long term goal of the project is to reduce poverty while boosting economic growth and food security.
Project Details
-
Project Officer
Ranawana, Sanath
Sectors Group
Request for information -
Country/Economy
Sri Lanka -
Modality
-
Sector
- Agriculture, natural resources and rural development
- Project Name
- Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program
- Project Number
- 47381-001
- Country / Economy
- Sri Lanka
- Project Status
- Active
- Project Type / Modality of Assistance
- Loan
- Source of Funding / Amount
MFF Facility Concept 0088-SRI: Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program Source Amount Asian Development Fund US$ 105.00 million Ordinary capital resources US$ 348.00 million - Strategic Agendas
- Environmentally sustainable growth
- Inclusive economic growth
- Drivers of Change
- Governance and capacity development
- Knowledge solutions
- Partnerships
- Sector / Subsector
Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Irrigation - Water-based natural resources management
- Gender
- No gender elements
- Description
- ADB and the Government of Sri Lanka are working together to deliver surplus water from the Mahaweli river basin to its dry zone, where scarce supplies undermine agricultural output and household incomes. The Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program is helping the government complete a decades-old program that is moving water from the country s largest river to its dry zone, made up of North Central Province, Central Province, North Western Province and Eastern Province. The project is building more than 260 kilometers of new and upgraded canals, reservoirs, and other irrigation infrastructure. It is also helping to conduct studies on improving water management and delivery systems. In addition to providing more irrigation water, the project is delivering clean drinking water to over 350,000 people, resulting in improved community health in areas where chronic kidney diseases are prevalent. The long term goal of the project is to reduce poverty while boosting economic growth and food security.
- Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy
- Sri Lanka has abundant water resources but they are not distributed evenly across the country. The dry zone region (including North Central Province, Central Province, North Western Province and Eastern Province) is home to nearly a third of the country s population, with 70% of rural dwellers dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. However, the zone receives less than 1,500 millimeters of rain per year, and droughts are common, which severely constrains agricultural output. Local communities have managed this water stress by building many small cascade systems of reservoirs, transfer canals, and irrigation schemes. These have been sufficient to provide supplementary irrigation for a single paddy crop each year, and limited storage for drinking water supply. In many places, communities rely on groundwater, some of which is contaminated, causing high incidences of chronic kidney disease. Lack of year-round access to water resources constrains the agricultural and commercial production of the region, suppressing social and economic development. As a result, average household incomes are around 10% lower than in other parts of the country. This situation is expected to worsen as the population grows and rainfall in the region diminishes further due to climate change.
- Impact
Agricultural production and economic growth in the North Central Province, Central Province, North Western Province, and Eastern Province improved
Food security enhanced
Project Outcome
- Description of Outcome
Water supply and agricultural productivity in the project areas enhanced
- Progress Toward Outcome
- The achievement of outcome will be affected by the non-award of the remaining contracts due to the funding shortfall in the investment program as well as ongoing economic situation in Sril Lanka that has limited its lending headroom. The project team is exploring additional interventions once the country situation improves.
Implementation Progress
- Description of Project Outputs
New and improved water conveyance and storage infrastructure constructed
Systems for improving water resources management and productivity developed
Farmers' access to agricultural inputs supported.
- Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)
The consulting package was awarded in Q3 2018. Final report has been submitted to the government in 2022.
This consulting services package was planned to be initiated in 2022 under Tranche 3. Recruitment is delayed until Tranche 3 processing is confirmed. TOR is being finalized.
MOP fertilizer contract awarded. distribution ongoing.
Procurement activities ongoing for first phase of farmer support program
Financing of this infrastructure is time-sliced over multiple tranches. Designs and bid documents for all tranches have been completed. Two of the seven contracts are ongoing, one contract has been closed, and the remaining four contracts will not be awarded in the investment program due to funding shortfall and remaining MFF availability period. Additional financing for these contracts are being explored.
Financing of this infrastructure is time-sliced over multiple tranches. Designs and bid documents for Tranche 1 have been completed. Two of eight works contracts are ongoing, once contract has been closed, and remaining five contracts will not be awarded in the investment program due to funding shortfall and remaining MFF availability period. Additional financing for these contracts are being explored.
Financing of this infrastructure is only under Tranche 1. Designs and bid documents for all 6 packages have been completed and the packages have been awarded. Five contracts are physically completed, and one contract is at 85% completion. An additional small works package will be awarded by 2023/24.
- Geographical Location
- Dambulla, Elahera, Minipe
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects
- Environmental Aspects
- The first tranche of the investment program is categorized A for environment in accordance with ADBs Safeguard Policy Statement (2009). Individual environmental assessments have been undertaken for the three projects. Environment impact assessments for the NWPCP and UECP, each categorized A, and an initial environment examination for MLBCRP are prepared. Since the investment program is time-sliced and implementation of all three projects will begin under the first tranche, the environmental assessments cover the entire investment program. All subsequent tranches will also be categorized A for environment.
- Involuntary Resettlement
- The first tranche of the investment program is categorized B for involuntary resettlement impacts, based on identified involuntary resettlement impacts of the separate projects: the NWPCP is category B, while the UECP and MLBCRP are both category C. The resettlement framework for the investment program guides the formulation of resettlement implementation plans for the first and subsequent tranches. A resettlement implementation plan was prepared to address the involuntary resettlement impacts of the NWPCP under the first tranche.
- Indigenous Peoples
- The preliminary work that the mission carried out and the environmental impact assessment study of the project areas that the consultants engaged by the EA already carried out, did not identify any settlement of Indigenous Peoples communities in the project areas.
Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation
- During Project Design
- The main stakeholders include Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment (MMDE), the Department of Irrigation and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka in the project provinces, the farmers in the command areas who are the end users of the irrigation water and beneficiaries, and approximately 194 project affected families in the entire MFF who will need to be relocated to accommodate the new canals for water transfer. The MMDE is responsible for the project design. The project affected families will participate through consultations in the resettlement planning exercise.
- During Project Implementation
- The primary stakeholders comprising the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, the Department of Irrigation and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka are already involved with the technical design of the project with due consideration for minimally affecting human settlements and increasing the area of the elephant habitat that the humans have encroached upon. The project affected families including the poor and the excluded, will be involved in the project design with reference to developing a resettlement framework and the resettlement planning exercise.
Business Opportunities
- Consulting Services
- All consulting services will be carried out using ADB's Consulting Guidelines. Advance contracting will be used. Individual consultants were recruited to undertake the PPTA.
- Procurement
- All procurement activities will be carried out using ADB's Procurement Guidelines.
Contact
- Responsible ADB Officer
- Ranawana, Sanath
- Responsible ADB Department
- Sectors Group
- Responsible ADB Division
- Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Sector Office (SG-AFNR)
Timetable
- Concept Clearance
- 02 Apr 2014
- Fact Finding
- 13 Nov 2014 to 26 Nov 2014
- MRM
- 24 Mar 2015
- Approval
- 24 Jun 2015
- Last Review Mission
- -
- Last PDS Update
- 27 Mar 2023
Funding
MFF Facility Concept 0088-SRI
Total (Amount in US$ million) | |
---|---|
Project Cost | 561.00 |
ADB | 453.00 |
Counterpart | 108.00 |
Cofinancing | 0.00 |
Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cumulative Contract Awards | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | % |
Cumulative Disbursements | - | 0.00 | 0.00 | % |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
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Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
None currently available.
Related Publications
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ADB Loan to Help Sri Lanka End Water Scarcity in Dry Zone
ADB has approved a $453 million loan to help Sri Lanka deliver surplus water from the Mahaweli river basin to its northern dry zone, where scarce supplies undermine agricultural output and household incomes.
Tenders
Tender Title | Type | Status | Posting Date | Deadline |
---|---|---|---|---|
SRI: Water Resources Development Investment Program | Advance Notice | Archived |
Contracts Awarded
Procurement Plan
Title | Document Type | Document Date |
---|---|---|
Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program: Procurement Plan | Procurement Plans | Feb 2015 |