In early March 2019, heavy rains and strong winds developed from a Tropical Depression and Tropical Cyclone Idai hit Malawi, causing severe flooding in the Southern and, to a lesser extent, Central Region of the country. The Government of Malawi has therefore received an Additional Financing which was therefore deemed as the most appropriate instrument to allocate addition-al IDA resources through the Crisis Response Window to scale up some of the parent project (MRDRMP) original components, thereby increasing the development impact of the project. The new project, Malawi Resilience and Disaster Risk Management Project aims to support the recovery of livelihoods and infrastructure in affected areas and strengthen capacity for flood and drought risk management.
This consultancy aimed to reduce the risk of communities exposed to flooding and enhance the resilience of community to drought through strategic infrastructure investments
The consultancy services targeted in seventeen (17) multipurpose water harvesting structures spread across ten districts within the project area, which in general is the Shire River Basin. Following the kickoff meeting, it was proposed by the Client a new list of sites to be considered, separating the list in two categories, as some of them are priority for the Ministry and designs have to be completed the soonest possible.
The water harvesting sites are classified into the following groups in terms of construction type:
‐ Group A: Consists of Mtonda, Zomba South, Namalowa, Phalombe Minor and Sombani. These sites were supplied with small gravity concrete dams.
‐ Group B: Consists of Chete, Dedza and Nsuwa, were supplied with earthen embankment dams.
‐ Group C: Kasangadzi and Nthondo / Kaueno are existing earthen embankment dams, proposed to be raised and maintained. Regarding Nantipwiri / Mbandanga, its design consists of the reconstruction of its severely damaged spillway.
The water harvesting sites of Zomba South, Phalombe, Nsuwa, Kasangadzi, Nthondo and Namalowa (replacement site) have been constructed and are now operating.
The provided services cover the fields of:
a) To prepare detailed technical environmental, social and economic feasibility study reports and preliminary designs for the targeted small and medium multipurpose dams and associated structures for flood control, irrigation and water supply to surrounding areas under the project;
b) To prepare environmental screening and social management and monitoring plans;
c) To prepare climate resilient detailed engineering designs, specifications, and confidential cost estimates for the tar-geted small and medium multipurpose dams and associated structures;
d) To prepare detailed bidding documents and construction implementation framework for the works;
e) To provide engineering supervision, contract management and quality service during the construction works;
f) To prepare operation and management manuals for the proposed infrastructure.