TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PREPARATION OF RIVER STRETCH CO-MANAGEMENT PLAN OF COMMUNITY RIVER STRETCH MANAGEMENT GROUPs IN LOWER KARNALI

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR

PREPARATION OF RIVER STRETCH CO-MANAGEMENT PLAN OF COMMUNITY RIVER STRETCH MANAGEMENT GROUPs IN LOWER KARNALI

1. Background

The Lower Karnali Watershed covers 747 km2 in Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape. Rich in aquatic biodiversity, it harbors 136 fish species and provides ecosystem services for local communities. The watershed provides a rich mosaic of habitats that includes rivers, riverine forests, floodplain grasslands and oxbow lakes which is suitable for a large number of fish species and provides habitat for many IUCN Red List species such as Gharial Crocodile (critically endangered), Mugger Crocodile (vulnerable), Gangetic River Dolphin (endangered) and Smooth-Coated Otter (vulnerable). Considering its significance, the Government of Nepal prioritised the western channel of Karnali River as an ecological corridor and the eastern channel is included in Bardia National Park bufferzone.

Otter species are an ecological indicator of healthy aquatic ecosystems and protected by the amended Aquatic Animal Protection Act 2002 of the Government of Nepal. However, declining fish diversity and abundance due to overfishing and habitat disturbance caused by intensive river aggregates extraction threaten the health of the river ecosystem and declining smooth-coated otter populations. Limited research on their distribution hampers development of an effective national otter conservation strategy.

Illegal and unsustainable fishing is prevalent in western channels of Karnali River due to interlinked drivers- limited capacity to enforce fisheries regulations and insufficient fisheries management procedures. Unregulated river aggregates extraction has rapidly increased in the western belt of the Karnali. Local governments lack the capacity to ensure sustainable extraction and contractors extract aggregates without following environmental mitigation plans required by Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) reports. Weak compliance and monitoring mechanisms from local governments allow degradation of river systems and otter habitat, destroying vegetation and fish spawning sites. 

This has caused a sharp decline in fish diversity and abundance, threatening the traditional livelihoods and food security of indigenous and marginalized Sonaha and Tharu communities (targeted project participants). In the project intervention sites, there are around 61,125 Tharu and Sonaha people (Tharu: 59925 and Sonaha: 1200). Sonaha are an indigenous group, not legally or formally recognized by the Nepalese Government and incorrectly categorized under the indigenous Tharu group. Since ancestral times, Sonaha have practiced gold panning in the lower Karnali river, and fishing is their customary practice. Sonaha depends on fishing for subsistence while Tharus depend on fishing primarily for commercial purposes (fishing is an important component of their traditions). 

With the declining fish population, their subsistence and livelihoods are at risk, however they lack knowledge, tools and techniques for sustainable fishing, and need to diversify their incomes to reduce reliance on fishing and build their financial resilience. Both groups have limited access to other livelihood options and lack representation in local decision-making bodies such as Community Forest User Groups, which has further marginalized these communities, limiting their access to knowledge, services and opportunities available.

2. Objective

The two primary objectives of the research are:

• To prepare river stretch management plans of 15 groups
• To establish one fish sanctuary with its management plan and management community

3. Methodology

Literature Review: Pertinent scientific articles, reports, other site management plans and policies and other publications related to river stretch management plans and fish sanctuary with its management plan along with management community shall be collated and reviewed.

Consultation/Interaction/Meetings: Series of interaction programs through workshops, meetings shall be carried out with community, relevant government, non-government organizations, experts, academia, Forestry user community, Division forestry and local communities, together or separately, as required, to identify the understanding of the river stretch management plans and dependent biodiversity, their interaction, threats to the fish sanctuary, actions required to address the threats. The draft management plan shall be presented to the stakeholders to get the final comments and approval.

Field investigation: As the plan has to consider all the issues related to Lower Karnali corridor, it should be visited by an interdisciplinary team comprising of but not limited to ecologist, sociologist, hydrologist and watershed expert. The team have to gather all the relevant facts, figures and information from field either by scientific studies or from different levels of meetings as explained above.

Draft management plan preparation: Draft 15 river stretch management plans incorporating sustainable fishing guidelines, informed by the fish abundance and otter occupancy baseline assessments, in coordination with local government (environment focal point, representatives of municipal environmental committees), and community groups (Community forest and buffer zone community forest user groups, water users group), and submit to local governments for approval/endorsement.

Final sharing meeting: The final draft management plan shall then be shared with experts and relevant stakeholders at Province/central level. Comments/suggestions received from the experts shall be incorporated in the final plan and established fish sanctuary.

4. Time Frame and Schedule

A maximum of 3 months is estimated for this work considering the required field visits.

5. Deliverables

• Pre-Discussion with group for river stretch management plan
• Draft river stretch management plan sharing with group
• Coordination with LG, CFUG, Buffer zone community other related stakeholders
• Final plan prepared and endorsement in local government
• A detail management plan of CRSMGs.
• Workshop/meeting reports.
• Collection of all relevant literatures and database including all citations.
• Digital photographs of meetings/workshops. 
• Financial report with supporting invoices

6. Team Composition and Qualification and competency 

The team should comprise of but not be limited to river stretch management plan and fish expert, NMR expert and sociologist.

Team Composition

1. Team Leader: Fish expert with river stretch management, sound knowledge on bio-diversity ecosystem services

Qualification and competency of Team Leader

• At least Masters’ Degree in river stretch management, aquatic ecology, environment science, forestry, natural resources management, related discipline
• At least 10 years of proven track record of community river stretch co-management and conservation 
• Experienced on preparing community river stretch management plans
• Should have knowledge on fish sanctuary and bio-diversity
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent reporting and writing skills in English

2. NRM /NRM planning expert with sound working knowledge of river stretch management in Nepal

Qualification and competency of NRM expert

• Master’s Degree in forestry/ environment science/ natural resources management/ IWRM or related discipline
• At least 5 years of working experience in conservation sectors
• Should have knowledge on river stretch management
• Strong analytical skills
• Knowledge on fish sanctuary values will be added advantage

3. Sociologist/Gender and Social Inclusion expert

Qualification and competency of Sociologist

• Master’s Degree in sociology/ gender/ environment science/ natural resources management/ IWRM or related discipline
• At least 5 years of working experience in gender and social inclusion in natural resources management sector
• Should have knowledge on environment and social safeguard
• Strong analytical skills

7. Budget

Interested VAT registered individuals/organizations should submit a financial proposal that includes a detailed breakdown of total activities and budget: Expert fee, meeting cost, travel cost, communication costs and other cost, if any. (including of 13% VAT.)

8. Consultant Selection Process

Consultant will be selected based on the technical and financial proposals, following SBS Nepal’s standard procedure for procuring consultancy service.

9. Proposal Submission Details

Interested VAT registered individuals /organizations are requested to submit technical and financial proposals via email by 20 December 2024.

10. Mode of Payment

The payment will be made as per Sonaha Bikash Samaj norms and upon submissions of satisfactory deliverables. Note that payments are subject to tax deduction as per prevailing government rules. 

Annex 1: The financial proposal should be submitted along with:

1. Organization Registration, and latest renewal - applicable to NGO
2. VAT registration certificate
3. Latest tax clearance certificate (for private company)
4. Registration with Social Welfare Council for I/NGO
5. Tax Exemption Certificate, if applicable
6. Latest curriculum vitae/s of all Experts
7. Authorization letter from the current employer, if working

Note:

While submitting the proposal through email, please keep sbsbardiya@gmail.com in the email loop.