| Project Detail |
Agriculture is central to Nepals economy and integral to poverty reduction. It accounted for over 60 percent of employment and nearly 24 percent of GDP in 2022. But the productivity and level of income from agriculture remain below potential because of underinvestment in critical enablers, such as irrigation services, agriculture value chains, and watershed services. Therefore, this project contributes to addressing constraints to agricultural productivity while also building the resilience of the sector to climate extremes. Nepal is rich in water resources but only uses about 10 percent of it for productive purposes due to inadequate infrastructure. Nepal has a total of 2.53 million ha of irrigable arable land, of which 62 percent is irrigated, and less than 40 percent has access to year-round irrigation, leaving the agricultural sector unproductive and highly exposed to rainfall variability. The result is persistent food insecurity (affecting over 12 percent of the population) and rising food imports (150 percent increase since 2014). The project is the last of three phases of a long-term government program that has been under implementation since 2012 to modernize the Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation scheme – the largest irrigation scheme in the western region of Nepal. The Bank supported both Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project (RJKIP) Phase 1 (2012-2017) and Phase 2 (2018-2025), which modernized irrigation infrastructure on 14,300 hectares, enhanced flood and erosion control, improved rural roads and bridges for better connectivity and market access, and promoted watershed conservation, capacity building of water user associations, and agricultural support services. These efforts have benefited over 157,000 people. RJKIP 3 will build on these achievements, expand access to irrigation services, increase farm productivity, enhance climate resilience, and boost rural incomes in Kailali district, Sudurpaschim Province. It will construct the distribution network westward, along with complementary investments in agriculture and watershed management. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve irrigation services and agricultural productivity in the target areas. It addresses three of the World Bank’s priority global challenges: i) Water security and access; ii) Climate change adaptation and mitigation; and (iii) Food and Nutrition Security. The project consists of four key components aimed at enhancing irrigation service, watershed management, and agricultural support services in the region. Component 1: Irrigation Improvement and Development (US$95 million) seeks to expand and improve the irrigation network across approximately 17,500 ha of existing agricultural land in Pathariya, where farmers do not have access to year-round irrigation, and the availability of water is expected to be further exacerbated by climate-induced changes in rainfall patterns and an increased likelihood of droughts. The component will distribute part of the existing intake discharge of 80 m³/s drawn at Chisapani from Karnali River. The main canal bifurcates to supply the allotted 40 m³/s to the RJK area and the remaining 40 m³/s to Lamki and Pathariya (see Figure 2). From that point, the GoN has completed the construction of the Lamki feeder canal and is in the process of developing distribution networks in its command area. However, the feeder canal and distribution networks in the Pathariya area (17,500 ha) have yet to be developed, which this project aims to complete. These investments will enable farmers in that region to access their designated canal water supply throughout the year and increase cropping intensity, thereby enhancing the resilience of beneficiaries to climate shocks and contributing to climate adaptation. Component 2: Watershed Management (US$20 million) will finance activities to prevent soil erosion, conserve watershed areas, and mitigate the impact of floods and droughts on agricultural productivity. It includes riverbank protection, landslide and gully control, check dams, and afforestation. The component will also support the rehabilitation and augmentation of existing small-sized multipurpose water storage to capture monsoon precipitation. This is crucial for sustainable water storage and the long-term sustainability of irrigation systems. Component 3: Agriculture Support Services (US$11 million) will serve the command areas covered by the RJK irrigation system, including the area from RJKIP Phases 1 & 2, and Pathariya. The objective of this component is to enhance the productivity, capacity, and resilience of the farmers to floods and droughts through value addition, post-production support, market access, and adoption of modern technologies on a demand-driven basis. The activities will include (i) strengthening and mobilization of local cooperatives, adoption of modern technology, promoting mechanization, promotion of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices, nursery establishment, commercial farming targeting high-value crops; (ii) providing of grants, and (iii) providing postproduction support for storage, processing, and marketing of targeted agricultural produce; (iv) providing training and capacity building. Component 4: Institutional Support and Project Management (US$11 million) will finance the capacity building and institutional strengthening of WUAs in the project area and DoWRI, and its implementation units. The expected outcomes include (a) 17,500 ha of farmland benefiting from year-round irrigation services, (b) 52,000 people benefiting from increased agricultural production, and (c) 160,000 people benefiting from enhanced climate resilience. The beneficiaries of the project are the farming communities in Kailali District, Sudurpaschim province, who will benefit from access to irrigation and agricultural services, thereby increasing farm productivity, enhancing climate resilience, and boosting rural incomes. To improve irrigation services and agricultural productivity in the target areas. |
