1. Background

Gudina Tumsa Foundation (GTF) was established in 1992 and is a not-for-profit civil society organization registered with the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO). It is registered with the Authority for Civil Societies Organization with the mandate to operate at the national level in Ethiopia. GTF was established by the family and friends of Reverend Gudina Tumsa to carry on his vision through rendering holistic service to the marginalized communities in Ethiopia. The foundation was formed in 1992 and started delivering development services in 1994. The foundation has implemented different projects in nine regional states of Ethiopia.

GTF envisions empowered communities that perceive themselves as capable human beings, equipped to actively engage in all aspects of human life. This is in line with the Reverend Gudina Tumsa’s own words, stated below:

“… an integral human development, where the spiritual and physical needs are seen together, is the only right approach to the development question in our society.”

GTF has developed and implemented different projects that promote the holistic development vision of the organization. The organization was formed to create a better world for those people who have been left behind and most vulnerable in our society, to help them live with dignity and hope.

GTF engages in different thematic areas that are life-changing. Accordingly, the foundation engages in the following program areas:

• Women and child support services whereby education, healthcare, and other essential services are provided to marginalized women and children,
• Education program focusing on building schools, production of materials and supplies, and teacher supports,
• Health, Water, and Environment program focusing on promotion of health services and prevention of disease, WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), and environmental protection and conservation through planting trees, etc.
• Livelihood enhancement through different economic empowerment and job creation initiatives for women and youth.
• Policy advocacy that focuses on influencing Regional Decision Makers towards evidence-based, effective, and responsive policy formulation and implementation

Recently, GTF has commenced the implementation of a project titled “Healthcare and Livelihood Improvement Advocacy Project in Oromia and Somali (HaLIAPOS)” with the funding secured from the Gates Foundation (GF). The project is implemented in Oromia and Somali regions for 3 years, from January 2024 to December 2026, in collaboration with the two regional states. GTF has signed Memoranda of Understanding with the respective Presidents’ Offices of the Oromia and the Somali regional states to guide the implementation of the project activities in the regions.

The Goal of the project is to contribute to the increased use of evidence and policy analysis by decision-makers, leading to the adoption of policies broadly favorable to agricultural productivity, healthcare and nutrition, financial inclusion, and women’s economic empowerment.

The project employed competent experts in project management, policy analysis, and data analysis who are working as a team. The activities of the project are enormous, and recruitment and assignment of pertinent outside thematic experts/consultants are required to undertake studies and research on identified topical issues. One of these thematic study areas to be outsourced is the topic of The State of Irrigation Schemes in Oromia:  Institutional Arrangement and Governance System.

2. Introduction to the Assignment

Ethiopia is a predominantly agrarian country where agriculture contributes a significant share of GDP and employment. However, the sector has historically been dependent on rainfall, which exposes farmers and (agro) pastoralists to recurrent drought and erratic climate variability. Ethiopia offers ample scope for growth in agricultural production through irrigation development, as the country is endowed with a substantial amount of water resources (FAO, 2015). Irrigation development has therefore been recognized as a key strategy for enhancing agricultural productivity, food security, and climate resilience (MoA, 2024; FAO, 2023). According to Ethiopia’s Homegrown Economic Reform – Ten-Year Development Plan, there is a focus on strengthening the institutional capacity of irrigation schemes, including the establishment and/or strengthening of Water Users’ Associations (WUAs), and enabling them to cover the operation and maintenance costs of irrigation facilities to ensure their sustainability.

Oromia Regional State has vast irrigation potential due to its rich water resources, favorable agro-ecological zones, and extensive arable land. At the grassroots level, different types of irrigation governance and institutional setups (government-managed, user-managed, community-managed, privately owned) exist in Oromia, with key differences lying in who owns and controls the system, how water rights are established, and who is responsible for operation and maintenance. Many irrigation schemes encounter challenges due to weak institutional and governance structures that fail to protect water use rights. Additionally, conflicts often arise between upstream and downstream water users. There are also issues with inadequate cost recovery for operations and maintenance, as well as limited technical and managerial capacity for effective management.

3. Objectives

The overall objective of the study is to analyze the institutional arrangements, legal framework, governance system, and financing of irrigation scheme management to identify the best model for future irrigation governance in the Oromia Regional State.

The specific objectives are to:

• Assess the status of the irrigation institutional arrangement and governance system
• Analyze the existing legal framework and conflict resolution mechanisms
• Assess factors that affect the sustainability of irrigation schemes management
• Identify the best institutional model and governance system to re-frame future irrigation management in the region

4. Scope of Work

The study will focus on selected irrigation schemes (government-managed, community-based, and private irrigation) that exist across the seven (7) agro-ecologically classified clusters of Agricultural Transformation in Oromia (ATO). The assessment will cover at least three types of irrigation schemes: small-scale, medium-scale, and large-scale irrigation. Considerations need to be made to assess their institutional arrangements, governance, any emerging conflict, and financing systems, including cost-sharing, water tariffs, cost recovery, operations, and maintenance. The study will engage relevant public and private actors at federal, regional, zonal, woreda, and household levels that have a stake in the irrigation development and/or management. Furthermore, existing national and regional policies related to irrigation will be reviewed to substantiate the research findings.

5. Methodology

The study is expected to employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect primary and secondary data. Various data collection tools, such as household surveys, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), will be used to generate primary data. A desk review will be made to collect secondary information. The consultant or consulting firm should identify a clear and appropriate research design that can effectively address the above objectives.

                    5.1. Sampling Methods

A multistage simple random sampling method should be employed to select zones, woredas, and kebeles with irrigation schemes, and to sample both irrigation-beneficiary and non-beneficiary households within the irrigation scheme catchment areas, in order to ensure representativeness.

                    5.2. Sample Size Determination

In deciding the sample size, the following should be considered:

• The study should apply an agreed-upon statistical formula for determining the quantitative survey sample size.
• The selected sample size is expected to ensure adequate representativeness for meaningful statistical inference.
• Distribution of sample sizes across the ATO clusters (different agro-ecologies) must be

6. Expected Deliverables:

The selected consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:

• A comprehensive inception report outlining the study approach, methodology, sample size, work plan, data collection tools, etc.
• Progress presentation to update the Gudina Tumsa Foundation (GTF) and Oromia Bureau of Irrigation and Pastoralists Development on the study’s status
• Produce a comprehensive draft assessment report that contains an executive summary, background information, introduction, methodology, major findings, recommendations, and conclusions
• Presentation of the draft report during a validation workshop involving key stakeholders for feedback
• Submission of the final comprehensive report, with necessary annexes
• A concise policy brief for senior decision-makers
• Submission of all collected raw data, recorded videos, photos, etc, in soft copies

7. Required Qualifications and Experiences

The assignment will be undertaken by a consultant/consultancy firm with the following qualifications and experience:

• Lead researcher with a PhD educational status and other team members with M.Sc. in Irrigation/Hydraulic Engineering, Water Resource Management, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Sociology, Statistics, Policy Analysis, and related fields
• A minimum of ten years of research experience in irrigation-related fields
• Experience in Water Users Association (WUA) assessment or strengthening
• Proficiency in statistical software
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills with a solid understanding of irrigation systems
• Proficiency in English and Afaan Oromoo is mandatory

8. Evaluation

The proposal will be generally evaluated from 100% as follows:

• 70% for technical proposal
• 30% for financial proposal

Below are some of the evaluation criteria:

• Understanding of the assignment
• Proposed methodology
• Relevant experience and qualifications of the consultant/team
• Technical soundness and feasibility of the work plan
• Experience in agricultural mechanization and related policy review
• Financial proposal and cost-effectiveness

9. Time Frame of the Assignment

The total time required to complete this assignment is a maximum of sixty (60) calendar days since the signing of the contractual agreement.

10. How to apply

Potential consultants or consulting firms should submit their detailed technical and financial proposals, including:

• Detailed CVs and valid experiences
• A copy of their renewed business license
• A copy of their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
• A copy of their VAT Certificate

All application documents should be sent electronically to jobs@gtfound.org with the subject line “Mapping of Agricultural Farm Machineries based on Agro-ecologies in Oromia” in PDF format.

Submission Deadline: Ten (10) calendar days from the announcement date, no later than 4:30 PM.

For more information, please contact us at the following address:

Email: teshome.b@gtfound.org

Tel: +251969355555

Important Notes:

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• GTF reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, in whole or in part, without providing any reason whatsoever.
• Late submissions will not be considered.