1.       Background:

With the current political instability, economic volatility, the collapse of basic services, the uncertainty over continued international aid as a source of revenue, the disruptions to trade and finance, and the impacts of climate change on food production, the risks faced by the poor are becoming more intense and less predictable. It is estimated that as of August 2021, over half a million people have already been displaced by conflict, and thousands more affected by natural disasters. Up to 30 percent of the population is projected to be in either a food security crisis or emergency by the end of the year[1], and half of all children under five are already severely malnourished. 

An innovative, inclusive, and highly flexible approach is needed, one that put people first targets the most vulnerable, and meets local needs by focusing on saving lives and livelihoods. UNDP is, therefore, adopting and leading a highly integrated yet decentralized approach to programming known as the Afghanistan Community Resilience Programme (ACRP)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have jointly launched the Afghanistan Community Resilience Programme (ACRP), a two-year initiative running from 2024 to 2026. The programme will address the critical challenges faced by rural communities in Badghis, Helmand, and Badghis provinces by enhancing sustainable livelihoods, improving food security, and building resilience to climate-related shocks.

Funded by a generous contribution of USD 16.2 million from the European Union, the ACRP aims to support over 7,000 vulnerable households. The programme's key focus areas include increasing agricultural productivity, promoting diversified livelihoods, and strengthening market linkages. By improving the production of staple crops and high-value agricultural products, as well as livestock, the ACRP seeks to enhance food and nutrition security while boosting household incomes. Additionally, the programme will support the creation of employment opportunities through Cash-for-Work initiatives and the development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

The ACRP will address the urgent need for improved water resource management in these provinces. The programme plans to rehabilitate and construct community-based water projects, including check dams, irrigation canals, and other essential water-harvesting structures. These interventions will support agricultural production and provide alternative livelihoods for former poppy farmers. In doing so, the programme will help communities transition from emergency assistance to longer-term resilience, ensuring they are better equipped to face future challenges.

The ACRP will also establish or reactivate three community-level multi-hazard early warning systems in former poppy farming areas with high disaster risks. These systems will enhance community preparedness, protecting lives, livelihoods, and agricultural lands from floods and other devastating events.

The programme's implementation will be guided by an inclusive and participatory approach, ensuring that the most vulnerable populations, including those without legal identity documents, benefit from its initiatives. The selection of households for support will be based on comprehensive vulnerability criteria developed in consultation with local communities, and relevant stakeholders. This approach will ensure that the programme effectively addresses the needs of those most affected by the ongoing challenges in Afghanistan, including climate change, economic instability, and the impacts of the poppy cultivation ban.

2.       Project Area:

This project is located Ghal-e-Charkh village, Qadis District, Badghis Province, Afghanistan.

3.       Nature of Contract:

Ghal-e-Charkh is a large village located in the arid lands of Qadis District, Badghis Province, Afghanistan. Home to approximately 1,000 households (HHs) and 7,000 individuals, the village has historically depended on a delicate combination of traditional underground kariz systems and seasonal rainwater runoff to meet its domestic and agricultural water needs.

However, over the past several years, this balance has been severely disrupted due to prolonged drought conditions and the growing impacts of climate change. The karizes, once a dependable source of gravity-fed water, have either dried up or been filled with sediment due to recurring flash floods. In a desperate attempt to access water, residents have turned to deep wells, which are now drying up as the groundwater table has dropped from 30 meters to as deep as 180 meters.

The situation is further worsened by climate-induced intense flash floods, which have devastated agricultural lands, destroyed water infrastructure, and severely impacted the community’s way of life. With a ban on poppy cultivation, the traditional source of income has vanished, and the absence of adequate water makes growing alternative crops nearly impossible. Many families have been forced to migrate to nearby urban areas, leaving behind those who continue to live under increasingly harsh conditions.

In response to this water crisis, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) proposes the construction of an embankment water storage dam in Ghal-e-Charkh. The dam is designed to capture and store seasonal rainwater and flood runoff, helping to recharge the depleted aquifers, restore local wells, and revive traditional kariz systems.

The project’s impact extends beyond Ghal-e-Charkh itself. It is expected to benefit 12 small downstream villages, where irrigation wells and karizes will also be recharged as a direct result of the dam’s construction. This will significantly enhance water security and agricultural productivity across a broader area of Qadis District.

General Expectations from the Project:

• Sustainable Water Resources: Recharge and restore groundwater levels to secure long-term water availability for both domestic and agricultural use.
• Kariz and Gravity Flow System Restoration: Reactivate traditional kariz systems through improved aquifer replenishment and enable sustainable, gravity-fed water distribution.
• Flood Control and Water Capture: Mitigate the impact of destructive floods by capturing excess water in a reservoir, converting it into a productive resource for irrigation and community use.

Specific Goals:

• Ensure a reliable and sustainable water source for 1,000 households (7,000 individuals) in Ghal-e-Charkh.
• Recharge irrigation wells and kariz systems in 12 downstream villages, restoring agricultural capacity and water access.
• Support the local population in maintaining their homes, livelihoods, and traditional ways of life.
• Enhance water infrastructure resilience and sustainability in the face of ongoing climate challenges.
• Integrate this intervention with existing and future projects for long-term development impact.
• Protect homes, farmland, and critical infrastructure from flood flash damage downstream of the dam.

The main works under this RFQ will focus on achieving these goals.

A.      Embankment of 125 meters long Check dam with 13 meters height, having the approximate capacity of reserving 161000 CUM or water in at once.

B.      Excavation and rock cutting of two spillway channels.

C.      Dry Stone pitching on upstream face of the dam.

D.      Stone masonry crest walls at the inlets of the spillway channels.

The completion of all the above construction items includes the following activities:

1.       Excavation for foundation.

2.       Hard rock cutting for spillways and minor/surface cutting for dam abutments.

3.       Embankment and compaction

4.       Stone masonry

5.       Filter arrangement

6.       pointing

7.       Casting of PCC  

8.       Dry stone pitching

4.       Specific Objectives

The activities would contribute to the ACRP outcomes, outputs, and activity results, but the main objective of this project is to control the flood reserve it into reservoir and replenish the underground water and final revive karize water through construction of embankment check dam.

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