Expertise: Watershed Management, Natural Resource Management, Forestry, Environmental Science, Climate Change, Water Resources Management
Expertise Group: Biological Sciences & Ecology
Consultant Source: National
TOR Keywords:
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
Sri Lanka’s Upper Watershed Area (UWA) is a critical natural asset that supports the country’s water,
food, energy, biodiversity, and climate resilience. However, increasing land degradation, unsustainable
land use practices, biodiversity loss, and climate change impacts are threatening watershed functions
and ecosystem services.
To address these challenges, the Government of Sri Lanka with the support from the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) is preparing the proposed Sri Lanka Upper Watershed Ecological Restoration Program (SUWERP).
The program aims to restore, protect, and sustainably manage the Upper Watershed Area through
institutional reforms, sustainable financing mechanisms, and investments in sustainable land management
and biodiversity conservation.
As part of the program, the Government intends to establish the: (i) Upper Watershed Management
Authority (UWMA) to lead watershed governance and coordination, and (ii) the Climate Action and Nature
Positive Investment (CANOPI) Fund to mobilize and channel financing for watershed restoration, climate
adaptation, and biodiversity conservation investments. Dedicated Technical Committees have been
established under the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Finance to guide the establishment of
these institutions.
The assignment will support the Government in developing the governance and institutional framework for
the proposed UWMA and identifying priority watershed restoration and sustainable land management
investments under SUWERP.
Scope of Work
The consultant will serve as the lead technical specialist on watershed governance, institutional
arrangements, and watershed investment planning.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
Institutional and Governance
• Review existing policies, programs, institutional mandates, and coordination arrangements relating to
watershed management.
• Map functions and responsibilities of all agencies with mandates in the UWA.
• Assess institutional strengths, weaknesses, gaps, overlaps, and coordination challenges.
• Review international good practices of watershed governance and management authorities.
• Develop recommendations for: Mandate of the UWMA; institutional structure; governance and oversight
arrangements; staffing requirements; coordination mechanisms; and capacity development requirements.
• Develop an establishment and operationalization roadmap for the UWMA.
• Work closely with the Legal and Regulatory Specialist to ensure legal provisions support proposed
institutional and governance frameworks.
Watershed Investment Planning
• Review and consolidate findings and outputs from: World Bank Integrated Watershed and Water Resources
Management Project and associated watershed and micro-catchment plans; Green Climate Fund Knuckles
Climate Resilience Project; the International Union for Conservation of Nature watershed restoration
initiatives; International Water Management Institute (IWMI) studies; Natural Capital Lab assessments;
other relevant initiatives.
• Develop a methodology for identifying and ranking watershed investment hotspots and assess ecosystem
services, natural capital values, climate vulnerability, biodiversity significance, erosion risks, and
water security benefits.
• Identify and map priority watersheds, sub-watersheds, micro-catchments, biodiversity corridors,
degraded plantation lands, and restoration areas based on IWMI studies.
• Develop an investment prioritization framework.
• Develop recommended intervention packages including regenerative agriculture; agroforestry; forest and
landscape restoration; riparian restoration; nature-based solutions; and climate-resilient livelihood
models.
• Work closely with the Sustainable Finance Specialist to develop financing windows aligned with
proposed investments.
• Design and lead stakeholder consultations.
• Provide technical support to both Technical Committees.
• Support preparation of technical papers, presentations, meeting notes, and advisory materials for the
Technical Committees.
• Contribute to preparation of the SUWERP Project Concept Note and related documentation.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
• Master’s degree in Watershed Management, Natural Resource Management, Forestry, Environmental Science,
Climate Change, Water Resources Management, or related discipline.
• At least 12 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in watershed planning, climate resilience, landscape restoration, or natural capital
assessment.
• Experience in institutional assessments and governance reviews.
• Strong GIS and analytical skills desirable.
Minimum General Experience: 12 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 12 Years
