Tearfund is seeking a supplier to establish crucial demo plots in Basra for the project Strengthening Climate Resilience in Selected Climate-Security Hotspots in Southern Iraq in Basra.

Invitation to Bid

Subject: Model Plant Farms

Reference Number: PR-IRQ-2025-021

Tearfund is an international relief and development agency working globally to end poverty and injustice, and to restore dignity and hope in some of the world’s poorest communities.

Tearfund is seeking a supplier to establish crucial demo plots in Basra for the project Strengthening Climate Resilience in Selected Climate-Security Hotspots in Southern Iraq in Basra from July 2025

Terms of Reference (ToR)

1. Background

Iraq faces extreme vulnerability to climate change, with Southern Iraq, particularly Basra, identified as a critical climate-security hotspot. The region experiences severe environmental degradation marked by drought, decreasing rainfall, rising temperatures, and expanding desertification. Water scarcity is a significant and ongoing challenge, exacerbated by reduced flows in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources, and inefficient irrigation, severely impacting the agricultural sector which accounts for a substantial portion of the nation's water consumption. These environmental pressures threaten livelihoods, particularly agricultural communities, leading to crop failures, livestock losses, and displacement, which in turn strains public services and can intensify conflicts over dwindling resources.

In response to these critical challenges, Tearfund is implementing initiatives aimed at strengthening climate resilience in Southern Iraq. This project encompasses two vital demo plot initiatives: firstly, the establishment of a new Model Plant Farm at the College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, which will serve as an integrated model for modern, sustainable, and diverse agriculture, providing educational and training services to farmers and professionals. The College will contribute the land, electricity, water source, and labor for this new project. Secondly, the rehabilitation and technical enhancement of an existing Guiding Farm in Al-Sharsh will address specific technical needs such as water system maintenance, drip irrigation installation, solar power integration, and greenhouse cooling systems. Both demo plots are crucial for demonstrating innovative, climate-adaptive agricultural techniques, enhancing food security, and promoting sustainability and self-reliance within the local agricultural communities.

2. Objective

The overarching objective of this project is to bolster climate resilience and advance sustainable agricultural practices throughout Southern Iraq, specifically within the Basra Governorate, through two distinct but complementary initiatives. Firstly, the project aims to establish a new, comprehensive, and integrated Model Plant Farm at the College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, which will serve as a vital hub for providing practical education, scientific guidance, and hands-on training to local farmers, agricultural engineers, and community members on modern, diverse, and sustainable cultivation techniques, including hydroponics and organic farming, while demonstrating efficient resource use like solar energy and water-saving irrigation. Concurrently, the project seeks to rehabilitate and technically enhance the existing Guiding Farm in Al-Sharsh by upgrading its infrastructure, including water systems, installing efficient drip irrigation, integrating solar power, and improving greenhouse functionality with cooling systems, thereby optimizing conditions for crop production and enhancing the farm's operational capacity and training facilities. Both demo plots are designed to function as critical demonstration sites, disseminating practical knowledge and innovative techniques to build agricultural resilience against the impacts of climate change and improve economic opportunities and food security within the local farming communities.

3. Scope of Work

The scope of work for this project encompasses all necessary activities for the establishment of a new Model Plant Farm at the College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, and the comprehensive rehabilitation and technical upgrade of the existing Guiding Farm in Al-Sharsh. The selected supplier will be responsible for the full execution of the activities outlined below, ensuring adherence to the project's objectives and specifications.

I. Model Plant Farm at the College of Agriculture, University of Basrah (New Establishment) The supplier will be responsible for the complete establishment of a model plant farm on an area of 1-1.5 dunams (approximately 1000-1500 square meters). This includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:

Land Preparation:

○ Cleaning the land, removing weeds and any previous plant debris.

○ Plowing the soil using a moldboard plow.

○ Leveling the soil using a leveling machine.

○ Smoothing the soil with disc harrows.

○ Adding organic fertilizers (cow manure) and mixing them with the soil using disc harrows.

○ Planning and dividing the soil using a disc or plate planter.

Infrastructure Establishment:

○ Windbreaks: Planting windbreak trees around the four sides of the farm using salt-tolerant, high-density trees, and installing a drip irrigation system for them, specifically 600 shrubs.

○ Greenhouses:

■ Supply and installation of one traditional plastic greenhouses (measuring 50m * 9 m) (one is 1950m, the other is 50m) complete with green shading nets, plastic nylon, drip irrigation systems, and 5-ton water tanks.

■ Supply and installation of one integrated cooled agricultural house (refrigerated agricultural house with coolers and exhaust fans) (measuring 50m * 9 m) including a green shading net, plastic nylon, drip irrigation system, and a 5-ton water tank.

○ Water Management System:

■ Preparation and construction of one concrete irrigation water collection tank, with one already existing on site. One new concrete basin for irrigation water storage (4m*4m*1m, 16 cubic meters capacity) needs to be built. 

■ Supply and installation of One electric submersible water pump (2 HP power) that operates on solar energy, along with all accessories.

■ Supply and installation of an integrated solar energy system to power the submersible pumps and all accessories.

■ Supply and installation of an integrated drip irrigation system for an area of 1 dunam (2500 square meters

○ Hydroponics System: Supply and installation of a hydroponic cultivation system (4*10m) with all its requirements and dedicated irrigation system.

○ Perennial Trees: Provision and planting of 80 date palms and 40 fruit trees.

○ Seeds and Fertilizers: Provision of various plant seeds (10 kg of 10 types), organic fertilizers (animal waste), and chemical fertilizers.

○ Site Management Facilities: Provision of a caravan for farm administration.

Tender's Files

6863b474f2559-terms-of-reference-demo-plots-for-climate-resilience-project-in-southern-iraq.docx.pdf