Consultant: Evaluación de Medio Término - Proyecto

The arid and semiarid ecosystems comprise 75% of the land of Argentina, of which approximately half (780,000 km2, 30% of the country) are located in the region of Patagonia. Patagonia is historically famous for their sheep (wool and meat) that depends on ecosystem services, such as biologically diverse grasslands. Overgrazing, exacerbated by inappropriate land use and inappropriate grazing practices, is widely recognized as the main cause of land degradation and desertification in Patagonia.
In response, the GoA through SAyDS developed the National Action Program to Combat Desertification (NAP) through UNDP and propose a large-scale GEF project will complement the national and local efforts through:

• incorporating the principles of sustainable land management (MST) as a central hub in the regional planning of land use, processes of decision making and approval procedures for investments in the field;
• the development of institutional and individual capacities at National, Provincial and Local;
• the establishment of a framework and tools for decision-making through adaptive management;
• the development of a broad public awareness at all levels, and (v) increasing the participation of stakeholders in the implementation of the MST and the procedures that will reduce land degradation and consequently, combat desertification.

In line with this strategy SAGPYA launched the Sustainable Development Program of sheep (PDGOSP), whose activities are financed through an innovative law for the sector, known as Act Sheep (LO), which provides resources for large , medium and small producers to implement sustainable practices of livestock management. Simultaneously, the GoA has developed an extensive management technology (MSDs) that increases the coverage, diversity, performance and profitability of sheep operations. The Law Program and focus mainly on increasing the economic returns to producers as a means to reduce grazing pressure.

Once completed, the project will mitigate the causes and negative effects of land degradation as a result that will strengthen the integrity, stability, functions and ecosystem services, which local people depend for their livelihood. Strengthen provincial capacity in this area and support the implementation of provincial strategies to fight desertification through the development of provincial programs to combat desertification, and mechanisms that put the MST as the centerpiece of planned investments of LO and other investment projects for livestock improvement and management technologies in 6,000,000 has extensive Patagonian territory.
 

The Mid-Term Review will take place during the first quarter of 2010. This assessment will be developed by holding meetings with various teams and players involved, directly or indirectly with the project. These interviewees will include among other members of the SAyDS, the Project Implementation Unit, UNDP, INTA, Provinces (both authorities and beneficiaries).
The process by which it will conduct the evaluation is as follows:

• Review relevant documentation previously provided by UNDP and listed in Annex 4 of these terms of reference
• Carry out the mission which includes: interviewing the project team and review the reports and project documentation, interviews with key actors, the project team and the UNDP office in Argentina and the Regional Coordination Unit UNDP-GEF ( RCU) (teleconference).
• Drafting the evaluation report. The same shall have been previously circulated for review and input from key stakeholders and thus include the comments and inputs to produce the final report.

TEAM WORK AND FINANCING

The mid-term evaluation of the project is coordinated according to the policies and procedures of UNDP / GEF and will be financed with project resources (up to U.S. $ 30,000 including fees, tickets, travel and any costs associated with it). Its main objective is to analyze and document the results achieved with the implementation of the project during the period 2007 to 2009 and determine the impacts achieved, sustainability and lessons learned.

The consultant team for this evaluation will be made by an independent international consultant responsible for submitting the evaluation report and a local consultant who will attend to the task.

The independent international consultant will be selected through a competitive process by agreement between Argentina and the UNDP Regional Coordination Unit UNDP-GEF Project for Latin America and the Caribbean. The consultant should be qualified in disciplines related to i) prevention of land degradation, with emphasis on combating desertification, ii) the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, iii) as well as policy and institutional development in the use and conservation of natural resources. Must have experience in evaluation and management of sustainable land management in drylands. The detail of the profile and responsibilities of the evaluator are described below.

International Independent Consultant
This consultant will be responsible for:

• Evaluate the design of the project, the goals set and results achieved.
• To evaluate the factors relating to sustainability, properly (ownership), monitoring and evaluation and EFFICIENCY.
• Assess the strategy and project development.
• To assess the relationship between different actors and their specific roles.
• Assess the achievement of results and impacts of the project objective.
• Assist in the evaluation of the project development and outcome and impact.
• Evaluate and managerial aspects of financial planning of the project.
• Assess implementation capacity of the different components of the project, carefully reviewing the capacity to carry out their specific responsibilities.
• Evaluate the relationship and inter-institutional and social context that have helped or hindered the implementation and effective achievement of project objectives.
• Propose alternatives for project implementation and activities that have been observed.
• Compile and edit the material produced by the evaluation team and prepare the final report.

The expected outputs of this evaluation are twofold. The first corresponds to an oral presentation of preliminary findings to the UNDP office in Argentina. This presentation should be on an appropriate date before the end of the mission.

The second product is the final evaluation report containing the findings, the assessment of the operation, lessons learned, recommendations and description of best practices. The report of the evaluation must be based on GEF guidelines and guidelines for final evaluations and should follow the structure and the report of the evaluation must be based on the guidelines and UNDP-GEF guidelines for final evaluations.

The first version of this report must be submitted in electronic form within one week after completion of the mission in the country. This version will be disseminated to interested parties and sent comments to the evaluator within three weeks. These comments should focus on possible errors found in the data and not question findings and findings of the evaluators. If there are disagreements between impressions and findings of the evaluation team and stakeholders, these differences must be explained in a specific annex attached to the final report.

The final version of the report, which includes comments from interested parties, should not exceed 50 pages (excluding annexes significant). This report must be written in Spanish with the exception of the executive summary of a maximum of 3 pages, it must be written in both English and Spanish. Once completed, this report should be submitted electronically in MS Word or PDF format to the office of Argentina and the UNDP-GEF regional office for distribution. The report is then translated by the office of UNDP-Argentina, the English language to be submitted to GEF

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to the mission, vision and values of UNDP.
• Evidence sensitivity, adaptability and respect to diversity (gender, cultures, religions, races, nationalities, age).

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Training:

• Shares knowledge and experience
• It works continuously to achieve their personal training and apply the skills acquired.

Development and Organizational Effectiveness

• Ability to perform a variety of tasks related to managing for results, including selection and layout of program and project documents, project data entry, preparation of revisions, filing and disclosure.

Leadership and self management

• It focuses on achieving results and responds positively to feedback.
• Work consistently with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
• Self control and stay calm even under pressure situations.

Required profile:

• Have extensive experience in monitoring and evaluation of projects to prevent land degradation, with emphasis on combating desertification and / or conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and / or policy and institutional development in the use and conservation of natural resources in drylands.
• Preference is given to consultants with knowledge of the logical framework methodology and monitoring capabilities, monitoring and evaluation of GEF projects and / or UNDP linked to sustainable land management in drylands.
• It is the exclusive domain of the English language both the Castilian