Scoping study for Strengthening Sustainable Environment and Natural Resource Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Uganda (ENRM)

Brief Project Description: 

The Government of Uganda (GoU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has agreed on a Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) 2011 to 2014 to guide the development and delivery of projects that responds to the National Development Plan 2010/11 – 2014/15. Central to these plans are the focus in the areas of sustainable environment, natural resource management, climate change adaptation and mitigation.

To intervene in these areas a project entitled “Strengthening sustainable environment and natural resource management, climate change adaptation and mitigation in Uganda”, with an overall budget of US$ 4,500,000 was developed with focus on strengthening the efforts and capacities of local governments, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and communities to sustainably manage and utilise natural resources, integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation in their activities and build climate change resilient societies. The will be achieved through developing, piloting and implementing initiatives in biodiversity and ecosystem management, sustainable land management, efficient energy technologies and reduction in Green House Gas GHG emissions, and building climate change resilient communities. Implementation arrangements seek to contribute to a systematic demonstration and scaling up of experiences in sustainable environment and natural resource management (ENRM), climate change adaptation and mitigation (CCA/M) pilot initiatives and recommend an evidence-based framework to guide relevant institutions at national and local government levels, including CSOs. The project intends to use lessons learnt to inform policy and strengthen decentralized governance mechanisms and institutions and practices that empower local governments and CSOs in ENRM and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The project components are summarised in four key actions which include:

• Mechanisms for enhancing biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems demonstrated.
• Key successful sustainable land Management practices identified and replicated.
• Mechanisms for enhancing efficient utilisation of biomass energy, renewable energy technologies, and green house gas emission reduction identified and promoted.
• Climate change resilient development promoted.

WWF is commissioning a Scoping Study to identify a focus for the project in terms of areas/sites, stakeholders (local governments, CSOs and communities), and approaches to strengthen capacities to sustainably manage and utilise natural resources, to integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation in activities, and to build climate change resilient societies.

This particular scoping study is focusing on the first 2 project outputs namely: - (i) Mechanisms for enhancing biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems demonstrated and; (ii) Key successful sustainable land management (SLM) practices identified and replicated.

Objectives of the study:

• Identify key ENRM issues and gather data in biodiversity and environmental hotspots.
• Verify and map ongoing and planned land management, biodiversity and ecosystem services initiatives and identify gaps for project interventions.
• Based on the key ENRM issues identified and mapped, select priority geographical areas and sites for project interventions based on impacts of sustainable natural resource and land management issues. This will take into account priorities expressed in national plans and strategies, and the presence of complementary programmes and projects.

Under the supervision of the WWF Uganda Country Office, the consultants will perform the following tasks:

• Within the context of the proposed project, as expressed in the Project Document, assess the magnitude, seriousness and intensity of conservation of biodiversity, natural resource and sustainable land management issues and the actions taken by the people concerned and affected by it.
• Review and identify gaps in sustainable NRM particularly in the context of land management, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. This should focus on implementation-level issues (information, technologies, institutional capacity, etc.) at district and sub-county levels rather than policy level.  In particular, what are the key constraints that the achievement of sustainable NR and land management and the ability of communities to adapt to the impact of the changes? How can they be addressed by this project?
• With relation to the above, identify capacity gaps of various stakeholder groups to sustainably manage natural resources, land, and ecosystem restoration interventions.
• Identify and assess the strengths of key stakeholders (private sector, civil society and community based organizations), their desired role and responsibilities in sustainable NR and land management, conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, and possible partners that the project should collaborate with during implementation of the interventions in order to achieve the desired project outputs.
• Consider the NRM priority issues for Local Government that need specific interventions and what can be delivered through this project and through other projects/Government programmes.
• Develop a clear criterior for selection of project sites and geographical focus based on priorities of Government, the UNDP and WWF and propose geographical areas and sites for particular interventions (district, sub-county, etc.). This should take into account the constraints, gaps and opportunities identified above, focus on issues of sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded ecosystems.

Methodology

• While undertaking the assignment, the consultancy should adopt a clear methodology that ensure national representation of areas to be focused on by the project.
• Appropriate tools should be adopted in the national stakeholder consultations including desk review, stakeholder consultations, focus group discussions, field visits and key informant interviews.
• The consultants will also provide a work-plan and timetable for the field visits.
• A wide range of stakeholders should be consulted including key representatives of communities, organizations and institutions including Farmer-based Organizations, Community-based organizations, women’s organizations, local NGOs, and national and international research organizations relevant to climate change mitigation and sustainable natural resources and land management approaches. Key target groups would likely include
• A validation workshop involving key representatives of stakeholders in natural resource and land management, climate change mitigation and implementing partners will be organized.

Expected outputs:

• An Inception Report indicating the agreed tasks to be carried out, timeframe and outputs
• Draft report
• Presentations to and facilitation of a workshop convened to inform implementing and responsible partners and UNDP on the preliminary findings of the Scoping Study.
• GIS maps of land, ENRM, biodiversity  and ecosystem services hotspots, ongoing and planned initiatives.
• A final Scoping Study Report, based on the inputs of partners and UNDP

Deliverables.

• Minimum of 5 copies of well bound reports.
• Minimum of  3 copies of the report (preferably on CD or flash disk)

Duration of the assignment:

It is anticipated that the Scoping Study will take 4 weeks which is equivalent to 20 working days spread over 2 months. The duration of the assignment will be discussed and agreed on during the meeting at which consultants present their Inception Report.

Reporting:

The Consultants will report directly to the Country Director, WWF Uganda Country Office, or the person delegated by him.

Mode of payment:

• 20% on presentation of inception report
• 30% on presentation of first draft
• 50% on presentation of final draft

• Demonstrated solid knowledge on environment and natural resources management (including biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management) and development issues in Uganda.
• Demonstrated knowledge in project development, implementation and evaluation.
• Ability to deliver on time
• Outstanding time management, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Excellent drafting and reporting skills
• Excellent computer literacy

Education:

• Masters Degree in Environment natural resources management or related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years’ professional experience in the fields of sustainable land management (SLM), sustainable forest management (SFM), integrated watershed management, restoration of degraded ecosystems, efficient energy utilisation technologies, and climate change mitigation, development planning, and similar assignments.
• The individual must have a proven track record of assignments of this nature, preferably with experience in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of central and local governments’ environment, land and natural resources and climate change related programmes/projects at national, sub national and local levels.
• The individual should have experience engaging with CBOs and local NGOs.
• Contact details of the last three clients for whom similar work was completed must be given for reference checks.

Language Requirement:

• Fluency and excellent command of written and spoken English is a necessity.

Application Procedure

Applicants are required to submit an application and proposals, which include the following:

I. Job Proposal:

• Letter of Interest.
• Explanation as to why you consider yourself suitable for the assignment
• A brief methodology on the approach and implementation of the assignment.

II.     Personal CV Highlighting past experience in similar projects. Work references - contact details (e-mail addresses) of referees.

III.    Financial proposal indicating consultancy fee, lump sum fee or unit price together with any other expenses related to the assignment (e.g. travel costs, translation interpretation, holding of workshops/focus group discussion etc). Please note that the system will only allow you to upload one document, therefore all the job and financial proposals are to be attached to the CVs and uploaded together at once.