ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
Adeso is an expanding and vibrant African based international development and humanitarian organization. At Adeso, we work with African communities who are yet to realize their full potential; working inside these communities to create environments in which Africans can thrive. Our belief that economic, social and environmental security is the bedrock of a healthy community drives the nature and intent of our programming. We work to prevent and overcome situations that adversely affect community well-being by: reinvigorating the economy, developing skills for life and work, providing humanitarian aid, and influencing policy.
For the past 20 years we have strengthened rural livelihoods through environmental awareness, training, technology transfer and innovative humanitarian projects in pursuit of a peaceful, self-reliant, and greener future. At present, Adeso has programs in Somalia, Kenya and South Sudan. Adeso is an exciting and dynamic organization experiencing managed rapid growth. It offers sound employment conditions with opportunities for personal growth and development.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Resilience and Economic Growth in Arid Lands-Improving Resilience (REGAL-IR) is a 5-year program sponsored by USAID/Kenya and Feed the Future (Ftf) to reduce hunger and poverty, increase social stability and build strong foundations for economic growth amongst pastoralists and transitioning pastoralists in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The program is designed to empower communities to take charge of their development and to strengthen their capacity to select, design, implement and monitor activities toward increasing their social, economic, and environmental resilience to natural and human-induced shocks.
REGAL-IR is led by Adeso and is implemented by a consortium of partners. An intensive community engagement process - Participatory Learning, Planning and Action (PLPA) – guides program decisions and implementation in six thematic areas including diversifying livelihoods, improving value chain inclusiveness, natural resource management, conflict management and mitigation, disaster risk reduction, and improving nutrition.
Recurrent droughts and degradation of natural resource base have made local population in the program targeted counties of Turkana, Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir and Marsabit more vulnerable and dependent on food aid and emergency relief. The situation has been exacerbated by among other factors, by population growth, increased / unplanned settlements of previously mobile pastoralists, mushrooming market centers, loss of dry season pastures coupled with incoherent approach to rangeland management. The combined impact of these challenges undermines the livelihood system of communities in the ASAL making pastoralists more vulnerable to drought and livestock losses.
SCOPE OF WORK/ PURPOSE
REGAL-IR seeks technical assistance of a consortium of multi-disciplinary team to undertake a Landscape wide biophysical environmental studies and time series data analysis of the state of natural resources over the last 30 years using expert knowledge and innovative technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing; assist the project team to achieve key development objectives as the project transitions from facilitating the design of Community Development Action Plans (CDAPs), to assisting with the integration of community proposed interventions into County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) and the implementation thereof. REGAL-IR work plan specifies the design and implementation of bio-physical landscape assessment tools, to determine changes in vegetation cover and resource base, reason for these changes and recommendations to address the changes. The REGAL-IR team requires assistance in development of these tools and its use by CBNRM institutions and REGAL-IR team for continuous monitoring of natural resource base especially water and pasture/forage productivity including Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) early warning signs, implementation, and reporting mechanisms - related to climate change (adaptation and mitigation).
KEY TASKS for the consultants
Regal-IR is a cooperative agreement with USAID and this assignment is one of the recommendations in the process of building resilience of pastoral communities as envisaged by Climate Change and adaptation policy at the Bureau for Food Security (BFS). The consortium is therefore expected to perform the following tasks:
· GIS Inventory: acquire, generate and consolidate relevant GIS vector and imagery files within the project areas such as discrete livelihood zones, vegetation cover and land cover including trend analysis of existing datasets to ensure geospatial mapping of physical landscapes for 30 CBNRM cluster areas in Turkana (11), Marsabit (8), Wajir (4), Garissa (6) and Isiolo (1) in 24 wards using 1976 /8 as base and 2010/11 as present. Considering desktop spatial-time series (change detection) land cover analysis, vegetation/forage analysis, soil potential analysis, land degradation / recovery analysis, extent of invasive species and quantify changes detected in CBNRM. There are existing resources within Research institutions, Universities, Regional Mapping / Remote Sensing Centres, Government ministries and bilateral organizations.
· Biophysical landscape analysis & maps: Undertake systematic Ward based mapping and documentation, ground truthing, vegetation types, invasive plant species, settlements expansion, livestock migration routes etc. combined with indigenous local knowledge in REGAL-IR CBNRM wards for the five counties of Turkana, Marsabit, Garisa, Isiolo and Wajir
· Harmonization and Layering of GIS maps: To harmonize REGAL-IR maps with those of other stakeholders working in the project areas particularly the USAID funded programs and other biophysical landscape resources mapping by various stakeholders i.e (IIED) in Isiolo, IUCN in Garissa, GIZ in Marsabit and Turkana, and USAID/OFDA as well as other potential partners in resilience programs for possible layering and data exchange / sharing opportunities.
· Stakeholder awareness forum: Share the findings of the study with NRM forum at County level to strengthen their capacity in utilizing biophysical maps in planning and executing county based land use development plans and recommend immediate viable countywide mitigation measures as well linkages to the national and regional bodies that would partners with county relevant institutions.
· County Linkage and legislation of community by-laws: Guide CBNRM clusters to develop their by-laws in conformity with EMCA, National land Policy and other existing environment management statutes and Acts. Make recommendations on the mechanisms for legislation and adoption of community by-laws through the County Assemblies at County level.
· Linkage of CDAPs and CIDPs: Review all community participatory land use plans and CDAPs, summarize and strategically link these plans with County devolved institutions and line ministries to help them implement natural resources and resilience-enhancing activities contained within the CIDP’s in connection with CDAPs.
· Strategic innovative interventions: Recommend, Coach and mentor the REGAL-IR GIS Specialist to develop a strategic approach / best practices to assist project staff and partners to utilize innovative technologies in implementing/improving NRMs, DRR, and other interventions;
Deliverables:
· All digitized materials used and A0 size maps (both hardcopy and softcopy)
· Interpretation of base and current satellite images used
· Technical report quantifying change types (ha, biomass, grazing lands, shrub/forest lands, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas) and recommendations for each county
· Conduct one day workshop for relevant stakeholders in the five Counties on the findings and recommendations of the studies as basis for decision making and resource monitoring
COORDINATION
This work requires 70% field work, and 3 0% office work. It will entail close cooperation and coordination with the Government of Kenya (GOK) specifically government ministries (Agriculture, water and irrigation, and their deconcentrated structures in the counties. This will be through in person meetings, emails and phone consultations of plans, policies and activities and how they link to REGAL-IR. In particular the consultant will seek county-level government officials, and a range of NRM development actors including REGAL-IR consortium members, 9-5-2 partners, NRT and other USG-funded projects to highlight how GIS mapping and natural resource management activities under REGAL-IR contribute to layering and strengthening resilience and improving food security with a special emphasis on addressing climate change. The work will also connect with NGOs, research institutions, and community groups. The consultant will coordinate with technical advisor on NRM as contact person with occasional support from GIS officer through meetings and forums/workshops.
TIMING
REGAL-IR has reached towards end point of its second year. The assignment is considered behind schedule and therefore the selected consulting team should mobilize and begin the study as soon as possible upon signing of contract. A total of 75 working days is estimated to complete the tasks in this scope of work.
Team of Consultants Required
Team Leader: Must have a minimum of Masters in Environmental Studies or Natural Resources Management with over 10 years on consultancy experience
GIS Expert: Must have a minimum of Masters with over 5 years on experience in mapping in ASALs
Rangeland Resources Management Expert: Must have a Minimum of 10 years’ experience in rangeland resources surveys and management.
Community Development Expert: Must have a Masters in Community Development or Project Planning and Management with over 5 years as a training expert especially in rural areas.
Field technicians: under each of the above areas with a minimum experience of 3 years.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications should be submitted by 10th April, 2015, the selection committee will review all applications as they arrive. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above, those unable to meet these requirements will not be considered. Adeso is an equal opportunity employer.
Each application package should include the following:
- An application letter addressing the selection criteria including how the firm’s/group’s previous experience matches the consultancy objectives,. It should also indicate the availability of the assessment team. The letter should not be longer than two pages.
- A brief proposal including the firm profile, summery of previous assignments by team, proposed methodology / approach and time plan for consultancy (not more than 15 pages).
- The proposal should have a financial proposal/budget with breakdowns of different costs involved.
- Updated CVs for all consultants including relevant work experience and qualifications.
Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed.
All applications should be sent to Adeso at consultancy@adesoafrica.orgwith the subject line:
“Application for consultancy in undertaking of Biophysical landscape study,
REGAL-IR Project Kenya.”
