IN THE MTWARA AND LINDI REGIONS OF SOUTHERN TANZANIA
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE JUNIOR EXPERT POSITION
CONTEXT
It is anticipated that Tanzania will be severely impacted by climate change over the next 20 years. Climate change is affecting Tanzania through droughts and late onset of rains. Agriculture is the main economic sector in Tanzania and has been prioritized by the Tanzanian government as the engine driving the future economic growth in the NAPA (National Adaptation Programme of Action). Accounting for 45% of GDP, 80% of employment, and 66% of merchandise export, agriculture is practiced mostly by small-scale farmers having 3 ha or less. Agriculture is expected to be the sector most impacted by climate change, and small holder Tanzanian farmers who rely exclusively on climate sensitive resources such as water and vegetation are expected to be hit hardest (Chambwera, 2009) .
With this in mind, assisting farmers to adapt to the anticipated effects of climate change and supporting rural livelihood systems to be more resilient are critical for Tanzania. Adaptation can reduce the economic costs of climate change. But the efforts required for adaptation also have a cost that needs to be assessed in order to inform policies and raise funds for financing.
In Southern Tanzania, AKF CRSP(T) expects to contribute to the Government of Tanzania’s National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction (MKUKUTA). Accordingly, CRSP(T) aims to contribute to improvements in the quality of life of households in the Lindi and Mtwara regions through sustainable socio-economic interventions initially aimed at improvements in food security and income generation. Interventions include support to agriculture production (rice, sesame) and sustainable cropping practices (Conservation Agriculture) as well as support to rice and sesame marketing and financial services through CBSGs. After the first two years of programme implementation, CRSP(T) is interested in how best to target and tailor interventions to suit the needs and interests of programme beneficiaries.
There is a need to better understand the inherent diversity in farmers’ thinking, strategies and constraints in order to adapt programme activities to cater to the diversity within the programme beneficiaries. This diversity is, amongst other things, linked to the different agro-ecological zones where farming households practice agriculture and the resultant systems of production that shape the livelihoods of these households.
PROPOSED STUDY
As part of its partnership with DFID for the implementation of its agriculture and market development initiatives, AKF has been engaged to undertake action research in Mtwara and Lindi Regions to contribute to the understanding of the linkages between farm productivity, income, nutrition, and climate change. In a recent report by Dr. Alex Awiti, AKF presented its perspective on the above-mentioned action research agenda and highlighted seven areas for further study, which have been approved by DFID. These areas are:
i) understanding vulnerability and resilience at the household level;
ii) pathways for increasing and sustaining agricultural productivity and profitability;
iii) links between agricultural productivity, income and nutritional security;
iv) a watershed approach to integrated rice management;
v) collective action: understanding the dynamics of credit/savings groups and the PLAR groups;
vi) gender;
vii) land tenure.
It is therefore with a twofold intent that a farming systems study for Lindi and Mtwara regions is being suggested. The first objective is to better understand the diversity amongst farmers within the programme area so as to better target and tailor technical assistance delivery approaches aimed at increasing agricultural productivity and profitability. The second objective, is to enable CRSPT to contribute to a regional and national dialogue around understanding vulnerability and resilience of small holder farmer households in Southern Tanzania to climate change thereby addressing Topics 1 and 2 of the above 7 topics highlighted as parts of CRSP(T) action research agenda.
A farming system (FS) approach will be used for the study as it is the most pertinent analytical framework to provide the answers required. The FS approach was developed in the 1960s/1970s to provide an analytical framework for agricultural development practitioners which enable them to understand the complexity and diversity of agricultural systems.
METHODOLOGY OF THE PROPOSED STUDY
The central concept of the farming system approach is the system of production. A system of production is characterised by the kind of products, labour, and means of production used, defined at farm level. It can be further divided into sub-systems: cropping system, livestock breeding system, processing systems, etc. For this study, the usual FS approach will be slightly modified to take into account the broader household economy so as not to limit the study to agricultural livelihoods, as livelihood diversification is one of the long term livelihood strategies used by rural households when facing hardship. However, only farming activities will be assessed in details.
The study will be based on the agrarian diagnosis methodology and will consider the implementation area of CRSP(T): it will include Lindi and Mtwara regions where activities are implemented and it will further divide these two regions into agro-ecological zones. The different systems of production corresponding to each zone will then be identified through a non-representative survey and analysed with a focus on their respective resilience and adaptation to climate change. It will provide information on trends due to climate change and about which system and sub-systems (cropping, breeding, processing activities) to support because of their lower sensitivity to climate change, etc.
The main questions that the study will address are:
1. What are main livelihoods of farming households in Mtwara and Lindi? How are they already impacted by climate change?
2. How do farmers’ development strategies vary according to their various contexts and the different constraints that they face (i.e.: ecological conditions, socio-economic status, gender, land tenure, water management, etc)?
3. What are the short-term coping strategies and the long-term adaptation measures that farmers implement when facing shocks or structural changes due to climate change or other events (economic, etc.)?
4. What effect do these strategies/adaptations have on main livelihood outcomes (food security, income, well-being, and natural resources management), etc.?
5. What are the current trends with respect to the evolution of farmer livelihoods? What can be said about what they will be in 20 years taking into account issues relating to climate change?
6. What national, regional or international policies affect these issues?
The methodology proposed to be used in the study will consist of five main steps:
1. Zoning (definition of agro-ecological zones)
2. Identification of the different types of farmers (or “systems of production”)
3. Carrying out an in-depth survey of the systems of production
4. Economic analysis (calculation for each sub-system and system of the production costs, gross products, value added, profitability, farm income generated, etc.)
5. Prospective analysis including key policies and regulations affecting the sector
Moreover a study using a semi-structure survey instrument and key informant interviews involving local stakeholders (farmer leaders, local leaders, authorities) and AKF staff at is a good opportunity to 1) will take advantage of local knowledge, 2) promote participatory approaches based on common analysis and objectives. Such a study is also an excellent training and capacity building opportunity for all of the agriculture, market development and monitoring and evaluation staff.
An internal more detailed paper on farming systems has also been developed and can be shared if further clarification is required regarding the proposed methodology.
Outputs of the Research
• A mapping of systems of production and vulnerabilities and impacts on these in each agro-ecological zones
• A technico-economical description of the different types of producers present in the 2 regions
• A desk research literature review of documented and potential climate change impacts to agriculture in the region, options to address these challenges, and identification of key policies which influence this sector.
• Recommendation for CRSPT to address issues identified in the first three outputs, with action plan for technical support and implementation.
Putting the Research into Action
CRSPT will use this research to inform programming and determine key areas where the programme can address climate change challenges faced by farmers. These findings will be documented, and a dissemination strategy developed to inform programming or approaches in other AKF programmes in Africa where appropriate.
Specifically, CRSPT will use the information obtained to help management orient agriculture and market development programme activities to, for example:
1. Refine the programme’s approach to targeting those zones and farmers who are most likely to benefit from the proposed interventions
2. Better identify the most important constraints for farmers which the programme may be able to address to efficiently enhance production. Even if the programme cannot directly address certain constraints, it will be important for management to be aware of these (e.g.: gender issues, access to water, quality of water management, social organisation, land tenure, competition with other livelihoods or crops in terms of time or resource allocation, ability to take risks-any technical innovation being a risk for farmers-, etc).
3. Adapt the support provided to better suit farmers’ needs and resources
4. Identify which other crops or livelihood activities could be supported in the future because of potential for success.
IMPLEMENTATION AND BUDGET
Such a study will require about 5 months of work in total, including 3 months of field work. However, the first steps of the assessment (zoning and the preliminary typology) have already been undertaken in October 2011 in the Lindi and Mtwara regions (to assist the M&E team with sample selection for data collection for more complicated indicators during the upcoming 2012 season). As such, the remaining duration for the FS study will be about 4 months (with about 2.5 months of field work). The study should preferably be conducted during the main farming season and also when there are no major issues of access to remote places because of weather (rain). It would be best if the study is conducted from March to June 2012.
The remaining part of the study must be fully or partly outsourced given the time and skills it requires. Given that it requires extensive field work, it can be very expensive if it is exclusively implemented by two consultants (one junior consultant and one senior consultant).
Junior Expert consultant
Responsibilities
The Junior expert will be in charge of the following tasks:
-Data collection and analysis (typology, technico-economic analysis) in collaboration with a Tanzanian student and CRSPT staff for the typology of producers
-Draft study on producer’s typology and technico-economical analysis
-Capacity building of his collaborators (technical staff of CRSPTlocal student) in the mean time
-Participate in the final workshop
The Junior expert will be supported on all logistical and organisational aspects by CRSP (T) technical and administrative managers.
The assignment of the Junior expert is for 3,5 months (Mid-march-June). The position is based in Mtwara.
The Junior consultant will be supported on technical and methodological aspects by the Senior consultant, who will also:
-Brief and discuss with the junior on the preliminary findings (zoning) and global methodology
-Validate data quality and analysis
-Complete the analysis with the prospective analysis taking into account climate change impact (through literature review, meetings with key-informants in-country)
-Elaborate the proposed implications of findings for CRSP(T) strategy and use of findings
-Organize a final workshop on the study findings
-Finalize the last version of the study
Personnel requirements for the junior expert position
The junior consultant will:
• Have Master degree in agro-economy, including training on the Farming system approach (including technico-economical analysis of systems)
• Have previous experience in agrarian diagnosis
• Be fluent in English
• Knowledge of climate change related issues is an asset
Application for the position
Send CV+CL to isabelle.martin@akdn.org
Expert In Farming Systems Aga Khan Foundation
Reviewed by Unknown
on
12:40:00 AM
Rating:
No comments: