Expert - Community Environmental Management - Tanzania

A. Project Background and Objectives

The UNHCR Tanzania country programme has been managing significant environmental challenges in its camps since the 1990s. UNHCR Tanzania requires technical support and capacity building to improve and monitor their partner-implemented environmental programs. The incumbent will work with two of UNHCR’s local environmental partner organizations to 1) identify opportunities to transition UNHCR-supported environmental projects to more community-based, natural resource management, 2) identify opportunities to modernize local approaches to land and forest restoration based on ecologically sound best practice, 3) build local partners’ capacity to successfully implement land and forest restoration projects and 4) build the local partners’ capacity for community engagement and community-based project implementation. Further, the expert will work with the UNHCR field officers to 1) develop UNHCR staff skills in evaluating environmental partners and their programs, and 2) contribute to the UNHCR environmental strategy which is currently under development. This project will serve as a replicable model for how UNHCR can better work with non-traditional partners, who have a strong environmental focus, to provide natural resource management support that is appropriate for the refugee context, and particularly to strengthen community-based natural resource management.

1. SCOPE OF WORK

Part one : Identify opportunities to transition UNHCR-supported environmental projects to more, community-based, natural resource management

1. Evaluate the current environmental project plans. Establishing the objectives and outcomes for each activity and the rational given for these.
2. Evaluate the degree to which environment projects contribute to the draft environment strategy.
3. Undertake a consultation to prioritize environmental activities based on the draft strategy.
4. Identify current project activities that can be transitioned to community-lead projects.
5. Identify national and international partners that can be engaged to work with current partners on community natural resource management and lead the partnership development.

Part two : Identify opportunities to modernize local approaches to land and forest restoration

1. Evaluate the on-going restoration activities with respect to current ecological best practice.
2. Review land and forest management and restoration projects being implemented by other agencies in the area and identify synergies and possible partnerships.
3. Work with partners to develop guidelines for land and forest restoration that fosters local ownership and considers cultural, land tenure and long-term benefit sharing issues.
4. Review the practical elements of the projects such as nursery management, tree production, erosion control etc. and identify areas for improvement.

Part Three : build local partners’ capacity to successfully implement land and forest restoration projects

1. Based on the evaluations work with partners to prioritize projects that contribute to the draft environment strategy.
2. Based on evaluations develop and deliver skills training to improve partner capacity on the practical elements of environmental projects such as nursery management, tree production, erosion control etc. .
3. Work with partners to identify any gaps in the capacity for the administrative and planning elements of environmental projects.
4. Based on part three, point three, identify and recommend training opportunities for project administration and planning

Part Four : build the local partners’ capacity for community engagement

1. Based on the evaluations work with partners to identify projects that can be community led.
2. Based on evaluations develop and deliver skills training to improve partner capacity on the practical elements of community engagement such as consultations, understanding land tenure and inclusive project design.
3. For selected projects or project activities, lead a learning-by-doing exercise in engaging refugee and host communities to participate in the project/activity design and planning.
4. Based on the partner identification exercise in part one, point five, facilitate the development of one functional partnership with an environmental/natural resource management organization that can provide longer-term support for the local partners.

Part Five : develop UNHCR staff skills in environmental programming

1. Provide support to the on-going development of the Environmental Strategy through review and comments.
2. Develop and deliver trainings for UNHCR staff on evaluating partner led environmental projects to ensure they contribute to the environmental strategy and sensitize UNHCR field staff to the HQ support services that are available to help them evaluate projects where this falls outside their local capacity.

A. DELIVERABLES/SPECIFIC OUTPUTS EXPECTED FROM CONSULTANT

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

1. A short evaluation report on the current level of community engagement in environmental projects and the opportunities to transition to community-based programming
2. A short evaluation report on the current restoration activities and the opportunities to improve based on ecological best practice
3. Development and delivery, to partners, of a localized training package on the practical elements of environmental projects.
4. Development and delivery, to partners, of a localized training package on community engagement.
5. Development and delivery of a training package for UNHCR staff on evaluating partner led environmental projects.

All of the above deliverables to be completed through discussions with UNHCR staff in Tanzania and HQ and the World Bank team. UNHCR will approve outputs for each stage before proceeding to next stage.

SPECIFIC INPUTS TO BE PRESENTED BY THE CLIENT

The UNHCR HQ Environment Officer will provide technical oversight and direct line management will be provided by the Tanzania UNHCR operation and refugee representatives.

UNHCR will facilitate entry to field locations and discussions with stakeholders.

Relevant staff UNHCR will be available to discuss all aspects of the evaluations and development of the trainings and to support in any other aspects of completing the consultancy.

UNHCR has also engaged a consultant to develop the UNHCR Tanzania Environment Strategy. The draft strategy will help inform this consultancy and the two consultancies will work together to promote environmental management at the field level.

B. SPECIAL TERMS & CONDITIONS / SPECIFIC CRITERIA

Qualifications and experience

• Advanced university degree in environmental studies, natural resources management, conservation or related fields;
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience of which a minimum of 2 years is of relevant international experience in developing countries
• Experience in community based natural resource management
• Experience in capacity building and skills transfer
• Understanding of inclusive programming
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Excellent communication skills

Proposal and Payments

Payments under the contract shall be time based and made per person/month spent, in accordance with agreed rates. The duration of this consultancy is expected to be 2 months. The consultant is expected to be based in Kasulu with travel to Kibondo in Western Tanzania.

The contractor shall propose a rate inclusive of his/her professional fee, communications costs, drafting, travel, field accommodation and costs and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation) and any other associated cost. Any other costs necessary to complete the works, which are not specifically outlined on the proposal, will be deemed to be included in the overall price.

The consultant is requested to submit an example of any similar work produced, in addition to examples of any work in remote locations.

The consultant shall also propose a time schedule for each stage of the works.

HOW TO APPLY:

Send your P11 or CV, example(s) of any similar work produced, example(s) of any work produced in remote locations, a time schedule & fee for each of the above-mentioned deliverables to environment@unhcr.org