Background
- Changing agricultural practices: Farmers are replacing their traditionally diverse agricultural practices with high-yielding varieties, mono-crops and high levels of chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.
- Land use changes:? Traditional agriculture and forest land are converting to ?contract farming? of cash crops, including tree crops (e.g. rubber and Eucalyptus).
- Over-exploitation of biodiversity in the agricultural landscape: Increased population pressure and use of unsustainable harvesting practices influence negatively on agro-biodiversity resources.
- National policy and institutional arrangements mainstream biodiversity in agriculture and land use sectors
- National agriculture extension service promotes the sustainable use of farmer varieties and conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity within current production systems
- Strengthened local level capacity to conserve biodiversity and enhance productivity of biodiversity resources, especially agricultural biodiversity resources
- Agricultural biodiversity-friendly products made available in local and international markets
- Four in-situ gene banks established over 100,000 ha
Duties and Responsibilities
Analyze the existing national and regional policy and regulatory framework
- Identify all policies and aspects of the regulatory framework that have an impact on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, both within the agricultural sector and within other sectors.?This may include national, regional and international policies and legislation.
- Conduct an analysis of the implications of the policies and regulatory framework on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (and agricultural biodiversity).
- Following the identification of project sites:
- assess the impact of the national, regional and international policies and legislation on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (and agricultural biodiversity) at the project site
- identify local policies (formal and key informal policies) and their impact on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (and agricultural biodiversity) at the project site
- develop a comprehensive programme and work plan to address policy and regulatory issues at the level of the project site
- Examples of such tools would include guidelines for commercial farmers, mechanisms for promoting ?agricultural biodiversity friendly? projects, environmental impact assessment, life cycle assessment, amongst others.
- The analysis would also include considerations of marketing and land tenure-related policy and regulatory framework.
- Identify where such tools have been successfully developed and used within other countries in the region, critically assessing potential opportunities for adapting and applying similar tools in Lao PDR
Assess and analyze needs, and propose options
- Assess, analyze and provide options for integrating biodiversity conservation ? in particular agricultural biodiversity ? into government policies including, as applicable, agricultural, development, conservation, land use, commercial farming and other key impacting policies.
- Analyze operational and technical capacities at national and local levels, and identify gaps and capacity building needs ? this would be also undertaken in light of the expected output of establishing a national cross-sectoral biodiversity coordination mechanism at policy making level with a strong agricultural biodiversity component.
- Identify and assess priority areas and alternative strategies for institutional strengthening of relevant institutions (including extension services).
Prepare technical report
- Building upon the draft 2006 document on "The importance of agricultural biodiversity for food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods in Lao PDR, and relevant policies?, prepare a technical report assessing the policy and regulatory framework; capacity needs and institutional strengthening requirements for a conducive policy environment; identification of appropriate tools for mainstreaming biodiversity into national policy.
- Organize and conduct coordination meetings and/or workshops with all relevant institutions, to build partnerships and collaboration and raise awareness.
Elaboration of full-size project document
- Provide comprehensive support to the International Lead Consultant / Biodiversity Expert in the preparation of the policy/institution related component of the Full-Sized Proposal, according to the principles of Results Based Management.
- Provide inputs into other sections of the FSP, as required.
- Review relevant literature, including documents, reports, reviews, etc.
- Meet with relevant stakeholders, which will include Government, private sector, international non-governmental organizations, local communities, and others.
- Organize and conduct workshops with all relevant stakeholders, to build partnerships and collaboration and raise awareness, as needed.
- Update of 2006 report
- Analysis of the existing national and regional policy and regulatory framework
- Following the identification of projects sites, assess the impact of policy and regulatory framework on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (and agricultural biodiversity)
- Analysis of existing relevant tools (e.g. EIA, life cycle assessment)
- Assessment, analysis and options for integrating biodiversity conservation ? in particular agricultural biodiversity ? into government policies (at the following levels: national, provincial and project sites)
- Analysis of operational and technical capacities at national and local levels, and identify gaps and capacity building needs
- Identification and assessment of priority areas and alternative strategies for institutional strengthening of relevant institutions (including extension services).
Final Report
Competencies
- Ability to conduct research and analysis and strong synthesis skills
- Knowledge of and familiarity with tools such as environmental impact assessment desirable
- Highly developed inter-personal, negotiation and teamwork skills, networking aptitude, ability to work in multi-cultural environment
- Regional and local knowledge is desirable
- Excellent in English report writing and communication skills
- Knowledge of Lao language desirable
Required Skills and Experience
- Proven and extensive international experience in policy analysis, especially in relation to biodiversity
- Experience in UNDP/GEF project formulation/design
- Appropriate higher degree qualifications and at least 10 years relevant experience