Background
- Improved governance framework for the management of biological resources and energy in Ecovillages
- Establishment of demonstration activities in the Ecovillages adjacent to three important protected areas in Senegal
- Systematic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in key end-uses and strategy towards energy self-sufficiency
- Strengthening capacities for carbon sequestration, integrated ecosystem management and nature-based climate change adaptation in territories adjacent to Ecovillages
- Participatory monitoring & evaluation of the project’s performance
- Build a national geographically-based Ecovillage database of existing and potential Ecovillages
- Define suitable criteria for the selection of Pilot Ecovillages for the project
- Consultations for site selection
- Ecovillages Survey (socio-economic characteristics, mapping etc.)
- Define initial proposals for the location, polygons and surface coverage for the CNRs
- Define alternative livelihoods activities (Jatropha curcas agrofuel development; mangrove regeneration; development of arboreta and massive afforestation)
- Proposed CNRs will be named, in full consultation with resident communities, and the
- Complete PA Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT)
- PA System Financial Sustainability Scorecard
- Concieve co-management models for CNRs
2. Baseline Data Collection and Information Gap Analysis
- Identify the current state of ecosystems and status of biological resources in the target PAs (i.e. the core parks and reserves) and in their buffer zones
- Identify direct threats to biodiversity, impacts, and root causes
- Identify threatened species, with particular focus on population, distribution.
- Propose a few but highly central/relevant ecological indicators for the project, establishing the baseline for these targets by end of project
- Propose a functional, feasible and continual biodiversity monitoring system for Ecovillages
- Carry out Baseline mapping studies to identify the boundaries of the target CNRs (state of land use and clearance, water resources, land usage, fauna, transhumance, vegetation, rainfall etc.)
- Rapid rural assessment: resource use, ownership, socio-economic conditions and trends in the target CNRs, potential alternative livelihood options, Jatropha curcas agrofuel development, mangrove regeneration, development of arboreta and massive afforestation
- Define ecological carrying capacities and feasibility of the CNRs for ecotourism, hunting, fishing and harvesting of forest resources
- Determine the energy profile and associated GHG emissions of a typical Ecovillage (“Bilan Carbone”)
- Assess the potential for a low carbon local development at the local level based on the energy and emissions profiles
- On the basis of vegetation maps and existing data on biocarbon sequestration, assess the potential of certain proposed alternative livelihoods activities to sequester carbon, in particular mangrove regeneration, development of arboreta and massive afforestation
- Mapping exercise for determining the total and potential land available for the development of Jatropha curcas agrofuel within Ecovillages’ territory
- Preliminary feasibility exercise for of Jatropha curcas , considering the implications of proposed plantations for biodiversity and food-security
- Analyse low carbon options for energy services (e.g. solar, solar/wind grids, agrofuel, mini or micro-hydro).
3. Analyses of Policy and Legal Frameworks and Capacity Gaps
- Analyse the legal, policy and fiscal frameworks relevant for the development and implementation of the Ecovillage model in Senegal (refering to CNRs, energy use, forestry agriculture, water or any other relevant sectors
- Assess the institutional framework: ANEV will be in the centre of the assessment, but it will equally include other government bodies (national and local), NGOs / CSOs, private sector.
- Analyse roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders relevant to the Ecovillage model, in particular, the capacity of local committees, village cooperatives, traditional leaders and other stakeholders, etc.
- Consolidate pledged co-financing and support letters
- Apply UNDP’s Capacity Development Scorecard
- Apply other relevant scorecards of NGOs / CBOs
4. Consolidation of the Ecovillage Model, Assessment of the GEF Increment and Industry Engagement Strategy
- Prepare the strategic document 'National Ecovillage Programme'
- Outline the project strategy through incremental cost reasoning and cost-efficiency analysis
- Prepare preliminary feasibility analyses: (tourism concessions, carbon trading in the voluntary market, briquetting or pelletizing for biomass resources, “energy hubs” , agrofuel, massive afforestation, arboretums, organic agriculture
- Mobilise co-financing from the private sector
5. Project Costing, Risk Assessment and M&E Planning
- Define global benefits
- Prepare the project logframe and strategy, taking comments from GEF Council, STAP and GEF Sec into consideration
- Identify main implementation partners and modalities, as well as a complementary strategy for partnerships and co-funding
- A learning (adaptive management) plan, including potential lessons and knowledge products
- A replication plan to ensure that project interventions are geared towards ensuring replication, following the removal of barriers
- An analysis of project risks and risk mitigation measures
- Analysis of the social, institutional, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities; and
- An overall project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, with recommendations on how to track the project’s progress and effectiveness, and the baseline and target values on indicators.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Application of the Protected Area Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) for the Community Natural Reserves (CNR), to be targeted by the project
- Biodiversity threat analysis
- Development of ecological indicators and definition of baseline and targets
- Design of TOR for the development and implementation of a BD monitoring system to be managed by the National Ecovillages Agency (ANEV)
- Development of Focus Papers for the involvement of the private sector
- Play a key role in designing the Ecovillages Survey and Assessment
- Analyze and inventory relevant data from current and past projects to aid research work during the current project;
- Review existing datasets on the ecological status of key biological resources in Ecovillages and make recommendations for the site selection and inclusion of ecological indicators in the project’s SRF;
- Design the TOR for the biodiversity monitoring system specifically tailored to the needs of Ecovillages conservation and community co-management (through CNRs) including the provision of baseline data for the targeted sites;
- Assess, based on existing studies, long term climate change planning for PA design to be carried out under the project;
- Summarize proposals for the institutional framework for the management of Ecovillages at the local level, in collaboration with the remainder team members;
- The PA Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), the UNDP Capacity Development scorecard and the UNDP Financial Sustainability scorecard (the latter only if applicable) will be completed to establish a framework for measuring capacity and financial performance in community management of the selected CRNs / Ecovillages and related PAs.
- 1st mission of 2-3 weeks in April 2010 with the purpose of guiding national consultants, interacting with the other international consultant and participating in the PPG inception workshop. A field trip will be organized to sites. with the purpose of guiding national consultants, interacting with the other international consultant and participating in the PPG inception workshop. A field trip will be organized to sites.
- 2nd mission of 2 weeks in Jul or Aug 2010 (t.b.d.) with the purpose of advancing in PRODOC writing, wrapping on the key PPG products. Another field visit may also be organized.
Competencies
- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences
- Skill in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations
- Skill in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others
- Skill in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise
Required Skills and Experience
- Extensive knowledge of protected area issues, including legal and policy frameworks, PA management effectiveness (including community involvement and capacity issues), PA planning (including business planning) and ecological monitoring systems for PAs
- Extensive knowledge of implementing and evaluating community-based and private sector based tourism and alternate income projects within and around PAs
- Previous experience with GEF development projects is a useful qualification for this position, but not a requirement
- Hold an advanced degree in a relevant field for conservation work (either with ecological, socio-economic or alternative livelihoods background) with consistent professional specialization in issues of PAs
- Have at least 8 years of proven experience in the mentioned field; and
- Demonstrated track record of relevant production in the mentioned area (publications, project proposals, reports)
- Mastery of oral and written English is a requirement
- Working knowledge of French is a plus