1. BACKGROUND

The GGP (Good Growth Partnership) Program aims to contribute addressing various challenges in implementing sustainable development in the palm oil production sector and reducing the global impact of this sector related to GHG (Green House Gas) emission and biodiversity. Funded by Global Environment Facility, Support to Reduced Deforestation from Commodity Production project, (hereafter the ‘Production project’) has the objective to encourage sustainable practices for oil palm in Indonesia while conserving forests and safeguarding the rights of smallholder farmers and forest-dependent communities. In Indonesia, the Production project was commencing in 2017 in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture and focuses on three landscape areas, which are South Tapanuli (North Sumatra), Pelalawan (Riau) and Sintang (West Kalimantan).

Landscape and jurisdictional approaches which attempt to address agricultural expansion and the other drivers of deforestation are complex in nature attempting to combat political, economic and social forces at interplay, and hence are contributing to changing the forces at play, in conjunction with other efforts. Theories of Change tend to include multiple assumptions and risks and rely on many factors working alongside project intervention efforts. As these landscape and jurisdictional approaches are designed and implemented in complex environments trying to pull select levers for change, it is not always apparent if the interventions are having the intended results and causality leading to reduced deforestation at the landscape level.

This suggests that it is critical for landscape and jurisdictional approaches to become more reflective and insightful during their implementation on what is working and how in order to optimize long term changes to the drivers of deforestation in their respective landscapes and contribute to the ultimate intended impacts of reducing deforestation.

In recognition of the complexity at landscape level and this imperative to learn during implementation about the links between project interventions and outcomes, the Landscape Assessment Tool (LAT)[1] methodology has been developed to help practitioners deepen their understanding of the causal pathways through which their respective interventions are contributing (or not) to reducing deforestation at landscape or jurisdictional level. By considering the relationships among interventions and between interventions and forest-related dynamics, the tool supports practitioners in gaining knowledge of whether and how the levers their project has selected are effecting change. The tool assists landscape and jurisdictional projects assess on a continual basis their contribution/s to the intended impact of reducing deforestation in their targeted landscapes.

Through a participatory process, LAT application encourages continuous reflection around the effectiveness a Project’s intervention/s and strengthens the understanding of Project teams about what they are really trying to achieve through the implementation of their workplans and deliverables. Through the LAT methodology, Project teams and their interventions are effectively linked to the landscape-level system leading to deforestation or land-use change, allowing for a holistic assessment of causality with due consideration to the system dynamics in which they operate.

Therefore, the project is seeking to hire an Expert for Landscape Intervention Contribution Assessment to lead on implementing the Contribution Analysis and Reporting & Recommendations steps of the LAT developed within the framework of the GGP. The final output of this consultancy is the production of LAT report in three GGP landscape areas in Indonesia. The Consultant will work under the supervision of SPOI Landscape Coordinator, SPOI National Project Manager and Global M&E Specialist.

Scope of Work

The scope of work and responsibility of the consultant comprise of:

1. Coordinate with UNDP-SPOI project team members at national and global level in preparation of LAT facilitation process. This include but not limited to:

• Convene internal discussion via zoom meeting with UNDP SPOI project team members;
• Develop LAT facilitation work plan;

1. Engage with relevant stakeholders in preparation as well as during LAT facilitation process at both national, provincial and district level.

2. Carry out facilitation process in three landscape areas in Indonesia based on LAT methodology developed under GGP program. This include but not limited to:

• Lead the LAT workshop in three landscape areas in Indonesia;
• Collect and record appropriately relevant data and evidence in accordance with the LAT methodology;
• Record all the meetings held in three landscape areas in Indonesia;
• Share the recordings in a designated drive prepared by the Project;
• Participate to debriefing activities as needed.

4. Develop the LAT report for three landscape areas in Indonesia, in both Bahasa Indonesia and English. This include but not limited to:

• Interpret all gathered information specific to each landscape area;
• Prepare a structured and concise report for each landscape area;
• Provide actionable recommendations for adaptive management/sustainability/scaling/new project design for each landscape area. 

Provide any relevant support as required by the project.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The assignments will be delivered within 28 working days during June – July 2021 with possible extension.