Project background

SNV Kenya/Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) - in collaboration with County Governments, are implementing the Integrated & Climate Smart Innovations for Agro-Pastoralist Economies and Landscapes in Kenya’s ASAL project or action. The project’s lifetime is from 1 January 2021 – 31 December 23, and it works in the Counties of Narok, Kajiado and Taita Taveta. The project is funded by the European Union and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The project’s overall objective of the project is, livelihoods of agro-pastoralists communities (including women and youth) is enhanced through improved forage production and livestock husbandry, building on commercialization of climate smart innovations and sustainable landscape management in Taita Taveta, Kajiado and Narok counties. 

The project has three main objectives:

1. To increase resilience of agro-pastoralists and SMEs against climate shocks by upscaling of appropriate grazing and feeding innovations.


2. To increase capacity of county governments to implement climate resilient integrated landscape management strategies and plans to support agro-pastoralist communities.


3. To improve capacity of county governments to develop local strategies/frameworks for drought resilient sector development compliant with national policies.

A key objective of the IFAL-Malisho project is to increase the capacity of County Governments involved in the projects and actors to implement climate resilient integrated landscape management strategies and plans, to enhance resilience of Agro-pastoralist communities. This requires amongst other things, improving the enabling environment, sustainable use of strategic resources at landscape level, strengthening joint planning and knowledge base of the various actors such as the County Government, community landowner associations, conservancies and group ranches, civil society, and private sector players. The project aims at working towards sustainability of the interventions by strengthening integrated landscape and grazing management, drought resilient feeding policies and strategies.

Job Description

Scope of Work 

Purpose of the study:

The project is seeking a consultant to undertake a reconnaissance study into the status of landscape management and drought resilience feeding/grazing strategies in selected sites of rangelands in the project areas. It is expected to identify the associated support structures, best practices, and assess the existing gaps in the capacities of County Governments and stakeholders to implement jointly and coordinate climate resilience integrated landscapes management strategies and plans to support Agro-pastoralist communities.

The study findings will guide the project in the development of planned capacity development interventions aimed at

• Strengthening the County Governments’ and stakeholders’ capabilities to solve gaps in coordination and joint implementation. 


• Strengthening County Governments and communities’ capabilities to develop landscape management plans and grazing agreements that are owned, accepted, and enforced by all stakeholders through participatory decision making and targeted communication.


• Support integration of landscape management approaches into relevant County Government plans and policies such as the CIDPs and cross -border plans.


• Adoption of gender equitable practices that allow for inclusion of women and youth in landscape   management.


• Support the adoption of participatory approaches in landscape and grazing management and drought resilient feeding strategies by County Governments, communities, and other stakeholders.


• Provide the baseline for continuous monitoring and evaluation of progress and help create a solid foundation for planning, implementation, and sustainable results.

The Objectives of the Study

1. Establish the context of landscapes management and drought resilience feeding systems in selected rangelands in the IFAL Malisho project sites in Taita, Kajiado, and Narok.


2. Find out the status of county government and community based harmonized grazing arrangements and herd mobility strategies and identify prevailing gaps and any best practice for benchmarking and upscaling.


3. Establish the duty bearers, and status of management systems and structure responsible for the oversight, and technical support for landscape management and their functionality. Undertake an analysis of existing gaps of actors’ capacities in the coordination of integrated landscape and grazing management in the three counties.


4. Identify the existing County policy and legal frameworks responsible for safeguarding an enabling environment for harmonized integrated landscape and grazing management systems, including drought resilience feeding systems. Identify existing policy gaps and propose a strategic entry point for policy interventions to contribute to sustainable landscape management systems and structures.


5. Assess the status of the inclusion of women and youth, identify their roles, and make recommendations on ways to enhance their role in landscape management strategies.

Deliverables

The following deliverables will be achieved:

1. A draft gap analysis report with specific County sections covering the scope of work described above and a power point summarizing the main findings and recommendations and capacity building plan.


2. A final-draft report or reports after incorporating feedback from SNV and KALRO on the first draft report


3. A multi-stakeholder validation workshop in each County for presentation of the final draft report and discussions. The discussion feedback shall be included in the final report(s) as workshop proceedings.


4. A final report or reports edited and presented as per the requirements and standards of SNV Kenya.

Qualifications

1. At least a master’s degree in any of the following disciplines: Environmental studies, Rangeland Management, Agricultural sciences, Climate Change, or land-use Planning.


2. Preferably a minimum of ten (10) years relevant professional experience in the studies on Natural Resource Management programmes, policy formulation, and capacity development.


3. Prior demonstrated experience in undertaking similar studies and evidence of reports of the studies undertaken.


4. Extensive knowledge on the principles, and practices of sustainable range and landscape management in the context of pastoralist societies, herd mobility, resilience building, and sustainable utilization of natural resource.


5. Knowledge and experience of instruments applied in integrated landscape/rangeland management such as the development of land use plans and grazing/herding agreements.


6. Knowledge and hands-on experience of working with county governments as well as participatory approaches for engaging communities with a focus on ASALs.


7. Knowledge/hands on experience in undertaking studies on collaborative approaches for the management of shared natural resources, such as trans-boundary grazing resources and water bodies.


8. Experience in gender mainstreaming and youth inclusion in landscape management.


9. Experience in capacity assessments and development of capacity development plans


10. Proven ability for teamwork, facilitation, presentation, communication, and client orientation.

Additional requirements

• Good verbal and written communication skills.


• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.


• Practical and hands-on attitude/experience as regards implementation of good rangeland-oriented landscape management practices in ASALs.


• Sensitive and committed to gender equity and the role of youth.

Additional Information

Timelines

This assignment is expected to start early May 2021 and should be completed in early June 2021.

9. Requirements in response to this TOR

The following is required from the consultant in response to these terms of reference as a basis for evaluation and choice of the suitable consultant:

1. A technical and financial proposal.


2. A tentative work plan of the planned activities and the number of professional days for the consultant(s).


3. CVs of the lead consultant and any other consultants to be engaged.


4. Reference list of previous consultancies and relevant reports.

Please apply by clicking on the I’m Interested button and complete your application in our in-house recruitment system, attaching the required documents in English before 24th April 2021. 

NB: While making the application as a consulting firm, note that the system is customised to receive applications from individuals - please use the firm name instead of individual name and attach your company's profile in place of CV. The proposals and other documents can then be attached separately.

Applications submitted without the required attachments will be disqualified.