Consultant(e) expert(e) en Environnement (Phase I)

The Nordic Associations of Chocolate Producers, the International Cocoa Initiative, World Cocoa Foundation, and UNDP are setting up a new holistic cocoa livelihoods programme to enhance the sustainability of the cocoa sector in Côte d'Ivoire. The programme is intended to contribute to sustainability in living conditions for cocoa farmers and enhance productivity for cocoa farmers by integrating and scaling up existing development programmes which have proven effective and by institutionalizing best practice .The partners have agreed to design a programme which takes into consideration Economic, Social, Environmental and Governance issues related to the cocoa sector in Côte d'Ivoire, which accounts for 40 per cent of world supply. In order to agree on the development of a new programme strategy, the partners have asked UNDP to provide them with a Feasibility and Baseline Study, identifying the social, economic and social situation, current initiatives and stakeholders, as well as the challenges ahead. UNDP will hire Expert Consultants to carry out the study. There are more than 700,000 small holder farmers in Côte d'Ivoire, and in order to ensure that a programme will have a lasting positive impact, it will be key to design a programme which addresses capacity building and strengthening of public institutions which the farmers and their families depend on. The partners have created a task force responsible for setting up such a programme. The task force is chaired by a representative from the chocolate industry, co-chaired by a Government Representative of Côte d'Ivoire, and UNDP serves as the Secretariat. Côte d'Ivoire is now revising efforts towards the development of a sustainable cocoa sector, looking for a more targeted approach to stakeholder coordination for the operation and planning of programmes that address the issues facing the sector., the feasibility and baseline study produced as part of the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative can provide an avenue for stakeholders to cooperate more closely and align their work against barriers outlined by the study. Overall Goal of Consultancy The overall goal of the design phase one of the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative is to determine the main issues that hinder progress towards a sustainable cocoa industry in Côte d'Ivoire. This will be achieved by working in close collaboration with government and key industry stakeholders to identify the main technical, institutional and policy issues within different thematic areas - social, economic and environmental. This will naturally lead into the identification of the most prominent threats and barriers that need removal if a sustainable cocoa industry is to be achieved. To determine plausible national project partners, an extensive stakeholder analysis will be performed to determine each organisations/NGOs/foundations comparative advantage and capacity to address the various barriers to sustainability. This will be complimented by a comprehensive assessment of current and past projects to determine which initiatives/concepts worked/failed, and how the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative can take successful pilots to scale. Following the completion of the comprehensive baseline study and report, the document will be used to assist in the creation of a project strategy for the overall initiative. The consultant(s) will provide key guidance during this process while working alongside of the cocoa initiative task force.

Duties and Responsibilities

Overall Goal of Consultancy The overall goal of the design phase one of the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative is to determine the main issues that hinder progress towards a sustainable cocoa industry in Côte d'Ivoire. This will be achieved by working in close collaboration with government and key industry stakeholders to identify the main technical, institutional and policy issues within different thematic areas - social, economic and environmental. This will naturally lead into the identification of the most prominent threats and barriers that need removal if a sustainable cocoa industry is to be achieved. To determine plausible national project partners, an extensive stakeholder analysis will be performed to determine each organisations/NGOs/foundations comparative advantage and capacity to address the various barriers to sustainability. This will be complimented by a comprehensive assessment of current and past projects to determine which initiatives/concepts worked/failed, and how the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative can take successful pilots to scale. Following the completion of the comprehensive baseline study and report, the document will be used to assist in the creation of a project strategy for the overall initiative. The consultant(s) will provide key guidance during this process while working alongside of the cocoa initiative task force. The lead international consultant will undertake the following; Duties and Responsibilities Support the Lead consultant with the production of Phase I environmental sections to ensure they are completed to a high quality, on scope and on budget. Ensure timely completion of responsible sections. The consultant will follow a work plan that is self prepared but agreed upon by the international consultant. Ensure effective synergy among baseline activities. Liaise with UNDP, government agencies and relevant industry stakeholders to collect information to accurately address environmental aspects of each section of the baseline study (see deliverables below). The consultant must also be prepared to actively research the literature. Indentify all environmental related issues affecting the cocoa industry. Provide particular attention to payments for ecosystem goods and services i.e. carbon capture, watershed creation, biodiversity benefits. Provide detailed information on current cocoa production practices and their negative environmental impacts. Provide detailed information on rates of deforestation, forest degradation hotspots and the main drivers of deforestation. Where possible use illustrative maps. At a national, district and community level evaluate and describe all environmental policies that affect cocoa farmers and their families. Identify all key stakeholders through a stakeholder analysis, documenting their comparative advantage for environmental studies i.e. past projects, capacities (human and skills) etc. List all past and on-going projects that worked on environmental issues. A standardised template and research plan should be formulated with the other consultants to allocate workload between the UNDP baseline team. This will allow national consultants to capture relevant projects and better manage the information obtained. Provide all baseline information and any additional information to the International consultant and advisor(s). Develop and ensure timely submission of Phase I sections to the International consultant based on the work plan. Mobilize all project activities in accordance with UNDP procedures for nationally executed projects. Deliverables Prepare and present a work plan for completion of each specific baseline section to the International consultant whilst agreeing on baseline sections to be completed by each consultant – this will include a detailed framework of consultant activities with benchmarked dates for completion of each section. The International consultant will lead the overall baseline process and bring together the various sections of the report. Assist International consultant in the development of monthly progress reports. Assist the International consultant in the preparation of presentations and support at workshops. The environmental consultant will be responsible for collecting information on the topics listed below to prepare the various environmental sections of the overall baseline study and strategy document to support the Lead consultant. Provide the environmental context to the following topics: Overall Situation Analysis Barriers, threats and root causes assessment Sustainable forest management Deforestation Cocoa landscape restoration Production practices (Quality and Quantity) Market incentive mechanisms for sustainable cocoa production - Opportunities for Payments for Payments for Environmental Services (PES) Policy Institutional and non-institutional tools for monitoring indicators Stakeholder analysis Analysis of current and past projects Other sections/items that may arise during the study Supervision and Reporting Administrative supervision by Project Manager UNDP CO. Substantive supervision: Lead Consultant and the Green Commodities Facility Project Advisor.

Competencies

Management skills: Ability to plan, monitor progress, administers budgets, and work effectively with counterparts to realize goals. Facilitation skills: Ability to effectively facilitate meetings and processes effectively, compile complex and technical information in an understandable language to a wide variety of audiences. Results-orientation: Skill in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others. Analytical skills: Ability to draw conclusions based on a contextual examination of facts and processes. Communication skills: Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills; Easiness with IT: Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: University degree in Natural Resource Management, Biodiversity Conservation, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, or any other areas relevant to the project theme. Understanding and interest in schemes for the payments of environmental services would be a good advantage. Thorough understanding of Côte d'Ivoire cocoa sector in relation to the governments vision, goals and modes of operation and how the private sector operates in the local supply chain. Consistent professional specialization in issues surrounding sustainable production landscapes and mainstreaming biodiversity conservation, particular emphasis on sustainable agricultural initiatives would be an advantage. Experience: At least 5 years of work experience, of which some 3 years are with project/program working on policy issues and/or forest conservation in a development context. Previous working experience in Côte d'Ivoire cocoa sector. Excellent writing and verbal communication in English is a must Application Procedure: Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications: Technical Proposal: (i) Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work (ii) Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Financial proposal Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Consultant(e) expert(e) en Environnement (Phase I)