SCOPING AND PRIORITIZATION OF VALUE CHAINS THAT HOLD THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD CLIMATE RESILIENCE FOR THE TARGET COMMUNITIES AND LANDSCAPES. 285 views0 applications

SCOPE OF WORK VALUE CHAINS SCOPING AND PRIORITIZATION CONSULTANCY

Towards Ending Drought Emergencies – TWENDE Project. Ecosystem Based Adaptation in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Rangelands.

2.1 Background

Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of all, for over 30 years. Through science, policy, and partnerships, CI is helping build a healthier, more prosperous, and more productive planet. Today, with offices in more than two dozen countries and a worldwide network of thousands of partners, CI has a truly global reach. Conservation International is one of the three executing partners of the Towards Ending Drought Emergencies (TWENDE): Ecosystem Based Adaptation in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Rangelands. The 5- year TWENDE project is funded by Green Climate Fund (GCF), with IUCN as the accredited entity. The objective of the TWENDE project is to reduce the cost of climate change induced drought on Kenya’s national economy by increasing resilience of the livestock and other land use sectors in restored and effectively governed rangeland ecosystems. The project contributes towards Kenya’s national policy of “Ending Drought Emergencies”, as outlined in “Kenya Vision 2030”. It strengthens climate change adaptation in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The project is implemented in three landscapes (Sabarwawa, Mid Tana and Chyulu Hills) spanning 11 counties. These target landscapes face a range of challenges including weak capacity for landscape planning, poor access to climate data and analysis, and limited access to markets and financial services. Implementation of the TWENDE project is through three components:

• Component 1: Climate change adapted planning for drought resilience – The component ensures coordinated transboundary rangeland management decisions are strengthened by enhanced climate change analysis and participatory community and county planning. The component contributes to addressing the barriers of weak capabilities and inadequate governance institutions. National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) is the executing entity for this component.
• Component 2: Restoration of rangeland landscapes for ecosystem-based adaptation – The components main output is to ensure prioritized rangeland resources (including water), are brought under restoration, safeguarded and sustainably managed for improved climate change resilience. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries is the executing entity for this component.
• Component 3: Climate change resilient ecosystem management for investments – Main focus is public, private and community investments in natural resources, addressing barriers related to insufficient investment in rangelands and poor access to markets and financial services.

Conservation International is the executing entity for component 3.9

Component 3 Overview Component 3 of the TWENDE project is made up of four activities as follows;

• Activity 3.1: Climate resilient Investment in priority value chains that have been validated by local communities,
• Activity 3.2: Provide grants to establish restoration enterprises created/led primarily by women’s groups,
• Activity 3.3: Establish financial incentive mechanisms for sustainable land management,
• Activity 3.4: Provide grants to community-based enterprises for ecosystem-based adaptation that could create opportunities for investments in the value chains.

Each of these activities will be co-implemented with service providers including (but possibly not exclusive to): KEFRI (activity 3.1) Just Diggit (activity 3.2), IUCN Kenya (activity 3.3) and CI Ventures for activity 3.4. A number of field implementing partners will be brought on board including Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) and Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT), among others. Activity 3.1 seeks to prioritize and analyze climate resilient value chains with the biggest potential for climate adaptive livelihoods opportunities. The prioritized value chains will then receive technical and material support through the rest of the component activities to unlock investment and catalyze their growth and thus enhance climate resilience for the communities and the landscapes.

2.2 Purpose

Conservation International wishes to engage a part-time consultant for an initial 6-month period to undertake an overall scoping and prioritization of value chains that hold the biggest opportunity to build climate resilience for the target communities and landscapes. The purpose of the consultancy is to enable the development of a list of 3 to 5 priority value chains using an agreed upon criteria and through stakeholder consultation and expert input. The value chains prioritized will then be subjected to a detailed analysis to verify and quantify the opportunities, identify systemic bottlenecks and develop actionable business cases for these value chains. The business cases should clearly define what interventions are required for drought anticipation, preparation and response targeted to build climate resilience in drought-prone landscapes. The various business cases generated will be supported via activities 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 through a blend of technical and material support towards commercialization and food security.

2.3 Objectives and Specific Tasks

The objective of the assignment is to conduct a scoping and value chain prioritization process and recommend value chains with the highest livelihood and climate resilience potential for the target communities and landscapes. The specific tasks of the assignment include: (i). In consultation with the project team, design, review and refine the value chain analysis methodology and approach, define the prioritization criteria and give preliminary guidance on how follow-on value chain analysis will be conducted. (ii). Undertake a thorough secondary data review to take stock of existing value chain analysis literature in Kenya’s rangelands, and develop a shortlist of potential opportunities, stakeholders, policy frameworks, potential co-investment partners etc.10 (iii). Undertake a thorough stakeholder consultation process. Stakeholders will include; TWENDE project partners, county governments, government institutions, NGOs, private sector, research, communities, among others. (iv). Dedicated outreach to private sector players to gather their insights on opportunities and challenges along various value chains. This outreach is expected to lay foundation for private sector partnership in the priority value chains. (v). Compile an actionable report with clear, concise and quantified recommendations of priority value chains for further future analysis, clearly identifying specific points along the value chain that hold most promising livelihood, enterprise and climate resilience potential for detailed analysis. The report should include a summary socio-economic and drought adaptation analysis. Additionally, the report should clearly and specifically outline both private and public partnership opportunities. (vi). Become part of CI’s TWENDE team and offer technical and strategic leadership on the roll-out of value chain related interventions.

2.4 Methodology

The consultant will identify and describe the most appropriate and efficient methodology and approach for designing and conduction of a value chain scoping and prioritization process. It is envisioned that the methodology will include (but not limited to) the following: • Refinement of the assignment methodology and prioritization criteria • Thorough desk review of existing value chain analysis reports/materials in Kenyan rangelands • Stakeholders’ consultations in the field • Expert interviews • Summary socio-economic and drought adaptation analysis

2.5 Deliverables/Outputs of the Assignment

Three main deliverables are expected: (i). Inception Report: In the project inception phase, the consultant will undertake consultation with CI TWENDE project team and service providers to ensure a holistic assignment methodology and approach is developed. Within 14 days from the commencement of the assignment, the consultant will submit to CI an inception report that details the assignment methodology and delivery timelines. As part of the inception stage reporting, the consultant will facilitate a virtual stakeholders’ workshop outlining the assignment methodology. (ii). Monthly Assignment Update Reports: The consultant will submit 4 monthly update reports to CI. The update reports will provide a summary of preliminary findings. The report will clearly outline what stakeholders have been engaged (with specific interest on private sector and other Business Development Service (BDS) providers and the emerging partnership opportunities with these stakeholders. As part of the monthly reports, the consultant will host a meeting to present the preliminary findings to the TWENDE team. (iii). DraftScoping and Prioritization Report: The draft report will be due 5 calendar months after the commencement of the assignment. The report will provide detailed findings of the assignment. The consultant will then facilitate a validation workshop bringing together a wide array of participants.11 (iv). Final Scoping and Prioritization Report: after the validation workshop above, the consultant will then compile and submit a final report for adoption or approval.

2.6 Reference Documents

Relevant documents that CI will share with the Consultant include (but not be limited to) the following:

• TWENDE funding proposal (including ESMF),
• Project Revised logical framework,
• Project Monitoring and Evaluation plan,
• TWENDE Project Feasibility Study,
• Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF).

Required Skills and Experience

The consultant is expected to work independently with CI providing overall coordination. The consultant will meet the following key skills, experience and qualifications.

• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in socio-economic, climate change resilience assessment, restoration enterprises, rural economic development, enterprise development, value chains analysis and natural resource management.
• Having led programs or value chain assessments in Kenya or other countries, preferably in ASALs within the East African region.
• A relevant post-graduate degree at or above MSc level in rangelands ecology, agribusiness management, agricultural economics, climate change adaptation/mitigation, rural development or a related discipline.
• At least ten (10) years’ demonstrated experience conducting value chain analysis for large donor projects, preferably in the arid and semi-arid areas.
• Previous experience in the development of investable business cases, experience in value chains and markets, Incentive payment schemes assessments
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills and demonstrated good thorough knowledge of the rangeland’s stakeholders’ ecosystem in Kenya and beyond.
• Proven experience in applying gender lenses in rural enterprises development.
• Clear understanding of research methodologies and experience using a range of research tools and techniques with regards to value chain analysis and rural enterprises.
• Experience working in the Arid and Semi-arid Regions of Kenya.
• Fluent in spoken and written English and Swahili