Baseline Survey Consultancy Job in Kenya

Request for a proposal for baseline survey and designing of a monitoring and evaluation system for Building Drought Resilience through land and water management Project

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was founded in 1948 to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. 

Within the framework of global conventions IUCN has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. 

IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) have thematic programmes (including Water and Wetlands, and Drylands) with projects spreading across twenty three countries in the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. 

One such project is a 3-years (2012-2014) Austrian Aid funded project on Building Drought Resilience through land and water management (BDR) in Kenya (Lower Tana sub-catchment), and Uganda (the Upper Aswa-Agago sub-catchment). These are arid and semi-arid (ASAL) areas. 

The overall objective of the project is to improve resilience of dryland communities within a river catchment to the impacts of increasingly severe and frequent drought, through strengthened ecosystem management and adaptive capacity. 

The project aims to ensure that ecosystems in the project areas are effectively and sustainably managed through coordination of local and formal institutions that are supported by an enabling positive policy environment. 

Communities living in arid and semi-arid areas of East Africa face multiple challenges including recurrent droughts that hinder development and livelihood strategies. Interventions that enhance resilience and adaptive capacity or both the ecosystem and communities reliant upon them are of paramount importance.

The purpose of the consultancy is to establish a baseline and based on the overall objectives of the project and the findings of the baseline survey design the impact and outcome level indicators to enable effective monitoring and evaluation of the project. 

Provide information on: Indicators for measuring change; initial data for these indicators; and the mechanisms through which these indicators can be updated – how, when etc. 

This consultancy is expected to last for 30 days within the months of May/June 2012.

Profile of a suitable candidate:

• A postgraduate degree (at least Master’s degree) in natural resource management or social sciences from recognized university,
• Knowledge on development issues, gender, cultures and the drylands of Kenya,
• Over five years of experience in natural resource management, water, pastoralism and agro-pastoralism,
• Proven experience in execution of baseline surveys, designing and conducting of monitoring and evaluation of projects in natural resource management,
• Demonstrated high level of professionalism and ability to work independently in high pressure situations under tight deadlines,
• Strong communication skills,
• High proficiency in English language both written and spoken.

Terms of Reference:
 

In the Lower Tana River Basin the project is being implemented in partnership with Fafi Integrated Development Association (FaIDDA) and Water Resource Management Authority  (WRMA) . 

Other partners include the Global Water Initiative (GWWI) partners (CARE, Action Against Hunger, Catholic Relief Services) and Government institutions (National Drought Management Authority, Water, Forest and Wildlife, L Livestock, Agriculture, Irrigation, NEEMA, Provincial Administration and County/Local Government). 

The project is expected to build on existing initiatives being implemented by IUCN and partners within the project area or borrow from regions with similar environment with emphasis on building capacities of communities and institutions on sustainable ecosystem management, strengthening livelihoods and adaptation to climate change; supporting greater coordination between multi-sectoral institutions and improving awareness among policy makers on catchment management approaches. 

1. The project aims to achieve the following five key results:

Result 1: Integrity and functioning of catchments improved through ecosystem-based actions
that are gender sensitive and diversify livelihood assets;;

Result 2: Improved capacity of traditional and formal resource management institutions to
sustainably manage natural resources within a catchment area;

Result 3: Knowledge and skills of local communities to implement adaptation, innovation and change within institutions are mobilized and improved;

Result 4: Greater coordination between multi-sectoral institutions improves harmonization of plans and interventions;

Result 5: Awareness among policy makers on catchment management approaches are increased through learning based on project experiences.

2. Purpose and scope of the consultancy 

• The purpose of the consultancy is to establish a baseline and set up a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the BDR project. 
• The baseline will only be conducted for the Lower Tana Catchment i.e. not for the Upper Aswa-Agago sub-catchment because that has already been done. 
• However, the M&E system will be for the project. 
• The scope of the consultancy is detailed below:

2.1. Baseline Survey 

Step One: Collate and analyze basic socio-economic and demographic data within the sub-catchment. Provide information on: Basic population numbers and demographic trends; livelihoods and livelihood status - indicating changes/recent adaptation; and impacts of drought – identifying hot spot areas, extent and nature of loss. 

Step Two: Analyze status of natural resources within the sub-catchments. Provide information on: Types and pattern of land use – indicating nature and cause of changes, location, nature and extent of degradation within the catchment

Step Three: Analyze the systems of natural resource use and management within the catchment. Provide information on: The rules and regulations for customary resource management – detailing who is involved, strengths, weaknesses of the system in terms of legitimacy, efficiency and enforcement; formal/state – run natural resource institutions and systems for natural resource management - detailing their strengths, weaknesses and links to
the customary system; and existing conflicts of interest between varying resource users and if and how they are managed.

Step Four: Analyze extent and nature of adaptation within the catchment. Provide information on: Awareness and capacity of communities on adaptation strategies; awareness and capacity of local government on adaptation strategies; examples of existing adaptation practice within the catchment which are sustainable and equitable; and potential sustainable resources which could be used for alternative livelihood sources

Step Five: Analyze the nature and extent of coordination between multi-sectoral institutions for ecosystem and natural resource planning and management. Provide information on:
Mechanisms for coordination – what exists and are they being used; barriers to coordination; and possible solutions to the barriers.

Step Six: Analyze the status of awareness among policy implementers and makers, and communities on catchment management approaches.

The consultant will be expected to use a range of techniques to gather the information for steps 1-6. 

These will include secondary data collation and analysis, as well as primary data gathering through interviews, and focus group discussions. 

The consultant will be assisted in the preparation of such activities by the project team. The team will help collect and collate some of
the information under the guidance and supervision of the consultant.

2.2. Monitoring and Evaluation System

Step Seven: Based on the overall objectives of the project and the findings of the baseline survey from Kenya and Uganda, design the impact and outcome level indicators to enable effective monitoring and evaluation of the project. 

Provide information on: Indicators for measuring change; initial data for these indicators; and the mechanisms through which these indicators can be updated – how, when etc.

3. Requirement for the tasks and expected output 

The consultant will work in conjunction with IUCN ESARO to finalize the design of the study. In the field the consultant will work with IUCN BDR partners to coordinate, conduct the study and disseminate the findings. 

The consultant is required to develop technical and financial proposals prior to undertaking the assignment. 

Technical:

• Understanding and interpretation of the TOR  
• Description of approach to be applied  
• Study design and methodology  
• Description of the deliverables based on the overall and specific
• objectives of the study  
• Study plan and timeline  
• CV(s) (with three referees) of person who will undertake the work  

Financial:  

• Consultant’s daily rate in US Dollars
• Other relevant costs

3.1. Baseline study

• The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:
• Design an appropriate baseline study with tools and indicators to assess the prior and current situation in Lower-Tana catchment area
• Share the design of the baseline study with partners and incorporate appropriate suggestions and inputs
• Undertake baseline study through field study and desk review of relevant documents.
• Compile a report detailing the methodology and findings of the study.

3.2. M&E system

• Develop M&E system through collaboration with partners in line with the baseline study outputs
• Identify M&E indicators for project activities to track outputs and outcomes within the log-frame  
• Compile M&E report

Duration of the consultancy 

This consultancy is expected to last for 30 days within the months of May/June 2012.

Profile of the suitable candidate

• A postgraduate degree (at least Master’s degree) in natural resource
• management or social sciences from recognized university,
• Knowledge on development issues, gender, cultures and the drylands of Kenya,
• Over five years of experience in natural resource management, water,
• pastoralism and agro-pastoralism,
• Proven experience in execution of baseline surveys, designing and conducting of monitoring and evaluation of projects in natural resource management,
• Demonstrated high level of professionalism and ability to work independently in high pressure situations under tight deadlines,
• Strong communication skills, High proficiency in English language both written and spoken.

Submission of proposal 

Application should be sent to: 

The Regional Coordinator, 

Water & Wetlands Programme and The Regional Coordinator, Drylands Programmes, IUCN ESARO, 

P.O Box 68200-00200,
Nairobi, Kenya. 

Email: Katharine.Cross@iucn.org; Sarah.Gibbons@iucn.org not later than

5.00 p.m. EAT, 18th May 2012. 

Only successful candidate will be contacted.