International Consultant for NTFPs (Non-Timber Forest Products) Value Chains Development

The consultant shall be hired under the project “Building Adaptive Capacity and Resilience of the Forestry Sector in Cabo Verde” a multi-year project funded by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The main project objective is to increase resilience and enhance key adaptive capacity to address the additional risks climate change poses to desertification and land degradation in Cabo Verde at national level.

Reporting Lines

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Cabo Verde, the direct technical supervision the Project Manager, and in close collaboration with the Assistant FAO Representative in Cabo Verde, the Operations Manager and the National Forestry Engineer.

The main objective of the project is to increase the resilience and adaptability to the additional risks climate change poses to desertification and land degradation in Cape Verde. In particular, this project aims to encourage forest management for civil society organizations with the goal of mitigating climate change-induced desertification processes and strengthening the resilience of communities in the specific context of Santiago, Fogo and Boa vista Islands. Also, this project aims to contribute to the national climate change mitigation targets, as indicated in the Cabo Verde INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions), by contributing to approximately 10% of the intended national reforestation target and CO2 removal. It has a duration of four years.

• Component 1\: Integrating Climate Change Risks into Forest Policy Frameworks, and Institutional and Individual Capacities for More Resilient Forestry;
• Component 2\: Reducing the effects of desertification and land degradation on targeted islands through reforestation and re-naturalization of forested areas for a participatory approach to forest resource management;
• Component 3\: Knowledge and lessons learned are captured, analysed and disseminated.

The consultant will support the work of the project team in the following specific areas\:

• Integrate Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) value chains development into the target Islands climate resilient forest management plans, adaptive planning techniques, sustainable land use and management and livelihood improvement opportunities for the benefit of local people;
• Undertake a brief market assessment to identify local, national and regional trends, market size, supply and demand gaps for NTFPs;
• Integrate NTFPs value chains development in the upgrading of existing government nurseries in the target Islands to serve as centers for plant production for reforestation and rehabilitation of degraded forestland areas, and as livelihoods improvement opportunities for the benefit of local people; and
• Facilitate the adoption of fruit trees and relevant NTFPs value chains development to enhance SFM for livelihoods improvement.

• Advanced university degree in (for Consultants) / University degree (only for PSA) in forest/environmental/agricultural sciences, with a strong focus on forest land and forest resources restoration, and policy development;
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in in NTFPs value chains development and the transformation of NTFPs as livelihoods improvement opportunities;
• Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work
• Extent and relevance of experience in value chain development and analysis
• Extent and relevance of experience working with Non-Timber Forest Products
• Familiarity with the rural environment in Cape Verde or in other countries of the Sahel
• Good knowledge of the socio-economic opportunities and challenges of adapting to climate change
• Professional experience working with local communities, NGOs, national governments and international organizations;
• Good knowledge of the rural social, economic and environmental issues in dryland countries is an advantage;
• Excellent capacity in verbal and written Portuguese would be an asset;