SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT AND AGRICULTURE SPECIALIST

Background

UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in meeting its national and international environmental priorities and commitments. These include close to 40 projects in the area of biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, climate change and chemical management. UNDP’s support focusses on technical and policy advisory, institutional strengthening and building capacities of various stakeholders to utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, while increasing resilience to climate variability and associated risks and impacts. UNDP also supports India’s engagement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and works with Central Ministries and state governments to implement GEF financed projects.

UNDP India along with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is developing a GEF-supported project on sustainable management and restoration of degraded landscapes for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). The project aims to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) through ecosystem-based management and restoration of productive landscapes across degraded agricultural, forest, pastoral lands and surface water bodies.

UNDP seeks to engage a Sustainable Land Management and Agriculture Specialist to lead and support the development of UNDP Project Document. The consultant will be a specialist in SLM, with understanding of UNCCD priorities and implementation in India. The consultant will lead the entire PPG process and provide substantive inputs for the justification and design of project interventions for sustainable management and restoration of degraded agricultural lands, forest lands and grasslands.  

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant will lead the entire PPG process, research and baseline assessments, national, state and local consultations, field visits, project development and the preparation of the ProDoc/GEF CEO Endorsement Request package, providing substantive inputs across all components to support the development of a technically sound project, well-integrated with the government baseline, priorities and partnerships.

The list below outlines key responsibilities and deliverables for the consultant.

1. Management of the PPG team:

• Manage the PPG Team, ensuring coordination between individual national consultants and coordinated consultations with government, states and local stakeholders;
• Review and quality assure reports, analyses and other deliverables produced by national consultants;
• Coordinate and lead national, state and field-level consultations.
• Ensure that project development is participatory, gender-responsive and based on extensive stakeholder engagements; and
• Verify and ensure that all project components are technically sound and cost effective.

       2. Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist:

• Compile baseline/situational analysis for the full-size project (FSP). This will include a precise definition of baseline projects, activities, budgets, goals and co-finance to GEF outcomes; definition of GEF incremental value per outcome and output; and presentation of results of the incremental cost-analysis in matrices as appropriate
• Review and assess the project baseline for the full-size project covering enabling frameworks and policies for LDN, multi-stakeholder engagement and scaling up SLM, monitoring system for SLM and LDN indicators including assessment of national, state and district-level policies, subsidies, extension, schemes and actions related to land and natural resources, including land-use planning and management processes; existing governance, institutions and capacities; relevant judgements and guidelines set by Courts and Tribunals for SLM; mechanisms for stakeholder engagement and planning related to SLM in target landscape/districts; and existing knowledge management partnerships, platforms and mechanisms to support upscaling of SLM.
• Assess existing datasets, platforms and monitoring needs for LDN and outline steps needed for the establishment of a landscape-level system for monitoring progress towards LDN targets;
• Identify key training needs for relevant national and state institutions and conduct baseline capacity assessments (coordinating closely with inputs from other PPG consultants);
• Lead on the definition of project site selection criteria and the confirmation of project sites based on assessment against these criteria; and with inputs from other PPG consultants, coordinate the development of a landscape profile for target districts identifying drivers of degradation, degradation status, rate of degradation, LDN indicators, socioeconomic considerations, etc. with documentation of selection criteria and making sure that geo-referenced data and maps are clearly presented both for targeted protected areas and broader landscapes, as applicable;
•  Assess availability of existing maps and GIS information held by partners, and advise on the need for additional GIS/mapping support during the PPG phase;
• On the basis of this information and stakeholder consultations, identify priorities for sustainable land management and define appropriate project interventions to remove barriers and support mainstreaming of SLM into policy and institutional frameworks; establish multi-stakeholder land use degradation and desertification platforms and planning; and facilitate scaling up of SLM across India;
• Coordinate with the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education to develop interventions on all components;
• Develop priority interventions for South-South Cooperation for SLM including project support for the establishment and strengthening of Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation;
• Identify potential public-private partnership opportunities for technological and financial assistance to amplify project outreach and scale up model practices, and to improve market linkages/mechanisms and supply chains;
• Ensure the design of appropriate project knowledge management processes, outreach partnerships, and communication strategies and platforms, ensuring appropriate linkages to existing mechanisms and knowledge sharing in project landscapes, India, and with other countries;
• Confirm replication mechanisms and target areas/districts;
• Provide inputs for the development of practical and achievable project targets for the Results Framework, including GEF core indicators, and identification of clear baselines;
• Lead and oversee the stakeholder analysis and consultations, with support from national consultants, and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive including consultations with the relevant stakeholders;
• Ensure the preparation of the gender analysis and ensure its findings are meaningfully integrated into the project’s strategy, theory of change and results framework;
• Ensure action points, including risk assessments, from the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) at the PIF stage (“pre-screening”) are fully implemented during the PPG, and update that screening in an iterative process throughout the PPG, and as appropriate
• Support the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs as guided by the GEF Project Development Specialist.
• Ensure the preparation of partner capacity assessments and discussions on management arrangements early in the PPG process;
• Oversee the consultations with partners regarding financial planning and prepare the project budget.
• Secure all co-financing letters;
• Prepare the indicative procurement plan;
• Secure and present agreements on project execution and management arrangements and ensure that the project aligns to UNDP-GEF guidance on UNDP execution support;
• Ensure the completion of the required official endorsement letters;

3) Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews of Agricultural Practices

Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist, including:

• Review and assess the project baseline for the full-size project covering  current agricultural practices and challenges in target districts; subsidies on agrochemicals and activities that aggravate desertification in the target landscape; current policies, programmes and plans of the government at national and state level on agriculture and soil health management; state and district budgets for agriculture and related schemes and utilization; and identification of stakeholders ­(along with their roles, impacts on the landscape) and their capacity gaps, interests and needs including local authorities and resource users.
• Collate and assess data and information on the state of agricultural lands, soil type and characteristics, soil health, soil organic carbon, drivers of degradation, and socio-economic context and livelihoods in target districts; support the definition and application of site selection criteria as related to agricultural lands; and provide inputs to the development of the detailed landscape profile.
• On the basis of this information and stakeholder consultations, identify site-specific restoration and management priorities and define appropriate project interventions to reduce degradation on agricultural lands in the target landscape (e.g. through support for climate-resilient agricultural practices, agro-forestry and integrated farming systems, soil water conservation, crop selection and innovative cropping systems, practices that improve soil health/soil organic carbon, and subsidies that incentivize SLM), livelihood improvement opportunities, potential technical and grassroots solutions to LDN challenges with respect to sustainable agricultural practices and opportunities to support scaling up of SLM practices across agricultural lands. 
• Identify opportunities for private sector participation in site-based interventions and partnerships with agricultural businesses operating in the project landscapes;
• Identify priority indicators, features and drivers of degradation on agricultural lands to be incorporated in participatory district and village land use plans;
• Coordinate with relevant national, state and district line departments and agencies to understand priorities;
• Provide inputs for the development of practical and achievable project targets for the Results Framework, including core indicator values for agricultural lands, and identification of clear baselines;
• Support the stakeholder analysis and consultations and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive, including through taking part in national and field site consultations, especially with government staff and relevant communities; and

4)  Contributions to the Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes  

• Populate the zero draft ProDoc provided by the GEF Project Development Specialist by consolidating the findings of all studies and inputs provided by the other PPG team members;
• Finalize the draft ProDoc with guidance from the GEF Project Development Specialist;
• Prepare the project budget;
• Secure letters of co-financing commitment;
• Draft ToR Annex including project management team, technical consultants and contractual services needed to support project implementation (with inputs from other PPG team members);
• Review deliverables from other PPG team members for alignment, integration and mutual quality assurance.

5)   Consultations and Validation Workshops at national, state and landscape level

• Lead the validation workshop to present, discuss and validate the final draft ProDoc and mandatory and project specific annexes, with a special focus on the SESP and any management plans;
• Oversee all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop; and
• Ensure completion of Validation Workshop Report.

3. Expected Deliverable/ Outcome

• Development of the zero draft ProDoc provided by the GEF Project Development Specialist into a first draft by summarizing the technical baseline analysis as described above; recommended project interventions with budget, ToR and timelines for the implementation of all components and a detailed landscape profile for the project target sites;
• Report summarizing the baseline analysis for agricultural lands as described above and detailing site-specific priority project interventions on agricultural lands for related Outputs, with budget, ToR and timelines for implementation;
• Substantive inputs to the landscape profile and project indicator baseline values and targets as related to agricultural lands;
• Finalized baseline capacity development scorecards for relevant national and state institutions;
• Validated Project Results Framework (including GEF Core Indicator) baseline values, targets, methodology and assumptions;
• Draft ToR Annex covering project management team, technical consultants and sub-contractors;
• Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist, incorporating inputs and comments received from all relevant stakeholders including MoEF&CC and UNDP.

Payment Scheduled: Payments will be deliverable linked per the following schedule of payments:

Competencies

• Analytical skills: Able to synthesize large sets of inputs and data to form coherent outputs
• Ability to effectively and efficiently interact with senior members and stakeholders
• Must be detail-oriented
• Communication skills: Able to communicate clear ideas across a variety of mediums
• Writing and presentation skills: Able to produce high quality reports and presentations
• Team skills: Able to work independently as well as in teams
• Great organizational and time-management skills

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:  

• Advanced university degree in a relevant field, such as sustainable land management, natural resources management, agriculture, environmental management, biological sciences, or similar.

Professional Experience: 

• Minimum of 10 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in sustainable land management, agriculture, forest management, and/or pastureland management with specific experience in landscape conservation, planning and governance frameworks.
• Experience of developing GEF project documents with clear understanding of GEF policies and guidelines
• Demonstrated understanding of political, legal and institutional context for sustainable land management and land use planning in India, including government priorities and plans for supporting implementation of UNCCD, achievement of LDN and LDN monitoring, target-setting and reporting.
• Ability to provide analytical assessments with a high degree of attention to detail.

Language Requirement:  Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

5. Evaluation Criteria

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as Responsive to the requirement. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation;

•           Technical Criteria weight - 70%;

•           Financial Criteria weight – 30 %

Technical Criteria (70% of the total evaluation)

Criteria 1: Prior Experience (30%)

1. 10 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in sustainable land management, agriculture, forest management, and/or pastureland management with specific experience in landscape conservation, planning and governance frameworks.

Criteria 2: Demonstrated Knowledge on Sustainable Land Management and Agriculture (30%)

1. Worked on developing project document for full-sized projects for GEF that demonstrate familiarity with agrobiodiversity.

Criteria 3: Multi-stakeholder coordination (10%)

1. Consultant should have demonstrated experience in coordinating and working with multi-stakeholder groups.

Financial Proposal:

Technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their lump sum rate i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.