Land Use Planning Expert

Background

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Negotiation ID: UNDP-UKR-00394

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BACKGROUND

Northern Ukraine has approximately 3 million ha of wet peat soils, many of which have been drained for agriculture; approximately 1 million ha remain in a natural state. This landscape is a mosaic of steppe forests, wetlands, and river valleys, which sustain rich but threatened ecosystems. Livelihoods are agriculture-based, with livestock farming a key part of the economy. Although the drained peatlands briefly provided rich agriculture lands, over a short time the drained peatlands have become degraded, as mineralization and peat fires take a continuous toll, while emitting GHGs. The water table across the region continues to subside, which causes forest die-offs. Peat fires also have a significant negative impact on human health and local economies. Land use is not optimized, so agriculture continues to encroach on high value ecosystems. However, increased grazing and hay cutting could be beneficial in some abandoned lands in order to maintain biodiverse open peat meadows that are being overgrown by woody vegetation. Underlying drivers of this situation are limited local and national capacity and coordination in land use planning, limited technical knowledge for agriculture on wet peatlands (paludiculture), limited capital access and investment in sustainable agriculture, limited and deteriorating water management infrastructure, and livestock value chains that currently do not sufficiently incentivize sustainable livestock production in peatlands.

The project will catalyze a transition across the landscape to sustainable livestock farming in peatlands, while restoring key areas for maintenance of ecosystem services to support both vibrant livestock agriculture and biodiversity. This will be achieved through i) implementation of Integrated Land Use Plans (ILUPs); ii) promotion of sustainable livestock production practices and value chains, including a multi-stakeholder sustainable livestock platform; iii) conservation and restoration of natural habitats; and iv) coordination, learning, information dissemination, and knowledge management. Planned project results include more than 9,000 direct beneficiaries; improved status of biodiversity including 18 globally significant species; 150,000 ha under improved agriculture; 40,000 ha of land restored; 240,000 ha of high value peatlands and steppe forest ecosystems conserved; and increased knowledge and understanding of sustainable livestock practices in wet peat soils.

Duties and Responsibilities

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The main objective of the assignment is to develop prescribing an ecologically and economically optimal land use approach to consider agricultural production, land conservation and restoration. The objective will be achieved through the following:

1. catalyze a shift from a sectoral to multi-stakeholder land use planning approaches;
2. establish strategic partnerships with amalgamated territorial communities (ATCs) which are ready to pilot integrated land use plans (ILUPs);
3. support with collection and systematization of available georeferenced spatial data layers, which is to be completed for above 100 ATCs, covering ~3 million ha of organic soils;
4. support ATCs to adopt legally binding land use plans prescribing optimal use – stakeholder consultation (ensuring proportional representation of men and women), lobbying, policy development;
5. draft pilot ILUPs based on international experience and national data for 7 pilot ATCs;
6. support the update of oblast development strategies till 2027 in collaboration with project local technical advisers in oblasts based on an integrated and sustainable land use approach;

DESCRIPTION OF TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES (Scope of the Assignment)

The Land Use Planning Expert will be responsible for providing outputs as required for multiple project activities, as follows:

• Work with Project Manager to coordinate the Component 1 and 2 of the project and provide a technical support in project implementation;
• Provide technical inputs, guidance, and advice on project activities;
• Organize meetings, workshops, and events, including a work with ATCs;
• Manage and provide regular communication to key experts, stakeholders about project activities and plans;
• Participate in relevant national, regional, and global activities and initiatives and share the knowledge and positive practices. 

DELIEVERABLES AND SCHEDULE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Payment under this assignment will be made in eight instalments as follows:

1. 10% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 1;
2. 10% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 2;
3. 10% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 3;
4. 10% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 4;
5. 10% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 5;
6. 20% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 6;
7. 10% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 7;
8. 20% of Total Contract Amount upon completion and acceptance of Deliverable 8.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

• At UNDP side the contract implementation will be coordinated and supervised by the UNDP Project Manager. The Consultant will be responsible to obtain his/her clearance of any drafted document before its finalization. Upon request from the immediate supervisor under this assignment, the Consultant shall revise or correct any drafted document and address the supervisor’s comments, if any.
• The Contractor shall comply with the monitoring, evaluation, and quality control implemented by the UNDP. All necessary information, reports, statistics, electronic and paper version of the reports should be prepared and submitted for clearance by UNDP according to a preliminary determined schedule or as quickly as possible (within the agreed period).
• The Contractor must consult with UNDP on all the steps of the process and proceed to the next step only upon obtaining approval on the accomplished step. The organization should arrange its activities based on the principle of constructive cooperation. It is mandatory to take into account all proposals of UNDP.
• The documents shall be provided both in written (if required) and electronic format (*.docx, *.xlsx, *.pptx, and *.pdf or other formats accepted by UNDP) in Ukrainian (and/or in English if required), using Times New Roman font, 12 pt., lines space – 1.15.
• The Consultant will be responsible for the delivery, content, quality and accuracy of documents prepared under this assignment.
• Any copyrights and other kinds of intellectual property emerging in the course of contract implementation and produced by the Consultant under the contract shall be retained by UNDP.
• All the expenses associated with travel/site visits (up to 20) should be included in applicants’ financial proposal.

Competencies

Corporate competencies: 

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; 
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism; 
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment. 

Functional competencies:

• Determination and focus on goals and results;
• Good time and task management skills;
• Client orientation;
• Excellent knowledge of integrated land use planning;
• Experience coordinating stakeholder consultation processes and analyzing multiple types of technical information to develop ILUPs;
• Willingness to actively participate in the Green Commodities Program Community of Practice.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum Master’s degree or equivalent in a discipline related to integrated land use planning for natural resource management. Degrees could include natural resources management, agricultural economics, geography, climate sciences, applied mathematics or other closely related fields. Master’s degree or higher is preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of working experience in land use planning, preferably including the following types of subjects: biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem restoration or rehabilitation, land management and agriculture, protected areas, etc. (to be proved by CV);

• Minimum 3 years of proven experience of creating, gathering, organizing, integrating and developing highly participatory ILUPs (2 samples of ILUPs or similar plans to be provided);
• Experience of working for or cooperating with international organizations, would be an asset, but not required.

Languages:

• Fluency in Ukrainian. Working knowledge of English will be an asset.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

• Personal CV, including information about past experience in similar projects / assignments and contact details for referees (at least 3).