Terms Of Reference
Consultancy, Research Jobs
- PELUM (Participatory Ecologic…
- Expires 17 Jan 2025
- Harare
- Full Time
Job Description
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Conduct a Baseline Study in 6 districts of Zimbabwe in order to establish a baseline to inform and track implementation of a Joint Programme on Livestock and Land Regeneration using Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM), Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and other Landscape Level Agroecological Practices.
Context
The Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe is a registered non-profit making network that was established in 1995. It is made up of civil society organisations that are working to upscale participatory ecological land use management practices for improved nutrition security, livelihoods and environmental sustainability in Zimbabwe.
This particular project builds on existing work from a multi-year joint learning programme piloted from March 2020 to April 2022, which focused on building a strong core group of organizations working and sharing learning on Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM). The next phase is about capacity building, implementing planned grazing and other agroecological practices, exchange visits, revival of traditional practices, and building concrete evidence to influence policies. The vision is to regenerate landscapes for prosperity, resilience, and harmony. The impact we seek is a ‘network’ of communities that are re-rooting themselves in their landscapes and increasingly practicing planned grazing with their livestock to regenerate depleted landscapes will be created. Activities to be implemented in pursuit of this will include training and supporting targeted groups to implement Agroecology at landscape level, HLLM and TEK. This includes mobilizing the community for collective action and facilitating a series of dialogues at community and national level. We will link the landscape regeneration work with farm regeneration work to restore biodiversity loss at the farm and landscape level. We will document practices for broader learning and facilitate learning visits within communities and between communities. We will organize celebrations and engage the media while using digital media platforms to share lessons. As communities, we will conduct Participatory Action Research (PAR) to generate evidence-based content that will be used to influence policy and decision-makers and share learning with others.
Duties and Responsibilities
Envisioned Benefits of the project:
The initiative will combine Holistic Land and Livestock Management (HLLM) particularly the practice of Holistic Planned Grazing with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). The approach rotates grazing cattle, which trample their dung and urine into the soil. It also uses cattle hooves to break capping on the soil, meaning more penetration by rain into the soil, less danger of drought and healthier grassland ecosystems. Some of the benefits include i) Bringing back biodiversity (both fauna and flora); ii) Improving soil fertility in rangelands and crop fields; iii) increasing water infiltration and improving water tables and the water cycle; iv) reversing the process of desertification by healing gullies and increasing ground cover, v) increasing community resilience to climate related shock; vi) Increasing carbon sequestration; vii) Reducing community conflict caused by livestock and wildlife; viii) Increasing community cohesion and a sense of deep connection with the land a the collective commons; ix) improved animal health; x) Improved community livelihoods; and xi) Increased food and nutrition security. NB: It is important to note that some communities have been effectively implementing these practices, utilizing movable animal enclosures known as bomas. Reports from these communities indicate improvements in soil structure due to animal impact. Additionally, there has been an increase in ground cover in areas where animal impact has been applied, despite the 2023/2024 drought affecting the country. However, significant work remains to thoroughly document these changes. This documentation is crucial to support advocacy efforts and to encourage communities to adopt year-round grazing practices. Establishing a robust evidence base is essential for the next phase of the project.
The baseline study aims to:
I. Identify and assess the current state of biodiversity, soil fertility, water tables, and community resilience in the 6 targeted districts using appropriate methodologies and tools (guided by the project indicators). This assessment should also take into account the intended benefits of the project described above
II. Develop a set of indicators and design a participatory and user-friendly monitoring framework to be used by local communities. This set of indicators should also include monitoring the intended benefits of the project described above.
III. Establish baseline data for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the project linking with I and II above.
IV. Establish linkages between watershed areas, underground water, ecosystems, and biodiversity across the landscape.
V. Assess the current ecological status, systems, and trends (including forests, grasslands, and agricultural systems) of the areas in question.
VI. Identify key challenges and opportunities for implementing Holistic Land and Livestock Management, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in the target communities.
In pursuit of fulfilling these TORS, the consultant will do the following:
I. Design the baseline study methodology, including sampling strategies and data collection tools.
II. Enumerator recruitment and training
III. Conducting field visits to the six target districts to collect quantitative and qualitative data.
IV. Engaging with community members, traditional leaders, and local organizations during the baseline and to validate findings.
V. Analyzing the data to establish indicators and baseline data to be used for tracking biodiversity, soil fertility, water tables, and community resilience (guided by the project impacts and the intended benefits highlighted above).
VI. Develop a detailed participatory monitoring framework for the project.
VII. Preparing a comprehensive baseline study report with findings, conclusions, and recommendations. This included preparing a PowerPoint presentation which will be presented to PELUM ZWE and project partners for input before the final report, baseline data and monitoring framework are produced.
Qualifications and Experience
Preference will be given to applicants with the following:
Applicants may be individual consultants, a group of individual consultants or consulting companies with relevant expertise. The following mix of qualifications within the team is highly desirable:
I. A minimum of a post graduate degree in Natural Resources Management, Ecology, Geography and Environmental Sciences or equivalent from a recognized University
II. Ideally one of the team members should be proficient in GIS/ earth observation
III. Proven experience in doing biodiversity, ecosystem and livelihood surveys or related assignments with NGOs/Civil society organizations within the last ten years in Zimbabwe
IV. No conflict of interest with PELUM ZWE
V. Have a valid tax clearance certificate from ZIMRA
VI. Ability to speak and understand local languages will be an advantage.
VII. Ability to work with diverse communities and stakeholders.
VIII. Strong analytical skills
How to Apply
Contract and reporting details
Type of contract. The consultant will be offered a fixed-price contract to include all the activities and deliverables listed above.
Reporting: The consultant will report to PELUM Zimbabwe’s Programmes Coordinator for all issues related to the job, including in-country logistics. However, the consultant will work very closely with the PELUM Zimbabwe Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. The Deadline for completion of the task is 15 April 2025.
Application Procedures
I. Complete applications should be submitted to pelumapps@gmail.com by 3:00pm (Harare Time) on 17 January 2025. A complete application should include a detailed proposal. Attached with the proposal should be:
II. An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae with traceable references including relevant academic and professional qualifications and a detailed portfolio of previous work.
III. A one-page cover letter expressing your interest and qualifications (not more than one page)
IV. Description of the proposed approach.
V. Detailed budget – including projected travel and in-country accommodation and subsistence costs. A detailed monitoring framework training budget for the communities should be submitted as a separate annex document (separate from the Baseline study, indicator development and detailed M and E framework development budget).
VI. Any other relevant documents.
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