Поиск кандидатов на позицию "Consultant on assessment of the results"

1.       Background

On November 3, 2015, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved an allocation of US$38 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to finance the first phase of the CAMP4ASB regional program. This approved financing includes US$9 million for Tajikistan, US$14 million for Uzbekistan, and US$15 million for regional activities to be implemented by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC-IFAS) with support from the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) for day-to-day regional coordination and implementation.

Under the Additional Financing from GCF, the Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) between the Bank and GCF for the US$19 million additional financing became effective on June 2, 2020. Through climate-investments proposed, designed, and implemented by rural communities (e.g., farmers or farmer groups, villages or village communities, resource-user groups), GCF financing will support climate-smart productivity and improved livelihoods of the poorest populations living in climate- vulnerable rural areas. The Project will reach 205,000 individuals (direct beneficiaries) in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, representing nearly 4 percent of the rural poor in the two countries. From the beneficiaries, 40 percent or 82,000 at least will be female.[1] The Project will strengthen the climate resilience of those most vulnerable to climate change, by supporting the adoption of climate-smart rural production and landscape management investments that aim to achieve multiple benefits (e.g., climate resilience, food security, increased well-being of beneficiaries, including gender and social inclusion). Through the Project’s interventions more than 35,000ha will transition to climate-resilient agricultural, land, and water management practices. While the associated WBG-financed program supports the market expansion of commercial lending for green investments in climate vulnerable areas, GCF financing will target the poorest and most vulnerable communities in priority areas by providing investment support via sub-grants. The GCF beneficiaries include the poorest populations residing on fringe/risk-prone areas and marginalized groups (who are thus not eligible for commercial lending, given lack of income and collateral). The combination of WBG and GCF financing will allow CAMP4ASB to pilot certain climate-smart activities that could not have otherwise been implemented at this scale, and double the Project’s expected benefits.

2.       Objectives of the assignment   

This assignment is to be carried under the Component 1 of the CAMP4ASB AF project, “Regional Climate Knowledge Services”, and refers to the following sub-activities of the project: 1.1. “Climate Investment Assessment Mechanism”. Under this sub-activity regular on-field assessments of investments made under sub-component 2.1 are conducted in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The main objective of the Consultant is to support the Regional and National Coordination Units (RCU and NCUs) in the evaluation of farming activities supported by climate sub-projects in Uzbekistan under the Regional Climate Investment Facility. The consultant in cooperation with the pool of experts, nominated by the national partners,  will perform on-field assessments of the sub-projects to evaluate any resulted climate resilience or GHG mitigation benefits/drawbacks, associated social and environmental spillover effects, to draw lessons learnt and develop recommendations that would guide NCUs in better targeting of their sub-projects to climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. The output of this assignment will contribute to the Climate Investment Assessment Mechanism and provide insights and recommendations for promoting CSA practices in the region.

3.       Scope of work and tasks (Обязанности)

The Consultant is expected to perform the following tasks in Uzbekistan:

1.       Conduct the regular annual assessment[2] of climate investments (approximately fifteen-twenty climate investments, at an advanced implementation stage[3] - selected throughout project implementation following criteria such as use of an innovative climate-smart agriculture technology or practice, or addressing a climate risk, specific to a particular agro-ecological zone, etc.)

2.       Together with the NCU select suitable investment sub-projects for success stories and develop at least 3 success stories, including high quality photos and others suitable for inclusion into the Central Asian Information Platform (CACIP) as well as the CAREC websites.

3.       Together with the NCU select suitable investment sub-projects with difficulties in implementation, conduct on field visits for meeting relevant beneficiaries develop the report with analysis on what investments didn’t work out well, the reasons, and the lessons learnt how to turn into success stories if tried in the future with a different approach.

4.       Provide a comprehensive overview of climate-resilient technologies and measures supported by the Investment Facility by the NCU of the Uzbekistan.

5.       Information sharing activities.

4.       Qualification and experience requirement (Требования)

Experience:

·      The Consultant should have at least 5 years of experience in agricultural development, climate change, natural resources management, with focus on research and/or program analysis, monitoring and evaluation

·      Project and research-based knowledge on agricultural structure and practices in Central Asian countries; and on surrounding institutional, social, climatic and technological factors

·      Capacity to have enough experience to conduct five assignments in parallel; and ability to work under pressure

·      Work experience in the field of climate change and/or environment is a must

·      Excellent communication, including report writing, and inter-personal skills

·      Computer skills (MS office, MS Word, MS Excel, Power point, Internet E-mail etc.) are required

·      Fluency in written and spoken English and Russian

5.       Timeline and Reporting (Условия)

The estimated duration of the consultancy will be September 18, 2023 – November 1, 2023

The Consultant shall report to the CAMP4ASB RCU Coordinator.

Detailed Terms of reference (Сроки подачи резюме)

Interested candidates should send CVs and cover letter not later than September 13, 2023. 

[1]  This share is in the upper end among World-Bank financed projects in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for modernization and resilience (Tajikistan: Environmental Land Management and Rural Livelihoods Project: 40% female beneficiaries; Tajikistan: Agriculture Commercialization Project: 30%; Uzbekistan: Horticulture Development Project: 20%; Uzbekistan: Livestock Sector Development Project: 20%).

[2] On the base of the existing Methodology of the Climate Investment Assessment Mechanism.

[3] Sub-project should also cover the ones under IDA Grant (completed) and under GCF Additional Finding (Ongoing).