Consultancy Opportunity at WWF

 

Consultancy Opportunity at WWF

Read here information about a Consultancy Opportunity at WWF

Call for Consultancy: National Forestry Extension Strategy Development

Terms of Reference for 

National Forestry Extension Strategy

Supervised by: Forest Programme Coordinator and Programme Officer

Duration: 60 days

1. Introduction

WWF Tanzania Country Office is funded by WWF UK to support the Forest Programme. Through the Forest Programme, WWF-Tanzania has developed actions which aim to address the underlying causes of forest degradation and deforestation to reduce biodiversity loss. In order to realise this, WWF TCO has been implementing projects that promote and support forest landscape restoration. Tanzania mainland has about 48.1 million ha of forests and woodlands (URT, 2015). Forest management in Tanzania has gone through several changes emanating from a number of factors such as forest governance and land tenure type, forest sciences, decentralisation and drivers to achieve inclusive and justice-based natural resources management. The National Forest Policy of 1998 has vested forest management to different actors who exercise the jurisdiction to ensure these forests are sustainably managed. Therefore, the management of these forests falls under the mandate of central (MDAs), mainly central forest reserves, game reserves, national parks and other reserved areas.  In addition, local governments manage local authority forest reserves, and village government communities manage village land forest reserves (VLFR), and private sectors manage privately owned forests (both natural and plantations/woodlots forests). All forests are surrounded by communities that, to a large extent, depend on them. Surrounding communities also need awareness and capacity building in areas related to sustainable forest management, and the dissemination of technologies. about awareness of the institutional and legal framework, stakeholders. Moreover, the communities need to be informed about their rights, and responsibilities on the management of forest resources. Therefore, forestry extension services offer the means to deliver and disseminate this kind of information to practitioners, farmers, and the community as whole.

A well-designed extension package can be an effective tool to law enforcement, as they raise the awareness of stakeholders which in turn leads to increased compliance. Moreover, extension services need to be crafted in a manner that supports and aids sustainable forest management focusing all stakeholders to bring about awareness on the institutional and legal framework, stakeholders, their rights, and responsibilities along the forest produce value chains.  This will need development of a forestry extension strategy and its implementation plan that entails on how resources (financial and personnel) will be mobilised to ensure relevant materials are developed, disseminated to reach the intended audience.

WWF TCO is now looking to engage a consultant (s) to develop a national forestry extension strategy. The strategy will provide guidelines on how to develop, design, plan and conduct effective forest extension services. Moreover, it will be an important tool for forest extension officers to disseminate/transfer forest technologies, create awareness on forest policy, legal and institutional framework, promotion of sustainable forest management and utilisation of forest resources. The Forest Programme Coordinator and Programme Officer will guide the data collection and ensure all deliverables are timely delivered to WWF TCO.

2. Problem and Justification 

The National Forest Policy of 1998 mandates the establishment of a well-functioning extension service as a prerequisite for promoting farm and community forestry. However, the forestry extension service is severely understaffed and fragmented, as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and Local Government Authorities operate their own services. These organisations have limited both human and financial resources, and extension messages delivered to farmers are often contradictory due to inadequate coordination between different services. Inadequate extension materials and facilities further impede extension work.

Presently, forest extension services are less impactful due to the absence of a comprehensive plan that would provide extension officers with the necessary means to effectively deliver and reach a broader audience. This situation has resulted in a decline in quality extension service delivery, as a result of the significant reduction in forest extension budgetary allocations. Furthermore, staffing levels have decreased, necessitating that all forestry staff assume the role of extension officers without adequate training. In most cases, these staff are also responsible for other duties, such as law enforcement, which poses a challenge to gaining trust from stakeholders, as they are perceived as more enforcement officers than extension officers.

The National Forest policy 1998 further reiterates that the extension services should be strengthened and that extension messages are harmonised through integrated planning, research and training. To attain this, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) has prioritised developing a forestry extension strategy to address the aforementioned challenges. This will be a technology linked forestry extension strategy that identities technologies available for dissemination to stakeholders. The focus is to promote and propel inclusivity in forest management, forest landscape restoration, alternative cooking energy solutions, community-based forest management, forest based enterprises especially nature based solutions (FSC certification and Carbon trade mechanisms, among others), private sector engagement for forest investment, forest wildfire management, good governance and rights and justice based approaches for sustainable forest management.

The forestry extension strategy is expected to propose and inform on who with what merits should do the extension work (staffing and training), operationalisation of the strategy (budget and equipment and working gears), how should technology be extended (approaches), to whom should extension services be focused, and the interphase of forestry research and extension (appropriate R&D support for forestry extension). The strategy should further provide forestry extension monitoring, evaluation and learning framework to provide feedback and adoptive management on design proper and impactful extension programmes.

This Terms of Reference (TOR) outlines the scope of work, deliverables, and timeline for a consultancy to develop a comprehensive Forestry Extension Strategy for Tanzania. The consultant will be responsible for conducting a thorough analysis of the current forest landscape, identifying key challenges and opportunities, and developing a strategic plan to promote sustainable forest management and conservation.

3. Objective

The primary objective of this consultancy is to develop a robust Forest Extension Strategy that will guide the implementation of effective forest extension programs and initiatives across Tanzania.

Secondary Objectives

Tanzania career opportunities

1. Conduct a comprehensive review of existing forest legislations (policy, act, regulations, programmes, and strategies).
2. Analyse relevant data on previous and existing forestry extension programmes, approaches, and plans,
3. Assessment of existing programmes and approaches in forest development, management, and conservation as well as utilisation of forest products
4. Identify key stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, community-based organizations, and private sector actors.
5. Assessment of needs and/or analyse clientele behaviour
6. Formulation of objectives, designing of programme and its implementation,
7. Develop monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework

4. Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Stakeholder Consultation and Engagement:

• Organize workshops and consultations with key stakeholders to gather inputs and feedback on the draft strategy.
• Conduct field visits to selected sites to assess local needs and challenges.
• Identify and engage with local communities, particularly women and youth, to ensure their participation in forest management.

1. Development of the Forestry Extension Strategy:

• Develop a clear vision and mission for the forest extension program.
• Conduct situation analysis on forestry extension services.
• Develop strategic directions
• Develop objectives, strategies, activities and key performance indicators.
• Design a comprehensive programme framework, including components such as:
  • Capacity Building: Training programs for forestry extension officers, community members, and other stakeholders.
  • Technology Transfer: Promotion of appropriate technologies for sustainable forest management.
  • Incentive Mechanisms: Development of incentive-based programmes to encourage forest management, conservation, and restoration.
  • Monitoring, Evaluation and learning framework: Establishment of a robust monitoring and evaluation system to track progress and impact.
• Develop a detailed implementation plan, including timelines, budgets, and responsible parties.

5. Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

• Inception report outlining the proposed methodology and work plan.
• Detailed analysis of the current forestry extension programmes/plans and key challenges.
• A comprehensive Forestry Extension Strategy document supported with infographics, including:
  • Vision, mission, and goals.
  • Strategic objectives and key performance indicators. o Detailed implementation plan. o Budget estimates.
• A presentation summarising the key findings and recommendations of the strategy.

6. Timeline

The expected duration of the consultancy, including key milestones and deadlines for deliverables is 60 days from the date of signing the contract.

7. Qualifications and Experience

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Advanced degree in forestry, environmental science, or a related field.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing forest extension programs.
• Strong understanding of the Tanzanian forest sector and its challenges.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Experience in working with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and communities.

The consultant will be selected through a competitive bidding process based on the following criteria:

• Technical Proposal (70%)
• Financial proposal (30%)

8. Payment Terms

• Upon submission and approval of the Inception report, the consultant will be paid 30% of the total payment.
• Upon submission of the project completion report approved by the project manager, progress technical and financial report statements of expenditure supporting documents for the first instalment plus invoice 40% will be paid.
• Upon receipt of final report 30% will be paid

9. Reporting

The consultant will be required to submit regular progress reports to the WWF TCO outlining the work completed, challenges encountered, and any proposed changes to the work plan.

By following this TOR, the consultant will play a crucial role in developing a robust National Forestry Extension Strategy that will contribute to the sustainable management and conservation of Tanzania’s valuable forest resources.

10. Application

All applicants should direct their electronic copy to the procurement e-mail at procurement@wwftz.org. All applications should reach us by or before Friday 20th December 2024.

For any clarification please contact jwumbura@wwftz.org cc mfeisal@wwftz.org.  

WWF TCO reserves the right to accept or reject any or all the applications without assigning any reason thereof. Late application shall not be accepted for evaluation irrespective of the circumstance.

WWF has a principle of zero-tolerance to fraud and corruption, if you encounter such incident, report by sending an email to fcci@wwftz.org

See also:  How to write a Good Business plan in 2024

For More up to date Opportunities Updates :

 Tap / Click Here to Follow the Fursa Opportunities channel on WhatsApp