Environmental and Climate Change Specialist

Ministry of Agriculture

Ministry of Agriculture
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES-INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT)

Country: Malawi
Project Name: Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme II
Assignment title: Environmental and Climate Change Specialist.
Reference no.: 019/SAPP 11/PMP/INDCO_1/2024/25
Date of issue: 22nd October 2024

1. Background

The Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme II (SAPP II) is a 7 years programme with a start date of 13th March, 2024 and an end date of 30th March, 2030 The programme is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), European Union (EU), Adaptation Fund, United States Agency for Internation Development (USAID, Malawi Government, Private Sector and Beneficiaries. The total programme cost is US$53.336 million. IFAD finances USD 18.083 million (34%) of the total programme cost through a grant.

The Government of Malawi (GOM) finances USD 8 million (15%) of the total programme cost through taxes, office spaces and staff salaries.

SAPP Il builds on the lessons and achievements of the first phase, and will promote increased production and productivity of climate smart and nutrition sensitive smallholder farming systems (both crops and livestock), sustainable use of natural resources, and effective marketing through private sector engagement.

SAPP Il will focus on increasing productivity beyond subsistence levels with a commercialization drive. The programme will be implemented in Mzimba North and South, Dowa East and West, Lilongwe East and West and Balaka districts.

The Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme II intends to apply part of the proceeds to procure the services of a highly motivated and experienced Environmental and Climate Change Specialist.

2. Job Purpose

SAPP Il is inviting applications for the position of Environmental and Climate Change Specialist tenable at the PMU in Lilongwe. The Environment and Climate Change (ECC) Specialist will lead the work on environmental management, compliance with the Social, Environment and Climate assessment Procedure (SECAP) and the climate change adaptation related activities in the programme.

The specialist will also support policy dialogue, institutional coordination and local level capacity building. S/he will work in close collaboration with the other members of the PMU and the field officers at district level.

3. Key Responsibilities and duties.

  1. Provide technical inputs and guidance in the implementation of the environment and natural resources management and climate change adaptation activities under SAPP II;
  2. Provide inputs for measuring climate change resilience and improved natural resources management among the target beneficiaries of SAPP Il within the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation system, in close consultation with the M&E Officer;
  3. Ensure the inclusion of climate resilience and environmental management data collection in the baseline studies to be undertaken as part of SAPP II;
  4. Coordinate the SECAP related studies and ensure the reviews and approval by Technical Committee;
  5. Coordinate the development and implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Plans
  6. Liaise with the Environmental Affairs counterparts and with the National Programme Coordinator, engage in ongoing national and regional level policy dialogue;
  7. Undertake the technical review of environmental management and climate change adaptation fact sheets and maps being produced under SAPP II;
  8. Identify the appropriate dissemination channels for the fact sheets and vulnerability maps to be produced as part of the SAPP II;
  9. Provide training to fill the knowledge and capacity gaps of the various project stakeholders including service providers and the PMU in the understanding, planning and implementation of environmental management and climate change adaptation measures;
  10. Provide strategic orientation in planning, implementation and monitoring stages through periodic field visits to programme intervention areas;
  11. Contribute to the preparation of the AWPB, ensuring the integration of all climate, natural resource management and SECAP activities;
  12. Contribute to reporting structures as laid out in the SAPP Il documentation;
  13. Undertake any other duties (related to SAPP I| activities) as may be assigned by the National Programme Coordinator.
  14. Operationalization and monitoring the effectiveness of the Grievance Redress
    Mechanism
  15. Support IFAD in reporting to green supplementary funds

4. Qualification and Experience

  1. A first Degree in Natural Resource or Environmental Management, Agriculture or Rural Development.
  2. At least five years of experience in the field of Climate Change Adaptation or Environment and Natural Resource Management with strong knowledge of climate change adaptation.
  3. Thorough knowledge of the institutional setting in Malawi with a specific reference to climate change adaptation and environmental management as well as familiarity with all the governmental and non-governmental actors and stakeholders involved in the policy dialogue on climate change adaptation at the national level.
  4. Thorough knowledge of the legislative and regulatory framework on climate change, environmental management and agriculture as well as ongoing projects and initiatives focusing on climate change adaptation in Malawi.
  5. Good knowledge of GIS systems with relevant spatial skills for mapping project areas.
  6. Excellent and proven presentation, facilitation and negotiation skills.
  7. Good knowledge of communication tools and technologies (internet, Microsoft office packages etc.).
  8. Should have knowledge and experience of Environment and Climate Standards of donor funded Programmes such as IFAD/World Bank

5. SELECTION METHODS.
A consultant will be selected in accordance with the individual consultant selection (ICS) method set out in IFAD’ Project Procurement Handbook that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement.

6. Method of application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications together with copies of certificates, CVs and names of three traceable referees clearly indicating the position being applied for on the email heading (for emails) and on envelopes (for hard-copies) not later than 4th November 2024 (16:30 hours) to:

The National Programme Coordinator
Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme II (SAPPII)
P.O. Box 30217
LILONGWE 3
Email: rexbaluwa@sapp.mw/sdimas@sapp.mw