Consultancy Service to Assess and Design Agroforest Demonstration Plot for Café REDD Project

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy service for: Café REDD Project
Country: Vietnam
Organisation: SNV - Netherlands Development Organisation
Project: Café REDD
Location: Lac Duong, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Duration: Up to 4 weeks (non-continuously from May - July 2019)

Background

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is an international policy initiative that has been developed through international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to provide results-based financial incentives to developing countries for actions which reduce emissions from forested lands and investing in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

Vietnam has demonstrated considerable interest in REDD+ and has made important progress to date in terms of preparing for REDD+ implementation at both national and sub-national levels. Recently, Vietnam became one of the few developing countries in the world to have completed meeting the REDD+ ‘readiness’ requirements under the Warsaw Framework (or ‘REDD+ rulebook’). One of the core requirements is to have a National Strategy or Action Plan, and the Government of Vietnam approved an updated National REDD+ Action Programme (NRAP) in 2017. The new NRAP provides a clearer orientation towards the integration of REDD+ in the context of sustainable development/green growth. It identifies 7 work packages with a total of 35 policies and measures for the development and implementation of actions to achieve REDD+ in addition to a further 4 work packages which focus on REDD+ readiness and programme management, monitoring and evaluation. Several of the new policies/measures indicate REDD+ actions beyond the forest sector - notably reviewing land use planning and the promotion of sustainable and deforestation-free agriculture in key forest landscapes.

At sub-national level, 19 provinces now have approved Provincial REDD+ Action Plans (PRAPs) which provide more detailed guidance for the implementation of REDD+ activities on the ground. Lam Dong province in the southern part of the Central Highlands was among the first provinces to develop their PRAP (approved in 2015) and has also developed a number of other policies aiming to conserve and restore forests and forge a low emissions development pathway. Lam Dong has also been a frontrunner in the piloting and implementation of Payments for Forest Environmental Services (PFES) and has recently approved a Green Growth Action Plan (2018). On the other hand, in spite of these policies and plans deforestation and forest degradation have continued unabated, largely driven by the conversion of forests to agriculture, in particular coffee in the case of Lam Dong.

In this context, and in an effort to support the provincial government of Lam Dong to implement its stated policies and plans, SNV – The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) has obtained funding from the International Climate Initiative (ICI) for a project entitled ‘Coffee Agroforestry and Forest Enhancement for REDD+ in Lam Dong’ (CAFÉ-REDD). The project aims to establish and develop a public-private-producer partnership (4P) for forest landscape conservation and restoration in one of Lam Dong’s most important forested landscapes i.e. the Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve comprised of Bi Doup Nui Ba National Park and Buffer Zone in Lac Duong District. Activities will include; i) strengthening public sector capacity for climate smart/sustainable land use planning and collaborative management of forests with communities, ii) working with coffee-buying companies to improve monitoring and traceability systems to prevent deforestation in supply chains; and iii) investing in (mainly ethnic minority) smallholder farmers to promote climate smart, sustainable coffee production techniques leading to improved coffee quality and prices, whilst also promoting landscape restoration through mixed agroforestry systems and alternative livelihoods.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of the assignment is:

• To assess and design agroforest demonstration plot (demo) for Café REDD project

TASKS

• Collect and review literature on different coffee-agroforestry models in Central Highlands (WASI, IPSARD, ICRAF, coffee companies, etc);
• Conduct consultations with relevant stakeholders; based on above, and in collaboration with SNV project staff and partners, identify proposed agroforestry models in 3 communes Da Sar, Da Chais, Da Nhim;
• Develop detailed designs for models (including costings);
• Develop simple guidance on demo models as training materials; provide training for AEC and farmers;
• Develop M&E indicators;
• Write up report.

TEAM COMPOSITION/QUALIICATIONS

Individual consultant(s) is free to propose his/her own ideas for the delivery of the assignment and division of labour amongst experts, including:

• MSc or doctorate in agriculture, forestry degree with minimum 7 years of work experience
• Experience & knowledge on agroforestry systems for coffee in Central Highlands
• Fluency in English, for working and reporting.

TIMEFRAME

The work specified in this term of reference is expected to be completed within a period of 20 to 22 days, non-continuously following coffee agroforestry crop calendar from May - July 2019.

DELIVERABLES

• Work Plan;
• Demo model designs;
• Training materials;
• Final summary report;
• Training evaluation summary forms.

APPLICATION

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] by 17:00 pm on 12 May 2019 with the title “Assess and design agroforest demonstration plot for Café REDD project”

Technical Proposal:

• Cover letter highlighting consultant’s experience & knowledge on agroforestry systems for coffee in Central Highlands

Financial Proposal:

• Personnel costs inclusive of fees only (travel, workshop, printing and other reimbursable costs will be covered by the project).