Introduction

The Regional Fund for Strengthening Drought Resilience Project (RFSDR) in Ethiopia has been under implementation in three woredas of Afar (Afambo, Elidaar, Aysaita woredas) and one wereda of Somali region (Aysha Wereda) since September 2017.

The project is financed by a KfW grant with financial contribution of the Ethiopian government and is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture with the technical assistance of an International Consultant, International Consulting mbH.

The project is mainly implemented in 16 kebeles of the four project woredas to benefit a total of 132,605 of people in the project intervention areas which is bordering Djibouti and Ethiopia in each target wereda.

The general objective of the project is to strengthen the drought resilience of the pastoral and agro-pastoral population living in Ethiopia-Djibouti border area in northeast Ethiopia. The specific objective of the project is to strengthen the production systems of the pastoralists and agro-pastoralists, to increase their income and diversify their livelihoods in cross-border areas. To achieve these objectives, Rangeland and Fodder development has been considered as one of the three inter-related components that the project comprises and to be performed.

Livestock production in the study area is mainly depending on rain fed natural pastures basically from rangelands resources which are now very drastically declining as a result of recurrent drought, encroachment of unwanted plant species, emergence and expansion of agropastoral, and sanctuary in the rangelands. Especially the climate change i.e. frequent drought, erratic rainfall, high temperature, makes the difficulty worsen on the rangeland and its resources devastating.

Consequently, the range land in the whole woredas with the way of the previous system of traditional pastoralist production is no longer able to support cattle production. The grass produced following the major rain only lasts two to three months. The camels and the goats the browsers are still in problems due to the climatic and socio-cultural changes undergone in all these woredas.

Therefore, the ongoing Regional Fund for Strengthening Drought Resilience Project has given a due emphasis to address some of the key problems associated with rangeland so as to improve quality and size of rangeland. The strategy followed by the project to reverse the situation is introducing Participatory Rangeland Management tools. The major planned project measures in this regard include an assessment of rangeland condition, identify and map degraded rangeland, organizing rangeland rehabilitation group and the development of a rangeland rehabilitation plan, an implantation of rehabilitation plan (construction of soil and water conservation structures, bush clearing, replanting) and capacity building of the target community.

The project had already achieved some of the planned activities and some of them are on progress. The achievement so far particularly in relation to construction of SWC is promising in Elidar and Aysha weredas. However, it has been observed that there is a huge capacity gap by the front line project staff to effectively apply the PRM tools at community level. There is also limited number technical staff at federal level to capacitate front line workers in Participatory Range management tool.

Therefore, International Consulting mbH intends to employ a national short-term rangeland management specialist for building the capacity of local staff in PRM and piloting PRM in selected project target kebeles. 

Scope of the work, responsibilities and description of task

General Task

The consultant will work under the general guidance and supervision of the Team Leader and in coordination with the project staff to finalize its assigned task. He/she shall provide guidance and technical support to local technical staff, target communities and local institution so as to effectively initiate and manage the rangeland in sustainable way, to enhance their livelihood and resilience against drought shock and to create better stability and scale up performance of project planned activities to solve problems of rangeland in the project area.

Specific tasks

The consultant shall perform a desk review followed by field work to compile required information and produce the relevant analysis and recommendations. The consultant shall perform among other, the following tasks:

• Review project plans and performance with respect to the implementation of rangeland management related project measures in the lens of PRM methodology and advice the project management on remedial action.
• Develop an updated plan of action for implementing the planned task in the contract duration.
• Support and facilitate in planning and implementation of PRM in three selected project target kebeles (one from each of Aysaita, Elidar and Aysha wereda). This process involves three major stages and 8 steps as described below:
• Stage 1: Investigating PRM
• Step 1: Identifying rangeland resources and users
• Stage 2: Negotiating PRM
• Step 2: Setting up or strengthening rangeland management institutions
• Step 3: Defining the rangeland management unit and conduct the rangeland resource assessment
• Step 4: Developing the rangeland management plan
• Step 5: Establishing the rangeland management agreement
• Stage 3: Implementing PRM
• Step 6: New roles for communities and rangeland management advisors
• Step 7: Arresting and reversing declining rangeland productivity
• Step 8: Participatory monitoring and evaluation
• Assess and identify important indigenous forage and grass species and recommend strategies/techniques and plans of seed collection and multiplication at the Nursery sites or on farm plots in agro pastoral kebeles.
• Develop a manual for the various rangeland rehabilitation measures such as bush clearing, construction of SWC structures, replanting/reseeding which fit to the lowland and project area context
• Provide ToT on rangeland development for regional and woreda experts.  
• Provide guidance and technical support in mapping of rangeland rehabilitation sites and implementation of rangeland rehabilitation measures such as bush clearing, SWC structure, replanting/reseeding in the rest of none piolet kebeles.

Expected outputs and deliverables

• A brief report on review of performed activities in the past with recommendations for doing things in a better way in the remaining project period.
• Updated plan of action for implementing the overall assigned task in the contract period.
• A comprehensive report on the process of setting and implementation of the PRM in three rangeland management units in three pilot kebeles.
• A brief report on assessment locally important indigenous forage and grass species and recommended multiplication techniques.
• Simplified manuals and guideline of rangeland management for the area.
• Report on ToT training on rangeland management for regional and woreda experts.

Duration of Contract 

The overall duration of the assignment covered by this ToR is 60 person-days from the date of signing the contract. The working days should be continuous but, if some unforeseen issues arise, the working days can be split, after the approval of the MoA Project Coordinator and the International Consulting Team Leader.

Management, reporting line, line of budget.

The consultant will closely work with International Consulting livestock specialist and will report to International Consulting Team Leader. His/her duty station will be Semera. The consultant will also work with close coordination of Federal, regional and wereda government staff.

Duty station, Supplies and office equipment

Duty station of the assignment of the expert is in Semera with frequent travel to Aysaita and Afambo weredas of Afar region. The staff will be based at International Consulting Semera office.

The Project Office will cover the cost of travel from Addis Ababa to Semera and to the project sites.

Office stationery, computer & communication cost are under the responsibility of the Consultant.

Tentative work schedule

The total duration of the assignment is envisaged to be up to two months.

No.TasksEstimated # of person days 1Familiarization with the project, review of already performed activities and preparation of updated work plan62Assess and identify important indigenous forage and grass species63Develop simplified manual for the various rangeland rehabilitation measures such as bush clearing, construction of SWC structures, replanting/reseeding which fit to the lowland and project area context34Provide ToT on rangeland development for regional and woreda experts55Support and facilitate in setting and implementation of PRM in three selected project target Kebeles (Aysaita, Elidar and Aysha)386Final reporting2

Job Requirements

Qualifications and work experience

• At least Master’s degree in rangeland management or other related field.
• At least 15 years of work experience in rangeland management or related task.
• Good technical knowledge of policy and practice in the field of pastoral production system, livestock production, food security, climate change as well as other cross cutting issues.
• Demonstrated experience in undertaking participatory rangeland management process.
• Prior experience in pastoral area such as Afar and Somali regions or similar areas.
• Excellent analytical skills and strong project management background.
• Excellent interpersonal skills as well as stakeholder management and coordination experiences.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong set of personal values including integrity, honesty and desire to be of service.
• Fluency in Amharic and sufficient command of English language are essential. Knowledge of Afar or Somali language is an asset.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants can send their CV to  gopa@ethiojobs.net