Kenya: TOR: Conduct Environmental Risk and Disasters Assessment as a Result of Climate Change among the Pastoralists in Narok County

Oct 3, 2020 | Action Africa Help International
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Action Africa Help International (AAH-I) is a regional not for profit humanitarian and development organization with a mission of improving the quality of life of livelihood challenged communities. AAH-I has country Programs in Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. AAH-Kenya, an affiliate Country Program of AAH-I, addresses development challenges in partnership with marginalized communities in Arid and Semi-arid areas (ASALs) and low income urban and rural settings. AAH-Kenya supports pastoral communities in Narok West Sub County to sustainably improve their social and economic livelihoods.

Consultancy background

Many pastoralist communities in East Africa experience persistent poverty, social and political marginalization, land degradation and conflict (although experiences vary widely both within and between pastoral groups and pastoral areas). Community livelihoods are currently under threat due to various changes brought about by climate change posing risks and emergencies rendering them more vulnerable. Traditional coping mechanisms are therefore no longer sufficient for the resilience of the communities. Underlying these climatic risk factors are changes in non-climate contextual trends relating to changes in livelihoods and resource needs that have contributed to reducing pastoralist resilience over time. These trends include a reduction in natural resources and rangeland availability, especially in key dry season grazing areas and increasing population pressures resulting in a constant flow of people moving from highland areas to lowlands in search of productive natural resource.

AAH Kenya intends to work with communities in some parts of Narok west and south sub-counties in Naikarra and maji moto wards to sustainably improve their livelihoods through building their resilience to adapt to climate change and supporting climate related interventions e.g. construction of sand dams, promote use of energy saving jikos, use of biogas, tree planting etc., women social and economic activities, and building capacities of right holders to hold duty bearers accountable to their manifestos.

Scope and objective of the consultancy

The consultancy work will involve conducting an exercise to identify community practices in relation environmental risk reduction and coping with related disasters. The consultant will profile the current state of the proposed interventions and give insights in the type of environmental risks and other underlying disasters which the communities are facing and recommend the mechanisms to be put in place to achieve resilience.

In details, the consultant should examine the knowledge, attitude and practices of the community as it relates to environmental management and impacts of climate change to their livelihood, identify the type of environmental risks and emergencies that exist in the target community and suggest sustainable ways to cope with them.

The overall objective of the baseline is to document the initial/current environmental risks and coping mechanisms adopted by the community as per the outcome and indicators below.

To strengthen the capacity and coping mechanisms for enhanced sustainable Livelihoods

• Type of environmental risks and other disasters that exists in the target area.
• Level of community awareness on climate change and environmental degradation.
• The available climatic adaptation approaches being implemented by the community members.
• Number of the target individuals adopting different coping mechanisms for environmental risk reduction and adaptation to climate change.
• Impact of climate change on livelihood of the Maasai Community in the target area.

Expected deliverables / outputs

AAH Kenya envisages the consultancy will be carried out within 15 days, as below:

• Conduct inception meeting- 1 day
• Conduct desk review (Review and analyze existing secondary data)- 2 days
• Review and presentation of inception report and survey tools- 2 days
• Carry out the survey (Field data collection)- 5 days
• Analysis and presentation of draft report- 3 days
• Final report- 2 days

Total: 15 days

Future use of data

All data collected will be sole property of AAH-K. The consultant must not use the data for their own research purposes, nor license the data to be used by others, without the written consent of AAH-K.

Required Qualifications, competencies and Skills

The applicant should possess the following;

1. Consultant/firm with relevant technical knowledge, skills and extensive work experience in conducting climate risk assessment projects, working with partners to review poverty alleviation projects, preferably with a broad understanding of pastoral communities’ social, political and economic dynamics.
2. The consultant / firm must have demonstrated consultancy track record and be recognized as seasoned professional with a high degree of proficiency, extensive experience in climate change, environmental adaptation and risk reduction.
3. The lead consultant should have minimum master’s degree in either social studies, environmental management, statistics, or development studies etc. with minimum 5 years of experience
4. The lead consultant should have previous consultancy experience working in vulnerability and adaptation assessments and project implementation with non-profit organization, for profit organizations and private public partnerships.
5. Exceptional analytical and research skills
6. Excellent report drafting and communication skills
7. Fluent in Kiswahili and English, understanding of “Maa” language will be an added advantage.
8. Ability to work on tight schedules and travel in all-weather terrain
9. The lead consultant should commit their time throughout the consultancy period.

Bid requirements

• Firms/Consultant(s) who meet the requirements stated should submit an expression of interest (maximum of 5 pages), which should include the following:
• A suitability statement and work plan, including commitment to be available for the entire assignment period.
• A detailed financial proposal.
• Updated resume that clearly spells out qualifications and experience for the key Consultant(s). (These can be annexed, and are not part of the statement of expression of Interest)
• Contacts of 3 organizations that have recently (but preferably in the last 2 years) contracted the firm/consultant(s) to carry out relevant research/survey or related work.
• The firm must be registered within the laws of the Kenya.