Consultant (Evaluating ECOFISH II Livelihood Interventions)

About WorldFish

“WorldFish is a leading international research organization working to transform aquatic food systems to reduce hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. It collaborates with international, regional, and national partners to co-develop and deliver scientific innovations, evidence for policy, and knowledge to enable equitable and inclusive impact for millions who depend on fish for their livelihoods. As a member of CGIAR, WorldFish contributes to building a food- and nutrition-secure future and restoring natural resources. Headquartered in Penang, Malaysia, with country offices across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, WorldFish strives to create resilient and inclusive food systems for shared prosperity. For more information, visit: www.worldfishcenter.org”

ECOFISH II Project’s Summary

Bangladesh's abundant fisheries and coastal ecosystems offer numerous benefits to coastal communities, providing nutritious food, livelihoods, and resilience against climate stressors. Empowering both men and women to collaborate in fisheries management not only enhances local institutional capacity to manage fisheries but also strengthens social resilience, supporting effective climate change adaptation and disaster response efforts at the local level.

Improved fisheries management and biodiversity conservation often involve measures such as fishing bans, gear restrictions, and licensing, which can result in lost income opportunity for artisanal fishers. This trade-off between economic benefits and biodiversity conservation highlights the need for carefully designed conservation or management measures to minimize negative impacts on fishers' livelihoods. Without thoughtful implementation, low-income fishers may prioritize their immediate economic needs over biodiversity concerns, leading to non-compliance. Despite these challenges, conservation efforts are crucial for maintaining ecosystem services that directly and indirectly support human well-being.

Enhanced Coastal Fisheries in Bangladesh (ECOFISH II) has been implementing interventions since 2019 to enhance the resilience of coastal fishing communities and ecosystems in and around the Bay of Bengal, Nijhum Dwip Marine Protected Area (MPA), and Meghna River ecosystems. ECOFISH II adopts strategies that support fishers in diversifying their income sources and adopting sustainable livelihood practices, thereby contributing to biodiversity conservation efforts. This balanced approach between biodiversity conservation and livelihoods is increasingly seen as a promising solution. By focusing on both ecological and economic sustainability, ECOFISH II demonstrates that conservation and livelihoods can coexist, fostering healthier ecosystems and more resilient communities. Considering this context, ECOFISH II is going to conduct a study with three overarching research questions: a) how the livelihood interventions are helping the artisanal fishing households in building their livelihood resilience to vulnerabilities, b) how these efforts contribute to biodiversity conservation and c) How can the balance between biodiversity conservation and fishers' livelihoods be achieved within the local and broader fisheries governance framework.

Position Objective

• Evaluate the impact of livelihood interventions implemented by ECOFISH II on the resilience of artisanal fishing households.
• Assess how these interventions contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts in coastal communities.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations for refining existing livelihood intervention strategies for small-scale artisanal fishing communities that can balance between livelihood resilience and biodiversity conservation, while also diversifying the professions of the next generation to optimize their dependency on marine fisheries resources.

Responsibilities

The selected consultant will be responsible for following tasks:

• Review project documents, reports, and relevant literature to understand the design and implementation of livelihood interventions under ECOFISH II.
• Conduct field visits to selected artisanal fishing communities to assess the outcomes and impacts of livelihood interventions on household resilience and biodiversity conservation.
• Employ a qualitative approach (Appreciative inquiry and/ or focused ethnographic study) to gather qualitative data.
• Analyze and interpret collected data to identify key findings, trends, and lessons learned regarding the effectiveness of livelihood interventions and their contribution to biodiversity conservation in light with social science theories and practices.
• Develop a comprehensive report detailing the evaluation findings, including evidence-based recommendations for refining livelihood intervention strategies and informing policy frameworks.

Deliverables

The consultant will need to deliver the following deliverables:

• Inception Report: Outlining the consultant's understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, and work plan.
• Final Report: Incorporating feedback received on the draft report and providing evidence-based recommendations for refining livelihood intervention strategies.

Requirements

This consultancy opportunity is open for all National Consultant with the following skills and qualifications:

• Master’s degree, preferably PhD in Social Science, Anthropology, environmental science, fisheries, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting evaluations or assessments related to livelihood interventions, biodiversity conservation, and small-scale fisheries.
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis, and report writing.
• Familiarity with the socio-economic dynamics of coastal communities and issues related to artisanal fisheries management.
• At least 3 articles in international peer-reviewed journals on social justice, political ecology, co-management, livelihood analysis, resilience analysis, climate change and resource management
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Having VAT registration number is mandatory.

Location and Duration

The successful consultant will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh with some field visits on part-time basis. The selection of consultant will be based on the relevant qualification and experience and the most competitive proposal. The interviews are expected to be held in June 2024 and only shortlisted consultant will be notified and expected to attend the interview. The successful consultant should be available to commence the consultancy contract for a maximum of 25 working days tentatively from 01 July 2024 till 25 September 2024.

How to Apply

Interested consultants are invited to submit the following information online latest by 26 June 2024:

• Letter of interest of why you are an ideal consultant and what you can deliver; including your daily rate in BDT;
• A current curriculum vitae.
• Names and contacts (telephone and e-mail addresses) of three professional referees who are familiar with your qualifications and work experience. Your nominated referees ideally should be professional referees (clients) which you have consulted for.
• Samples of work (must specify if you are solely responsible for producing or editing each of the materials)

The screening will start as soon as possible, and will continue until the position is filled. Only selected consultant candidates will be contacted.

Our Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

WorldFish has seven offices across Asia, Africa and the Pacific, with more than 400 staff and 27 nationalities who contribute to a dynamic multicultural work environment.

WorldFish is committed to promoting a work environment where diversity and inclusion is valued and we seek to have gender balance in the organization. Our Leadership Team is 50/50 in terms of its gender split and 60% of our management cadre are women.

We continue to seek diversity and gender balance across other dimensions and we support individual performance and potential in achieving our organizational goals and mission.

We are an equal opportunities employer and strongly encourage women and men from developing nations to apply.

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