National Consultant – Mitigation adaptation baseline Policy Instrument on Climate change and agriculture Risk Management

Organizational Settings

The Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Eswatini have partnered since the country joined the Organization in 1971. FAO assistance has covered the formulation and implementation of food security and nutrition policies, including risk reduction and management strategies, and activities to increase agricultural productivity. Eswatini is a Lower-Middle Income Country very vulnerable to the effects of climate change (CC), and particularly to droughts that are more frequent. Around 79% of households live on National Land depending on agriculture as primary livelihood strategy. Staple crops, especially maize, beans and sorghum, and livestock productivity declined by more than 30% since 2014 due to CC and the shrinkage of cultivated areas, due to the reduced investment in farming for the frequent droughts. Projections based on the RCP 8.5 scenario foresee a decrease of 4.19% in maize productivity and of 17.84% in managed grass productivity by 2050 assuming 1995 as year of reference. It should be noted that 79% of Eswatini’s rural population depends upon agriculture for their livelihood and subsistence is particularly vulnerable to such disasters. Notably, the Kingdom of Eswatini submitted her revised and enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change on 12 October 2021 towards maintaining global temperature to below 1.5 degrees and building resilience to climate impacts. This includes supporting small-scale food producers to adopt inclusive commercial value chain approaches in agriculture and allied sectors. Through the support of the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Programme which has an objective to support country-driven initiatives in capacity and technical gaps to achieve priorities described in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), NAPs, and other national climate change strategies. This Consultancy lays the foundation to align with the GCF objective of capacity building, pipeline development, and knowledge sharing. Again, this work will address the needs under the revised NDC to have reference indicators, baseline(s) and/or reference level(s), relevant to the agricultural sector. Given this context, in compliance with NDC to apply sector specific assumptions and methodologies, the National Consultant – Mitigation adaptation baseline Policy Instrument on Climate change and agriculture Risk Management will define key parameters, assumptions, definitions, methodologies, data sources and models used towards climate action for adaptation and mitigation in the Agriculture Value Chain which is a priority sector in the revised NDC. The proposed GCF Readiness activities will be implemented by FAO as delivery partner in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment as the NDA to fill in gaps of the lack of relevant databases, baselines, adequate capacity, systems and networks to support the planning, programming and implementation of GCF-funded activities.

Reporting lines

The National Consultant – Mitigation adaptation baseline Policy Instrument on Climate change and agriculture Risk Management will perform this assignment under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative to Eswatini, and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative/Programmes, with technical support from the Agrofood Systems and Investment Policy Specialist. The post is home based with travel to FAO Eswatini, Mbabane office.

Technical Focus

The FAO country office intends to engage the National Consultant – Mitigation adaptation baseline Policy Instrument on Climate change and agriculture Risk Management with the overall objective is to develop and elaborate the initial set of ADF Financial Instruments and their deployment mechanisms working closely with Agricultural Economist (Team leader). The focus of the consultancy will be the following outcomes: • Provide technical advice and ensuring appropriate linkages among the components and among consultants and concerned actors; • Develop project work plan and budgets; • Preparation of technical reports for the assignment; • Coordinate the organizing and conducting of assessments, consultations and stakeholders workshops; • Provide advice so that the appropriate approaches and technical requirements are followed during project implementation; • Facilitate the review and evaluation of other resource reports; • Liaison with relevant national stakeholders, especially the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture to ensure maximum delivery and participation in project activities; • Advice on the development and dissemination of information at various levels; • Prepare project reports of progress according to deliverables; • Perform other project management duties as required, assigned by the FAOR.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the overall leadership of the FAO representative, technical guidance by FAO Project Lead technical officer and Sub Regional Agro-Food Systems and Investment Policy Support Specialist, in close collaboration with designated senior officials in Ministry Agriculture, the consultant will perform the following tasks: The National Consultant will perform the following specific tasks;

• Conduct Mitigation and Adaptation Baselines Compile a comprehensive analysis of related work (completed and ongoing) in the country, document stakeholder capacity needs and an analysis of national priorities. • Develop a work plan, covering the full duration of the assignment; • Develop the framework of indicators meeting minimum requirements of climate funds and relevant for Agric sector • Develop a database of indicators with baselines of climate change mitigation and adaptation for the agriculture sector. o Conduct a situational analysis and stakeholder consultations through key informant engagements. o Review of existing data systems, protocols and agreements available and provide recommendations for design of databases for the agriculture sector. o Conduct a climate change risk and adaptation considerations in budgetary planning processes. o Conduct a social and environmental assessments which should be considered in the determination of baselines and priorities. o Identify possible mitigation or management measures for any adverse impacts. o Design data collection instruments, procedures and carry out data collection. o Analyze data and develop baselines and databases of specific indicators (and their baselines). o Develop a user manual, with procedures and protocols. • Determine climate information systems, including their availability; o Review climate impact studies o Generate projections and scenarios o Determine the extent of the vulnerability analysis o Determine the extent of a hazard and risk mapping o Assess state of early warning systems (EWS) and climate information services • Assess the capacities of institutions related to the agricultural value chains in handling climate change impacts; o Determine gaps and needs • Document ongoing national initiatives (domestic or externally funded) that building capacity and facilitate information sharing; • Identify vulnerable geographical areas and communities with need of ground adaptation, priority interventions based national and sectoral institutional analyses, indicated by government in the areas of; o Assess community-based water harvesting, storage and distribution systems o Access and map the extent of resilient farming practices (including crop diversification, irrigation, soil and water conservation) o Access and map the extent of small scale infrastructure resilient to climate-induced disasters • Conduct stakeholder validation workshop for the inventory of concrete climate change adaptation infrastructure, assets and interventions along the agricultural value chains with their relevant social, environmental and gender impact assessments; • Conduct stakeholder training on application of database.

• Conduct Policy Situational Analysis • Develop or enhance the strategic frameworks to address policy gaps, improve sectoral expertise, and enhance enabling environments for programming in low-emission investment. • Conduct desk review on policies and interviews with key informants, officials from MTEA and MoA, actors along agricultural value chains, civil society academia working with climate change in the agriculture sector to inform the development of an incentive framework to catalyze the adoption and mainstreaming of climate change adaptive technologies, approaches and practices as well as managing climate change risk in the agricultural sector; • Determine the level of integration of vulnerability, climate change risk and resilience in national development policy, strategy and planning frames, as well as related policy instruments (e.g. legislation); • Determine level of integration of climate change into sector and national policies and plans, and sector specific policy instruments (e.g. building codes) for priority sectors in the country (e.g. agriculture/food security, water, forestry); • Climate change risk and vulnerability assessment framework for the purpose of: o Identify constraints and barriers (regulatory, policy, institutional) that must be addressed to enable the adaptation, resilience and promotion of green technologies to improve food security and value chains; • Identify climate change implications along the value chains and identify policy and institutional conditions required to create an enabling environment for the value chains development;

o Recommend instruments and measures • Develop the hazard, exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity framework; o Define the policy instruments and measures (incentive framework) to promote uptake of climate smart technologies and practices by value chain actors and private sector key stakeholders; • Present supporting SWOT assessment to identify priority options; • Conduct one stakeholder validation workshop of the incentive framework; • Prepare the final report that will clearly defined incentive framework for catalyzing adoption and mainstreaming of climate change adaptive technologies, approaches and practices as well as managing climate change risk in the agricultural sector;

• Conduct agricultural sector risk assessment: • Develop an Integrated Climate Change Risk Management tools for technical design and Definition of set of innovative, integrated, affordable and replicable tools for climate risk management. • Develop a work plan and associated expenditure plan, covering the full duration of the assignment; • Conduct situational analysis and stakeholder consultations in the form of stakeholders key informant interviews, and consultations; • Determine the temporal biophysical effects of climate change on agricultural production on agricultural systems in specific areas; o Analyse historical data for improvement in the collection of data to inform planning for resilience in the agriculture sector. • Determine the specific socio-economic factors which influence responses to changes in crop productivity for specific commodities in specified areas; o Consider gender inclusive processes; • Develop a matrix for understanding the agricultural risks types, their impacts, and their transmission across the value chains.

o Development of the agricultural risk management report • Design and prioritize a set of innovative, integrated, affordable and replicable tools for climate risk management; o Define the value chains risk management strategies; o Develop an integrated implementation strategy and action plan; o Clearly define the risk management instruments that can be recommended; • Conduct stakeholder validation of the set of innovative, integrated, affordable and replicable tools for climate risk management; • Prepare the final report with a set of innovative, integrated, affordable and replicable tools for climate risk management in agriculture sector profiled, validated and shared with stakeholders; • Perform other duties, as required, assigned by the FAOR.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• At least an advanced degree(i.e. Masters) in Social and Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Science, , Agronomy, Natural Resources Management or related fields; • Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in executing social assessment in agricultural or other value chains, climate change and environmental sciences activities; • Full working capability in English and SiSwati. • Nationality of Eswatini or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to review existing data systems, protocols and agreements and provide recommendations; • Relevant work experience in designing and defining policy instruments and measures (incentive framework) to promote uptake of climate smart technologies; • Proficiency of standard IT or GIS technology in generating baselines; • Demonstrate capacity to generate innovative, integrated, affordable and replicable tools for climate risk management; • Ability to work under pressure to tight timelines and without direct supervision; • Strong analytical and conceptual abilities, communication skills, both verbal and in writing; • Ability to coordinate and work with partners; to work with staff / team under pressure. • Demonstrated experience in conducting research and working in a team; • Demonstrated ability to work as an effective and independent consultant; • A proven understanding of the Eswatini NDC activities; • Good communication and presentation skills;

Selection criteria

• Extent and relevance of policy reviews in the Agricultural Value Chains and Climate Risk in Agricultural value chains; • Previous experience in mapping vulnerabilities using GIS/related tools to show baselines; • Previous experience of working with UN agencies is an asset.