Uganda: Consultancy for conducting capacity needs assessment and developing a training plan under the EURECCCA project

1.Background

The Government of Uganda has received funds from the Adaptation Fund for a project entitled “Enhancing Resilience of Communities to Climate Change through Catchment Based Integrated Management of Water and related resources in Uganda (EURECCCA)”. The EURECCCA project is executed by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) in partnership with GWPEA and implemented by Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS).

The overall goal of the EURECCCA project is to increase the resilience of communities to the risk of floods and landslides in Awoja, Maziba and Aswa catchments through promoting catchment based integrated, equitable and sustainable management of water and related resources.

The specific objectives of the project are to:

· Increase the resilience of ecosystems by supporting sustainable management of forests, wetlands and riverbanks

· Increase the resilience of agricultural landscapes by supporting communities to develop and implement sustainable water harvesting, soil bio-physical and flood control structures

· Increase resilience of other community livelihood systems by supporting income generating activities with credit and market access

· Build the capacity of extension services and institutions at local, catchment, water management zone and national level to better support local stakeholders

The EURECCCA project has three components namely: Component 1:Establishing Frameworks for Climate Resilient Catchment Management in Awoja, Aswa and Maziba catchments;Component 2:Implementing concrete adaptation actions for resilient and sustained ecosystems, agriculture and other livelihood system and Component 3:: Building capacities of institutions and communities and managing knowledge. To deliver on the three project components, several stakeholders will be involved during project execution. To enhance project relevance, effectiveness and efficiency, the capacity needs of the stakeholders require to be identified and a training plan developed in partnership with the project stakeholders. Therefore, these Terms of Reference have been prepared with aim to conduct a capacity needs assessment of stakeholders and develop a training plan. This will help inform and focus the project on the actual capacity requirements to achieve the intended project goal. From the identified capacity needs of the stakeholders, an appropriate training plan will be developed to guide the capacity building program for the EURECCCA project.

GWPEA a partner of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) is tasked to provide support on issues related to capacity needs assessment and capacity building, training activities, knowldege, communication, documentating issues related to lessons and good practices in the project.

2.Objective of the Consultancy

The overall objective of this consultancy is to assess the capacity needs of stakeholders in the project and develop a detailed training plan to better inform and provide focus and precision to project implementation.

The specific objectives are to:

1. identify the main capacity gaps amongst the stakeholders in enhancing resilience of communities to Climate change

2. analyze the dynamics that explain present capacity, identify driving forces for change to ensure effectiveness of future capacity development efforts

3. Identify long-term sustainable capacity development needs- identifying major axes of investment in capacity building in the EURECCCA project.

4. develop a detailed training plan based on the findings from the stakeholder needs that will be the basis for implementing the EURECCCA project capacity building component.

The following is the scope of services for the consultancy:

1. Identify the main stakeholder capacity gaps (at Institutional, organizational and individual levels). The assesssment should provide an overview and analysis of the capacity strengths and weaknesses across all stakeholders in the EURECCCA project area and at national level. More emphasis on practical aspects are preferred. Also, the assessment should identify and analyze the main human capacity weaknesses and challenges (individual, community/organizational/ societal) and should highlight the key capacity deficiencies (e.g. financial and physical asset deficiencies in the EURECCCA sites), current capacity development opportunities, specific capacity needs and priorities at the organizational and individual levels and recommendations for the most suitable, effective, efficient and affordable modes of capacity development to meet the identified needs.

2. Identify long-term sustainable capacity development needs- identifying major axes of investment in capacity building as well as opportunities, programmes, and products that will enhance the ability of stakeholders to meet their commitments.

3. Undertake a stakeholder analysis and generate a consultation plan to be used at various levels (Institutional, organizational and individual levels)

4. Develop a detailed training plan that will be the basis for implementing the EURECCCA project capacity building component. An analysis of the EURECCCA general framework and key elements of training modules as building blocks of the capacity building component have been identified. Therefore, linkages of the stakeholder capacity needs and the identified project training elements/modules need to be well articulated. The EURECCCA project identified seven key modules in which the stakeholders can benefit from. These include: forestry/reforestation; improved cooking stoves; sustainable management of wetlands; flood control; protection of river banks; savings and credit cooperatives; business planning for alternative income generating activities.

5. To make recommendations that will enable targeted/strategic improvements in capacity building to the EURECCCA National project team/Ministry of Water and Environment for possible replication in the future.

3.Key deliverables

1. An inception report including a detailed work plan and timelines, detailed methodology (with tools) and report format to be submitted within 7 days from the commencement of the assignment

2. A draft capacity needs assessment consolidated report detailing the contents as highlighted in the scope of work.

3. A draft training plan to guide the capacity building component of the Project as highlighted in the scope of work Framework for training modules.

4. Final capacity needs assessment report with comments from stakeholders incorporated

5. Final detailed training plan to guide the capacity building component of the project

4.Reporting arrangements (Supervision and Collaboration)

The consultant will report to the GWPEA Project Manager with overall guidance of GWPEA Regional Coordinator.

Time Schedule

The Assignment shall be expected to be completed within a maximum of One and half months (45 days) from date of signing the contract. The consultant will provide a detailed time schedule for the task and delivery of the outputs. The schedule will be agreed upon by the two parties (consultant and Client/GWPEA).

5.Skills and Experience Required of Consultant

The expert for this assignment should have the following profile, skills and expertise:

1. A minimum of a master’s degree in natural resources economics, natural resource managemenet, development fields, social sciences or related discipline;
2. Demonstrated experience in undertaking similar tasks/dealing with the issues of assignment
3. Demonstarted knowledge of government institutions/sectors and stakeholder engagement at national, sub-national and community levels.

d. A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in conducting individual and organizational capacity needs assessments;

Competences

· Strong analytical skills, excellent organizational, communication and writing skills.

· Demonstrated ability to write technical information coherently and concisely.

· Demonstrated understanding of issues related to communities and stakeholder engagement.

Individual consultants meeting all the above requirements are invited to submit their CV’s and Cover Letters to the address below:

The Procurement Officer

Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat

P.O. Box 192 Entebbe, Uganda

Plot 12 Mpigi Road

Email:gwpconsultant@nilebasin.org