Terms Of Reference Gender Analysis: Harvesting Carbon Project Uganda At Solidaridad East & Central Africa

TERMS OF REFERENCE

GENDER ANALYSIS: HARVESTING CARBON PROJECT

UGANDA

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Preamble

Solidaridad is an international network organization with eight regional expertise centers worldwide. Its mission is to bring together commodity supply chain actors and to engage them to develop innovative solutions to improve production, thereby ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefit for all. Solidaridad strives to be an organization that understands the signs of modern times, seeking to be a Civil Society Organization (CSO) with its own place and role in society, while simultaneously interacting with Governments and markets. With 50 years of experience Globally in facilitating the development of socially responsible, ecologically sound and profitable supply chains, Solidaridad is a frontrunner in the area of sustainable economic development. Solidaridad envisions a world in which all we produce, and all we consume, can sustain us while respecting the planet, each other and the next generations. Solidaridad embraces the public-private and people partnerships (PPPP) in order to test innovations, speed up change, and take success to scale. Globally, Solidaridad works around coffee and other 12 commodities/sectors. (http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org)

1.1 Program Summary

Solidaridad with support from the Danida Green Business Partnerships is implementing the Harvesting Carbon – Pioneering a pay-for-impact model for carbon mitigation and adaptation in coffee.

The project aims to create an industry-first ‘pay-for-impact’ model whereby carbon ‘impact units’ (verified scope 3 reductions) are produced and traded alongside agricultural commodities, creating a scalable market-based solution to environmental challenges. 4,500 farmers (male, female, youth farmers and working wives) will be supported to transition to low-carbon and regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, climate smart agricultural practices, and be ensured compliance to new EU regulations, thus improving and diversifying market access and improved livelihoods for farmers.The project will make substantial contributions towards poverty reduction through improved incomes and livelihoods for farmers, climate change adaptation and resilience especially for vulnerable groups of farmers, transfer of knowledge and skills from world class institutions to local farmers, an increase in access to international markets, diversifying income streams and earning foreign exchange for Uganda, innovation in the sustainable management of farmlands, reducing deforestation and biodiversity loss, and more.

1.2.Project Outcomes

1. A scalable market-based solution for scope 3 emissions reductions at farm level created.
2. 4,500 Ugandan farmers with increased resilience to climate & improved livelihoods.
3. 50,000 mtCO 2eq are removed/reduced; benefits of wide-scale biochar use is proven.
4. 4,500 farmers certified by Rainforest Alliance and LDC’s RSP assuring access to EU market.

2.0 Background

The climate crisis is without doubt the biggest challenge facing humanity this century. Global warming is progressing faster than we feared and record-breaking temperatures are coming thick and fast. Smallholder farmers in developing countries have to contend with droughts and heavy rainfall, with devastating consequences for crop yields. The increasingly severe consequences of climate change will hit smallholder farmers hardest. Farmers in low and middle income countries feel the effects of the climate crisis first-hand – longer periods of drought, more extreme weather and food shortages and to make matters worse they do not even have the means to adapt to them. Of the more than 500 million smallholder farmers who play a major part in our food system, the vast majority live in poverty. As long as smallholder farmers remain dependent on the low prices they receive for their main crops, they will remain trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty. Climate change increases hunger and food scarcity. The amount of land suitable for agriculture is decreasing, reducing the area of land available for the cultivation of crops and driving farmers onto other land, which often involves deforestation. Agricultural production must be transformed to mitigate climate change and become more resilient to the consequences. Only then can we safeguard the long-term supply of food for ourselves and for the millions of people in developing countries. Women and youth provide a significant labour force across most agricultural value chains coffee inclusive. Increasing their knowledge and skills in good agricultural practices or climate smart agriculture can be a significant force in sustainable agriculture however, they may not have the motivation to put the skills into practice as they most cases do not get the proceeds from the land usage nor do they make decisions on the income. Women too engage on the land for most of their reproductive roles such as growing subsistence food crops, and cooking using mostly firewood. These engagements no doubt compromise the quality of the land overtime and therefore the need to collaborate with women in securing the land through regenerative agricultural practices and interventions like Good Agricultural Practices,agroforestry practices and climate smart agriculture.Green farming systems not only have climate benefits, but farmers profit from it as well, increased protection against drought, extreme rainfall, and rising temperatures. In addition, communities need to be sensitised to ensure small holder farmers continue to contribute to carbon emission reductions so that they can benefit from the land usage so that they are motivated to adopt best practices aimed at sustainable land management and income generation from sale of carbon credits.

3.0 GENDER AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

The Gender and social inclusion initiatives will aim at not only building capacities but also enabling women and youth to benefit from the land usage so that they are motivated to adopt best practices aimed at carbon farming and sustainable land management. Important to note though is that training women and youth on sustainable land management without enabling them to benefit from proceeds of land demotivates them instead of reducing their commitment. The project will adapt the gender action learning methodology to sensitize the coffee communities on the gender and social norms that discriminate against women and other marginalized groups while soliciting their support for inclusive land usage, climate smart practices and carbon farming initiatives. This will focus on galvanizing social capital among women and youth groups involved in carbon farming.

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3.1 Objective of the Gender Analysis:

As part of the interventions towards gender integration, the project will build capacity within to ensure that gender inclusivity is an integral part of all the project’s outputs. In this regard,a gender analysis will be conducted at the inception to determine the gender and social barriers and opportunities that affect climate adaptability and the involvement of women and other marginalised groups in best practices aimed at carbon farming and sustainable land management. Gender inclusivity interventions will then focus on, among others, gathering support to women and youth participation and benefit in the project activities.

In addition to the gender analysis the research will also respond to the following questions ;

• Examine the current level of gender inclusivity in climate-related initiatives among participating farmers (In terms of both quantitative and qualitative while examining the gender relations and their impact on gender inclusivity in climate related initiatives).
• Examine the specific skills and knowledge gaps hindering women and youth from actively participating in climate adaptation measures
• Examine the key factors influencing community support for gender-inclusive climate initiatives
• Asses and quantify the number of gender champions and number of farmers trained in the GALs methodology within the study population.
• Evaluate the participating farmers’ comprehension and familiarity with the Gender Action Learning (GALs) methodology, aiming to enhance participation in sustainable land management and carbon farming practices.
• Assess and quantify the existing and participation of Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups within the study population, including their demographic composition.

3.2 Methodology:

The methodology for the gender analysis will utilize gender analysis methodologies that will generate information on gender relations, gender issues, social inclusion/exclusion issues, constraints, opportunities and inequalities in relation to climate change, climate smart practices, carbon farming in the sectors at the micro, meso and macro level. And gender issues affecting the transition to low-carbon and regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and climate smart agricultural practices.

Level of analysis

Micro-analyses

Meso-analysis

Macro-analyses

Group

Individual/household

Community, CBOs, farmer groups, associations etc.

Public/policy etc

The methodology used during this gender analysis will overall, include, but not be limited to the following:

• Review existing relevant secondary information and reports related to gender and social variables in relation to climate change, climate smart practices and carbon farming. This includes the review of policy, strategy reviews at the macro and meso levels identifying the extent to which they consider gender, social inclusion and intersectionality.
• Discuss with key Solidaridad staff, partners, and key informants at office and field implementation levels on gender, social and intersectionality variables within the project areas.
• Data collection at micro level focusing on the Individual/households in the respective communities to identify the gender relations, gender issues, social issues, constraints and opportunities at this level of players. And the power dynamics in the respective sector at this level of analysis. The consultant will utilize gender analysis tools that generate the gender relations, gender issues, social inclusion/exclusion issues, constraints, opportunities and inequalities among others in the respective commodity value chain in relation to climate change, climate smart practices and carbon farming.
• Data collection at meso level focusing on the Community, CBOs, farmer groups, associations etc. Using gender and social analysis tools that generate the gender relations, gender issues, social exclusion issues, constraints/opportunities and inequalities among others.
• Special emphasis will be put on women, youth, and people with disabilities participation, so as to understand and recommend interventions on issues concerning these interest groups from a gender, youth, and people with disability inclusion’s perspective.
• Use of data from local institutions or organizations.
• Data analysis and verification of analyzed data.

3.2.1 Geographical area and Stakeholders’ scope

The Gender analysis will be carried out in Uganda within specific communities agreed upon

during the inception phase. The stakeholders and actors in the respective industry will be the primary target with specifics agreed upon during the inception phase meeting.

Study area:

Uganda: Central and South-West regions.

3.3 Deliverables

I. Inception Report for the Gender Analysis

II. Presentation of gender analysis methodology to Solidaridad team in an inception meeting and later incorporate suggestions in the final inception report.

III. A draft report of the gender analysis for feedback and comments from Solidaridad and partners involved. The report should clearly include gender issues identified at all levels in line with carbon farming and regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and climate smart agricultural practices and the recommendations to address them.

IV. Presentation on the main findings of the gender analysis for validation involving project teams, and other stakeholders as agreed with the project team.

3.4 Expert/Consultant’s Profile:

Consultancy firms/companies with verifiable work in conducting gender analysis and who fulfill the following requirements are encouraged to express their interests.

1. Demonstrates an understanding of the gender technical aspects in relation to the assignment. Has been part of a similar engagement e.g. gender analysis and was able to fully deliver.
2. Education background. A MUST have minimum academic post graduate qualification in Gender studies. Or an equivalent of a minimum of a Postgraduate qualification in Social sciences with a course unit in gender studies. Experience in development work in gender, social inclusion, women and youth empowerment is a plus.
3. Shows prior experience supported by capability in practical application of different gender mainstreaming tools or specific tools needed to accomplish the assignment e.g. analytical tools.
4. A clear understanding and demonstration of the gender analysis methodologies in line with the assignment.

   Activities and Deadline

   1. Interested parties should submit a Technical and Financial proposal. 9th August 2024, 5:00pm (EAT). Budget proposals should include logistics costs (transport, communications, meals and accommodation).

   2. Decision of selected consultant – only selected candidates will be contacted. 15th August 2024

   3. Inception report and meeting (virtual or in-person depending on situation).19th August 2024, 5:00pm (EAT)

   4. Draft report submitted 6th September 2024, 5:00pm (EAT)

   5. Validation meeting and final report (virtual or in-person depending on covid19 situation).13th September 2024, 5:00pm (EAT)