Consultancy on Pastoralism and Behavior Change At Wildlife Conservation Society

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Design and testing of interventions for behavior change, for sustainable management of transhumance corridors

Organisation: Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

Presentation of the organization

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization established in 1895 that works to preserve wildlife and wild places by identifying critical problems, developing science-based solutions, and leading conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With over a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, a presence in over 60 countries, and experience in establishing over 150 protected areas worldwide, WCS has accumulated biological and sociocultural knowledge of the areas concerned, and built strong partnerships to ensure that wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. In collaboration with local communities and organizations, this knowledge informs our strategies for managing species, habitats, and ecosystems, which are essential to improving the quality of life for poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct use of natural resources.

The Sudano-Sahel region (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria, and Chad) offers an unprecedented opportunity to play a direct role in preserving some of the world’s last intact wilderness areas, and to contribute significantly to the security of people and wildlife. The region’s savannahs, forests, and wetlands support key populations of endangered elephants, northern giraffes, lions, elands, chimpanzees, gorillas, and bongos. Hundreds of bird species are found in the region, including the shoebill and crowned crane. Communities also rely on these lands for their livelihoods, through livestock farming, agriculture, fishing, and hunting. WCS has a strong presence in the Sudano-Sahel region, where it has a long history of conservation work and a proven track record in protected area management. We are actively working to support protected area management and wildlife law enforcement, local livelihoods, develop conservation-security partnerships, strengthen anti-trafficking activities, and implement our policy and science programs.

I. Contexte

Pastoralism is a livelihood and way of life for millions of people in the Sudano-Sahelian region. However, it is under increasing pressure from climate change, insecurity, and agricultural expansion, which often pushes pastoralists and their livestock into protected areas, leading to resource degradation and conflict.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), through its new Agro-Pastoral and Transhumance (APT) Strategy, is committed to taking a proactive, human rights-based approach to addressing these challenges. Our vision is to foster peaceful, healthy, and resilient pastoral systems, coexisting with thriving biodiversity. This involves moving away from traditionally conflictual relationships and embracing collaborative partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPs and LCs), recognizing their rights, knowledge, and role as custodians of vast landscapes.

This consultancy is a key element of the PAIRIAC ( Regional Integration and Investment Support Programme PAIRIAC Project (Central Africa)) , funded by the European Union. One of the main objectives of PAIRIAC is to improve natural resource governance by securing transhumance corridors and improving access to pastoral services in the cross-border region of southern Chad, northern Central African Republic (CAR) and northern Cameroon.

Despite efforts to demarcate corridors and negotiate agreements, unsustainable grazing practices and encroachment on protected areas persist. To achieve lasting change, we must move beyond infrastructure policies and enforcement to understand and address the underlying drivers of human behavior. WCS is therefore seeking a short-term consultant to conduct a behavioral diagnostic and co-design an innovative pilot program. This program will develop and test interventions to encourage the voluntary use of transhumance corridors and protected area boundaries among pastoralists and landowners, while also incentivizing policymakers to create a more enabling environment. The study methodology developed through this consultancy will serve as a model for replication in the Sudano-Sahelian region.

Project: PAIRIAC ( Program to Support Regional Integration and Investment in Central Africa )

Location: Remote with frequent travel to the project implementation countries (Cameroon, Chad, CAR)

Estimated duration: 30 working days over a period of 3 months, ideally from November 2025

II. Description of the work

The consultant will be responsible for leading a comprehensive behavioral diagnostic process and designing, testing, and implementing a series of targeted interventions. Key tasks include:

  1. Conduct research to achieve a behavioral diagnosis: Conduct in-depth qualitative research in selected PAIRIAC project sites to identify the underlying factors (motivations, opportunities, capacities, and barriers) that influence pastoralists’ grazing decisions. This research should distinguish between different user groups (e.g., traditional transhumant herders, agro-pastoralists, salaried herders from absentee/neo-pastoral owners) and assess the perspectives and motivations of relevant policymakers and local authorities.
  2. Co-design of behavior change interventions: In collaboration with WCS field teams and community representatives, lead the co-design of a series of practical and culturally appropriate behavior change interventions. These interventions should draw directly on the research findings mentioned in the previous point, and may include, but are not limited to:
    • Changes in material or economic incentives (e.g., access to services, value chain integration).
    • Changing social norms and expectations within pastoral communities.
    • Design of targeted communication campaigns.
    • Influence local policies and regulations to better support sustainable practices.
    • Develop or strengthen alternative livelihood activities compatible with conservation objectives.
  3. Develop and pre-test pilot materials: Develop the communication materials, training modules, and other tools needed to pilot a selection of co-designed interventions. These materials should be pre-tested with target audiences to ensure their clarity, relevance, and cultural fit.
  4. Implement a small-scale pilot project: In close collaboration with the WCS PAIRIAC team, implement a small-scale pilot project of the most promising interventions in a limited geographical area to assess their feasibility, acceptability and potential for impact.
  5. Develop a monitoring and learning framework: Design and implement a simple monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework to track pilot implementation, collect participant feedback, and assess early indicators of change.
  6. Produce a final strategy and toolkit: Based on the results of the pilot and the entire process, produce a final, practical report that describes a scalable behavior change strategy and a simple toolkit that will enable WCS staff to replicate this approach at other sites.

III. Expected results and deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

  1. Initial report: to be submitted within two weeks of signing the contract, detailing the final methodology, research tools, list of stakeholders to be consulted and a detailed work plan with timeline.
  2. Research Findings Report: A comprehensive report detailing the results of the behavioral diagnosis, including a clear analysis of motivations, barriers, and key leverage points for intervention.
  3. Intervention Design and Pilot Plan: A document describing the co-designed interventions, associated pilot materials (in the appendix) and a detailed plan for their implementation and testing.
  4. Pilot Project Implementation and Monitoring Report: A concise report summarizing the activities undertaken during the pilot project, key observations, monitoring data and lessons learned.
  5. Scalable Final Strategy and Toolkit: A final, easy-to-read report summarizing all of this consultancy. This document should include a clear, evidence-based strategy to encourage sustainable grazing practices, as well as a practical toolkit (templates, guides, checklists, etc.) to enable WCS teams to apply the methodology elsewhere.

IV. Qualifications

  • At least 7 years of professional experience in the design and implementation of behavior change or social marketing strategies, with a strong focus on formative research.
  • Advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., social sciences, anthropology, behavioral economics, communication, conservation psychology).
  • Proven experience in conducting qualitative field research (e.g., in-depth interviews, focus group discussions) in rural and cross-cultural settings.
  • Proven experience working with pastoral communities in the Sudano-Sahelian region or similar grazing environments is highly desirable.
  • Experience in designing and testing interventions targeting both community members and policy makers.
  • Excellent analytical, facilitation and communication skills.
  • Complete professional fluency in French is required; professional fluency in English is a major asset.

V. Budget and payment schedule

The total budget for this consultancy is up to €50,000. This amount is a fixed fee and should cover all fees, international travel, field research costs (including interviewers if necessary), accommodation, visas, insurance, and all costs related to message development and testing. WCS will provide its pastoral team for information and access to pastoral communities.

A payment schedule linked to the production of deliverables will be negotiated with the selected candidate.

How to apply

VI. Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a proposal including the following:

  1. Resume: Detailing relevant experience that directly addresses qualifications.
  2. Technical proposal (maximum 5 pages): This must describe the candidate’s understanding of the project, as well as the approach and methodology proposed for each stage of the work (diagnosis, co-design, management). It must also include a provisional timetable.
  3. Financial Proposal: A detailed budget showing the breakdown of the total amount, up to €50,000, between fees, travel, field costs, and other expenses. Please provide a daily rate for professional fees.
  4. References: Contact details of at least two professional references for whom similar work has been carried out.

Proposals should be submitted to ssrconsultancies@wcs.org by October 10, 2025 .

VII. Selection criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Consultant’s experience and qualifications (40%)
  • Quality and relevance of the technical proposal and methodology (40%)
  • Cost-effectiveness of the financial proposal (20%)