Development of guidelines for the alignment of the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) with the National Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) At Village Enterprise

Village Enterprise is working with UN Women to implement the project, “Economic Empowerment of Women through Climate Smart Agriculture 2020-2023– a three-year Gender-Responsive Climate Smart Agriculture Project in Kitui, Laikipia, and West Pokot Counties. Implementing in Partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the project is funded by the Korean Government (KOICA). The project aims to increase investments in women’s capacities to ensure more equitable access to assets and productive resources. The overall goal is to enhance the gender-sensitive adaptive capacity of the selected counties to climate change and strengthen women’s capacity to meaningfully engage in climate-smart agriculture. The key project objectives include:

a. To increase inclusion of gender in climate-smart policies and regulations, and opportunities for women to financially invest in climate-resilient agriculture at the national, county, and community level

b. To increase production, income levels, nutrition, and gender-responsive climate-resilient livelihoods among targeted communities

Specifically, the project will seek to invest in building the capacities of the national and county level institutions to ensure the engendering and implementation of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) policies. Engendering of CSA and CCA policies will ensure the sustainability of such efforts.

Objectives of the task

The overall objective of the task is to develop guidelines for the alignment of the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) with the National Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) policies and regulations, and strategies for CSA gender mainstreaming. Specifically, the consultant will be expected to:

a. Map and develop a matrix of all the CSA and CCA programmes in West Pokot County, preferred by women, youth and people living with disabilities. Consider: the various players, the level of adoption, required resources, challenges, their coordination mechanisms and, refer to key best practices if any.

b. Review national and county CSA and CCA policies, support in domestication of the same.

c. Work with the key county departments of West Pokot, to cross-examine county plans for CSA, CCA and their gender responsiveness and, develop practical guidelines and protocols for the alignment of the national CSA and CCA policies and regulations in the CIDPs.

d. Develop user friendly policy guidelines and strategies for CSA gender mainstreaming.

e. Train the county technical staff in the national and county institutions in using the guidelines for alignment of the CSA and CCA in the CIDPs and in mainstreaming gender in CSA.

f. Work closely with the technical working group to review & engender sections of the West Pokot Poverty Graduation policy.

Timeline of the Consultancy

The engagement timeline is immediate with a consultancy period of three months effective on the date the contract is signed.**

Expected deliverables

While working in collaboration with beneficiaries, partners and VE staff, the expected deliverables in this consultancy are as follows:

a. An inception report with detailed methodology and approaches that will be used in the delivery of this consultancy as well as timelines,

b. 2 CSA and CCA policy guidelines engendered.

c. A comprehensive guideline for alignment of the CSA and CCA policies and regulations to be included in the next county CIDP

d. 100 county officials and 120 women farmers trained on CSA and CCA policy formulation and implementation.

e. Comprehensive strategies for CSA gender mainstreaming

f. A final consultancy report by February 2022.

Applicant’s Eligibility Criteria

a. The lead consultant(s) must have at least a Masters degree in a relevant area such as Gender, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Education and Curricular Development, Policy and Planning.

b. Combination skills that include climate smart agricultural processes, climate change adaptation, community development, strategy development, advocacy, gender mainstreaming, the development of guidelines, training, good communication and participatory facilitation skills

c. Proven record in the development of guidelines or engagement in such work. Please attach sample work

d. Excellent understanding of Kenya governments policies/framework on climate smart agriculture and Gender mainstreaming.

e. A good understanding of the coordination mechanisms between the national and the county governments

f. An understanding of the local context: preferably have experience of work done in the three target counties and/or similar socio-economic counties.

A minimum of five years of experience in consultancy.