Waste Management Consultant At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Title: Waste Management Consultant

Duty Station: Lilongwe, Malawi

Duration: Three (3) Months

Contract Type: Local Consultant

Closing date: 20 April 2022

Start date: 16 May 2022

Organizational context

Agriculture is a traditional livelihood activity for many persons of concerns to UNHCR, especially in Africa. However, innovations in agriculture are needed to improve the resilience and sustainability of agriculture systems, secure reliable incomes, address the dire food insecurity of the global poor and reduce the impact of climate change. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, some 240+ million people are currently food insecure or without sufficient food consumption, of which a disproportionately high number are in fragile conflict and violence settings- 29% vs.18% in non-FCV contexts.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions in food supply chains and heightened concern for food security for vulnerable populations including forcibly displaced. Food insecurity is a frequent challenge for many refugees and other forcibly displaced. Cutting food intake is a common response reported by both refugees and nationals alike to cope with the loss of income.

Insect farming is a new circular food economy that will create climate resilience, jobs, and income and improve nutrition. According to a recently launched book- Insect and Hydroponic Farming in Africa- The New Circular Food Economy by the World Bank, more than 75% of surveyed farms in Africa produce insects for human consumption, while 19% produce insects for fish and livestock feed, and 5% for both food and feed (World Bank, 2021). Building on the lessons and opportunities outlined in the aforementioned book, the UNHCR and the World Bank are joining forces to expand insect farming among refugee and host populations where insects are already used for feed and fodder.

In Malawi, UNHCR has identified insects that are consumed by humans in the country and wants to explore more types of insects for animal feed – to generate income and generate businesses. Agricultural production and processing were scaled-up in the refugee-hosting area in 2021, and a composting site. Demand for organic soil amendments, including manure and compost, is high in the refugee-hosting area, while organic waste and household solid waste are not properly managed

Organic waste will be a key feedstock for insect farming. Currently, there is no source segregation, nor distinct collection mechanism of organic waste in Dzaleka camp. A pilot composting site was developed in 2019 near a market in one of the central areas of the camp, and there is an interest to scale up this activity. Agriculture in Malawi is suffering from the overuse of chemical fertilizers, and the rising costs of these fertilizers; compost is one of the only solutions for soil restoration and maintaining production yields. There are clear synergies between the composting and insect farming activities, starting with the development of an organic waste supply chain which can feed both activities. For this reason, the consultant is required to look at organic waste sourcing for both these activities, hoping that developing them in parallel will be beneficial to both endeavours and increase sustainability in Dzaleka camp and the host community. Opportunity exists to establish strategic partnerships and capitalize on insect farming, agricultural development and existing organic wastes and potential partners to develop multi-sectoral solutions that can improve livelihoods, nutrition and environmental management.

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.

Duties and responsibilities

• Identify with the project team the zones/communities close to the livelihood site and the composting site which will be targeted.
• Undertake a system analysis of organic solid waste management in zones/communities close to the livelihood site and the composting site (households, vegetable market, slaughterhouse, restaurants, food processing units, manure, agricultural by-products). Identify bottlenecks for source separation and distinct collection of organic waste through field visits and FGD with households, farmers, business owners, and compost company. Identify the existing uses for organic waste (for example chicken feeding at household level) and assess the proportion of organic waste that is not used (and thus available). Accordingly, provide recommendations on organic waste sources for BSF production in both demonstration sites, and composting, based on their distinctive production capacities.
• Identify community members (refugees and host), living at a walking distance from demonstration sites, with interest in insect farming and use. Consider existing social structures that would increase buy-in and project success rate.
• Contact the existing small composting cooperative and assess their interest in insect farming, scaling up their composting activity and engaging in organic waste collection and transport activities.
• Using secondary and primary data, verify quantities of daily organic waste production at source in both targeted zones, and organic waste composition/profiles, and identify through interviews possible seasonal changes)
• Assess the feasibility of organic waste separation at source (for each organic waste stream), especially the willingness-to-participate of households and the required incentives based on a participatory approach with communities, existing stakeholders, and end-users of organic waste (composting and livelihood sites).
• Develop scenarios for the collection & transport of organic waste, with the costs and implications for each of them, for both the insect farming and composting service chains. Propose detailed service arrangements: frequency, modes of operation, transportation vehicle (motorised or manual), arrangements with households. Consider the implementation of collection points (ex. at street level) or door-to-door collection, quality control, governance structure, staffing, roles and responsibilities, community mobilization activities, costs involved, priorities). Validate recommendations with consulted refugee and host communities in the targeted zones.
• Assess the local market for compost and insect farming product and by-products inside and around the refugee camp, and local preferences (fresh or dried larvae, whole or powder form, packaging type and size? Use of insect frass for compost production, or direct application to soils?)
• Design an organic waste management plan in each of the two targeted zones to obtain X quantity of organic waste per day in the livelihood site, and Y quantity in the composting site
• Assess which scale of operation is required for the insect farming and composting business to be financially sustainable. Estimate the capital and operational costs of the scaled-up composting plant.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

Level of responsibility required for individual consultant

Qualifications and experience required:

· Bachelor’s degree in waste management, water and sanitation engineering, biochemistry, or Technical Diploma in relevant field with a minimum 5 years of experience.

b. Work Experience

• Previous experience in organic and household waste management required.
• Previous experience in waste management and recycling and waste research required.
• Experience working in humanitarian or global development settings, and/or for the UN or other humanitarian/development agencies preferred.
• Familiarity with refugee situation in the country.

c. Key Competencies

• Proven project management skills
• Excellent communication skills and professional knowledge of English and local dialects
• Preferably resident in Malawi

Location

The successful candidate will be based with the team in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Conditions

The Consultancy is for three (3) months and the start date is 16 May 2022. It is a full-time role with working hours starting from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Thursday and Friday 8.00 am to 2.00 pm (40 hours per week).