Socio-economic and Multi-stakeholder Dialogue Specialist at Food and Agriculture Organization

Duty Station: Tanariver, Samburu, Marsabit, Baringo, Nandi, Westpokot

Responsibilities for the Dialogue Specialist Job

• Support the FAO Representation in Kenya for multi-stakeholder consultations
• Support the FAO Representation in Kenya in the preparation of the multi-stakeholder consultations (described below)
• Inception workshop to introduce the project to stakeholders at the national level, agree on project sites selection criteria and preliminary list of sites and review proposed project preparation activities, review and assess other current initiatives relevant to this project, identify other potential co-financing and endorse the project preparation approach.
• Individual consultations with related initiatives to explore coordination arrangements.
• Terminal workshop hold a terminal workshop to review and verify/endorse the project design, secure cofinancing commitments, finalise implementation arrangements and proposed project budget.
• Support proper local consultations (together with the FAO Representation and the FLR specialist) with local stakeholders both at national/regional level and project sites to obtain their perspectives on project activities and ensure that the project will meet their needs.
• For the activities above, in consultation with the FAO representation, define the list of participants and the consultation methodology (to be approved before the meeting by the LTO and the national team). Play a facilitation role when need be.
• Define a plan for participatory consultations activities (including budget) during the life of the project.

Socio-economic assessment of FLR activities and alternative initiatives

• Collect and analyse socio-economic information for multi-stakeholders involvement in Forest and Landscape
• Restoration planning and implementation
• Through meetings and interviews, site assessments and reviews of national socioeconomic statistics (social surveys, population censuses, livelihood activities, etc.), collect baseline socioeconomic information at project sites and elaborat proposals for multi-stakeholders involvement, gender mainstreaming and participation in project activities. Specific activities will include the following:
• Identify and enumerate project stakeholders and beneficiaries at target sites (including enumeration by gender/ ethnicity). Assess current vulnerabilities and livelihood activities, and analyse how they contribute to meeting basic socioeconomic needs (income, food, water, shelter, energy, health, education). Based on this assessment, identify the most urgent needs that may be affected or addressed by the project.
• Assess the strength of existing local stakeholders’ platforms and make proposal on how they could be strengthened through the project for forest and landscape restoration.
• Identify partners who could help in participatory forest and landscape restoration planning and implementation.
• Discuss with local community members what they perceive as the potential impacts of the project and identify ways in which the project might contribute to local development needs. Identify any potential negative impacts and risks that may occur and discuss mitigating actions or other measures that should be incorporated into the project design.
• Based on the above consultations and analysis, develop recommendations for gender mainstreaming and active participation of other vulnerable groups in the project.
• Support the FLR Policy and Implementation Specialist to define the most appropriate FLR options through local participatory consultations.
• Assessment of possible economic alternatives and complementary sustainable land management programs lowering the pressure on natural resources
• Assess possible alternative economic activities and complementary sustainable land management programs, which could be developed to lower the pressure on natural resources (such as sustainable agriculture, community forestry, alternative livelihood options, value chain development).
• Evaluate the potential for Non-Timber Forest Products or other products value chain development.
• Identify potential partners to develop these economic alternatives and complementary sustainable land management programs.
• For these activities, the Market Analysis & Development methodology could be used.
• Liaison with the International Design Consultant and support for the development of the final project document for GEF The consultant will also be responsible to answer any queries from the International design Consultant related to socioeconomics, gender and participatory multi-stakeholders dialogue in order to satisfy the quality of documents needed by the GEF.

Dialogue Specialist Job Requirements

• Degree in socio-economy, gender, forestry, natural resources management or related discipline
• At least 10 years of work experience in socio-economy & forestry/land restoration on assessment and alternative socio-economic activities development
• Experience and thorough familiarity with the socio-economic context and forestry sector in Kenya
• Experience in gender mainstreaming
• Fluency in English and good writing skills