PROJECT BACKGROUND

The countries of the Northern Triangle, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, are experiencing the negative impacts of climate change, and global climate models predict even more severe scenarios for the coming years. These scenarios include higher average annual temperatures with lower and more erratic rainfall, marked by extreme rainfall events during tropical cyclones and followed by prolonged droughts. The lack of coverage by government agencies limits the scope to serve farmers with technical assistance and extension, resulting in the agricultural production methods they use leading to a degradation of the top layer of soil and land, which in turn reduces agricultural productivity.

The main direct causes of deforestation include land use change due to agriculture and livestock, unsustainable extraction of wood for industrial and energy uses, and forest fires, mostly related to conventional slash-and-burn practices used to prepare soils for the establishment of annual crops and pastures. This project will provide a platform for technical collaboration with the Republic of Korea, Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries to establish enabling environmental policies that foster productive landscape restoration and create benefits to local communities and smallholder farmers, as a key strategy to reduce poverty in climate-vulnerable communities. In this sense, the project seeks to strengthen institutional capacity with a restoration focus by supporting the preparation of documents that help mitigate and recover degraded lands, in response to climate change. In this context, GGGI is looking for an experienced consultant to carry out the following activities:

1. Prepare a manual of techniques for Forest Landscape Restoration, which includes the establishment of Agroforestry and Silvopastoral Systems, as one of the techniques.
2. Support the GGGI team by reviewing the manual during the printing process.
3. Carry out a dissemination event once the document is finished and printed in order to make it known to farmers, technical personnel and authorities.

Job Summary: 

Prepare and disseminate a technical manual for the restoration of the forest landscape that serves as a guide for farmers and technicians in restoration activities.

Responsibilities:

Below are the activities that the consultant must complete, which must be carried out in their entirety within a period of 121 days.

[A] General responsibilities

• Present a detailed work plan for the preparation and dissemination of the technical manual (include execution schedule) – Product 1.
• Plan and coordinate the work with the technical team of the General Directorate of Forest Planning, Watersheds and Irrigation (DGFCR) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and with the Senior Forestry Associate of the GGGI.
• Prepare a monthly report that demonstrates the progress of execution addressed to the Director of the DGFCR/MAG and the Senior Forestry Associate of the GGGI

[B] Preparation of a manual of techniques for forest landscape restoration

• Plan, manage and hold the necessary meetings with the different institutions involved in the issue of forest landscape restoration (MAG, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), National Center for Agricultural and Forestry Technology (CENTA), among others), with the objective of establishing all the aspects that must be included in the manual.
• Prepare the manual in an inclusive language adapted to the target population (farmers).
• Take into account the technical considerations of the DGFCR-MAG team, to incorporate into the manual actions of the different strategic axes mentioned in the Forestry Strategy of El Salvador. The document must ensure that for the current use of lands without forest, an appropriate agroforestry use is promoted, which allows guiding the planned and orderly development of management activities and increase of forest cover; both with productive and conservation objectives, and risk prevention and mitigation.
• Include in the preparation of the document at least one case study of restoration at the national level.
• Hold meetings every 15 days with the DGFCR-MAG staff to review, correct and validate the document being prepared, until it is determined that it is finished.
• Submit the document for review, validation and approval by the Forestry Senior Associate and Communication Senior Assistant by GGGI, and by the Director of the DGFCR-MAG, who will draw up a receipt record with the respective signatures endorsing the term and the acceptance of the document to proceed with the payment of Product 2.

[C] Printing the new document

Once the document preparation stage is completed, the following activities will be carried out:

• Support the GGGI team in the process of reviewing the document with the company in charge of printing, to validate the design and that the content is appropriate (this process will take 30 days).

[D] Document dissemination

After printing the document, the consultant must carry out the following activities:

• Plan with MAG and GGGI a dissemination strategy, including an event to present the finalized, printed document and promote its use, coordinating with MAG the invitation of farmers, technical personnel and authorities.
• As part of the dissemination strategy, coordinate with MAG the best mechanisms to support broader dissemination at the national level.
• Desing and execute the event agenda in coordination with MAG and GGGI.
• Deliver, no later than two weeks after the date of the dissemination event, a final report systematizing the execution of the consultancy, which must be accepted by the Director of the DGFCR-MAG and the Forestry Senior Associate-GGGI, for proceed to sign the receipt record to make payment for Product 3.

The payment method will be established as follows:

Product 1: Work plan for the preparation and dissemination of the technical manual.

Date of delivery: 10 calendar days after signing the contract.

Percentage of payment: 20%

Product 2: Validated and accepted technical manual.

Date of payment: 70 calendar days after receipt Product 1

Percentage of payment: 40%

Product 3: Final report systematizing the execution of the consultancy.

Date of delivery: 41 calendar days after receipt Product 2

Percentage of payment: 40%

Requirements

The consultant is expected to possess the following qualifications, professional experiences, and skills:

[A[ Qualifications

• Educational background in Agronomics, Forestry, Environmental Sciences, or a related field. A postgraduate degree is desirable.
• Fluency in Spanish.
• Salvadoran national or resident in the country with a valid work permit.

[B] Professional experiences

• Minimum work experience of 5 years
• With proven experience in the preparation of technical documents on agricultural issues, preferably agroforestry or related to consulting, aimed to farmers and technical personnel, ensuring use of appropriate language.

• Sound understanding of forest restoration and climate change issues.

[C] Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); Analytical and report-writing skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative.
• Time management and organizational skills.

Applicants must include in their application package as follows:

• A cover letter of no more than 2 pages demonstrating how the candidate’s qualifications meet the work requirements.
• A curriculum vitae that, at a minimum, describes education, recent experience, and career achievements.
• A verifiable list of publications to which the candidate has contributed.

In order to be considered for the position, the candidate must meet the minimum qualifications listed above. Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. GGGI does not pay for any expenses associated with the interviews unless expenses are pre-authorized.