FIJI: REMOTE SENSING-GIS CONSULTANT TO SUPPORT THE RAPID INVENTORY ASSESSMENT
JOB DETAIL
FIJI: REMOTE SENSING-GIS CONSULTANT TO SUPPORT THE RAPID INVENTORY ASSESSMENT
INTRODUCTION TO GGGI
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Project: Fiji bamboo to adapt and mitigate climate change
- Duty Station: Colo-i-Suva Forestry station – Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Unit, Forest Resource Assessment and Conservation and REDD+ (FRAC) Division
- Contract Duration: September 2024-February 2025
- Number of Workdays Estimated: 120
- Consultant Level: Level 3
- Total Fees: USD 15,720
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Fiji Bamboo to Adapt to and Mitigate Climate Change project aims to support the sustainable and inclusive production and use of bamboo as a resilient, sustainable and cost-effective construction material in Fiji that can be used to help increase the supply of affordable, resilient and accessible buildings in Fiji while also economically empowering women and other marginalized groups in Fiji, who are expected to play a key role in both the sustainable production and use of bamboo as a construction material. The project is being implemented by Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) with a coalition of Government and Non-Government partners both locally and internationally, and is supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT) under the Low Emissions and Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) Phase 2 Pacific regional program
The project aims to create an evidence-based and an enabling environment (the local capacity and policy environment) that will support and encourage:
- the use of locally grown bamboo as a cost-effective, sustainable and resilient construction material;
- the adoption of environmentally sustainable (or even regenerative), socially inclusive and economically viable methods for cultivating, harvesting, treating and processing bamboo (for use in construction); and
- women and other marginalized groups to seize the economic opportunities that are expected to arise from the development of a new green and sustainable bamboo industry in Fiji.
One of the important steps in building the evidence base is to estimate the amount of bamboo that can be sustainably produced and harvested to meet future demand in Fiji. To help estimate this, GGGI is collaborating with the Fiji Ministry of Forestry to conduct a lean rapid inventory assessment of the bamboo stock using a combination of field verification methods and remote sensing tools in 3 or 4 selected provinces in Fiji’s Viti Levu. This assessment will seek to identify the quantity, age and species of bamboo growing in different locations, along with any other relevant information about the bamboo.
The findings from this inventory assessment are expected to be sufficient to estimate the existing bamboo stock throughout the whole of Fiji and will guide the development of appropriate policies and regulations that will enable and encourage the sustainable production and harvesting of bamboo in Fiji. In turn, it will also support the development of bamboo as a viable, lower cost and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional construction materials and is expected to create significant new green business and employment opportunities, including for women, youth and for the poor living in rural and remote areas of Fiji.
OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The objective of the assignment is to support and work in collaboration with the Fiji Ministry of Forestry, Forest Resource Assessment, Conservation and REDD+ (FRAC) Division to estimate the amount of bamboo that can be sustainably produced and harvested in Fiji to meet future demand by:
- conducting an inventory mapping of bamboo in at least 3 provinces in Viti Levu;
- scientifically extrapolating the findings from the inventory mapping exercise to estimate existing bamboo stock in Fijian forests; and
- using information on the availability of suitable land for growing bamboo, to estimate the amount of bamboo that could potentially be sustainably produced and harvested in Fiji in the future.
SCOPE OF WORK
To meet the objectives of this assignment GGGI is aiming to hire a Remote Sensing-GIS consultant. The consultant is required to work in close collaboration with the Fiji Ministry of Forestry, Forest Resource Assessment and Conservation (FRAC) Division to:
- develop an inventory map of the bamboo stock in the selected 3 provinces in Viti Levu using appropriate tools. This will include mapping the coordinate of the bamboo stands, and in collaboration with forestry officials carrying out ground truthing for confirmation;
- develop an inventory report of the bamboo stock in the selected 3 provinces in Viti Levu by species;
- develop a scientific estimate of bamboo stock throughout Fiji’s natural forests;
- develop a report on the scientific estimate of the amount of bamboo that can be potentially grown in Fiji through sustainable practices;
- report progress on a day-to-day basis to a supervisor from the Fiji Ministry of Forestry; and
- assist the supervisor in any other tasks assigned by the project supervisor related to the bamboo inventory work.
DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
| No. | Deliverables | Deliverable’s description | Timeline | Amount (% over total fee) |
| 1 | Inception Report | Detailed workplan with methodology, activities, risk analysis, deliverables and timeline. | Two (2) weeks after signing the contract | 20% |
| 2 | Draft bamboo mapping and inventory report | A draft report containing details of the data collected and analyzed broken down by species and location of bamboo and a scientific estimate of the total stock of bamboo in Fiji | Twelve (12) weeks after signing the contract | 30% |
| 3 | Draft report on the potential sustainable supply of bamboo | A draft report containing scientific estimates on the amount of bamboo that could potentially be sustainably produced and harvested in Fiji. | Twenty (20) weeks after signing the contract | 20% |
| 4 | Final report on Fiji’s current and potential future stock of bamboo | Final report detailing a scientific estimation of bamboo stock in Fiji and scientific estimation of the amount of that can be sustainably produced and harvested in Fiji. This should also contain details on the methodologies adopted, data and other information collected and analyzed, and a record/log of what work was undertaken jointly with Ministry officials. | Twenty-four (24) weeks after signing the contract | 30% |
Note – No travel expenses will be covered by GGGI for the execution of the consultancy.
[Reporting Arrangements]
The consultant’s work progress will be monitored primarily through periodic review meetings for planning, and short meetings for prioritizing activities, in consensus with the contract supervisor at FRAC Division and GGGI. The review meetings will include subjects such as: the overview of the contractual objectives, the development of activities, detailed information milestones, actual achievements made against the timeline initially set, and any other relevant progress details.
Supervision shall be provided by FRAC Division with the support of the GGGI Fiji office, to ensure the timely and quality delivery of outputs outlined in the contractual objective. The final review and approval of activities and deliverables under the contract is to be made by the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the Fiji Bamboo project in collaboration with the GGGI project team.
[Reporting Requirements]
- The Consultant shall submit the Final Report which should reflect the outcome of all activities prepared by the consultant. The report should also give recommendations for further activities to be carried out in order to secure a long-term sustainable development of the measure
- All relevant technical data, shape files, reports, bamboo species distribution maps, and other documents prepared from the start to the end of the assignment shall be attached to the Final Report.
- All outputs must be in English, in accordance with GGGI’s formatting requirements and editable format that is readable by a Microsoft Office application. Where relevant, the consultant shall also provide sets of raw data, research materials, and meeting notes related to the contractual objective.
- The final report must be approved by the GGGI with the agreement of the PSC. The Consultant shall consider the comments and necessary revisions proposed. Within 14 days from the receipt of the comments or modification proposal from the GGGI, the Consultant shall prepare and submit the final versions of the report
EXPERTISE REQUIRED
The consultant shall have the following educational qualifications, experience and competencies:
- (MANDATORY) A University degree with at least 5 years of relevant experience in GIS & Remote Sensing, and/or Forest Inventory, database programming languages and Natural Resource Management (the consultant to be along the lines of these backgrounds; GIS programmer (R, Python) or analyst)
- Experience in remote sensing and GIS, spectral signatures, mapping and map reading, handling of GPS, forest inventory mapping tools, modeling and forest assessment tools is a must
- Prior working knowledge of computer mapping software tools such as ERDAS/ER Mapper, ArcGIS and QGIS is a must
- Prior experience of forest resource assessment and mapping, compiling forest data is an asset
- The consultant should be comfortable with fieldwork and camping out in the forest as it might be required for the consultant to join the inventory team during some field inventory work.
- Full command of Microsoft applications (word, excel, PowerPoint) and common internet applications will be required.
- Report writing skills are a must
- Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills; capacity for synthesis, presentation, and communication; and strategic thinking skills.
- Organized with excellent time management and attention to detail.
- Strong and mature interpersonal skills, problem solver, adapts with optimism to unforeseeable change and proven ability to work with teams.
- Fluency in English and local language is desired.
- Prior experience in working in the Pacific region in a similar assignment will be an asset.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Date to close is Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered Application. Cover Letter, and CV must be sent in English. A consortium, or a firm may not be engaged for the individual consultant assignment.
Child protection – GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
