Background

The Central African region is home to the second largest tropical rainforest in the world, is sucking out about 1.5 billion tons of CO2 of the atmosphere or 4% of the world’s emissions every year and provides a habitat to more than 10,000 plant and animal species. Forest loss is accelerating despite ongoing efforts, as government action alone has not been enough to establish an effective balance between the interests of the forest and of economic development. On this basis, a coalition of donors – which now includes Belgium, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, the UK and the US – together with Central African partner countries – Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of Congo – have decided to enter into a collaborative partnership to establish the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI).

CAFI’s objective is to recognize and preserve the value of the forests in the region to mitigate climate change, reduce poverty, and contribute to sustainable development. This objective will be attained through the implementation of country-led, national scale REDD+ and Low Emissions Development (LED) investment frameworks that include policy reforms and measures to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and promote sustainable development. The CAFI Trust Fund is the principal means to implement the Central African Forest Initiative. It is administered by the MPTF-O, that also provides the Secretariat services.

To reverse this trend and increase the prospects for the long-term conservation of forests in Central Africa we must use the alternatives to current practices (slash-and-burn agriculture, unsustainable charcoal). These have been successfully adopted by farmers in the context of CAFI projects since 2015 and they include agroforestry, development of deforestation-free crops, forest plantation and regeneration following sustainable land use planning. These projects have shown that if we provide direct incentives at scale, people can engage in an alternative development pathway that will spare forests.

CAFI’s payment for environmental services programme (PES) is a standardized mechanism to deliver direct performance-based payments in Central Africa: it creates common rules, eligibility requirements, quality criteria, monitoring, transparent reporting and verification procedures as well as digital payment solutions for a set of activities.

CAFI has developed a comprehensive PES approach over the past 8 years that it is now ready to deploy at scale. Through its integrated rural development programs, CAFI has identified and tested six activities that address the drivers of forest loss and thus contribute to the maintenance of the forest’s ecosystem services and that can be easily incentivized by PES:

1. Agroforestry,
2. Reforestation,
3. Zero-deforestation perennial crops,
4. Regeneration,
5. Sustainable forest management, and
6. Forest conservation (or collective management).

In addition to testing approaches and different incentive systems, CAFI’s rural development programs also contributed to establishing essential enabling conditions based on which the PES can be deployed at a massive scale. These include zoning and land use planning on 10 million hectares or community forest concessions established with recognized title over 600 000 hectares of land. CAFI has developed a network of over 20 international and more than 60 national organizations that have become familiar with many aspects of PES and can thus support local actors.

CAFI’s PES is implemented through a centralized information management system using the most cost-effective technology such as mobile data collection, web-based remote sensing services and mobile payments. This system enables a very transparent, results-based and efficient PES scheme, but also aims to reduce the role and costs of intermediaries while empowering local actors on the ground.

Mobile Data Collection (MDC) system. MDCs (e.g. ODK, GeoODK, Kobo) refer to the use of smartphones or tablets for data collection and analysis. MDCs enable affordable, fast and efficient collection, transmission and analysis of both spatial and non-spatial data. Mobile applications may also include services such as simple SMS surveys or mobile payments.

MDC has a number of benefits:

1. Speeds up data collection in the field;
2. Reduces errors in data collection (built-in quality constraints) & transcription (i.e. bypassing the lengthy and error-prone encoding step from a paper form to soft format);
3. Strengthens the reliability & quality of M&E/ surveys, by enabling easy consolidation of “rich data” (GPS coordinates, geotagged photos, etc);
4. Speeds up data transmission to the office (real-time or whenever mobile internet network or Wi-Fi become available) and data analysis (i.e. on-site in the device or by receiving quick feedback from office while still in the field, bypassing encoding step);
5. Lowers costs over time: as higher initial costs for equipment, system set-up, and training, are recovered through reduced printing needs, more flexible (re-deployment of surveys, and no need for data encoding);
6. Reduces the need for additional equipment (e.g. GPS, camera);
7. Forms are easily deployed in multiple languages (e.g. local dialects).

The MDC system consists of 3 components: (i) a module that helps turning traditional paper-based M&E or survey forms into digital forms, (ii) a mobile App that enables to easily download the e-forms produced, conduct data collection in the field and upload data (through the mobile network or Wi-Fi), and (iii) a web-platform that enables the centralization of data uploaded, monitor data collection efforts, and basic data treatment. The web-platform also shelters the e-form production module.

Web-based remote-sensing services. Web-based remote-sensing services refers to the large increase and diversification of free or low-cost satellite imagery and related services and products (e.g. deforestation alerts, land-use/forest automated reporting), accessible even to non-experts. The typically comprise of two components. The first component is detection systems, such as GLAD (University of Maryland) and Terra-I (CIAT) deforestation alerts, available through platforms such as Global Forest Watch and MapHubs. These platforms provide access to free near-real time information on land use change and deforestation.

The second component is satellite imagery such as Sentinel and Landsat imagery which is now widely available through various cloud platforms such as Google Earth Engine, Sentinel Hub, and Amazon Web Services. GIS Platforms such as ArcGIS online can import raster imagery and dedicated forest monitoring platforms such as Global Forest Watch and MapHubs offers recent Sentinel-2 imagery for verifying detection alerts. MapHubs also has integration with proprietary satellite imagery providers such as Planet and DigitalGlobe.

The integrated PES management system under development address the various specific needs highlighted above. It seeks to provide a near seamless integration between 3 main components (sub-systems) (i) field data collected using MDC, (ii) organized into a spatial online database, (iii) linking to a land-use/PES monitoring platform.

The system does not create new technology, but rather identifies and use existing systems for each component (i.e. sub-systems of the overall integrated PES information management system) that however haven’t been put together this way, to this extent, to address the specific needs of PES information management system in the challenging environment of Central African countries. It requires some computer programming work to ensure seamless integration between them for optimal user experience (i.e. as simple as possible).

To support the design of a large-scale PES initiative for the Congo Basin and the policy dialogue around it, CAFI is working on the development of a simple but robust PES modelling tool that will help assess, for each CAFI partner country and the whole region:

1. The potential for deployment of the various PES activities considered.
2. The magnitude of PES deployment necessary to satisfy in a sustainable manner the essential needs associated to the main drivers of deforestation (staple food, charcoal, timber).
3. The budget necessary to achieve the desired targets.
4. The expected benefits: forest carbon, additional revenues, number of direct beneficiaries (and in a future version: contributions to food security, job creation and other key indicators).

PES deployed at scale could be a game changer and hold the promise of hope for the forests and the rural poor of Central Africa. To achieve its potential, the CAFI Secretariat seeks a Intern with relevant experience to support the development and roll of CAFI’s PES information management system and its associated modelling tool.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Intern will work closely under the supervision of the Technical Advisor for programming, who will serve as main project focal point and coordinate the approval of final deliverables within the CAFI Secretariat. The intern will undertake the assignments outlined below:

Support the operationalization of web-based remote sensing services for PES (20%):

• Analyse the proposed architecture for web-based remote sensing services for PES and identify the technological options available;
• Gather lessons learned from the early implementation of web-based remote sensing services for PES;
• Provide recommendation for technological improvement of the web-based remote sensing services for PES.

Support the seamless integration of sub-system for optimal functioning of the PES information management system (20%):

• Analyse the proposed architecture and identify potential issues and the potential technological solutions;
• Gather lessons learned from the early implementation of the overall system;
• Provide recommendation seamless integration of sub-system for optimal functioning of the PES information management system.

Support the design and operationalization of automated data analysis functions to support real time monitoring of the PES programme implementation (30%):

• Identify the potential to integrate automated data analysis functions in the system and the technological solutions required;
• Conduct a pilot data analysis;
• Provide recommendation for automated data analysis functions to be integrated in the PES information management system.

Support the design and operationalization of the CAFI PES Modelling Tool (30%):

• Compile existing quantitative and qualitative data (land cover, above and below ground biomass and their increment, biodiversity, agricultural yield, etc.) necessary to analyse the PES potential of Congo Basin countries;
• Conduct analyses to estimate current and forecast future land use dynamics associated to food, timber and charcoal production in the Congo Basin;
• Explore options and provide recommendation about the best technological solutions to transform the PES modelling tool into an online and interactive tool.

Competencies

• Highly motivated and a self-starter, with an excellent combination of strategic vision and technical skills.
• Strong understanding and knowledge of development issues and demonstrated ability to think strategically and to translate complex environmental and development concepts into concrete technological solutions.
• Excellent organization and coordination skills, with ability to plan and deliver activities with limited supervision and by taking initiatives.
• Strong understanding of relevant IT tools for the interpretation of results, use of apps, coding, remote sensing.
• Excellent data analytical and interpretive skills.
• Ability to design digital solutions, including familiary with leading software.
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards; displaying cultural, gender, religion, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Demonstrates an international outlook and an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff.
• Demonstrates an ability to manage workload with minimum supervision and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues in a fast-paced environment, while meeting tight deadlines.
• Demonstrates an intellectual curiosity and a deep desire to learn, displaying strong versatility and adaptability.
• Openness to change and ability to receive and integrate feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Applicants must at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in a post graduate degree programme (master programme or higher) in Environmental Engineering, Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science; or
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (bachelor degree or equivalent), in above relevant field; or
• Have recently graduated with a university degree, as defined in the above field and, if selected, the candidate must start the internship within one year of graduation.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in communication.
• Knowledge of multilateral organizations would be an asset.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to multi-tasking.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) required.
• Familiarity with mobile data collection systems, web-based remote sensing services and mobile payments is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English and French is required.

Conditions of Internship:

• Interns may be given a stipend in accordance with the UNDP Internship Policies, if the intern is not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme; a stipend is intended to compensate for the cost of living at the duty station.
• Interns are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of the internship. UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship.
• To travel to the duty station, the intern is responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed.
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship.
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
• The purpose of the Internship Programme is not to lead to further employment with UNDP but to complement an intem’s studies. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship.
• The intern will be evaluated at the end of the contract and due recognition of work will be issued in writing.
• For more information about the application process and UNDP’s internship terms and conditions, visit: www.undp.org/internships.

Application Procedure:

Applicants should send a cover letter and CV through the online portal. Please note that only one document can be uploaded, therefore, please scan the cover letter and CV all into one document.

In case an applicant is successfully selected, s/he will be requested to provide electronic versions of the following documents:

• Letter from university confirming current enrolment and graduation date;
• Letter of recommendation from a professor;
• Copy of most recent school transcript;
• Copy of national passport;
• Completed UNDP internship application form (to be provided upon selection);
• Signed UNDP Internship Agreement (to be provided upon selection);
• Medical Certificate of Good Health (to be provided upon selection);
• Proof of valid medical insurance coverage for the duration of the internship assignment in Switzerland (to be provided upon selection).

Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.