Result of Service

Mid-term review Report of the “Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes in Thailand (ISRL)”, GEF ID 10268.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The project, through a multi-focal area GEF grant of Biodiversity, Land Degradation, Climate Mitigation and FOLUR grant support, seeks to transform rice and agricultural production landscapes in Thailand by reconciling competing social, economic, and environmental interests. To achieve this, the project proposes an integrated and multi-disciplinary landscape management approach to create inclusive, sustainable rice farming practices through policy, capacity building, financing, and sustainable land management (SLM) practices at landscape scale. Inter-ministerial land use planning at the national and local levels in the target provinces Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani will precede the adoption of SRP Standard practices by smallholder farmers, while maintaining, restoring and improving landscapes, ecosystems and biodiversity The GEF-Biodiversity and Land Degradation unit is seeking to recruit a consultant to conduct the Midterm Review of the project to assess the overall achievements of the project at midterm, the challenges faced and engage with project counterparts to overcome the issues through effective corrections in project activities and outputs, Monitoring and & Evaluation, resource allocations and related GEF and co-financing. This consultancy post is in UNEP / Ecosystems Division / GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation unit. The Review Consultant will be home-based and will conduct a field assessment mission to Thailand, under the overall guidance of the Task Manager (GEF TM) and will report directly to the GEF TM and Portfolio Manager of the GEF Biodiversity and Land degradation Unit, Ecosystem Division in Nairobi. Inception phase: • Preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff, • Prepare the review framework in line with UNEP’s evaluation guidelines, • Identify stakeholders, • Develop the interview/questions matrix, • Plan the review schedule, • Prepare the Inception Report. Data collection and analysis phase of the review, including: • Conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders, • Conduct a field assessment mission to Thailand– approximately 10 days, including visiting one of the two project sites, • Regularly report back to the Task Manager on progress and inform of any possible problems or issues encountered and Reporting phase, including: • Prepare a MTR Inception report with main tasks, timelines, and institutions, staff and project beneficiaries to be involved in the MTR, • Draft the MTR Review Report, ensuring that the review report is complete, coherent and consistent with the ToR as well as Task Manager guidelines both in substance and style, • Liaise with the Task Manager on comments received and finalize the MTR Review Report, ensuring that comments are taken into account until approved by the Task Manager, • Prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted indicating the reason for the rejection; and Managing relations, including: • Maintain a positive relationship with stakeholders, ensuring that the review process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence, • Communicate in a timely manner with the Task Manager on any issues requiring its attention and intervention. The consultant will prepare the following documents, in consultation and collaboration with the Project team: 1. Inception Report: containing an assessment of project, project stakeholder analysis, review framework and a tentative review schedule. 2. Preliminary Findings Note: typically, in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, the sharing of preliminary findings is intended to support the participation of the project team, act to ensure all information sources have been accessed and provide an opportunity to verify emerging findings. 3. Draft and Final Review Report: containing an executive summary that can act as a stand-alone document; detailed analysis of the review findings organized by review criteria and supported with evidence; lessons learned and recommendations and an annotated ratings table. The consultancy will be home-based with one field visit to Thailand.

Qualifications/special skills

• A minimum Masters/Advanced University degree in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required. A University degree in the same areas is acceptable with two additional years of relevant experience. • At least 7 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach. • Experience in GEF Biodiversity projects is desirable. • Knowledge of the UN system; preferably including the work of UNEP is desirable. • Professional work experience in Asia, on sustainable agriculture, is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.