Terms of Reference for Environmental and Social Safeguard Expert

Duration: Total 16 person months

Background

Under the direct supervision of the Project Director and technical supervision of the World Bank country office designated technical backstopping officer of the project Environmental and Social Safeguard Specialist will be responsible for implementing the project’s Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and will assist in developing region-specific and activity-specific ESM Plans as well as supporting small grants applicants assess safeguards issues and developing mitigation measures in terms of ESM plans. He/she will have the overall responsibility of supporting and supervising the planning, implementation and management of environment and social activities related to the development and management of natural resources in relation to the agriculture/livestock subsectors, especially those related to production, processing and value-adding activities. He/she will work closely with the District Agriculture Development Officers, DHO, DPHO, District Livestock service Officers, production groups, grain bank members, women’s groups, other field teams and private-sector entrepreneurs.

Main Role and Responsibilities

  1. Review and assess the current Environmental and Social safeguard conditions in the project area and based on the above findings and past experience, identify the area of key interventions for AFSP.
  2. Provide technical backstopping to overall environmental and social management oversight during the implementation of activities\ subprojects of Agriculture and Food Security Project (AFSP);
  3. Ensure quality through the implementation of environment and social safeguards related activities as outlined in the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) of the project;

Specific Role and Responsibilities

  1. Ensure that each subproject and activities under the project is subjected to the project ESMF process and procedures, relevant policies, acts and regulations/ directives of the Government of Nepal (GoN) and relevant safeguard policies of World Bank Group.
  2. Ensure proportional representation of target groups specified under the project component and subcomponent;
  3. Support to enhance women drudgery reduction technology through the information dissemination program in project area
  4. Support to uplift the food security and nutrition enhancement of project target group through the small grant scheme.
  5. Provide guidance to carry out environmental and social screening of subprojects and activities under AFSP interventions
  6. Communicate with PMU for necessary environmental and social compliances;
  7. Assist AFSP to operationalize grievance redress mechanism, community consultation with respect to environment and social safeguard requirements;
  8. Support AFSP to establish community based Information Centers in theproject area and ensure dissemination of relevant information to PAPs and key stakeholders.
  9. Review subproject and activity plan, design, cost and proposal document to ensure environmental and social factors and mitigations are incorporated in the subproject/ activity documents;
  10. Carry out site supervisions during implementation of subprojects and activities, and provide feedback to the PMU; Monitor existingEnvironmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs);
  11. Submit a work plan and progress report as per the format developed by the project;
  12. Flagpertinent policy issues and makes recommendations for necessary adjustments to address environmental and social safeguard requirement; and
  13. Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the Project Director.

In the course of undertaking the above-mentioned tasks, he/she will be accountable to the PMU and FAO.

Qualification and Experience: Master’s level in Environmental science or related disciplines, specializing in natural resource and environmental management issues in the agriculture/livestock sector, especially those related to agro processing and value-adding activities and atleast 3 Years of working experience in similar field. Alternatively expert should be Bachelor in Environmental science and working experience of at least 5 years. He/she should have basic computer knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint. The candidate should have adequate competence in communication, planning and reporting in English and Nepali languages. Experience with similar internationally funded development projects will be an advantage.

Duration of Service:

Service period will be16 person month in intermittent basis within a period of 24 month.

Selection Method:

The consultant will be selected as per the World Bank Guidelines on Selection and Employment of Consultant, January 2011 under "Selection of Individual consultant".

Working Station:

Environmental and Social safeguard Specialist will be based at PMU office in Kathmandu as main working Station with time to time visits of

districts of the project as required.

Deliverables:

  • Submit work plan for each month at the beginning of the month.
  • Quarterly report on the compliance of subproject activities with GoN and WB's Environment and Social Safeguard policies.
  • Periodic Monitoring report of ESMP of subprojects and other activities.
  • Progress Report on the grievance redressed cases and uses mechanism.

Facilities to be provided by the project:Minimum Facilities needed for his/her work.

Project will provide to the consultant a working space with access to computer, printer, photocopier and office stationeries.