1. BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Trócaire is an Irish organisation that works in partnership with communities in over 20 countries to

• Defend human rights,
• Achieve climate and environmental justice,
• Ensure women’s girls’ protection, voice, and influence,
• Save lives and protect human dignity and
• Mobilize the public to achieve global justice.

Trócaire has been working in Somalia for 30 years and established offices in the districts in Gedo in 1991. In Somalia, we work in collaboration with local communities and in partnership with local organisations implementing projects in the following sectors:

• Health
• Nutrition
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Promotion
• Education in Emergencies
• Protection
• Resilience

1.2 Contextual Background

With a complete collapse of state institutions in 1991, Somalia represents one of the modern world’s most protracted cases of statelessness. Since 2012, the country has established an internationally recognized government that has a limited capacity to rule. The central and southern parts of the country have been affected by intermittent violent conflicts since the 1990s. The deepening political rifts between the federal government, Jubaland and Puntland hinder the full implementation of the security reform and underscore the fragmented character of the security sector. Interclan tensions and conflicts also play a significant role in heightening insecurity in various locations across the country. The political instability, conflicts, and insecurity have impacted the economic sector in the country, affecting people pursuance of livelihood activities adversely. Power and resources in Somalia are distributed among the formal and informal, and domestic and international actors. Today, the clan cannot work as an instrument to distribute resources equally, as fighting within subclans has become increasingly common. Somalis have not experienced a lasting peace for many decades and have remained locked into a system of patron–client relationships based on clannism. On the other hand, clan affiliation can also be a perceived means of protection and access to resources. What is lacking is the trust in rights and obligations that could result into a social contract respected by all Somalis, irrespective of background, lineage, political affiliation, or economic status.

Somalia’s economy greatly depends on its natural capital: land, rivers, forest, sub-soil assets, and marine resources of fish. The economy runs largely on agriculture and livestock. This accounts for 65% of the Gross Domestic Product and workforce employment. Livestock accounts for about 40% of GDP and more than 50% of export earnings. Livelihoods and opportunities for economic growth are driven by Somalia’s climate and geography. The unpredictable climate patterns have resulted in recurrent floods and droughts experienced across the country, affecting productivity. Low food production and productivity (in crop production, livestock, and fisheries) have increased dependency on humanitarian assistance and 60% on food imports. Sustainable use, management, and restoration of the natural capital that drive the economy is vital.

Through funding from Irish Aid, Trocaire is commissioning a consultancy to map out existing natural resources in Luuq District alongside Natural Resource Committee members. Thus, the Participatory Natural Resource Assessment (PNRA) is expected to determine the current state of natural resources, forming a benchmark for monitoring and evaluation.

1.3 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of this research are:

• Map out existing natural resources, including water bodies, forests/woodlands/trees, non-woody vegetation, soils, wild animals (including birds and insects) any other wild resources, local landscape/ecosystems and habitats, their condition, abundance level and trends in abundance/decline/depletion, and locality.
• Identify the threats (immediate local, socio-political, socio-economic as well as external national and international drivers of negative impacts) to the existing resources mapped.
• Map out the uses (food and non-food) and potential valorisation options for the resources identified.
• Identify traditional knowledge, species, and cultivation practises that have become extinct
• Describe in detail the weather and water monitoring systems, whether functional or not, and capacities in the area.
• Describe in detail the natural resource management systems and institutions in place at all levels including ownership, tenure, governance. Mention the opportunities and issues/drivers which are limiting wise use and careful management of the resources.
• Describe the power dynamics in natural resources governance.
• Map existing informal and formal mandates (in policy, strategies, agreements at national and international levels), channels and opportunities for community engagement in decision-making on the use and management of natural resources.
• Map out competition and conflicts triggered by the utilisation and sharing of natural resources, and whether communities have mechanisms to address these conflicts.
• Describe in detail the traditional and existing community based natural resources management approaches and practices.

1.4 Scope of the Research

The consultancy work will focus on generating as much information as possible on existing and extinct natural resources, condition, uses, and valorisation options. All available literature: research reports and national and local administration datasets, as well as internationally held documents should be consulted during the desk study. The target stakeholders for this exercise will include but not be limited to community members, natural resource management committees, community elders, and representatives from relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) (e.g., district representatives in charge of water, livestock/veterinary, environment, agriculture, etc.). The assessment will be conducted in Luuq District.

2. METHODOLOGY

A mixed methods approach, comprising (a) Desk research, (b) Key Informant Interviews, and (c) Focus Group Discussions, (d) Transect walk through the community, will be adopted in this research. This notwithstanding, the Consultant will design a detailed methodology, including developing data-collection tools for the study.

3. OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES

• Inception report containing a summary of the desk research/literature review and a proposal of the detailed methodology with accompanying work plan and tools.
• Conduct training for the data collection team.
• Conduct the data collection in collaboration with community members.
• Comprehensive report that contains an in-depth description of natural resources available, their use, condition, opportunities for management and for valorisation
• Presentation of the PNRA findings in a format and language understandable by the community members and recommendations in a validation workshop.
• Production of a 4-page summary report with graphics and photographs in English and in Somali.
• Raw and cleaned datasets, maps, photographs, sketches, other graphical visualisations, and transcripts.

Ethical consideration: data protection including informed consent from participants/ beneficiaries and maintaining confidentiality.

3.1 Trócaire Responsibilities

Provision of Trócaire-specific organisational and programme documents – for instance, evaluation report and proposal, if need be. Note: this is not exhaustive; it will need to be supplemented with information from credible external sources.

3.2 Consultant Responsibilities

• Prepare and submit the inception report, data collection tools, and research report.
• Train the data collection team.
• Collect data from both primary and secondary sources.
• Incorporate the comments and suggestions from Trócaire into the tools and reports.
• Advise on the robustness and feasibility of the methodology and make proposals where necessary.

4. DURATION AND WORKING SCHEDULE

The research is anticipated to take at most 21 days.

5. BUDGET AND PAYMENT

The Consultant shall specify their proposed assignment fee, including professional fees, reimbursable, and statutory taxes. The proposed budget should also include accommodation, transportation and training costs associated with delivery of the assignment.

5.1 Invoicing and Payment Procedures

An initial payment of 40% of the total costs will be settled upon approval of the final inception report and tools by Trócaire. The final 60% will only be paid once Trócaire has approved the final report and all deliverables of this assignment. Notably, each payment tranche will need to be supported by an invoice outlining the delivery of contractual tasks/deliverables.

6. CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS

This consultancy is open to individual National/ International or a team of National and International expert consultants with specialist knowledge and research expertise in Natural Resource Management, Ecology, Ecosystems, Land Use Planning, Wild Habitat and Product Valorisation and Sustainable Exploitation/Biological-based Enterprises, Drylands Biodiversity, Wild Food Systems (including bee keeping and Dryland Livelihoods. The Consultant is expected to have the following experience and qualifications:

• A Minimum of a master’s degree in one of the following fields: Ecological Science, Ecosystems Mapping, Natural Resource Inventory and Management Science, Rangeland Zoology and Botany, Environmental Science, or any other relevant field
• Significant experience of not less than 8 years conducting Natural Resource assessments, mapping and inventories.
• Proven capacity to include women and girls in the assessment on an equal footing to men and boys. Gender balance in the proposed fieldwork team is crucial.
• Sound knowledge of humanitarian development theory.
• Previous experience conducting PNRAs.
• Considerable professional experience working in Somalia at the community, village, and district levels, with a clear understanding of traditional forms of social organisation and systems of local governance, as well as official systems of local administration.
• High level of competence in the English language, particularly in writing, and fluent in both local Somali languages in the region where this research will take place.
• Strong participatory, inclusive communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to communicate detailed concepts clearly and concisely in writing and verbally.