Consultant to Conduct Training on Effective Management and Use of NTFPs in Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa

Consultancy announcement

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Position: Consultant to conduct training on effective management and use of NTFPs for communities participating in CFM models under the USAID Sustainable Forest Management Project inHoa Binh and Thanh Hoa.

Estimated number of consulting days: 28 person days, from August 2022 to October 2022.

Application deadline: 5.00pm. Hanoi local time 12 August 2022

1. General information about VFBC project and SFM component

Forests play a very important role in the carbon cycle, sequestering and storing carbon on a global scale. Although forest cover in Vietnam has increased, the area and quality of natural forests are seriously declining. In order to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration from forests in Vietnam through efforts to reduce deforestation and natural forest degradation, and more effectively manage production forests, the USAID funded and implemented the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Component within the framework of the Project on Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation in 7 provinces: Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri and Quang Nam.

The overall objectives of the SFM Componentare 1) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by conversion and degradation of natural forests; 2) Increasing carbon sequestration through more efficient management of production forests; and 3) Improving the quality, diversity and productivity of natural production forests.

The SFM Component will implement a “Green Prosperity” approach that strengthens local communities’ capacity to protect and develop their natural resource and reduces emissions while building a strong foundation for sustainable livelihoods and equitable economic growth; promoting the participation of the private sector and improving the capacity of forest resource management of communities and authorities at all levels is the focus of this Component's activities.

The SFM Component focuses on five main objectives:

1. Improve and expand community forest management
2. Increase conservation-friendly enterprises in forest-dependent communities
3. Increase functionality of law enforcement system for forest crimes
4. Improve production forest management practices
5. Mobilize domestic resources for forest management and protection.

Project implementation period: From 2020 to 2026 (including time for final audit of project by law).

Implementing partners: The SFM Component is implemented by DAI together with RECOFTC and Preferred by Nature.

Executing agency: MARD.

Project owner: CPMU at central level; and PPMUs in provinces including Lao Cai, Son La, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Tri and Quang Nam.

2. Background and justifications

Forest dependent communities’ participation is increasingly recognized as an important factor in effectively maintaining forests. Communities have been engaged into forest management and protection in various forms. Four main types of these engagements include: (i) traditional community forests; (ii) community based forest management; (iii) groups of households managing forestlands; and (iv) individuals and households who all individually own forestland collaborate in forest management.

Under the SFM Project, the concept of community covers two forms of local community’s participation in forest management. The first modality is community forest management (CFM) in which communities/ villages manage their allocated forests. This also covers the modality where communities manage household’s allocated forests as a community group. The second modality is community-based forest management (CBFM) in which village communities manage forests contracted with protection forest management boards.

With CFM models, local communities can access various financial sources, including but not limited to forest protection expenditures, payment for forest environmental services (PFES) schemes, income from Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), joint cooperation/ investment and other credit programs to support communities to more effectively implement the roles and responsibilities of forest owners under CFM.

In order to manage, protect, use and sustainably develop forest resources that have been assigned to the community, including: Protect the integrity, bring into full play the multi-purpose protection and environmental protection of the forest; Effectively exploit the potential of ecotourism, cultural tourism, resort, combining environmental education; Increase the ability to supply and ensure the long-term use of forest products, especially NTFPs, towards self-sufficiency in part of financial resources, contributing to economic development, poverty reduction, and stabilizing people's lives. It is vital to improve the technical capacity of the community to effectively and sustainably use non-timber forest products.

RECOFTC VCP needs to recruit one (01) consultant to conduct training on sustainable management, use and development of NTFPs for communities participating in the CFM models in selected villages and communes of Quang Tri and Quang Nam provinces.

This activity is expected to contribute directly to the project's indicators: Indicator #1 - Number of people trained; indicator #2 - Number of organizations built capacity to address sustainable landscape issues; indicator #5 - Number of project beneficiaries and indicator #8 - Better managed forest area.

3. Objective of the consultancy

The objective of this consultancy is to improve the technical capacity of sustainable management, use and development of NTFPs for communities and households participating in the CFM models in Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces.

Specific objectives:

• To review and select some potential NTFPs.
• To develop a set of training documents on techniques for sustainable management and use of selected NTFPs.
• To conduct 04 training courses (02 days/course) in 02 provinces on capacity building in sustainable management, use and development of selected potential;
• To develop a plan for management, use and development of NTFPs for 04 communities.

4. Tasks

4.1. Review VFBC project documents and related documents on sustainable management, use and development of NTFPs. In Hòa Bình, tentatively focusing on bamboo species (bamboo and bambooshoot),  Jiaogulan, seven-leaf-one-flower plant (Paris polyphylla Smith), some species of Amomum (Zingiberaceae) and False ginseng. In Thanh Hóa, tentatively focusing on Dendrocalamus barbatus, Bambusa nutans, and some species of Amomum (Zingiberaceae).

4.2. Coordinate, carry out the research  and consultation to select potential NTFPs for the communitiesparticipating in the project

4.3 Develop technical training document for the sustainable use and development of the above mentioned NTFPs in Hòa Bình and Thanh Hóa provinces.

4.4. Conduct field works

• Carry out a quick field survey to verify the appropriate NTFPs for the community participating in the project.
• Conduct 04 training courses in Hoa Binh (02 course) and Thanh Hoa (02 courses) provinces,
• Formulate plans for sustainable use and development of NTFPs for 04 communities after the training.

4.5. Write consultancy report, including training reports.

5. Location

The consultant will carry out activities in selected communes, districts in Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces.

6.  Anticipated duration, level of effort (LOE), timeline and deliverables

6.1. Duration

Estimated time for this assignment is 28 man-days, starting from August 2022 to October 2022; details are as follows:

Table 01. Level of Effort

6.2 Implementation plan and deliverables

The implementation plan and deliverables of the consultant are detailed in the following table.

Table 02. Implementation plan and deliverables

6.3. Deliverables

• Consultancy implementation plan.
• Training documents on effective management and use of NTFPs in project sites.
• A comprehensive report, including training reports, field verifications of potential NTFPs in selected sites and plans for sustainable use and development of NTFPs (in English and Vietnamese).

7.            Required qualifications

To perform the task, the consultant is required to meet the following criteria:

• Vietnamese nationality only; priority given to local candidates;
• A bachelor’s degree or higher, majoring in forestry, forest protection and management or related majors.
• Having at least 5 years of experience in the field of forestry, especially NTFPs in project sites.
• Having in-depth knowledge and understanding of techniques on harvesting, using and developing NTFPs sustainably (rattan, medicinal plants, etc.);
• Be knowledgable and capable of forest inventory, establishment and development of NTFP model, with particular focus on medicinal plant, rattan and food.
• Having good understanding and ability of evaluating and establishing NTFP value chain.
• Having good understanding of community forestry and CFM plan related policies.
• Be experienced in developing document and conducting participatory training courses;
• Having experience and skills in working with community and community forestry.
• Be experienced in reporting; be fluency in English is an advantage.

RECOFTC’s core values

At RECOFTC, our core values are the foundation of our culture and guide all our work. In addition to job specific skills and experience, the applicant should possess the following characteristics, attitudes and skills:

• Embrace innovation
• Adapt to, and learn from, challenges
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Nurture commitment, responsibility and ownership
• Prioritize sustainability
• Cultivate participation, social inclusion and gender equity

How to apply

Interested individuals are requested to submit their CV and a cover letter indicating why they are suitable for this consultancy along with the expected fee or daily rate and current contact details of three references, to [email protected] [2]. Please quote the consultancy title in the subject line of the email  “Applicant name_conduct training on effective management and use of NTFPs for communities in Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa provinces”. Only shortlisted individuals will be notified.

For any further information you may need about the consultancy, please contact [email protected] [2].

To learn more about RECOFTC, please visit our website www.recoftc.org [3].