LVBC: Climate Change and Aquatic Weeds Specialist

Ref. No: LVBC/GIZ/SVS/IC/26-27/01 Financing: GIZ-Supported EAC4NATURE Project / Other Approved LVBC Resources Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) is a specialized Institution of the East African Community (EAC) established by the EAC Partner States through a negotiated Protocol for Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria Basin. The broad mandate of LVBC is to promote, facilitate and coordinate activities of different actors towards sustainable development and management of natural resources of the Lake Victoria Basin. 1.    Main Purpose of the Assignment The Commission seeks to engage an individual Climate Change and Aquatic Weeds Specialist to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable natural resources management in the Lake Victoria Basin through an integrated assessment of climate vulnerabilities and invasive aquatic weeds, review and updating of regional response frameworks, development of climate adaptation and mitigation interventions, stakeholder and partnership engagement, and resource mobilisation. The assignment will generate a consolidated evidence base on climate risks, aquatic weed distribution, drivers, impacts and existing control measures; assess relevant legal, policy and institutional arrangements; evaluate and support the updating of the Lake Victoria Basin-wide Water Hyacinth Surveillance, Monitoring and Control Strategy and Action Plan (2012–2030); and propose harmonised, climate-resilient and implementable response actions at national and regional levels. It will further support project development, identification of development partners and climate-finance opportunities, and strengthen coordination and operationalisation of the Regional Technical Working Group on Aquatic Weeds and Water Quality, in line with the decisions and directives of the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers for Lake Victoria Basin (LVB-SECOM). Assignment Details: Title of the Consultant Individual Consultancy Services as a Climate Change and Aquatic Weeds Specialist for the Lake Victoria Basin Programme Area Environment and Natural Resources Management Reports to: Executive Secretary through the Deputy Executive Secretary Duration of Contract Six (6) calendar months from the date of contract signature Lake Victoria Basin: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Duty Station Kisumu, Kenya, with basin-wide stakeholder engagement and targeted travel as agreed 1.    Scope of Services and Detailed Tasks i.    Inception, Work Planning and Stakeholder Mapping ii.    Review relevant LVBC, EAC, Partner State and development partner documents, datasets and ongoing initiatives. iii.    Prepare a detailed methodology, six-month work plan and quality-assurance approach. iv.    Agree with LVBC on priority climate sectors, geographic focus, datasets, key institutions, field-verification requirements and reporting arrangements. 2.    Knowledge Transfer and Validation i)    Provide regular technical briefings and concise monthly progress updates to LVBC. ii)    Facilitate technical validation of key findings and proposed actions with LVBC, Partner States and relevant stakeholders. iii)    Prepare management-ready presentations, an executive summary and policy briefs. iv)    Hand over datasets, maps, tools, analytical matrices, consultation records and editable source files, and provide an end-of-assignment knowledge-transfer session. v)    6.0 Methodology and Approach vi)    The assignment will use a mixed-methods and participatory approach combining desk review, climate-data analysis, spatial and hotspot analysis, key informant interviews, institutional and legal review, programme evaluation, targeted field verification where feasible, and stakeholder validation. The approach shall integrate gender equality, social inclusion, climate justice, ecosystem-based adaptation, transboundary cooperation and sustainability considerations. All data sources, assumptions, analytical tools and limitations shall be clearly documented. 2.    Expected Deliverables and Six-Month Timeline Deliverable Due from contract signature Inception Report: methodology, six-month work plan, stakeholder map, consultation tools, analytical frameworks and report outlines. Within two weeks Draft Basin-wide Aquatic Weeds Situational Analysis: species and hotspot inventory, country snapshots, impacts, control measures, biomass valorisation initiatives, lessons and priority response needs. End of Month 3 Legal and Institutional Review and Strategy Performance Assessment Pack: framework review, institutional map, coordination-gap analysis and completed strategy evaluation matrix. End of Month 4 Draft Integrated Action Package: proposed updated Strategy and Action Plan outline; harmonised surveillance, monitoring and reporting framework; climate-resilient response actions; capacity-development plan; partnership and resource mobilisation plan; and at least two project concept notes. Related Documents: - https://www.eac.int/documents?controller=download&task=download.file&file=16d2a8f9-21c2-42b7-9d7a-bc4f0206f7ff&name=TORs_Individual_Consultant__as%20Climate%20Change%20&%20Aquatic%20weed%20Specialist.pdf.pdf