Country: Cameroon
Closing date: 05 Aug 2016
I Context
Since 2011, WWF-Cameroon has been implementing a project entitled << Reduction of deforestation and forest degradation within the Ngoyla-Mintom Forest Block through the implementation of the integrated sustainable management within the tri-national Dja-Odjala-Minkébé framework (TRIDOM)>> in the Ngoyla-Mintom forest block. That project is funded by the European Union (EU) and composed of five components. One of the components has focused on the promotion of the REDD+/PES initiatives. WWF has developed a PES micro-project in four community forest including Lelene, Etékessang, Zoulabot I and Messok-Messok, in the Ngoyla subdivision to implement that component.
The PES micro-project aims to promote both the sustainable management of the forest resources in the community forest and the development of the riverside communities’ livelihoods through the PES mechanism. The PES micro-project has been launched in 2011. At the beginning of the project, the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of Communities have been obtained through various consultations meeting organised in the project zone. Many other activities have been carried out participatively. These include feasibility study, capacity building of the project team including community members, identification of the drivers of deforestation and the forest degradation, identification and prioritisation of the project activities to fight the drivers, socio-economic and environmental reference scenarios, micro-zoning, technical documents drafting, agro-forestry activities, elaboration of monitoring and benefits sharing mechanism system, and the signature of PES agreement. Besides, WWF has subscribed to the Plan Vivo Standard to implement the PES micro-project and access to the voluntary carbon market.
Plan Vivo Foundation is a Scottish charitable structure which has developed a carbon standard recognised internationally. The name of that standard is Plan Vivo. The Plan Vivo standard is destined to the rural communities and governs the production and the sale of climate benefits. The choice of this standard by WWF is not only justified by the emphasis that the standard puts on the social and environmental aspects, but also because it targets the rural communities. It belongs to a dozen of carbon standards which have been developed up to now, and used on the voluntary carbon market.
Validation report must be produced prior before the validation and registration of the Project Design Document (PDD) are done by the Plan Vivo Foundation. A validator must realise a mission in the project zone to collect information which will permit to draft the validation report and check the compliance of the project with the exigencies of the Plan Vivo standard.
NB: In the following sections, we will use the word “project” instead of “micro-project”
II Description of the mission
a)Global objective
The selected validator must produce a validation report based on information collected both in the PES projects documents and the field and transmit it to Plan Vivo Foundation.
b)Specific objectives and methods
The validation process involves application of auditing techniques including:
1) A critical review of project documentation and any other relevant documentation or supporting evidence to enable the project to be properly assessed against the Plan Vivo Standard.
2) Field visits to the project in order to:
Verify that the project’s physical site description and governance structure is as described in the project design document and technical specification(s)
Identify objective evidence of conformance with each of the requirements in the Plan Vivo Standard by:
· Interviewing and interacting with the project coordinator (in-country manager)
· Interviewing relevant stakeholders such as participating householders, community members and leaders, local government officials, government forestry agencies and extension services and other projects working in the same area
· Identifying and assessing available supplementary project documentation and tools e.g. planning documentation, databases, templates, legal agreements etc.
· Cross-checking results from interviews with project documentation to ensure that documentation reflects ground realities and staff awareness of project goals and procedures.
- Fully understand the project context and the views of other local stakeholders and experts regarding the project’s likely impact and benefits
3) Preparation of the validation report and submission of this with any supporting evidence to Plan Vivo
Validation questions will be related to the governance, carbon, ecosystems and livelihoods. Validator is expected to answer all these questions with information taken from the field visits undertaken as part of the validation. Sources of information should be identified and wherever possible cross-checked with other sources to ensure that the validation report represents an accurate and relevant assessment of the project.
c)Deliverable
Plan Vivo Validation Report, which, along with any supporting documents, presents the review findings and details the project’s compliance with each of the requirements in the Plan Vivo Standard
III- Mission length
The assignment should be achieved in 03 weeks:
01 week for the data collection in the project zone
02 weeks for producing the validation report
IV- Selection criteria
Required qualifications
A MSc degree or Engineering diploma is required, preferably in Forestry, Agro-forestry, Socio-economy, Agro-economy, Environment, or a related field.
Required skills and competencies
Demonstrated excellent Knowledge of the PES/REDD+ mechanism
Must have been involved in the implementation of the PES/REDD+ projects before
Deepen knowledge about carbon standards, preferably the Plan Vivo standard
At least 05 years experience in the natural resources management in community forests
Language: Written and spoken competencies in English and French are required; validation report will preferably be drafted in English. Knowledge of one of the local languages will be an added advantage.
How to apply:
Email a C.V and a cover letter to RecruitConsCab@wwfcam.org cc mnjayou@wwfcam.org. The subject should read “**PES project Validator”.**