Daphine Gitonga

1.   INTRODUCTION

The African Forest Forum (AFF) is a pan-African non-governmental organization with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The purpose of AFF is to provide a platform and create an enabling environment for independent and objective analysis, advocacy and advice on relevant policy and technical issues pertaining to achieving sustainable management, use and conservation of Africa’s forest and tree resources as part of efforts to reduce poverty and promote economic and social development.

The African Forest Forum is implementing a project entitled “Strengthening Sustainable Forest Management in Africa” that seeks to generate and share knowledge and information through partnerships in ways that provide inputs into policy options and capacity building for improved forest management that better address poverty eradication and environmental protection in Africa. The project has been designed to assist African countries in their efforts to address deforestation and forest degradation and especially challenges that significantly impact on the ability of African countries to address poverty in the region, as well as to explore opportunities to enhance the contribution of forests and tree resources to livelihoods and environmental sustainability. The overall objective of the project is to generate and share high quality, up-to-date information, and to explore collaborative opportunities related to African forests and trees to support evidence-based decisions in forestry, in addition to updating stakeholders on developments in the sector.

Another project implemented by AFF is on “African Forests, People and Climate Change” whose overall goal is to build capacities and skills of stakeholders to address adverse effects of climate change and take up opportunities that come with climate change through better management and use of Africa’s forests and tree resources in various landscapes in ways that will enhance livelihoods, national economies, sustain biodiversity, improve the quality of the environment and contribute to the global efforts to contain climate change.  The economies, social and ecological systems in Sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly being impacted by climate change. African governments have responded in various ways including in active participation in regional and global discourses relevant to climate change. In this regard they have committed themselves to contain adverse effects of climate change as indicated in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The forests and water bodies (oceans, lakes, etc.) are the two-major global carbon   sinks that hold potential to sustain human, plant and animal life on the planet. In Africa, forests and trees can play a crucial role in helping people, animals and the forests themselves to adapt to climate change and mitigate adverse effects of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Strengthening and further developing a better understanding and management of the relationship between forests, trees and climate is therefore key to Africa’s future development.

2. BACKGROUND

The forest sector can significantly contribute to reducing poverty and improving livelihoods in Africa by providing access to forest products such as fuel-wood, timber, and non-timber products. Recently studies have also highlighted the contribution of forests to a range of ecosystem services underpinning other sectors of the economy, including agriculture, energy, tourism and water, among others. The contribution of forests to green economy has also been acknowledged by the global community to the effect that the sustainable utilisation and conservation of forests to maintain and/or enhance these forest ecosystem goods and services is now part of the green growth pathway. In efforts to contribute to sustainable forest management that will sustain availability of these benefits and enhance forests’ productivity, AFF has sought to deepen understanding on several prioritised policy and technical issues in African forestry, with the view to contribute to evidence-based decision making and capacity building.

For instance, the provision of high quality tree germplasm to enhance current efforts by African countries undertaking afforestation, reforestation and rehabilitation programmes is instrumental to enhancing the forests’ contributions to livelihoods and national economies. Africa-wide studies on this and those related to improving tree performance and productivity as well as on protection of forests from pests and diseases are valuable in ensuring afforestation projects are cost effective, profitable and secure. Private sector investment in African forestry is crucial to maintain, among other things, the productive functions of forests to support poverty eradication. The emergent role of the private sector in African forestry calls for development of sustainable public-private-partnership models that are all inclusive for sustainable livelihoods improvement. Partnerships arrangements have been explored in most African countries with the view to inform better coordinated interplay between governments, private and the public sectors. The role and place of new and emerging issues including climate change, climate smart agriculture, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), green economy, among others, in forestry-based educational and training curricula need to be carefully evaluated to guide development of forestry education programmes that fulfil current employers’ demands. To this end training needs assessments have been conducted on forestry institutions in Africa, and in relation to the current and emerging needs of the society.

These and other studies have been conducted in many African countries covering different forest types and many knowledge products including technical reports, journal papers, policy briefs and fact sheets have been produced. For its annual plan of work in 2019, AFF is recruiting experts to undertake a review of the knowledge products generated by AFF in various areas of its work in order to produce high quality publications for dissemination to forestry stakeholders in Africa and beyond.

3. PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY

Review and edit of knowledge products including technical reports, journal papers, policy briefs and fact sheets

4.  TASKS ON THE CONSULTANCY

The tasks for the assignment shall include:

  • Review and edit draft technical reports, journal articles, policy briefs and fact sheets following guidelines developed by AFF
  • Any other related

5.  DURATION

The consultants shall work from their locations but in close consultation with relevant staff at the AFF Secretariat.

6. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

  • Have at least a PhD degree in natural resources management, forestry, environment management or any related area;
  • Be an expert with proven knowledge and at least five years regional experience in the broad areas of forestry and including issues related to forestry like climate change, sustainable development and natural resources management;
  • Have good scientific writing skills and have at least written a book chapter and published peer reviewed journal papers;
  • Experience as an editor or being in an editorial board of a relevant journal will be an added advantage;
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English or French.

7.  HOW TO APPLY

Please email, and attach your proposal containing:

  • Cover letter stating how you meet the above qualifications and experience requirements;
  • Curriculum vitae

With the subject line: “Consultancy no 01-261 Experts to review knowledge products produced by the African Forest Forum” to: Dr. Doris Mutta through d.mutta@cgiar.org and Dr. Marie Louise Avana-Tientcheu through m.avana@cgiar.org, with a copy to Prof Godwin Kowero through g.kowero@cgiar.org and exec.sec@afforum.org

Application deadline is 30th October 2019.