Climate Change Adaptation and Conservation Agriculture (CA) Consultant
WAE contract
Terms of Reference
20 days
Project title: Strengthening Climate change Adaptation among smallholders practicing Conservation Agriculture in Crop-Livestock farming systems
Background to the project activity
Climate change is already having a profound impact in developing countries especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia with increasing frequency and intensity of climate related disasters, notably recurrent droughts, floods and erratic rainfalls and threaten natural resource base, agricultural production and food security. Africa’s vulnerability to climate change is also exacerbated by the multiple stresses it faces such as natural resource degradation, high dependence on rainfall agriculture, inadequate infrastructure, and low level of technology, widespread poverty, weak governance and thus low level of adaptive capacity to climate impacts.Understanding trends, vulnerability and dynamism of farmers’ adaptive capacity is critical in developing adaptation strategies and measures that will minimize the negative impacts of climate change and harness any opportunities it presents. Building land-users’ (farmers) resilience to these impacts would demand inclusion of good agricultural practices, improved land and water management practices, restoration of degraded land and agro-forestry practices into the on-going agricultural activities. These practices would not only ensure adaptation/mitigation to climate change but reduce loss of soil carbon, improve soil fertility and the overall agricultural productivity while enhancing ecosystem resilience and climate related risks.
Crop livestock production is a major practice in Kenya and a source of the two green house gases (methane and nitrous oxide). Nitrous oxide is produced by leaching, volatisation and runoff of nitrogen fertilizers and the breakdown of crop residues and animal waste. Through burning of biomass (principally crop residues) and through intensive tillage practices (which oxidize soil organic matter) agriculture also releases large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (IPPC report, 2007). Use of conservation agriculture (CA) can help mitigate the impact/shocks of climate change. CA is a type of farming practice that is based on three principles: (i) minimum soil disturbance (ii) adequate soil cover at critical periods of growing cycle if not throughout the growing period, and (iii) diversified crop rotations/integration. Soil cover may be provided by crop resides, cover crops or even biomass that is introduced. CA stimulates dynamic natural ecological processes such as at work in natural forests. Adoption of CA in the dominantly crop-livestock systems could greatly help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Smallholder farmers would wish to access practices that reduce their vulnerability to climate change while ensuring soil moisture preservation for crop biomass growth for food and fodder.
This project has focused on introducing of CA among smallholders in both wet and dry lands of Kenya. Adoption of CA has started showing improved production and resilience to climate change shocks/impacts to some extent, though widespread adoption of CA is still low. Particularly, CA has proved to be better than conventional farming practices in terms of labour reduction, due to faster land preparation when using herbicides, and lesser planting time, when using both/either manual and/or animal drawn CA equipment. Household survey has been undertaken to assess farmers’ perceptions to climate change, and the preferred adaptation measures. Field level soil biophysical and crop biomass analysis has been initiated on a sample of farmers practicing CA while managing both crop and livestock enterprises.
Duties:
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representation Kenya (including consultation with Team Leader Environment and Climate Change Adaptation –FAO Rome) and technical guidance and direct supervision from Project coordinator and Principal Investigator to the CA project, the Consultant will undertake the following task..
Specific Responsibilities- Undertake field visit in the two project districts (Mbeere and Nakuru) to observe and assess level of conservation Agriculture (CA) practices that are integrated within crop-livestock (CL) management.
- Review the existing literature in Eastern and Southern African Region on CA and possibly on crop-livestock integration practices that could have some useful lessons to the ongoing project and future activities under CA..
- Using household survey results (already undertaken) prepare vulnerability profiles of the households to climate change risks
- Validate the collected information (surveys) on current climate change risks and vulnerability to the local/existing coping strategies
- Assess and analyze the preliminary observation and findings undertaken in the project site (in Mbeere and Nakuru) with farmers practicing CA and CLI and those who do not (control group) in terms of crop and livestock improvement (i.e. productivity) and coping climate related risks.
- Assess and analyze the preliminary observation and findings undertaken in the project site (in Mbeere and Nakuru) on soil health (SOM), water balance and moisture holding capacity, livestock feed/ grazing , biomass and vegetative potential on farmers practicing key principles of CA and CLI practices and those in control group.
- Compile and prepare analytical report (with support of project principal investigator) incorporating the above findings and highlighting the Win-Win benefits that could result in improving productivity/food security, in adapting smallholder agriculture to be climate resilient and with synergy in mitigating (through carbon sequestration) climate change. Collaborate and work closely with project principal investigator to produce the technical report within the duration of this assignment for wider audience.
Duration of Assignment: 20 days on WAE basis
Duty Station- Nairobi with field visits to project districts of Mbeere-Gachoka division and Nakuru-Lare division.
Qualifications:
- At least MSc in areas of Agricultural economic/sociology/
Agricultural extension specifically with professional background in policy formulation, livestock economics, and crop-livestock integration systems: at least 5 years working experience with local communities in areas of crop-livestock management systems. - Experience in participatory approach methods and knowledge of Farmer Field School (FFS) approach will form an added advantage
- Be able to report in English with good report writing skills
FAO is an equal opportunity employer; qualified women are encouraged to apply. Acknowledgements will only be sent to applicants in whom FAO has a further interest.
Interested candidates who meet the above qualifications may send their application letter, and a detailed CV clearly marked CA Consultant not later than 25 August 2010, STRICTLY BY EMAIL the email below addressed to:
Office of the FAO Representative in Kenya
No. 12 Peaceland House
Hill View Rise, Hill View Estate
Off Lower Kabete Road
PO Box 30470, 00100
Nairobi Kenya
Email: Vacancy-Kenya@fao.org
