Deadline: 5 March 2021

About

Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest German non-governmental Organisations in development co-operation and emergency relief. Primarily in cooperation with local partner Organisations, our task is to contribute to the improvement in nutritional and income base for the low-income populations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Welthungerhilfe has been implementing projects in Zimbabwe since 1980. Sector focus is on WASH, Food and Nutrition Security, Livelihoods and when necessary, Emergency response.

Within Welthungerhilfe, the Matabeleland Enhanced Livelihoods Agriculture and Nutrition Adaptation (MELANA) project. works with approximately 35 168 cattle farmers in the districts of Bubi, Nkayi, Umguza, and Umzingwane. The farmers rely mostly on the veld for access to livestock feed. This has its limitations. During drought years cattle die from feed shortages. The environment is also degraded from overstocking among other issues such as deforestation. MELANA aims to educate farmers on the need to protect the environment through measures such as fodder production, tree planting as well as strategic destocking. It seeks to do this using simplified economic models (as part of information education and communication material) that illustrate the cost and benefit of planting fodder and trees to the community in terms of the environment and the farmers’ economic welfare. MELANA seeks the services of an environmental economist for this purpose. For implementation of the projects we seek to recruit an Environmental Economist Consultant:-

Consultancy Length and Deliverables

Welthungerhilfe is seeking a Consultant who will facilitate use of simplified economic models that illustrate the cost and benefit of planting fodder and trees, in the community, in terms of the environment and the farmers’ economic welfare.

The assignment will be conducted over approximately 30 working days. The product of the assignment is expected to be a cost benefit analysis for fodder production and tree planting, as well as other environmental management measures farmers can employ, which is translated to simple IEC material for the farmers. The communication material should be cognizant of the barriers to behaviour change for sustainable environmental management.

Qualifications and Experience

Master’s in environmental studies with a preference for Environmental Economics; At least 5 years’ experience in Environmental Economics Research (research in smallholder farming systems would be an advantage); Experience in training communities and the ability to convey complex scientific information into simple messages that are understood by a wide range of audience with varying levels of literacy; Sound knowledge of sustainable agriculture and environmental issues facing the smallholder farming systems.