ADSWAC PROJECT “RESILIENCE BUIDLING AS CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN DROUGHT-STRUCK SOUTH- WESTERN AFRICAN COMMUNITIES IN NAMIBIA AND ANGOLA” TERMS OF REFERENCE REALIZATION OF PREPARATORY STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT CONCEPT NOTE FOR SUBMISSION TO THE ADAPTATION FUND AC/OSS/ADSWAC-CN/191213-23 December 2019 Terms of reference ADSWAC Project 1. CONTEXT On the border between Angola and Namibia, small-scale rainfed agriculture and livestock rearing provide livelihoods and subsistence for the vast majority of communities. The dry seasons in the area are depicted by significant challenges in terms of food security and access to water. The Cubango River forms the border between Angola and Namibia, continuing into Botswana and the Okavango Delta. Communities on both sides of the river use it for livelihoods, transport etc. and activities upriver have consequences downriver. The Okavango Delta is one of the most significant hotspots in the Kalahari Desert. Resulting from its permanent water resources, grasslands and forests, human land use activities such as crop and livestock farming have placed the Delta under environmental stress, raising concerns about its future sustainability. A unified cross-border approach will not only help the populations to adapt to changing conditions but encompasses a key contribution to avoid further encroachment of the protected areas. Angola and Namibia, although ranked as middle-income countries, have significant internal urban-rural inequalities, while their respective agriculture sectors are underdeveloped due to primary national focus on resource extraction. Despite the potential for agriculture production, both countries are net importers of food, which places especially the most vulnerable populations at risk of climate-related shocks and market fluctuations. Little attention has been paid to rural development and crop and livestock production, and the vulnerable populations are barely reached with agriculture extension and other social services, which together with the harsh conditions leaves them in a continuous poverty trap. The target areas are geographically more coherent than that they are with their own national capitals. Population groups across frontiers share the same ethnic background, language and cultural habits and characteristics. Roads in the areas are poor, and access is difficult at the best of times, and near impossible in the rainy season. Alternative livelihoods involving small- scale trade are dependent on cross-border trade. Given difficult access and limited attention, there is no prospect for meaningful trade nationally. The population in the area already suffers from impacts induced by climate change, most notably prolonged dry spells and long periods of drought. Trends show a gradual increase in temperature of 0.2ºC per decennium, while precipitation levels have decreased and rainfalls have become more unpredictable. Conditions are not set to improve. Overall, the project’s objective is to enhance adaptation capacities and resilience towards climate change impacts and variability in the transboundary region between Angola and Namibia. The Specific Objectives are: (1) to enhance local, sub-national and regional capacities to adapt and respond to climate change risks in the cross-border area of Angola and Namibia; and (2) to improve food security in response to climate change impacts in rural and vulnerable communities in Cuando Cubango Province and the Regions of Kavango East and Kavango West. It is estimated that the project will directly benefit 7.500 small-scale farmers (50% women) and 150.000 people in the targeted communities in Cuando Cubango Province in Angola (Cuangar, Calai, Dirico and Rivungo municipalities) and in Kavango East & West Regions in Namibia (Mpungu, Mkurenkuru, Tondoro, Musese, Kapako, Rundu Rural, Rundu Urban, Mashare, Ndonga Linena, Ndiyona, Mukwe). In order to achieve these specific objectives, the project will be structured around four main components, that need to be elaborated taking into account drought dimension from the regional, national and local context: OSS 2 Terms of reference ADSWAC Project Component 1: Strengthening awareness, knowledge and capacity to adapt to climate change and variability at community-district-, national and regional level This component will enable to enhance awareness and ownership of adaptation and climate risk reduction processes of the targeted populations. Additionally, it aims to enhance the capacity at sub-national, national and regional level to adapt to climate change risks and variability in the agriculture and water sectors. This component will include: (a) the establishment of Climate Change Action Centers (CCACs); (b) climate change awareness campaigns in communities and schools; (c) local participatory climate vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning; (d) cross-border exchanges on local adaptation options; (e) capacity building of local and sub-national authorities in climate change adaptation; (f) establishment and strengthening of transboundary coordination mechanisms (authorities as well as civil society) for adaptation; (g) capacity building and coordination for transboundary response systems to extreme weather events. (h) dissemination of project results, best practices and lessons learned in national and international forums. Component 2: Community adaptation actions for improved food security in response to climate change and variability This component is focused on enhancing production, productivity, livelihood diversification and income of the targeted population groups and improving food security of 10.000 targeted smallholder farmers’ households. It will additionally reduce exposure of the targeted farmers to the impacts of droughts and prolonged dry spells on agricultural production. This component consists of concrete adaptation actions at community-level with the aim to improve food security all year round, in response to challenges faced in terms of declining agricultural productivity due to climate change. A specific emphasis will be placed on water availability and activities will include: (a) establishment and strengthening of Producer Organizations (Producers’ Clubs); (b) diversification of production (crop diversification, beekeeping, fishing); (c) extension of climate-resilient and water-efficient agriculture practices (Conservation Agriculture (CA) and Agroforestry Systems (AFS)) through model fields and on-farm advisory services; (d) capacity building and support to POs in adapting production systems (drought-resistant varieties, fodder production, adaptive planning); (f) support to improved cattle management and introduction of short-cycle livestock; (g) introduction of low-cost storage and processing equipment. This will be strengthened by activities focused to overcome the key barrier of water scarcity, including: (g) establishment and strengthening capacities of water user associations (WUAs); (h) establishment of rainwater harvesting and storage infrastructure; (i) introduction of solar powered water pumps and small-scale irrigation systems; (j) capacity building for management of rainwater infrastructure and solar technologies; (k) water demand management campaigns. According to the Adaptation fund procedures, the next step will be the elaboration of the project Concept Note1. This will imply the further development of the topics presented in the pre-concept note (including the comments from the Project/Programme Review Committee - PPRC). 2. OBJECTIVE AND EXPECTED RESULTS The main objective of these Terms of Reference is to prepare a Concept Note on the project which meets the Adaptation Fund’s requirements. This could be achieved through desk work 1 The objective of the Concept Note, is to provide strong justification to Adaptation Fund to proceed to project proposal to identify interventions and actions on the ground. Thus, it provides information on all related issues. OSS 3 Terms of reference ADSWAC Project (reviewing the national documents, plans and activities related to drought and drought- resilient interventions, priority areas – NAPs, etc). Accordingly, preparatory studies will be undertaken for the finalization of the project Concept Note. This could be achieved through the implementation of preparatory studies and additional thematic analyses which will serve as a basis for the finalization of the project Concept Note document. Finally, this will pave the way towards the preparation of the final bankable project Full proposal – pending the Board approval. (Following step). The following specific studies are envisaged: ▪ Vulnerability Assessment ▪ Stakeholders Capabilities Analysis ▪ Cost-effectiveness study ▪ Preliminary study on Environmental and social impacts and risks in each country complying with the Adaptation Fund E&S principles and Gender Policy as well as their mitigation measures 3. SCOPE OF WORK This mission should cover the two project beneficiary countries: Namibia and Angola. Both local, national and regional levels will be addressed. In particular, the main area of intervention will take place in the Southern part of Angola (Cuando Cubango Province) and the Northern Namibian Regions (Kavango East and Kavango West). 4. MANAGEMENT The assignment will be managed by OSS which will be responsible for the supervision of the consultancy. However, ADPP and Humana People to People (HPP) will supervise the Consultancy activities in the region. OSS, ADPP and HPP commit to facilitating the consultant work with national and regional