Closing date:

Aquaculture and Fisheries (Pearl Farming) Specialist

City/location:
Bangkok
Organization:
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

This job posting has closed

About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

ADPC is an autonomous international organization with a vision to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by working with governments, development partners, international organizations, NGOs, civil society, private sector, media, and other key stakeholders. Established in 1986 as a technical capacity building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experiences from all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC is a competent regional resource center and has seven thematic departments: ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, and Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the departments, ADPC works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees. ADPC Strategy 2020 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change and regional cooperation. For details please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/

Background

Disasters take a huge toll on the development agenda of SAR countries. Between 2000 and 2017, disasters in South Asia incurred estimated damages of US$ 149.27 billion. Public expenditure is under stress by the repeated need to reallocate capital budgets away from 2 long term development planning and towards reconstruction activities in post-disaster environments. For example, since 2005, Pakistan has suffered losses on the order of US$ 16 billion due to natural disasters. In Bangladesh, 2007 Cyclone Sidr resulted in damages and losses of US$1.7 billion, or 2.6 per cent of GDP. To increase resilience and achieve climate commitments, there is a need for a transformational shift towards policies and institutions that enable climate resilient investments. Investing in more resilient infrastructure is both profitable and urgent as disruptions are extremely costly for governments, households and private sector and large ongoing investments in infrastructure assets will have long-lasting repercussions as poor maintenance and natural disasters result in a vulnerable stock. With the financial support from the World Bank Group, ADPC will be implementing a five years’ project, titled “Climate Adaptation and Resilience Project for South Asia” (CARE). The project aims to create an enabling environment for climate resilience policies and investments across South Asia. This objective will be achieved through enhanced regional cooperation and knowledge exchange for climate resilience and adaptation and mainstreaming of resilience and adaptation in national policies, plans and investments. In this setting, a consultant is required to study the potential of pearl farming as an alternate livelihood option in the coastal belt of Pakistan to reduce climate migration in the region. The study would also look into potential of pearl farming as a pathway for sustainable development.

The consultant is required to have the following expertise:

  • Substantial knowledge and skills in the subject area of aquaculture and fisheries (Pearl Farming) with specialization in coastal aquaculture or mariculture technologies.
  • Substantial experience in carrying out capacity building and feasibility studies of aquaculture interventions in inland and coastal landscapes.
  • Experience in preparing scientific reports / guidelines / project reports on aquaculture systems/practices, aquaculture capacity building, or similar interventions in Asia.
  • Previous experience working on World Bank, FAO and other international donor grants.

Statement of Intent

The Aquaculture and Fisheries (Pearl Farming) Expert will provide support in carrying out a scoping / prefeasibility study on the techno-commercial feasibility of pearl farming as an alternate livelihood option to reduce climate migration in the coastal belt of Pakistan. The study will also explore the importance of pearl farming as a pathway of sustainable development and as well as means for conservation of marine biodiversity and preserving highly sensitive ecosystems. A techno-commercial feasibility report will be prepared along with a broad guideline for sustainable oyster propagation, culture, grafting and pearl production. The consultancy is a home-based consultancy due to the current COVID-19 situation and will be carried out in close consultation with Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Government of Pakistan, Fisheries Department, Govt. of Balochistan and Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. The outcome of the study needs to 3 be presented in a national workshop with relevant government stakeholders to plan the way forward. Note: It is not the intent of this Terms of Reference to cover every aspect of the position requirements, rather to highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant needs to work closely with the water sector lead in the regional office in Bangkok and water sector specialists in Pakistan. The following is the broad scope of work for the consultancy:

  • Scoping study on techno-commercial feasibility of pearl farming in a coastal landscape with a focus on coastal provinces of Pakistan.
  • Collation and integration of existing data on the coastal landscape and reporting on the potential of the pearl farming intervention in the region (Ground data support will be provided by the country level ADPC staff in coordination with Fisheries Department, Govt. of Balochistan).
  • Develop a research model relevant for sustainable oyster propagation, culture, grafting and pearl production.
  • Development of a detailed workflow with relevant diagrams and field photographs from secondary sources / from areas where pearl farming is practiced.
  • Sensitization of provincial government stakeholders.
  • Studying the impact of pearl farming on conservation of local marine biodiversity to preserve highly sensitive ecosystem, blue carbon credit etc.

Deliverables:

  1. Techno-commercial feasibility report on the potential of pearl farming, including a comparative study on success stories in similar landscapes in Asia and the Pacific. The report should include a broad guideline on the development of a pearl farm including site selection criteria, native species of pearl-producing oysters suitable for the coastal provinces of Pakistan, farming methodology, development of hatcheries and grafting technique. The guideline should be gender inclusive to promote women farmers in the pearl farming business as women are the most affected due to the adverse impact of climate change. The report shall be utilized for developing comprehensive development package for coastal area.
  2. A scientific paper which will explore the importance of pearl farming as a pathway of sustainable development and as well as means for conservation of marine biodiversity and conserving present or future marine protected areas.
  3. Present the findings of the scoping study in a national workshop (webinar mode if required due to COVID-19) for provincial government officials on pearl farming with experts from international universities and research centers to plan the way forward.

Qualifications

The candidate should at least have:

  • Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in Aquaculture and Fisheries (Pearl Farming) or any related field with specialization in mariculture or similar fields. PhD in mariculture or related field would be an added advantage.
  • At least 7 years’ experience of working in aquaculture and fisheries sector with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in working with coastal aquaculture / mariculture systems in Asia and the Pacific.
  • Experience of preparing strategies and guidelines in the aquaculture and fisheries (pearl farming) sector. Experience specifically in coastal aquaculture or mariculture would be preferred.
  • Must have national / international research publications in the field of aquaculture especially pearl farming.
  • Excellent English proficiency in oral and written communication, including a demonstrated track record in technical report writing and ability to communicate technical matters effectively to a general audience.
  • Cross-cultural awareness and ability to work amongst a diverse group of staff, and partners.
  • Required computer proficiencies: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet. Working knowledge in SPSS or similar statistical package and GIS application would be preferred.

Reporting Relationships

The consultant will report to the Project Director and maintain a close coordination with the Integrated Water Resources Management Specialist (Regional) at the Bangkok office and Water Resources Management Specialist in Pakistan through the PIU. The consultant would also coordinate with the Country Project Lead in Pakistan other CARE project specialists at the regional and national level as part of the activities under the project.

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