Disaster risk reduction consultant

1. Background

In Africa the occurrence of disasters triggered by natural and human made hazards , the number of people affected and the associated economic losses are all rising. Africa’s share of total reported world disasters has increased over the past decades. Most of the disasters affecting Africa are caused by Hydro-meteorological hazards like drought, flash floods or windstorms, and human factors like war, conflicts and bad governance . Environmental degradations, poverty and climate change aggravate the disaster impact.

Ethiopia is a country with a population of 73,918,505 millions of which 84% are living in the rural areas. The vast majority of the population is chronically food insecure and vulnerable to natural potential disasters. Since the famine of the mid 1980’s, images of severe drought and large-scale starvation have become inevitably linked with Ethiopia.

The 2005 World Bank poverty assessment indicates that 58% of the rural population lives below the poverty line. Moreover, when the rainfall is poorly spaced or inadequate, the number of individuals that lives below the poverty line increases because it includes the transitionally food insecure individuals, for example, during the drought of 2002/03, 11 million of individuals were living below the poverty line.

Because Ethiopia stands as one of the African countries most affected by natural disasters, the DRR approach has gained great momentum among both political elites and humanitarian stakeholders in the country. The past decade has been marked by a radical shift in national authorities’ approach of humanitarian needs, from the implementation of ad hoc emergency response to the designing of a comprehensive disaster risk reduction policy.

The Ethiopian institutional framework for humanitarian response, led by disaster risk management authorities (Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency recently renamed Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector) provides further evidence of how deeply entrenched is the DRR approach in Ethiopia. On the part of humanitarian stakeholders’, growing interest in DRR is being observed, particularly among donors (ECHO for instance demands that NGOs systematically mainstream DRR in their projects).

Strengthening ACF positioning on DRR hence should be factored into the design of strategies and program to reduce disaster risks.

2. Objectives

General objective:
• To develop a DRR approach for ACF in Ethiopia in order to improve the mission’s strategic programming and its response to population’s vulnerability to disasters.

Specific objective
• To adapt ACF policy for disaster risk reduction in Ethiopia, identify funding opportunities and design DRR projects for ACF Ethiopia.
Tasks
• Review of Natural Disaster Risk Management literature and critical analysis of existing approaches and policies, with particular focus on the Horn of Africa.
• Identification of potential gaps in Ethiopia’s policy, structure and capacity in DRR at federal, regional and local levels and production of policy briefs and lessons learned documents.
• Based on ACF strategy and field of expertise, select 1 or 2 critical natural disasters that the DRR strategy will focus on.
• Design the DRR strategy according to ACF’s specific mandate of addressing malnutrition issues and participate in the mainstreaming of DRR strategy in ACF national strategy
• Conduction of in depth vulnerability assessment and hazard mapping in selected Woredas and Kebeles, and production of reports.
• Production of a policy paper on DRR for ACF Ethiopia with clear operational recommendations to improve the mission’s strategic programming.
• Production of recommendations to improve multilevel and multidisciplinary coordination and partnerships on DRR between relevant stakeholders in Ethiopia.
• Identification of potential donors and designing of DRR projects for the Ethiopian mission, while exploring the opportunity/feasibility of regional programs.
• Conduction of workshops and presentation of ACF DRR policy to relevant stakeholders, including NGOs as well as federal, regional and local authorities.

3. Methodology

• Desk review of the documents
• Interview and meeting with the relevant Ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, bureaus and communities
• Meetings in Nairobi with neighbouring countries ACFIN missions if relevant, meeting with relevant regional organisations, institutes or donors (with the Ethiopia head of mission).
• Field assessments to different regions, districts in Ethiopia

4. Time frame

• April to November 2010.

5. Deliverables

• ACF Ethiopia DRR strategy document, including a Plan of Action for implementation of the strategy
• DRR Project proposal document from the field assessments
• Report on the experience and best practises DRR approach in the horn of Africa
• Report on the Analysis of causes and consequences of natural disasters : Drought and floods in particular.

6. Consultant Profile

This assignment if provided to the consultant will be under the close supervision of ACF Ethiopia Head of Mission.

• Significant experience in the field of implementation of development programs
• Masters degree on rural development and related fields
• Proven experience on the policy review, strategy and project design
• Field experience on food security, climate change and disaster risk reduction projects compulsory
• Fluent in English, excellent writing and analytical skill
• Good communication skill and experience of workshop facilitation
• Experience of working in Ethiopia is a plus

7. Conditions

The application of the visa is the responsibility of the consultant; however these costs will be reimbursed in full upon receipt of the expenses. The travel expenses and living costs are the responsibility of the consultant and should be included in the economical proposition. Insurance costs will not be covered, and the evaluator shall manage its own insurance, and provide the details of this cover.