1. Background:

Climate change threatens the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. African countries contribute only about 3.8% of total greenhouse gas emissions, but are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.  

Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa – up to 90% of which is rain-fed – accounts for 70% of the region’s employment and 35% of its gross national product. With the agriculture sector playing a critical role in economic development in Africa, changing climatic conditions affects food production, health, water resources in many countries.  Current models of climate change suggest that crop yields could fall by up to 20%.  Water shortages are projected to worsen, with as much as 10% less rainfall predicted in interior regions.  Higher temperatures will increase water losses due to higher evaporation rates.  As much as up to 40% of all development assistance and public expenditures could be lost due to climate change.

In April 2008, African Ministers of Finance committed to “effectively integrate and implement climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies into “national and regional development frameworks”. Most African governments are yet to develop adaptive policies to: i) protect climate-sensitive public goods, such as water supply and costal protection; ii) adjust fiscal and regulatory policy to create private sector incentives for adaptation; and iii) establish performance standards and codes so that private and public investments of long-lived capital and infrastructure remain robust under future climate.

2. Africa Adaptation Programme:

UNDP has launched a US$ 92.1 million Climate Change Adaptation Programme for the African continent, titled “Supporting Integrated and Comprehensive Approaches to Climate Change Adaptation in Africa” (hereafter called the Programme). Under this Programme supported by the Government of Japan, UNDP assists 21 countries across the African continent in incorporating climate change risks and opportunities into national development processes to secure development gains under a changing climate.

The Programme aims to achieve the following key outcomes:

·         Countries have introduced dynamic, long-term planning mechanism to cope with the inherent uncertainties of climate change

·         Countries have built leadership and developed institutional frameworks to manage climate change risks and opportunities in an integrated manner at the local and national levels

·         Countries are implementing climate-resilient policies and measures in priority sectors

·         Financing options to meet national adaptation costs have been expanded at the local, national, sub-regional and regional levels

·         Knowledge on adjusting national development processes to fully incorporate climate change risks and opportunities is being generated and shared across all levels.

Lesotho is one of the 21 Sub Saharan African countries selected to participate in the above programme. The Lesotho project document, which has now approved and is ready for implementation, focuses on the two sectors of Energy and Health, seeking to achieve the following four related outputs:

1.     Leadership capacities and institutional frameworks to manage climate change risks and opportunities in an integrated manner, including a decentralised approach, at the local and national levels are strengthened.

2.     Climate-resilient policies and measures in energy and health   sectors implemented and community-based adaptation action promoted.

3.     Financing options to meet national adaptation costs, including Public Private Partnerships  (PPPs)  and private participation, expanded at the local and national levels are developed

4.     Knowledge on adjusting national and sub-national development processes to fully incorporate climate change risks is increased and opportunities thus generated are shared across all levels.

3. Terms of the Consultant – Review of Health Sector Climate Change Adaptation Capacity  

In this connection UNDP and LMs urgently require the services of a consultant to review capacity of the Health sector vis-à-vis, adaptation to climate change and management of the projected likely adverse impacts/ risks as well as any opportunities thereof.

Working under the joint supervision of UNDP and the Lesotho Meteorological Services (LMS), and in close collaboration with the project implementing institutions, namely  the Environmental Health Division (EHD) and Department of Energy ( DoE) as well as the Project Management Team, the main assignment for  the consultant is to assess the current status of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare with regard to the nature of the Health Information System and the status of the Ministry’s capability to collect and analyse specimens for the purpose of detecting climate induced vector-borne diseases. He/she should advice on the appropriate techniques and equipment that will be required for the vector-borne disease monitoring studies and also advice on measures to improve resilience and adaptation to climate change by the health sector.

3.2 Specific duties:

• Assess the Health information system in terms of efficiency as a monitoring system.
• Determine the system’s capability for statistical analysis and geographic location identification and mapping.
• Assess the capacity for collecting and analysing vector borne diseases at the district and headquarters level.
• Propose appropriate techniques for monitoring of plaque, malaria and bilharzia and other potentially climate change induced diseases.
• Procurement of monitoring equipment:
  • Prepare specifications for a GIS based Health information system. The system should be easy to learn and must be efficiently operated under constraint government budget.
  • Prepare specifications and quantities for household water storage hygienic monitoring
  • Prepare specifications and quantities for appropriate field equipment for rodents, snails and mosquito trapping and identify potential monitoring sites.
  • Propose how the Disease Control laboratory may be upgraded in order to cater for the analyses associated with the monitoring studies.
  • Cost the material to be procured.

3.3 Scope of Assignment 

As already indicated the consultant will work under the joint supervision of UNDP and LMS and will be supported technically by the Project Management Team , particularly the Health representatives of the Team with whom he/she will  maintain close collaboration. Working sessions will be held with key national and local stakeholders to be identified by EHD and DOE and they could include: 

• Ministry of Finance and Development Planning as well as the Ministry of Tourism Environment and Culture  

• Appropriate Un Agencies WHO,  UNEP, FAO,  UNIDO, UNICEF, World Bank, African Development Bank, European Commission, Millennium Challenge Account  
• Private sector – Private Sector Health institutions
• Civil society (community groups); and
• National and private research institutions.
• Others as appropriate

Site visits and inspection of relevant health research institutions will also be required.

Deliverables:

The main deliverable is a comprehensive report detailing the findings of the assessments including recommendations. There should be detailed specifications and estimated costs for the equipment to be purchased and appropriate justifications.

§  Presentation of all findings and recommendations of the consultancy to stakeholders prior to completion of the assignment from preliminary report.

§   Submit 20 copies of Final Report in which all the comments and corrections from stakeholders have been incorporated.

Timeline:

The assignment is expected to start on or around 21^st    June 2010 for about 15 working days.

Required skills and experience:

 Education:

§     Post graduate university degree in environmental science, ecology, environmental economics, public health or acceptable qualification in relevant field, with specialization on vector borne diseases and/or public and environmental health and climate change are desirable.

Experience:

§      At least 10 years of professional experience in the area of environmental health with specialization in adaptation of natural systems to climate change and climate change vulnerabilities;

§   Demonstrated experience in climate change and environmental health data collection, management, analysis and interpretation;

• Thorough understanding of international policies and programmes as they relate to climate change;
• Demonstrated understanding of donor-funded international climate change programmes and projects;
• Sound, practical understanding of health  market economics;
• Demonstrated knowledge, analytical skills and relevant experience in climate change.

Skills and competencies:

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences ;
• Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily and to turn information from various sources into a coherent document ;
• Demonstrated facilitation skills;
• Demonstrated ability to analyse, design, coordiante and manage research projects/activities;
• Computer literacy;
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high-ranking members of international, regional and national institutions;
• Ability to display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity;
• Ability to build strong relationships with clients, focusing on impact and result for the client and responding positively to feedback;
• Good team player, self starter, with ability to work under minimum supervision and to maintain good relationships;
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

How to apply:

Applications with comprehensive CV with names and contact details of three referees should be hand delivered to:

The Resident Representative

UNDP

P. O. Box 301

3rd Floor UN House

Maseru 0100

or by Email to registry.ls@undp.org,  on or before 11 June 2010.

Closing date:

Deadline for application is 11 June 2010

Please note that only short-listed applicants will be responded to. Fee is competitive and negotiable commensurate with experience and qualifications.