| Overview : Consultancy to Review the National Strategy for Poverty Reduction
: Poverty- Environment Linkages
Background
The National Strategy for Poverty Reduction (NSPR) was approved by a Presidential Directive in 2003 and sets out the Government’s Strategy on poverty reduction. It sets a goal to eradicate absolute poverty by 2016 – the endpoint of the Vision 2016 master plan. The draft NDP10 reiterates this same goal.
The NSPR 2003 reflects on the causes of poverty including isolation in rural areas, limited access to employment and a narrow economic base. There is also reference to issues of access to land and natural resources and persistent drought as linked causes of poverty. NSPR 2003 sets out a range of policy and programmatic interventions to address poverty issues. At policy level these include developing pro-poor policies around macro-economic growth, price stability, monetary and fiscal policy, Foreign Direct Investment, land issues and tourism. The NSPR includes 5 programme areas to tackle poverty focussed around sustainable livelihoods, enhancing human capabilities, enhancing participation, strengthening local government institutions and strengthening national development capacity.
Poverty-Environment (PE) linkages are not explicitly cited in NSPR but programmatic activities such as support for community based natural resources management (CBNRM) and rain fed crop production do address some poverty-environment linkages. However many other environment dimensions which are closely linked to poverty are ignored including access to, and use of, other key resources such as energy and water and access to key environmental services such as waste management and clean water and sanitation. The issue of climate change is not addressed in the NSPR. Botswana faces some serious environmental challenges which, if ignored, may threaten realisation of the country’s goals to reduce poverty and promote economic growth and diversification. Given that for instance, some 92% of rural households are dependent upon firewood for their primary energy source and that with deforestation rates of 0.9% per annum women and children (the main providers of firewood) can now spend up to 3.3 hours and travel up to 5.8km to source firewood each day. This is a clear example of the kind of poverty and environment issue which should be addressed in the revised NSPR.
MFDP has decided that revisions of the NSPR must more fully take into account poverty-environment linkages as environmental degradation and poor access to environmental services underpin and reinforce poverty and vulnerability for many Batswana. Conversely, MFDP is aware that more sustainable management of key environmental assets and improved access to essential environmental services such as sanitation could contribute to increased productivity and economic growth and to reduced poverty and vulnerability.
Objectives
Review and analyse in detail all relevant plans, policies, programmes and associated budgets to assess the effectiveness with which poverty-environment issues are addressed both conceptually and in terms of implementation and monitoring and evaluation.
Review international experiences on integrating poverty-environment linkages in plans, policies, programmes and budgets to identify best practice include costs and benefits of different approaches.
Develop policy and programme content of the NSPR to ensure that the linkages between poverty and environment and sustainable economic growth are fully integrated.
Develop analysis and guidance on how poverty-environment linkages addressed in the NSPR can be used to inform NDP10 at its mid term review.
Scope of Work
Comprehensive review of all empirical evidence relating to poverty-environment linkages including climate change in Botswana and their relationship to successes and failures in promoting sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.
Identification of the key PE issues affecting Botswana and the impact that past and present plans, policies, programmes and budgets (including at district level) and institutional structures and systems have had in addressing these PE linkages with regard to poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth.
Analysis of practice in selected countries with relevance to the Botswana situation where measures to tackle PE linkages through poverty reduction strategies as well as plans, policies, programmes and budgets provide examples, and reasons for, success or failure of relevance to Botswana. This is too include analysis of key plans, policies, and programmes, budgets, institutions and monitoring & evaluation frameworks.
Conduct in-country stakeholder consultations on the NSPR and associated policies, plans, programmes (and budgets) for addressing PE linkages in Botswana to stimulate debate and dialogue on these issues and draw out key lessons and messages for the NSPR review and related processes e.g. preparation of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development being led by Department of Environmental Affairs.
Develop a detailed proposal with recommendations for revising the NSPR and associated plans, policies, programmes and budgets and associated institutional systems/structures to strengthen the integration of PE linkages in the NSPR so that it is more effective in addressing poverty reduction.
The consultants will be required to coordinate their work with the Poverty Section of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning that is coordinating the other consultancy teams producing NSPR Reviews for Social Protection and for Economic Growth, Diversification and Employment to ensure that the outputs of all three reviews are harmonised as appropriate.
Deliverables
Inception Report detailing the consultants’ response to the TOR and their proposed approach to ensure that the TOR are fully addressed. This should include details of, and justification for, the countries selected to inform international best practice and an outline of outputs and timelines. To be agreed with MFDP.
A draft report in four parts (part 1 covering the first and second activities in the scope of work, part 2 covering the review of international experiences, part 3 synthesizing the in-country consultations, and part 4 focusing on proposed recommendations to integrate poverty-environment linkages across the NSPR and into associated polices and plans.
A stakeholder workshop in which the draft findings are presented to stimulate a dialogue on poverty-environment linkages in policy and plan making and to inform the final report.
Final Report providing a synthesis of all outputs and clear recommendations for action with proposed timetable and resource costings for implementation.
Timing
Implementation is to commence by 1 August/September 2009. The assignment entails a total of 100 days consultancy inputs over a 6 month period allowing for up to 20 days for the international and up to 80 days for the national consultants.
Consultancy Profile
The consultancy will have a strong background in analysis of general poverty and specific poverty-environment issues in Africa. Specifically, the minimum qualifications sought are:
(i) A Masters in economics or development studies (PhD is desirable).
(ii) 7-10 years experience in poverty-environment policy analysis.
(iii) Strong background in Africa with knowledge of Botswana an advantage.
Application procedure and deadline
The full terms of reference are articulated in the RPF attached
All applicants should address their submissions to
Human Resources
United Nations Developemnt Programmes (UNDP)
P. O. Box 54
Gaborone
Botswana
Tel:3952121 ext 213
Fax:3956093
Email: gaone.thaelo@undp.org copy to ndapiwa.semausu@undp.org
The application deadline is Wednesday 22 July 2009 at 10:00 hrs (Botswana Time)
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