Consulting Services for Socio Economic Baseline Survey in Nghe An

Country: Vietnam
Organisation: SNV – Netherlands Development Organisation
Program: Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
Project: Lowering Emission from Asia’s Forest (LEAF)
Abstract: Consulting services to survey and assess current socio economic baseline in Con Cuong district in Nghe An Province
Number: 5 consultants
Duration: Each consultant will work 12 days over period: 10/4/2012 to 31/5/2012 (10 days work in the field and 2 days for training, group discussion and reporting)

1. Background:
The Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forest (LEAF) project, funded by United States Agency for International Development, aims to strengthen the capacity of target countries to achieve meaningful and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the forestry-land use sector while assisting them in benefiting from the emerging international REDD+ framework. With this approach, in Viet Nam, project activities will take place at both national and local levels, which all require involvement of different stakeholders. SNV is an implementing partner of LEAF project and has completed a number of REDD+ activities in Nghe An province. 
A critical component of LEAF’s pilot site work is to enhance the livelihood benefits of those communities LEAF will be working. The survey primarily uses the I-REDD toolkit, which includes a guide to learning about livelihood impacts of REDD+ projects and technical guidelines for research on REDD+ project sites. The materials include a variety of survey tools designed to set a baseline upon which socio-economic benefits arising from LEAF interventions can be assessed at the end of the LEAF program.

2. Objectives:
To measure LEAF’s ‘livelihood’ work and assess change in the communities we are working with a base-line must be set, ideally before any REDD+ activities initiated by LEAF can take place. Once a reliable baseline is set, the LEAF program can then confidently assess the impact of its REDD+ interventions on the livelihoods of the communities that LEAF will be working with.

3. Tasks:
The work will be overseen and managed by Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh Van as team leader for the survey in Nghe An province.

Each consultant is expected to complete 30 households interview, perform focus group discussions, and secondary data collection, training, data inputs and summary report. The consultant is expected to perform following tasks:
- Attend training and field testing of the socio economic surveys in Con Cuong district according to the LEAF guidelines for the livelihood survey
- Collect secondary data, villages’ profiles, and households lists in the selected pilot sites and according to the random selection of villages and communes.
- Carry out household surveys and focus group discussions in the selected areas according to the guidance of the LEAF project
- Document all survey data and methods as well as any challenges related to the survey process.
- Regularly report progress to the survey team leader, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh Van

It is expected that the consultants will:
- Show courtesy and respect toward the respondents, as this is crucial to the success of the survey
- Be clear about the objectives of the research project
- Assure all respondents that the information they supply us will be kept in the strictest confidence
- Strive to assure that both the head of household and the spouse are respondents to the household interview
- Limit the interview to those who should be attending
- Make sure the respondents are prepared to be interviewed
- Pose all questions in a clear and consistent manner
- All responses must be clearly written in the form
- Pose questions in a non-directive manner and avoid ‘leading questions
- Every response in the survey forms must be filled in completely
- All questions must be asked, interpreted and recorded honestly
- Show appreciation with a token of good will
- All forms must be carefully reviewed and signed before being submitted to the field research supervisor

4. Expected outputs and deliverables:
- Set of secondary data (hard and soft copy)
- Households surveys data (hard and soft copy)
- Focus group discussions data (hard and soft copy)

5. Qualifications:
- Degree in rural sociology or equivalent experience
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge in socio-economic survey process.
- Experience in facilitating and working directly with communities
- Experience in rural development, community/social forestry, agricultural extension would be preferred
- Fluency in an ethnic minority language and understanding of their customs
- Good listening and open-minded attitudes
- Having good communication capability
- Friendly and sincere manner
- More 2 years experiences working in Con Cuong district

6. Timeframe and Location:
Each consultant will be recruited for a period of 12 working days over a period of maximum 1.5 months from the date of signing the contract.
Location: Nghe An province (Con Cuong district).

7. Reporting:
Consultants will contribute to final field report to the Viet Nam LEAF Country Manager, Ms. Ly Thi Minh Hai and work closely with Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh Van who is responsible for LEAF activities in Nghe An province.
Consultants (individual or organization) should send their latest CV to apply for this assignment to email [email protected], deadline of submission: 5:00 PM. April 17th, 2012.

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