(TCP PROJECT EXAMPLE)

I. PROJECT SUMMARY

(Brief description of the project expectations and outcome)

II. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

Recently, Country X has been hit by the "worst drought in decades" affecting hundreds of thousands of people. The drought was "unprecedented," cereals and other food crops have been decimated, and the livestock sector, especially sheep farmers, are facing financial ruin. As a result, the food security for about one-quarter of the country's population of 4.75 million is now threatened. Some 180,000 drought-affected people are said to be "of particular concern" since a domestic cereal harvest of just 13,000 tons is enough to cover less than one percent of domestic need, instead of the usual 10 percent. Moreover, the livestock sector has been hit particularly hard, with domestic production of red meat and milk 40 percent below usual levels. Sheep and goat farmers are experiencing losses and will have to depend almost entirely on imported barley and straw for the coming year.

The drought has also had a most serious deleterious effect on the rangelands of the country. Particularly those grazed areas, lying between the 50 and 200 mm isohyets which occupy some 8 million hectares (in 95% of the total land area of _____, 81% are receiving less than 100 mm rainfall). These lands are, for the most part, also overstocked by predominantly small ruminants (approximately 3.7 million sheep and goats, 51 000 cattle and 64 000 camels). The stocking rate is at least three times as much as the carrying capacity. Given the contribution of livestock to total agriculture GNP is around 50% and the heavy pressure of livestock, the absence of land tenure enforcement and the increasing cultivation have brought the rangeland to an alarming state of degradation and deterioration. The current drought has brought even greater pressure on this delicately balanced ecosystem. The potentials for recovery and improvement are conducive to the implementation of a large and holistic rangeland development programme in consultation with pastoral communities. The rangelands themselves comprise approximately 90 percent of the nation's entire land area, and would normally contribute to about 30 to 40 percent of the total livestock feed of plant protein. Although extensive in area, these lands have a low productivity ratio per surface unit. To a large degree, these lands have been degraded as a result of misuse, such as arable cultivation of wide areas in this zone ostensibly for barley production, and this has led to widespread erosion and has accelerated the desertification process and the degradation of this precious land resource.

There is now a wide consensus, that the point has been reached, where principal decisions must be made either to commit the necessary legal, institutional and financial investments to reverse the degradation process and this has been reflected in the broad agricultural policy objectives in this field which will be pursued by the Government in this subsector which will include:

- Prevent rangeland degradation and reverse the desertification process
- Restore rangeland productivity and stabilize range forage and livestock production
- Enhance environmental quality, and
- Improve the economic and social welfare of the people inhabiting and drawing their livelihood from these lands.

In order to achieve these objectives the Government will:

- Develop and implement policies to address the existing problems of land use, economic and social development, management and administration;
- Modify the roles of government agencies and institutions involved and their current responsibilities. It will also be essential to create a special agency supported by professional qualified staff and required to implement the policies related to rangeland development.

Although the Government has the major responsibility of taking action to stop and reverse the desertification process, this can only be achieved and sustained with the active participation of the local population concerned - knowing that productivity of the rangelands could be increased four to fivefold within a ten year period and productivity sustained by the application of known and proven rangeland improvement and management practices. The resource base is there. The technology exists to increase productivity. However, improvement plans and strategies, and setting the information management capacity for legal and institutional framework are still lacking, or have to be adjusted to the actual needs.

In addition, one of the main impediments to improved environmental management in X is the lack of reliable and up-to-date information. Systematic collection and analysis of environmental and natural resources data over the large areas of terrain covered by the arid and semi-arid terrain of the country is costly and time-consuming and has often been, of necessity, a low priority. In certain cases, there is no substitute for the collection of environmental data by ground-based techniques. In many cases, however, remotely sensed data, in conjunction with other spatial and non-spatial data, can be used to support the monitoring process and these aspects have been identified as a means to monitor certain aspects of the environment at low cost and in a way that complements or replaces field techniques.

Ongoing initiatives in the sector
As a result of the above, and exacerbated by the severe drought, the Government has given top priority to the rangeland development and a National Programme for Rangeland Rehabilitation and Development (NPRRD) has been prepared. It deals with the long-term rehabilitation and development of the rangeland sector and included three phases. Phase One would correct the underlying structural causes of rangeland degradation through a strengthening of capacity to implement government policies for regulating destructive land use. Phase Two would involve Rangeland recovery through de-stocking, supported by political and legal action to convert the use of rangelands from a "right" to a "privilege" and authorized only under conditions of sustainable land husbandry. Phase Three would involve developing strategies and implementing range management programmes with full participation of pastoral communities.

An investment strategy was proposed to run simultaneously with information gathering and administrative reform. It includes an immediate start at pilot level implementation using a participatory approach. In X, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) established a new Range Department reflecting the importance and attention given to this sector. This Department has specific responsibilities for all aspects of Rangeland. In the immediate past, rangelands were the responsibility of the Forestry Department.

The implementation of the NPRRD (Phase One for a period of 5 years) started in ___ and _____ is financing an important part. However, as a result of the drought and the prevailing situation in the rangeland sector, this programme still requires technical assistance to strengthen the new established Range Department and in particular to establish the Pasture Resources Information Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (PRIME) for range resource assessment, monitoring and evaluation. This unit would have been most effective had it already been in place at the time of the current drought. It is imperative that in addition to _____ contribution, an external support be provided urgently to assist X in assessing the local and national level impact on its rangeland resources and help it to assess areas for rejuvenation of local grassland species. The _____ contribution does not cover the support to the establishment of such a facility within the National Programme.

It is foreseen that existing institutional capacity will be used to generate the warehouses whilst the TCP will concentrate on the mechanisms for information management including access to and dissemination of information in spatial, tabular and documentary form.

The necessity for such a unit is paramount as studies of the arid and semi-arid environment of X, particularly on country-wide scale, are severely limited by the paucity of quantitative data. The seasonal and annual variability of rainfall and the corresponding mobility of the animal and human population produce substantial spatial and temporal variability of the factors affecting the rangeland environment. This variability necessitates a long-term and spatially comprehensive monitoring approach. The irregular cycles of drought and recovery, together with the slow but continuing process of economic development within the region, also point to the need for a long-term programme of environmental monitoring.

Moreover, the need for monitoring natural resources goes beyond early warning of environmental degradation. Development in all countries in the region is closely dependent on their natural resources and regular monitoring should be an integral part of national resource management and planning. In addition, long-term monitoring can be used to assess the sustainability of development. Consistent with these principles is the evolving Environmental Information Strategy which is reviewing the interrelations of the involved institutions, nature of their activities, the types of information they produce, and the number of personnel. The proposed strategy has been drafted and takes into account the following elements:

- Value of Environmental Information
- Role of Government Framework
- Information Infrastructure and Information Technology
- Cultural Aspects and Human Factor
- International and Regional Cooperation

It is recognized in X that cultural and human factors need to be changed through intensive training in quality information service. The importance of a regional and international exchange of information in satisfying information needs and synergism to gain advanced knowledge concerning environmental information is a priority. The adoption and implementation of the _____ Environment Act, in 1995, stipulated the establishment of the General Corporation for Environment Protection (GCEP) to play a leadership role in environment protection and sustainable development. The proposed strategy recommends that the GCEP reinforce its ultimate leadership role in protecting the environment. Moreover, to realize the strategy, an Environment Information Center (ENVIC) is proposed for establishing a national focal point for environmental information. The TCP project will work closely with this center to ensure portability of data and maintenance of data standards.

III. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSISTANCE

The overall objective of the project is to enhance the national capacity in the NPRRD to undertake comprehensive monitoring and assessment of rangeland conditions, with a view to contribute to the process of recovery from the current drought through increased rangeland and livestock productivity, improved food security of pastoral communities, and reduced land degradation/desertification.

Specific objectives of the assistance include the following:
- Based on the existing rangeland monitoring unit and in complement to the _____ supported project, the TCP will make a specific targeted intervention of establishing an operational and active PRIME (Pastoral Resource Information Monitoring and Evaluation) unit within the MOA, as a national focal point for range resource assessment.
- Enable the PRIME unit to coordinate, organize and facilitate the collection of reliable and up-to-date information, standardize procedures for processing analysis and storage of data and establish a sound basis for long-term monitoring and policy analysis.
- Establish methodology guidelines and identify pertinent indicators for the monitoring of changes in the rangeland natural resource base.
- Create a trained capacity (_____ persons) to collect, analyze and disseminate timely information rangelands. This will be supported through the creation of a national warehouse of data pertaining to rangelands for rational rangeland planning, monitoring and evaluation.
- Develop capacities for rangeland mapping using remotely sensed data and initiate the activities leading to the completion of a new rangeland / vegetation map of the country at 1:100 000 - 1:200 000 scale based on a harmonized classification procedure based on the new FAO land cover classification procedure.
- Provide generic tools that support easy access to and use of the data for stakeholders involved in the management of the rangeland sector.
- Develop the capacity of national institutions to use and update the warehouse and undertake analyses for identifying optimal use of range resources.
- Train _____ national staff in: (i) collection and compilation of data, data entry, processing and output of data in both map and tabular form; (ii) collection and analysis of data on vegetation and mapping, range management planning, monitoring of rangeland, livestock and socio-economic aspects; and (iii) use of the technology tools introduced.

IV. PROJECT OUTPUTS (RESULTS)

The expected outputs will be as follows:

- Established capacities, institutionalized within the Ministry, for the identification of key indicators of rangeland degradation to be used as part of new monitoring procedures for the regular assessment of the changing conditions of the natural environment, inter alia, to forecast rangeland conditions, detect erosion of land and degradation of marginal lands, recognize alterations in land use, give early warning and assess damage of natural disasters and observe many other aspects of environmental change.

- _____ staff trained and capable of undertaking short and long term assessment of the status and conditions of X's rangelands.

- A spatial information management system (SIMS) designed to address the information generation, distribution and information access needs of major decision-makers, policy makers and planners within the Ministry.

- The SIMS approach implemented and tested within the context of a pilot projects based on data collected at the national level. The SIMS system will facilitate information access on the status of rangelands through desktop information and web enabled systems supported by an activity tracking system which will permit the Ministry to monitor the location and impact of various operational projects. The system will also include a facility to enhance document retrieval and thereby enhance the corporate memory of the institution. The SIMS will be compatible with the proposed Information Management strategy of X.

- Standardized and agreed standards of the Spatial Information Management System compatible with the evolving spatial data infrastructure of X which will take stock of existing capacities for collection and monitoring and will assist in defining precise roles of these systems to avoid overlap and duplication.

V. WORK PLAN (see Annex XV)

This project will make maximum use of the results of other projects, paying particular attention not to duplicate efforts. The types of data to be compiled in the Spatial Information Management System are highlighted in Annex XII.

This proposal recommends the implementation of a rangeland monitoring and information management project that will provide an ongoing impetus for improvements to the information policies, standards, systems, data, etc. within the Range Department and potentially beyond. Success breeds success, and the project will also be a model for any ministry-wide information management project and would promote interest and confidence in the process.

Once approved, the FAO technologies noted above, along with appropriate training and information policy structures could be rapidly introduced and implemented. These technologies include a data access and manipulation tool for general users on their desktop, an Internet-based data access and mapping tool, a warehouse management tool, a metadata standard, and an activity tracking information system

This process involves a two-phased approach. Throughout the process, communications and training are key components:

Phase I will involve:
- Establishing the Project main office at the Range Department Office.
- Designating the National Project Manager/Coordinator and Technicians.
- First mission of the international lead consultant to prepare the framework for project implementation and detailed work schedule of project activities. International Consultant.
- Undertaking an inception mission by the lead consultant and an FAO staff member to determine the overall application, technology, and data-related needs of the Range Department, along with the availability of data. - International Consultant/FAO staff.
- Developing an implementation plan that identifies fully the costs involved and the possible options available. - International Consultant.
- Building a core warehouse on available data.-International Consultant/National Consultant/Contract LOA.
- Introducing the generic technology tools including the establishment of an Internet and Intranet capacity potentially in a pilot project context, or throughout the entire organization. These would provide access to the core warehouse of rangeland resources. (Local communications and networking costs must be borne by the responsible government agency.)- International Consultant.
- Training users on the new tools. A more detailed capacity requirements assessment would be developed for implementation in Phase II.- International Consultant
- Recruiting an international consultant (range ecology/management) to train national staff in collection and compilation of data on vegetation (inventory and trend), range management and monitoring of land degradation and the application and use of FAO's LCCS/AIMS software.
- Designing and building a basic web site to provide a "home" for the web mapping and document systems, and to provide any important organizational Internet functionality (communications, feedback, etc.).- International Consultant.
- Forming the Steering Committee and a Technical Committee to oversee the continued policy and technical issues.-NPD/National Consultant/International Consultant.
- Advise on the establishment of an appropriate organizational structure. Specifically this would involve establishing or enhancing a "Center of Excellence" within the organization with the appropriate systems administration and client services skills.- NPD/National Consultant/International Consultant.
- Preparing and introducing draft policies - in particular with respect to information access and draft standards, such as a metadata standard.- NPD/National Consultant/International Consultant.
- Installing any new technology architecture components required.- International Consultant.

Phase II represents the maturing of the overall approach. Its highlights include:
- The identification, development and implementation of custom applications. In particular, the Activity Tracking Information Management System will be implemented as will others as they are prioritized and built. - National Consultant/International Consultant.
- Staff training will be completed based on the capacity requirement analysis completed in Phase I. Training need not be limited to the systems being introduced, but may also involve training in common office automation software, systems administration and the more advanced Geographic Information System (GIS).- National Consultant/ International Consultant.
- The rangeland warehouse will continue to grow with the addition of newly cleaned and/or collected data. Data being added to the warehouse will begin to reflect corporate priorities as set by the Information Management Steering Committee, rather than just whatever is available. - International Consultant/Contract.
- The technology infrastructure will mature and any upgrades to the network and/or individual systems will be completed - again reflecting the priorities established by the steering committee. - NPD/National Consultant.
- Data maintenance programmes will be put in place based on accepted data standards and potentially collection / management partnerships with other agencies- NPD/National Consultant.
The work plan framework is mapped out in Annex XV. However, the consultancies will follow the basic work plan as outlined below:

- The lead consultant will be an information technologist with extensive experience in environmental/rangeland information systems who will implement the work under FAO's guidance, assume responsibility for coordinating the inputs of the national consultant on information technology and liaison with national information agencies and work with and synthesize the inputs of the other consultants. The first mission will determine the extent to which existing capacities are monitoring key indicators of environmental degradation and, if not, determine those land quality indicators of critical importance and develop a strategy for their regular monitoring. The team leader will prepare a draft strategy and action plan for the establishment of a Rangeland Information System, and finalize it after consultation with all concerned parties. The team leader will undertake two separate missions to the country to coordinate the various components of this project in accordance with the following outline:
- The first mission simultaneously with the Systems Architect and FAO staff member will be an appraisal and planning mission, which will identify and lay down the framework of the national consultants' work (tasks a,b,c). The consultant will also prepare the National Seminar for implementation during the second mission.
- The second mission of the lead consultant will be primarily concerned with drafting the review of the approach to be developed and the preparation of an action plan for the establishment of the Rangeland Information System. The consultant will also liaise with the other national and TCDC consultants. Towards the end of the second mission, a national seminar will be organized to discuss the mission, as well as the other UN partners' proposals, and to agree on the main elements of the evolving strategy for a Rangeland Monitoring and Information System. An FAO backstopping mission, composed of an environmental information officer and a rangeland officer, will be fielded to participate in the national seminar, in order to ensure quality and to liaise with national authorities and UN sister agencies (i.e. UNEP, UNDP) on the incorporation of this exercise into the other initiatives. The second mission of the consultant will be used also to set up procedures/methodologies for the monitoring of indices of land quality, utilizing the established Rangeland Information System. The second mission of the lead consultant will also be to prepare the Project Final Report, based on progressive development of the facility.

- The first mission of the Systems Design Consultant will take place together with the lead consultant and will develop the outline of the facility and prepare the specifications of the system to be procured by the project. The mission will also collect and, as a result, establish standards for the harmonization of data on rangeland. It will further establish a data warehouse, prior to the return of the consultant, the initial database of the PRIME SIMS.

- The second mission will take place after the system has been received in _____ and the consultant will install the SIMS, provide initial training to the staff facility and prepare the structure of the future warehouses to be developed. Optimally this mission will coincide with the national seminar.

- A national consultant with information technology expertise in X's rangelands and a terrestrial resource base will assist the international consultant by providing the data needed (see Terms of Reference). To enable that FAO select the required expert profile and therefore ensure quality of input, provisions are made in this proposal for paying the honorarium of the national consultant (tasks a,b,c).

- An interim consultancy, in two parts, will develop a standardized classification of X's rangelands based on the interpretation of high resolution satellite data and field validated by national staff which will form the basis of one of the primary layers of the Information System. The land cover classification will be according to the FAO/UNEP land cover classification scheme (LCCS) and compiled using the newly developed FAO mapping software - AIMS.

VI. CAPACITY BUILDING

With the technical advice of the TCDC consultants and under the guidance of the National Project Director, the national counterparts, one for each of the consultants according to their field of specialization, will have direct responsibility for implementing the activities leading to the achievement of the project objectives. The Government will assure full-time involvement of the national counterpart staff throughout the project duration. The national team will then gain technical knowledge and experience that will be transmitted to other technicians and pastoralists through their active participation and involvement in training courses.

VII. INPUTS TO BE PROVIDED BY FAO

Personnel (up to US$165,216)

- One International Consultant (Lead) in environmental/rangeland indicators: two missions- total duration 1.5 months (Terms of Reference in Annex I).
- One International Consultant in SIMS - Systems Design/Warehouse development to undertake the design of the system and assess user needs and the availability of suitable core data sets for use in rangeland monitoring. Undertake installation and training .- two missions total duration 1.5 months (Terms of Reference in Annex II).
- One International Consultant in remote sensing for land cover mapping and monitoring of X's rangelands - two missions - total duration 1.5 months (Terms of Reference in Annex III).
- One TCDC Consultant, range ecology/management for a duration of three months split into two missions (Terms of Reference in Annex IV).
- One TCDC Consultant, Information Management for a duration of three months split into two missions (Terms of Reference in Annex V).
- One National Consultant in Information Technology -Terrestrial Resource Base for a duration of three months (Terms of Reference in Annex VII).
- One National Consultant, Animal Production for a duration of three months split into two missions (Terms of Reference in Annex VIII).
- One National Consultant, Socio-economist for a duration of three months split into two missions (Terms of Reference in Annex IX).

FAO Advisory/Supervisory Technical Services
Two Technical Backstopping Officers, one from the Environment and Natural Resources Service (SDRN) at FAO Headquarters and one from the Crop and Grassland Service (AGPC), based at FAO Headquarters or the Regional Office for the Near East for three weeks each (Terms of Reference in Annex XIV).

Official Travel (up to US$5,000): for consultants and FAO Technical Backstopping Officers within the country.

Contracts: (up to US$45,000)
On the basis of the findings of the Systems Architect, a design document will be prepared for the software programming and delivery of the Rangeland Information Management warehouse. Specifications have to be determined but will likely follow the guidelines in Annex XI.

Plus the preprocessing of satellite data ready for the interpretation process according to the Global Landsat Mapping Project Standards- GLMP.

General operating expenses: (up to US$10,784)
General operating expenses related to the project at country level, including reporting costs at FAO Headquarters (Terminal Statement).

Materials and supplies: (up to US$10,000)

Purchase of materials and supplies required for project implementation:

Equipment (up to US$50,000)
Purchase of equipment required for project implementation - specifications will be determined by the systems architect. Draft specifications are attached in Annex X (NOTE: This annex has been deleted as technology described is out-of-date.)

Direct Operating Expenses (US$20,000) related to the project at FAO Headquarters.

Training: (up to US$30,000)

Local training:
Expenses related to organizational costs, support to the participants and the purchase of training materials for workshops and courses to be convened by TCDC, International consultants and local companies under the in service training costs as follows:

Local training:
Up to US$15,000 as specified in ANNEX XIII.- duration 1 month per person for 6 people in basic components of database development and information management and access-training to be provided by local suppliers. Basic training will be a prerequisite to "on the job" training provided by International and TCDC Consultants.

Stakeholder workshops and materials: US$5,000

Study tours (up to US$10,000):
Two technical officers will undertake a short study tour (two weeks) in countries with similar ecology and having advanced experience in the field of range management with participatory approaches.

VIII. REPORTING

The National Project Director will prepare quarterly technical project progress reports.

Upon mission completion, all the international, national and TCDC consultants will submit a technical report to include main findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Study tour and fellowship participants will each prepare a report on their visits and training.

The National Project Director together with the Lead Technical Consultant will be responsible for preparing a project draft Terminal Statement, in accordance with TCP procedures for review and finalization by SDRN and AGPC and submission by FAO to the Government.

Within one year of project completion, the Government of X will submit a brief report on action taken on the main recommendations resulting from the project.

VIII. GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION AND SUPPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

The Range Department of the Ministry of Agriculture will ensure an effective coordination of project activities and complementary to the ongoing National Programme for Rangeland Rehabilitation and Development project (NPRRD), funded by IFAD. Upon the signature of the project, the Range Department will nominate a National Project Director to be responsible for the preparation, execution and monitoring the work plan and programme/activities of the Project.

The Range Department should establish a Project Steering Committee headed by a senior official in the Range Department of Ministry of Agriculture including the National Project Director, National Directors of relevant projects and other relevant/concerned officials from research, agriculture executive offices and benefiting communities leaders. The Steering Committee should meet at the beginning of the project to discuss and approve the detailed work plan prepared by the Lead consultant and the National Project Director. A second meeting of the Project Steering Committee should be held six months later to monitor progress in implementation. The National Project Director should be the secretary of the Committee.

The collaboration and coordination with concerned Departments and Projects particularly dealing with forest/range/steppes lands, desertification controls, fodder crop production, animal husbandry and soil are prerequisite to avoid any duplication. A project steering committee should be formed with the role of:

- improving institutional linkages, collaboration between the Project and concerned Departments in MOA and other relevant Institutions;
- guiding and assisting the project to overcome constraints;
- selecting/nominating appropriate national staff/counter-parts of the project; and
- overall supervision of the work plan and progress of the project.

The Government of X will be responsible for:

- appointing one qualified professional member of the staff as National Project Director- Annex VI, assuring his full-time involvement throughout the duration of the project;
- appointing 6 national counterparts as foreseen in the contribution in kind to work closely with the international consultants and designation of technical staff;
- paying the salaries of the National Project Director and national counterpart staff;
- identifying trainees for the study tours and facilitating their travel arrangements;
- providing secretarial assistance, a driver, and needed support staff;
- organizing and managing the training courses, providing lecture rooms and transportation for field visits;
- paying cost of travel and accommodation for participants of the training workshops in X;
- providing vehicles for the international consultants and counterpart staff, and ensuring their maintenance;
- providing complementary equipment needed and ensuring maintenance of project equipment after the completion of the project and hand over in addition to at least one other computer system as specified under Annex X (Note: deleted for Toolkit use);
- providing office space and office equipment - e.g. photocopy, fax, email facilities.

Critical to the sustainability of the project are the support and full participation of the national technical staff. It is critical to the sustainability of the PRIME unit that Government secure continuity and expansion of the PRIME staff and its continued institutionalization.

The Government will also be responsible for the ongoing maintenance and growth of their information management investment following the project completion. The Government will allocate all necessary budgetary resources to ensure the sustained long-term operation of the facilities established by the project. It may determine that the systems and the data should be shared more broadly among its other agencies and/or partners.

PROJECT BUDGET COVERING FAO INPUTS
(in US$)

Budget Covering Government Inputs

Annex I

TERMS OF REFERENCE

International Lead Consultant

Rangeland /Environmental Indicators of Degradation

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of Crop and Grassland (AGPC/RNEG), the Chief of the Environment and Natural Resources Service (SDRN) and in close collaboration with the National Project Director and National Counterparts, the consultant for Environmental Indicators of Degradation will be responsible for the assessment of the capacities of the Ministry of Agriculture in Rangeland Management to plan its participatory role in the development and the organization of a Rangeland Information System. And he/she will be responsible for preparing a strategy and action plan for the establishment of an Rangeland Information System, preparing the basis for the convening of the national seminar on the proposed strategy, coordinating the inputs of all other consultants and the preparation of the final report.

Under the supervision of the lead technical unit FAO, and in collaboration with the lead consultant, the consultant will undertake two missions to X to perform the following tasks:

- systematically review, with inputs of the national consultant on information technology, the ecological, socio-cultural and economic conditions of the country;
- identify and prioritize major environmental problems, both existent and predictable;
- examine sectoral policies and strategies as well as planned and on-going interventions, with a view to identifying: instruments and data needed, environmental and socio-economic indicators, and type of environmental information system most suitable for natural resources management;
- carefully examine available data in order to determine their reliability and existing gaps;
- locate data necessary for the establishment of the Environmental Information System, identifying potentials and constraints for information gathering and transfer;
- collect, analyze, validate and compile data necessary for the establishment of the Rangeland Information System and define the strategy for its conception and development, as well as transfer and use of information;
- guide the work of the national consultant;
- participate in the national seminar where all interest groups would be invited (donor and aid agencies, government institutions, NGOs and people's organizations working in the various sectors of the economy) and present/discuss the draft strategy, needed improvements, and Environmental Information System set-up and follow-up;
- finalize the strategy and action plan, including conclusions and recommendations of the national seminar on the Rangeland/Environmental Information System.
- oversee the preparation of the system design and warehouse development.
- assess the viability of the environmental indicator programme and prepare a project document for donor consideration for the sustainable monitoring of environmental indicators of degradation;
- review the various documents and reports produced by the project. This will include the Terminal Statement prepared by the TSO and by any other relevant documents associated with the project;
- review with the national consultants the critical causes of degradation of the terrestrial resource base in the country;
- participate and present a review of the concepts of Land Quality Indicators (Pressure, State and Response Indicators) of degradation at the national seminar and highlight a strategy for their systematic monitoring;
- determine the current systems and institutions generating information on environmental degradation and evaluate their suitability and sustainability;
- prepare appropriate new indicators of degradation and develop with the lead consultant a project document for the long-term assessment of these parameters.
- train counterparts on the critical indicators and methods of collection for the inventorying of vegetation, rangeland degradation range monitoring and range management.

Duration: 1.5 p/m split into 2 missions

Qualifications:
The consultant should be an expert in environmental resources management with 10 years' practical experience in the design and implementation of appropriate strategies, indicators and information management and monitoring procedures. Fluency in English.

Annex II

TERMS OF REFERENCE

International Consultant

Systems Design Study and Warehouse Development

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of Crop and Grassland (AGPC/RNEG), the Chief of the Environment and Natural Resources Service (SDRN) and in close collaboration with the National Project Director and National Counterparts, the Systems Design Study and Warehouse Development will be responsible for the assessment of the capacities of the Ministry of Agriculture in Rangeland Management to plan its participatory role in the development and the organization of a Rangeland Information System.

Mission 1

The consultant will:
- evaluate exactly when and how the department can optimally benefit from the SIMS;
- assess the capacities of the Ministry of Agriculture related to the potential integration of the SIMS in their routine work schedules and plan how this integration could best be organized and realized;
- make an outline on how the SIMS can best be operationalized within the Rangeland Department;
- guide and assist the MOA in realizing the required preparatory conditions, such as office space, assignment of staff and organization of fieldwork. For the latter, the consultant will coordinate with the MOA in evaluating the current conditions and possibilities, in terms of the human resources and capacities and explore all possibilities to ensure that the required routine field work be effectively executed making the SIMS a sustainable operation;
- evaluate potential links between the SIMS and other institutes or organizations, in order to optimize the functionality of the SIMS;
- undertake a system design study for a SIMS including a GIS warehouse facility and digital image analysis. Specify requirements for procurement;
- perform other duties required for the development of the programme decided on and in consultation with the lead consultant;
- prepare a report, including findings and recommendations and submit to FAO HQ in Word 6.0.

Mission 2

The consultant will:
- propose and define a logical structure of the warehouse and its links with the SIMS and other systems in the country in cooperation with other project staff and with technical backstopping from the FAO Unit in Rome;
- make an inventory of the required parameters to be stored and specify their characteristics;
- prepare and programme the warehouse structure, allowing logical storage of all parameters and allowing future extension of warehouse topics (e.g. to include more socio-economic parameters in the future);
- prepare and programme user friendly interfaces for appropriate data input, warehouse management and output, as required and specified by the end users;
- design and develop functional links with the GIS programme, envisaging storage, operation and retrieval of data on a spatial basis. An important application is the interrogation of the full warehouse from the thematic maps in the GIS;
- train staff in the use of the warehouse and in particular in view of input and storage of data;
- prepare a final report and submit to FAO HQ in Word 6.0.

Location: X

Duration: 1.5 p/m in 2 missions

Language: English

Qualifications:
The consultant should have a strong technical background in software and hardware support services including ten years practical experience in systems design studies. The consultant should be conversant with GIS and warehouse software proposed for the project and should be competent in its utilization to facilitate the warehouse design component of the consultancy. The consultant should have experience of FAO based strategies for spatial data management and be conversant with environmental information management systems.

Annex III

TERMS OF REFERENCE

International Consultant
Land Cover /Rangeland Mapping

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of Crop and Grassland (AGPC/RNEG), the Chief of the Environment and Natural Resources Service (SDRN) and in close collaboration with the National Project Director and National Counterparts, the land cover mapping /rangeland monitoring The duties include the following, during the course of the 2 missions will be responsible for preparing a strategy and training plan for the establishment of EO/spatial data analysis capacity within the Ministry of Agriculture. The expert will also provide technical assistance and guidance on aspects of EO data/image processing requirements/ procedures and dissemination, and will provide support in establishing the image processing /GIS facility for rangeland monitoring systems. The duties include the following:
- establish the RS data analysis and GIS facility, including the preparation of a programme of work for technology transfer and capacity development of national staff programme, through a longer term training programme;
- identify with the national consultants the pertinent warehouses required for the establishment of a spatial information management systems;
- identify and prioritize a programme of work to generate the required products in support of the ongoing priority programmes of the Min. of Agriculture - including the work of the interpretation of satellite data using FAO software Land Cover Classification System-LCCS and it's mapping software -AIMS - and the validation of the findings in the field through an Area Sampling Frame;
- advise on aspects of EO data processing and dissemination, metadata standards and data dissemination policy;
- advise local experts within the Min of Agriculture on the generation and interpretation of value-added EO products for use in designated applications;
- oversee the preparation of the system design and warehouse development in collaboration with the GIS/warehouse and spatial data information management expert;
- develop documentation and training material on optimized systems design and implementation;
- take the lead in reporting activities and evaluation work pertaining to the EO component of the project;
- guide the work of the national consultant on EO information technology.
- train counterparts in mapping, data compilation/analysis of vegetation, and land cover classification systems.

Duration: 1.5 p/m in 2 missions

Qualifications:
The consultant should have a strong technical background in software and hardware support services including ten years' practical experience in remote sensing image interpretation including the use of FAO software - LCCS and AIMS. The consultant should be conversant with RS/GIS and warehouse software proposed for the project and should be competent in its utilization to facilitate the warehouse design component of the consultancy. Language: English.

Annex IV

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Range Ecology/Management TCDC Consultant

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of Crop and Grassland (AGPC/RNEG) and in close collaboration with the National Project Director, consultants and National Counterparts, the Range Ecology/Management specialist will coordinate and supervise the implementation of project activities. More specifically the incumbent will:

First visit (1.5 months):
- review and assess, on basis of available data and field visits, the present situation and recent performance of rangeland sector in X;
review national policies and trend in pasture development in X, and identify and analyze the major issues;
- using participatory approach/methods, identify means of improving the management of natural vegetation keeping in mind socio-economic condition and economic viability of any proposal made. The proposal should be part of the National Programme for Rangeland Rehabilitation and Development (NPRRD);
- identify criteria for selecting potential range sites;
- prepare a detailed work programme on the inventory of vegetation, range land degradation, and range monitoring to be implemented by counterparts; and advise on countries and institutions to be visited by the study tour participants;
- prepare guidelines for inventory of vegetation, range land degradation, range monitoring and range management suitable to the local conditions;
- train counterparts on the inventory of vegetation, rangeland degradation, mapping, range monitoring and range management.

Second visit (1.5 months):
- evaluate and analysis of data collection on vegetation;
- compilation/analysis of vegetation and mapping;
- train counterparts in data compilation/analysis of vegetation, productivities and mapping,
- review/amend the guidelines, if necessary for data storage based on first season experience;
- assist in holding a National Workshop;
- contribute in identifying areas where technical assistance in implementing the National Programme for Rangeland Rehabilitation and Development is needed and recommend their priority rating;
- prepare a technical report.

Qualifications:
Seven years' experience. Knowledge of range ecology/range management is essential. Language: English/Arabic, with fluency in English essential.

Duration: 3 months (Two missions)

Annex V

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Information Systems /Remote Sensing/GIS

TCDC Consultant

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of Animal Production Service/RNEG and in close collaboration with the National Project Director and National Counterparts, the Information Systems consultant will:

First Visit (1.5 months)
- Determine the overall application orientation, technology, and data-related needs of the Range Department, along with the availability of data.
- Develop an implementation plan that identifies fully the costs involved and the options available.
- Assist in build a core warehouse using the Knowledge Base Information Management System tool and the data available.
- Introduce the generic technology tools - potentially in a pilot project context, or throughout the entire organization - and these would provide access to the core database.
- Train users on the new tools. A more detailed capacity requirements assessment would be developed for implementation in Phase II.
- Design and build a basic web site to provide a "home" for the web mapping and document systems, and to provide any important organizational Internet functionality (communications, feedback, etc.).
- Prepare and introduce draft policies - in particular with respect to information access - and draft standards, such as a metadata standard.
- Prepare the detailed list of equipment and materials and arrange for their procurement.
- Assist to establish the Pasture Resources Information Monitoring and Evaluation Unit for range resource assessment, monitoring and evaluation Unit.
- Write guidelines on handling database information needed for range management plan and programmes.
- Prepare a detailed programme including data collection, to be implemented by counterparts.
- Work with the IM Consultant (Annex II) in implementing the new technology tools and building the warehouse.
- Train counterparts and provide advice on countries and institutions to be visited by the study tour participants.

Second Visit (1.5 months)
- Identify custom applications required with department staff. In particular, the Activity Tracking Decision Support System will be implemented as will others as they are prioritized and built.
- Complete training. This may also involve training in common office automation software (such as Microsoft Office), systems administration and more advanced GIS.
- Complete installation of warehouse, generic technologies and the web site.
- Put data maintenance programmes in place based on accepted data standards and potentially collection / management partnerships with other agencies.
- Review data collection and compilation by counterparts and assist them in analysis;
- Contribute in data entry and analysis.
- Train counterparts in warehouse systems, data entry and analysis.
- Review/amend the guidelines, if necessary for date storage based on first season experience.
- Contribute in identifying areas where technical assistance in implementing the programme activities of the Unit of "Pasture Resources Information Monitoring and Evaluation Unit for range resource assessment, monitoring and evaluation, is needed and recommend their priority rating.
- Assist in holding a National Workshop; and
- Prepare a technical report.

Qualifications:
Seven years' experience. Knowledge of computer systems, database techniques and analysis are essential. Fluency in English is required.

Language: English/ Arabic

Duty Station: _____

Duration: 3 months (Two missions)

Annex VI

TERMS OF REFERENCE

National Project Director

(full-time, paid and designated by Government)

Duties:
Under the joint supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East and of the Chairman of the Project Steering Committee, the technical guidance of the technical officers, AGPC and SDRN, and in close collaboration with the National Counterparts, the National Project Director will coordinate and supervise project activities and implementation at the local level on a day to day basis, and in particular:

- The coordination of international, TCDC and National consultants and the various participating institutions or departments to ensure smooth collaboration and coordination in the implementation of the project;
- Advise on an appropriate organizational structure and ensure that the Steering and Technical Committees are formed and function to oversee both policy and technical issues;
- In coordination with concerned technical services at FAO HQ and in the regional office, provide guidance and supervision to project staff and consultants (both international and national) who will undertake various project activities, and serve as a counterpart to the Leading International Consultant;

- Assist the technical officers concerned at FAO HQ and in the regional office in the preparation of detailed work-plans for the project;

- Perform specific technical work within his field of technical competence and in agreement with the work plan;

- Assist the FAO and the MOA in accomplishing the specific project tasks and implementing the work-plan;

- Ensure timely provision of local inputs to the project, including office and administrative facilities, equipment, staffing, training and other operational funds, relevant data/ information, etc.;

- Make all necessary local arrangements and provide logistics for various project activities according to the agreed upon work-plan and time schedule (including travel for project staff and consultants);

- Assist in designing the training programme and the determination of suitable local suppliers;

- coordinate the arrangements for the local training programmes, seminars and workshop;

- Assist FAO in selecting national experts and consultants to be recruited by the project;

- Assist FAO technical staff in selection, preparation of technical specifications and ordering the project equipment locally or from abroad;
- Prepare the project quarterly progress reports on achievements made by the project and also prepare the draft Terminal Statement.

Qualifications:
The NPD should have a degree in rangeland management and a strong technical knowledge of information management. He should have at least 10 years practical field and managerial experience with a practical appreciation of mapping and natural resources management strategies. Fluency in English is essential.

Annex VII

TERMS OF REFERENCE

National Consultant

Information Technology: Terrestrial Resource Base

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of the Environment and Natural Resources Service, SDRN, and in close collaboration with the National Project Director and National Counterparts, the National Consultant in Information Technology: Terrestrial Resource Base will coordinate and supervise project activities implementation.

The consultancy shall be undertaken in X by a national consultant who shall be recruited by the project to provide a systematized thematic review of completed and ongoing work in the field of natural resources, mapping and monitoring with special reference to the agricultural sector. In particular, the consultant will prepare a report for delivery to the Rangeland Information Management International Expert which shall cover the following topics:

- An institutional and capacity review of the Ministries, Departments and key individuals in the public and private sector working in the field of terrestrial natural resources survey and monitoring.
- Review/Assess and compile a list of the ongoing and completed projects in the terrestrial natural resources sector with particular reference to the agro-ecological and production system.
- Compile a list of conventional statistical data which is collected and published in _____ pertaining to terrestrial environmental resources, provide details of methodology for data collection and periodicity and present an assessment of procedures to upgrade the current procedures.
- Compile a review of available terrestrial thematic and topographic maps available in the country - quoting source of information, date and reliability.
- Identify key institutions both in the private and public sector, both planning and currently monitoring capabilities/experience in the use of GIS, remote sensing, photogrammetry, including orthophoto mapping and field survey capabilities, itemizing their facilities where possible.
- Based on the information collected above, prepare a draft report to assess the status of the terrestrial natural resource base in _____ and make recommendations for procedures to monitor, map and statistically report on the resource base or, on a regular basis, identify the key environmental and land quality indicators of significance.
- Attend and actively participate in a national seminar.

Duration: 3 months. To commence 2.5 months prior to arrival of international consultant.

Qualifications:
The consultant should be from a private/public sector body involved in natural resources monitoring. The consultant should have at least ten years' practical experience in this field, have a proven record of report writing and be familiar with the _____ institutional framework. Knowledge of Arabic and English is required. Reporting language is English.

Annex VIII

TERMS OF REFERENCE

National Animal Production Consultant

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief of Animal Production Service/RNEG and in close collaboration with the National Project Director and National Counterparts, the National Animal Production Specialist will coordinate and supervise the implementation of project activities. More specifically the incumbent will:

First period (6 weeks)
- Assist to establish the Pasture Resources Information Monitoring and Evaluation Unit for range resource assessment, monitoring and evaluation Unit.
- Write guidelines on collecting and handling data base information on animal production needed for range management programme (herd/flock structure, sexual maturity and mating, parturating weaning and rearing, replacement and culling, genetic improvement, etc.).
- Prepare a detailed programme including data collection and analysis to be implemented by counterparts.
- Train counterparts on collection of information needed for range management programme.

Second visit (6 weeks)
- Review data collection and compilation by counterparts and assist them in analysis.
- Contribute in data entry and analysis.
- Review/amend the guidelines, if necessary based on first season experience.
- Contribute in identifying areas where technical assistance in implementing the programme activities of the Unit of "Pasture Resources Information Monitoring and Evaluation Unit for range resource assessment, monitoring and evaluation, is needed and recommend their priority rating.
- Assist in holding a National Workshop; and
- Prepare a technical report.

Qualifications:
Seven years' experience. Knowledge of animal production and health are essential. Fluency in English is required.

Duration: 3 months (Two missions)

Annex IX

TERMS OF REFERENCE

National Socio-Economist Consultant

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Regional Operations Branch, Regional Office for North Africa and Near East, the technical guidance of the Chief Policy Assistance Branch, RNEP, and in close collaboration with the National Project Director, consultants and National Counterparts, the National Socio-economist Consultant will:

First period (6 weeks)
- Review all available reports relating to socio-economic aspects, impact monitoring and constraints analysis.
- Prepare guidelines for conducting diagnostic survey in a participatory way, including identification of criteria for selecting target pastoralists and pilot site areas as well as the carrying out of various constraints analysis activities at the local and national levels.
- Prepare a programme of work to carry out, in a participatory way, the analysis of constraints to increased production and identify the areas of expertise and the human resources required.
- Organize the collection of information for the constraints analysis, including the carrying out of base-line diagnostic surveys in the selected pilot sites.
- Select and supervise the work being undertaken in this respect by the national team.
- Train local staff on carrying out of a base-line diagnostic survey using participatory appraisal methods of the pilot sites selected, covering:
- a summary description of agro-ecological and institutional conditions;
- a description of existing production systems, including farm management practices, farm budgets (including calculations of gross and net margins), allocation of land and labour (by gender and age group), processing and marketing, and off-farm sources of income; include also a section on past evolution and evolutionary trends of the production systems; and
- a socio-economic analysis of the farming population of the areas, including distribution of assets, access to land, labour, inputs and produce markets, access to support services, gender roles, relevant institution and cultural factors, and existing processes of accumulation and impoverishment.

Second visit (6 weeks)
- Evaluate and analysis of collected data.
- Train counterparts in data compilation/analysis.
- Review/amend the guidelines, if necessary based on first experience.
- Assist in holding a National Workshop.
- Contribute in identifying areas where technical assistance in implementing the National Programme for Rangeland Rehabilitation and Development is needed and recommend their priority rating.

Qualifications:
Seven years' experience. Knowledge of pastoral socio-economy is essential. Fluency in English and Arabic is essential. Duration: 3 months (two missions)

Annex XI

CONTRACT SUPPORT SERVICES

Purpose
The purpose of this work will be to set the groundwork for the delivery of the Information Management System tools, warehouse, and training and therefore the completion of the first phase of the TCP project. The work will not cover the delivery of the tools - which are free of charge, the warehouse, and on-site training. The eventual delivery of the tools, warehouse, and training, and the associated travel costs, will be dealt with in a separate consulting agreement.

The principal activities for which the funds provided by FAO under this Agreement shall be used are the following:
- Warehouse building and integration with generic information access and publishing tools.
- Updating of FAO generic information access tools to use next generation GIS base technologies - i.e. ARC IMS -3 from ESRI.
- Specifically the following work is foreseen includes:

Annex XII

DATA LAYERS OF THE SPATIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In particular, the information system will be used to compile and standardize information from existing materials and present information related to the agriculture and forestry sectors as they relate to rangeland management:- namely the following fields:

1. Space occupation and its dynamics (forests, cropped lands, rangelands, etc.).

2. Agro-ecological zones and production systems.

3. Forests, wood-formations and range types (type, composition, etc.).

4. Soils and their potentials (types, class, fertility, erosion, etc.).

5. Water resources (hydrologic networks and river flows, lakes and water bodies, groundwater, quality of water, water consumption, etc.).

6. Phyto and zoogenetic resources and biodiversity (cultivated species and varieties, animal races, threatened vegetal and animal species, etc.).

8. Socio-economic data (demographic pressure, human settlements and movements, land use, etc.).

Annex XIII

Annex XIV

FAO BACKSTOPPING MISSIONS- SDRN/AGPC/RNEG

Under the general supervision of the Chief of the Operations Services Branch/RNE and the Country Projects Officer, CPO/RNE, and under the technical direction of the Chiefs of SDRN and AGPC and in collaboration with national authorities the SDRN and AGPC backstopping officers will undertake periodic joint missions in support of the project as foreseen in the work plan. The backstopping officers will provide advisory technical inputs to the following tasks (i) through (v) and general supervisory input to items (vi) through (xi): -

(i) EO data/image processing requirements/procedures and dissemination; LCCS image interpretation training and training in AIMS mapping software.

(ii) Quality control of the image interpretation.

(iii) GIS and Remote Sensing, design of the user needs survey, design of the Information Management System.

(iv) Will provide support in establishing the image processing /GIS facility.

(v) Design of the rangeland monitoring procedures and primary indicators of rangeland degradation.

(vi) Editing and preparation of the project agreement; liaison with other concerned units within FAO.

(vii) Design of the pilot project activities in the field; training course, national seminar organization

(viii) Draft the Terms of Reference- in consultation with national authorities of the Contracts and Letters of Agreement.

(ix) Supervise and interact with international staff on local training courses -5 in total and present components of the training.

(x) Overall technical supervision of project implementation and delivery at the field level.

(xi) Technical editing and clearance of project reports.

Duration: Total six weeks. Three one-week missions of two persons, one from SDRN/HQ, one from AGPC/HQ or RNEG.

ANNEX XV - PROPOSED WORK PLAN