Full report LR.pdf - DLIST Benguela

NACOMA Project - Preparation phaseRapid Assessment of the Development Plans, Biodiversity Conservation Projects and Socio-Economic Situation of the Namib Coastal RegionsANNEX I: TERMS OF REFERENCETerms of ReferenceRapid assessment of the development plans, biodiversity conservation projects and socioeconomicsituation of the Namib coastal regions (Kunene, Erongo, Hardap and Karas)1. BackgroundThe Namibian Government (GRN) has received preparation funds from the Global EnvironmentalFacility (GEF) to prepare the "Namib Coast Biodiversity Conservation and Management Project"(NACOMA). The project intends to support Integrated Coastal Zone Management and biodiversityconservation implemented through an effective coastal zone planning framework. The project will beimplemented in two phases, an initial 15 month preparatory phase and a four year implementationphase. The project will be implemented through the Regional Councils in Kunene, Hardap. Erongo, andKaras.The project has three components targeting: (i) Policy and Planning for Sustainable Management of theNamib Coast (including capacity building and institutional strengthening of the Regional Councils); (ii)Biodiversity Conservation and Monitoring & Evaluation; and (iii) Project Coordination Support.The Integrated Coastal Zone Management Committee (ICZMC) and its Secretariat will facilitate andcoordinate the preparation phase activities and project formulation. The ICZMC is representing the fourRegional Councils of the coastal regions of Namibia as well as the Ministry of Environment andTourism, the Ministry of Regional Local Government and Housing, the Ministry of Fisheries andMarine Resources, and the Ministry of Mines and Energy. The ICZMC’s Secretariat is currently locatedin the Erongo Regional Council. The main output of the preparatory phase is the project document andproject implementation manual, on which 4 year project implementation will be based.During the preparation phase, a number of assessments and data collection activities are needed to feeddirectly into project document preparation, including a review of policy and legislation pertaining tocoastal zone management, and an institutional capacity analysis of regional councils andrecommendations for targeted institutional strengthening and capacity building. This particularconsultancy will respond to the need to gain an overview of the ongoing and/or proposed developmentinitiatives and plans. Together with an update on ongoing, recent or proposed biodiversity conservationactivities and natural resources management projects for the 4 coastal regions, this consultancy willassist with focusing project activities to be supported under project implementation.At national level big strides have been made recently in terms of availability and understanding ofcoastal zone biodiversity, mainly thorough the National Biodiversity Programme and Task Force, andrelated programmes. There are, however, big differences in the state of information and knowledgeavailable among the regions. The Erongo Region already has a Coastal Zone Profile, specificmanagement plans for a number of species and habitats, and information developed under recentprojects (Walvis Bay Local Agenda 21 Project and Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project(ICZM)), while the other regions are less advanced. The scope of work and the approach must thereforebe flexible and vary among the regions. In Erongo it will focus more on an update of the existing plansand information, while more time is needed in the other regions to collect information.64