Terms of reference of the consultancy for the cross analysis between agricultural practices and deforestation in the Provinces of Sud Kivu and Tshopo in the Democratic Republic of Congo

1.      General information

About the World Resources Institute

Founded in 1982, the World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to turn ideas into action. We work with governments, businesses and civil society to find solutions to pressing environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and aspirations in the future. As part of the redefinition of its Strategy, WRI-Africa intends to focus more on the interests of Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples (LCPI) in its interventions. This exploratory study is part of this effort. It aims to understand the dynamics of changes in forest and agricultural cover, as well as the social practices associated with these changes. In the short term, this study will produce an irresistible offer for improving farming practices in the forest ecosystems of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

About the agriculture-forest intersection

The central role played by agriculture in the lives and future of Africa’s populations cannot be overstated. Providing between 70% and 80% of food production while employing no less than 60% of the working population across the continent, it is far from having exhausted all its potential. Africa has more than half of the world’s unused arable land. Despite its abundance of rich, fertile land, the continent remains the part of the world most affected by food security problems. Agricultural systems remain marked by extremely low productivity, degradation of ecosystems and soils, including the most fragile, and pre- and post-harvest losses far exceeding net harvests.

In the DRC, these dynamics take on a particular connotation. Subsistence farming, which accounts for around 90% of agricultural production, is practiced by the majority of the population. Nearly 70% (almost 50 million) of the population live in rural areas, where they practice slash-and-burn agriculture for subsistence and as their main source of income.

Agricultural practices based on slash-and-burn agriculture, combined with the unsustainable exploitation of fuelwood, are a cause for concern. The DRC is the second country with the greatest annual loss of primary forest area. By way of illustration, Global Forest Watch data show that between 2002 and 2022, the DRC lost 6.33 Mha of primary rainforest. Over the same period, Tshopo lost 722Kha of primary forest and South Kivu lost 239Kha. Most of these primary forest losses are due to small clearings near cyclical agricultural zones, where land is cleared and burned for short-term cultivation, then left fallow to allow forest and soil nutrients to regenerate. The DRC’s growing population is increasing demand for food, reducing fallow periods and leading to the expansion of agriculture into primary forests.

In terms of food security, the DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with one of the highest levels of food insecurity. In 2021, the country recorded the highest number of acutely food-insecure people in the world, with 27 million people (26% of the population) in food crisis and emergency situations.

The provinces of Bas-Uélé, Tshopo, Ituri and Kasaï are those with the largest number of hectares of forest affected by Major Deforestation Events during the analysis period, a good number of studies have been carried out, including in particular the annual monitoring report of Major Deforestation Events for the year 2017 within different land use types confirming, with minor differences, the role of slash-and-burn agriculture as the main driver of deforestation in this part of the country. The REDD+ National Framework Strategy proposes a series of measures to encourage the emergence of sustainable agriculture to solve the dual problem of food security and forest maintenance: perennial crops in degraded areas, improved practices, promotion of agroecology, reorientation of agricultural investments in degraded areas, etc. As crucial as these measures are, they are not sufficient to address the problem of deforestation. However crucial these measures may be, they must be based on a detailed understanding of historical and social contexts. More specifically, while it has been established that the establishment of agriculture is taking place at the expense of forests, little is known about the possibilities for natural or assisted regeneration (by local communities and indigenous peoples) of these forests. Similarly, the link between agricultural practices and the achievement of food security, or even food sovereignty, remains to be confirmed. This is all the more crucial given that the Local Communities and Indigenous Pygmies involved in unsustainable agricultural practices are also the first victims of the resulting deforestation.

Careers

To carry out this study, WRI is looking for a consultant with relevant knowledge and expertise on the DRC context, institutions and, the impact of subsistence agriculture on forest ecosystems, including sustainable agricultural practices and livelihoods, and economic alternatives for forest protection and social and economic development. The consultant’s role will be to provide support for cross-analysis between agricultural practices and deforestation, as well as social practices associated with changes in forest and agricultural cover. Specifically, the consultant will address the following four research questions:

• What are the main agricultural practices promoting changes in forest cover in the target areas?;
• What are the perceived and actual strengths and limitations associated with these practices by local populations and other stakeholders? These assets and limitations need to be considered in relation to food security/sovereignty, maintenance of forest cover, access to land and control over land and forest resources.
• What efforts have been made over the past ten years to reduce the negative correlation between small-scale farming and forest cover in the two provinces, and what have been their strengths and weaknesses?
• How can current practices be improved for the well-being of populations, particularly in terms of food security and economic development, the maintenance of forest ecosystems and the fight against climate change?

This analysis will be carried out in the provinces of South Kivu (Shabunda, Walungu, Kabare and Kalehe) and Tshopo (Bafwasende, Kisangani and Banalia).

The consultant will draw on an initial geospatial analysis carried out by the WRI-DRC team to explore social practices related to agriculture in forest and peri-forest zones, as well as the results of the MEOR carried out for South Kivu Province. He/she will work at the “micro” and “meso” scales, and will mobilize a combination of qualitative methods with a representative sample of population strata in the two provinces: guided group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and direct observations. The territories chosen are based on their proximity to the city of Bukavu and Kisangani as consumption centers, and the import of agricultural and forestry activities into these areas.

2.    Tasks

Under the supervision of the DRC office, the consultant’s main tasks are as follows:

• Task 1 – Preliminary analyses: conduct an initial literature review on the four research questions. This will also involve identifying parallel and complementary initiatives to this research. From this initial work, the consultant will produce a summary note of around 5 pages. In addition to summarizing the initial results of the literature review, the summary note will include, in its appendices, a detailed methodological description of the data collection process in the field.

• Task 2 – Fieldwork: the consultant will collect data on the four questions in seven territories of South Kivu and Tshopo. The consultant will scrupulously implement the methodology validated by mutual agreement after presentation of the summary note – see Task 1. The consultant will produce a descriptive mission report on the data collection process, the people met and the initial observations.

• Task 3 – Data analysis: the consultant will carry out a final analysis of all the data collected in the light of legal, political and institutional developments in the DRC. He/she will produce a final report including recommendations for decision-makers and a guidance note on WRI’s niche in this sector.

3.     Contract duration :

     Start date : February 15, 2024

Contract end date : April 15, 2024

4.    Plan d’action

5.     Deliverables and schedules

6.    Proposal content

Potential applicants must submit :

– Technical and Financial Offer ;

– An updated CV.

– Examples and references of previous similar work.

7.     Expérience and skills

The consultant must possess the following qualifications:

• Experience in natural resource governance, agriculture, economics, development or related fields;
• Good knowledge of Congolese institutions (government, civil society, universities and private sector);
• Proven ability to work with national, provincial, local and international institutions at various levels;
• Good knowledge of the local context (agricultural practices, territorial governance, forestry issues, land use planning and tenure);
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in French and English;
• Strong network in natural resources governance, agriculture, economics, development or related fields.

8.    Contact information

For further information, please contact Joelle Nkosi-Boeli, joelle.nkosiboeli@wri.org