The Asian Development Bank is looking for a consultant to support the Project Preparation Grant phase of its project under the Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management (FARM) programme of the Global Environment Facility.

Objective and Purpose of the Assignment

A team of experts will be required to prepare the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Request for CEO Endorsement (CER) document (aligned with the GEF Word and Portal templates); along with a suite of supporting documentation. The documentation requirements along with GEF guidance is presented in the attached checklist.

The work will combine desktop research and analysis with multi-stakeholder consultation, field level data gathering and conduct of a suite of technical, social, economic and environmental assessments. The experts will  will be funded by the GEF through a project preparation grant. Those GEF experts will closely coordinate with the transaction technical assistance (TRTA) consultant team for ADB loan project “Climate-Smart Agriculture Value Chain Infrastructure Project”, whose first phase is for approval in 2023 and second phase is for approval in 2024, under the guidance of ADB Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC) and  Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Division of the Southeast Asia department (SEER) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The ADB loan project will cover projects to be executed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and five provinces (Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Tay Ninh, Thai Nguyen). The GEF grant project will supplement the ADB loan project for the common goal of promoting climate-smart and environmentally sustainable agri-food value chain development in selected provinces.

Hence, the GEF expert team and the TRTA consultant team will work in close coordination and complement each other such as in areas of i) climate and other risks, ii) sustainable agro-food value chain development, iii) gender and social safeguards, iv) environmental safeguards, and iv) economics and financial analysis. Private sector organizations like CropLife International may be a partner for the GEF grant project.

Scope of Work

The Farm Level Agrochemicals Management Expert / Team Leader will have overall responsibility for consolidated the GEF CER narrative and supporting documentation in final draft stage. The specialist will work with a national specialist GEF team as well as specialists dedicated to preparation of the baseline loan project. The specialist will guide the team and ensure that inputs are at a quality standard required by the GEF.

Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output

The expert's tasks will have more emphasis on Outcome 2 on “Agrochemical reduction and management improved through enabling and catalysing finance and investments”. This will include stakeholder consultations, research and analysis related to the supply and use of pesticides and other agrochemicals and their plastic packaging, and other plastic materials (e.g., mulching films, horticultural films, seedling trays, pesticide containers, and drip irrigation tubes) used in horticulture farming systems in the project areas and major plastic use in downstream horticulture value chains.

Work will contribute to design of activities to: i) promote good agricultural practices, ii) apply circular economy and alternatives to use of agrochemicals and plastic, iii) promote an agrochemical packaging plastic management program, iv) major plastic use in downstream horticulture value chains, and vi) relevant knowledge management.

The expert will also contribute to: i) gender and social inclusion action plan, ii) environmental safeguards assessment, iii) risk assessment including climate, iv) stakeholder engagement strategy, v) knowledge management strategy; vi) project budget; and alignment / coordination for the Global Child Project led by UNEP.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

The expert should have a graduate degree in chemical engineering, materials management or related field, at least 10 years of experience working in South or Southeast Asia on agro-chemical management projects. Knowledge of recycling, polymer types and managing plastics that have been used to contain hazardous materials will be important. The position will require strong English speaking and writing skills. Prior GEF experience strongly preferred.

Minimum general experience: 15 years.

Minimum specific experience (relevant to assignment): 10 years.

Regional/Country Experience required.