The Madhya Pradesh Landscape Initiative (MPLI) is a sustainable landscape program aimed at scaling regenerative and restorative production practices, benefiting environment, community and local economy in the Chhindwara district.
The program responds to a rising market demand for responsibly produced agricultural commodities and uses market forces to co-invest in sustainable production and supply arrangements for the longer term. In doing so, it enables farmer communities to earn a living income by creating market reward for regenerative agricultural practices. It also strengthens capacity of local supply chain actors through financial and technical assistance.
Netherlands-based IDH, The Sustainable Trade Initiative, does this by working on governance, in the field, but also on the market side, to increase production and uptake of sustainably produced crops and commodities. The work will include convening private sector, governments, funders, local actors and CSOs to achieve shared governance of targets to drive public and private policy innovations; developing clear market incentives; and linking the supply chain to the sourcing areas.
Introduction to the partners
IDH convenes companies, CSOs, governments and others in public-private partnerships and drives the joint design, co-funding and prototyping of economically viable approaches to realise green & inclusive growth at scale. In 12 sectors and 12 landscapes in over 40 countries worldwide, IDH leverages business interest to drive sustainability from niche to norm, creating impact@scale on the Sustainable Development Goals. For sustainable landscape management, IDH has developed a three-pronged approach of Production, Protection & Inclusion.
IDH will convene the public-private platform for the landscape initiative, and lead the compact development process for the Production-Protection-Inclusion agenda of the program. IDH will draw on its experience in the area of developing inclusive market linkages and bring in knowledge and developments on the areas of: Verified Sourcing Areas; Blended and Impact Financing and Compact Development.
Laudes Foundation is an independent foundation to advance the transition to a just and regenerative economy. It is a key financial supporter for the pilot. They bring expertise from market, policy, stakeholder engagement and implementation from long term partnerships in the region.
In its mission to take forward the agenda of environmental protection, WWF India works with varied groups of individuals and institutions across different sections of society. These alliances strive to address the common goal of conserving biodiversity, sustainably using natural resources and maintaining ecosystems and ecosystem services for the survival of wildlife and people depending on them.
WWF India has implemented organic cotton program with 6,000 cotton farmers in Chhindwara, in partnership with SRIJAN. For this project, WWF India will leverage the relationship with other local partners, brands and buyers and bring in internal expertise.
Program objectives
To meet the objective of making agricultural production sustainable across the entire designated landscape, IDH will build coalitions of key landscape stakeholders, including governments, businesses, farmers, communities, and civil society organizations while applying the Production Protection Inclusion (PPI) approach, such that commercial and food crops can be grown profitably and sustainably (Production); natural resources are sustainably used and protected (Protection); and the livelihoods and rights of farmers and communities (particularly women) are enhanced (Inclusion).
Background
Over the last five years Laudes Foundation has funded several projects in the cotton belt in Madhya Pradesh and built key relationships with local agri-universities and government. In parallel, there are independent efforts by the state government to establish a centre of excellence and position Madhya Pradesh as a hub for sustainable and/or organic cotton.
Individual buyers as well as consortia of buyers via the Organic Cotton Accelerator and Organic & Fairtrade Secretariat can only partially meet their sourcing targets and sustainability goals on improving smallholder incomes. Smallholder farming and incomes are constrained by systemic challenges in the supply chain and financing mechanisms available to address these supply chain issues as well as regional environmental challenges.
An increasing number of public and private sector actors from the cotton and other agricommodity sectors are primed in their intention to contribute to a wider agenda. However, at the moment, there is a need for a neutral convener to bring them together in a cohesive development agenda and accelerating the sustainable development of the smallholder farming in a wider landscape approach – so that the momentum is not lost and the social and the environmental challenges in the area are addressed holistically.
The ambition of the MPLI is to continue to work together to drive and support shared goals and in doing so:
- Create increased synergy and impact by working together;
- Send a uniform signal to the market;
- Support greater market uptake and demand for responsibly produced agri-commodities
- Increase support for farmers committed to these practices
- Leverage diversified sources of funding and financing for greater scale and sustainable business models
Details of the assignment
The core objective of the Consultant/Consultancy will be to provide strategic and operational support in the development phase of the program, and engage with the interim Steering Committee of MPLI (with IDH as the primary point of contact). From October to December 2020, the Consultant will engage in the following:
- Engagement. Develop and maintain an engagement/information exchange strategy with key stakeholders, including state and district government, sector associations, civil society, and other initiatives. Through the creation and maintenance of a strong partner network of organisations and initiatives, the Consultant/Consultancy will ensure that the MPLI Steering Committee stays updated and engaged with the latest developments.
- Support the validation of the proposed Theory of Change: Synthesise the feedback from diverse stakeholder (groups) to add, modify or confirm the proposed ToC for the initiative.
Regarding operational support, the Project Consultant will:
- Identify opportunities to encourage and support the development of new markets, supply chain linkages and financing opportunities at the local level for MPLI initiatives
- Engage new stakeholders through bilateral consultations based on the mapping process as well as look at the strategic interests of existing and engaged stakeholders in MP – in particular stakeholders from the government and private sector (cotton and other commodities)
- Design and execute multi- stakeholder meetings and thematic workshops to engage stakeholders in the design of the MPLI
- On request and only if sanctioned by the MPLI Steering Co, represent MPLI at key for a and events as applicable
Without prior agreement the Consultant/ Consultancy is NOT mandated to:
- Take decisions on behalf of the MPLI Advisory Board.
- Represent MPLI in any policy dialogue, lobby or advocacy.
- Represent common views of the MPLI Advisory Board or PPP.
Project consultant key deliverables
Task 1: Developing the public private partnership – consultation meetings with key stakeholders
- Responsible for developing relations, convening and facilitating discussions with state and local authorities with high level participating and non-participating actors, program partners
- Responsible for establishing and strengthening the stakeholders’ coalition in MPLI
Task 2: Communication and outreach
- Represent the project’s vision in public arena, inspiring confidence and trust from local and national government authorities
- Organise and facilitate virtual at least 5 multi-stakeholder meetings with key prospective partners.
- Organise and facilitate virtual thematic workshops (eg value chain financing, smallholder incomes, climate resilience through ecosystem approach, water governance and stewardship, etc)
- Agendas, pre-reads, meeting minutes including action points for the above meetings are produced and delivered efficiently in good time.
Task 3: Management
- Regular cadence calls with IDH and the Advisory Board (weekly & monthly respectively) to review:
- progress against deliverables;
- present strategic insights and feedback on identified stakeholder engagements
- Collaborate and engage with the MPLI secretariat in all planning and delivery sign-offs, approvals etc
Key requirements
- Extensive experience and networks within sustainable development, policy development at a strategic level, within a local authority, government department or agency and/or multifunctional organisation.
- Experience in developing joint agendas with different stakeholders (e.g. Government, Private Companies, NGOs, knowledge institutes etc.) and in implementing multi-stakeholder programs.
- Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to develop creative solutions to complex environments, political and socio-economic issues and the wider sustainability agenda.
- Strong knowledge of Madhya Pradesh, with understanding of potential sustainable land and water use issues as well as social indicators
- High proficiency with regards to project management and operations
Selection procedure
IDH is seeking proposals from consultancy farms and organisations with deep and wide experience to deliver the expected outcomes.
Contact information: Isha Chauhan, Assistant Program Manager – IDH
chauhan@idhtrade.org
