Study Objective: To contribute to the development of more effective and equitable Natural Resource Management interventions by understanding the complex interplay of social, cultural, economic, and institutional factors that influence community behaviors and by identifying effective strategies for scaling up successful NRM practices
Study Specific objectives
Project location (Districts and # of villages/ sub-locations): El-Afweyne, Somaliland
Anticipated Date of Final Report Submission: 20 days after data collection completed
The Somali Resilience Program (SomReP) is a members-led resilience consortium that aims to build the capacity of pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, fisherfolk, peri-urban hosts, and internally displaced persons (IDP) communities. We focus on women, youth, and people with disabilities to mitigate the impact of natural and artificial shocks and stressors, adapt to climate change, diversify, and adopt sustainable livelihood strategies.
Following the Somali famine in 2011, NGOs and donors mobilized best practices and expertise to co-create an area-based, multi-sector design with interventions spanning the humanitarian, recovery, development, and peace nexus. Building on members' long-term commitment to vulnerable communities, the SomReP employs graduation pathways to layer and sequence interventions over five-year periods to create absorptive, adaptive, and set the foundation for transformative capacities. The SomReP works directly with communities, in partnership with government and local civil society and the private sector in disaster risk management, climate resilience, natural resource management, assets development, inclusive market systems and economic empowerment, gender mainstreaming and social inclusion. Practicing adaptive management, the consortium undertakes annual resilience measurements to understand the effectiveness of program interventions.
The consortium also monitors exposure to shock that informs the use of its crisis modifier mechanism to protect resilience gains and livelihoods and save lives. Since its inception, the consortium has worked in 22 districts with members' operational presence, enabling countrywide coverage. SomReP also hosts platforms, including the Somali Response Innovation Lab (SomRIL), Somali Livestock Insurance Consortium (SLIC) and Resilience Nexus Learning Action Network (RNLAN), that champion innovations key to resilience building.
1.2 SomReP's Contributions to Resilience-Building in Somalia/Somaliland
Operating in one of the world's most fragile and climate-affected regions, SomReP has consistently implemented multi-sectoral interventions to address the persistent challenges of food insecurity, poverty, and climatic shocks. The program has strategically focused on empowering communities to withstand and recover from the adverse effects of droughts, floods, and other climate-related disruptions. SomReP's approach is rooted in evidence-based and integrated resilience programming. Initiatives such as climate-smart agriculture have helped smallholder farmers adopt practices that enhance crop productivity while maintaining ecological balance. Through market systems development, SomReP has supported communities in accessing markets, improving incomes, and diversifying livelihoods. Additionally, sustainable livelihoods programming has equipped households with the skills and resources necessary to build adaptive capacities, ensuring that they can thrive even in the face of unpredictable shocks.
1.3 Challenges in Somalia/Somaliland
Somalia's rural households primarily depend on subsistence farming and livestock rearing for their livelihoods. However, these traditional practices are under increasing strain due to a combination of environmental, economic, and systemic challenges that threaten household food security and economic stability. Understanding and addressing these challenges is crucial to improving resilience and fostering sustainable livelihoods in the country.
1.3.1 Recurring Shocks
Somalia's climate is characterized by extreme variability, resulting in frequent droughts, floods, and pest infestations. These shocks disrupt agricultural production cycles, destroy crops and livestock, and erode household assets. The cumulative effect is widespread food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children and women. Recurring shocks leave households trapped in a cycle of vulnerability, with little capacity to recover or adapt to future risks[1].
1.3.2 Limited Land Use Efficiency
Smallholder farmers face significant challenges in utilizing their limited land resources efficiently. They often struggle to balance land allocation between subsistence crops, which provide food for household consumption, and cash crops, which generate income. Inefficient land use results in suboptimal agricultural yields and limited economic returns, exacerbating both food insecurity and poverty[2].
1.3.3 Natural Resource Management gaps
Somalia/Somaliland faces significant challenges in natural resource management (NRM), primarily due to decades of conflict, climate change, and poor governance. Frequent droughts and floods exacerbate land degradation and water scarcity, while overgrazing, deforestation, and poor agricultural practices contribute to land degradation. Soil erosion reduces soil fertility and productivity, leading to decreased agricultural yields. Further, conflict and instability hinder NRM activities and displace communities, while competition over scarce resources, such as water and grazing land leads to more conflict. In addition, NRM often takes a backseat to other pressing issues, such as security and humanitarian aid. Addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach that involves strengthening governance, investing in human capacity, promoting community-based NRM, adopting climate-smart agricultural practices and investing in research to identify, test and promote scalable community owned and people led NRM solutions.
1.4 Knowledge Gaps
Somalia/Somaliland has been the victim of severe impacts of climate change in the form of severe and prolonged droughts. The region's environment has been severely degraded due to decades of civil strife. Degradation is still exacerbated by the lack of a fully recognized Government in Somaliland and weak institutions in Somalia. Both lack adequate law enforcement and global processes of climate and biodiversity degradation.
[1] Somali drought (2021-2023) - Wikipedia
[2] https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2018/03/28/agriculture-remains-key-to-somalias-economic-growth-and-poverty-reduction
The uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources has led to severe environmental degradation across Somalia/Somaliland. Areas that were once tree-covered rangelands are now treeless plains, and wildlife has progressively disappeared. There is rampant soil erosion, scarcity of fresh water, massive land degradation from charcoal production, siltation of water bodies, and damage to marine resources and habitats.
At least 10 tons per hectare of fertile land is lost yearly from various land degradation activities, with average deforestation of 0.97% per year. The natural resources management problems are further aggravated by extreme weather and climate change impacts for an economy over 70% dependent on climate-sensitive agriculture and pastoralism. Somalia's economy is natural-based and is vulnerable to weather and climate change. Somalia has recently experienced severe recurrent droughts that spilt over three years. Somalia is a victim of climate change and has experienced five consecutive rain failures. About 8.6 million are affected, and 3 million livestock are lost (FSNAU 2022).
The Somalia/Somaliland rangeland management system has been declining for decades due to the compounding effects of climate change and poor land use. Since the collapse of the Somalia central government, the sector has yet to function due to the impact of both natural disasters and human-induced hazards. Overgrazing, commercialization of charcoal, and encroachment of private land enclosures worsened the situation, leading to severe and progressive land degradation. Recurring droughts linked to climate change amplify the effects of anthropogenic land degradation.
In general, Somalia/Somaliland and specifically Somaliland are characterized by arid and semi-arid agro-ecological areas where most of the landmass is occupied by pastoralist communities that have adopted a traditional herding system that lacks the essential amenities to sustain a livelihood and combat the increasing effects of drought and other environmental hazards. Other significant issues contributing to land degradation include climatic conditions, drought and arid conditions, and human factors, leading to the mal-use of natural resources. The uncontrolled browsing of trees and shrubs is another aspect of overgrazing and a potential cause of deforestation. It leads to flooding and siltation in adjacent areas because rains are no longer held back by the sponge effect of the trees and carry large loads of eroded soil. Common invasive trees affecting grasslands and rangelands are Prosopis Juliflora and Parthenium grass, which seriously affect community livelihoods and the ecosystem. These invasive plant species cause subsequent land degradation and worsen the livelihood conditions of the Somali pastoralist communities. Leading to the loss of vegetation cover and indigenous grass, which is important for livestock productivity and survival.
SomReP has implemented several natural resource management (NRM) approaches to restore degraded rangelands in Somalia and Somaliland in response to ongoing challenges. Over the years, SomReP has advocated for the adoption and implementation of pastoral or farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). As part of this initiative, it has established natural resource committees, provided training on NRM best practices, created FMNR demonstration sites, and developed grazing management plans across all SomReP operation districts in Somaliland. While the progress and outcomes of these initiatives are measurable and included in the annual resilience assessments, some aspects were not captured) in these exercises. One such aspect is the behavioral dynamics of the communities targeted for NRM activities.
Therefore, SomReP seeks to engage a qualified and dynamic consultant to conduct a behavioral dynamics assessment related to NRM in Ceel-Afwayne. The overall objective of the study is to contribute to the development of more effective and equitable Natural Resource Management interventions by understanding the complex interplay of social, cultural, economic, and institutional factors that influence community behaviors by identifying effective strategies for scaling up successful NRM practices. The consultant will document the attitudinal and behavioral changes adopted by the target communities as a result of long-term sensitization, training, and the establishment of FMNR sites.
1.5 Justification for the Study
Through this study, SomReP aims to strengthen its NRM interventions, maximize their impact, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of ecosystems in Somalia and Somaliland. A comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the adoption and sustainability of NRM practices is crucial for designing effective interventions and policies. This study will contribute to the following:
1.6 Objectives of the assessment
To analyze the psychological, social, and institutional drivers behind individual, community, and institutional behaviors influencing the adoption and implementation of NRM practices. This objective seeks to uncover the underlying factors that shape behaviors at different levels. It involves exploring psychological drivers such as knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and motivations; social dynamics like trust and collaboration within communities; and institutional influences such as policies, incentives, and leadership. By identifying these drivers, the study will reveal how they contribute to the success or failure of NRM adoption and implementation.
To determine the factors influencing the adoption and sustainability of NRM practices both at community and household level. This will assess adoption of FMNR practices, level of Participation in community-based NRM initiatives, Changes in grazing practices and land use patterns and factors influencing these.
To identify behavioral enablers and barriers (e.g., trust, cooperation, cultural norms) alongside structural factors like governance and resource constraints that affect the scalability of NRM initiatives. This objective examines the interplay between behaviors and structural elements in scaling NRM practices. Behavioral enablers such as effective communication, shared goals, and cooperation will be assessed alongside barriers like mistrust, conflicting priorities, or resistance to change. The study will also evaluate how governance frameworks and resource availability interact with these behaviors to either support or hinder scalability.
To assess how local expertise and community capabilities influence behavioral patterns that drive the adoption and sustainability of NRM practices. This objective focuses on the role of local knowledge, innovations, and skills in shaping community behaviors related to NRM. It aims to understand how these capabilities inspire proactive engagement, foster ownership of initiatives, and contribute to long-term sustainability. Additionally, it will explore how traditional practices and indigenous knowledge systems are integrated or excluded in behavioral dynamics.
To develop evidence-based recommendations that integrate behavioral insights to improve the scalability and sustainability of NRM initiatives across diverse socio-ecological settings. The final objective synthesizes findings from the behavioral analysis to provide actionable strategies for enhancing NRM initiatives. These recommendations will address how to design interventions that leverage positive behaviors, mitigate resistance, and create enabling environments.
The consultant should use a participatory approach and a mixed-methods cross sectional design for the study, triangulating information from different sources and methods. The study should also include community profiling and climate vulnerability assessments with a gender-sensitive approach, alongside evaluating grazing practices for various community needs.
Literature Review: The consultant will look for other examples of similar studies and relevant secondary data to see what can be learned from the process.
Quantitative Surveys: Conduct structured surveys to quantitatively assess the demand for the need to NRM activities in the regions and understand the aspects of land degradation and traditional methods they use to control. This will include both household Surveys: a structured questionnaire will be administered to a representative sample of households to collect data on knowledge, attitudes, practices, and socioeconomic indicators, and community Surveys: a community-level survey will be conducted to assess community-level factors, such as social cohesion, conflict resolution mechanisms, and access to resource.
Qualitative data collection: The consultant will use a community-based guided participatory mapping exercise through Focus Group discussions to ensure the following stakeholders are selected: Government Line Ministries, FAO, IOM, INGOs, Local NGOs, livestock trading companies, Agro-pastoralists, Pastoralists, Farmers Groups, and IDP residents.
KII Interviews: Conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including herders and policymakers, to gather qualitative insights on challenges, opportunities, and attitudes towards natural resource and land degradation.
Gender and Social Inclusion Analysis: Incorporate a gender analysis component throughout the study to assess how gender dynamics impact accessibility, power relations, decision-making, and control.
2.2 Sampling approach
A multi-stage sampling approach is recommended to be used to select the quantitative sample. Stage 1: Selection of Villages/Communities: Purposive sampling will be used to select villages or communities based on their level of exposure to NRM interventions and diversity in ecological and socio-economic conditions. Stage 2: Household-Level Sampling: Simple random sampling or systematic random sampling will be used to select households within the selected villages or communities. The final sample size should factor in a design effect to adjust for clustering. The final sample size should be adjusted to account for the design effect, which arises from the clustered nature of the sample. Consultants are encouraged to come up with alternative sampling approaches if deemed necessary. For qualitative data, the sample size should be typically determined by theoretical saturation. However, consultants are expected to suggest a minimum sample size for each qualitative assessment in the study, based on their understanding of the context and objectives of the study.
2.3 Key Considerations
The Study will address critical cross-cutting factors to ensure inclusivity, efficiency, and long-term impact:
3. Management of the Consultancy and Reporting
The consultants undertaking the assignment will report directly to the technical Advisor -ILRI for SomReP, who will oversee the assignment. Regular consultation meetings will be arranged between the SomReP Technical Unit (TU) and the consultant as need arises. Consultants are also required to work closely with SomReP regional Design Monitoring and Evaluation (DM&E) Managers during the design of the methodology/ tools, data collection and analysis.
In reference to the scope of work above, including the predefined tasks, the consultant is expected to accomplish and submit the following:
4. Standards of Ethics and Child Protection
The lead consultant will be responsible for ensuring that data collection and analysis approaches are designed to mitigate child protection risks and protect participants' privacy and wellbeing by establishing and following credible ethical evaluation principles:
5. Required Skills, Experience and Competence
A consultant or firm with a strong technical background in NRM and behavioral studies is recommended. They should have demonstrated ability to implement, monitor and evaluate FMNR projects and experience in facilitating FMNR training within communities.
The consultant or team members for a firm should have:
The Selection of the firm will be made based on cumulative analysis (i.e., mandatory requirement and technical evaluation criteria)
Applicants need to clearly articulate on the following, but not limited to: -
7.3 Financial Evaluation
Interested individuals and firms should submit their proposal in English and by email to [email protected] on or before 28th January 2025. Proposals should be submitted in three distinct/separate attachments, namely. Mandatory Requirements, Technical Proposal and Financial Proposal (Bidders who will combine the three shall be disqualified). Email title should be; Consultancy for conducting behavior study on NRM for the Somali Resilience Program