News from Namibia

A common criticism of research projects is that they exist in a vacuum, and lack consideration for how to put the research findings into practice. To avoid this, and to ensure that the project yields tangible, practical and actionable value, ASSAR is endeavouring to develop comprehensive 'research-into-use' strategies across its regions. These strategies are something that the Southern African Team kept high on their agenda during their recent field trip.

Within ASSAR, the Southern African team focuses on the semi-arid areas of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Their mandate is to work with local experts and stakeholders to identify factors that will help people adapt to climate change in ways that support their livelihoods and ensure their wellbeing.

To get this work off the ground, in November 2014, Dian Spear, Salma Hegga and Margaret Angula drove some 2375 km through the semi-arid landscapes of north-central Namibia. Their goals for this trip included understanding the needs and interests of critical stakeholders from governmental and non-governmental fields, and figuring out how to work together - throughout the project life - to ensure that these needs are met.

Through these meetings the ASSAR team was able to develop their existing collaborations, forge links with new stakeholders, and identify stakeholders to reach out to in future. In the process they developed a better understanding of the context and status of climate change adaptation in Namibia. They also learned more about the perceptions, roles, concerns and needs of different stakeholders at different scales, from constituent levels, to regional and national levels.

From a strategic point of view, the team also became aware of the importance of following appropriate protocols when conducting work at multiple scales and with multiple and interconnected stakeholders. Lastly, and very importantly, the connections that the Southern African team developed with the Namibian stakeholders helped to identify potential pathways for putting their research into use, and making sure it has practical value.

With three years of research ahead of them this trip marks only the very beginning of the Southern African work process, yet it was critical for obtaining early support for the project by the people who matter most. As the team continues on its journey we will continue to document their activities, successes and challenges. Watch this space!

Written by Tali Hoffman
See more at: http://www.assar.uct.ac.za/news/news-namibia#sthash.sXaKx1RF.dpuf

A Sense of Scale

Have you ever wondered if small-scale renewable projects are worth their time and effort compared to large-scale projects?

This question came into stark focus on a visit to a community in Olosho-Oibor, Kenya in May this year, a visit that was a precursor to a meeting of the Solar Nano Grids (SONG) project.

Olosho-Oibor Community Energy Supply

Coming over the hills and down into the plains we arrive at the community of Olosho-Oibor, consisting of about 8,000 people spread over an area of 20 km2 and being of the Maasai people, they are mainly pastoralists. The community has a centrally located hub of a school, dispensary, church and some small commercial enterprises, which is located about 25 km from the nearest grid connection.

In 2009 UNIDO and AUSAID funded an off-grid electrical generation system consisting of a 7kWp solar PV array, a 3kWp wind turbine, a 9kVA vegetable oil/diesel generator (almost never used) and a battery bank. The community contributed to the project by digging trenches and laying underground cables to the dispensary, school and church.

The school receives a small amount of energy nevertheless it has enabled the it to have more light for work in the evenings - raising the standard of educational attainment to such an extent that it is one of the best schools in the area.

Similarly, the dispensary is able to deal with emergencies at night, and the electrical vaccine refrigerator enables safe storage of the vital medications. Down the road, a rescue centre for girls has been started which has also been electrified and is in the process of expanding to give a home to over 60 girls from the neighbouring area.

Further, three new businesses have started increasing the local quality of life. For example the presence of a mobile phone charging shop has enabled the increased use of mobile phones and hence access to banking facilities using M-PESA.

Interestingly, one of the unexpected uses was that the community bought a projector and screen and now there are regular community screenings of UK premiership football games!

This off-grid community now belongs to the global village.

Ngong Hills Wind Farm

In contrast, driving northwards from Nairobi, crossing the Ngong Hills, there is a lot of activity erecting another large wind turbine of the Ngong power station wind farm. This wind farm is rapidly increasing its capacity from 5.1 MW to 25.5 MW and is estimated that it will provide 75 GWh of electricity per annum. Most of this energy is destined for the rapidly growing city of Nairobi and this wind farm will supplement the largely hydro-based electrical generation capacity, providing some resilience to drier years for the Kenya Electricity Generating Company and mitigating the need for more large-scale diesel generation.

Big or Small?

So which is better? Both projects are providing low carbon energy. The wind farm produces substantial amounts of energy that would otherwise have been produced by large diesel generators. This is all good. The community scale project produces far less energy, but has a disproportionately increased benefit to the people who would not otherwise have access to electricity. This is also good.

Maybe the question posed is not the right question. Its not about having either big or small scale projects - its that both have their own important role to play: the large-scale renewable energy projects are good to help wean industrialised communities off fossil fuels and small-scale renewable energy projects democratise energy by uplifting rural communities which would otherwise be left behind.

Malcolm McCulloch
Head Energy and Power Group
Dept Engineering Science
University of Oxford

Supporting China’s adaptation - ACCC Phase 2

China faces significant challenges and opportunities in the wake of climate change. The country is many worlds within one, ranging from the subtropics in the south to the snow-covered north, the arid west and the lush coastal east. China’s vast population knows well the brunt of the elements. But all this is changing faster and less predictably than before. The time to act is clear.

Significant progress has been made recently to mainstream climate change adaptation in China. The Adapting to Climate Change in China (ACCC) project has been working on this, supporting decision makers with the information on who and what is at greatest risk from climate change, why they are vulnerable and what they can do. ACCC provides robust, locally relevant and up to date scientific, social and economic information to lay a solid foundation for adaptation responses.

The first phase of ACCC supported the development of the National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), which was announced by Vice Chairman Xie Zhenhua (National Development Reform Commission) at COP19, Warsaw. The NAS sets out key themes and priority work areas and mandates for the drafting of Provincial Adaptation Plans (PAPs) and the selection of pilot provinces. This represents the most critical phase of mainstreaming climate change adaptation process in China.

The second phase, managed by INTASAVE Asia-Pacific, will now support the development of the Provincial Adaptation Plans, including through support tools, capacity building and trialling local adaptation options.

The Adapting to Climate Change in China (ACCC) project brings together Chinese policy makers, research and policy institutions, as well as international organizations and experts, to develop practical approaches to climate change adaptation policy planning. The ACCC phase I (2009-2013) was designed as a “research-into-use” project, and focused on developing evidence-based climate change adaptation policy in China, at both the national and provincial levels. It made notable contributions to the formulation of the NAS through building on cross-sectorial partnerships, capacity building work and scientific and policy advances. However, significant support is still required in order to achieve more in-depth and ambitious mainstreaming process on adaptive planning.

ACCC phase II (2014-2017) builds on the work of phase I and aims:

• To mainstream climate change adaptation into development policies at national and provincial levels 
• To support the formulation and implementation of integrated Provincial Adaptation Plans (PAPs) across priority sectors and share these experiences and lessons with other developing countries.

The ACCC phase II is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation. The main institutional Chinese partner is the National Development and Reform Commission.  The project is undertaken in partnership with nearly 20 international, national and provincial bodies. The policy-research work spans climate impacts, vulnerability and risk across six provinces and municipalities (Ningxia, Inner-Mongolia, Jilin, Jiangxi, Guizhou and Qingdao) covering the following sectors:

• Water
• Agriculture 
• Grassland/Animal Husbandry 
• Disaster risk reduction 
• Integrated risk assessment for planning
• Coastal zone management

Towards Community-based Tourism in Jamaican Fish Sanctuary Areas

Under the C-FISH Initiative's Alternative Livelihood component, CARIBSAVE is looking to introduce, enhance and support community-based tourism in sanctuary areas. In order to achieve this, the Travel Foundation, a partner in the C-FISH Fund, undertook exploratory research regarding the market/demand and feasibility of creating bespoke, mainstream excursions that support responsible tourism initiatives at 3 fish sanctuaries in Jamaica. The information gathered from this study will help guide the direction and activities which CARIBSAVE will support in order to develop the community-based tourism. This component is very important for sanctuaries to provide sustainable financing mechanisms for sanctuary management (through C-FISH Fund), income generating activities through crafts and tours, and promote awareness of Jamaica, the sanctuaries and the need for conservation of fisheries.

Trysion Walters from BREDS: Treasure Beach Foundation takes visitors on a tour of the Galleon, St. Elizabeth Fish Sanctuary, Jamaica. These tours are one way that tourism supports the community; fishers with appropriate training can become tour guides, thereby providing them with additional income, and reducing fishing pressure in the area. Photo by Simone Lee.

Visitors support sanctuaries not only through tours, but through purchasing of locally made crafts. Look out for C-FISH branded products in the near future! Photo by Simone Lee

Tourists can also support the local economy through purchasing fruits or agro-processed products such as jams and jellies from community members. In Bluefield's Bay, the Westmoreland Organic Farmers Group offers a number of delicious products to sample! Photo by Brenda Barry

Welcome to Bluefields Bay! This is one of C-FISH grantee fish sanctuaries, and one that we are looking to support through community-based tourism. Bluefields is rich in culture and natural aesthetics. Would you be interested in a tour taking you to Accomopong Maroon Village, a cultural tour of Savanna-la-mar, and a visit to Bluefields Bay – an old pirate bay now turned fish sanctuary? Photo by Brenda Barry.

Feel like visiting a part of the Caribbean sea you probably won't have in front of your hotel? Welcome to Galleon, St. Elizabeth fish sanctuary – one of the C-FISH grantee sites. Take a boat tour with local and knowledgeable fishermen who can show you the juvenile fish, starfish and rays in the sea grass; the wetland birds both resident and migratory living in the mangrove forests. Look out for turtles that nest on the nearby beach and dolphins that frequent the area. Would you be interested in a tour that went to here, the nearby Y.S. Falls, and an opportunity to have a Red Strip on the famous Pelican Bar on wooden stilts in the ocean? Photo by Simone Lee

Oracabessa Bay – one of the C-FISH grantee sites has a lot of potential for community-based tourism. Located on the north coast near other popular tourism sites, visitors can get the opportunity to experience the coral gardening, turtle watching and other conservation activities at this sanctuary. Would you be interested in a tour to Firefly – the historical home of playwright Noel Coward, with an impressive list of celebrity guests – to Oracabessa and James Bond Beach, Oracabessa Bay fish sanctuary and an arts and craft tour? Photo by Simone Lee.


Visit the C-FISH website for more information on the Alternative Livelihood's programme and the broader C-FISH initiative being implemented in five (5) countries across the Caribbean Region!

UN Climate Talks in Lima: INTASAVE’s upcoming events

This year’s UN Climate Talks are set to begin in Lima, Peru next week, where governments will meet to negotiate on key issues for climate change. COP20 will also see many others from the climate community converge on the Peruvian capital and is a key opportunity for sharing experiences, best practices and lesson learned from a whole range of academic and practitioner organisations.

The INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE Group will be running a series of events in at COP20.

DATE: 5th December, 15:00-16:30
ROOM: Caral (130)
Official Side Event:

How can we maximise synergies for mitigation, adaptation & sustainable development policy & practice? 

Opportunities to create co-benefits across mitigation, adaptation and development are notable but AR5 stressed the need to further understanding. To begin this, INTASAVE will present on their global support for win-win policy, the Gabon will showcase their integrated Sustainable Development Policy and NCCSD will share sectoral experience from climate smart agriculture.</p>

Panellists:

• Dr Rebecca Nadin, Asia-Pacific Director, The INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE Group
• Dr Tanguy Gahouma, Permanent Secretary, National Climate Council, Gabon
• Dr Kirit Shelat, Executive Chairman, National Council for Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Public Leadership (NCCSD)

Boys, Girls and Climate Change in China

Rapid shifts in the socioeconomic, cultural and environmental conditions in Jinping and Guangnan counties, Yunnan Province, China, are creating different sets of hazard risks for women and children in both communities.

Today’s children are more vulnerable to harm during and after hazard events - impassable dirt roads after heavy rains make it difficult for them to get to school, a lack of water and food during drought leads to health issues and malnutrition, stress and mental health issues without adequate support often happen post-disaster. Many are held back by a lack of knowledge about disaster recovery or the inability to take part in disaster risk reduction decision-making either at school or at home. Many children are also ‘left behind’, raised by their grandparents as their parents migrate for work elsewhere. A few have no one at home to care for them and are more likely to suffer during drought, temperature fluctuations and heavy rain events, especially if they do not attend school. The economic pressure to migrate for work is high. Among the Hani and Miao ethnic groups in Jinping, many children drop out of school early to find jobs in neighboring provinces, often marrying before migrating. But among the Zhuang in Guangnan, the push for economic migration is actually encouraging girls to stay in school longer, with some expressing the wish for university or vocational training to get higher paying jobs in the future.

While today’s weather events are severe and increasing in frequency, the changes that tomorrow’s children (yet to be born) are likely to experience might be much worse. If today’s women and children struggle to deal with existing hazards or their direct impacts such as lost income or health, they are unlikely to have the skills to be resilient to future climate change.

Against this backdrop, INTASAVE conducted a participatory study for Plan China on the gendered impact of climate change on boys and girls in Guang’nan and Jinping counties in Yun’nan, China in order to analyse the gendered impact of climate change in China. The study provided recommendations to inform Plan International’s work on climate change in the country, specifically with regards to its child centered and gender sensitive disaster risk reduction projects in communities and schools and its efforts in empowering women and girls.

This study was a preliminary, rapid assessment of factors contributing to the gendered impacts of existing weather hazards on middle-school girls and boys, and adult women in two communities in Yunnan Province. We also extrapolated gendered climate risks over the next 10 years from trends in socioeconomic and cultural change and potential shifts in regional climate.

By working with both communities to address access to education for children and women, finding ways to keep children in school longer, fostering forums to give children a voice, and addressing the silent health and food security issues, PLAN can help women and children build skills to cope with today’s challenges and be agents of change. By addressing today’s vulnerability and climate risk contexts, women and children will be more resilient to future challenges, including climate change.

To facilitate this, the study aimed to assess the different needs of girls and boys and understand the gendered dimensions of their respective roles in climate change adaption efforts. It captured both positive and negative mechanisms that households are undertaking to cope with and adapt to the changing climate and the implication of these on girls and boys ‘rights to health, education, protection, economic development as well as children’s right to participation. The study assessed the level and quality of information about climate change adaption amongst girls and boys and to document their access to information on disaster risk management and climate change adaption.

The study also analysed the role of key stakeholders in building the capacity of the current generation of children to adapt to a changing climate and identify good practices of working with girls and boys on implementing child centred and gender sensitive climate change adaption that can be replicated.

The participatory assessment approach contributed to building boys and girls’ capacities to understand the impact of climate change and disaster on their lives and communities and increasing their resilience.

GCFI: 67th Conference at Accra Beach Resort, Barbados

The 67^th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Conference is being held in Barbados from November 3rd - 7th at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa, under the auspice of the The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus - with the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) being the local organiser.

The theme for this year is "Small islands, big issues: applying fisheries and marine science to solve problems and create opportunities". The conference is one of the largest and best-known multi-disciplinary marine science conferences in the wider Caribbean region, and will consist of a series of technical sessions throughout the week, focused on a number of thematic and programmatic areas: fisheries livelihoods, Small Island Developing States, data limited stock assessment, reefs and associated ecosystems, climate change vulnerability and adaptation, and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) science and management amongst others.

INTASAVE Caribbean (CARIBSAVE) will be participating in the poster session being held on Tuesday, November 4th between 6.00pm and 9.00pm, with the following presentations:

1. Strengthening Climate Change Resilience in Caribbean Coastal Communities: Insights from Regional Capacity-Building Initiatives


2. Understanding the Social Dimensions of Marine Protected Areas in Jamaica: Fishers' Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Fish Sanctuaries


3. Community-based Approaches to MPA Research and Monitoring

CARIBSAVE will also be participating in one of the conference's side events - a workshop titled "MPAs as a tool for responsible fisheries and sustainable livelihoods in the Caribbean", organised by FAO, WECAFC, GCFI and UWI-CERMES, in collaboration with CARIBSAVE, C-FISH, TNC and NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

The aim of the workshop is to contribute to successful fisheries-oriented MPA management in the countries of the Caribbean region by facilitating an exchange of experiences and views among MPA managers and practitioners, fishers and fishing communities, governments representatives – including fisheries, parks and environment departments and agencies – academia and NGOs. Accordingly, the workshop will attempt to identify issues, best practices and critical processes for planning and implementing MPAs in the context of fisheries, in particular with regard to small-scale fisheries.

Further information on the conference can be found via the conference website: http://www.gcfi.org/Conferences/67th/Barbados_en.html.

(Photo: Simone Lee/CARIBSAVE)

C-FISH: Mesh Donated to Fishers in Bluefields, Jamaica

As part of their grant from The C-FISH Initiative, the Bluefields Bay Fishermen's Friendly Society (BBFFS) in Jamaica handed over 50 rolls of legal-sized mesh (valued at USD$5,000) to fishers. The hand over took place at Belmont Fishing Beach with the support of Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Hon. Luther Buchanan.

Read further information on the C-FISH website here.

C-ARK Grant Programme: Call for Applications [DEADLINE EXTENDED]

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{Dear visitors, please note that the deadline for submission of applications has been extended. Further details on the new deadlines for applications are provided below}

CARIBSAVE, with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank Multilateral Investment Fund (IDB-MIF) is providing up to forty (40) grants to (a) Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and (b) Community Based Organisations (CBOs) under the Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience and Knowledge (C-ARK) project.

The C-ARK project aims to increase climate change resilience in MSMEs and coastal communities across four countries through awareness raising; building their capacity to adapt; and providing financial support for adaptation interventions.

CARIBSAVE will be awarding up to 32 Micro Grants for MSMEs of a maximum of US$3,000 each in value, and up to 8 Small Grants for CBOs of a maximum of US$34,000 each in value across the eight target communities in the four countries – which include: Oistins and Holetown-Weston (Barbados); Abaco and Andros Islands (The Bahamas); Hopkins Village and Placencia (Belize); and Bluefields and Port Antonio (Jamaica).

Through these grants, CARIBSAVE and the IDB-MIF are providing financial support to CBOs and MSMEs to implement adaptation strategies, with particular emphasis on the following themes for each grant:

Small Grants for CBOs	Micro Grants for MSMEs
Promoting Community Cohesion and Building Key Partnerships Disaster Risk Reduction Ecosystem-based Adaptation Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies Institutional Strengthening Sustainable Business Development	Alternative Livelihoods Disaster Risk Reduction Ecosystem-based Adaptation Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies Sustainable Business Development

Project ideas should be identified from previous C-ARK project activities, including the development of the Adaptation Plan for your community; or adaptation and sustainable livelihoods training. Selected organisations and MSME operators who apply and meet specific criteria will receive funding to put their proposed strategies into practice.  Selected operators and organisations who apply and meet specific criteria will receive funding to put their proposed strategies into practice.

MSMEs and CBOs working in tourism, agriculture, fisheries or craft which are based in any of the eight (8) beneficiary communities are invited to apply.

The new, extended deadline for applications for Micro Grants is Monday, October 27, 2014; and the new, extended deadline for applications for Small Grants is Friday, October 31, 2014. The submission times and formats of applications remain unchanged.

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A digital version of the Call for Applications for the C-ARK Grant Programme can be downloaded here - available in both Microsoft Office Word and Adobe PDF formats:

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Specific details on (1) the Small Grant for CBOs and (2) the Micro Grant for MSMEs; including eligibility criteria, application forms and instructions are provided in the two respective tabs below. (The tab that is shaded grey is open, the tab that is shaded blue is closed, and can be clicked to open).

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SMALL GRANT FOR CBOs

WHY CBOs?

Community-based organisations play pivotal, multi-faceted roles in advancing the community development and sustainability agenda – including building resilience to climate change. They work with and on behalf of various socio-economic and cultural groups (many of which are MSMEs) to achieve their objectives – often-times these groups represents persons who are vulnerable in some way. As such, providing support to a community group or organisation will benefit several individuals, sub-groups and the community at large.  The work and success of CBOs through this grant opportunity will also help many other communities, through experiences and lessons shared in resilience and sustainability.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Entities interested in applying for the Small Grant for CBOs should meet the following criteria:

• Should be currently in operation and registered as a not-for-profit organisation.


• Should be based and working actively in any of the eight (8) beneficiary communities: which include: Oistins and Holetown-Weston (Barbados); Abaco and Andros Islands (The Bahamas); Hopkins Village and Placencia (Belize); and Bluefields and Port Antonio (Jamaica).

Associations of fishers, craft-persons, farmers or tourism-related operators who meet the above criteria are also eligible to apply.

PROJECT THEMES

Project or investment ideas which potential applicants for the Small Grant may want to put forward should fall under at least one (1) of the following themes:

1. Promoting Community Cohesion and Building Key Partnerships: Activities will promote strong positive relationships between different groups in the community. Activities will support these groups in obtaining access to similar opportunities, participating in the creation of a shared vision for the community, and forming partnerships amongst themselves to reach a shared a goal.


2. Disaster Risk Reduction: Activities will reduce exposure to hazards and vulnerability of people, livelihoods and property, and improve preparedness and early warning.


3. Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Activities will help conserve, restore or sustainably manage natural resources in order to reduce the vulnerability of people, livelihoods and property to adverse climate change impacts.


4. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies:  Activities will facilitate the uptake of energy efficient technologies and practices, including renewable energy technologies, and reduce the reliance of CBOs and/or their target groups on traditional carbon-intensive fuels.


5. Institutional Strengthening: Activities will support organisations to increase capacity in areas related to Thematic Areas 2, 3 and 4 in order to encourage strengthening of their operations.


6. Sustainable Business Development: For associations of fishers, craft-persons, farmers or tourism-related operators, activities will support business development through the acquisition of skills, knowledge and competencies associated with sustainable business practices, including those that are specifically associated with practices that have low environmental impacts.

PROJECT EXAMPLES

Below is a list of interventions which would be eligible for funding under the C-ARK Small Grant Award. It is important to note that this list is certainly not exhaustive; there are many other excellent ideas for projects that would be eligible for funding. We encourage you to use your creativity in thinking of an intervention that will help your community.  As far as possible, your project should support the recommended actions in the Community Adaptation Plan for your community, prepared as part of this project.

Promoting Community Cohesion and Building Key Partnerships

• Formation of community adaptation networks such as “Climate Smart Committees” or “Green Business Committees” that have both an online presence as well as engaging persons through face-to-face meetings.


• Development of public training programmes


• Support for joint applications from two distinct CBOs

Disaster Risk Reduction

• Reinforcing and/or retrofitting infrastructure (buildings, stalls, agriculture/fisheries equipment) – e.g. roof stabilisation, shutters, flood protection and waterproofing upgrades


• Providing emergency response training to target groups in instances where this is not already offered for free

Ecosystem-based Adaptation

• Environmental restoration or protection activities related to the goal, purpose or mission of your organisation or those identified in the Community Adaptation Plan

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies

• Investing in renewable energy technologies/systems (solar, wind, alternative fuel (e.g. biogas) systems) for your own operations or a community centre


• Rainwater harvesting and water conservation measures for a community centre


• Energy saving/conservation equipment or upgrades (for lighting, heating or cooling purposes) for your own premises or a community centre

Institutional Strengthening

• Participation in or development of capacity building programmes for organisations related to Thematic Areas 2, 3 and 4; or those identified in the Community Adaptation Plan

Sustainable Business Development

• If you are an association of fishers, craft-persons, farmers or tourism-related operators:
  
  
  
  • Business management and development training/certification for business owners, management and/or staff
  
  
  • Green / eco-certification for business owners, management and/or staff
  
  
  • Investing in environmentally friendly processes and materials for business operations
  
  
  • Resource recovery initiatives (wastewater reuse, or product recycling within the supply chain)
  
  
  
  

TIMELINE FOR PROJECT COMPLETION

Projects to be funded by a Small Grant for CBOs should be completed within 4 – 6 months.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Application documents for the Small Grant for CBOs, which include the Application Form and Application Guidelines that accompany the Application Form, are available in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats. The documents can be downloaded by clicking on the DOWNLOAD buttons below for each document.

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SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

The new, extended deadline for submission of applications for Small Grants for CBOs is FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014 AT 4.30 PM (Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Time). ALL applications must be typed and submitted electronically to cccce-ark@caribsave.org. No handwritten or hard copy versions of Small Grant applications will be accepted.

Applicants are only allowed to submit ONE (1) application per CBO.

CBOs can partner with other CBOs to apply for the Small Grant for CBOs.

Applicants are advised to read through the entire Application Form before starting to fill in the form. It’s always worth the effort to think things through, and the questions in the Form are meant to help applicants do this.

Applicants should also refer to the Guidelines Documents as the main reference for any queries you may have while completing the Application Forms.

Electronic applications must be sent to cccce-ark@caribsave.org with the following subject line: “SMALL GRANT APPLICATION – ORGANISATION NAME”.

If however, you still have any queries regarding the Application Form or process, or you need to obtain digital copies of any of the forms, you may email cccce-ark@caribsave.org or call +1 246 426 2042 (CARIBSAVE Regional Headquarters in Barbados) or +1 876 632 3075 (CARIBSAVE Jamaica office).

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MICRO GRANT FOR MSMEs

WHY MSMEs?

Small businesses or micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a vital role in coastal communities of Caribbean countries. MSMEs contribute an estimated 90% of employment and 70% of the overall productivity of Caribbean countries each year, but are also some of the most vulnerable to climate change – owing to small size and relative lack of, or limited access to assets and resources when compared to larger business entities or corporations. The work and success of MSMEs funded by this grant will also help MSMEs in other communities through experiences and lessons shared in resilience and sustainability.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Persons interested in applying for the Micro Grant for MSMEs to support an investment idea should meet the following criteria:

• Should be owners of MSMEs (small businesses) currently in operation, and this must be your primary source of income


• Should be currently working in the tourism, agriculture, fisheries or craft sectors


• Should be based in any of the eight (8) beneficiary communities: which include: Oistins and Holetown-Weston (Barbados); Abaco and Andros Islands (The Bahamas); Hopkins Village and Placencia (Belize); and Bluefields and Port Antonio (Jamaica).

INVESTMENT THEMES

Investment ideas which potential applicants for the Micro Grant for individual MSMEs may want to put forward should fall under one (1) of the following themes:

1. Alternative Livelihoods: Activities will support the transition to sustainable, income-generating activities between any of the four sectors (agriculture, fisheries, tourism and craft).


2. Disaster Risk Reduction: Activities will reduce exposure to hazards and vulnerability of people, their livelihoods and their property; and improve preparedness and early warning.


3. Ecosystem-based Adaptation: Activities will help conserve, restore or sustainably manage natural resources in order to reduce the vulnerability of people, their livelihoods and property to adverse climate change impacts.


4. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies:  Activities will facilitate the uptake of energy efficient technologies and practices, including renewable energy technologies, and reduce the reliance of MSMEs on traditional carbon-intensive fuels.


5. Sustainable Business Development: Activities will support business development and the enhancement of current efforts geared towards climate resilience, through the acquisition of skills, knowledge and competencies associated with sustainable business practices, including those that are specifically associated with practices that have low environmental impacts.

INVESTMENT EXAMPLES

Below is a list of interventions which would be eligible for funding under the C-ARK Micro Grant Award. It is important to note that this list is certainly not exhaustive; there are many other excellent ideas that may be eligible for funding. We encourage you to use your creativity in thinking of an intervention that will help your business.

Alternative Livelihoods

• Purchasing and installation of materials to help you transition into another livelihood venture (e.g. a fisherman who wants to start fishing boat tours)


• Training courses to learn new livelihood skills

Disaster Risk Reduction

• Reinforcing and/or retrofitting business infrastructure such as buildings, stalls, kiosks, agriculture/fisheries equipment (e.g. roof stabilisation, shutters, flood protection and waterproofing upgrades)


• Emergency response training


• Business relocation to a less vulnerable area

Ecosystem-based Adaptation

• Environmental restoration/conservation activities related to the business goal or purpose

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies

• Investing in renewable energy technologies/systems (solar, wind, alternative fuel (e.g. biogas) systems)


• Rainwater harvesting and water conservation measures


• Energy saving/conservation equipment or upgrades (for lighting, heating or cooling purposes)

Sustainable Business Development

• Business management and development training/certification for business owners, management and/or staff


• Green / eco-certification for business owners, management and/or staff


• Investing in environmentally friendly processes and materials for business operations


• Resource recovery initiatives (wastewater reuse, or product recycling within the supply chain)

TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION OF INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES

Activities to be funded by a Micro Grant for MSMEs should be completed within 2 – 3 months.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Application documents for the Micro Grant for MSMEs, which include the Application Form and Application Guidelines that accompany the Application Form, are available in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats. The documents can be downloaded by clicking on the DOWNLOAD buttons below for each document.

[/vc_column_text] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="https://caribsave.sharefile.eu/d/s36c243ba0bb4e42a" color="btn-danger" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="wpb_document_pdf" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="C-ARK Micro Grant for MSMEs - Application Form (Adobe PDF Format)"] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="https://caribsave.sharefile.eu/d/se7c496be3a546699" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="wpb_document_word" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="C-ARK Micro Grant for MSMEs - Application Form (Version for Electronic Submissions - Microsoft Word Format)"] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="https://caribsave.sharefile.eu/d/sc0fc3c771ea4c80b" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="wpb_document_word" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="C-ARK Micro Grant for MSMEs - Application Guidelines (Microsoft Word Format)"] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="https://caribsave.sharefile.eu/d/s1a31ca50aca479e8" color="btn-danger" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="wpb_document_pdf" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="C-ARK Micro Grant for MSMEs - Application Guidelines (Adobe PDF Format)"] [vc_column_text el_position="last"]

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

Micro Grant Application submissions can be electronic (preferred); or in hard copy – whether handwritten or typed. Hard copy applications can be delivered to the following locations (based on your country or community of residence):

BARBADOS	Oistins and Holetown-Weston The CARIBSAVE Partnership, Caribbean Regional Headquarters, Balmoral Gap Hastings, Christ Church Tel: +1 246 426 2042 / +1 246 233 4645 E-mail: cccce-ark@caribsave.org
BAHAMAS	Abaco Abaco Tourist Office Marsh Harbour, Abaco Andros Andros Tourist Office Fresh Creek, Andros
BELIZE	Hopkins Village Hopkins Village Council Office Hopkins Village Placencia Southern Environmental Association (SEA) Belize Placencia
JAMAICA	Port Antonio Social Development Commission (SDC) – Portland Port Antonio, Portland Bluefields Bluefields Peoples’ Community Association Bluefields, Westmoreland

 

The new, extended deadline for submission of applications for Micro Grants for MSMEs is:

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 AT 4.30PM (Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Time), if submitted electronically, or

THE TIME OF CLOSE OF BUSINESS of each of the locations listed above in cases where hard copies will be submitted.

Applicants are only allowed to submit ONE (1) application per MSME.

MSMEs can only apply for the Micro Grant for MSMEs on an individual basis.

Applicants are advised to read through the entire Application Form before starting to fill in the form. It’s always worth the effort to think things through, and the questions in the Form are meant to help applicants do this.

Applicants should also refer to the Guidelines Documents as the main reference for any queries you may have while completing the Application Forms.

Electronic applications must be sent to cccce-ark@caribsave.org with the following subject line: “MICRO GRANT APPLICATION – APPLICANT’S SURNAME”.

If however, you still have any queries regarding the Application Form or process, or you need to obtain digital copies of any of the forms, you may email cccce-ark@caribsave.org or call +1 246 426 2042 (CARIBSAVE Regional Headquarters in Barbados) or +1 876 632 3075 (CARIBSAVE Jamaica office).

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Talk About it!

Or the benefits of multidisciplinary research teams

Multi-disciplinarity sounds like an academic buzzword! I, at least, always used to think of it that way; as something that only has a place in sentences that talk about "engaging in multi-disciplinary dialogues to arrive at synergistic outcomes", or some similar gibberish.

That is despite the fact that I arguably come from a multi-disciplinary background, having studied engineering, international relations and economics, and am now working on my PhD on rural electrification in Kenya at a department that has always taken pride in its multi-disciplinarity[1].

Yet, it wasn't until I attended the Solar Nano-Grids (SONG) workshop in Nairobi in May of this year that I really witnessed how the interaction of academics and professionals from more than one background can deepen analysis and broaden perspectives (which sounds exactly like the jargon I was mocking earlier).

The best way to illustrate what I mean is by sharing two particular observations I made during the SONG workshop. As part of the workshop a core group of participants, consisting of engineers and social scientists, went on two field trips to existing mini-grids in rural Kenya. During both of those visits the extent to which academic background shapes the perception of the world and the information gathered from it, became very clear. The engineers would notice the rusty, broken off piece of the weather vane from the wind turbine, the broken and disused inverters or dust collecting on the solar panels and see them as a sign of lacking technical capacity within the community. On the other hand, the social scientists, would find out that the needs of the community, as perceived by its members, were no longer met properly by the mini grid; that the arrival had brought social changes to the communities, stopping villagers from moving away or even attracting new members to the communities; or/and that there was a clear sense of pride of their mini-grids within the communities.

Combine these two viewpoints and a rich picture emerges of not only the technical system or only the social and cultural context, but the interaction between the two, the socio-technical system as it would commonly be called.

Without a multi-disciplinary team that is given plenty of opportunity to talk about their observations and interpretation of them, as we were during and after the field trips, these complex relationships could easily be overlooked. Yet, they are fundamental to the long-term sustainability of the mini-grids. Multi-disciplinarity deepens analysis

It does, however, also bring with it the challenge of communication, as each academic discipline comes with its very specific language. Just like the expression "socio-technical imaginary", for example, might mean nothing to an engineer, similarly, a social scientist might struggle to immediately see the benefits and drawbacks of direct current (DC) versus alternating current (AC) power. However, if these two groups are given a chance to talk to each other and explain the meaning of these terms, the engineer will discover that socio-technical imaginaries "call attention to the fact that visions of future developments in science and technology almost inevitably bring with them wider visions of social futures, of risk and benefit, and of the collective good"[2]. The social scientist, on the other hand will find out that DC transmission lines have, for example, lower technical losses and hence can distribute electricity further, but require special, and potentially costly appliances or inverters at the household level. As a result it becomes clear, that the technical system design needs to be compatible with the socio-technical imaginary prevalent in the community. The interaction of these two concepts can, again, lead to improved chances of long-term sustainability. Multi-disciplinarity broadens perspectives.

All of this really is a roundabout way of saying: "Talk about it!" Any study of a complex system, such as a solar mini grid, will only benefit from a variety of angles of analysis. No one academic field can claim to cover all of them. Bring a number of them together, exchange observations and interpretations however, and the chances of overlooking a critical factor diminish drastically.

Lorenz Gollwitzer
Doctoral Research Student
SPRU (Science & Technology Policy Research)
School of Business, Management and Economics
University of Sussex

[1] SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Sussex
[2]http://sts.hks.harvard.edu/research/platforms/imaginaries/imaginaries-faqs/

Sustainable Business Development and Renewable Energy Technologies Training Workshop

On Tuesday, August 19th, the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) and The CARIBSAVE Partnership hosted a joint workshop in association with two projects supported by The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), implemented by the UNDP. The workshop was held at he Grotto, Beckles Rd. St. Michael, at the facilities of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS).

CPDC's project, Promoting renewable energy production in farming communities in Barbados, has a goal of enhancing the application of renewable energy technologies (RETs) on farms in Barbados.

The CARIBSAVE Partnership's project – Greening Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Coastal Communities in Barbados is helping MSMEs across Barbados to implement Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) in their business practices which reduce their business' overall carbon footprint. MSMEs will also be helped to make other changes to their operations that result in saving money and increasing environmental sustainability.

The first day of the workshop focused on training farmers and agricultural processors in sustainable business practices and the technical application of RETs and energy/water saving processes. The second day entailed a field trip for participants to witness the practical application of RETs on farms in Barbados.

This workshop was of tremendous benefit to those who attended; providing an opportunity for participants to interact with experts in RETs and energy conservation practices in an environment where sharing of knowledge and experiences is encouraged, and also the chance for participants to see the benefits of these interventions in action on Barbadian farms.

Sustainable Business Development and Renewable Energy TechnologiesTraining Workshop

On Tuesday, August 19th, the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) and The CARIBSAVE Partnership hosted a joint workshop in association with two projects supported by The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), implemented by the UNDP. The workshop was held at he Grotto, Beckles Rd. St. Michael, at the facilities of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS).

CPDC’s project, Promoting renewable energy production in farming communities in Barbados, has a goal of enhancing the application of renewable energy technologies (RETs) on farms in Barbados.

The CARIBSAVE Partnership’s project - Greening Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Coastal Communities in Barbados is helping MSMEs across Barbados to implement Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) in their business practices which reduce their business’ overall carbon footprint. MSMEs will also be helped to make other changes to their operations that result in saving money and increasing environmental sustainability.

The first day of the workshop focused on training farmers and agricultural processors in sustainable business practices and the technical application of RETs and energy/water saving processes. The second day entailed a field trip for participants to witness the practical application of RETs on farms in Barbados.

This workshop was of tremendous benefit to those who attended; providing an opportunity for participants to interact with experts in RETs and energy conservation practices in an environment where sharing of knowledge and experiences is encouraged, and also the chance for participants to see the benefits of these interventions in action on Barbadian farms.

(Photo: Will Anstey, INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE, 2014)

[CLOSED] VACANCY: Project Development and Research Officer (South Africa)

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The INTASAVE Partnership (International Sectoral Approach to Vulnerability and ResiliencE) and the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) of the University of Cape Town, South Africa are seeking a Project Development and Research Officer to work jointly with the project development teams of INTASAVE and ACDI, undertaking research for projects and funding opportunities within Africa and project development tasks as directed.

The position will be based at ACDI and INTASAVE’s offices at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.  As required, the successful candidate should ensure they are in possession of the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in South Africa.

To apply for the position please submit your CV with a covering letter to lorraine.howe@intasave.org on or before Friday, August 15, 2014.

Further information on the post can be found on the ACDI website here: http://www.acdi.uct.ac.za/news/vacancy-project-development-and-research-officer

 

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INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE Regional Workshop held in Jamaica

On July 23^rd-24^th The INTASAVE Partnership and CARIBSAVE, and the Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) had the pleasure of hosting a workshop in Jamaica, aimed at improving the communication of research findings to Caribbean policy makers to ensure that climate change is part of day-to-day decision-making.

Attending the workshop were several local and internationally-based Research Partners and Stakeholders from The CARIBSAVE Partnership and CDKN projects, with representatives some several countries including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Belize, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

The event provided a unique opportunity to share experiences and foster South-South knowledge exchange and collaboration from several projects currently being implemented by The INTASAVE Partnership and CARIBSAVE, amongst experts from the Caribbean region, national institutions, as well as experts from Mauritius.

Presentations and documents coming out of the workshop are available on the Presentations and Brochures page under the CARIBSAVE and CDKN Research Partners Workshop and Writeshop banner.

(Photo: Nikki Hassell/INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE)

Beach Profiling

La Digue Students Learn how to Profile Beaches

GIVRAPD partners, Dr Danika van Proosdij and Mr Greg Baker from St. Mary's University facilitated an educational outreach session on La Digue Island among secondary school students. The activity was reported in the Seychelles Nation on 20 May 2013.

Press Release: Major Study Highlights Threat to Caribbean’s Coral Reefs and Opportunity for Saving Them

Written by:

Dr Owen Day (Director of Ecosystem-based Adaptation and the C-FISH Project, CARIBSAVE) and 

Dr Ulric Trotz (Deputy Director, Caribbean Community Climate Change Center)

(Excerpt from the press release...)

A BBC news item called “From Despair to Repair:  Dramatic Decline of Caribbean Corals Can Be Reversed” published last week is a resounding call to action for anyone interested in the future of the Caribbean . The news item was based on the publication of an important report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which found that most Caribbean coral reefs may disappear in the next 20 years, primarily due to the loss of grazers.

The report, Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012, is the most detailed and comprehensive study of its kind published to date – the result of the work of 90 experts over the course of three years.

It contains the analysis of more than 35,000 surveys conducted at 90 Caribbean locations since 1970, including studies of corals, seaweeds, grazing sea urchins and fish.  This landmark report highlights the risks faced by coral reefs from climate change, but emphasized that restoring populations of parrotfish and reducing excessive coastal pollution would halt their decline and help them recover by making them more resilient to the impacts of climate change, such as mass bleaching events caused by rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification caused by the dissolution of carbon dioxide in the ocean.

Caribbean coral reefs, spanning a total of 38 countries, generate more than US$ 3 billion annually from tourism and fisheries.  Their loss would be disastrous for the economy of Caribbean islands, which rely on tourism as their main source of revenue.  Beach erosion would accelerate, as reefs would no longer be able to protect the shoreline from storms.  The Caribbean’s famous white sand, which is constantly being produced by living coral reefs, would also eventually disappear.   The loss of reefs would also mean the loss of countless jobs in fisheries, and further threaten the region’s already vulnerable food security.

“The rate at which the Caribbean corals have been declining is truly alarming,” said Carl Gustaf Lundin, Director of IUCN’s Global Marine and Polar Programme. “But this study brings some very encouraging news: the fate of Caribbean corals is not beyond our control and there are some very concrete steps that we can take to help them recover.” The authors explain that climate change does pose a serious threat to coral reefs by making oceans more acidic and causing coral bleaching, it is the loss of parrotfish and sea urchins – the area’s two main grazers – that has, in fact, been the key reason of coral decline in the region.  Reefs protected from overfishing, as well as other threats such as excessive coastal pollution, tourism and coastal development, are more resilient to pressures from climate change, according to the authors.

(Continue to read the full press release on the recently relaunched C-FISH website here: http://c-fish.org/major-study-highlights-threat-to-caribbeans-coral-reefs-and-opportunity-for-saving-them/)

[CLOSED] International Call for Post-Doctoral Fellows in Climate Change Research

The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) invites applications for Post-Doctoral Fellows to participate in a 5-year international interdisciplinary research programme on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation in the Semi-Arid Areas of South Asia. Appointments will be for a year, extendable to two years. 

These Fellowships are part of a multi-million dollar, 7-year IDRC/DFID funded frontier international research programme: CARIAA (Collaborative Adaptation Research in Africa and Asia) that builds on the recent IPCC Assessment Report 5 and focuses on three climate hotspots across Asia and Africa: (a) semi-arid regions (SARs) (b) deltas and (c) glacier and snow-pack dependent river basins.

IIHS leads the South-Asia regional research programme as part of the ASSAR (Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions) consortium, led by the University of Cape Town. It includes other international partners like the University of East Anglia, Oxfam and START. Within India, ATREE, IITM and WOTR are IIHS sub-grantees working across three Indian states and multiple transects:  the Bhavani basin region in Tamil Nadu, Ahmednagar in Maharashtra and Bangalore in Karnataka. The programme PI is one of the Coordinating Lead Authors of the IPCC Assessment Report 5 (2014).

ASSAR aims to deepen our understanding of climate vulnerability and adaptation in SARs and explore what is needed to transform current reactive adaptation practices to be more proactive, and enable widespread impact. Its main research themes are: i) socio-economic, political and governance dynamics; ii) climate and biophysical impacts; and iii) adaptation practices, options and strategies across the rural and urban areas.

It includes year-long Regional Diagnostic Studies (RDS); a two year Regional Research Programme (RRP) based on qualitative and quantitative field based research; development of climate scenarios; and formulation of adaptation strategies in conjunction with public agencies and local communities.

For more information on the Call for Post-Doctoral Fellows, please visit http://iihs.co.in/about/careers/post-doc/.  The selected candidates are expected to join from 1 October 2014.

(Photo: IIHS Bangalore City Campus, from iihs.co.in)

Forest Area Management Capacity Building in Jamaica

The Dolphin Head Forest Area is a key biodiversity area (KBA) in Jamaica which has regional and global significance with respect to species biodiversity. This forest area is recorded to have a higher density of local endemic plant species and rare or threatened flora per unit area than anywhere else in Jamaica. The protection, conservation and sustainable management of the forest resources are therefore critically important to local and international stakeholders.

The CARIBSAVE Partnership, with funding from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, has embarked on a project entitled "Strengthening Institutional Capacity of the Local Forest Management Committee - Management Plan Implementation in the Dolphin Head Key Biodiversity Area in Jamaica". In this project, CARIBSAVE is partnering with the Dolphin Head Local Forest Management Committee (LFMC). This volunteer organisation was recognised in the 2013 Dolphin Head Forest Management Plan (DHFMP), drafted by the Forestry Department, as championing forest stewardship amongst local community members.

In order to secure the sustainability of this organisation and support the objectives of the DHFMP, the goal of this project is to strengthen the Dolphin Head LFMC's capacity to deliver critical forest management functions to the KBA. The project activities include a capacity needs assessment, training sessions and the development of a medium-term action plan to evaluate and build institutional capacity. Using the conservation priorities identified in the action plan, additional projects will be developed to continue the institution’s essential stewardship role in the Dolphin Head Forest Area. The project will be executed over a one-year period until July 2015.

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. More information about the Fund and associated activities can be found online at www.cepf.net.

For further information this initiative, please contact Dr. Donovan Campbell at donovan.campbell@caribsave.org.

(Image: Yard Edge-www.yardedge.net)

Four PhD Scholarships in Climate Change Adaptation

Applications are invited for four full-time PhD scholarships to support students at the University of Botswana and University of Cape Town who will conduct their research in South-Western Africa on topics related to the Adaptation at Scale in Semi Arid Regions (ASSAR) research project. The project is particularly interested in attracting African students who have just completed or are about to complete their Masters studies.

In southern Africa the ASSAR research project is being implemented by the African Climate and Development Initiative, at the University of Cape Town, in partnership with the Universities of Botswana and Namibia.

For more details on the topics and application procedure please head to: http://goo.gl/Hifstq or www.acdi.uct.ac.za

Employment Opportunities at INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE

The INTASAVE Partnership and CARIBSAVE is seeking experienced and self-motivated individuals for several positions. Officers will be based at our offices in Barbados, Canterbury - UK, Kuala Lumpur, Cape Town - South Africa, and also to work remotely.

The following positions are currently being advertised, with links to the advertisements and job description files:

1. Manager of Philanthropy and Project Development (UK, Cape Town or Remote): http://intasave-caribsave.org/vacancy-mpipd


2. Senior Project Development & Philanthropy Officers (Kuala Lumpur, Cape Town, and Remote): http://intasave-caribsave.org/vacancy-spdpo


3. Senior Project Officer (Caribbean): http://intasave-caribsave.org/vacancy-spocaribbean


4. Senior Project Officer (Remote): http://intasave-caribsave.org/vacancy-sporemote


5. Research & Project Development Officer (Cape Town): http://intasave-caribsave.org/vacancy-rpdo

The full list of advertisements and job descriptions can also be viewed on the Opportunities Page.

Salaries for these positions will be commensurate with relevant skills and competencies. Application complete with a covering letter and CV are to be submitted to the Human Resource Manager at: hr@intasave.org. When submitting your application please reference the appropriate job title (as instructed in the advertisements hyperlinked above) in the subject title of the email, and indicate where the advertisement was seen.

Please note that the successful candidates will be responsible for acquiring the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in their chosen work location.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30 June 2014.    

[CLOSED] VACANCY: Senior Project Officer (Caribbean)

The INTASAVE Partnership and CARIBSAVE, an international not-for-profit organisation specialising in innovative climate change solutions, are seeking experienced and self-motivated individuals for the position of Senior Project Officer (Caribbean) to be based at the Caribbean Regional Headquarters in Barbados. The post will be for a one-year term, either on an employment or a consultancy basis.

The Senior Project Officer (SPO) will work directly with the Regional Director, delivering climate change projects in the Caribbean as well as contributing to exploring opportunities to secure significant resources and funding from a variety of major national, regional and international donors and organisations. The main duties of the position are to provide technical input and administrative management for CARIBSAVE’s projects in the Caribbean region in the areas of:

• Climate change science and ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation


• Community-based adaptation


• Vulnerability, impact and adaptation assessments


• Capacity building of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to respond to climate change


• Marine protected areas

Experience of working for a global organisation with international standards and expectations, in relation to delivery, implementation and performance is desirable.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with skills and competencies.

Please submit your application complete with a covering letter and CV to the Human Resource Manager at: hr@intasave.org.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30 June 2014.

When submitting your application please reference Senior Project Officer (Caribbean) in the subject title of the email and indicate where the advertisement was seen.

Successful candidates will be responsible for acquiring the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in their chosen work location.

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[CLOSED] VACANCY: Senior Project Officer (Remote)

The INTASAVE Partnership and CARIBSAVE, an international not-for-profit organisation specialising in innovative climate change solutions, are seeking experienced and self-motivated individuals for the position of Senior Project Officer who will work remotely / from a home-base. The post will initially be for a one-year term, either on employed or a consultancy basis.

The Senior Project Officer (SPO) will work directly with Regional Directors, delivering climate change projects around the globe as well as contributing to exploring opportunities to secure significant resources and funding from a variety of major national, regional and international donors and organisations. The main duties of the position are to provide technical input and administrative management for INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE’s projects in the African and Caribbean regions in the areas of:

• Climate change science and ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation


• Community-based adaptation


• Vulnerability, impact and adaptation assessments


• Capacity building of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to respond to climate change


• Marine protected areas

Experience of working for a global organisation with international standards and expectations, in relation to delivery, implementation and performance is desirable.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with skills and competencies.

Please submit your application complete with a covering letter and CV to the Human Resource Manager at: hr@intasave.org.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30 June 2014.

When submitting your application please reference Senior Project Officer (Remote) in the subject title of the email, indicate where the advertisement was seen and where you would be based.

Successful candidates will be responsible for acquiring the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in their chosen work location.

[vc_row] [vc_column] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="http://intasave-caribsave.intasave.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/JD_ToR_SPO_Remote_June2014.pdf" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="none" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Senior Project Officer (Remote) - Job Description (PDF)" el_position="first last"] [/vc_column] [/vc_row] [vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_column_text el_position="first last"]

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Employment Opportunity: Research & Project Development Officer

The INTASAVE Partnership is seeking an experienced and self-motivated individual for the position of Research & Project Development Officer (RPDO), for a number of hours per week initially for 6 months (renewable for the right candidate), to be discussed with the individual offered the position.The RPDO will work directly with the Project Development and Philanthropy team, undertaking research for projects within Africa and project development tasks as directed.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with skills and competencies.

Please submit your application complete with a covering letter and CV to the Human Resource Manager at: hr@intasave.org.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30 June 2014.

When submitting your application please reference Research & Project Development Officer in the subject title of the email and indicate where the advertisement was seen.

Successful candidates will be responsible for acquiring the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in their chosen work location.

[vc_row] [vc_column] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="http://intasave-caribsave.intasave.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/JD_ToR_ResearchPDOfficer_June2014.pdf" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="none" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Research & Project Development Officer - Job Description (PDF)" el_position="first last"] [/vc_column] [/vc_row] [vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_column_text el_position="first last"]

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Employment Opportunity: Manager of Philanthropy and International Project Development

The INTASAVE Partnership and CARIBSAVE, an international not-for-profit organisation specialising in innovative climate change solutions, are seeking experienced and self-motivated individuals for the position of Manager of Philanthropy and International Project Development to be based in Canterbury, UK or Cape Town, South Africa or possibility of a remote base. The post is initially for a two-year term, with the possibility of renewal. The Manager of Philanthropy and International Project Development will be responsible for developing and implementing all aspects of a comprehensive fundraising program that includes major gifts, proposal writing for international development agencies, development banks, charitable foundations, High Net Worth Individuals and other donors.

S/he will possess strong skills in relationship building, fund development and leadership and will proactively identify and capitalise on opportunities to secure significant financial funding from a variety of major national, regional and international donors and organisations. It will be the responsibility of the Manager of Philanthropy and International Project Development to work with the Regional Directors to develop and implement global and regional fundraising strategies; establish positive relationships with many partners including existing and potential donors; and coordinate and oversee the work of the Philanthropy and Project Development team based across INTASAVE-CARIBSAVE’s offices. The position requires a charismatic, highly organised and target driven individual who embraces working in a global, interesting and fast paced environment.

Experience of working for a global organisation with international standards and expectations, in relation to delivery, implementation and performance is desirable.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with skills and competencies.

Please submit your application complete with a covering letter and CV to the Human Resource Manager at: hr@intasave.org.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30 June 2014.

When submitting your application reference Manager of Philanthropy and International Project Development in the subject title of the email, and indicate where the advertisement was seen and in which location (Canterbury/Cape Town/Remote-Home Based) you would be based.

Successful candidates will be responsible for acquiring the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in their chosen work location.

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[CLOSED] VACANCY: Senior Project Development and Philanthropy Officers (3 posts)

The INTASAVE Partnership, an international not-for-profit organisation specialising in innovative climate change solutions, are seeking three (3) experienced and self-motivated individuals for the position of Senior Project Development and Philanthropy Officer (SPDPO):

• one position will be based in Cape Town,


• one will be based in Kuala Lumpur


• the third to be based remotely.

These posts will initially be for a two-year term (open to renewal for the right candidates). The SPDPOs will work directly with the Manager of Philanthropy and International Project Development and Regional Directors, identifying, coordinating and delivering on opportunities to secure significant resources and funding from a variety of major national, regional and international donors and organisations.

The successful candidates must be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of sustainable development and climate compatible development issues and have extensive experience of proposal writing and fundraising.  Experience of working for a global organisation with international standards and expectations, in relation to delivery, implementation and performance is desirable.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with skills and competencies.

Please submit your application complete with a covering letter and CV to the Human Resource Manager at: hr@intasave.org.

Closing date for applications: Monday 30 June 2014.

When submitting your application reference Senior Project Development and Philanthropy Officer in the subject title of the email, indicate where the advertisement was seen and which location (Kuala Lumpur/Cape Town/Remote-Home Based) you are applying for.

Successful candidates will be responsible for acquiring the necessary work permit/visa to work and be based in their chosen work location.

[vc_row] [vc_column] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="http://intasave-caribsave.intasave.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/JD_ToR_SeniorProjectDevPhilOfficer_June2014.pdf" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="none" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Senior Project Development and Philanthropy Officer - Job Description (PDF)" el_position="first last"] [/vc_column] [/vc_row] [vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_column_text el_position="first last"]

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Featured Project: Solar Nano Grids, Kenya & Bangladesh

Since the first solar home system was introduced in Bangladesh in 1996, two million more have been installed throughout the nation with the help of financing from international funding bodies. It’s a similar story in Kenya (albeit on a smaller scale), where in the past two decades about 300,000 of the systems have been connected to homes.

Many of the benefits of solar energy are abundantly clear. Households with these systems can make gains in areas like health and education by, for example, cutting down on air pollution from kerosene lamps and powering lights so children and other family members can study.
But there is no such certainty around the economic benefits – there’s scant evidence that these individual systems have the power to lift people out of poverty or have any financial advantages over other ways of generating electricity, for small-scale users beyond the reach of major power grids. The individual systems are also unaffordable for many of the world’s poorest households.

It’s possible then that clusters of about 20 families in rural communities could be better off linking up to a small-scale, communal solar power system that could also be connected to an agricultural or industrial application like an irrigation system. These “nano-grid systems” could supply enough electricity for each household’s need as well as generate an income for the community, reducing the cost of energy for each family.

INTASAVE, in partnership with Loughborough University in England and United International University in Bangladesh, aims to investigate just how viable that option is for families in Bangladesh and Kenya, particularly as climate change increasingly rules out the use of fossil fuels, like oil and gas.

With funding from Britain’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the inter-disciplinary team of social scientists and engineers is investigating the social, technical and economic merits of solar nano-grids in rural communities. The researchers will compare and contrast the grid approach with household systems in Kenya and Bangladesh and draft business models for broader use across those countries.

It’s a significant project that rests on a detailed understanding of the energy uses and needs of households and communities. Is the technology cost-efficient compared with other sources? Is there an obvious advantage for members of a community to pool their interests? Is the community organized enough to manage such a system? These are just some of the questions that the team is seeking to answer.

For further information contact: admin@intasave.org

Kenya Project Consultation Workshop

The Solar Nano-Grid Consultation Workshop, Kenya

May 2014, Nairobi, the first international workshop was held to bring together the three project partners, associates and guest speakers for the Solar-Nano-Grid (SONG) project, funded by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. It focused on identifying previous research and existing experience in the use of solar/PV in low-income countries of the global south, doing site visits to similar projects in Kenya to consider their development and practices, reviewing and identifying suitable project methodologies and constructing an implementation framework for the SONG project for the next 12 months.

The aims of the SONG project are to:

• Investigate the impacts of solar home system installations in low-income communities in Kenya and Bangladesh,
• Work with these communities to map energy use patterns as they impact their daily reality,
• Identify the different potential demands for energy through the needs and activities of people and households,
• Evaluate solar-nano-grids (insert link - what is a solar-nano-grid) to improve energy access for income-generating activities, where it seems that solar home systems (SHS) by themselves are less able to contribute,
• Put the research into practice by setting up solar-nano-grids in selected low-income communities in both countries,
• Widely disseminate and distribute the results, to aid learning and replication.

SONG is both an inter-disciplinary project, bringing together social scientists and engineers and as well, includes participation by NGOs and civil society in both countries. Further, at the heart of the project is the involvement of the people and communities themselves.

We're pleased to write that the workshop achieved a number of results:

• Two visits to existing community solar projects in Kenya and a discussion with those involved at both Olosho-Oibor and Kitonyoni communities. These visits were invaluable in feeding into the technical, social and economic implementation discussions of SONG.
• The paper and work package activities were reviewed in terms of overall progress.
• Project partners were engaged in discussions and exercises to further familiarise themselves with relevant methodologies, particularly participatory impact pathways analysis, community based vulnerability assessments and vision-exercising, all relevant to Kenya and Bangladesh.
• The social economy was outlined in which the project will take place, from the international level down to community and household level, as well as some complimentary energy sector mapping.
• A variety of energy sector actors from Kenya (policy, NGO and private sector) participated to enhance understanding of the solar environment and discuss their experiences across an array of projects.
• Participants reviewed the next steps of the project, including the plan for wider community mapping and a comprehensive overview of community consultation.

The mix of participants and the involvement of all partners as well as associates from the UK, brought together a wealth of expertise and experience unusual in such forums. This rich experience will serve us well, as we move the project forward to identifying the communities with whom we will partner to undertake the solar-nano-grid installations and research over the coming months.