Consultant being sought for $1.1B EU/French funded forest grant

– to oversee Guyana-Suriname project to create sustainable ventures

Months after a $1.1 Billion agreement was signed with the European Union (EU) and France-based Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a consultant is being sought to administer the Sustainable Forest livelihoods grant project.
According to the Request for Expressions of Interest, World Wildlife Federation (WWF) is seeking the services of a consulting firm, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), or Joint Ventures between NGO(s) and consulting firm(s), for the project that will, among other things, promote sustainable value-added forest-related industries. Interested applicants must apply by September 15, 2023.
“The project will strengthen local communities in selected landscapes in Suriname and Guyana and will focus on supporting and developing the skills, tools, and multi-actor forums needed to implement territorial management plans for their forests and other natural resources,” WWF further explained.
“Additionally, the project will enhance sustainable nature- and forest-based livelihood opportunities for communities in Suriname and Guyana with a main focus on developing sustainable wood and nature-based value chains, promoting traditional knowledge, climate-smart and agroecological practices.”
They further explained that communities around these value chains will be provided with training, in order to build their capacity. Additionally, long-term sustainable financing for forest conservation and community development could be fostered in the target areas.

The consultant, according to WWF, will be expected to conduct consultations with communities and with key stakeholders, as well as analyze community needs in land and natural resource management, as well as existing community development and value chains. The consultant’s task will also include identifying and providing a detailed plan for project activities and related budgets.
The €10 million “Sustainable Forest Livelihoods for the communities of Guyana and Suriname” project was launched in March as a project that will allow each country to receive €5 million to strengthen capacity development and sustainable livelihood in and around forest-dependent communities over a four-year period.
The contract was signed by President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Helena KÖNIG, at State House. This $1 billion agreement falls under the Forest Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between Guyana and the EU back in November 2022 on the sidelines of COP 27 in Egypt, for the provision of a €5 million grant to advance efforts towards sustainable forest management and preservation here.
According to the EEAS official, this project is aimed at increasing the resilience of local forest populations and increasing their value-added outputs specifically through the development of sustainable income generation activities.
In his remarks, President Ali had lauded the EU, along with implementing partners and WWF Guianas for translating their forest preservation commitments into meaningful action on the ground by supporting community livelihood opportunities within forest-based communities in Guyana.
“This partnership with ADF and WWF is underpinned by a focus on what works, moving to create practical solutions to development challenges, and addressing the vital role that forests play in overcoming these challenges. Sustainable livelihoods sit at the heart of this endeavour, as when we create the opportunities for people for economic advancement and social upliftment, we provide them with resources to make decisions to safeguard the environment and protect the forests,” he had posited.
According to the Head of State, this project falls in line with the Guyana Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) initiative, which is geared towards sustainable development as well as making Guyana a model nation and global leader in sustainable forest management.
In addition to its rich biodiversity and ecosystem, Guyana’s total forest cover of some 18.4 million hectares stores more than 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon and removes some 154 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.
To this end, President Ali has said that Guyana’s forests are not just standing trees, and are an important global asset, thus it is only fair that the country earns from these services, especially from the people who ensure the forests stay intact.