Demonstrating the EnvironmentaL, Social & Economic Impact of Improved Retorts in ASGM Communities for P2P Gold Programme in Kenya & TZ

Background

About the organization

Solidaridad Network is an international solution-oriented civil society organization working through eight regional expertise centres to transform markets to make them more sustainable and inclusive. Our eight regional expertise centres include Asia, Eastern and Central Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, Southern Africa, South America, West Africa and our global Secretariat in the Netherlands. Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, one of the regional centres, is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with country offices and programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda. We bring together supply chain players and engage them through innovative solutions to improve production, ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes benefits for all. We facilitate strengthening of local capacity in developing countries, support the creation of enabling environments for economies to thrive, and improve market access. Solidaridad embraces public-private and people partnerships (PPPP) to test innovations, accelerate change, and scale success. Globally, Solidaridad works around Coffee and other 12 commodities/sectors (http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org)

About the project

The Pathways to Prosperity Gold programme has an overall goal of achieving a thriving ASGM sector that is economically profitable, socially responsible, and environmentally sound by 2029. The project aims to achieve this by having an increased number of ASGM with grown, diversified, sustainable and resilient mining businesses with improved working conditions, having a vibrant ASGM sector that has access to mining technologies, equipment and geological data and down and middle stream companies sourcing for sustainable and inclusive gold and investing in responsible mining businesses. Some of the activities that will be undertaken to achieve all of these outcomes include training and the provision of products and services (including access to finance), tailored to the needs of miners. The Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) is a 7-year project being implemented by Solidaridad Kenya and Tanzania. The project is implemented in Geita and Shinyanga regions in Tanzania and in Migori, Narok, Kakamega, and Turkana Counties in Kenya. The Pathways to Prosperity (P2P) project has invested in reducing mercury exposure and promoting sustainable artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) through improved retorts. One retort was distributed to each of the 60 participating mines in Kenya and Tanzania, along with user training manuals. This consultancy will therefore combine refresher training, behavior-change support, and demonstration of the environmental, social, and economic impacts of improved retort use. The assignment will generate an impact story to support project learning, accountability, and communication.

Objectives

The overall objective of the consultancy is to strengthen and demonstrate sustained adoption of improved retorts among participating ASGM mines in Kenya and Tanzania and generate their environmental, social and economic impacts.

Specific objectives:

- Refresh and strengthen miners’ knowledge and practical skills in the safe, consistent operation of improved retorts. - Determine the extent to which improved retorts are currently being used across the 60 participating mines in each country in collaboration with the project team. - Identify the technical, behavioural, economic, social and operational factors that enable or constrain consistent retort adoption. - Quantify reductions in mercury emissions and exposure associated with retort use. - Determine the social benefits of improved retort adoption for miners, processing workers, households and mining communities. - Determine potential economic benefits, including mercury recovery, reduced losses and other financial or productivity gains associated with retort use. - Generate evidence linking project retort activities to behavioural change and environmental, social and economic outcomes in collaboration with the project team. - Develop an impact story documenting the changes resulting from the intervention and lessons for future programming. - Provide technical advice to Solidaridad in relation to the related task whenever required

Scope of Work

The scope of work is as follows: The consultant will work closely with the P2P project team and relevant stakeholders in Kenya and Tanzania. The assignment will cover the participating 60 mines in each country and will be guided by the following pathway: Inputs → Activities → Outputs → Behavioural Change → Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes → Long-term Impact The scope of work will include the following: - Desk review of relevant project documents, develop an inception report and detailed work plan in consultation with the project team. - Determine current use and adoption of the retort in collaboration with the project team. - Conduct refresher training and practical demonstrations of retort use. - Demonstration of environmental impacts associated with improved retort adoption, with particular attention to mercury. - Demonstration of social impact associated with improved retort adoption - Demonstration of economic impact to participating miners and processing workers. - Analyse both quantitative and qualitative evidence to establish the pathway from intervention to impact and develop an impact story. Suggested Approaches and Methodologies The detailed methodology and fieldwork schedule will be worked out in consultation with Solidaridad, partner organizations and the consultants during the inception meeting. However, the consultants will ensure the following steps: - Engage with the Solidaridad offices in Tanzania and Kenya, and hold interactions with the Program Manager, the M&E & Communication unit, and the core team to become acquainted with the project, its activities, and the proposed work. - Prepare a detailed methodology, i