South-North Consulting: Good Development Advice For (a) Change!

My work is value driven; by the need to see change. My contribution is to try give good advice that centres on the rights and interests of people, be they the poor, marginalised and landless who development is supposed to benefit or those who are affected by large-scale projects that impacts on their lives. 

In the foreseeable future I can see myself contributing my experience and knowledge to working more in climate change-related risk, just transitions to low carbon energy (specifically in rural economies) and corporate sustainability.

So far I have worked on projects in Albania, Armenia, Democractic Republic of Congo, eSwatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Pakistan, Romania, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Lusaka Transmission Distribution Rehabilitation Project (LTDRP) – Low voltage Distribution Network

The back end of large-scale rural infrastructure projects. I supported an INGO to develop a project aimed at aimed at enhancing women’s empowerment and building sustainable businesses to access the financial sector and access subsidised electricity (WEMSES Project).

Eco Cities Ideas

I helped generate a zero draft of a Resettlement Policy Framework for the Green City Kigali Project, a model Green city in Kinyinya Hill, Kigali. I did similar work in South Africa on the Midrand Eco City in the 2000s.

Integrated, aligned and rigorous social management planning

 

Providing technical advice and support in large-scale projects on:

• Resettlement Action Plan
• Land and Livelihood Restoration Plan
• Monitoring and Reporting Plan
• Training and Capacity Building Plan
• Livelihood Programme Approach
• Livelihoods Needs Assessment
• Livelihoods Land Assessment
• Livelihood Impacts Identification
• Livelihood Programme Development and Management
• Vulnerable People Programme Development
• Community Development Plan
• Community Investment Fund Framework
• Stakeholder Engagement Plan
• Local Employment Plan
• Local Procurement Plan
• Worker Accommodation Plan
• Implementation and Partnerships and Development Plan
• Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

 All of this results in recommendations & costed proposals for mechanisms to address project social impacts.

Grids, Right of Ways and Substations (in Rwanda, DRC, Burundi, Uganda and Pakistan)

The electrification grids throughout the developing world need to be maintained, upgraded and even established. People are affected and the impacts need to be properly addressed. I help by reviewing Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plans (LARP) and Livelihood Restoration Plans (LRP) to make sure there is adequate consideration people's livelihoods, national and international standards are aligned (compliance with WB, IFC, EDF, EIB and EBRD standards).

Social Impacts of Large Scale Infrastructure Development (Greece, Albania, Italy)

Sometimes the impacts of infrastructure developments have social impacts on household and businesses may be missed. I developed a framework for a project strategy for resolving economic displacement and project induced vulnerability stemming from project land easement and access. I helped develop a spatial tool (Route Social Impact Register), database (Data Management Protocol, Social Impacts KP Register) and field-based tools (Rapid Field Assessment, Site Files, EPC contractor monitoring) that assisted project staff to identify and assess the level of impacts inside and outside of the Right of Way and develop consistent compensation and mitigation measures. I assisted in the development of Terms of Reference for technical studies that needed to be conducted (with crop, orchard, plantation management, livestock, biodiversity and valuation experts).

Getting projects bankable

I've worked with company leadership, management and implementation staff to develop systems and procedures for social compliance that align with international best practice and align with the social standards of international lending institutions. Involves engagement with communities and households. Prepared a gap analysis and road map to guide the development or updating of:

Community Development Plan

Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Livelihood Restoration Plan

Vulnerable People Programme Development

Local Employment Plan

Local Procurement Plan

 The aim is to develop and sustain a social licence to operate and ultimately secure project financing.

Livelihoods and Community Investment in the Extractives Sector

Making mining a development industry in the Anatolian Highlands. Strategic advisory to senior management of large-scale extractive industry development which includes:

• Stakeholder Engagement Planning
• Community Development Investment Strategy and Planning
• Communication Planning
• Social Action Work Planning
• Trade-off Studies for potential expansion
• Social Risk Assessment
• Impacts and Mitigation Assessment

I developed, updated and monitored these with project staff:

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan
• Grievance Procedure
• Land Access Plan
• Community Development Plan
• Community Relations Management Plan
• Community Relations Organizational Capacity and Training Program
• Local Employment Plan
• Local Procurement and Supply Chain Management Plan 
• Training Management Plan
• Community Health, Safety and Security Plan
• Cultural Heritage Plan
• Livelihood Program Management Plan
• Implementation and Partnerships and Development Plan
• Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
• Social Closure Plan  

I provided training and ongoing capacity support to the Community Relations Department and other departmental project staff and management.

Agriculture and Rural Development Sector Wide Programme Formulations and M&E

Review of the Kenyan Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme Inception Phase and provide recommendations for actions to make programme ready for transition to implementation. Formulation of the comprehensive Western Kenya Rural Development Programme.

Watershed management in Ethiopia and Sudan

Support watershed Monitoring and Evaluation in the Tana-Beles Watershed M&E project. Give technical advice and project management support to WASH project in Beni-Shangul-Gomuz. Project Management support to the Community Watershed Management Project in four watersheds E and S Sudan.