Prospect Expert Platform

This Project is now closed

Consultancy for Land Use Management

Country Belize
Sectors Rural development and food security
Language English
Status Framework
CV Deadline 2016-08-30 (Closed Project)
Background

The Sugar industry is a vital component of Belize’s economy, providing significant employment, foreign exchange earnings and other social and environmental benefits. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 persons (15% of total population) rely on the industry for economic and social support, and the earnings from the industry is critical for maintaining a favourable current account balance and foreign exchange stability in Belize. It is one of the largest in the Agricultural sector and is Belize’s single most important agriculture export product. Over the past 10 years, sugar accounted on average for 7.8% of total GDP and 33.6% to foreign exchange as a percentage of agricultural exports.

The sugar industry is largely concentrated in the rural areas of Corozal and Orange Walk, the two northernmost Districts of Belize covering an area of 2,508 sq. miles that contains the sugar belt. This area accounts for 27.4% of the total population in Belize and 56,300 or 38.8% of the 145,200 rural residents in the country. The industry therefore plays a crucial role in the standard of living of almost 40% of the rural population in Belize.

Objectives

Global objective

To improve the competitiveness of the sugar industry of Belize and thus increasing the net return on sugarcane farming which will improve the living standards of the sugarcane farmers in Northern Belize.

Specific objective

Improving the productivity of sugarcane areas under production by implementing a drainage plan that will address one of the major challenges affecting the sugar belt which include land and water management, pest and disease management, environmental and sediment controls, soil and topography conditions.

Activities
  • Analyze data required and provide Capacity Building on the collection, management and dissemination of spatial data to SIMIS staff;
  • Capacity building in GIS software;
  • Watershed mapping and catchment areas identification in GIS using DEM;
  • Conduct field data collection on land use management;
  • Targeting of area(s) of interest (AOI) and the subsequent identification of the main outlets and a clear identification of the primary drainage network;
  • Design the drainage master plan;
  • Prepare a road map with organizational steps to implement the Drainage Master Plan.

Project Position 1

Position GIS Engineer Expert/ Team Leader (KE1 - Cat I)
Qualification

At least a Msc in Agronomy or a similar qualification

Required Experience

General professional experience

No less than 12 years of experience with at least 10 years of experience in GIS, satellite image processing and capacity building.

Specific experience

  • Good data gathering and analysis skills combined with the ability to aggregate results during short missions;
  • Proven experience in the production of land use/land cover maps and filed surveys
  • Ability to produce and manage soil data and produce soil and food risk maps
  • Proven experience in the production and management of topographic data
  • Proven experience in the production and management of hydrologic data
  • Proficiency in GPS, LiDAR, Photogrammetry.

Previous experience in Belize is an asset

Estimated Manpower 70 WD
Mission Begin 15 January 2017
Mission End 15 January 2019
Contact Gabrielle Le Ménahèze

Project Position 2

Position Hydrologist or Rural engineering expert (KE2 - Cat I)
Qualification

At least a Msc in Agronomy or a similar qualification.

Required Experience

General professional experience

No less than 12 years of experience in the preparation of drainage watershed plan and the production of associated mapping, plan and other relevant documents.

Specific experience

  • Good data gathering and analysis skills combined with the ability to aggregate results during a short mission;
  • Proven experience in watershed hydrologic modeling (rainfall, runoff studies);
  • Proven experience in the design of drainage master plans;
  • Proven experience in dimensioning and costing drainage network infrastructures.
Estimated Manpower 40 WD
Mission Begin 15 January 2017
Mission End 15 January 2019
Contact Gabrielle Le Ménahèze