Consultancy to Support the Multifunctional Landscapes SP on Transboundary Natural Resource Governance in the 3S River Basin

IFPRI is seeking an individual consultant to support the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Science Program on Transboundary Natural Resource Governance in the 3S Basin (Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam). This consultancy is limited to applications based in Thailand, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia only.

Context:

The CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Science Program seeks to generate knowledge and tools to support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient landscapes. This assignment contributes to Area of Work 4 (AoW4) on Policies, Institutions, Governance, and Social Inclusion. Within AOW4 of MFL, the work supports transboundary governance mechanisms through advancing stakeholder engagement. The geographical focus is the Sekong, Sesan and Srepok river basin (3S) in the Lower Mekong that is shared between the riparian countries of Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam.

This assignment will generate actionable insights on stakeholder context in each of the riparian countries. The primary focus is to conduct stakeholder analysis on existing governance mechanisms, stakeholder engagement gaps and to identify entry points for transboundary governance arrangements, such as a Multistakeholder Platform.

Activities:

The analysis will be based on qualitative desk‑based research, including review and analysis of stakeholders in each of the three riparian countries, related policy documents, laws, and strategies. This will be complemented by a review of relevant academic and grey literature. Where feasible, semi‑structured interviews with selected key informants (e.g. policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors) will be conducted to inform the analysis. The data will be used to write three reports—one per country—on the stakeholder and governance context. These reports will be short and largely descriptive. The final deliverable provides a high-level overview of identified governance gaps and entry points for strengthening transboundary institutions in the 3S Basin.

Deliverables:

1. Stakeholder engagement context for Lao PDR
2. Stakeholder engagement context for Cambodia
3. Stakeholder engagement context for Vietnam
4. Transboundary governance gaps and entry points for the 3S Basin

Duration and location: The assignment is anticipated to require up to 30 days [from the date of the signed contract] and the consultant will work remotely. The consultancy will run until December 31, 2026.

Qualifications needed:

• Expertise on river basin governance, stakeholder engagement and Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
• Track record of high-quality peer reviewed publications
• Experience collecting qualitative data (e.g., interviews, focus groups, etc.) and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data
• PhD in the social sciences

Preferred qualifications:

• Substantial publication record on the topic of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)

Application: Please upload your CV, at least one writing sample and a cover letter detailing relevant experience. Submissions will only be considered if a writing sample, cover letter and daily rate in USD are provided in the online application.

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We are unable to respond to all applications. Only the selected individual will be contacted.