81319783 - Technical assistance on resources mobilisation for integrated water catchment management and landscape protection in Zambia

The Integrated Water Catchment Management and Landscape Protection (AWARE 2.0) project is co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ. It is part of the broader Green Partnership and Investment Programme under the GREEN NEXUS initiative, which promotes sustainable development and green recovery across the Zambian part of the Greater Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA). The project covers a diverse ecological landscape from the Greater Kafue ecosystem in the southwest to the Luangwa-Nyika corridors in central and eastern Zambia.

AWARE 2.0 aims to improve integrated water catchment management and landscape protection, with a focus on agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, water, and climate. In Zambia, its lead government partners are the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS), the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE), and the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA). The project works at both national and sub-national levels, with a geographic focus on the Lower Kafue Sub-Catchment (LKSC). It addresses four key outputs: (1) Improved capacities of the central government to execute its mandate for the integrated management of water catchments, including landscape protection with a focus on climate adaptation; (2) Improved capacities of decentralised authorities to plan, protect and sustainably manage water catchment ecosystems with focus on climate adaptation in the selected landscape; (3) Improved capacities of Water Resources Management (WRM) governance structures to sustainably manage water resource disputes in the LKSC; and (4) Scaled-up measures for water catchment management, landscape restoration and protection and climate adaptation

Despite growing environmental challenges, IWCM and landscape restoration in Zambia remain severely underfunded. Key barriers include limited economic data on the benefits of restoration, fragmented resource mobilization efforts, and minimal private sector engagement beyond CSR. In response, AWARE 2.0 is supporting a set of interlinked activities to enable sustainable resource mobilization for restoration in the LKSC and beyond.

To this end, AWARE 2.0 seeks consultancy support in three critical areas: (1) conducting an economic modelling analysis to quantify the benefits of watershed restoration and NbS interventions, particularly to inform the Ministry of Finance and National Planning; (2) supporting the development and validation of an implementation-oriented financing strategy for IWCM and landscape protection; and (3) facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships to mobilize long-term investments.

The Integrated Water Catchment Management and Landscape Protection (AWARE 2.0) project is co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and is being implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. AWARE 2.0 forms a strategic component of the broader Green Partnership and Investment Programme under the GREEN NEXUS framework. This overarching programme promotes sustainable development and green recovery across sectors-agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, water, and climate-in the Zambian portion of the Greater Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). The geographic focus of the AWARE 2.0 project spans ecologically significant landscapes, including the Greater Kafue ecosystem in the southwest and the Luangwa-Nyika corridors in central and eastern Zambia. Together, these areas form a diverse and interconnected "landscape" targeted for integrated and sustainable management. The project is aligned with Zambia"s policy commitments on climate resilience, water governance, and ecosystem restoration.

AWARE 2.0 aims to strengthen integrated water catchment management (IWCM) and landscape protection in Zambia. The project works with key national counterparts including the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation (MWDS), the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE), and the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA). The intervention targets both national-level institutions and sub-national actors, with a particular focus on the Lower Kafue Sub-Catchment (LKSC). The project is structured around four interlinked outputs:

i. Strengthened capacities of central government institutions to execute their mandates related to IWCM, landscape protection, and climate adaptation.
ii. Improved institutional and technical capacity of decentralized authorities to plan, protect, and sustainably manage water catchments and ecosystems within a changing climate.
iii. Enhanced functionality of water governance structures in managing water-related disputes in the LKSC.
iv. Scaled-up implementation of on-the-ground measures for water catchment management, ecosystem restoration, and climate adaptation.

While policy frameworks exist, Zambia continues to face severe underfunding in the areas of catchment management and landscape restoration. Several challenges impede resource mobilization: a lack of robust economic valuation of NbS and restoration benefits, weak intersectoral coordination in financing, and limited private sector engagement beyond corporate social responsibility (CSR) approaches. To address these constraints and unlock sustainable financing, AWARE 2.0 Project will implement a strategic intervention across three interconnected thematic areas. Accordingly, GIZ seeks consultancy services to support the following work packages:

- Economic Modelling Analysis (WP 1): Conduct an in-depth economic modelling analysis to quantify the environmental and socio-economic benefits of watershed restoration and nature-based solutions (NbS). The analysis will primarily inform the Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MoFNP) and provide evidence for future investment cases.

- Financing Strategy Development (WP 2): Support the co-creation and validation of an implementation-oriented national financing strategy for IWCM and landscape protection. The strategy should be informed by WP 1 and reflect the needs and capacities of national and sub-national stakeholders.

- Partnership Facilitation (WP 3): Facilitate the establishment of multi-stakeholder partnerships, including those with development partners, private sector actors, and civil society organizations, to scale up resource mobilization for restoration and climate adaptation efforts.

These three work packages are designed to function as an integrated whole. WP 1 serves as the analytical foundation for both WP 2 and WP 3. The economic insights generated will directly inform the design of the financing strategy and identify high-impact areas for investment and collaboration. WP 2 builds on this evidence to shape feasible, context-specific financing pathways, while WP 3 translates this groundwork into practical partnerships that can mobilize both financial and technical resources.

The interdependence of the work packages is not only conceptual but operational. Attempting to divide them into separate lots risks undermining the internal logic of the intervention. It would lead to fragmentation, misalignment between outputs, increased coordination burdens, and ultimately diminished effectiveness. Managing each component in isolation would also introduce accountability challenges and raise transaction costs, especially in a context requiring cross-sectoral collaboration.

The integrated implementation of these work packages reflects a systems-thinking approach, one that acknowledges the complexity of water governance and the necessity of synchronizing technical, financial, and institutional interventions. Delivering these work streams as a cohesive package will ensure consistent flow of information, operational efficiency, better value for money, and stronger long-term impact.

Therefore, GIZ emphasizes that the three work packages must be implemented jointly under a single contract. The selected consultancy or consortium must demonstrate the technical capacity to deliver across all three thematic areas while maintaining alignment with stakeholder expectations and national priorities.

This tender represents a key opportunity to support Zambia"s ambitions in building a resilient, well-financed, and sustainably managed water and landscape system.

All communication takes place in English via communication tool in the project area of the procurement portal.