Ic- Geographical Indication

**IC- Geographical Indication (GI)**:
**Location**:

- Home based with travel, INDIA**Application Deadline**:

- 14-Jul-22
- **(Midnight New York, USA)**

**Time left**:

- 13d 7h 53m**Type of Contract**:

- Individual Contract**Post Level**:

- National Consultant**Languages Required**:

- English**Duration of Initial Contract**:

- One Year**Background**:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC), Government of India along with four state governments and UNDP is implementing a GEF funded project: SECURE Himalaya (securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems) in Union Territory of Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim. The project aims to support the government of India and state governments to effectively promote sustainable land and forest management in alpine pastures in high range Indian Himalayan ecosystems that secure sustainable livelihoods and ensures conservation of globally significant biodiversity. It demonstrates a new approach of landscape-based conservation, which focuses on working with various sectors and partners in areas within and outside protected areas, to effectively reduce threats to biodiversity of local, national, and global significance.

The project would be implemented over a period of six years in the high altitude trans-Himalayan region and has the following major outcomes: (1) Improved management of high range Himalayan landscapes for conservation of Snow Leopard and other endangered species and their habitats and sustaining ecosystem services; (2) Improved and diversified livelihood strategies and improved capacities of community and government institutions for sustainable natural resource management and conservation; (3) Enhanced enforcement, monitoring and cooperation to reduce wildlife crime and related threats; (4) Effective knowledge management and information systems established for promotion of sustainable management practices in the High range Himalayan ecosystems.

Under the livelihood outcome, the project aims to achieve the objective of conservation by engaging local communities and collaborating with government and non-government agencies for conservation and promotion of sustainable resource use and livelihood. In these regards, the strategies to protect local goods and tradition from biopiracy and unauthorized used through registration of products under Geographical Indications (GI), value chain development, formation/strengthening of user groups for income enhancement and reducing dependency on natural resources has been developed. UNDP seeks to engage the services of a **Consultant,** in implementation of activities related GI registration of identified products, value chain development for registered products and strengthening of institutions/societies/user groups for post-GI registration process.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
The **consultant - **Geographical Indication **will be responsible for implementation of activities related to registration of products under Geographical Indications (GI), value chain development, formation/strengthening of user groups for income enhancement and reducing dependency on natural resources. The specific tasks of the consultant would be:
**Identification and registration of products under GI**
- Prepare a check-list of products and identify at least 03 products registered as GI or are in the process of GI registration or have potential products for GI registration, in consultation with the project teams
- Conduct market surveys and prepare a market assessment report comprising the following:

- Existing market linkages and range of selling prices in various outlets (local and regional) under different brands, identify reasons for different pricing of the products
- Gaps between quantity and quality of production and demand in the markets.
- Difficulties faced by farmers/ artisans in access to markets.
- Assess opportunities for creating market linkages by identifying key market players for the identified products.
- Conduct primary interaction/surveys in the project landscape to identify and sensitise stakeholders including applicants, users and relevant line departments for the products
- Prepare strategy for sensitisation of different stakeholders and prepare knowledge material working closely with Communication focal point of the project
- Conduct meetings with applicants/users and facilitate societies formation and registration for each product

**Strengthening of societies**
- Facilitate regular trainings (at least once a month for 6 months) of society on maintenance of records, book-keeping, technical skills (value addition through primary or secondary value addition), skills required for operation and management of small-scale businesses
- Facilitate societies for development of business plan by linking them with locally identified technical support groups
- Identify relevant schemes of Govt. departments for convergence,