Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), South Africa launched in 2015 its National Biodiversity Economy Strategy (NBES). The Strategy is concerned with supporting the development of businesses and economic activities that are either directly dependent on biodiversity for their core business or that contribute to conserving biodiversity through their activities. An important segment of the NBES is ‘bioprospecting’, and under it ‘biotrade’. South Africa, through the DEFF, is the implementing partner for the UNDP-GEF 6 Project titled,” Development of Value Chains for Products derived from Genetic Resources in Compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing and the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy” (https://www.thegef.org/projects-faceted?f[]=field_country:147).

The objective of the assignment is for the consultant(s) to undertake assessments to identify potential environmental and social risks in the UNDP-GEF 6 project - Development of Value Chains for Products derived from Genetic Resources in Compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing and the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy, and provide ways to avoid negative environmental and social impacts where possible, and where risk avoidance is not possible, to identify appropriate mitigation and management measures, in line with the UNDP Social and Environmental Standards