Consultant to Conduct a Review of Phytoremediation Models for Rehabilitating Galamsey Areas, Social Return On Investment (SROI) of Galamsey, and Capacity Building of Project Staff

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Consultant to Conduct a Review of Phytoremediation Models for Rehabilitating Galamsey Areas, Social Return On Investment (SROI) of Galamsey, and Capacity Building of Project Staff

JOB SUMMARY

GH¢

Education Master’... Experience

N/A

Job Expires Apr 15, 2026 Contact

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Job Description

Terms of Reference

A Consultant to Conduct a Review of Phytoremediation Models for Rehabilitating Galamsey Areas, Social Return On Investment (SROI) of Galamsey, and Capacity Building of Project Staff

Background and Purpose of the Consultancy

Rikolto is registered in Ghana as Rikolto Ghana LBG and is a member of Rikolto International (formerly VECO) with 50 years of experience in partnering with farmer organizations and food chain stakeholders in 21 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa. Rikolto works to foster a more sustainable and resilient cocoa sector by strengthening farmer organizations, working on living income for cocoa farmers, empowering young men and women, and promoting diversified agroforestry systems and sustainable farming practices from a food systems perspective.

Rikolto is committed to ensuring that the cocoa sector in Ghana is more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive, supporting living income opportunities for farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs, while facilitating market access for sustainably produced food products. To achieve our objectives, our country programme is built on three thematic areas, including Sustainable Cocoa Production, Market Inclusion, and Enabling Environment.

Together with Preferred by Nature (PbN), and with funding support from Civil Society in Development (CISU) of Denmark, Rikolto is implementing a project titled “Mobilising Cocoa Communities Against Galamsey Destruction for Long-term Livelihoods and Health” in Ghana’s Western Region. The project aims to empower cocoa-dependent communities and smallholder farmers with a collective model that enables them to organize, advocate, and effectively resist and reverse illegal gold mining (“galamsey”) without jeopardising their health, environment, or long-term livelihoods. This is achieved by:

(i) mobilizing communities, traditional and public authorities, NGO networks and the private sector to build an alliance against galamsey and increase policy enforcement

(ii) demonstrating competitive models that increase farm income

(iii) introducing longer-term models to reverse the impact of galamsey using agroforestry-based phytoremediation to the collective benefit of ‘galamsey-free’ communities.

By showing effective ways to halt galamsey, cocoa-buying companies will be encouraged to stay engaged with and invest in these communities.

In support of (ii) and (iii) above, Rikolto is seeking a consultant to deliver three interlinked assignments that contribute to developing a knowledge base and staff capacity to deliver the core objectives of the project. These include conducting a desk study and providing recommendations to guide Rikolto’s phytoremediation interventions aimed at restoring galamsey-degraded lands to productive use. This will involve identifying suitable plant hyper-accumulators for heavy metal removal, including the potential use of citronella grass. In addition, the process will include training Rikolto and PbN staff on the different phytoremediation measures, heavy metal pollution, land tenure and culturally sensitive issues when working in galamsey-affected communities. It also involves conducting a Social Return On Investment (SROI) analysis comparing galamsey with different phytoremediation options and alternative productive land uses. This assignment is targeted at cocoa-growing communities in the Wassa Amenfi Central, Aowin, and Bibiani-Anwiaso-Bekwai Municipalities. The successful consultant will work closely with Rikolto and PbN teams to deliver the assignment.

Key responsibilities of the consultant

Conduct a comprehensive assessment and desk review of existing phytoremediation options, with a specific focus on those most suitable for galamsey‑affected communities and mine tailings. This will include carrying out a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis and a comparative evaluation of the various phytoremediation approaches to determine their feasibility, cost‑effectiveness, and potential impact.

Conduct a Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis comparing galamsey with other alternative productive land uses

Provide evidence‑based recommendations to help the project optimize the use of citronella grass as a phytoremediation option. This includes identifying strategies to maximize its environmental, economic, and social benefits, while also outlining measures to minimize potential risks, such as invasiveness within cocoa‑growing landscapes.

Deliver a 5‑day training program for Rikolto Ghana and PbN staff focused on heavy metal pollution, phytoremediation techniques, land tenure issues (including negotiating reallocation of degraded lands for reclamation by individuals/community groups under collective ownership/user rights and post-reclamation land tenure issues), and culturally sensitive issues in galamsey-affected communities to strengthen their technical capacity and enable effective implementation of project activities.

Expected Deliverables

Description

Deliverable

Due date

Inception report

Includes the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, refined methodology and final work plan based on the outcome of the inception meetings with the project team

April 30, 2025

Desk review and SROI report

This report covers an analysis of the relevant phytoremediation options including citronella, and galamsey vs productive land use options

May 15, 2026

Draft consultancy report

 Provides a detailed description of the tasks carried out, observations, and recommendations

May 30, 2026

Training of Rikolto and

PbN staff

5-day training on phytoremediation measures, heavy metal pollution, land tenure and culturally sensitive issues in galamsey areas.

The training report is incorporated into the consultancy report above

May 30, 2026

Final consultancy report

Final consultancy report that incorporates comments received from Rikolto and PbN

June 15, 2026

Required Skills or Experience

Minimum of a Masters Degree in any of the following disciplines: Environment and Climate, Natural Resource Management, Forestry or other relevant sciences

Competence in conducting SROI assessments, including cost‑benefit analysis and impact measurement.

Ability to evaluate suitable plant species for phytoremediation (e.g., citronella grass).

Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing phytoremediation projects, especially in mining-affected areas.

Extensive knowledge of land rights, post‑reclamation land‑use policies, and community governance systems in Ghana.

Sound knowledge of existing national policies related to land tenure, phytoremediation and reclamation.

Experience in designing and delivering training programs.

Strong understanding of heavy metal pollution and contamination pathways.

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