Climate-Smart Aquaculture Zoning in Sierra Leone: Development of a GIS-Based Decision-Support Tool to Enhance Resilience and Sustainable Fish Farming

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), on behalf of Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) invites qualified interested firms to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) to participate in the upcoming solicitation for the implementation of technical assistance on Climate-Smart Aquaculture Zoning in Sierra Leone: Development of a GIS-Based Decision-Support Tool to Enhance Resilience and Sustainable Fish Farming. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on behalf of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) requires the services of an institution to deliver the technical assistance as approved by National Designated Entity from Sierra Leone. The objective of this Technical Assistance is to develop and deploy a climate-smart, multi-criteria GIS-based decision-support tool for aquaculture zoning in Sierra Leone that integrates environmental, climatic, and socio-economic data, including future climate projections, to identify suitable and non-suitable areas for fish farm development, strengthen institutional and technical capacity within relevant national agencies, and support local extension services in guiding sustainable, climate-resilient aquaculture investments. Sierra Leone, a coastal West African nation, possesses significant potential for aquaculture development due to its abundant inland water bodies, extensive coastline, and favourable environmental conditions. However, the growth of this sector is increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change, which compound existing challenges in environmental management, land use, and policy implementation. Climate-related disruptions—such as erratic rainfall patterns, sea level rise, and temperature fluctuations—are undermining the stability of aquatic ecosystems, and in turn, threatening aquaculture viability. These vulnerabilities are exacerbated by the country’s underdeveloped spatial planning systems, including limited use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for aquaculture zoning and climate resilience. In terms of land use and soil characteristics, Sierra Leone’s lowland and inland valley swamps are suitable for aquaculture due to their alluvial soils and relatively flat topography. However, poor land use planning, widespread deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices have led to soil erosion, sedimentation of water bodies, and land degradation factors that reduce water retention and quality in potential aquaculture sites (FAO, 2020). Additionally, competing demands for lands such as mining, agriculture, and urban development, contribute to the absence of clear zoning regulations for aquaculture. These overlapping land uses often result in conflicts, limiting the identification and preservation of areas best suited for sustainable aquaculture development. Some of the expected outputs are: 1. Mandatory Output: Project Management. 2. Developing a mapping of stakeholders and a Steering Committee. 3. Development of a National Baseline Aquaculture Map. 4. Generation of Key Environmental and Climate Layers. 5. Geospatial Suitability Analysis for Aquaculture Siting. 6. Development of a Climate-Smart user-friendly Aquaculture Zoning Tool. 7. Creation of a Web-Based GIS Portal and Simulation Platform. 8. Capacity Building and Institutional Support. The complete details of the requirement will be provided in the tender documents that will be issued to bidders after this request for EOI is closed. Specific Requirements/Information The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is the Operational arm of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and hosted by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The mission of the CTCN is to promote accelerated development and transfer of climate technologies at the request of developing countries for energy-efficient, low-carbon and climate-resilient development. CTCN provides technical assistance to the countries using its own funds ( which it recives through voluntary contributions of donor) or through the other funding sources specifically the Green Climate Funds (GCF) through the Readiness Programme. The requests for Technical Assistance (TA) are submitted to the CTCN by the National Designated Entity (NDE) of the respective country. In this present case the CTCN has developed a response plan and expect to implement the technical assistance on its own funding. In case you are not a CTCN network member yet, you may apply for this REOI and subsequent soliciation (Request for Proposal), subject to the condition that you submit your completed application for CTCN membership before the proposal submission closing date, which will be communicated in the subsequent Request for Proposal in due course of time. Furthermore, the contract award – should your proposal be selected – is conditional to your application for CTCN network membership being approved by CTCN management. The requirement to join the CTCN network is only relevant to the main bidder and not subcontractors. Please find more information to join CTCN Network at- https://www.ctc-n.org/network The purpose of this REOI is to identify suitable firms who may be invited for the Request for Proposal after the REOI is closed. In addition to CTCN registration, all applicants should also be registered (free of charge) at United Nations Global Marketplace (www.ungm.org). IMPORTANT: Please note that this REOI is not an invitation for submission of tenders. Its purpose is to identify companies that would be interested and eligible to participate in the solicitation when issued. UNON will examine the outcome of this request for EOI and will consider those companies that have expressed their interest . UNON reserves the right to change or cancel the requirement at any time during the EOI and/or solicitation process. Thus, submitting a reply to this Request for EOI does not automatically guarantee your company will be considered for receipt of the solicitation when issued.