Individual Consultant for Phase II – Medicinal and Aromatic Plants as Nature-Based Solutions

GREEN HURGHADA PROJECT

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Individual Consultant for Phase II: Nature-Based Solutions through Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Cultivation in Hurghada Hotels and Local Communities

Project	Green Hurghada Project – Greening the Tourism Industry in Hurghada, Egypt
Assignment title	Individual Consultant for Phase II – Medicinal and Aromatic Plants as Nature-Based Solutions
Contract type	Individual consultancy
Duty station	Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate, with field visits to participating hotels and community sites
Duration	Twelve months
Indicative start date	August 2026
Supervision	Green Hurghada Project Management Unit, in coordination with EEAA and UNIDO

 

1. Background

The Green Hurghada Project aims to reduce environmental pressures from tourism and related economic activities in Hurghada through biodiversity conservation, climate-smart practices, sustainable investments, institutional strengthening and improved management of natural resources. As part of its nature-based solutions agenda, the project has explored the role of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in biodiversity conservation, land restoration, low-water landscaping, sustainable tourism, local economic development and community participation.

The first phase generated a broad set of concepts and opportunities. The second phase is intended to move from concept to practical implementation through a focused, measurable and environmentally responsible pilot programme. The assignment will prioritize implementation-ready interventions in hotels and, where feasible, with local communities. It will use native or locally adapted, drought-tolerant MAP species, apply water-smart cultivation practices, avoid pressure on wild plant populations, and generate practical environmental, social and economic benefits.

The assignment responds to the need to:

• Translate the MAPs concept into practical pilot interventions with clear sites, species, technical requirements, costs, responsibilities and monitoring indicators.
• Integrate MAPs into hotel landscaping, demonstration gardens and guest-facing sustainability activities using native or locally adapted low-water species.
• Apply a strict “do-no-harm” approach, including invasive-species and toxicity screening, prohibition of wild collection for project supply chains, and sourcing from licensed nurseries or approved cultivation plots.
• Introduce water-smart protocols including drip irrigation, mulching, soil conditioning, irrigation scheduling and salinity management.
• Explore community cultivation, nursery development, processing, value addition and livelihood opportunities, with particular attention to women and youth.
• Establish a practical monitoring framework aligned with UNIDO results-based management and GEF reporting requirements.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to design, establish, support and monitor the second phase of a one-year MAPs-based nature-based solutions programme in Hurghada. The consultant will work with selected hotels and, where feasible, local community groups to create technically sound demonstration sites and practical value-chain opportunities that conserve biodiversity, reduce water use, improve landscapes, support awareness and generate inclusive local benefits.

3. Specific Objectives

1. Assess the technical, ecological, institutional and operational feasibility of MAPs cultivation at selected hotels and community sites.
2. Select suitable native or locally adapted medicinal and aromatic plant species based on biodiversity value, climate resilience, water demand, salinity tolerance, safety, availability and intended use.
3. Prepare site-specific cultivation and management plans for participating hotels and community sites.
4. Establish and technically supervise pilot cultivation plots, demonstration gardens, nursery activities or small-scale production units.
5. Build the capacity of hotel staff, gardeners, community participants, women and youth in sustainable cultivation, plant care, harvesting, post-harvest handling and environmental safeguards.
6. Develop practical pathways for responsible use of cultivated MAPs in hotel landscaping, culinary, spa, interpretation or awareness activities, subject to applicable safety and regulatory requirements.
7. Identify feasible community-based value-addition and market opportunities without creating pressure on wild plant populations.
8. Develop a monitoring, documentation, replication and sustainability framework for the pilots.

4. Scope of Work and Key Tasks

4.1 Inception and Review

• Review the first-phase reports, technical comments, relevant project documents, prior MAPs activities and available information on Hurghada’s environmental, hotel and community context.
• Hold inception meetings with the PMU, EEAA, UNIDO, relevant protected-area staff, hotels, local authorities, academic institutions, nurseries and potential community partners.
• Prepare an inception report including methodology, detailed work plan, field schedule, consultation plan, proposed selection criteria, risk register and monitoring approach.

4.2 Site Identification and Baseline Assessment

• Develop transparent selection criteria for participating hotels and community sites, including management commitment, availability of suitable land, water source, irrigation feasibility, staff availability, environmental safeguards and replication potential.
• Conduct site visits and rapid baseline assessments covering soil condition, salinity, water availability and quality, existing landscaping, irrigation systems, exposure, space, operational constraints and community readiness.
• Document baseline conditions through photographs, simple maps, site records and measurable indicators.
• Recommend a realistic number of pilot sites based on available time, budget and implementation capacity.

4.3 Species Selection and Environmental Safeguards

• Prepare a shortlist of native or locally adapted MAP species suitable for Hurghada’s arid coastal conditions.
• Assess each species for drought and salinity tolerance, water requirements, ecological value, toxicity, allergenicity, invasive potential, maintenance needs, propagation requirements, intended use and market potential.
• Prioritize cultivation over wild harvesting and ensure that all planting material is sourced from licensed nurseries, approved propagation facilities or controlled cultivation plots.
• Prepare a prohibited/restricted-use list for the pilot, including any species that should not be cultivated, harvested, processed or used without authorization.
• Ensure compliance with applicable environmental, biodiversity, health, occupational safety and agricultural requirements.

4.4 Technical Design and Establishment of Hotel Demonstration Sites

• Prepare site-specific designs for MAP gardens, low-water landscaping areas, educational displays, herb gardens or demonstration plots within participating hotels.
• Prepare species layouts, quantities, soil improvement requirements, irrigation plans, planting schedules, maintenance protocols and bills of quantities.
• Promote water-smart practices, including drip irrigation, mulching, irrigation scheduling, soil conditioning, salinity management and reuse of treated water where legally and technically appropriate.
• Supervise site preparation, planting and initial establishment in coordination with hotel management and gardening staff.
• Develop hotel-specific guidance for responsible use of cultivated MAPs in guest awareness, culinary, spa or educational activities, subject to safety and quality controls.
• Prepare simple interpretive materials on biodiversity, responsible sourcing, no wild collection and the links between terrestrial and marine ecosystem health.

4.5 Community-Based Pilots and Livelihood Support

• Identify suitable local community groups, associations, women’s groups, youth groups, small producers or educational institutions that could participate in cultivation, nursery operations, post-harvest handling or value addition.
• Assess participants’ interests, skills, land and water access, organizational capacity, market access and support needs.
• Design small-scale community pilots such as nurseries, household or collective plots, drying and packaging trials, or responsible supply arrangements for hotels.
• Deliver practical training on propagation, cultivation, sustainable harvesting from cultivated plots, drying, storage, quality control, packaging, basic costing and marketing.
• Promote fair participation and benefit sharing, with particular attention to women and youth.
• Ensure that community activities do not rely on unregulated collection from wild populations.

4.6 Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer

• Prepare and deliver training modules tailored to hotel management, gardeners, technical staff, community participants and local partners.
• Provide hands-on coaching during planting, establishment, irrigation management, maintenance, harvesting and post-harvest handling.
• Prepare practical manuals, standard operating procedures, checklists and illustrated guidance in clear language.
• Facilitate at least one cross-learning event among participating hotels and community partners.

4.7 Market and Value-Chain Linkages

• Assess practical local market opportunities for cultivated MAPs and related products within hotels, wellness, food, cosmetics, handicrafts, tourism and local retail channels.
• Identify viable products that can be developed safely and legally at pilot scale, and clarify where specialized laboratory testing, licensing or certification would be required.
• Propose responsible sourcing and supply arrangements between community producers, nurseries and hotels.
• Develop recommendations for a future “Green Hurghada Botanicals” awareness and responsible purchasing platform, emphasizing traceability, cultivation-first sourcing and biodiversity-positive practices.

4.8 Monitoring, Documentation and Scale-Up

• Develop a practical monitoring framework with baseline, target and endline indicators.
• Monitor plant survival, growth, water use, maintenance, participation, training, environmental compliance and preliminary livelihood or market results.
• Maintain site files, photographs, attendance records, technical notes, corrective-action logs and evidence of results.
• Document lessons learned, successful models, costs, constraints and recommendations for replication.
• Prepare a sustainability and exit plan defining continued responsibilities of hotels, communities and local institutions after the consultancy ends.

5. Deliverables and Indicative Schedule

No.	Deliverable	Minimum Content	Due Date	Indicative Payment
1	Inception report	Methodology, detailed work plan, stakeholder map, selection criteria, consultation plan, risk register and monitoring framework.	Within 3 weeks of contract signature	10%
2	Baseline and pilot-site selection report	Hotel/community site assessments, baseline data, selected sites, justification, photographs and implementation recommendations.	End of Month 2	10%
3	Species and safeguards package	Approved species shortlist, species profiles, nursery/sourcing plan, toxicity and invasive-risk screening, do-no-harm checklist and water-smart cultivation protocols.	End of Month 3	10%
4	Site-specific technical designs	Designs, planting plans, irrigation plans, bills of quantities, maintenance protocols and implementation schedules for selected hotel and community sites.	End of Month 4	15%
5	Pilot establishment and first progress report	Evidence of site preparation and planting, training records, field supervision notes, initial survival data and corrective actions.	End of Month 6	15%
6	Mid-term implementation report	Progress against indicators, plant survival and water-management review, community participation, challenges, revised actions and updated work plan.	End of Month 7	10%
7	Capacity-building and value-chain package	Training materials, manuals, participant records, market assessment, community livelihood options and responsible hotel-community supply recommendations.	End of Month 9	10%
8	Second progress and replication report	Consolidated monitoring results, pilot performance, case studies, cost information, replication options and sustainability actions.	End of Month 11	10%
9	Final report and handover package	Final technical report, endline results, lessons learned, sustainability/exit plan, site handover records, final database, photographs and presentation.	End of Month 12	10%

Note: The final number of pilot sites and beneficiaries will be agreed during inception based on available budget, readiness, technical feasibility and environmental safeguards. Payments will be linked to satisfactory completion and formal acceptance of deliverables by the Green Hurghada Project.

6. Minimum Monitoring Indicators

• Number of hotels assessed, selected and actively implementing MAPs pilots.
• Number and area of hotel and community cultivation/demonstration plots established.
• Number of native or locally adapted MAP species cultivated.
• Percentage survival rate and condition of planted species at agreed monitoring intervals.
• Compliance with drip irrigation, mulching, salinity management and other water-smart protocols.
• Estimated water use or documented water-management improvements at pilot sites.
• Number of hotel staff, community members, women and youth trained, disaggregated by sex and age where feasible.
• Number of community groups or producers supported.
• Number of responsible hotel-community sourcing or market-linkage opportunities developed.
• Evidence that planting material was sourced from licensed nurseries or controlled cultivation and not from wild collection.
• Number of awareness materials, demonstration activities or guest/community outreach events completed.
• Number of sites with agreed maintenance and sustainability arrangements at assignment completion.

7. Methodological Principles

• Implementation-focused: emphasis on realistic pilots rather than broad conceptual proposals.
• Nature-positive and precautionary: native preference, invasive-risk screening, toxicity considerations and prohibition of unregulated wild collection.
• Water-smart: species and designs must reflect Hurghada’s water scarcity, salinity and arid climate.
• Participatory: hotel staff, community members, local experts and relevant institutions must be involved in design and implementation.
• Inclusive: meaningful opportunities for women, youth and local knowledge holders should be actively promoted.
• Market-aware but safety-led: value addition and tourism use must comply with applicable quality, health and regulatory requirements.
• Results-based: interventions must have measurable baselines, targets, evidence and clear sustainability arrangements.

8. Institutional and Reporting Arrangements

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Green Hurghada Project Manager. Technical coordination will be maintained with EEAA, UNIDO, the Nature Conservation Sector, the Red Sea Protected Areas, relevant local authorities, participating hotels, community partners and other institutions identified by the PMU. The consultant shall submit deliverables electronically in editable formats and provide hard copies where requested.

• The consultant shall participate in coordination meetings, field missions and stakeholder consultations as required.
• All public communications, training materials and external engagement shall be coordinated with and approved by the PMU.
• The consultant shall maintain a field activity log and submit concise monthly progress updates.
• The consultant shall promptly report any environmental, social, health, safety or implementation concern and propose corrective measures.

9. Required Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced university degree in horticulture, botany, agriculture, medicinal and aromatic plants, plant production, landscape ecology, environmental sciences, natural-resource management, agronomy or a closely related field.
• At least seven years of relevant professional experience in medicinal and aromatic plants, horticulture, arid-land cultivation, sustainable agriculture, landscaping, plant nurseries, community-based natural-resource management or nature-based solutions.
• Demonstrated practical experience in designing and supervising cultivation or landscaping interventions under arid, saline or water-scarce conditions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of native or locally adapted MAP species, propagation, irrigation, soil management, harvesting and post-harvest handling.
• Experience working with hotels, tourism facilities, local communities, women’s groups, NGOs, cooperatives, SMEs or local authorities is highly desirable.
• Experience in community training, participatory planning and preparation of practical manuals or standard operating procedures.
• Knowledge of biodiversity safeguards, invasive species risks, sustainable sourcing and avoidance of pressure on wild populations.
• Experience with value-chain development, market assessment, product development or responsible sourcing is an advantage.
• Strong analytical, reporting, facilitation and communication skills.
• Fluency in Arabic and good working knowledge of English.
• Availability to undertake regular field work in Hurghada throughout the assignment.

10. Application Requirements

Interested individual consultants shall submit the following documents:

1. Updated curriculum vitae clearly demonstrating relevant qualifications and experience in the required tasks, including dates, roles, clients/employers and contactable references.
2. Technical proposal describing the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, indicative work plan, approach to hotel and community engagement, environmental safeguards and expected level of effort. The technical proposal should be concise and should not exceed 10 pages, excluding annexes.
3. Financial proposal stating the total all-inclusive lump-sum fee in the requested currency, with a clear breakdown by professional fees, travel, accommodation, local transport, communications and any other expected cost. The financial proposal should be linked to the deliverables.
4. Examples or links to at least two relevant assignments, reports, designs, manuals or similar outputs, where available.
5. Statement of availability for the full twelve-month assignment starting in August 2026.

Application should be submitted to the following email address Yousria.Hamed@greenhurghada.org ; recruitment@ouda.org.eg by the 16^th of August 2026

 

11. Evaluation Criteria

Technical Criterion	Maximum Score
Educational qualifications relevant to the assignment	10
General professional experience	10
Specific experience with MAPs, arid cultivation, landscaping and nature-based solutions	25
Experience with hotels, tourism operations and/or community livelihood initiatives	15
Quality and practicality of the proposed methodology and work plan	25
Knowledge of biodiversity, water-efficiency and do-no-harm safeguards	10
Language, reporting and facilitation skills	5
Total technical score	100

Only technically responsive candidates meeting the minimum technical threshold specified in the solicitation will proceed to financial evaluation. The final selection may use a combined technical and financial assessment in accordance with applicable project procedures.

12. Contractual and Other Conditions

• The assignment is for an individual consultant.
• The consultant will be responsible for the quality, accuracy and timely delivery of all outputs.
• All reports, datasets, photographs, designs, manuals and materials produced under the assignment will become the property of the Green Hurghada Project and may not be published or shared without prior written authorization.
• The consultant shall maintain confidentiality and comply with applicable UNIDO, GEF, national environmental and project safeguard requirements.
• Any conflict of interest shall be disclosed at the time of application and throughout the assignment.
• Field activities shall follow applicable occupational health and safety practices.

13. Expected Result at Completion

By the end of the assignment, the Green Hurghada Project should have a documented and operational second-phase MAPs model consisting of functioning hotel demonstration sites and, where feasible, community-based cultivation or value-chain pilots; trained local stakeholders; tested water-smart and biodiversity-positive protocols; evidence of environmental and social results; and a practical roadmap for continued operation, replication and scale-up.