Germania - Aiuti all'estero - Sviluppo di Piani Locali di Uso del Suolo e di Sviluppo Sostenibile (LLUSDP) in quattro municipi target in Camerun

Cameroon possesses an exceptional forest heritage, with nearly 19 million hectares of dense rainforest covering almost 40 % of its territory. Located in the Congo Basin-the world's second-largest tropical forest after the Amazon-these forests are a major biodiversity reservoir and a critical global carbon sink. However, this ecological capital is under increasing pressure. Cameroon's annual deforestation rate is estimated at 0.6-1 %, corresponding to more than 100,000 hectares lost each year. Direct drivers include illegal logging, mining, infrastructure development, unplanned urbanisation and agricultural expansion, the latter accounting for about 60 % of total deforestation. In 2021, the Centre, South and Littoral regions alone represented around 61 % of national forest loss. These trends are reinforced by structural factors such as rapid population growth (expected to double by 2046), accelerating urbanisation, persistent rural poverty, weak land governance and limited planning capacity at local level. In response, Cameroon has committed to major international frameworks aimed at reducing deforestation and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, notably the Paris Agreement (COP21) and the Glasgow Forest Declaration (COP26). Nationally, land-use planning reforms-especially the Framework Law on Land Use Planning and its instruments (national, regional and local plans, including LLUSDP)-seek to establish integrated multi-level spatial planning. Yet implementation remains constrained by insufficient legal, technical and operational capacities, limiting effective coordination of development and forest conservation. Within this context, the GIZ-implemented module "Capacity Building in Land Use Planning," financed by CAFI and BMZ, aims to promote inclusive and sustainable spatial planning that reduces forest pressure while supporting balanced economic development. The module comprises five outputs, including strengthening the legal basis for the 2011 planning law, building municipal and regional planning capacities, developing LLUSDP in four pilot municipalities, and preparing methodological tools for the third national forest inventory. Among its components, Output 4 is particularly important from a strategic perspective. It aims to develop LLUSDP in the municipalities of Ngambé-Tikar and Mfou (Central Region), Melong (Littoral Region) and Akom II (Southern Region). These LLUSDP will be developed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the methodological guide for developing LLUSDP, which was drawn up in 2021 with the support of GIZ as part of the ABC-PADER programme. This methodology was also tested as part of the previous programme through the development of the LLUSDP for Ngong (Northern Region). This practical experience will therefore be put to good use in this module. In addition, the methodology will take into account the potential existence of ecosystem corridors in order to preserve ecological connectivity, which is essential for the movement of animal species, ecosystem regeneration and climate resilience. This will promote an inter-municipal vision of continuity between forests, protected areas, etc. The LLUSDP development process will be participatory, involving a range of stakeholders, including municipal authorities, the relevant sectoral administrations (MINEPAT, MINDDEVEL, MINDCAF, MINFOF, MINADER, MINEPIA MINMIDT, MINMIDT, MINTP, MINEPDED, etc.), traditional authorities, women, young people, etc. It will improve the determination of land uses and utilisation, leading to a reduction in land conflicts and pressure on forest resources. In addition, emphasis will be placed on the initial implementation of the validated LLUSDP with the subsequent development of implementation support plans. Ultimately, Output 4 is a fundamental lever for making the LLUSDP an operational tool for combating deforestation and land degradation, while strengthening territorial governance and the resilience of local communities. The objective of the consultancy service covered by the call for tenders is the complete, successful and autonomous implementation of output 4 of the module by the contractor. The contractor is therefore responsible for achieving the objectives of output 4. The contractor is responsible for achieving the output indicators and corresponding results. The contractor thus contributes to the achievement of specific module and output indicators. The relevant module and output indicators according to the module proposal and results matrix are presented in section 2.2 of the ToR. The implementation of Output 4 includes supporting the preparation and initial implementation of Local Land-Use and Sustainable Development Plans (LLUSDP - Plan local d'Aménagement et de Développement Durable du Térritoire, PLADDT) in four pilot municipalities. The LLUSDP represents an innovative municipal land-use planning instrument already supported by GIZ, providing a structured framework for improving local land-use planning and strengthening participatory decision-making processes at the municipal level. Through this approach, municipalities are supported in defining sustainable land-use priorities and coordinating competing land-use interests. The planning process will be implemented in the four municipalities Ngambe-Tikar, Melong, Akom II and Mfou, leading to the validation of the LLUSDP by the respective municipal councils. Following the validation of the plans, support plans for their initial implementation will be developed in order to facilitate the operationalisation of priority measures. The contractor will ensure that the official methodological guide for the development of LLUSDP is applied throughout the process. In this context, the contractor will provide technical and methodological support to municipalities during both the development and the early implementation phase of their LLUSDP. Particular attention will be given to the conservation of natural resources (forests, biodiversity and soils), climate-resilient land-use planning, and the inclusion of the rights and needs of women, youth and indigenous populations. Women's organisations will also be supported in strengthening their advocacy for improved access to land and participation in land-use planning processes. The concrete activities are presented in section 2.2 of the ToR.