Comprehensive Baseline Assessment of Pastoral Livestock Marketing Chains at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

Responsibilities and Expected Outcomes from the Consultation Firm

• At the application phase, the consultancy firm team is expected to provide both Technical and Financial Proposals (as indicated in the Application Procedures below). After contracting the following responsibilities will be considered in executing the consultation:
• Design of and develop the consultation plan: list of contents, stakeholders and source of information, travel plan, selection of tools and analysis approaches, results and demonstrations forms, etc., that best secure the progress towards obtaining the desired outcomes.
• Produce and conduct comprehensive (3 pillar-oriented) survey’s forms and questionnaires, and guidelines for collection of data (according to the methodology’s parameters), analysis and forms of results. IBAR will lease the consultation team with the National Focal Persons
• Carry-out desk reviews (secondary data collection), interviews with KIIs, and group discussions (Primary data collection) as per the agreed upon methodology and TOR, using developed tools
• Carry-out quantitative data / qualitative information analyses according to agreed-upon approaches.
• Facilitate both the “Debriefing on Main Findings” and the Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop and updating the reports accordingly.
• Facilitating all needed stakeholders convenings including the debriefing on main findings sessions, and the stakeholder’s validation workshops, and updating reports accordingly.
• Presence and presenting finding of the study at the Stakeholder Inception and Launch Workshop
• Producing and delivery of the inception report, the national and cluster draft and final reports (in English), to AU-IBAR, according to the List of Contents and time plan agreed upon, in the technical proposal and the Inception Report.
• Delivery of all produced/used data, its source, and contact information of the stakeholders interviewed or communicated in the study.

Deliverables

“Consultation Implementation Inception and Action Plan” Report (Inception Report).

• This report will indicate methodology; stakeholders map and target groups; informants for primary data collection; type and source of secondary information/ data to be collected; tools, form and questionnaires to be utilized; analysis approach, tabulation and demonstration models; cost and time frame for executing the consultation; and list of content and report outline. This report will be delivered to AU-IBAR in One-week period from the date of contract signature.
• Draft and final national and cluster reports (according to the approved inception report).
• Data and information collected and sources utilized (uploaded in a cloud facility).
• List and contact information for the stakeholders interviewed and information providers.

Supervision

• Technical Supervision: The consultation team (team leader) will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the Project Coordinator and the overall supervision of the AU-IBAR Director.
• Administrative supervision: The consultation team (team leader) should share technical deliverables and all correspondence associated with this consultancy with the Project Coordinator and other responsible IBAR focal points teams including AU-IBAR procurement, finance and M&E. The focal points contacts will be shared in the contract.

Requirements

Experience in conducting Research and Analytical Skills:

• Expertise in designing and implementing in-depth studies, including the development of research tools, data collection methodologies, and analytical approaches.
• Ability to analyze complex data sets and translate findings into actionable insights and recommendations.

Experience in Consultancy Management and Reporting:

• Demonstrated capability in managing consultancies, including developing and adhering to detailed work plans and timelines.
• Experience in timely producing high-quality reports and deliverables that meet the expectations of international organizations and donors.

Experience in Stakeholder Engagement and Facilitation of Convenings:

• Experience in engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including pastoral communities, government agencies, private sector actors, and non-governmental organizations.
• Skilled in facilitating stakeholder workshops and validation meetings to discuss study results and gather feedback.

Regional Knowledge and Presence in the study region:

• Familiarity with the socio-economic, cultural, and political contexts of Kenya and/or Nigeria; knowledge of the broader HoA and Sahel regions will be an added advantage.
• Has established networks within these regions, in previous consultations, to facilitate effective data collection and stakeholder engagement.

Technical Expertise in Pastoral / Livestock Sector and Marketing:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting comprehensive assessments of livestock sector, production system, and / or livestock marketing chains.
• In-depth understanding of the dynamics and challenges of agricultural / pastoral livestock markets; ideally in the Horn of Africa (HoA) and/or Sahel regions.

Experience in assessing Climate Change, Gender empowerment, and Nutrition aspects under the rural and/or pastoral sector:

• Experience in analyzing the impacts of climate change on pastoral livestock sector, pastoral communities and developing adaptive strategies.
• Preferable ability to integrate cross-cutting lenses of climate change, women and youth empowerment, and nutrition into livestock market studies.

Assessment of Capacity and/or Designing Capacity Building programs:

• Experience in assessing capacity and knowledge of local stakeholders to ensure sustainable impact and continuity of project outcomes.

Language and Report Writing Proficiency:

• Proven proficiency in English, with excellent written and verbal communication skills. Knowledge of local languages in the target regions is an added advantage.