TERMS OF REFERENCE
Rapid appraisal to assess current status of pastoralists farming institutions and platforms in Western Pokot in Kenya and Karamojong in North Eastern Uganda
1. Background.
Informal cross-border livestock trade (ICBLT) in the Inter Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region supports the livelihoods of a wide range of value chain actors representing many enterprises including livestock traders, transporters, slaughter facilities/processors, feed manufacturers, veterinary drug suppliers, local authorities and central governments. These notwithstanding, ICBLT is beset with several challenges that emanate partly from the inadequacy of essential services that supports the production system itself and partly from the predominance of the informal nature of the cross-border trade that is responsible for much of the livestock off take.
The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), Jointly with IGAD and the IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (IGAD/ICPALD), with Support from the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is implementing the project ‘Building Resilient Pastoral Communities through Cross-border Livestock Value Chains in the IGAD Region’. The project objective is to contribute to the building of economically and environmentally resilient livelihood systems among pastoral communities in the IGAD region.
To achieve its objective , the project will address a set of closely linked constraints that include: low productivity of livestock agriculture and limited engagement of pastoralists in value addition activities; lack of adequate preparedness of pastoralist communities in dealing with climate shocks; limited use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) solutions in critical cross-border livestock value chain nodes; weak bargaining capacity of livestock keepers in ICBLT and limited market diversification opportunities; and limited understanding of the role of ICBLT in pastoral livelihoods and in sub-national economies. The demonstration of these integrated, market-driven approaches in a small geographic area (pilot) across Western Kenya and North Eastern Uganda will provide successful models for replication in the wider IGAD region.
A major focal point of interventions is the capacity building of the grassroots-level pastoral organizations, platforms or associations in the project area to improve service delivery to the pastoralists’ livestock keepers – women, youth and men. A variety of studies, including some commissioned by IGAD LPI, continually point at multiplicity of international, regional, national and local policies and institutions impacting on the livelihoods of the livestock dependent poor in the IGAD member states. However, despite this realization, an overview of these institutions and their role in addressing the livestock sector and the livelihoods of the livestock dependent poor does not exist. The project is seeking to recruit qualified consultant to undertake a rapid assessment of existing pastoralists’ farming institutions and platforms in the project areas to inform its’ strategy for building resilient pastoral communities through ICLBT.
2. Scope and Tasks of the Consultancy
The objective of the consultancy is to undertake a rapid assessment/baseline study on pastoralist livestock institutions and platforms across western Pokot in Kenya and Karamojong in North Eastern Uganda. More specifically, the consultancy will consist of, but is not restricted to, the following tasks:
Specific objectives:
· Carry out a desk study of reports and documents relevant to the assignment
· Identify the institutions which represent the interests of the local pastoralists’ livestock value chain
· Assess the roles, responsibilities and effectiveness of the pastoralists’ institutions in delivering their mandates.
· Assess the institutional and governance arrangements in place in these organizations to support livestock related work;
· Assess the inclusiveness of the pastoralists’ institutions in terms of participation of and service delivery to pastoralists’ women, men and youth.
· Identify capacity building requirements needed to support the organizations to deliver their mandate
3. Timetable, Methodology and Key Deliverables
The study will take place between July and August 2016 and the exercise will take a total of 12 days during which the consultant is expected to complete the above scope of work. During the period, the consultant is expected to review relevant documents, visit project sites in Western Pokot and Karamoja to consult with relevant stakeholders, present draft report and come up with a final study report. The specific deliverables are as follows:
· Inception report that includes methodology, work plan and data collection tools
· First draft the assessment report
· Presentation of the draft report to IIRR and the project partners
· A final report in soft and one hard copy
4. Consultant’s Qualification and Core Competences
The consultant (s) must possess the following:
· At least Masters Degree in business related disciplines, development studies, or agricultural economics.
· At least 10 years demonstrated experience in agribusiness or livestock research and/or practice, with a good understanding of value chain development.
· Good understanding of working in pastoral areas, with knowledge of working in the project area being an added advantage.
· Good experience in application of participatory tools and methodologies.
· Proven expertise in carrying out similar assessments, analysis and report writing.
5. Expression of Interest
Expressions of Interest for this consultancy should contain:
· A proposal or template containing methodology to be used, a schedule or work plan for the assignment covering all activities to be carried out for fulfillment of the Scope of Works and a budget.
· Current curriculum vitae.
· An example – in soft copy – of similar work successfully carried out by the consultant in the recent past, the consultant’s CV and references
· Any other relevant information substantiating the ability of the consultant to carry out this ToR effectively and efficiently,
HOW TO APPLY:
Mode of Application:
Expression of Interest – including all information as indicated above - should be submitted to IIRR before 27th July 2016 to:
Regional Human Resources Office, Nairobi.
Email: recruitment@iirr.org
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
