Introduction/ Background
The Africa Union’s vision in the areas of Agriculture and Natural Resource management are enshrined within the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) guides the implementation of NEPAD’s Agriculture thematic area. The CAADP was established as part of the NEPAD to improve agricultural production through an annual 6% increase in agricultural productivity by 2015. Eventually, agriculture-driven development would eliminate hunger, poverty and food insecurity and pave the way for export expansion.
The Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), a specialized technical office of the AU Commission, has been mandated to lead the animal resources sector of CAADP. AU-IBAR’s efforts have evolved progressively, since its creation in 1951 (as the Interafrican Bureau of Epizootic Diseases (IBED)), from focusing solely on the fight against rinderpest to providing leadership in the development of all aspects of livestock, wildlife and fisheries. AU-IBAR has supported efforts to improve animal production in a sustainable way in order to meet the needs of African member States for animal products and services as well as ensured adequate supply to inter-African and external markets. These efforts focused on improved animal resources and exploitation of synergies from crop-livestock integration.
Within its mandate and within the framework of the AU-IBAR Strategic Plan 2010 – 2014, ARIS 2 was developed for use by Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to further enhance the gathering, analysing and dissemination of data on animal resources. The overall objective of the ARIS 2 is to enhance the information and knowledge management capacity of AU‐IBAR, Member States and RECs to swiftly respond to disease emergencies and to properly plan interventions in animal production, marketing and trade as well as to attract investment into the sub-sector.
AU-IBAR has developed the ARIS 3, started the process of the data transfer from ARIS 2 to ARIS 3. This new version brings more functionalities and a better performance to continue enhancing the gathering, analysing and dissemination of data on animal resources for the benefit of the 55 Member States.
Context of the Consultancy
The importance of regular, timely and accurate information cannot be overemphasized. The need for evidence-based, high quality and timely information on animal resources for planning, decision making and monitoring of the animal resource subsector has become ever more relevant. In many African countries, the scope of data collection has advanced over the years from animal health to all areas of animal resources thus effectively bringing out the immense contribution of animal resources in national economies. The use of accurate data and information has continued to evolve and has progressed to become an essential tool for planning, policy formulation and legislation, promotion of trade and for advocacy to attract and promote investment and resource allocation to the animal sub-sector for development purposes.
An essential component to strengthening animal resource initiatives in Africa is having reliable and easily accessed information. There are significant differences among Member States in data and information management capacity for animal resources. Some Member States have well developed data and information systems, which retain captured data, assessment reports, management plans, maps and links to related information sources relating to the outputs of the different initiatives and other researches. This ability facilitates the formulation of animal resource use, development and conservation programmes, policies and plans.
AU-IBAR within the scope of its mandate, and with the overall objective to enhance the information and knowledge management capacity of Member States and Regional Economic Communities to swiftly respond to disease emergencies and to properly plan interventions in animal production, marketing and trade as well as to attract investment into the sub-sector has developed the Animal Resources Information System (ARIS). ARIS, was initially developed in 2000 as the “PACE Integrated Database” (PID) to facilitate animal resource information sharing as a component of the Pan-African Programme for the Control of Epizootics (PACE) project. The 8th Ministerial Conference held in 2010 in Entebbe, Uganda, recommended that ARIS should be upgraded and Member States to improve the quality and timeliness of submission of animal resources data and information to AU-IBAR. Further versions of ARIS were then developed to enhance the gathering, analysing and dissemination of data on animal resources, ARIS 2 and now ARIS 3. The need for evidence-based, high quality and timely information on animal resources for planning, decision making and monitoring of the animal resource subsector has become ever more relevant.
The decentralized information management approach adopted by ARIS has enabled Member states and Regional Economic Communities to become more self-reliant and in control of information and data shared within and without the continent. Through this coordinated effort of data collation, Member States have been able to meet their reporting obligations in time. ARIS has contributed greatly to improving data management within countries. From ARIS 2, ARIS is being designed to provide a very wide scope, integrated and unlimited coverage of all areas of animal resources that no other available Information System can provide. ARIS wants to reinforce the need to make AU-IBAR, Regional Economic Communities and Member States the primary sources of data on animal resources in Africa. ARIS has an expandable modular design. The scope of modules developed so far covers 5 core areas – animal health, animal production, fisheries and aquaculture, trade & marketing, capacity and regional livestock value chains.
Since the introduction of ARIS in 2002, there has been an enhancement in capacity of members in data collection, analysis and reporting. However there were challenges with regards to the scope of coverage and technical quality of the reports from Member States. Some of these flaws in data quality are being addressed from ARIS 2 with the introduction of special features that improve data quality and allow validation of reports within modules before submission. In terms of operationalization of ARIS, Member States were trained and have tested Animal Health data transmission through successive administrative levels using the system from the subnational, national, regional and continental level. However, in terms of actual operationalization and reporting on Animal Production (including Fisheries, Aquaculture and Bees), few Member States have so far not used the system to send data to AU-IBAR. The Animal Production modules in ARIS are yet to be populated, fully utilized and reported on; with relevant data and information drawn from Member States, thus fulfilling its function.
Based on the above, AU-IBAR is seeking the services of a consultant to support the review of ARIS modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes.
Overall Objective
The overall objective of the consultancy is to support the review of ARIS modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes. This will guide animal resources management, enhance service delivery to the different key stakeholders and the performance of the sector and more especially the regional livestock value chains supported by Live2Africa.
Specific Tasks
The specific tasks are:
- Develop/Prepare a module help page content for each identified module under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes;
- Review the content of the reference data tables related to the modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes including their internal relations;
- Review the modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes and recommend the related access levels to be assigned based on the final users. The methodology used to review the modules will be based on the relation between the sector, the information to generate, the data content, the actors/end users, the decision making, the source of the information, the frequency of updating/collection the information and the cost of collecting the information;
- Extract the relevant content which can be used to support the development of specialized dictionaries for English and French languages and if possible Arabic or Portuguese languages to support the customization of Systran;
- Review the existing charts, maps and charts linked to the modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes and Advise about additional relevant indicators that can be used to design new charts, maps and charts for decision making.
Expected Outputs
- The module help page contents under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes are developed;
- The content of the reference data tables and their internal relations under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes is updated;
- The modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes are up to date and the related access levels are identified;
- The content of specialized dictionaries for English and French languages is developed in priority before eventually the Arabic or Portuguese languages;
- The existing charts, maps and charts under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes are updated and the new charts, maps and charts for decision making are developed.
Reports
The Consultant is required to prepare the following technical reports in English/French:
Inception Report (IcTR)
An Inception Report (IcTR) within 5 days of commencing duty. The IcTR is not more than 10 pages and should include the proposed methodology, the timeline/calendar and programme of activities.
Interim Technical Report (InTR)
The interim Technical Report is perceived to be the First Draft of the Final Technical Report (FTR), before a final clean copy of the FTR is formally and officially submitted to and for acceptance by AU-IBAR.
Final Technical Report (FTR)
The Final Technical Report (FTR) must be submitted at the end of the period of implementation.
Submission & Approval of Progress Reports
Three copies of the progress reports referred to above must be submitted to AU-IBAR. The progress reports must be written in English. AU-IBAR is responsible for approving the progress reports.
Qualification
An advanced University degree in relevant field (Animal Sciences with in-depth knowledge and experience in Animal Production, Livestock Development, Climate Change, Natural Resources Management, Policy Formulation).
General Experience
To implement this activity, AU-IBAR requires an experienced consultant in the field of animal resources with a good knowledge of Data Collection concepts for Information Systems.
Specific Experience
- Proven 5 years working experience in areas associated with this consultancy, such as Animal Production and Value Chain;
- Advanced knowledge of questionnaires/surveys design, database modeling and design;
- A good knowledge of data collection tools like ARIS, DHIS or ODK;
- Proven ability to collect, verify and analyze information and to finish and present work with a high degree of accuracy and technical quality; A knowledge of any software used to organize the work methodologically will be an advantage;
- Excellent knowledge of the office application, in particular Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel and Data Analyses/Statistics Software. Knowledge on any translation software will be an advantage;
- Demonstrates excellent communication skills in English and French. Portuguese and Arabic will be an advantage;
- Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively orally.
Duration
The assignment will be undertaken in a total period of 03 months. There will be no field activities associated with the completion of this assignment.
Budget
The maximum budget for this consultancy is USD 27,000 all inclusive (consultancy fees, incidental expenses).
Supervision
The consultant(s) will work under the overall guidance and the supervision of the ARIS Technical Lead.
Evaluation Criteria
Educational Qualifications (10)
- An advanced University degree in relevant field (Animal Sciences with in-depth knowledge and experience in Animal Production, Livestock Development, Climate Change, Natural Resources Management, Policy Formulation).
General Experience (10)
- At least 10 years in the field of animal resources with a good knowledge of Data Collection concepts for Information Systems.
Specific Experience (60)
- Proven 5 years working experience in areas associated with this consultancy, such as Animal Production and Value Chain; (10)
- Advanced knowledge of questionnaires/surveys design, database modelling and design; (10)
- A good knowledge of data collection tools like ARIS, DHIS or ODK; (10)
- Proven ability to collect, verify and analyse information and to finish and present work with a high degree of accuracy and technical quality; A knowledge of any software used to organize the work methodologically will be an advantage; (15)
- Excellent knowledge of the office application, in particular Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel and Data Analyses/Statistics Software. Knowledge on any translation software will be an advantage; (15)
Other Attributes (20)
- Ability to write in a clear and concise manner (10)
- Fluency in English/French (08) and any other AU working languages (02)
How to apply:
The email address for submission of the Technical and Financial proposals is procurement-210324-1@au-ibar.org with a copy to khalid.seid@au-ibar.org or by post addressed to the following address with mention “Support the review of ARIS3 modules under Animal Production and Regional Livestock Value Chains Themes”. The Technical and Financial Proposals should be sent in two separate files.
The Procurement Officer
African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources
Kenindia Business Park, Museum Hill, Westlands Road
P.O. Box 30786 00100, Nairobi, Kenya