Consultancies on “Assessment of Natural Resource Management for Enhancing Productivity and Feed Security of Dairy Livestock in North Africa”

Background

The African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a specialized Technical Office of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission. Its mandate is to support and coordinate the sustainable development and utilization of animal resources (livestock, fisheries and wildlife) to enhance nutrition and food security and contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of the people in the Member States of the African Union (AU). AU-IBAR accomplishes its mandate through supporting and empowering the AU Member States, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other stakeholders in the livestock sector.

In North Africa, livestock production is characterized by diverse, complex, and most-often vulnerable systems. Such vulnerability is, to large extend, due to unsustainable natural resource management; limited availability of, and accessibility to high-quality feed and water resources, in addition to stressful anti-resilience climatic events, e.g., draught cycles, under different production systems (small holders, pastoral and agro-pastoral, etc.). Improvement of natural resource management (NRM); and feed and water resources availability and quality are major pillars for enhancing livestock production and productivity, and enhance resilience of the Dairy Livestock Value Chain in North Africa.

As part of providing leadership and coordination in the sustainable development of the continent’s Animal Resources, African Union’ InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) has implementing a 5-year project on “Sustainable Development of Livestock for Livelihoods in Africa - Live2Africa”. The project pioneers a coherent continental programme approach to build systemic capacity in seven livestock components that include: Investment in Livestock Value Chains; Animal Health; Animal Production, Productivity and Ecosystem Management; Resilience Building; Technology adoption; and strengthening institutional capacities. Live2Africa is a concrete support for implementation of the Livestock Development Strategy (LiDeSA), through the Value Chain approach.

The prioritization exercise of the regional livestock value chains that had been carried out in a consultative meeting in Nairobi, Kenya in February 2019, indicated that the Dairy Value Chain was the one identified as a priority one for North Africa. A stakeholder stocktaking exercise, to define intervention areas within the identified priority livestock value chains, was carried out in August 2019 in Cairo, Egypt. The participating North-Africa Member States were: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. In that meeting, strategic actions and interventions were identified for each priority regional value chain. Table (1) presents the identified strategic actions and interventions for North Africa. Implementation of prioritized strategic actions and interventions, by the Live2Africa, will contribute to the North Africa’s livestock sector, by strengthening systemic capacity of national and regional Dairy Livestock Value Chain (DLVC) for the economic, environmental and social transformation, as aligned to the Livestock Development Strategy for Africa (LiDeSA).

A Stakeholder Consultation on Annual Implementation Plan of Life2Africa Activities in North Africa was held in Cairo, Egypt in the period 28^th – 30^th January 2020. The consultation aimed to validation and building consensus on the list of strategic actions (SA) and interventions previously identified, mapping of key stakeholders and strategic partners (implementers/actors), and to road-map the enhancement of the Intra-North-African trade, in Dairy Livestock Value Chain, within the AfCTA framework (report is attached). The implementation of a “pilot supporting regional program for improving natural resources management, NRM” in North Africa was a major demanded catalytic actions to be implemented by Live2Africa, considering insufficient natural resources utilized for dairy livestock.

Therefore, the current sought consultations aim to provide a platform to assess the current status of North Africa member states in relation to: Availability and utilization of water, feed and land resources; the level of implementation and adoption of feeding programs for dairy livestock; gaps (needs) in feed and nutrients to sustain feed security and support improved productivity; challenges to be faced; and opportunities for implementing a regional pilot program for upscaling the adoption of NRM best practice for dairy livestock under different production system in North-Africa’ MSs.

Table (1) List of UMA regional identified strategic actions and interventions

North Africa Priority Value Chain: Dairy Livestock Value ChainStrategic Actions (1). Valuation of the Region’s Dairy Herd1.1. Valuation of the region's dairy herd - Better valuations of existing livestock to produce livestock (Cattle, Sheep, Caprine and Camelids) to produce good quality breeding stocks and reduce the region’s animal and semen imports
1.2. Creating and strengthening professional organizations by involving young people and rural women
1.3. Setting up a smart herd and flock management system (data recording, management, feeding, product quality) while strengthening existing AI centers in the region.Strategic Actions (2). Valuing Natural Resources2.1. Sustainable management and optimization of water-resources
2.2. Management and optimization of forage resources
2.3. Valuation of agricultural by-productsStrategic Actions (3). Capacity Building3.1 Farmers organizations with a focus on small to medium farms
3.2 Training and supervising to increase performances of Dairy Livestock Value Chains (DLVC) in milk production and Transformed milk 3.3. Harmonization of milk standards

In this regard, AU-IBAR is seeking to engage the services of Seven (7) consultants: Six (6) National Consultants, NCs (one per each of the 6 North African Member States: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia) for conducting national studies and developing the national reports, and One (1) Lead-Consultant, LC, who will be responsible for designing the task, developing needed data collection tools and analytical approaches, to follow up the execution of the 6 national consultations with the NCs, and to compile the 6 national consultation reports to develop the regional report, following methodology, deliverables and responsibility determined in this TOR.

Objectives of the Consultation Missions

The overall objective is “To assess the current status of natural-resource (land utilization; and production, conservation and utilization of feed and water resources) management (NRM) and road map the improved management of natural resources for enhancing feed security and improved productivity, resilience and sustainability of the Dairy Livestock Value Chain in North Africa, considering the impact of current challenging disasters of COVID-19 confinement restrictions and draught cycles”.

The Specific Objectives of the “Lead-Consultancy, LC”:

1. To design the List of Content (in coordination with the 6 NCs and IBAR), to be followed in the preparation of the 6 National consultancy missions’ reports to secure harmonization and compatibility in the preparation of the regional report.
2. To design needed data collection tools (questionnaires/forms/guidelines) and analytical approaches (in coordination with the 6 NCs and IBAR), to be utilized in the process of data collection and analysis and facilitate comparative analysis.
3. To build consensus with IBAR and NCs on data resources (stakeholders/actors, databases, review studies, etc.).
4. To follow-up the execution of the 6 national consultancies with the national consultants.
5. To compile harmonized results and information of the 6 national consultancies’ reports to produce the regional report that satisfy the List of Content agreed upon.
6. Timely delivery (according to Annex 1) of draft and final regional reports, to IBAR, in satisfactory quality and professionality.

The specific objectives of the 6 National Consultancies:

1. To assess the Base-Line Status of Natural Resources (land, feed and water resources) availability and management; and their contribution to the national developmental objectives, resilience and sustainability of the Dairy Livestock in each of the UMA 6 included MSs.
2. To assess NRM resilience / vulnerability to the biotic/abiotic (re)emerging disasters (including the impact of the current Covid-19 confinement restrictions and draught cycles, diseases, etc.), gaps and needed interventions to fill gaps for best NRM.
3. Inventory of the NRM supporting programs (e.g. water harvest and management, non-traditional feed, improved rangeland management, crop and agro-industrial by-product treatment and utilization in dairy livestock feeding, etc.), that have been implemented since the year 2000), impacts, gaps left and opportunities to fill the gaps.
4. To draw the road map for the best regional management approaches of natural resources, for supporting regional dairy livestock feed security and improved productivity
5. Therefore, to identify specific regional supporting program(s) to be implemented by Live2Africa, for upscaling application / adoption of best NRM, that supports productivity, resilience and sustainability of the DLVC, and its/their expected impact(s).
6. To identify the best implementation modality and implementers’ partnership for the program.
7. Timely delivery (according to Annex 1) of draft and final national reports, to LC and IBAR, in satisfactory quality and professionality following the agreed upon List of Content.

Methodology

The methodology of the consultation process will include Desk (literature, official census and database) reviews, individual interviews and group-discussions with stakeholders and strategic actors of the Natural Resource Management chain that supports the whole DLVC (feed and water producers, traders, processors, marketers, suppliers, and consumers, professional organizations and technical supporters, researchers and education staff, public sector, etc.) and analysis of quantitative data and qualitative observations in proper approaches to achieve the objectives of the study. It is expected that the group discussion meetings will be in the form of online-conferences, to cope with the current Covid-19 confinement restrictions and the individual interviews will be either in physical meetings considering social-distance measures or in online-meetings. Data will be collected according to the tools developed by the LC and agreed upon with IBAR and NCs.

The following are some detailed measures and parameters to be considered, in addition to other to be developed in brain storming sessions for each objective:

Assessment of the Base-Line Status of Natural Resources Management (NRM) in NA:

• Mapping of sustainable feed and water resources on national (and regional) levels vs. dairy Livestock populations in the 6 North Africa MSs (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia). All feed resources (locally produced and imported) will be considered (forages, concentrates, agro-industrial residues, crop-residues, natural additives/vitamins/immunity promoters, etc.). Gaps between availability and demand of resources for Dairy Livestock, as well as, potentiality of increasing productivity through promoting NRM will be reviewed. Reviews of different scenarios for increasing productivity and profitability of dairy livestock by improved NRM should be included as well. In addition, the equitable access to natural resources for different gender, social and economic groups will be assessed and integrated investment opportunities in NRM (e.g., (e.g. dairy livestock-aqua-agriculture integrated system) will be investigated.

To assess investment in animal feed and water, and their marketing chain(s):

• Assessment of current investment volume, vs. investments the livestock sub-sector, and the agricultural sector, on national level.
• Mapping of animal feed and water market chain components, actors, and regulations.
• Identify marketing tiers in need for development.
• Identify interventions needed for improving investment, marketing and partnership.

To assess existing Policy and regulatory frameworks associated with NRM:

• Inventory of available policies/regulatory frameworks on sustainable NRM.
• Identifying areas in-need of policy development/update for best sustainable NRM.

To assess stakeholder/actors organization and partnership in best NRM:

• Screening the functioning stakeholder organizations (e.g. Coops, forums, community development centers, etc.) that support the sustainable NRM, and identify their functions.
• Assess the established partnerships in the sustainable NRM.
• Discussing better stakeholder organization and partnership, to optimize NRM.

To assess the NRM chain resilience/vulnerability to the biotic/abiotic (re)emerging disasters in NA:

Assessment of NRM chain resilience/vulnerability to the (re)emerging disasters (including the impact of the current Covid-19 confinement restrictions and draught cycles) will include:

• The negative impacts on different segments of the NRM chain, i.e. production, conservation,
  manufacturing, trade, marketing, delivery, and consumption; and associated livelihoods and employment.
• Responses have been taken by the public sector and other stakeholders.
• Mitigation-related interventions should be directed to overcome negative impacts.
• Screening of disasters Early Warning systems/facilities associated with NRM (Surveillance system, meteorology-stations, climate-prediction system, etc.).
• Assessment of the dairy livestock stakeholder conception on Disaster Reduction and Management; and Risk Reduction tools, and their impact on NRM.
• Needed interventions for improving NRM resilience and mitigation to negative impacts of biotic (e.g. COVID-19 confinement restrictions) and abiotic (e.g. Draught) disasters, including climate-smart-NRM (e.g. cultivation of tolerant forages).
• Recommendation/road map for promoting arrangements for improving Disaster Risk Management (Pre- during- and post-disaster), e.g. early warning and management for alleviation of grazing pressure; partnership, insurance and credit systems, marketing; and mitigation of disaster impact.

Inventory of the NRM supporting programs implemented in NA and their impacts:

• Mapping of NRM supporting programs implemented since the year 2000, their objectives, program lifetime, interventions introduced, level of implementation, stakeholder partnerships, etc.
• Lis of the best NRM practices introduced and adopted by stakeholders with impacts on NRM.
• Status on sustainable adoption of best NRM (feed production, conservation and utilization; pastoral and agro-pastoral development and conservation; water harvest, conservation and utilization; etc.) after the program lifetime.
• Supported and/or adopted “Climate-Smart NRM” for mitigation of climate change.
• Policies and legislative frameworks supported by the program/initiative.
• Professional organizations supported the implementation of the program and their functions.
• Assessment of the programs impacts on dairy livestock feed security and improved productivity, and socio-economic impact(s) on stakeholders.
• Sustainable resource availability by the supporting programs (feed/water market development and accessibility; niche-market; untraditional NRM; conservation of biodiversity; etc.).
• Gaps left and needs for further supporting program, its objectives and main results to fill the gaps.
• Else (to be developed in brainstorming with LC and 6 NCs).

Road mapping for the best regional management of feed and water resource:

• Enhancement of feed and water security and support improved productivity of the DLVC in NA.
• Promoting inter-North-Africa integrated management of feed and water resources, and decreasing the need for importing concentrates and GM feed stuffs.
• Sustainable management of water resources for dairy livestock (e.g. improving distribution of water resources under grazing system; availability, access to and maintenance of water sources; management
  of water salinity for dairy production; etc.).
• Promoting sustainable management of feed resources for dairy livestock to promote availability of, and
  accessibility to high-quality feed (supplementary feeding; adopting mixed stocks approach; synchronizing mating and cropping; improving feeding regimes; controlling health issues associated with low-quality feed and water resources. e.g. Aflatoxins in concentrates, and nematodes in pasture;
  etc.).
• Supporting scenarios for balance between available feed resources and dairy livestock feed requirements, for maximizing profitability and sustainability.
• Assessment and control of feed adulteration, contamination (e.g. contamination with Aflatoxins, feed composition adulteration, etc.).
• Improvements of feed manufacturing and trade.
• Supporting feed production-marketing chain (segments of feed marketing, improved feed-crops storage and conservation facilities, etc.).
• Promoting sustainable management of land resources (e.g., grazing, intensification of land-use, reclamation of dry areas, rehabilitation of degraded areas, biodiversity conservation, feed-crops vs. forages production competition, agriculture rotation, etc.).

Identifying specific regional supporting program(s) to be implemented by Live2Africa in NA:

• According to the results of the previous analytical aspects, the consultation report will indicate the most appropriate regional pilot supporting program(s), through the introduction of research results, within the scope of current disasters, climate-change and climate-smart practices. Consultation report will also indicate the implementation modality, including implementers and their smart partnership, for the enhancement of sustainable impact(s). The report should clearly indicate the program’s recommended results and main activities that aim to filling identified gaps and supporting productivity, resilience and sustainability of dairy livestock value chain (DLVC).

Responsibilities and Expected Outcomes of the Consultants

From the Lead Consultant

1. Design and plan the consultation process, and identify source of information that best support obtaining the desired outcome.
2. Development of a comprehensive data collection tools (survey/forms/questionnaire/guidelines) for data harmonized data collection; and analysis approaches, according to parameters and measures agreed upon in the methodology and TOR.
3. To design the List of Content to be followed in the 6 National consultancies’ reports and to secure harmonization and facilitate the production of the regional report.
4. To follow-up the execution of the national consultancies, data analysis and report writing with the 6 national consultants.
5. Timely (according to Annex 1) production and delivery of the draft and final regional reports (in English), to IBAR, by compiling analyzed data and information of the 6 National consultancy reports, that satisfies the “List of Content” in a high quality and proficiency.

From each of the 6 National Consultancies

1. To contribute to the design of, and plan the consultation process, list of contents, and selection of the data collection tools and analysis approaches that best secure obtaining the desired outcomes, in coordination with the lead consultant (LC).
2. To carry-out desk reviews, interviews, and group discussions as per the agreed upon methodology and TOR, using the developed tools
3. To carry-out quantitative data/qualitative information analyses according to agreed-upon approaches.
4. Timely (according to Annex 1) production and delivery of the draft and final national consultation reports (in English), to the LC and IBAR, according to the List of Contents agreed upon.

Consultancy Mission and Deliverables

In regard of the above, AU-IBAR is seeking to engage the services of Seven (7) consultants:

1. Six (6) national consultants, NCs, (one per each of the 6 North Africa participating Member States: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia) to carry-out the 6 national consultation studies with regard to methodology, deliverables and responsibility in the current TOR.
2. One (1) Leading Consultant, LC, who will be responsible for the tasks as explained in the methodology, deliverables and responsibility in the current TOR.

Deliverables

From the Lead consultants (timely according to Annex: 1):

• Tools, forms and questionnaires to be utilized for harmonized data collection process.
• Quantitative / qualitative data analysis approaches.
• List of target groups for interviews/group discussion and key stakeholders/actors.
• List of content and report outline.
• Timely delivery of the draft and final regional reports.

From the 6 National consultants (timely according to Annex: 1):

• Contributing to the development of data collection tools and analysis approaches.
• Contributing to the preparation of lists of target-groups and stakeholders/actors (source of information).
• Data and information collected and list of sources utilized.
• Timely delivery of the draft and final national reports.

Scope of Work

The methodology of the consultations will include literature reviews, data-base and consensus reviews, individual interviews, and group-discussions. Interviews and group-discussion sessions will use the participatory process that allows the ideas of individuals/groups to be tested, argued, amplified and refined through constructive discussions. The consultants will perform the consultation services with the highest standards of professional and ethical competence and integrity. The consultants are strongly encouraged to develop highly interactive and practical outputs for this consultancies.

Competences and Experience

The consultant should have;

1. Advanced university degree in dairy livestock nutrition/feeding, pasture management, natural resource management or in relevant field of expertise.
2. At least five years’ experience in dairy livestock nutrition/feeding, pasture management, natural resource management or relevant field of expertise.
3. Proficiency in applicability of natural resource (feed and water) management and improvement of strategies in African.
4. Experience in the developing and facilitating stakeholders’ consultations.
5. Experience in executing and developing national/regional consultation studies.
6. Excellent soft and interpersonal skills and ability to work with people of different cultures and professional backgrounds.
7. Fluency in English (the report will be produced in English).

Remuneration

• For the 6 National Consultancies: The actual duration of the consultation mission is 20 days of technical consultancy, within the total period of 42 days, as indicated in Annex 1 (Remuneration Table), below. Task distribution time is: 1 day discussions with IBAR and LC on data structure and source, report outline, target groups for interviews, etc. (zoom meeting) + 5 days Disk Review + 5 days interviews and discussion groups + 5 days reporting and submission of the draft to the LC and IBAR + 4 days for Editing the draft National Reports according to the LC, UMA and IBAR comments, and submission of the final report.
• For the Lead Consultant: The actual duration of the consultation mission is 24 days of technical consultancy, within the total period of 42 days, as indicated in Annex 1 (Remuneration Table). Task distribution time is: 1 day discussions with IBAR, and NCs on tools, data structure and source, report outline target groups for interviews, etc. (zoom meeting), and IBAR consultation with UMA + 3 days development of tools, data analysis framework and report outline, etc. and delivery to AU-IBAR + 1 day discussion with IBAR on developed tools, data structure and source, report outline, target groups for interviews, etc. (zoom meeting) + 1 day editing of developed tools, etc. based on comments + 3 days Follow-up execution of national consultancies + 6 days for revision of national draft reports and provision of feedback to NCs + 6 days for the preparation of draft regional report and submission to IBAR, and IBAR share with UMA + 3 days for editing the draft regional report and production of the final regional report according to comments, and submit to IBAR.

Duration

The assignment will be undertaken in a total period of 42 days; with actual consultation work of 20 days for each of the 6 National Consultants, and 24 days for the Lead Consultant (as indicated in Annex 1: Remuneration Table). The consultancy period will commence on Monday 29^th June 2020, and will end by Sunday 9^th August 2020.

Supervision

The consultant will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the Animal Production, Natural Resource Management and Resilience expert.

Timeline and Budget

Interested consultants are required to provide “Technical and Financial” Proposals. The deadline for submission of proposals is by Tuesday 23^rd June 2020 at 15:00 Hrs Nairobi, Local Time.https://www.au-ibar.org/consultancies/82-en/opportunities/consultancies/1504-six-national-and-one-lead-consultancies-on-assessment-of-natural-resource-management-for-enhancing-productivity-and-feed-security-of-dairy-livestock-in-north-africa-algeria-egypt-libya-mauritania-morocco-and-tunisia

How to apply:

Submission of Proposals

The email address for submission of the proposals is procurement@au-ibar.org with a copy to khalid.seid@au-ibar.org or by post addressed to the following address with mention “Assessment of Natural Resource Management for Enhancing Productivity and Feed Security of Dairy Livestock Value Chain in North Africa” indicating the application to either the Lead Consultancy (LC) or the National Consultancy (NC) missions and the Member state to be studied in the national consultation.

The Procurement Officer
African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources
Kenindia Business Park, Museum Hill, Westlands Road
P.O. Box 30786 00100, Nairobi, Kenya

Yours faithfully,
Prof. Ahmed El-Sawalhy
Director AU-IBAR