Developing and Sustaining Integrated Livestock Early Warning (ILEW) and Enhancing Early Action Systems in IGAD Region

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 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.

As part of providing leadership and coordination in the sustainable development of the continent’s Animal Resources, the African Union InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is 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: Animal Production, Productivity and Ecosystem Management; Resilience Building; Investment in Value Chains, Animal Health; Technology adoption in the Value Chains to inputs, services and markets; and strengthening institutional capacities. Among the project’s key focus areas is to strength resilience of the livestock production system in Africa through the improvement of livestock early warning systems (LEWS) and the disaster risk management (DRM) by different stakeholders and potential partnerships.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda) have the highest ruminant livestock concentrations in Africa and in the world; estimated over 336 million heads. IGAD percent share in the African livestock is about 44.5% of the cattle, 38.6% of small ruminants (sheep and goats) and 71.4% of the camel populations. Livestock potential is however constrained by various factors including animal diseases such as FMD, CBPP, LSD, Brucellosis, PPR, CCPP, Sheep & Goat Pox, and Camel Pox among others. Moreover, increased frequency of drought in the region because of climate change has made the situation worse, subjecting pastoral communities to frequent migration in search of water and pasture for their livestock. This has contributed to increased spread of Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs), loss of animals, conflict over rangeland resources, livestock theft and rustling, among others.

Global climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events, such as torrential rains, increased frequency of droughts, seriously threatening livestock production systems especially in arid and semi-arid lands of IGAD member states that constitute 60-70% of the landmass. The increase of temperatures has been generating favourable conditions for the proliferation and outbreak of pests and animal diseases such as Rift Valley Fever (RVF) alongside others that make livestock productive systems even more vulnerable. In addition, there has been an invasion of desert locusts in all the eight IGAD member countries since late 2019.

Early warning systems allow to estimate the probability of occurrence of risky climatic events, generating information that supports governmental and private sector decision making in order to activate contingency plans to reduce the negative impacts of these events on livestock production, productive systems, infrastructure and machinery. Besides, it is relevant to take into account indirect losses related to market access, employment, and secondary industry in cases of value addition among others. Furthermore, early warning systems allow to increase the efficacy of mitigation measures and to reduce their implementation costs.

Having an adequate coordination and system for the assessment of risk and vulnerability can reduce the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of extreme events through measures to prevent or mitigate their effects. Early warning information on vulnerability and risks allows for making appropriate decisions on disease management, fodder production, conservation and bulking considering the right selection of fodder seeds and varieties; planting and harvesting times; seed broadcasting in rangelands, among others. Integrated Livestock Early Warning Systems (ILEWS) and contingency plans are essential to ensure the sustainability of livestock production systems, safeguarding the food production capacity and welfare of those working in the field and other related activities.

There is a need to assess the existing situation in terms of early warning and early action in IGAD member states with regard to major elements that require actions in an integrated manner. These are: animal diseases; food security and nutrition; climate changes, feed security and natural resources (water and pasture) management; conflict control particularly those associated with cross-border range resources management. If the early warning for the above parameters are properly coordinated, packaged and in-time shared, it can minimize the negative impacts on the pastoral and agro pastoral communities migrating in the region and beyond.

In this regard, AU-IBAR is seeking to engage the services of Seven (7) National Consultants (one from each of the following IGAD MSs: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda; and One Lead Consultant for conducting the consultative study for ”Developing and Sustaining Integrated Livestock Early Warning (ILEW) and Enhancing Early Action Systems in IGAD Region”.

Aim of the Consultancy

To contribute towards efforts in ‘Developing and Sustaining Integrated Livestock Early Warning (ILEW) and Enhancing Early Action Systems in IGAD Region”.

Objectives of the Consultancy

• To review and assess the status of the existing early warning systems, relevant to livestock, their components, parameters and stakeholders on the national and regional levels in IGAD region.
• To discuss and build consensus on how practically to integrate and coordinate (package) the various key parameters into an Integrated Livestock Early Warning and Early Action System (ILEW-EA) to benefit the users.
• To agree on the way forward on how to develop consistent monitoring and alert system, and advocate for timely early warning.
• To make efforts towards the development of a toolkit as an information resource for sector practitioners, policy and decision-makers’ which can be used for developing and / or strengthening LEWS and guiding decision makers on the implementation of ILEWS within the IGAD context.

Proposed Activities

1. To conduct the consultative study to review and assess the following:

   • Status of the existing early warning systems, their components, parameters and stakeholders; and feedback from users.
   • Effects of timely Early Actions on Livestock production, marketing and income and delayed response actions on the same factors.

2. To document good experiences and challenges for early warning and early actions; propositions on how best to coordinate, package and implement an Integrated Livestock Early Warning and Enhanced Early Action (timely response) system.

3. To organize the IGAD technical ILEW forum meeting to validate the study outcome and to discuss, verify and enrich the recommendations on how to integrate and coordinate (package) the various key parameters for livestock early warning system. The developed package will include planning the way forward and agree on coordination of relevant organizations and modalities; information collection and delivery mechanisms. Proposed participants include AU-IBAR technical staff, senior staff from 7 IGAD member states handling livestock production, food security and nutrition and early warning, as well as experts from Texas A&M University, FAO, ICPAC, CEWARN and ICPALD.

4. To support in the initial curation of LEWS Guidance and Advocacy-based content that will support the development of lessons learned from the consultation studies and the outcomes from the technical forum meeting for developing the Integrated Livestock Early Warning System and enhancing early actions and how to develop consistent monitoring and alert system; and to advocate for timely early actions.

5. To develop advocacy materials regional fact sheets, that demonstrate the benefits of early actions using ILEW and using a specific cases )

The methodology of the national consultative studies will include Desk (literature, official census and database) reviews, individual interviews and group-discussions with stakeholders and strategic actors of the early warning and early action; and analysis of quantitative data and qualitative observations in proper approaches to achieve the objectives of the studies. 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.

Required Consultants

Lot 1: Seven (7) National Consultants

Seven (7) National Consultants (one from each of the following IGAD MSs: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda) to:

1. Conduct a national assessment of the current status of early warning and timely actions for all risks/vulnerability measures on (but not limited to):

   • Climate associated risks: draught, floods, etc. and their effects on herders migration, pests outbreaks, spreading of animal disease, community conflicts, theft and rustling, degradation of ecosystem, socio-economic impacts on the cross-border communities, etc.;
   • Lessons for sustainable domesticated Early Warning System and timely action;
   • To identify gaps and draw the road map for supporting the development and sustaining the Integrated Livestock Early Warning (ILEW), and enhancing early action.

2. Participate in the IGAD Technical Forum Meeting to present the findings of the national assessments.

Deliverables of Each Consultant

1. National Reports, written in the agreed template with lead consultant and AU-IBAR
2. Finalized Report, branded and ready for dissemination by 18/11/2020.

Qualifications and Competencies

1. Advanced university degree in early warning, disaster risk management, rangeland management, pasture management, or in any relevant field of expertise.
2. At least five years’ experience in early warning, disaster risk management, rangeland management, pasture management, or in any relevant field of expertise.
3. Proven record of contribution to the development/implementation/assessment of Early Warning systems, policies /strategic frameworks in IGAD region/East Africa..
4. Proven record of experience in the developing and facilitating stakeholder consultations.
5. Proven record of experience in executing and developing national/regional consultation studies.
6. Record of 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).

Lot 2: One Lead Consultant

One (1) Lead Consultant to facilitate activities towards the development of and Sustaining Integrated Livestock Early Warning (ILEW) and Enhancing Early Action Systems in IGAD.

The activities will include to:

1. Develop an Inception Report on the execution plan of the consultative studies that cover:

   • An outline of the Content to be included in the preparation of the 7 National consultancies reports to secure harmonization and compatibility in the preparation of the national reports;
   • To design needed data collection tools (questionnaires/forms/guidelines) and analytical approaches to be utilized in the process of data collection and analysis and facilitate comparative analysis; and
   • To build consensus with AU-IBAR/IGAD-ICPALD on data and its sources (stakeholders, review studies, etc.).

2. Lead the national consultative studies in coordination with the national consultants.

3. Synthesis and timely deliver the regional report from the developed national reports.

4. Develop the TOR for the IGAD technical forum, to facilitate the forum and to develop its final report.

5. Compile the experiences and lessons learned from the consultative study and the technical forum workshop for follow up actions.

6. Develop the advocacy materials for dissemination

7. Provide support in the initial curation of content for the LIEWS (online) platform.

This will be by way of compiling guidance notes and communications advocacy material that will form part of a LIEWS online Toolkit. The content will comprise LEW risk information; Hazard Monitoring and Capacity; Dissemination and Communication Alerts; Response Capacity; and Case Studies from around the IGAD region and other regions.

Deliverables

By bringing together various resources from across the region, the lead consultant will contribute towards the eventual integration of a regional early warning system. The initial content will be compiled from the studies in order to produce the following deliverables:

1. Regional report arising from the national studies
2. Country Fact Sheets arising from national studies
3. Technical Report (from technical forum meeting)
4. Success Stories of practices from the field relating to LEWS practices;
5. Guiding principles that will build a strong foundation for strengthening of an Integrated LEWS.

Supervision

The consultants will be under the overall mandate of the Director, AU-IBAR, but will be supervised by the Animal Production, NRM and Resilience Expert. The consultants will also engage with AU-IBAR programme staff and stakeholders in the various IGAD countries.

Remuneration and Duration of the Assignments

Activities under each lot should be conducted as follows:
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• Lot 1: National Consultants for a period of 15 working days spread over 45 days.
  **
• Lot 2: Lead Consultant for a period of 25 working days spread over 75 days.

The consultancy period for the 4 National Consultants will commence on Monday 7^th October 2020, and will end by Wednesday 20^th November 2020.

The consultancy period for the Lead Consultant will commence on Monday 7^th October 2020, and will end by the Friday 20^th December 2020.

All the proposed activities listed in this TOR should be completed by Sunday 21^st December 2020.

The consultants are expected to provide a roadmap and time-plan in their proposal. The assignment will start immediately after signature of the contract by both parties.

Language Requirements

Native or bilingual level proficiency (verbal and written) in English is essential. Knowledge of a second language (French, Arabic or Portuguese) is desirable.

Instructions for Application

Applicants are required to include both a technical and financial proposal for the lot they will apply to, along with a recent CV, following the standard template published.

A technical proposal indicating the approach to the assignment, including the proposed methodology and work plan, objectives, activities to be carried out, expected outputs, outline of the content and a clear timeframe to carry out the assignment.

A financial proposal for the consultancy should be all inclusive (consultancy fees, and any other cost).

This consultancy assignment does not carry any expectation of employment, extension or conversion to another type of contract with AU-IBAR. The various copywriting services will be commissioned on a per job basis/ knowledge product basis.

Payment

Payment will be upon delivery of satisfactory report and other deliverables indicated in the TOR.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications from qualified individuals or consortium of consultants will be desk reviewed by the selection panel. Only the best three technical applications will go through the financial assessment process.

Technical Scoring

The evaluation of the Technical Proposal will weigh 70% of the total rating and will be evaluated against the minimum recruitment qualifications and competencies.

Financial Evaluation

The evaluation of the financial proposal will weigh 30% of the total rating. The financial proposal will be evaluated on the basis of total cost, cost realism and used in combination with the assessment of the technical quality to determine the best value for money.

How to apply:

Submission of Proposals

Individuals, consortium and firms may apply for one or more Lots, but will be required to prepare separate bids for each Lot.
The entire proposal, including all supporting documentation should not be no longer than 8 A4 pages in length, and should be emailed as a single document to: procurement@au-ibar.org, with a copy to Khalid.seid@au-ibar.org, by no later than 5.00pm East African Time on 6^th October, 2020, with reference to the short consultation: ”Developing and Sustaining Integrated Livestock Early Warning (ILEW) and Enhancing Early Action Systems in IGAD Region” indicating the Lot being applied for (national or Lead consultancies), and identifying the IGAD MSs (for the National Consultants) he/she applies for, or by post addressed to the following address:

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

Specific questions not answered either in this call may be emailed to: procurement@au-ibar.org

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