1. Background
Catholic Relief Services (CRS/Ethiopia) seeks to hire a consulting firm to carry out a joint value chain/ market system assessment for - USAID’s Feed the Future (FtF) funded, Ethiopia Livelihoods Resilience - Oromia (LRO) program, which is operational in 9 woredas of Oromia Regional State (Zeway Dugda, Shala, Heben Arsi, Arsi Negele, Sire, Siraro, Dodota, Boset and Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha [ATJK).
The value chain/market systems/ assessment is expected to provide critical input and practical recommendations in which the project can integrate in its food security and livelihood resilience interventions.
2. Objectives of the Consultancy
CRS Ethiopia seeks a consultant to carry out livestock value chain/market systems/assessment for Feed the Future Ethiopia Livelihoods for Resilience – Oromia(LRO) project in Oromia which is operational in 9 woredas of Oromia Regional State (Zeway Dugda, Shala, Heben Arsi, Arsi Negele, Sire, Siraro, Dodota, Boset and Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha [ATJK). The value chain/market systems/ assessment report, is expected to provide critical inputs and practical recommendations in which the project can integrate in its food security and livelihood resilience interventions.
Specific objectives:
i. Update the GRAD project Livestock value chain value chain study for ATJK, Shalla, Zeway Dugda, Heben Arsi and Arsi Negele woredas.
ii. Identify potential livestock value chains suitable for project beneficiaries (especially women and youth).
iii. Map out the flow of demand and supply of value chain products, which should include live animals, meat, milk products, hides, skins and any other products.
iv. Assess the availability and effectiveness of inputs and support services such as appropriate feeds, animal health extension services, finance, transport etc.
v. Collect and analyze relevant primary and secondary data on identified livestock value chains that will include opportunities and challenges, quantities, revenues, prices, as well as key market actors, stakeholders and support institutions.
vi. Provide a detailed analysis of market opportunities for various livestock products in the national and regional markets, including linkages with local and external markets, main competitors, barriers to competitiveness, quality management and marketing associations etc.
vii. Identify and analyze value addition opportunities in the selected value chains as well as constraints/bottle necks and potential opportunities to engage youth and women project clients.
viii. Identify capacity gaps limiting the competitiveness of market actors, service providers and support services.
ix. Analyze the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental issues at national and Oromia regional level that can positively or negatively impact livestock value chain development and growth of the sector.
x. Recommend developing/upgrading strategies for the selected livestock value chains, outlining future strategic intervention areas in a way to help the project engage more women and youth.
3. Methodology
The consultant will apply appropriate sampling procedure to identify respondents for collecting data and information. (S) he will employ both qualitative and quantitative, data collection and analysis methods to conduct the market systems/value chain/ assessment. Guidance note on Methodology is given in the TOR.
4. Deliverables/Expected Outputs
· Inception report with detailed methodology.
· Sharing interim report to CRS LRO project teams
· Present the value chain/market system analysis finings to validation workshop participants.
· Incorporate relevant comments and recommendations from validation workshop participants.
· Beneficiary selection criteria for use to target HHs for selected value chains development/upgrading program.
· Final report with priority value chains, model business plans and value chain upgrading/developing strategies tailored to the needs of women, men and youth project clients.
· Model business plan for priority value chains
· Five-page factsheet of the livestock value chain report
· A separate livestock value chain analysis report for Siraro woreda
5. Personnel Requirements and Qualifications
5.2 Lead firm: The selected lead firm should at least have eight years’ experience of conducting an in-depth livelihoods and value chain/market system assessments in developing world and preferably in rural Ethiopia, and with skills to identify priority livestock value chains.
5.2 Lead consultant: The lead consultant should have expert knowledge and at least eight years’ experience of conducting livelihoods and value chain/market system assessments. S/he should also have at least a Master’s degree in agriculture, economics, marketing, business or any other relevant professional areas. S/he should also have the experience to work with tools and approaches for conducting value chain/market system analysis and skills to manage a team of researchers in carrying out the assessments. The lead consultant should have interpersonal skills to conduct interviews with value chain actors, including government and the private sector. S/he should have very good report writing and presentation skills.
Additional qualifications;
- Fluency in English and Oromiffa (Writing and speaking)
- Demonstrated experiences in both quantitative and qualitative data analysis
- Ability to produce high quality work under tight timeframes
- Ability to work jointly with project team and integrate feedback as required
5.3 Team members: The lead consultant will manage a team of four researchers who should at least have Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years’ work experience, preferably in conducting livelihoods and value chain/market analyses. Team members will comprise professional backgrounds and experience in agriculture, business including small-to-medium enterprises, livelihoods, and social science that might include economics, gender studies, sociology, psychology and any other closely related field of studies.
6. Key working relationships
Internal: The consultant will be managed by the Market Systems, value chain and livelihoods manager. In addition, the consultant will work closely with the CRS LRO technical teams, and the LRO chief of party
External: The consultant will facilitate a validation workshop for CRS, partners and stakeholders for orientation and learning on CRS value chain toolkit, and for livestock value chains and markets development.
7. Place of performance
8. Period of performance
The total period of performance will be 40 days.
Timeline for Contract: CRS wishes to enter into agreement with the consultant on March 20, 2018. Start date will be dependent on consultancy proposal on how to submit the deliverables as per the above-mentioned delivery date.
9. Deadline for the application
· March 13,2018.