CONSULTANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

ASSESEMENT OF KEY CLIMATE-SMART LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION PRACTICES TO BE PROMOTED IN THE PROGRAM AND DEVELOPMENT TRAINING MODULE

Project: Pathways to Resilience – P2R

Locations: Kapoeta North, Budi, Akobo and Duk Counties, South Sudan

USAID BHA funded – Emergency Food Security Program in South Sudan: award # 720BHA21CA00002

1.0 THE ORGANIZATION

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Germany (VSF Germany) is an International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) providing humanitarian aid and development assistance to pastoralists and vulnerable communities in areas where livestock is of importance. VSF Germany supports livestock and agricultural production systems, marketing, food safety, drought responses and mitigation, capacity development of communities and governmental institutions, peace and conflict resolution. The desired impact of VSF Germany interventions is to increase agricultural and livestock productivity as well as related incomes; and subsequent improvements of food security and livelihoods for millions of people in the countries of operation in the Greater Horn of Africa. Countries programs are designed to deliver integrated programing solutions that address the key challenges and needs that enable our beneficiary groups, particularly men, women, the youth and other disadvantaged and marginalized groups to access skills, opportunities and resources that contribute to the improvement of their productive lives and development of communities. VSF Germany currently implements activities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.

2.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Pathways to Resilience (P2R) is a three-year (December 1, 2020- November 30, 2023) USAID/BHA funded project implemented by a consortium of Catholic Relief Serves (CRS) as a prime and VSF Germany as a sub-grantee. The goal of the project is to improve food and nutrition security through improved livelihood, productivity, and social cohesion. The project targets 135,468 households in the four counties: Duk and Akobo in Jonglei State, and Budi and Kapoeta North in Eastern Equatoria State. Torit, the capital of Eastern Equatoria State, is the coordination hub for the project.

South Sudan has experienced decades of conflict, at the national level between the government and the opposition, as well as regional anti-government insurgencies, inter-communal conflict over resources, and rivalries amongst ethnic groups. This conflict, paired with recurring climatic shocks, has triggered population displacement; disrupted agricultural production and adaptive capacity; eroded trade, markets and basic services; exacerbating food and nutrition insecurity and increased household dependency on humanitarian aid. Recurring climatic events including drought, floods, livestock diseases, and crop pests have also negatively affected production. The worst seasonal flooding in a generation affected nearly a million people in Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei and Upper Nile in recent months. Floods began in June when crops were at peak growth, forcing farmers to abandon their fields, resulting in crop and livestock losses of up to 23%. This is predicted to have devastating effects on food insecurity, triggering an early lean season in 2020 and increasing the number of people in IPC 4. According to the most recent Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System Report, rates of global acute malnutrition are above the emergency threshold at 16.2%.

“Pathways to Resilience Project (P2R)” aims to ensure that there is improved and sustained food and Nutrition security amongst the targeted rural communities for the two States, South Sudan. This will be achieved through ensuring that food and nutrition insecure communities have improved resilience to conflict and climate stressors / shocks as well as having better livelihood sources

The choice of project locations is based on factors including food and nutrition insecurity, vulnerability to climate shocks (including flood-affected areas), ethnic and political diversity, scale of returnees, and Partnership for Recovery and Resilience (PfRR) areas.

Project overall objective

Communities have improved and sustained food and nutrition security.**

Specific objectives:

1. Food and nutrition insecure communities have improved resilience to climate and conflict shocks and stressors

2. Food and nutrition insecure communities have improved livelihoods

VSF-Germany is implementing specific objective 2 which has the following relevant intermediate results: Food and nutrition insecure HH have increased food production. The expected outputs from this IR are:

Output i) Producers trained on improved production techniques that are climate-adaptive

Output ii) Seeds and small ruminants distributed to local producers**

The project outcome will strengthen the adaptive capacities of vulnerable livestock producers, especially women and youth to climate change induced impacts on their agro-ecosystems and livelihoods. It will strengthen the capacities of vulnerable pastoralists and agro-pastoralists through Farmer Field Schools and peer-to-peer support to scale up climate-resilient production, with access to resilient inputs, markets, and actionable climate information.

3.0 ASSIGNMENT

Against this background, the project seeks the expertise of a qualified Climate Smart Livestock Production Systems expert/firm. The expert with experience and/or knowledge of climate adaptation options in efficient natural resources management for both pastoral and agro-pastoral producers will guide the project team in championing interventions that will increase productivity and enhance climate change resilience. The expert will conduct a study of the project locations on the adaptive capacity of the pastoral and agro-pastoral producers in light of the evolving climate risks and recommend among others:

i. Relevant market strategies for adopting climate adaptation inputs and practices, including diversification, improved dryland production practices, and climate-resilient herbage and livestock breeds

ii. Relevant partnerships between public and private sector support to climate-resilient smallholder production, value chain co-ordination and market access. Such collaboration will include Pastoral Field Schools (technical assistance for agencies and producers), production contracts (producers, suppliers, buyers, micro-credit providers), and participatory innovative development of climate smart production practices through pastoral and agro-pastoral producers, agencies and research institutions.

The expert, through the study will therefore guide climate smart practices including capacity building of farmers and relevant institutions, development of value chains and promotion of climate smart innovations.

Objective of the assignment

The main objective of this assignment is to provide technical climate smart pastoral and agro-pastoral expert recommendations in the management of climate resilient practices on field-based technology investments.

Scope of work

i. Document all good climate smart practices identified amongst the communities in the project locations for upscaling

ii. Develop value chain based climate smart packages including pastoral field school training/extension module with minimum standard requirements for climate smart production practices for capacity building of the pastoral and agro-pastoral producers.

iii. Develop pastoral and agro-pastoral-specific production and market strategies for use by all relevant value chain actors for climate resilient pastoral and agro-pastoral production and market access

Proposed Methodology

VSF-Germany proposes that the Consultant(s) apply a number of methodologies in data collection. The methods of data collection that will be used in combination include qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Use of participatory skills and approaches and field data collection with pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in targeted areas shall be employed in this assignment.

a. Desk review of relevant project documents e.g. the project proposal, consolidated logical framework and relevant reports.

b. Household questionnaires administered to given to a sample of households in the project implementation locations for quantitative data.

c. Focus group discussions with key stakeholders, pastoralists, agro-pastoralists and key actors in the four counties.

d. Key Informant Interviews with relevant experts in targeted development interventions; County Government authorities and heads of departments from the collaborating actors

e. Beneficiary feedback sessions for validation of the findings

f. Dissemination of findings through workshop/webinar

5.0 TIME FRAME

The consultancy shall be conducted for 30 days (weekends inclusive) and will take place in the P2R project areas of Budi, Kapoeta North, Akobo and Duk Counties. However, the consultant will also meet some of the key stakeholders of the action in Nairobi/Juba.

Expected deliverables

a. Inception report covering the approach, methodology and clear work schedule

b. Collect baseline information on existing climate smart practices and gaps amongst the communities in the project locations

c. Develop value chain-based climate smart packages for deployment and demonstrations cognizance of minimum standards, practices and techniques

d. Local resource maps including markets and market linkages

e. Peer review and develop climate smart pastoral field school training module

f. Identify and develop pastoral and agro-pastoral climate smart innovation platform strategies for the project

g. Identify and document existing formalized climate resilient crop and livestock public-private partnerships in line with the identified value chains in the project locations

h. Final report in the prescribed format

6.0 PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND OTHER CONDITIONS

· The consultant must send a lump sum financial offer based on daily fee.

· The consultant shall quote an all-inclusive daily fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the consultant in completing the assignment should be factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal.

· Travel costs and daily food allowance costs should be identified separately.

· Payments will be made based on the agreed fixed contract price and released upon submission of a certificate of payment request, indicating deliverables achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor.

· The Consultant shall receive his/her lump sum service fees upon certification of the completed tasks satisfactorily, as per the following payment schedule:

i. 20% upon signature and submission and approval of inception report with a detailed methodology and action plan.

ii. 80% payment upon completion of assignment

7.0 INSTITUTIONAL ARRAGEMENTS FOR MANAGEMENT OF THIS CONSULTANCY

The principal responsibility for managing this assignment lies with the Pathways to Resilience Program Manager, VSF-Germany, South Sudan. VSF Germany will provide relevant facilitation to support the consultant’s work including engagement with stakeholders, arrange for meetings, field visits and coordinate with stakeholders and Government officials. In addition, VSF Germany will provide transport, both land and air, accommodation and food allowance at organization rates and commensurate to the number of days spent in the field.

8.0 IMPACT OF THE RESULTS

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide a specialized technical roadmap to the P2R project, in institutionalizing and where relevant upscaling climate smart pastoral and agro-pastoral practices. Expected impacts are increase in productivity and enhanced climate change resilience on pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods.

9.0 REQUIREMENTS & EXPERIENCE

Education:

An Advanced /Master’s degree in Livestock/Animal Production, Agriculture, Climate Change, Environmental Sciences or other closely related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of implementing climate smart agriculture practices for both pastoral and agro-pastoral communities
• Experience with climate change adaptation in the livestock sector
• Experience working with government institutions and local communities
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral, demonstrated in ability to write comprehensive reports with in-depth analysis
• Experience in the use of participatory skills and approaches among the pastoral and agro-pastoral communities
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender and Climate Change Adaptation
• Experience in working with multi-disciplinary teams
• Good understanding of national and state government priorities, policies and planning process in climate change in South Sudan;
• Working experience in South Sudan amongst pastoral and agro-pastoral communities is desirable