Consultant - Market Mapping at UNDP

Job ID: 87907
Location: Benue
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: National Consultant
Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)  21st October, 2019
Duration of Initial Contract: One Month
Expected Duration of Assignment: One Month

Background
The herdsmen-farmers clashes have been ongoing on for a long time, but it has now taken a more frightening dimension. The conflict between the herders and farmers in Nigeria has been identified as the single most widely spread peace and security threat by a recent Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA) report carried out by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR). Nigeria has continued to register huge casualties and tension throughout almost all states of the Federation on a recurrent basis. Most cases are reported in the Middle Belt (particularly the states of Benue, Plateau, Kaduna and Nasarawa) between herdsmen and local farmers.

The clashes over farmland and or pasture, have increasingly taken religious undertones (Muslims versus Christians), with religious leaders publicly exchanging accusations, a development which has further polarized communities and complicated efforts at mitigating the violence. Thousands of lives have been lost, property destroyed, and communities left in disarray and tens of thousands are internally displaced all over many parts of the Middle Belt and other parts of Nigeria. Some estimates indicate that the communal violence between farmers and herders claimed more lives in 2016 alone than the Boko Haram insurgency, hinting at the magnitude of the crisis nationwide. 

In recognition of a growing need to provide a holistic response to the crisis, the Federal Government developed and launched the National Livestock Transformation Plan in January 2019. The framework provides a holistic approach to addressing this crisis, while aiming to lay the foundations for longer term security, peace and transformation of the livestock sector.

The United Nations has also scaled up its efforts to respond to the crisis, notably through this project that target the states of Benue and Nasarawa states. The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) project will contribute to ending the Herdsmen-Farmers Conflict in Benue and Nasarawa States in Nigeria. This will be through the “Transitioning from humanitarian relief to long-term development: Addressing the herdsmen-farmers conflict in Nigeria Project” which was designed to address the farmer-herder conflict through enhancing preventive capacities, by promoting dialogue and proactive engagement; building mutually beneficial economic relationships between farmers and herders; improving the effectiveness of the security response through strengthened human rights monitoring and accountability; and providing an impartial and evidence-based narrative to defuse the politicized debate and help mobilize a broader response. The overall goal of the project is to contribute to peaceful coexistence in the Middle Belt, with a focus on Benue and Nasarawa states. The project is funded by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security. It is implemented by four UN Agencies-UNDP (lead), FAO and UNHCR, drawing from their experiences and building on their work

The implementation of this pilot project will specifically achieve the following objectives:

• To reduce the vulnerability of affected persons through community-based protection by enhancing ability of affected communities to identify and mitigate risks and threats while ensuring that there is no interruption in livelihoods and productive activities.
• Livelihood and empowerment of community members in intensive production of pasture, management of fodder bank and provide training on pasture management for community members, particularly youth and women. The animal husbandry, nutrition value addition and linkages to markets will also empower the cattle breeders.
• Conflict prevention and peace building by establishing a state peace architecture; local peace committees in conflict affected LGAs to foster dialogue and non-violent resolution of disputes.
• National and regional mobilization on the promotion of Human Security at national and sub-regional levels

Duties and Responsibilities

• As part of a bigger team working towards the attainment of the objectives stated above, the consultant shall work towards implementing and attaining objective 2
• The consultant on market linkage for fodder, milk will work directly with the Agricultural, Livestock, Pasture Development, and Dairy Specialist in developing the market for the fodder, pasture as well as, the milk and other products.

The responsibilities of the market linkage consultant are as follows:

• Review of relevant documents and field visits to gather as much as possible information enabling adequate analysis on fodder production, pasture development, feed stock
• Discuss with relevant institutions including farers, herders, input service providers linked to livestock and dairy sector
• Discuss with livestock stakeholders to understand the livestock sector in the state and fodder production and pasture management; and milk production and collection
• Assess the socioeconomic impact of fodder production, pasture development and feed stock
• Conducting a national mapping of major off takers of fodder, silage, feed stock and hay, as well as, other dairy products.
• Create a full list of possible markets for fodder, silage and other products.
• Develop an appropriate marketing strategy for fodder, pasture, silage and other products.
• Undertake other duties as may be necessary towards attaining objective two and other inter-related project objectives.

Competencies:

• Technical knowledge and expertise in mapping of structures
• Excellent knowledge of market linkages for fodder, milk and other products and their structures within and outside Nigeria
• Excellent data management and analysis skills
• Excellent networking skills
• Excellent interviewing techniques
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Full compliance with UN regulations and operating procedures

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• University Degree in Animal Husbandry, Animal Feeding, Agriculture And Rural Development, Veterinary Medicine, Economics, Development Planning, Supply Chain Management or other related fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 - 10 years professional expertise in agricultural and value chain research, mapping and evaluation, impact assessment/development of programming/strategies;
• Professional certification or membership of agro-allied, supply chain management or related professional associations or societies.
• Extensive experience in conducting researches and mapping, with a strong working knowledge of market economics, value chain, development and state building, and governance issues.
• Extensive knowledge of participatory mapping methodologies and approaches.
• Experience in working with conflict sensitivity methodologies such as Do No Harm in undertaking project activities.
• Excellent knowledge and operation skills of Microsoft Power Point, Excel, Word or other word processing packages.
• Demonstrated analytical, communication and professional report writing skills.
• Good professional knowledge of the Africa region and the Nigerian fodder and dairy governance context.
• Experience working with the UN is an asset.

Language:

• Fluent in English.