Consultants at the African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)

Project Oveview
The project "Strengthening the Capacity of African Countries to Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of African Animal Genetic Resources" aims at strengthening the capacity of African countries and Regional Economic Communities to sustainably use and conserve animal genetic resources (AnGR) through institutionalizing national and regional policy, legal and technical instruments and implementing actions that will result in judicious exploitation of AnGR in Africa. This is achieved through:

• Establishing the status and trends of animal genetic resources in Africa.
• Developing policy frameworks for the sustainable utilization and conservation of AnGR.
• Establishing national and regional utilization, conservation and improvement strategies and initiatives.
• Increasing knowledge, attitude and practice on the use and contribution of livestock to economic growth, food security and poverty reduction.

Context of the Consultancy
The multitude of local breeds results from the indigenous knowledge of many local communities which manage their animals according to local ecological conditions, production requirements and their own cultural preferences. Such communities are the natural candidates for managing these animals. Supporting these communities can contribute to their empowerment and their livelihoods. Although well intended, national breeding programs in Africa, with centralized schemes failed to sustainably provide the desired genetic improvements (continuous provision of a sufficient number and quality of improved males to smallholders) and also failed to engage the participation of the end-users in the process.

The Muturu, a trypanotolerant cattle breed is probably one of the least known breed of cattle in West Africa. Little has been published on its distribution, management, morphological characteristics or biological performance. Early reports showed that the Muturu cattle were once widely distributed across the continent from Liberia, across the West African subregion, to Ethiopia. However, due to expansion of the Zebu population and rapid urbanization, the small bodied animal came under pressure and was found surviving in pockets of the savannahs and in the humid forest zones where it had the comparative advantage of trypanotolerance. The survival of the cattle in the humid and forest zones of Nigeria stems from the fact that the animal is still sacred in so many communities and its milk is widely used for medicinal purposes. In some states of Nigeria, the semi-feral Muturu are not tended but hunted when required for sacrifice.

Governments and conservation agencies are increasingly recognizing that conservation must be pursued alongside the protection of communities' customary use of natural resources. Laws that aim to protect biodiversity must be implemented in ways that support the rights of communities who use natural resources to sustain their ways of life. A rights-based approach to conservation recognizes that communities are not merely stakeholders whose views governmental and conservation agencies may take into account. Communities have rights and entitlements under law that others are obliged to respect. Bio-cultural community protocols were developed in the context of the negotiations towards the International Regime on Access and Benefit Sharing under the Convention on Biological Diversity. A bio-cultural community protocol is essentially a statement of community intentions to self-determine its future and clarifies how they want to engage with specific stakeholders. In doing so, communities help enable government agencies or conservation agencies, for example, to work collaboratively towards the community’s goals and priorities. Thus, protocols provide communities with an opportunity to focus on their endogenous development aspirations through existing legal frameworks.

The Genetics Project at AU-IBAR has embarked in the development of Bio-cultural Community Protocols in Africa and exploration of opportunities of expansion on the Continent including providing guidelines for such process. In the above regard AU-IBAR is through due diligence seeking to identify and engage the services of an experienced consultant to develop a Bio-cultural Community Protocol for the Muturu cattle breed in Nigeria.

Objectives and Methodology

• The objective of the consultancy is to develop a Bio-cultural Community Protocol for the Muturu cattle breed in Nigeria.

The specific objectives will be:

• Select the stakeholders based on the definition of the group and its leadership and decision-making processes.
• Conduct communities consultations to sensitize them on the various national/international laws in the area of conservation of biological resources, their sustainable use, details of those resources and issues of access and benefit sharing.
• Map the communities foundations, identifying the priorities and leadership structures, prioritize issues by the community members, clarify messages to external actors, and consolidation of the information.
• Develop the Bio-cultural Community Protocol, including identification of constraints on sustainable management of the Muturu cattle breed;
• Develop agreement for the access of the Muturu cattle breed /Traditional Knowledge /both.
• Prepare and coordinate communities training in documentation of TK, legal issues etc...
• Conduct legal empowerment and facilitate a validation workshop for the protocol developed.

Expected Outputs:

• A definition of the community, its Leadership and decision- making processes available.
• Communities consultations to sensitize on the various national/international laws in the area of conservation of biological resources, their sustainable use, details of those resources and issues of access and benefit sharing conducted.
• Communities foundations mapped, the priorities and leadership structures identified, issues by the community members prioritized, messages to external actors clarified, and the information consolidated.
• A Bio-cultural Community Protocol developed, including the identification of constraints on sustainable management of the Muturu cattle breed.
• Conditions set out by the community for granting access to their animal genetic resources and knowledge, such as procedures for Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
• Communities training in documentation of TK, legal issues prepared and coordinated.
• Legal empowerment conducted and a validation workshop for the protocol developed facilitated.

Reports
The Consultant is required to prepare the following technical reports in English:

Inception Report (IcTR):

• An Inception Report (IcTR) within 5 days of commencing duty. The IcTR of not more than 10 pages should include the proposed methodology, the timeline/calendar and programme of activities, places to visit, people to meet and an outline of the contents of the Final Technical Report.

Interim Technical Report (InTR):

• The interim Technical Report is perceived to be the First Draft of the Final Technical Report (FTR), before a final clean copy of the FTR is formally and officially submitted to and for acceptance by AU-IBAR

Final Technical Report (FTR):

• The Final Technical Report (FTR), should take into account contributions and comments from the relevant stakeholders and AU-IBAR. The draft final report must be submitted at the end of the period of implementation of the tasks.

Qualifications

• The successful candidates shall have a University degree in Animal Science and a Post Graduate degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics, Veterinary Sciences, or other relevant disciplines.

Experience

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in animal genetic resources or environmental law or policy, biodiversity, or natural resources management, including experience in Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing at national or international levels.
• Experience in planning, developing, facilitating/delivering interactive/participatory training sessions for communities or marginalized populations on sustainable livelihoods is an asset.
• Previous work experience in the development of Bio-cultural Community Protocol and on issues related to Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing.
• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English.
• Adaptability and flexibility in working within complex and dynamic environment, Ability to deliver high quality products in a timely manner;
• Excellent skills in presenting complex technical information in an easily comprehensible way.
• The consultant should demonstrate skills in Problem solving, attention to detail and work independently.

Submission & Approval of Progress Reports:

• Three copies of the progress reports referred to above must be submitted to AU-IBAR. The progress reports must be written in English. AU-IBAR is responsible for approving the progress reports.

Duration and Remuneration

• The duration of the consultancy will be not more than 2 calendar months from the day of signature of the contract.
• The maximum budget for this consultancy is USD 15,000.00 all inclusive (consultancy fees, travel costs and DSA for field visits if necessary, incidental expenses).