Terms of Reference
Project name: Regional Livestock Program
Title of assignment: Request for consultancy to conduct Assessment of Nafaqo meat Association in Hargeisa- Somaliland
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
Mercy Corps has been present in Somalia since 2005, with current programming in Somaliland, Puntland, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, Jubaland, South West State and Banadir. Our programming spans multiple sectors and is framed by a high-level strategy for advancing resilience and peace. Seeing ability in vulnerability, we work with and through local communities, including IDPs and returning refugees, to address immediate needs of crisis-affected populations while supporting and strengthening systems that facilitate collective advancement towards long-term and inclusive socio-economic growth, peace, and prosperity. Grounded in core resilience principles of systems thinking, partnership and facilitation, and adaptive management, Mercy Corps’ approach encourages crisis-affected populations, the private sector, government, and civil society to work together towards meaningful and lasting change.
1. Background and context:
Agriculture and livestock sectors are vital for Somaliland’s economy, contributing to 65% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing a significant portion of the workforce. Livestock alone accounts for about 40% of GDP and over 50% of export earnings. The agricultural sector encompasses various activities such as crop cultivation, horticulture, and agribusiness, with major products including bananas, sorghum, maize, sesame, and livestock fodder. The livestock sector holds a crucial position in Somalia's economy and serves as a significant source of livelihood. It involves the rearing of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels, with livestock products contributing to domestic consumption, exports, and income generation. Challenges faced by the sector include disease outbreaks, inadequate veterinary services, and limited market access. Overall, while Somalia's agricultural, and livestock sectors hold significant potential, addressing the challenges they face and promoting private sector development are crucial for sustainable economic growth and improved livelihoods.
2. Description of the project
The Regional Livestock Program (RLP) is a 12-year initiative funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by consortium members including IGAD, Helvetas, Welthungerhilfe, and Mercy Corps across 5 corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia/Somaliland. The program aims to bring about transformative change in the pastoral and Agro-pastoral areas of the Horn of Africa by creating a more productive, climate-resilient, inclusive, and competitive livestock sector.
RLP is utilizing a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, to stimulate sustainable, systemic change on a large scale. This will involve multiple partnerships with private sector and government actors. Thus, the Livestock market actors have efficient and profitable engagement with domestic and international markets, especially women and youth.
The livestock sector in Somaliland plays a critical role in food security, livelihood, and economic development. The livestock and meat industry is a critical pillar of Somaliland's economy, contributing significantly to the livelihoods of the population and national GDP. Livestock exports account for a major portion of the country's foreign exchange earnings. With over 65% of the population involved in livestock rearing, the meat industry is integral to food security and employment creation. The Nafaqo Meat Association in Hargeisa, plays a key role in the meat supply chain, which includes slaughter, meat processing, and trade. However, despite its importance, the Association faces several challenges related to member engagement, hygiene standards, gender inclusivity, sustainability, high drop out rates of meat sellers (mostly women) and market linkages. These challenges need to be addressed to enhance the sector’s contribution to both domestic and international markets.
Given the growing demand for quality meat products locally and internationally, a comprehensive assessment of the current situation of the Meat Association is essential. This assessment will not only explore challenges but also identify opportunities, needs, strengths, weaknesses and sustainability practices for expanding and modernizing the sector to ensure it continues to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. Additionally, understanding the demographics of both leadership and general membership, including gender balance and the participation of women, will be critical to ensure inclusivity and better programmatic support.
3. Purpose of the Assessment
The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the current status of the Meat Association in Hargeisa, with the goal of identifying strengths, challenges, needs and opportunities of the Association. It will also focus on inclusivity, gender representation, meat hygiene, sustainable practices, and the dropout rate of women members, providing actionable recommendations for strengthening the Association and improving the meat industry’s contributions to Somaliland's economy.
4. Objective of the assignment
The assessment aims to achieve the following objectives
l Understand the structure and membership composition of the Association.
l Identify the challenges facing the association, as well as needs and opportunities
l Evaluate the hygiene practices and standards in meat production.
l Assess the demographic representation, particularly the role and participation of women.
l Examine the rate of drop-out of women members.
l Analyze sustainable practices within the meat value chain.
l Provide recommendations for strengthening the Association’s capacity and inclusiveness.
5. Scope of Work
The assessment will cover the following areas:
l Membership and Leadership Demographics: Analysis of the current membership and leadership in terms of age, gender, roles, and representation.
l Participation of Women: Special focus on the participation and challenges faced by women members and women in leadership.
l Operational Challenges: Study the barriers limiting the growth of the Association and affecting the members' productivity.
l Meat Hygiene and Food Safety: Investigate the hygiene practices at various stages of meat processing, value addition and end markets and the Association’s adherence to food safety standards.
l Sustainability and Opportunities: Explore the Association's adoption of sustainable practices and identify opportunities for innovation and market expansion.
6. Methodology
The methodology will include:
7. Expected deliverables
l Advanced degree in Economics, business administration, food security, strategic management, marketing and other development related qualifications.
l At least 7 years’ experience working in or providing capacity building support to a MSMEs to improve their business development skills, product competitiveness, and creating market linkages.
l Proven track record in applying Market systems development (MSD) approaches in livestock or related sectors, with a focus on enhancing competitiveness, inclusivity, and sustainability especially within fragile or developing economies.
l Proficient in designing and conducting field-based data collection methodologies, such as surveys, interviews, and focus groups, to gather insights from various stakeholders (producers, traders, processors).
l Strong analytical skills to interpret data and derive actionable insights that address key challenges within the meat association.
l Ability to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations aimed at improving the performance of the Hargeisa Meat Association.
l Experience in presenting findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, with a focus on driving measurable improvements and strategic decision-making.
l Familiarity with the livestock sector in Somaliland or similar contexts is an advantage.
l Excellent spoken and written English language skills.
l Somaliland national.
5. Timeline
The assessment is expected to take place over a period of 4 weeks, divided as follows:
6. . Budget
The budget for the assessment will include costs related to personnel, logistics, data collection tools, and reporting. A detailed budget will be submitted as part of the inception report.
7. Reporting and Coordination
Individual consultants that meet the requirements mentioned above are invited to submit a
detailed technical proposal and financial proposal as per selection criteria on or before 30 November 2024 and should be addressed to so-tender@mercycorps.org referencing ‘Consultancy on Feed formulation and quality assurance training’ in the email subject. the application should include the following.
l A technical proposal detailing the Background, objectives of the assignment, activities, and deliverables, proposed methodology, timeframe, reporting requirements, work plan, demonstration of a good understanding of MSD, detailed CV highlighting relevant experience and qualifications, references from previous clients/employers, examples of previous work related to feed formulation and quality control.
l A detailed budget or a Financial Proposal for the activities should be included in the application process. The budget should be in Unites States dollars (USD).
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