Terms of Reference Consultancy Scope of Work for Meat Market analysis

Consultancy Terms of Reference

Scope of Work for Meat Market analysis

Location: Mogadishu

Background:

Mercy Corps has been a leader in the livestock sector in the Horn of Africa for almost two decades, working closely with government, local civil society and private sector actors in the drylands of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia to strengthen inclusive and resilient livestock systems. Since 2004, Mercy Corps has partnered with over 500,000 livestock-keeping families in East Africa’s drylands through a robust portfolio of programs and research. Mercy Corps takes a holistic view of livestock systems, which goes beyond production and marketing to identify opportunities to strengthen the ecological, political, economic and social systems that underpin livestock production, thereby enhancing the resilience of livestock producing households. Mercy Corps recognizes that the health, inclusivity, and resilience of the livestock system that connects countries in the Horn of Africa is central to the stability and economic growth of the region as a whole.      

Purpose / Project Description:

Mercy Corps is developing an in-depth regional strategy to support the development of livestock market systems within the Horn of Africa, particularly the pastoralist regions of Somalia, Northern Kenya and Eastern and Southern Ethiopia. The overall objective of the strategy will be to identify concrete opportunities to build on and link Mercy Corps’ existing body of work within the livestock sector across the three countries to increase impact, strengthen regional integration and enhance linkages across livestock markets in the Horn of Africa.

The attributes of demand from terminal markets drive supply, and consumer behavior drives these markets. Mogadishu is the largest consumer of meat – supplied from sheep, goats, cattle and camel from pastoralists areas – in Somalia. This consultancy will look at meat market trends in Mogadishu, current trade patterns from slaughter to meat retail and consumer preferences.

Consultant Activities:

Following a market system development approach, the consultant will conduct a sub-sector analysis on meat markets in Mogadishu. Key research questions include:

• Who are the consumers? What type of consumers are they – individuals or institutions?
• What are the specific consumption habits – qualities and quantities – of consumers? (e.g. frozen or fresh meat, cuts)? What are their expectations regarding quality standards, branding/packaging?
• What are the consumption patterns? Where / from who do consumers purchase?
• How much to consumers pay for the products? What enhancements / value add would consumers be interested in?
• What factors guide consumption patterns in the different categories of consumers? (e.g. social norms, taboos, values, beliefs)
• What are the regulations for meat? What are the quality specifications, certification requirements, trade laws?
• What substitute products are available to consumers? How do consumers view the substitutes? How do prices, value and quality compare?
• What competing products, including imports, are available? How do prices, value and quality compare? How much meat is supplied domestically vs imported?
• What are the constraints to frequent or greater consumption of meat? Availability, affordability, quality, consumer preference?

Consultant Deliverables:

The Consultant will:

• Produce methodology, tools and workplan for the process, including a feedback workshop with the Mercy Corps team
• Review secondary resources on the meat market in Somalia
• Develop a presentation of preliminary findings to share at a Mercy Corps online workshop
• Develop a final 8-10 page MSA report that presents the sub-sectors, key constraints and recommendations for intervention areas

Timeframe / Schedule:

This consultancy is estimated to be conducted over the course of 2 months, beginning in September 2020 and ending in October 2020. The final schedule will be based on the final assessment work plan.

The Consultant will report to:

Livestock Market Systems Officer – Regional Livestock Strategy

The Consultant will work closely with:

Regional Strategy Consultant, Somalia Country Team, Regional Market Systems Advisor, Global Livestock Advisor, Global Gender Advisor, Regional Resilience Director

Required Experience & Skills:

• At least 5 years of experience working with market system analysis and/or consumer food markets in Somalia, experience in meat a plus
• Demonstrated experience producing high quality market analysis reports
• Ability to work in Somalia for the duration of the assignment
• Excellent written and presentation skills in English; and Somali language skills required

Tender details:

The consultant or firm should submit a 2-3-page proposal including the proposed methodology and approach, relevant experience and references and financial proposal. The consultant(s) should propose the number of days required for each of the deliverables in this Terms of Reference. The consultant(s) CV(s) should also be submitted as an attachment to the proposal to bmohamud@mercycorps.org

Close of Business 21^st September, 2020.