TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING HONEY VALUE CHAIN/MARKEY SYSTEMS AND TRAIN GROUP OF BEEKEEPERS IN BELEDWEYNE AND BAIDOA, SOMALIA

•        At least 3 years with similar experience and engagement on honey value chain analysis or undertaking related tasks.

•        Should have solid experience in both the humanitarian field and in the veterinary/livestock public health profession.

•        High understanding of the honey value chain will be an asset

•        Sound knowledge context as well as demonstrated ability to manage the available time and resources and to work to tight deadlines

•        Experience working with inclusive business models and partnerships with the private sector is an asset;

Only shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.

For over 90 years, Save the Children has been making a difference in children’s lives in more than 120 countries. We are the world’s largest independent child rights organization, underpinned by a vision in a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our mission to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the Children is an organization for talented people with different backgrounds and perspectives. We are proud that our people are representative of the children we work with and we thrive on our diversity. We are an equal opportunity organization dedicated to our core values of Accountability, Ambition, and Collaboration. Our culture is embedded in these values, along with a strong commitment to our Child Safeguarding Protocol, ensuring that all representatives of Save the Children demonstrate the highest standards of behavior towards children both in their private and professional lives.

SCI is a member of Building Resilient Communities in Somalia (BRCiS). a Consortium of national and international organizations whose objective is to support and guide vulnerable communities in Somalia in building their resilience capacities in their own way. The Consortium was created in 2013 and is now implementing projects in all Federal Member States of Somalia. BRCiS is committed to adaptive management of its programmes, guided by a strong learning strategy. enforces systematic decentralization of decision making to the field level and the communities, fostering innovation and self-reliance.

Beekeeping is one of the most important activities to strengthen livelihoods. It is the ideal livelihood activities for the poor and in particular the land less as it requires: small capital startups, simple tools and technologies. It is also a low-investment and low-input business enterprise that directly generates economic gains for the participating members and integrates well with agriculture that forms the main economic activity for communities living in the rural areas. It uses and creates diverse livelihood asset to poor and vulnerable communities and households. Beekeeping has the potential to contribute directly or indirectly to household income and the general economy of nations. as a new livelihood activities or restoration of livelihoods, fits well in the arid regions like Somalia where there are limited livelihood activities due to scarcity of water resources and fertile land. it also works well alongside other livelihood actives like crop production, environmental conservation, forestry and wood farms. Beekeeping plays a role in natural resources management as well as improve livelihoods of vulnerable communities by offering opportunities to pollinate crops which increase yield and plants, regenerates and improves pastures and forests. (FAO manual beekeeping). Beekeeping contributes to the general wellbeing of poor communities by providing economic, nutritional and ecological benefit. It is a potential sector to generate income and increase employment specifically to youth and women. Bee keeping and honey production continues to increase as there is increased consumption of honey for it is medicinal value, cosmetics and lightening. There is still demand gap for honey waxes and propolis in the world. Honey in Somalia is expensive compared to the neighboring countries and this shows the limited honey production and the high demand for honey in Somalia. This limited production of honey is ascribed to be a result of lack of knowhow, technologies and proper information in the general honey production and beekeeping practices in Somalia.

OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY.

The objective of this consultancy is to provide baseline information an in-depth analysis and knowledge   base that helps in identifying the research gaps, existing challenges for honey market systems/value chains and their market opportunities for communities. The study report will guide future interventions that enhance the local livelihoods which contribute to the conservation of the natural resource. Although beekeeping and honey production is practiced in Somalia, but there is no established literature and data on beekeeping and honey production in Somalia. This activity aims to achieve a better understanding of the level of honey production and beekeeping practices in project areas, identify the sustainable potential market for the selected natural resource products, determine strategic entry points into the identified markets and highlight the capacity needs of local communities in entrepreneurship and business management. Snapshot analysis on beekeeping practices and honey market systems will be carried by the consultants and will finally make recommendations for target communities aimed at improving child nutrition while at the same time offering alternative food and income sources for poor households. After completion the assessment and identification of support gaps on honey value chain. 3 groups consist of 15 members who lack the basic skills on bee management, honey harvesting, processing and handling will be trained. Majority of the trainees have no extension services, marketing of products and have no training on effective preservation, processing, transportation, management and marketing of bee products. The objective of the training is to equip the bee keepers with technical skills in apiary /disease management so as to increase production level. The modern bee keeping training will provide income opportunities for youth from poor households, increase income youth employment and self-engagement and consequently improve other aspects like security and social cohesion. 

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

·       Identify capacity gaps of local communities in sustainable harvesting, utilization and marketing of natural resource (honey)

·      Conduct market and value chain analyses of honey to determine sustainable market potential, opportunities for value addition and the necessary policies and systems to support such enterprises.

·       Provide recommendations for enabling the optimum production and utilization of the product.

·       Highlight key strategic entry points on honey market and undertakings for enhanced community participation in the market from the natural products trade.

·      Assess and understand existing formal and informal relationships and governance mechanisms among actors along the value chain

·       Train three beekeeping groups, (6 members in Beledweyne and 3 members in Baidoa) , 4 SCI staff and 2 staff from the livestock ministry on effective equipment handling, bee management, honey harvest and processing.

·      Provide modern beekeeping and demonstration sessions for effective usage for safety and improve honey production line.

·      Create linkage between honey producers and potential markets through consumer education sessions and product advertisements.

Proposed Methodology and Approach

In the study, SCI expects the consultant to employ both quantitative and qualitative methods for collection of data/information using participatory tools and techniques for data collection which may include but not be limited to In-depth interview, key informant interview, focus group discussion etc. Comprehensive desk review of all relevant documents i.e. related literature in case exist, government policy documents including MoL/MoA strategies for development of beekeeping and honey value chain. The consultant will interact with staff of MoL and other stakeholders on a sample basis. The consult will have to fully engage a sample of target project primary stakeholders (i.e. agro-pastoralists, pastoralists, customary authorities, honey traders, Livestock professional Association, CBOs, consumers, etc.) who play significant role on honey value chain. The baseline information will be collected from two districts mentioned above (Baidoa and Beledweyne). Total population of survey will be determined by the consultant as a sample of targeted beneficiaries who are Agro-pastoralist and small-scale peri-urban producers of honey vendors /processors, staff from the relevant miniseries, local government authorities, youth and women who get employed in the beekeeping and honey value chain. The sample should be disaggregated by categories sex, and age of respondents, and defined criteria of inclusion and exclusion. It is envisaged the sample size for quantitative survey should be determined using a statistically acceptable methodology that meets a threshold of social science research. For qualitative data, the participants should be key informants from all sections of key stakeholders (e.g. community members, civil society, policy makers of different departments, government service providers, NGOs).

Consultant role and expecting deliverables

·       The deliverables/outputs of this assignment are:

·       Data set for the research

·       Final report with recommendation and the way-forward

·       Comprehensive training reports

Reporting

The consultant will be expected to maintain daily contact with the SCI field teams on data collection and the trainings and provide feedback on daily basis during the assignment.

Time Frame

The duration of the assignment will be 45 days.

Terms and Conditions

Consultancy fee: The consultant will come up with his/her own rate which will be subject to negotiation within the bounds of donor requirements and set standards of SC in Somalia, the consultant is expected to estimate all relevant costs for the exercise, including costs for data collectors, vehicle rent, venue, accommodation and travel while undertaking activities related to this assignment.

Code of conduct 

Save the Children’s work is based on deeply held values and principles of child safeguarding, and it is essential that our commitment to children’s rights and humanitarian principles is supported and demonstrated by all members of staff and other people working for and with Save the Children. Save the Children’s Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to and the consultant is bound to sign and abide to the Save the Children’s Code of Conduct.

A contract will be signed by the consultant before commencement of the action. The contract will detail terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables. The Consultant will be expected to treat as private and confidential any information disclosed to her/him or with which she/he may come into contact during her/his service.   The Consultant will not therefore disclose the same or any particulars thereof to any third party or publish it in any paper without the prior written consent of Save the Children. Any sensitive information (particularly concerning individual children) should be treated as confidential.

An agreement with a consultant will be rendered void if Save the Children discovers any corrupt activities have taken place either during the sourcing, preparation and implementation of the consultancy agreement.

Application Procedure & Requirements

Candidates interested in the position are expected to provide the following documentation:

• Technical proposal with a detailed response to the TOR, with specific focus on the scope of work, methodology to be used and key selection criteria.
• Initial work plan based on the methodology outlined, and indication of availability
• Financial proposal detailing the daily rate expected including accommodation, transportation, enumerators, and all other data collection cost related to this assignment.
• Experience, please attach previous signed and stamped contracts as proof of evidence.
• Company profile or CV including a minimum of 3 references
• Detailed budget breakdown based on expected daily rates.

Interested applicants should send the specified documents to the following email CSS.LOGISTICS@savethechildren.org with the subject line of the email body, “TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING HONEY VALUE CHAIN/MARKEY SYSTEMS AND TRAIN GROUP OF BEEKEEPERS IN BELEDWEYNE AND BAIDOA.. Applications will close on 10^th February 2021.