Consultancy Services needed for Value Chain Analysis on Commercialization of Prosopis Juliflora

CARE is an international NGO with local staff and community partners in 100 countries. We create local solutions to poverty and inequality and we seek dignity for everyone every day and during times of crisis. These solutions have a broad range, from disaster response to food and nutrition to education and work for women and girls to healthy mothers and children. CARE puts women and girls at the center of everything we do because when they have equal access to resources, they lift their families and communities out of poverty. Our staff live where they work, which makes us effective at understanding the challenges they face. We have been doing this for 75 years, since World War II. It started with the world’s first CARE Package® of food for the post-war hungry in Europe. Our work today is as important as ever, we believe that poverty and inequality are historic injustices that we can end within a generation, for good.

CARE International has been working in Kenya since 1968, and currently implements major programs in 20 out of 47 counties reaching approximately 2 million people per year. The programs align with national and county level priorities focusing on refugee assistance, health, water and sanitation, financial inclusion, adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction, agricultural value chains and humanitarian and emergency response.

BORESHA is cross-border project funded by EU trust fund and is implemented by a consortium of 4 organizations namely; World Vision, DRC (Danish Refugee Council), CARE and WYG. The overall goal of EUTF is to address the drivers of instability, irregular migration and displacement in the Kenya-Ethiopia-Somalia border, sometimes referred to as the Mandera Triangle. CARE is working on component of the project aimed at enhancing sustainable and equitable management of cross-border rangeland and other shared natural resources. The project supports on-going regional efforts to build sustainable livelihoods, improve natural resources management and strengthen resilience.

Therefore, the project’s commitment to innovation and CARE Kenya as an agency is keen to experiment and adopt new technologies and approaches that solve real life problems that enhance economic self-reliance from environmental sound technologies that use available natural and human resources. In line with this focus, BORESHA seeks to undertake a comprehensive assessment to chart a viable pathway for commercial exploitation of Prosopis Juliflora in Mandera County.

Scope of Work

This assignment will respond to:

Technical Aspects

• The different species of Prosopis found in Mandera and their characteristics in terms of underground water consumption.
• Differentiate between the use of the different parts of the plant/bush (i.e. the trunk, leaves and pods/seeds)
• The volumes of the species and plant parts

Expound using the Technical parameters, the following components;

• The supply side – quantity and distribution of Prosopis Juliflora that can be exploited sustainably, and for how long including technologies to maximize on the same.
• The demand/market perspective – possible clients, volumes needed, purchase price per unit volume and the possible uses
• A framework on how internal and external stakeholders’ capacity can be enhanced to increase the commercial use of Prosopis Juliflora
• Documenting the due diligence needed by CARE Kenya/BORESHA Consortium to ensure possible Prosopis commercialization is environmentally sound and based on & informed by a proper environmental impact assessment and backed up by relevant regulatory authorizations at county & national levels.

Commercialization of Prosopis Assessments Purpose, Objectives and Intended Use

The purpose of this assessment is to Identify and document the following components:

• The different species of Prosopis found in Mandera County and their characteristics in terms of underground water consumption.
• Prosopis cover – map out the major sources of Prosopis in Mandera County current utilization and contribution to livelihoods, threats and opportunities to community in utilization.
• Possible commercial uses of Prosopis – against the species and plant part
• Existing briquette/charcoal value chains in Kenya, and possible leverage points to engage in to advance commercialization of Prosopis in Mandera County
• All the relevant regulatory frameworks and policies at National and county level that affect or impact commercialization of Prosopis.
• The feasibility of commercialization of Prosopis; exploring options of use as charcoal briquettes
• Community and County Structures perception on large and small-scale commercialization of Prosopis

Identify and quantify the local, county, national and sub-regional markets demand for Prosopis products

• List of entities engaged in trade of Prosopis-based products and source of the plant part used
• Quantifiable and verifiable value and volume of current demand
• Verifiable estimate of growth volumes and value
• Value proposition analysis in the short term and longer term

A gross benefit analysis of the cost and benefits of Prosopis briquettes production and value addition for:

• Primary producers
• Aggregators
• Processors

A detailed summary of a proposed action plan to:

• Commercialize the Prosopis value chain with clear milestones (including a detailed value chain map of the proposed action)
• How communities can be supported on marketing of Prosopis products and practical value addition options including branding and packaging for better markets

Approach and Methodology

The assessment approach shall be utilization focused. As such, the evaluator should arrange individual meetings with individual intended users before and after the assessment.

The following should be observed:

• Attention should be given to collect information: from all types of stakeholders including relevant government departments; NGO, private sector players and households currently engaged in Prosopis utilization activities, with special focus on women and youth
• Initial findings and recommendations made as a result of the assessment must be fed back to CARE Kenya, partners and right holders in a meaningful way, so they have an opportunity to discuss the recommendations before they are finalized.

Methodology

The Consultant is expected to respond to this call with a detailed proposed methodology and itinerary which upon successful contracting will be discussed during the inception meeting

Assessment Management and Values

This assessment should adhere to and be guided by the CARE Kenya assessment policy. The general terms and conditions of this consultancy are:

• Logistics: Consultant will cover the cost of the consultant(s) travel to the field and back, food, and accommodation.
• Professional fee: The consultant(s) will be paid professional fees in accordance with this TOR and within CARE Kenya’s approved rates.
• Tax 5% withholding income tax payable to the Government of Kenya (GoK) shall be deducted from the consultants’ fees during payment when relevant.
• A contract will be signed by the consultant(s) prior to commencement of this consultancy which will detail additional terms and conditions of service, aspects on inputs and deliverables.
• Full term of consultancy: document review, field work and report writing should not exceed 20 days.

Other specifics on who makes decisions on and what resources does CARE Kenya mobilize to support the assessment, e.g. logistical support will be contained in the consultancy contract.

Required Qualifications of the Consultant

Academic:

• Advanced university degree in rangeland resource management, Dryland resource management, socio-economic background and an expert in resource mapping.

Professional Experience:

• Minimum of five years’ experience in rangeland management, sustainable natural resource management, land use planning, livelihood study, value chain study, market study, policy review and development research
• Proven experiences in invasive Prosopis management and utilization, participatory assessment methodology, research methods, focus group interviews, etc.
• Demonstrable experience of engaging with the private sector engagement in natural resource management activities
• Proven experience from NGO and CBO based humanitarian and development assistance in the HoA and Kenya in particular, and also in ASAL /Mandera County in areas of Natural resource management and land use planning is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated past experience working with briquettes making and training in rangeland management in the dry-land of Kenya
• Demonstrate research in Prosopis management and utilization in dry-lands
• Prove of comprehensive report writing and study report writing skills in rangeland management/rangeland study in Kenya

Deliverables and Schedule

Suggested timeline: The envisaged assessment period is 15 days distributed around time for preparation, field work, travel, and report writing.

Reports

Two reports are anticipated, abridged version not exceeding 30 pages explicitly responding to the specific objectives and deliverables and a detailed report that expounds on the whole consultancy process.

Throughout the study and training period, intended users should be adequately updated on progress. A progress report can take the form of an email of half a page, supplemented by field notes as relevant.

Meetings and workshops

As the assessment is market oriented with a special focus on economic inclusion, the following meetings are expected:

• Meetings with stakeholders engaged in the Prosopis distribution and mapping plus charcoal value chain
• Meetings with stakeholders in the charcoal/briquettes business enabling environment
• Meetings with government officials and other stakeholders with a support function to the charcoal value chain

Structure of the Proposal, Submission Guidelines and Expression of Interest:

All expressions of interest should include:

Technical Proposal highlighting:

Brief explanation about the consultants (s) with evidence of previous experience in this kind of work; profile of the consultancy firm to be involved in undertaking the consultancy; understanding of the TOR, the task to be accomplished as well as draft consultancy framework, plan and references.

Financial Proposal:

The financial proposal should provide cost estimates for services rendered including daily consultancy fees related to the consultants excluding accommodation and living costs; transport cost, stationeries, and supplies needed for data collection; costs related to persons that will participate from partners and government officers.

Expression of Interest:

Interested consulting firms should submit, by email, a technical and financial proposal for this consultancy by 15^th October 2021. CVs of the lead and key support consultants should be annexed in the application.

Please email your application to ken.proc@care.or.ke and use “MAPPING STUDY (VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS) ON COMMERCIALIZATION OF PROSOPIS JULIFLORA IN MANDERA COUNTY” as the subject title of your email. Incomplete applications will not be considered, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This task is expected to take place within the month of October to November 2021