Development of Pastoral Data Collection & Pan-African Standards & Guidelines Consultant at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

Specific Objectives

• Review, consolidate, and validate existing consultation instruments, datasets, and evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and relevant regional initiatives to build a robust evidence base.
• Produce foundational tools for standardization, including: A Core Data-Element List (to define priority information fields); A Common Lexicon (to ensure consistent terminology across geographies); and A Minimal Metadata Template (to support data documentation, traceability, and quality assurance).
• Draft the Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines covering: Data collection protocols and instruments; Metadata standards and quality controls; Interoperability requirements for digital platforms and systems; Governance structures for data access and use; and Protocols for dissemination, cross-border related data exchange, and sharing practices.
• Develop an adaptation and adoption frameworks to support country-level contextualization and adoption, including: Guidance notes for national adaptation while preserving continental comparability; Refined Terms of Reference for Task Forces overseeing implementation; Review and alignment of 12-month work plans for Kenya and Nigeria as demonstration cases for broader continental roll-out.

Scope of Work

• The consultant will provide technical leadership to consolidate existing evidence and consultation inputs and develop a continentally generalized package of Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines that can be adopted and adapted across APMD geographies (as indicated in the Specific Objectives, above). The scope will cover the following core areas:
• Consolidate and quality-assure consultation artefacts, datasets, and related evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and relevant regional initiatives; identify overlaps, gaps, and priority areas that require harmonization; and produce a synthesis that will form the technical evidence base for the Standards & Guidelines.
• Develop the foundational harmonization tools (Design a Core Data-Element List identifying priority information fields relevant to pastoral livestock sector; Develop Common Lexicon to standardize terminology across geographies and disciplines; Create Minimal Metadata Template to insure data quality, traceability, sand comparability) to serve as building blocks for standardization.
• Draft the Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines, addressing standardized protocols and instruments for pastoral data collection; Metadata and quality assurance requirements; Digital and system interoperability provisions; Governance frameworks for data management and access; and Dissemination, and cross-border data-sharing practices.
• Develop practical guidance notes to support country-level contextualization while maintaining continental comparability; Refine and strengthen Terms Of References (TOR) for Task Force that will oversee national adaptation and operationalization; and Review and align the 12-month work plans of Task Forces in Kenya and Nigeria, as demonstration cases for wider continental roll-out.

Qualifications and Skills

• Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in rangeland/livestock sciences, agricultural economics, data science/information systems, or closely related field.
• Demonstrated excellence in technical writing, standards documentation, and facilitation of multi-stakeholder technical processes; strong organizational and communication skills.

General Professional Experience

• 10+ years working with data ecosystems in pastoral/livestock value chains within Africa (public sector, research/academia, or development programs), including lighthouse or cross-country initiatives.
• Proven experience leading desk reviews, evidence consolidation, and consultative processes involving ministries, national statistics offices, sub-national authorities, private data providers, and regional bodies.