Technical Team Leader - Selection of Institutions as African Union Centres of Excellence in Fields Related to Fisheries and Aquaculture at African Union (AU)

Background

The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), a specialized technical office of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) of the African Union Commission (AUC), is mandated to support and coordinate the utilization of livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and wildlife as resources for both human wellbeing and economic development in the Member States of the African Union. The Vision of the AU-IBAR Strategic Plan 2018-2023 is an Africa in which animal resources contribute significantly to integration, prosperity and peace. AU-IBAR intervention in the fisheries and aquaculture sector is guided by the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for fisheries and aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) which is aimed at improving governance of the sector for increased sustainable contribution to food security, livelihoods and wealth creation. Also within the framework of the African Union Agenda 2063, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy environed an inclusive and sustainable blue economy that significantly contributes to Africa’s transformation and growth.

Notwithstanding the current benefits and opportunities in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, the sector is still beset by challenges that require major governance and policy reforms, underscored by enhanced capacity, in order to unlock and unleash the full potential of the sector. Thus mindful of these challenges and aware of the huge potential of the sector for socio-economic advancement of the continent, the Joint Conference of African Ministers for Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture in May 2014, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), requested African Union ‘to establish African Centres of Excellence for Aquaculture, Capture fisheries, biodiversity studies and oceanography to enhance capacity for fisheries and aquaculture research.’ This recommendation was also endorsed by the Executive Decision Doc. EX.CL/842(XXV) of the African Union in 2014.

Subsequently, the African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) embarked on the process of identifying and selecting appropriate academic training, research and vocational institutions on the African continent as possible African Union Centres of Excellence in fisheries and aquaculture or related disciplines. The process resulted in the selection of six African training, research and vocational institutions as African Union of Centres of Excellence for fisheries and aquaculture.

Furthermore, whereas the six institutions had been assessed for endorsement, The 3rd Session of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (STC-ARDWE) in October 2019 endorsed eight African institutions as Centres of Excellence on fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa, including the two (1. L'Agence Gabonaise d'Etudes et d'Observation spatiale (AGEOS), Gabon and 2. Institut des Arts et métiers nautique de limbe, Cameroon). These two are yet to be assessed.

In order to implement the decision of the 3rd Session of STC-ARDWE and to ensure that the selection of the two institutions are regularized, AU-IBAR has requested the two institutions to submit dossiers on their institutions based on pre-determined approved criteria for selection of institutions.

The identification and selection of institutions as African Union Centres of Excellence for fisheries and aquaculture entailed the following processes:

1. Launch of advertisement to request Expression of Interest (Applications) from prospective institutions in Africa
2. Recruitment of appropriate experts to conduct evaluations of the submitted applications (dossiers) for short-listing against pre-determined guidelines
3. Conduct expert verification missions to the short-listed institutions to ascertain veracity of the contents of their applications against clear guidelines; for rationale and professional verification of the capacity of short-listed institutions
4. Formulation of final report with recommendations of the selected institutions in respective disciplines within fisheries and aquaculture for which the institutions have been identified as deemed qualified as African Union Centre of Excellence

The functions of the Centres of Excellence would be as follows:

1. Strengthen the capacity of African institutions to produce high quality research in relevant disciplines of fisheries and aquaculture;
2. Develop human capacities to enhance knowledge and skills for effective fisheries management and aquaculture development in African Union Member States;
3. Provide evidence for policy support and decision making at regional and continental levels;
4. Increase professionalism in the sector at all levels;
5. Generate information for advocacy in the interest of the sector’s development as well as building evidence-based coherent African positions;
6. Improve networking and complementarity among universities and research institutions;
7. Improve mechanisms for sharing information, best practices and lessons learnt; and,
8. Enhance regional integration.

In the above regard therefore, AU-IBAR would seek the services of an independent technical leader to coordinate a team of experts for technical evaluation of the submitted dossiers from the two institutions as well as conduct expert verification mission, where possible, to ascertain the veracity of the content of the dossiers (applications) and to ensure harmonized approach and the methodology in the evaluation exercise of the two institutions.

Objectives

The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical leadership and guidance to the experts to effectively carry-out technical evaluation of the dossiers submitted by the two institutions for selection the African Union Centres of Excellence in appropriate fields related to fisheries and aquaculture

Qualification

The successful candidate should have a minimum of PhD degree in fields relating to animal sciences.

General Experience

The following experiences are required:

1. Over 5 years’ working experience and in leadership positions in pan African institutions on animal resources development
2. At least 3 years’ managerial experience as Head of international organization(s) with global mandates in agricultural development, including fisheries and aquaculture
3. Proven knowledge of activities of regional economic communities and specialized regional institutions in fields related to fisheries and aquaculture, including knowledge of their functional relationships with educational institutions, if any
4. Familiarization of relevant continental and global instruments in support of Africa development

Specific Experience

1. Record of providing technical leadership in a team undertaking similar institutional assessment in fisheries and aquaculture institutional set-up or establishment in Africa
2. Record of planning, executing and coordinating expert planning meetings and verification missions
3. Advanced knowledge of educational systems and curricula in fields relating to animal resources, especially in West and Central Africa
4. Sound knowledge of institutional networking and coordination

Other Relevant Attributes

1. Record of scientific publications in fields relating to animal resources
2. Fluency in French language and working knowledge in English language
3. Evidence of computer skills and in relevant software

Specific Tasks

1. To technically supervise and coordinate activities of experts in the evaluation of the submitted dossiers from the two institutions
2. Where necessary, to plan, execute and coordinate planning meetings and verification missions to the two institutions in the indicated countries and to provide technical leadership and guidance during the missions
3. To comment, review terms of reference, including scoring criteria, for the experts’ verification mission
4. To collate the reports of the experts and develop consolidated report of the entire exercise
5. Make recommendations on relevant disciplines in fisheries and aquaculture for which the institutions would be selected as African Union Centres of Excellence in fisheries and aquaculture

Duration

The duration of this consultancy is for 15 days.

Payment

The remuneration package for the Team leader is a lump sum Consultancy of USD 4500 and will be paid after the field verification mission (if any) and submission of approved reports.

AU-IBAR will undertake payments of costs for any approved field mission related to this consultancy.

Supervision and Approval of Report

The successful candidate will work under the supervision of the Senior Fisheries Officer at AU-IBAR, who will also have the responsibility of final approval of reports.

Equipment

The consultant will use his/her own laptop and other data capturing equipment deemed necessary during execution of the assignment.

Insurance Cover

The consultant will be responsible for his/her own medical and life insurance cover for the duration of the assignment.