ToR: For Review and Re-Formulation of Governance Instruments of the Aquaculture Network For Africa (ANAF) via ReliefWeb

Aquaculture is growing at an impressive rate in Africa and has emerged as a fast growing sub-sector within the food production sector based on rearing and/or capture of animals. African aquaculture production is about 2.00 metric tonnes, constituting about 2.5 % of total global production (about 80 million metric tonnes). The sector contributes to protein supplies and supports income generation and livelihoods in few rural communities. Women comprise approximately 5 % of the workforce in Africa’s aquaculture. Despite some advances in the adoption and normalization of modern and market-oriented commercial practices, the bulk of production is at a subsistence level and follows very basic techniques. This has inhibited the full realization of the sector’s ability to fully contribute to enhancing positive developments in the areas of nutrition, food safety, poverty alleviation and economic growth. The sector’s growth is also hampered by the absence of adequate systems to support development of technologies appropriate to the conditions of the continent and its sub-regions. The continent also lacks effective frameworks for securing and disseminating information about best practices with respect to governance, cost-effective and climate adapted technologies, market conditions, market practices, etc.
It will be recalled that The African Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for fisheries and aquaculture (PFRS) has identified market-led sustainable aquaculture as a key policy arena that will support accelerated growth and transformation on the continent. The recently adopted Africa Blue Economy strategy also recognizes the significant contribution that development of aquaculture can make to blue economy growth across the continent.

The main objective of the Aquaculture Network for Africa (ANAF) is to optimize the utilization of available resources and strengthen the capacity of Member states in order to foster sustainable aquaculture development in Africa, as a means to fight poverty, ensure food and nutritional security, provide employment, create income and generate wealth. The ANAF Secretariat was initially hosted by Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It has however now been transferred to and is being institutionalized within AU-IBAR. ANAF seeks to realize its major objective through information dissemination amongst Member States and practitioners in the key areas of appropriate and highly productive technologies, best practices as well as lessons learnt. ANAF also seeks to become a key vehicle for enhancing capacity and knowledge about aquaculture amongst women and youth, particularly in the area of aquaculture enterprise development. AU-IBAR supported and hosted the 7^th and 8^th ANAF Annual Meetings with one of the major outcomes being the need to identify priority actions to support aquaculture development in Africa.

Rationale

In order to enhance the scope of ANAF activities and to strengthen its capabilities, FAO African Member states and Member states from other regions of the world, agreed at the plenary of the 33^rd Session of COFI in Rome, Italy (9^th-13^th July, 2018) that ANAF, whose secretariat was at that time, housed within FAO, be transferred and institutionalized within AU-IBAR. This recommendation sought to advance the clear consensus within ANAF Member States that ANAF be relocated and strengthened within the framework of the African Union system. This position was progressively elaborated at the following meetings; (1) the Sixth ANAF meeting (6-9 December 2016, Entebbe, Uganda); (2) The meeting of the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (CIFAA), December 2017; (3) the 9^th COFI Aquaculture Sub-Committee (Rome, Italy, October 2017).

AU-IBAR officially affirmed its acceptance and willingness to host the Secretariat after the required official communication relating to the transfer and institutionalization of ANAF within AU-IBAR took place between the FAO and AU-IBAR during 2018 and 2019. To support the realization of the goals of ANAF and in recognition of the progressive transfer of ANAF to AU-IBAR, AU-IBAR convened the 8th and the 9th Sessions of ANAF in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

A number of matters do however need to be addressed before this process of transfer and institutionalization can be completed. A key matter in this regard is the review, updating and alignment of the constituent instruments of ANAF to match the new situation outlined above, in which ANAF is now part of the African Union system, with a location within AU-IBAR. This review will focus on ANAF terms of reference, rules of procedures, objectives and mandates to ensure that a revitalized ANAF fits into the current scope, functions, institutional reforms and orientation that guides the African Union. This includes African priorities as enunciated by the Policy Framework and Reform strategy for fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, and other related AU instruments, including the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

AU-IBAR recently organized the 9th Session of ANAF in Accra, Ghana at which representatives from selected AU member states and key experts; (1) identified priority actions with respect to the revised functions of ANAF; (2) essential elements of a new set of rules of procedures to guide the operations of ANAF, going forward.

To complete the process of re-alignment of ANAF that was undertaken at the 9^th session, and within the broad outlines of the decisions arrived at by that meeting, it is now necessary to engage the services of a legal, policy and institutional expert to review the results of this meeting and draw up a set of formal instruments laying out the objectives, functions and rules of procedures of ANAF, within the context of other relevant African Union constitutive instruments, policies and guidelines. It is also necessary to link ANAF with other institutional arrangements and networks within the African aquaculture and fisheries sector

Objectives

Guided by the outputs of the 9^th Session of ANAF, the main objective of this consultancy therefore is to review the results of the above-mentioned meeting and draw up a set of formal instruments laying out the objectives, functions and rules of procedures of ANAF, within the context of other relevant African Union constitutive instruments, policies and guidelines. It is also necessary to link ANAF with other institutional arrangements and networks within the African aquaculture and fisheries sector.

The specific objectives would be the following:

Specific Objectives

1. Based on the perspectives of the stakeholders the 9^th ANAF Session, review the current mission objectives and functions for their reformulation
2. Examine and reformulate draft elements for incorporation and constituting the rules of procedures
3. Develop proposals for linkages with other regional and continental networks and platforms in the sector
4. Support facilitation of stakeholder workshop or other mechanisms (e.g. online) for validation of the deliverables

Key Deliverables

The deliverables include the following:

1. Revised harmonized rules of procedures, mission objectives and functions of ANAF
2. Proposed institutional linkages with other related network and platforms in support of aquaculture development

Qualifications and Experience

The candidate should hold a post-graduate degree in law preferably relating to aquatic resource management regimes, international law, natural resources law or environmental law

General Experience

1. Have 5 years working experience within the African fisheries and aquaculture sector
2. Demonstrated ability in the design and drafting of high level policy instruments, frameworks, agreements or legislation related to, and guiding the fisheries, aquaculture sector
3. Demonstrated evidence of knowledge of related stakeholders networks and platforms in Africa
4. Evidence of working interactions with the relevant continental, regional and national institutions with mandates in fisheries and aquaculture
5. Knowledge of the operations and institutional arrangements governing similar networks and organizational arrangements outside the continent desirable

Specific Experience

1. 10 years’ working experience on legal issues field relating to aquatic resources governance
2. Demonstrated experience of in formulating of rules of procedures and MOUs relating to natural resources governance
3. Familiarization in institutional building and policy development in Africa fisheries and aquaculture
4. Proven experience in working with stakeholders in fisheries and aquaculture
5. Demonstrated ability in facilitating stakeholders workshop within the fisheries and aquaculture consultant and preparation of reports
6. Evidence of publications and editing of reports

Other Skills and Competencies

1. Excellent oral and written communication skills
2. Computer skills and familiarization of commonly used software

Language Requirement

Proficiency in English, a working knowledge of Arabic, French or Portuguese will be an added advantage.

Duration

The duration of this assignment is 45 days. The selected candidate should be available to undertake this assignment with minimum delay.

Consultancy Fee

The Consultancy fee for this Consultancy is a fixed lump sum amount of USD 13,500. Payment would be made after delivery and clearance of the key deliverables. Should there be any field mission, Travel and DSA will be catered by AU-IBAR according to AU rules and regulations.

Evaluation Criteria

The applications will be evaluated on the basis of the relevant technical qualifications, experience and competence of the candidates.

Approval of Reports and Supervision

Under the overall guidance of the AU-IBAR Director, the Senior Fisheries Officer at AU-IBAR will be responsible for the supervision of this consultancy and approval of the reports

Application Deadline

The deadline for submission of proposals is 06 APRIL 2020 – AT 15:00 HRS Nairobi Local Time.