Request for Expression of Interest (EOI)-Individual Consultant
For
Consultancy Service INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT TO UNDERTAKE LAKE
TURKANA FISHERIES FRAME SURVEY
Background
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is implementing a project (small grant) from Ecofish Program (financed by EU) to pilot fisheries co-management system in Omo-Turkana and Baro-Akobo-Sobat (BAS) Basins. Lake Turkana (shared between Kenya and Ethiopia), according to FAO (2003) the Ethiopian part of the lake is estimated at 1.3% (98 km2) of the entire lake area and the remaining (98.7%) belongs to Kenya. It is one of the largest desert lakes in the world. About 90% of the lake surface water inflow comes from the Omo River in Ethiopia. Traditionally, people around the majority of the lake derive their livelihood through pastoralist activities and some depend on fishing. Currently Lake Turkana is receiving increased attention by the Government of Kenya as an alternative source of fish following the peaking of fish production in the traditional inland water lakes such as Victoria, Naivasha and Baringo. Increased investment into the fishery through deployment of more fishing boats and nets by individual fishers, donor agencies and the county governments of Turkana and Marsabit indicates an addition of fishing effort. The fishing effort is heavily concentrated in shallow inshore areas and sheltered bays and gulfs, produced approximately 8,000 metric tons from the effort of approximately 1650 registered boats and an estimated 7,000 fishers in 2016 (Malala et al., 2018). This production constitutes about 4% of the total annual inland water fish production in Kenya.
The human population of Turkana County is currently estimated at one million inhabitants. Significant proportion of this population live along the lake zone and have joined fishing related activities. Since recurrent drought exists in the area, there is more demand on fish as an alternative source of livelihoods and nutrition through increased investment in the fishery. The fisheries in this lake support a vibrant fish trade which at both local and foreign markets especially of the salted sundried dry fish trade to the Democratic Republic of Congo through Isebania (Malala et al., 2018). The reports by Malala et al (2018) shows that the fish trade has caused increased demand for large quantities of fish of any sizes thus causing exploitation of very small sized fish through deployment of increased fishing effort that uses many small mesh sized gillnets, intensive beach seining and many baited hooked long lines. The impact is not known as assessment of the increased fishing effort has not kept pace with the meaning that information for future informed interventions is missing. Currently, the departments of fisheries of both Turkana and Marsabit counties and the State Department of Fisheries of Kenya have been directed towards collecting information on fishing effort and landings, which are used to estimate fisheries production.
The Daasanach tribe in Ethiopian, with a population of 62,308 (9.02% of South Omo zone), occupies the Omo River Delta, and the northern and northeastern part of Lake Turkana (Mulugeta Wakjira, 2016). The total fish production from the Ethiopian side is estimated to be close to 7 tons/year. The Daasanach community settled along the lower Omo River practices some form of recession agriculture, besides cattle keeping, following flooding of the river during the peak season, thus, partly leading an agro-pastoral lifestyle. The Kenyan Turkana tribe inhabits extensive part of the western shore of Lake Turkana. The Turkana fishers appear to, sometimes, have been falling into conflict with the Ethiopian fishers, seemingly over a competition for the resource (Mulugeta Wakjira, 2016). Studies showed that fisheries potential was high in lower Omo River near the delta in the Ethiopian part of Lake Turkana with considerable socioeconomic returns for the local people.
Lake Turkana basin is located in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and the communities are mainly pastoralists and fishing communities. Nowadays, it is considered as a missing opportunity to enhance the contribution of fisheries to food and nutrition security while using fisheries to improve the resilience of these Arid and Semi-Arid Lands communities. Thus, sustainable exploitation of the fisheries in Lake Turkana Basin to transform the livelihoods of the fishing communities requires co-management intervention whereby mainly resource users and the Government share responsibilities. Lake wide fisheries frame survey, which provides evidence to develop the fisheries resources, has never been carried out so far, except the catch assessment survey (CAS) made by KMFRI (2018) at 11 beaches located in 9 Beach Management Units (BMUs) along the Northwestern side of Lake Turkana (Kenya) during April 2018.
- Rationale
Although fisheries frame surveys need to be conducted regularly, so far lake wide fisheries frame survey has not been implemented in Lake Turkana. Thus, this IGAD-Ecofish project is the first attempt to make fisheries frame survey in Lake Turkana. Fisheries Frame Surveys are aimed to provide information on social services and community facilities at fish landing sites, composition, magnitude and distribution of fishing effort to guide development and management of the fisheries resources. Thus, this survey is needed to identify the number of fish landing sites, the number of fishers, the facilities and infrastructure available at the fish landing sites, services rendered by Fisheries staff and Beach Management Units (BMUs in the Kenya side) and Fish Cooperatives (in the Ethiopian side) at the landing sites, the number and types of fishing crafts and their modes of propulsion, the types and sizes of fishing gears used on the lake and their mode of operation, specific recommendations on development and management of the fishery, and raising factor for estimation of fish catch during Catch Assessment Surveys (CAS).
The Main objectives of the assignment:
The overall objective of the Fisheries Frame Surveys are dedicated surveys aimed to provide information on social services and community facilities at fish landing sites, composition, magnitude, and distribution of fishing effort to guide development and management of the fisheries resources. Specific objectives are to provide lake wide information on:
- The number of fish landing sites
- The number of fishers
- The facilities and infrastructure available at the fish landing sites to service the sector.
- Services rendered by Fisheries staff and Beach Management Units (BMUs) at the landing sites.
- The number and types of fishing crafts and their modes of propulsion
- The types and sizes of fishing gear used on the lake and their mode of operation.
- Specific recommendations on development and management of fishery.
- Raising factor for estimation of fish catch during Catch Assessment Surveys (CAS).
The consultant is expected to:
This fisheries frame survey is expected to produce comprehensive report containing, but not limited, the following key information for Lake Turkana:
- Number of fish landing sites on the lake, social services, community facilities and
infrastructure available to service the fisheries sector.
- Number of fishers, fishing crafts and their types, and modes of propulsion and
- Number, types and sizes of fishing gears
The duration of the assignment:
The assignment will be for 60 working days, implemented over a period of 3 months.
The Required Qualifications:
MSc on Fisheries resource management, Fish Stock Assessment, Fisheries socioeconomics and fisheries related sciences.
- Ten years of professional experience relevant to the assignment Skills
- Excellent knowledge of the region fisheries resource surveys or assessments
- Experience on Fisheries Frame Survey and related assessments
- Demonstrated consultancy experiences in IGAD region
- Report writing skill
- Mobilizing national consultants
- The candidate for this assignment needs to be fluent in English and have excellent drafting skills.
For further information kindly see attached the terms of refence (TORs).
How to apply:
Interested Individual Consultants who are citizens of the IGAD Member States are invited to send their letters of application with their CVs. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
The Expression of Interest (EOIs) shall include the following components:
- A cover letter outlining the suitability of the consultant for the assignment, motivation and summarizing the relevant experience.
- Detailed Curriculum Vitae of consultants who will undertake the assignment, including names, addresses, and contacts (e-mail and telephone numbers) of three referees.
- Copies of relevant work undertaken in the last three years (electronic version).
- No Technical or Financial Proposals Required in this Stage.
- IGAD is an equal opportunities employer. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Interested and qualified consultants may send their application that fulfils the above requirements to the following email addresses: procurement@igad.int.
Applications should be submitted to the address below no later than Monday 30, October 2023. Please note that only shortlisted consultants will be contacted.
Women applicants are encouraged.
Procurement Unit
IGAD Secretariat
Avenue Georges Clemenceau
P.O. Box 2653, Djibouti
E-mail: procurement@igad.int
Download attached ToR document in PDF below
