Alignment of National Fisheries Aquaculture Strategies Consultant at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

The Assignment

This consultancy aims to achieve the following objectives:

• To assess and align national fisheries and aquaculture policies and strategies with the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy (PFRS) for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa and relevant international instruments.
• To review national frameworks in order to propose specific recommendations for the alignment and domestication of global instruments and international conventions.
• To support African Union Member States (AU-MS) in developing and implementing fisheries and aquaculture strategies and National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIPs) that align with the PFRS and climate adaptation goals. This also includes establishing peer-review and twinning mechanisms to strengthen sectoral coherence and policy capacity in line with the PFRS.

The consultant for each of the AU member states will carry out the following specific activities to meet the expected outcomes and produce a comprehensive report:

Alignment of National Policy to PFRS

• Meeting with the relevant stakeholders at national level and where possible at regional level (e.g. RFOs, RECs, etc);
• Analyze relevant documents (national policy, strategies and legislative/regulatory frameworks) using the Guide for implementation of the PFRS developed by AU-IBAR, with reference to the preliminary analysis that has been done by the ACECOR (University of Cape Coast) on policy alignment and also ensuring adoption of relevant international best practices.
• Identify policy gaps and key issues for the reforms of the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
• Document best practices (including critical enablers) and lessons leant from the implementation of current or past policies and strategies.
• Propose policy intervention entry points and priority actions to fast track the reforms for coherence/alignment to the PFRS.
• Prepare in close consultation with the National Departments of Fisheries, or the National Competent Authorities responsible for Fisheries the draft revised National Fisheries Policy/strategy that is coherent with PFRS.
• Facilitate a stakeholder’s consultation to validate the draft document, ensuring uptake and ownership by national stakeholders.
• Recommendations for alignment and domestication of global instruments and relevant international conventions.
• Organize consultations with the relevant national authorities and stakeholders at national level and where possible at regional level (e.g. RFOs, RECs, etc)
• Analyze relevant documents (national policy, strategies and legislative/regulatory frameworks) with reference to the preliminary analysis and findings that has been done by the African Center of Excellence for Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana on Mechanisms to Facilitate the Domestication of Global Instruments and Initiatives at Continental, Regional and National Levels.
• Identify and analyze priority instruments and initiatives and outline strategies for effective participation.
• Develop a mechanism with specific recommendations for implementation, ratification and domestication of relevant instruments.
• Facilitate a national stakeholder’s consultative workshop in close consultation with AU-IBAR and the National Departments of Fisheries, or the National Competent Authorities responsible for Fisheries to validate the draft document, ensuring uptake and ownership by national stakeholders.

Alignment of NAIPs to fisheries and aquaculture strategies and investment plans to the PFRS, environmental management and climate-change adaptation action plans.

• A detailed and comprehensive inception briefing with relevant AU-IBAR staff to agree on expectations and provide clarity on any outstanding issues.
• A desk review of international, continental and national documents including AU policy instruments and strategies relevant to this Contract area, such as (but not exclusive) including the Comprehensive Africa Aquaculture Development Program (CAADP), the PFRS, Africa Blue Economy Strategy, Regional and National fisheries management and aquaculture development policies, plans and programs, NAIPs/RAIPs, CAADP compacts, environmental management and climate-change adaptation. This process must also take into full account the preliminary analyses and findings generated by African Centre’s of Excellence, including Rhodes University and the Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research (CLAR), particularly those relating to climate change impacts and the formulation of mitigation measures within the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
• An evaluation of the extent to which the country has mainstreamed the PFRS, environmental sustainability and climate-change resilience into its (adaptation) fisheries and aquaculture sectoral strategies, and NAIPS other investment programs within the country.
• For best practices, liaise with national institutions such as departments of fisheries and aquaculture, water development, environmental management and development planning and monitoring especially in relation to the CAADP to identify key informants, sectoral documents and relevant data for the Contract.
• Undertake a situation analysis highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) affecting the mainstreaming and implementation of climate-smart environmental sustainability fisheries-aquaculture within AU-MS and RECs.

The candidate should have:

• Proven experience of knowledge in conducting related studies on fisheries, aquaculture and/or in related agricultural and environmental sub-sectors.
• Good understanding of fisheries-aquaculture-related environmental sustainability and climate-change issues with demonstrated knowledge of AU policy instruments and strategies relevant to this contract, such as the CAADP, the PFRS and Africa Blue Economy Strategy.
• Evidence of having undertaken related consultancies, projects on behalf of development partners and organizations in the last 10 years.
• Record of familiarization with institutions (national, regional and continental) with mandates in fisheries-aquaculture or related disciplines at national, regional and continental levels in Africa.
• Proven skills and ability to facilitate the consultation process.
• Evidence of working with or knowledge of stakeholders, including NSAs, in the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Africa.