Training on Animal Health Risk Communication At African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

Introduction

The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a technical office of the African Union Commission based in Nairobi; mandated to provide leadership in the development of animal resources in Africa. This is achieved by supporting and empowering the African Union Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) through strategic partnerships.

AU-IBAR’s vision is of an Africa free from hunger and poverty in which animal resources make a significant contribution within the global arena. Founded in 1951 to study the epidemiological situation and fight rinderpest in Africa, AU-IBAR’s mandate has evolved over time to cover all aspects of animal resources, including livestock, fisheries and wildlife.

Context

AU-IBAR is an international organization which employs staff from the 55 Member States of the African Continent. It is an organization that is program/project based and thus most staff are involved in the implementation of various projects around the continent. Based on staff are continuously equipped with necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to effectively serve the animal resources stakeholders.

Based on its mandate, AU-IBAR staff works with various stakeholders to protect animal and public health and communication to and with the stakeholders is critical for effective delivery and impact of our services. Risk Communication plays an important role in disease prevention, detection and response and is an integral part of risk management during animal health emergencies and disease outbreaks. Effective communication recognizes its unique functions as integral to the other non-communication functions required during an emergency or disease outbreak response, such as, logistics, epidemiological investigations and mobilization of human and financial resources and financing. Communication is uniquely positioned to raise awareness, build knowledge, influence attitudes and behavior, build perceptual associations between recommendations and stakeholders’ or audiences’ values, customs, and beliefs.

In order to enhance the capacity of key AU-IBAR staff, AU-IBAR Human Resource and Administration Unit plans to engage a consultant to conduct a three (3) day training on Animal Health Risk Communication for key staff.

Purpose and Scope

The overall purpose of this training is to

1. Develop and enhance knowledge base on the importance of communication in improving delivery of animal health services to improve animal health and production, food and nutrition security and farmers’ livelihood;
2. Provide skills and training needed to understand key elements and tools in risk communication in the Animal Health sector;
3. Assist key staff to improve and manage delivery of activities within various intervention within the Animal Health unit by developing key communication competencies based on case studies and the best practices in animal health and welfare risk communication.

Activities/ Deliverables

• Refresher perspective of Animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health (context for risk communication activities).
  • Technological tools for preventing, detecting and diagnosing animal diseases
  • Preparedness, prevention and control, detection and response actions
  • Understanding of high priority animal and public health hazards such as an influenza virus with pandemic potential, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Ebola virus disease, etc.
• Introduction to risk communication in the animal health sector
• Risk Communication strategies
• Tools useful for risk communication
• Animal health risk communication and the international health standards/agreements
• Communicating animal health risk to stakeholders in the Animal Health Sector
• Stakeholder/Public communication and Community engagement
• Internal and external communication; coordination, dynamic listening and rumor management

Duration and Management

The consultancy will be for three (3) days, under the overall direction by the Director of AU-IBAR and immediate supervision by the Snr. Human Resources and Administration Officer.

Qualifications and Experience

1. The lead consultant should have Advanced degree/ Post Graduate Diploma in Veterinary Medicine or relevant field
2. Eight (8) years proven experience of facilitating training sessions in Risk communication for medium and large scale organizations. Experience in providing this training in the Animal Health Sector is an added advantage
3. The co – trainers to have an advanced degree preferably in Veterinary Medicine, 5 years’ experience in training and proven experience in training in Risk Communication in animal health Veterinary
4. Demonstrated knowledge and advanced skills and at least 8 years of previous experience in the facilitation of Veterinary Medicine training for medium and large-scale organizations

Other Essential Attributes

1. Excellent facilitation and communication skills in English (oral and written)
2. Excellent rapporteur and analytical skills necessary for capturing the reviews and suggestions that will emerge from the interactive sessions during the exercise
3. Flexible nature and ability to adapt to changing directions/thinking that may occur during the Retreat
4. Excellent interpersonal skills

Evaluation Criteria and Scores

Criteria Scores

Qualifications 20
Experience 40
Methodology and approach 20
Other skills (writing skills, computing skills, publications) 15
Proficiency in AU Language 5

Budget

The estimated total cost for this assignment should cover professional fees, field travels (where necessary), accommodation (where applicable) equipment hire, and any other costs related to the assignment.

Submission Procedure

Individual consultants that wish to show their interest in undertaking the prescribed work are to email and/or send hard copies of the following:

1. Technical Proposal (clearly marked “Proposal for Animal Health Risk Communication consultancy for AU-IBAR”) that will include:
   • Interpretation of the TORs
   • Methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment
   • Programmes, Time and activity schedule
   • Organizational and/or Personnel Capacity Statement
   • Relevant experience related to the assignment
   • Curriculum Vitae of the Team leader and other team members
2. Financial proposal not exceeding 2 pages (clearly marked “**Financial Proposal for Animal Health Risk Communication for AU-IBAR**”) that will include:
   • Consultant’s daily rates.
   • Any other related costs
3. Financial proposal must clearly quote for online and physical training separately.