Development of Pastoral Data Collection & Pan-African Standards & Guidelines Consultant

Introduction The Assignment AU IBAR is operationalizing the African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform, a continental initiative structured around three pillars: (i) Policy strengthening & implementation, (ii) Private sector engagement, and (iii) Strengthening & diffusion of functional data ecosystems. Kenya and Nigeria are prioritized lighthouse geographies for early operationalization, with lessons to inform broader regional scale up. Fragmentation of pastoral data systems across institutions (ministries, statistical bureaus, livestock and drought agencies, county/state governments, research bodies, private data vendors, and RECs) leads to inconsistent methods, vocabularies, and classifications. The result is limited interoperability, weak comparability across countries, and constrained use of data for policy, investment, and resilience. A harmonized Pan African standards package for collection and sharing is required to enable consistent, interoperable, and secure exchange of pastoral data across countries and actors. Contracting Authority Rationale This consultancy will design a generalized package of Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines (protocols, metadata templates, governance arrangements, and sharing mechanisms) that countries can adopt and adapt while maintaining continental comparability/interoperability—thereby laying the foundation for an integrated pastoral data ecosystem across Africa in line with APMD Data Pillar priorities. Background The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is leading the establishment and operationalization of the African Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform, a continental initiative that promotes market-driven, adaptive, and inclusive transformations in pastoralism. The platform is structured around three strategic pillars: policy strengthening and implementation; private sector engagement; and strengthening and diffusion of functional data ecosystems. Kenya and Nigeria have been identified as lighthouse geographies for early operationalization, with lessons intended to inform wider adoption across the Horn of Africa and the Sahel regions. Pastoralist systems are central to Africa’s rural economies, food security, and trade. They contribute significantly to national GDPs—ranging between 2% and 7% in many countries—and sustain the livelihoods of millions of households. Despite this importance, the pastoral data ecosystems are fragmented, not just across the continent, but even on national levels. Multiple institutions—including ministries, statistical bureaus, livestock and drought management agencies, research organizations, county/state governments, private data vendors, and regional bodies—collect and manage data. Yet these efforts are often siloed, duplicative, and guided by incompatible methodologies, vocabularies, and classifications. Limited coordination and lack of harmonized standards undermine the consistency, usability, and comparability of pastoral data. This, in turn, restricts the ability of governments, market actors, and development partners to design responsive policies, mobilize investment, and strengthen resilience. The situation is not unique to Kenya and Nigeria (APMD lighthouse counties) but Similar fragmentation is common across the Horn and Sahel countries, where governments, development partners, and private actors operate parallel systems for livestock production, rangeland monitoring, market prices, animal health, and mobility data. Without shared standards for collection and sharing, these systems struggle to interconnect, resulting in gaps in regional market intelligence and limiting opportunities for cross-border trade facilitation. At the same time, demand is growing for coordinated, interoperable data systems that can inform investment, enable timely response to climate shocks, and support evidence-based planning and decision making for the pastoral sector, and beyond. In response, the APMD Platform has initiated multi-regions consultations with governments, private sector actors, and regional organizations. These consultations have surfaced strong consensus on the need for a common framework for pastoral data collection and sharing—one that sets a minimum level of harmonization across countries while remaining flexible enough to be adapted to each national context. The selected consultant will be provided with final reports of those stakeholders consultative convenings to inform this study. The outcome of this consultancy will be a generalized package of Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines, including protocols, metadata templates, governance arrangements, and sharing mechanisms. Countries will be able to adopt and amend these standards according to their specific contexts, while maintaining comparability and interoperability at regional and continental levels. By developing this standards package, the consultancy will help lay the foundations for an integrated pastoral data ecosystem across Africa—one that strengthens evidence for policy, improves private-sector decision-making, and enables timely, coordinated responses to challenges in pastoral markets from Kenya and Nigeria to the Sahel and beyond. Purpose & Objectives of the Consultancy The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a continent-wide package of Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines that enhances consistency, usability, interoperability, and accessibility of pastoral data across APMD geographies. These standards will provide a unified framework that facilitates reliable data exchange and comparative analysis across countries. While Kenya and Nigeria will serve as the initial pilot cases and primary sources of evidence, the Standards & Guidelines will be designed for Pan-African relevance and formulated in a way that allows individual countries to adapt them to their national contexts without losing comparability or cross-border utility. Specific Objectives Review, consolidate, and validate existing consultation instruments, datasets, and evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and relevant regional initiatives to build a robust evidence base. Produce foundational tools for standardization, including: A Core Data-Element List (to define priority information fields); A Common Lexicon (to ensure consistent terminology across geographies); and A Minimal Metadata Template (to support data documentation, traceability, and quality assurance). Draft the Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines covering: Data collection protocols and instruments; Metadata standards and quality controls; Interoperability requirements for digital platforms and systems; Governance structures for data access and use; and Protocols for dissemination, cross-border related data exchange, and sharing practices. Develop an adaptation and adoption frameworks to support country-level contextualization and adoption, including: Guidance notes for national adaptation while preserving continental comparability; Refined Terms of Reference for Task Forces overseeing implementation; Review and alignment of 12-month work plans for Kenya and Nigeria as demonstration cases for broader continental roll-out.. Scope of Work The consultant will provide technical leadership to consolidate existing evidence and consultation inputs and develop a continentally generalized package of Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines that can be adopted and adapted across APMD geographies (as indicated in the Specific Objectives, above). The scope will cover the following core areas: Consolidate and quality-assure consultation artefacts, datasets, and related evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and relevant regional initiatives; identify overlaps, gaps, and priority areas that require harmonization; and produce a synthesis that will form the technical evidence base for the Standards & Guidelines. Develop the foundational harmonization tools (Design a Core Data-Element List identifying priority information fields relevant to pastoral livestock sector; Develop Common Lexicon to standardize terminology across geographies and disciplines; Create Minimal Metadata Template to insure data quality, traceability, sand comparability) to serve as building blocks for standardization. Draft the Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines, addressing standardized protocols and instruments for pastoral data collection; Metadata and quality assurance requirements; Digital and system interoperability provisions; Governance frameworks for data management and access; and Dissemination, and cross-border data-sharing practices. Develop practical guidance notes to support country-level contextualization while maintaining continental comparability; Refine and strengthen Terms Of References (TOR) for Task Force that will oversee national adaptation and operationalization; and Review and align the 12-month work plans of Task Forces in Kenya and Nigeria, as demonstration cases for wider continental roll-out. Key Activities Inception and Alignment At the start of the assignment, the consultant will review all relevant consultation outputs from Kenya and Nigeria, alongside APMD reference materials, to ensure alignment with the Data Pillar’s objectives. The inception phase will also confirm the scope, acceptance criteria, document templates, and communication cadence with the APMD Data Pillar Lead. An Inception Report and Workplan will be prepared, including an annotated outline, a detailed schedule, and a stakeholder list. Review of the Existing Landscape The consultant will consolidate available consultation artefacts and existing initiatives, mapping overlaps and gaps across national and regional instruments and systems (e.g., statistical classifications, market and rangeland monitoring frameworks, NLMIS-type models, and county systems). Where necessary, the consultant will conduct targeted stakeholder consultations with ministries, agencies, research organizations, counties, private data vendors, and regional bodies such as IGAD, ECCAS and ECOWAS. The findings will be used to update artefact priorities and inform governance options. Draft Harmonization Instruments The consultant will prepare a first version of the harmonization Instruments to provide a foundation for standardization. This will include a Core Data Elements List that defines minimum indicators across major use cases, specifying units, disaggregation (sex/age, breeds, grades, geography, time), and other quality attributes. A Common Lexicon will be drafted to define standard terms and synonyms for pastoral and market concepts, with crosswalks to national and regional vocabularies. In addition, a Minimal Metadata Template will be produced, covering provenance, spatial/temporal coverage, collection methods, licensing, and privacy levels, with editable templates provided (CSV/JSON). Draft Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines v1.0 Building on the harmonization instruments, the consultant will draft the Pastoral Data Collection and Sharing Standards & Guidelines (v1.0). These will include, but limited to, clear protocols and instruments for data collection, defining collection frequency, methods, formats, and tools. The guidelines will establish metadata requirements and interoperability profiles, setting out schema standards and exchange protocols to ensure comparability and integration across systems. They will also define governance arrangements, including roles and responsibilities (custodianship, stewards, task force), approval and change-management procedures, grievance handling, and risk controls. Finally, the guidelines will provide dissemination and sharing practices, setting standards for data sharing across agencies and partners, access control, licensing, and safeguarding sensitive information. Adaptation and Adoption Framework Develop guidance notes for country contextualization of the standards inspired by refined Task Force Terms of Reference; and review of 12-month work plans Task forces formed to ensure alignment with the continental framework. Evaluation Criteria Criteria Scores (%) Qualifications 25 General Experience 20 Specific Experience 30 Technical Proposal / Methodology 10 Skills and competencies 10 Language 5 Total 100 Requirements Qualifications and Skills Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in rangeland/livestock sciences, agricultural economics, data science/information systems, or closely related field. Demonstrated excellence in technical writing, standards documentation, and facilitation of multi-stakeholder technical processes; strong organizational and communication skills. General Professional Experience 10+ years working with data ecosystems in pastoral/livestock value chains within Africa (public sector, research/academia, or development programs), including lighthouse or cross-country initiatives. Proven experience leading desk reviews, evidence consolidation, and consultative processes involving ministries, national statistics offices, sub-national authorities, private data providers, and regional bodies. Specific Professional Experience Hands-on design and implementation of data standards and protocols (collection instruments, metadata/QA frameworks, taxonomies/lexicons, schemas, exchange specifications/APIs) applicable to pastoral markets and rangeland systems. Practical expertise with digital/ICT-enabled data systems (e.g., mobile data capture, cloud repositories, APIs/interoperability), ensuring usability across diverse national contexts. Familiarity with AU-IBAR/APMD priorities and continental/regional policy architecture impacting pastoral systems and data governance; ability to translate standards into adoption roadmaps for Kenya and Nigeria with continental scalability. Demonstrated ability to link pastoral data systems to market/financial applications (e.g., risk management, insurance, private-sector decision support). Other Essential Skills Strong capacity-building track record (guides, toolkits, training, and institutional strengthening for standards adoption and sustainability). Ability to manage tight timelines, coordinate parallel inputs, and deliver high-quality outputs suitable for AU approval processes. Proficiency in AU Languages (English and other AU language). Deliverables The following table presents the consultation expected deliverables: No Deliverable Inception Report (Including Review of the Existing Landscape) Harmonization Instruments (Core Data Elements List, Common Lexicon, Minimum Aligned Metadata) Draft Standards & Guidelines Final Report including Harmonization Framework, and Strategy Outlines. Data and information collected, and sources utilized (uploaded in a cloud facility). List and contact information for the stakeholders interviewed and information providers. Duration & Location The assignment should be completed in no longer than five (5) weeks from the commencement date. Within the first week, the consultant should provide a detailed Inception Report indication consultation Action Plan with time lime, stakeholders and data resource-mapping, and report structure, to be approved by APMD Project Team and Project Coordinator. The consultation is mainly based on desk studies and online-stakeholders consultation. All travel for data collection (e.g., stakeholders focus group discussion or KII interviews), if needed, will be planned in the Inception Report and require the prior approval of the cost by AU-IBAR. Such approved travel will be paid for, by AU-IBAR in accordance with the African Union Commission travel policy. Remuneration The all-inclusive fees for the performance of the assignment shall be USD 9,800.00. Expenses for travel outside the duty station agreed with AU-IBAR, will be covered separately in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations. Payment Terms Payment shall be made upon completion and sharing a satisfactory reports and other deliverables based on the TOR and signed contract. Supervision The consultant will work in coordination with the APMD Project Team under the guidance and direct supervision of the APMD Project Coordinator and the overall supervision of the AU-IBAR Director.

### Application Procedures Applications are invited from interested and qualified consultants or consortiums. ### Documents to be submitted Interested applicants should submit the following documents: i. A Technical proposal on how the applicants will accomplish the assignment: description of the proposed methodology to accomplish the assignment, time line and stakeholders and information resources maps. ii. Detailed curriculum vitae of key main expert / expert-consortium. iii. Copies of professional and academic certificates, iv. Three referees and samples of / links to previous relevant tasks v. Signed Declaration on Exclusion Criteria for the consult or consortium (format provided) ### Deadline of Submission All applications should be submitted via email to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected] and should include the title “Development of Pastoral Data Collection & Pan-African Standards & Guidelines” on or before 29th October 2025 at 23:59 Nairobi Local Time.