Terms Of Reference for Cooperatives Capacity Assessment And Prioritize Required Capacity Building Activates

INTRODUCTION

Ethiopia is one of the 25 mega diverse countries in the world with diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The Ethiopian flora is estimated to comprise 6,029 species of higher plants, of which about 10% are endemic. Ethiopia is also a center of origin for many cultivated plants, of which wild relatives exist for most species. The country is one of the major Vavilovian centers of origin/diversity for several domesticated crops and their wild and weedy relatives.

The southwestern part of Ethiopia is the major eco-region that harbors most of the remnant forests in the country that are rich in biodiversity and carbon stock. These highlands are part of the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot. They are considered as the water tower of Africa, where most water of trans-boundary Rivers such as the Blue Nile, Baro and Omo originate. Over 70% of the water flow of the Blue Nile is contributed by a single tributary river from SW Ethiopia, the Dedesa River. The eco-region is also home for four of the five UNESCO biosphere reserves in Ethiopia. The forest in this eco-region is globally recognized as the undisputable center of origin and diversity of Arabica coffee and many other food crops.

Ethiopia is experiencing the direct negative effects of climate change, manifested in the forms of severe recurrent droughts in many parts of the country, heavy rains, and floods. Climate change impacts include increase in temperature, and rainfall variability, leading to more than 15 drought events over the last 50 years. Climate change is thus a serious challenge for agrarian countries such as Ethiopia, and calling for the need to build resilience across different sectors.

Ethiopia’s economy and the wellbeing of its people are highly dependent on biodiversity, particularly for the provision of food, fuel wood and construction materials. The sustainable management and use of biodiversity resources has the potential to contribute to the economic development of the country.

Moreover, the majority of the rural poor that depend on forest resources are losing their livelihood and income opportunities due to forest degradation. The unsustainable use of forests in Ethiopia negatively affects communities’ resilience to climate related shocks.

Therefore, this project is designed to support new and existing participatory forest management cooperatives and Community Based livelihood groups in Southwest Ethiopia and improvemanagement and conservation of forested landscapes, promote sustainable utilization of biodiversity and enhance livelihoods. It aims to build the governance and resilience capacity of targeted communities in six adjacent zones located in Oromia and South West Ethiopia Peoples’ (SWEP) Regional States.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSESSMENT

The objective of this assessment is to explore and analyze the status; the needs & gaps of Cooperatives both primary and union (including their capacities in governance, financial management, marketing, entrepreneurship) to facilitate smallholder’s access to information, linkage to market and employment opportunities and, therefore, better understand how Cooperatives can contribute to youth and women livelihood development and natural resources management practices.

The specific parameters or purposes of the assignment will include:

• To assess and identify major cooperatives institutional challenges, problems, capacity gaps in Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forested Landscapes project targeted selected areas;
• To prioritize capacity building activities in collaboration with potential value chain actors, private sectors engagement, possible market out reaches, etc.
• Drawing on the evidence in capacity building plan which identify opportunities to adopt of knowledge market based approaches that are suitably prioritized to be implemented over the project periods
• To develop business model for cooperatives to improve their business performance through identified capacity building actions;

For more and detailed information please refer to the Linked Document:

Short Term Consultancy.pdf

CONSULTANT’S PROFILE

At the minimum, the consultant(s) must possess the following:

• At least MA/MSc degree in cooperatives/Business Administration, Marketing, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness or in a related business fields,
• Knowledge and Proven experience in working with cooperative capacity assessment and related businesses in Ethiopia.
• Excellent understanding of the Ethiopian cooperative business development (local and national).
• Clear understanding and experience in private sector development and the role of the private sector in the development of effective cooperative business development for smallholders.
• Good analytical skill and organizing the report in English;

In addition:

• The consultant(s) should have the experience in undertaking Sida funded project studies
• The consultant(s) should have experience in adhering to the EU General Data ProtectionRegulation