Consultancy For a Donkey Expert To Support The Formulation of The Pan African Strategy For The Development of Donkey Species In Africa and Action Plan Consultancy

Background

The African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a technical institution under the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) whose mission is to provide leadership and integrated support services for the development of animal resources in Africa. AU-IBAR is mandated to support and coordinate the sustainable development and utilization of animal resources (livestock, fisheries and wildlife) to enhance nutrition and food security and contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of the people in the Member States of the AU. AU-IBAR accomplishes its mandate through supporting and empowering the African Union Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The core functions of AU-IBAR within the field of animal resources development in Africa are: Strengthening and promoting veterinary governance and animal health systems; Strengthening and promoting access to inputs, services and markets for animal and animal products; Enhancing the utilization, management and conservation of animal resources and their ecosystems; Promotion of the effective management of animal resources information and knowledge.

For thousands of years, working animals in general, and donkeys in particular, have been supporting the daily life of many communities, through playing a crucial role in the tilling of agricultural land, transport of goods, clean water and people. These animals help build resilience to aspects of challenges in life, such as climate change, and make a transformative socioeconomic impact in many parts of the continent. Donkeys play an important role in some urban areas, where they help in the transportation of bricks for the construction industry, animal feeds and farm produce, in many African countries.

The role played by the donkey in the community and its contribution to overall socio-economic development is often neglected in policy frameworks and other initiatives that could drive its contribution to the “agro-socio-economic” development of Africa. The chronic neglect by institutions and governments, and hence the decimation of its population by the donkey skin trade, implies depriving the donkey-dependent communities; especially women, of the benefits they could obtain from them. The lack of recognition of the donkey’s role in development and the emerging threats to its existence is suspected to contribute to the runaway unsustainable exploitation of the animal for its skin and illegal bush slaughter for meat, in Africa consequently threatening the livelihoods of donkey dependent communities.

It is against this backdrop that AU-IBAR in close partnership with Brooke and Equine welfare Organizations in Africa, convened the Pan-African Donkey Conference on donkey exploitation in Africa to bring together all relevant stakeholders in the continent, to formulate a common voice on the future of the donkey in the continent. The conference provided a platform for stakeholders, led by governments and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of the African Union Member States, to dialogue on the role of donkeys in Africa. This deepened the understanding of the status of the exploitation of the donkey in Africa, and thus consolidated a common policy position. The resolutions and recommendation of the conference aimed to generate commitments on conserving the animal, as well as to pave way for development of policies and practices to promote the visibility of donkeys in sustainable development.

The report of the conference was endorsed by the 5th Specialized Technical Committee (STC) for Agriculture, Rural development, Blue Economy, Water and Sustainable Environment of the African Union in November 2024 and adopted by heads of States and government during the AU Summit in February 2025 urging AUC through AU-IBAR, in collaboration with partners, spearheads the development of a Comprehensive Africa Donkey Development Strategy [ADDS] and Action Plan to rebuild the donkey population and its conservation in the continent.

AU-IBAR therefore seeks the services of a Donkey Expert with vast knowledge on donkey health care and characterization, breeding and genetic improvement at national, regional and continental levels and with knowledge and experience on the status on working equines in the continent and donkey production and productivity; to provide technical support for the animal welfare strategy for Africa and related activities.

Overall Objective

The overall objective of the consultancy is to support the development of a comprehensive Pan African Donkey Strategy to guide a coordinated and collective stakeholder to safeguard the welfare of the donkeys, rebuild Africa’s population of donkeys and other working equines, and to ensure the sustainable utilization of the animal in the continent.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The consultancy will be undertaken under the overall oversight of the Director of AU-IBAR and direct supervision of the Coordinator of Animal Health Unit/AU IBAR Animal Welfare Focal Point and in close consultation with the AU IBAR/ICWE Partners Technical Working group and the Secretariat of the Animal Welfare platform for Africa (APAW). The consultancy shall perform the following tasks:

1. To lead and support an inclusive, participatory and consultative process for drafting and formulating a Pan African Donkey strategy and Action plan;
2. To ensure the presentation and adoption of the draft Pan African Donkey Strategy and Action Plan at the second Pan African Donkey conference [PADCO-2]; adoption at the STC meeting in December 2025 and endorsement by the AU Heads of State at a summit in 2026;
3. To review/establish the status working animals (donkeys, mules, and horses) in the context of global, continental and regional frameworks;
4. To identify gaps, challenges, threats and trends in the utilization of the donkey in Africa in the context of the global food security, livelihoods, gender empowerment, community and regional conflicts, irregular migration, and climate-change-coping resilience of donkey-dependent communities;
5. Lead, coordinate, supervise and monitoring the technical implementation and management of continental PPR eradication strategy in Africa;
6. To develop a comprehensive strategy for the development of donkey species and other equines in Africa; and action plan;
7. To formulate a continental program for the preservation of donkey species preservation and other equines in Africa;
8. To support the implementation of the animal welfare strategy for Africa (AWSA) in African Union member States and Regional Economic Communities;
9. To support RECs to develop and align their regional donkey development strategy in line with the continental strategy;
10. To support the development of an action plan and a continental program on donkey health care and breeding;
11. Perform and other duty assigned by the Supervisor and the Director of AU-IBAR.

Deliverables

The consultancy will cover and deliver the following:

• Inception report with detailed work plan and anticipated stakeholders to be met, which will include a technical note on the methodology used for data collection and the areas of interventions produced.
• Strategic animal resources sector documents of RECs and international organization including reports on the status of donkeys and the donkey skin trade in Africa reviewed.
• Co-coordination of consultative meetings with relevant animal industry stakeholders and institutions of the continent.
• Production of a comprehensive African Donkey Development Strategy document on with the intervention areas to rebuild their populations and for their sustainable utilization.
• A Strategy Implementation Action Plan inclusive of a proposal of a mechanism for the coordination of donkey welfare actors at national, regional and continental levels.
• Final comprehensive Pan African Donkey Strategy and action plan.
• Final continental program on donkey health care and breeding.

Duty Stations

The consultant will be stationed in Nairobi with travel on specific assignments agreed with the AU-IBAR Management under the supervision of the Coordinator of Animal Health Unit and the overall supervision of the Director of AU-IBAR.

The selected candidate will be responsible for all costs related to assumption at the duty station. The candidate should ensure that they have the capacity and status to undertake the assignment at the duty station.

Duration

The duration of this assignment is 6 months. The contract would be renewable depending on availability of funds and satisfactory performance. The selected candidate should be available to undertake this assignment as soon as the contract is signed.

Remuneration

The monthly remuneration for this Consultancy is a fixed sum of USD 6,000. Expenses for missions will be covered separately in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations.

Medical and Travel Cover for Consultant/s

The consultant will responsible for their medical and travel insurance cover/s during the duration of the consultancy.

Requirements of Consultant

Qualifications

Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Medicine, animal sciences and or animal production engineering or animal production sciences and a post-graduate degree in animal genetic, and genetic improvement is mandatory. A PhD in animal biotechnology and production systems disciplines will be an added advantage.

Relevant Experience & Specialized Knowledge

The criteria for selection will be based on:

• At least 10 years of hands-on relevant professional experience with proven record in animal resources sector interventions;
• Proven experience in donkey health care and animal welfare in Africa;
• Proven experience in conducting similar exercises in African regions and countries;
• Good knowledge of the African working animals’ status especially on donkey species institutional environment and national, regional plus international actors involved;
• Sound knowledge and experience in animal genetic characterisation, improvement and breeding in Africa skills required;
• Working experience in African region and/or RECs in animal welfare sector especially donkey health care and welfare is particularly commendable;
• Extensive knowledge on issues of Africa Animal health and welfare, and production and knowledge on ongoing African Union initiatives and interventions in the sector.

Other Skills

• Strong writing and reporting skills.
• Good communication skills and ability to work in a team and with minimum supervision.
• Fluency in the dominant languages applicable to the Regional Economic Communities [RECs], with excellent facilitation skills and knowledge of Africa socioeconomics context.

Language Requirement

Proficiency in English and French or any other AU working languages.

Gender Mainstreaming

The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Evaluation Criteria

The applications will be evaluated on the basis of the relevant technical qualifications, experience and competence of the candidates.

Criteria Scores

Qualifications 20

Relevant Experience & Knowledge 70

Other Skills 5

Language 5

Total 100

Tagged as: African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources, Kenya