Improving Fishery Products in Malawi: Technical Assistance to Department of Fisheries, Government of Malawi

Reference: X/MWI/0487
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Duration: Over the period September 2011 to December 2012
Closing Date: 31 Aug 2011

Please note: This invitation is open to consulting companies registered in Commonwealth member countries and independent consultants who are nationals of Commonwealth member countries.

Background

Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (2006 - 2011) is committed to wealth creation through sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development as a means of achieving poverty reduction. The fisheries sector has a key role to play in poverty reduction through the provision of employment and, more importantly, its contribution to household food security.

Most fish produced in Malawi is consumed locally although there is some trade in fishery products across the country’s borders, largely on an informal basis. There are plans that Malawi will be able to export fish products well beyond the sub-region by 2020.

The Department of Fisheries (DoF), Government of Malawi, wishes to improve both the quality and safety of fishery products that are placed on the market in Malawi. There is a myriad of legislation and regulations (e.g. Acts of Parliament and by-laws) which are relevant to control over the quality and safety of fishery products placed on the market in Malawi. However, the vast array of institutions involved, concerns about overlapping jurisdictions and official mandates at different levels, combined with resource constraints (e.g. qualified fish inspectors) makes monitoring and enforcement of any formal quality and food safety related standards or other requirements more difficult. Existing laboratory testing and other diagnostic services are also extremely variable both in terms of their facilities (e.g. equipment) as well as human capacity.

In order to improve both the quality and safety of fishery products that are placed on the market, DoF is keen to pursue the elaboration of a new set of fish quality and safety standards of particular relevance to small scale processing enterprises. DoF is also keen to re-introduce the practice of fish inspections by DoF staff (in the major wholesale markets).

The role of the Malawi Bureau of Standards is particularly significant as it is responsible for the preparation and publication of standards, including food-related standards. MBS currently undertakes periodic inspections and testing services of food processing establishments including certification of products from the largest commercial fish processing plant in the country. MBS also runs a number of training courses, on a commercial basis, for the public including a course on ‘Developing food safety management systems’.

A Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Policy and Strategy for Malawi is about to be developed. One of the objectives of the Policy is to strengthen the business support infrastructure through investment in dedicated institutions for MSME development. The ability of these dedicated institutions to understand and respond to the challenges facing small-scale fisheries enterprise will be critical to the ability of local enterprise to take advantage of new market opportunities for fishery products where compliance with higher quality and food safety considerations is likely to be key.

The objective

The objective of the project is to improve the quality and safety of fishery products in Malawi. This will be achieved by way of a number of interventions in support of the following:

• Improved handling of fish by fishermen (capture fisheries) leading to a reduction in both quality and physical losses.
• Improved awareness of the real constraints to adoption of any new quality and safety standards by fishermen and small-scale enterprise, including lack of market related imperatives;
• More strategic interventions by DoF to address fish quality and food safety issues that are consistent with its mandate and existing capacities, taking into account the comparative advantage of other relevant institutions, including District Assemblies, to support efforts in this direction.
• Improved cooperation amongst key stakeholders in the fish supply/value chain with respect to addressing existing and future challenges to the quality and safety of fishery products from aquaculture.
• Supportive policies that promote a business environment where market forces and competition drive improvements in the quality and safety of fishery products.

Outputs

Four outputs are envisaged:

1. Staff of relevant local institutions trained in techniques designed to improve the quality of fishery products. This will include strengthening the capacity of Malawi College of Fisheries (MCF) and Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) or other relevant institutions. The capacity of MCF to undertake certain official controls (e.g. Competent Authority) with respect to improving the safety of fishery products placed on markets will also be assessed and clear recommendations made.

Key deliverables will be:

• Training workshop for selected MCF Staff (or other relevant institutions) on fish handling conducted
• MBS training courses reviewed for relevance to small-scale fisheries enterprise
• Inspection and auditing capabilities of MBS in fisheries assessed
• MCF curriculum reviewed, with recommendations on fish handling and processing
• Assessment of the MCF to serve as Competent Authority for export of fishery products to the EU completed.

2. DoF staff trained in a participatory process of fish quality standards development for small-scale enterprise. In consultation with the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) and Department of Fisheries (DoF), the project will provide relevant guidance to fish quality standards based on best practice applied elsewhere. At least one major workshop on the potential food safety challenges facing the aquaculture sub-sector is envisaged.

Key deliverables will be:

• DoF priority areas of intervention relevant to fish quality and food safety articulated.
• A practical manual/set of guidelines to facilitate the development of fish quality standards for small scale-enterprise developed.
• National workshop on food safety hazards in fisheries and aquaculture conducted.
• Extension materials in form of posters, etc. produced.

3. Fish quality and safety requirements in a number of COMESA (or SADC) countries elaborated for the benefit of DoF. This will be achieved by undertaking a desk study of the fish quality and safety requirements of imports as applied in at least three (3) COMESA member states.

Key deliverable will be:

• Paper to DoF on fish quality and related food safety requirements in other COMESA countries developed.

Activities to be undertaken

• Provide Malawi College of Fisheries (or other relevant institutions) with enhanced capacity with respect to the provision of training in the proper handling of fish.
• Undertake a review of the existing capacity within Malawi College of Fisheries to support improvements in safety of fishery products, including an assessment of existing human resources to provide advice to DoF regarding implementation of official fisheries related food safety controls.
• Undertake an assessment of the training provided by MCF to potential fisheries extension officers with respect to enhancing their knowledge regarding the quality and safety of fishery products.
• Undertake a review of relevant MBS training courses as well as official inspection capabilities.
• Identify emerging priority issues regarding the quality and safety of fishery products from aquaculture into the future.
• Organise a tailored programme of training for DoF staff on the fundamentals of standards development, including an understanding of the importance of market imperatives
• Organise a programme of consultations on fish quality standards development between DoF and a range of stakeholders in the fish supply/value chain, including small-scale fisheries enterprise, using participatory tools where possible.
• Assist DoF to make effective contributions to the development of the MSME Policy and Strategy to ensure that the quality and food safety development needs/challenges of fisheries-related enterprise are taken into account.
• Organise a final workshop at which project findings are presented to key stakeholders.

Approach and methodology

The Consultant(s) will work closely with DoF which will facilitate the engagement with relevant parties especially MCF and MBS. DoF will also provide the Consultant(s) with access to office space in Lilongwe. The Consultant(s) however will need to be able to operate independently and access to relevant local expertise and support services, including logistical support, will be essential.

The project will be implemented over a ten to fourteen month period (September 2011 to December 2012), including an Inception Phase. The Inception phase will involve meetings with DoF as well as consultations with Malawi College of Fisheries and Malawi Bureau of Standards or other institutions where relevant. The Consultant(s) is also expected to consult broadly with private sector interests (small-scale and large scale) in both capture fisheries and aquaculture.

Capacity building for MCF will take the form of ‘training of trainers’ involving key staff who will be expected to support improved fish handling by local fishers into the future including fishers from commercial trawlers on Lake Malawi. Whilst the emphasis of the training will be on transferring practical skills, some assistance will be extended to developing existing materials used by MCF, particularly those materials employed for the development of potential fisheries extension officers.

With respect to MBS, the principal focus will be on those training programmes which have direct relevance to improving the quality and safety of fishery products being consumed, including the ‘Development of Food Safety Management Systems’ course. The project will also seek to strengthen current MBS activities with respect to inspections of food establishments as well as other assessments (e.g. HACCP audit) where fishery products are involved.

In order to determine the range and nature of specific interventions DoF can realistically support with respect to fish quality standards development, the Consultant(s) will need to understand the limitations currently placed on DoF not only in terms of its existing mandate but also existing resource, including human capacity, constraints faced.

Based on this understanding, the Consultant(s) will seek to provide guidance to DoF on best practice in the development of fish quality (and food safety) standards, including voluntary where feasible, that is of particular relevance to small-scale fisheries enterprise. This guidance will emerge from a number of pre-defined actions, including undertaking a review of existing standards as developed and approved by MBS.

The consultant(s) will also be required to devise a programme of support to facilitate effective co-ordination of fisheries sector representation, under DoF leadership, at the MSME and other major policy development fora.

Reporting

Four reports will be produced. In each case, a draft copy of the report will be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretariat for comment before finalisation.

Inception report

An Inception Report, endorsed by DoF, will be produced setting out key agreements reached with relevant institutions as well as including a detailed work plan setting out key activities to be undertaken for the subsequent phases of the project. This report shall not exceed 20 pages A4 (excluding annexes) and will be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretariat within one month of the Inception visit. The Inception Report will include:

• Task descriptions and allocated levels of professional inputs
• Timelines for key deliverables and reports
• Budget allocation regarding non-fee items (e.g. workshops etc.)

Two progress reports

The first progress report will be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretariat during the second phase of the project. The second progress report will be produced during the third phase of the project.

Final project report

A draft will be produced at least one month in advance of the final version.

Budget

The total value of the contract will be in the region of £90,000 to £110,000. The contract will be payable on an all-inclusive basis.

Qualifications

Bids are invited from a team of individual consultants or consultancy firm (or other legally established entity) registered in a Commonwealth country and will have significant experience of implementing international development projects. Experience in Malawi or neighbouring countries will be a distinct advantage. Individual consultants must be nationals of a Commonwealth country.

The successful bid will draw on a team of relevant experts. Three key experts are envisaged. The team leader will be an expert in fish trade, with sound knowledge of quality and food safety issues as they relate to fishery products. The institutional strengthening expert will not only be familiar with capacity needs that underpin official fish quality and food safety controls but also experienced in developing relevant training materials, ideally gained from working in a major training institution. One of the team members will be an expert on aquaculture production systems. Other expertise will be brought in on a ‘as-needs basis’.

The Team Leader will demonstrate strong leadership skills and possess at least 15 years international experience. Other team members will have a minimum of 10 years international experience.

Submission of proposal

For information regarding this consultancy or to submit the proposal and the Company Consultancy Form/Personal History Form* (as applicable), please contact:

Mrs Puja D Sharma
HR (CFTC)
Commonwealth Secretariat
Pall Mall
London UK
SW1Y 5HX
Email: p.sharma@commonwealth.int
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7747 6531
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7747 6520

The proposal should comprise of the following:

• A Statement of Capability
• Resumes of the key staff allocated to the project
• A document detailing the methodology, work programme and milestones (this will be finalised with the Commonwealth Secretariat prior to commencement)
• Detailed budget including daily staff rates, subsistence and all other costs

The proposal needs to be received by 1800 hrs on 31 August 2011.

*The Company Consultancy Form may be downloaded from the Secretariat Website on the Employment / Vacancy / Consultancy Company Assignments page. The Personal History Form may be downloaded from the Secretariat Website on the Employment / Vacancies / Short term Assignments (overseas) page. The forms are available only in PDF format.

The proposal and the form should be forwarded to the contact officer as an attachment to an email or by post / fax.

Download the Terms of Reference