Consultancy: Brazilian Context Analysis

Consultancy: Brazilian Context Analysis

The Donkey Sanctuary is the leading global expert and charity supporting donkeys and mules worldwide operating as an international non-governmental organisation. It is through its Global Programmes, Policy, and Advocacy, Campaigns, Tactical Response and Research and Operational Support teams that we support donkeys and mules globally.

The Donkey Sanctuary has a Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) team based in Mexico who are responsible for regional strategy development and implementation of programmes in LAC. Since 2018, as part of a step change in our organisational strategy, we transitioned from delivering direct service provision to working with stakeholders and partners to enable greater reach and sustainable solutions.

A key aspect of The Donkey Sanctuary’s international strategy is to transform the lives of working donkeys and mules in need across the world. These animals operate in rural and urban settings in agriculture, industry and undertaking other community/household activities.

Requirement summary

We are looking for an experienced and reputable organisation / individual consultant to conduct a country assessment of Brazil. More information on our specific requirements is outlined below:

1. Background Information

Whilst The Donkey Sanctuary has participated in campaigning activities in relation to its Global Skin Trade Campaign in Brazil for the past 3 years, we have a limited understanding of how we can effect change to improve the welfare needs of donkeys and mules in the Brazilian context.

Typically, donkey and mule data is limited as they are seen as invisible workers, generally falling outside of the protections for both livestock and companion animals and therefore standard surveys run by the Government. Desk reviews outside of Brazil only provide limited information, which is inadequate to meet our needs of truly understanding the welfare issues of donkeys and mules in Brazil and how we can influence change to improve both their lives, and the lives of those who rely on them. Information sourced so far is heavily influenced by the data we have collected on the skin trade and does not enable us to understand donkeys and mules in livelihoods, how donkeys and mules assist humans, where and if donkeys and mules are involved in industry, agribusiness, donkey milk production, end of their lives conditions, and so on, their numbers and locations or what the welfare needs of donkeys and mules in Brazil are. We believe that they are instrumental to the livelihoods of the most vulnerable and poor in Brazil. Currently, we are unable to evidence this and understand what it means in the Brazilian context. In addition to working donkeys and mules, we are also interested to understand and obtain information about the feral donkey population in Brazil such as population number and dynamics, ecological role in local ecosystems (Caatinga in the North), welfare level, origin of their feral condition (i.e. abandonment), involvement with road accidents, among others. This information would allow us to identify their needs and conditions and propose a strategy to stakeholders in Brazil.

1. Purpose of the Brazil Assessment

As part of our organisational commitment to expert-led, holistic, longer-term, sustainable and resilient programming, The Donkey Sanctuaryis commissioning an assessment in Brazil to clearly identify the location and needs of donkeys and mules and those reliant on them. This will guide future programming in the country. In addition, we are seeking to strengthen existing relationships and build new relationships with external stakeholders in Brazil. The results of this assessment will feed into the wider Brazil and Latin American Strategy for 2022 onwards.

The main objective of the assessment is to enable The Donkey Sanctuary to better comprehend the Brazilian context across a range of data points, including:

• Location, numbers, needs and welfare issues for donkeys and mules.
• Challenges facing donkey and mule owning communities.
• What information is needed to develop a sustainable management strategy for a feral donkey population.
• Stakeholder mapping of organisations supporting the welfare of donkey and mules and/or donkey and mule owning communities.
• What needs to change to create improvements in donkey and mule welfare.
• What needs to change to create improvements for those who rely on donkeys and mules for livelihoods.

The Donkey Sanctuary is looking for an experienced and reputable organisation / individual consultant to conduct a context analysis for Brazil.

As part of our organisational commitment to expert-led, holistic, longer-term, sustainable and resilient programming, The Donkey Sanctuary is commissioning an assessment in Brazil to clearly identify the location and needs of donkeys and mules and those reliant on them. This will guide future programming in the country. In addition, we are seeking to strengthen existing relationships and build new relationships with external stakeholders in Brazil. The results of this assessment will feed into the wider Brazil and Latin American Strategy for 2022 onwards.

The main objective of the assessment is to enable The Donkey Sanctuary to better comprehend the Brazilian context across a range of data points, including:

• Location, numbers, needs and welfare issues for donkeys and mules.
• Challenges facing donkey and mule owning communities.
• What information is needed to develop a sustainable management strategy for a feral donkey population.
• Stakeholder mapping of organisations supporting the welfare of donkey and mules and/or donkey and mule owning communities.
• What needs to change to create improvements in donkey and mule welfare.
• What needs to change to create improvements for those who rely on donkeys and mules for livelihoods.

1. Scope of the Brazil Assessment

The Donkey Sanctuary is seeking a Consultant to focus across Brazil, answering the following questions, in detail, in the Brazilian context:

1. What is the donkey and mule population and where are they located?
2. What is the status of donkeys and mules?
3. What are the main illnesses and causes of death for donkeys and mules?
4. What is the general quality and accessibility of medical care including veterinary service?
5. What vaccinations are commonly available for donkeys and mules and how are common illnesses treated?
6. What nutrition and hydration are available for donkeys and mules?
7. What is housing and the wider living environment like for donkeys and mules?
8. What are working conditions like for donkeys and mules?
9. What is the body condition of donkeys and mules?
10. Are donkeys and mules suffering in the milk, meat industries or skins trade?
11. Who owns and works donkeys and mules?
12. What industries do donkeys and mules work in?
13. How do donkeys and mules contribute to the livelihoods of smallholders/subsistence farmers?
14. Who else benefits from donkeys and mules?
15. What contribution do donkeys and mules make to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
16. With respect to feral donkeys
    1. What are the root causes for donkeys becoming feral (are they really feral or abandoned or owned yet left to roam?
    2. Where and how many car accidents are feral donkeys involved every year?
    3. What is their impact & ecological role in local ecosystems?
    4. What is the perception, attitudes and beliefs from stakeholders, including community members about feral donkeys?
    5. What is the size of feral donkey population and its dynamic?
    6. What are the options to manage this population and avoid their extraction to be used for the skin trade?

The internal tool used by The Donkey Sanctuary*’s* Global Programmes Team is a Country Paper Template (Appendix 1). We require the information detailed in Chapter 2 (Donkey Health and Welfare Analysis), Chapter 3 (Donkeys, People and Livelihoods) and Chapter 4 (Stakeholder Analysis) to be gathered as part of the assessment. Ultimately this will provide clarity to The Donkey Sanctuary activities and become the thread between organisational strategy, country strategy and contextual analysis on the ground for coherent long-term development of programming.

We are seeking to work across a range of partners and stakeholders who can influence change to lead to sustainable solutions whilst ensuring accountability. Our global Theory of Change is predicated by donkey and mule welfare being inextricably tied to humans and human behaviour; we believe if we can create human behaviour change and influence a broad range of stakeholders, we can achieve change that can be both delivered at scale and at the point of need.

1. Methodology Requirements

The work will be carried out in Brazil, and our preference will be for a Brazilian-based Consultant to carry this out (but we still welcome proposals that involve an alternative way to deliver the required outcomes, should this not be possible).

The different tasks involved in this assessment will require a combination of desk research, primary data collection, and meetings with diverse stakeholders in Brazil (which may be conducted remotely, dependent on the health and security status in Brazil). The Methodology should be designed to ensure the assessment is informed by as broad as possible a range of relevant stakeholders in Brazil. We expect you to use both your existing contacts and other stakeholders you identify as being relevant.

Consultants should be prepared to work with people throughout Brazil to collect information pertinent to the assessment. Safety strategies surrounding Covid-19 should be considered and included in proposals. Consultants should be able to meet with and report to The Donkey Sanctuary staff virtually.

The Consultant should be prepared to participate actively in all aspects of the project from planning to execution, including identifying and reporting opportunities and bottlenecks, preparation of meeting summaries and minutes, and guaranteeing all parties meet deadlines.

Consultants should consider the following further considerations:

• The work will require relevant secondary data review and primary data collection in order to answer the questions detailed in the assessment scope
• The Consultant will require experience in gathering information through a variety of means, including published articles, interviews, observations, and first-hand accounts
• The collection of information should take into consideration the safety of both the Consultant and the information provider
• Any interview protocols will require the approval of The Donkey Sanctuary
• Information sources must be available to The Donkey Sanctuary
• Information provided by sources which the Consultant is unable to share with The Donkey Sanctuary should be approved by The Donkey Sanctuary before inclusion in final reports.

1. Experience Requirements

The Consultant will possess the following minimum qualification and skills:

• At least five (5) years experience of conducting contextual analysis or assessment, research and ideally, programme development
• A solid and diversified experience within livelihoods, community programming, food security/agriculture, agribusiness and industry, gender/equality, development, and governance sectors
• Excellent analytical, facilitation and report writing skills
• Experience in the use of participatory and gender sensitive assessment
• Strong technical knowledge of risks and vulnerability, and disaster reduction and management strategies
• Proficiency in English, in addition to local language skills and cultural awareness

1. Required Outputs and Deliverables

The Donkey Sanctuaryrequire the following outputs / deliverables to be submitted as part of the work (listed in chronological order):

1. Methodology proposal, detailing approach and data collection methods in order to answer the questions detailed in the Scope of the Assessment
2. A draft report for discussion with The Donkey Sanctuary
3. The final report, including an executive summary, capturing all required areas
4. A detailed and comprehensive handover of stakeholders engaged, relationships, and engagements, including all supporting documentation developed by the Consultant as well as a complete paper trail of discussions held and any commitments made
5. Reporting and updating requirements

While the project is ongoing, the Consultant will report to The Donkey Sanctuary*’s* Programmes Support Officer for Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). The parties will meet remotely on at least a weekly basis (or as otherwise mutually agreed). Relevant technical staff from The Donkey SanctuaryUK may also input to these reporting meetings at different stages.

The Donkey Sanctuary requires the work to be completed by no later than 28 February 2023. However, it is desirable for the work to be completed prior to this, and as soon as is practically possible.

How to apply

For further information and to submit your proposal, please register on our e-procurement portal, available at the following link: https://procontract.due-north.com/

Once registered on the portal, locate the opportunity by selecting “The Donkey Sanctuary” under the “Organisations” drop down menu.

Once registered on the portal you will be able to:

• View our full brief and terms of reference for this requirement
• Ask any clarification questions you might have about our requirement
• Submit your expression of interest and proposal for delivering the services

Proposals should be submitted no later than 13.00 (British Standard Time) on 02/09/2022.

Please note that all expressions of interest and proposals must be submitted via the e-procurement portal, using the template provided. Any submissions made via email or submitted in a format other than the one provided, will be rejected. Within you application please state on where this advert was seen.