Historique
NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES have reached crisis levels in the Pacific Islands and represent the leading cause of premature death. The majority of these deaths occur in economically productive population and often affect highly skilled workers. The majority of these deaths is preventable. Diabetes and obesity are major causes for concern. What once was called ‘Adult onset of diabetes’ is now being observed in children as young as 12 in the region. This represents a time bomb that requires involvement of all sectors of society.
Availability of information and knowledge on what essentially constitutes a healthier lifestyle is not optimum, but it i not the main problem. People in the pacific desire to be in better health, but the means, the ability and the environment to do so are often lacking. This is not a uniquely Pacific island issue, but the situation in the Pacific is more acute and complex with NCDs having reached crisis levels in many Pacific countries.
Fundamentally the issue is about the economics; surveys show that determinants of food choices are cost, availability and convenience. People, especially the poor have very limited access to healthy diets. They basically cannot make healthy choices because cost largely determines their choices and hyper processed, very cheap, very convenient and heavily marketed food products such as noodles, tinned meats and sugary drinks have essentially long displaced local produce food items, which are comparatively more expensive, less available and more difficult to store.
Creating opportunities and making healthy food choices more affordable and accessible and ensuring that food production systems are grounded in local culture and production systems that ultimately benefit Pacific people is essential for addressing the NCD crisis in the Pacific.
In November 2017 Celebrity Chief Robert Oliver was appoint as UNDP’s Pacific Advocate for Food, Sustainable Development and Wellbeing.
Chief Oliver is the initiator of ‘Pacific Island Food Revolution’ concept, a comprehensive multi media campaign designed to reclaim health and wellness in the Pacific Islands through the activation of indigenous cuisine. This is potentially a great opportunity to leverage UNDP’s work towards engaging non-health sector in the response to NCDs and its socio-cultural determinants.
Chef Oliver contributes to ‘chefs for development’ which is a European Union led initiative designed to foster better links between chefs and farmers in the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean. This work connects with a number of UNDP’s initiatives in private sector development and sustainable growth with interlinkages between the SDGs (SDGs 1, 3, 11,12 in particular).
Local food systems play a key role on both human health and the health of the planet. Healthier diets have the potential to reduce both the burden of non-communicable diseases as well as emissions that cause climate change, while at the same time creating sustainable jobs locally, so his involvement in media culture and social entrepreneurship, can help to focus public's attention on transforming the food landscape towards implementing the SDGs.
Devoirs et responsabilités
Through a consultative process with development partners, donors, private sector and community representatives, design a business model for making health food choices that is anchored in local cuisine and culture more affordable and accessible to Pacific people, especially low-income earners. This could include product development of local healthy food choices with key partners in select Pacific countries, for example the design and production of a locally themed pre-cooked dinner line, snack line and/or baby food line;
The proposed “affordable-healthy-living” business model should include:
opportunities for engaging local farmers especially in rural committees and linking income generating opportunities for women, youth and other vulnerable groups.
opportunities for using Robert’s celebrity chef status and influential presence on TV and other media to promote the concept of local healthy food as a local and national strategy for achieving the SDGs;
Based on the “affordable-healthy-living” business model, develop a project proposal, with a clear business case and financing/sustainability strategy that incorporates the principles of promoting local culture and local cuisine, engaging local farmers, women, youth and other vulnerable groups in the business model or opportunities for income generation and addresses the NCD crisis in the Pacific;
Identify opportunities offered by the Pacific island Food Revolution project aligned to deliver key messages on combating NCDs and also promoting the SDGs, human development challenges specific to the pacific and also to support and promote brand development for any healthy local food products that emerges from the business model;
Identify donors and development partners that are interested in supporting or funding the start-up of the “affordable-healthy-living” business model.
Compétences
Extensive experience as a health and nutrition specialist/advisor in the Pacific;
Good knowledge and experience working with key stakeholders on promoting local, affordable and healthy cuisine that is grounded in local culture and production systems;
Extensive experience in developing or contributing to policies and/or strategies for combating NCDs in the Pacific context;
Evidence of strong consultation facilitation skills, analytical skills, report writing, and presenting in English
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.
Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
Signed detailed CV , indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; and b) a methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II.
Consultant must send a financial proposal based on a Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs.
Qualifications et expériences requises
Minimum Master’s Degree in International Affairs, Development Studies, Health and Nutrition, Economics, Political or Social Science.
Consultancy Proposal should be sent via email to etenderbox.pacific@undp.org no later than, 22nd March 2019 (Fiji Time) clearly stating the title of consultancy applied for. Any proposals received after this date/time will not be accepted. Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to procurement.fj@undp.org. UNDP will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants. Incomplete, late and joint proposals will not be considered and only offers for which there is further interest will be contacted. Failure to submit your application as stated as per the application submission guide (Procurement Notice) on the above link will be considered incomplete and therefore application will not be considered.
For a Detailed Terms of Reference and Confirmation of interest & Financial Proposal template visit teh UNDP Pacific Website www.pacific.undp.org