Location: Moyale Woreda (Borena Zone), Ethiopia
Organization: SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia (CORE Program)
Consultancy Period: April 6 – July 5, 2026
Focus Area: Nutrient-dense, affordable, and culturally appropriate IYCF recipes
Application Deadline: March 30, 2026
1. Background & Rationale
Despite national progress in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), complementary diets in Ethiopia remain predominantly plant-based and low in nutrient density. In the Borena Zone, pastoral and agro-pastoral communities face unique challenges, including food inflation, drought, and limited access to animal-source foods.
This consultancy bridges the gap between the Ethiopian Food Composition Table (EFCT 2025) and household practice. By using a food systems and nutrition nexus approach, SOS Children’s Villages aims to ensure that nutrition-sensitive cash assistance translates into measurable dietary improvements for children (6–23 months) and pregnant/lactating women (PLW).
2. Objectives of the Assignment
General Objective
To develop and validate affordable, context-specific, and nutritionally optimized complementary food recipes tailored to the food systems and economic realities of Moyale Woreda.
Specific Objectives
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Market Mapping: Analyze seasonal availability and affordability of local food baskets.
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Nutrient Profiling: Formulate recipes for children (6–11m, 12–23m) and PLW targeting “problem nutrients” (Zinc, Calcium, Vitamin A).
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Cultural Integration: Design recipes compatible with local pastoral patterns and religious fasting periods.
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Validation: Conduct Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) and sensory testing with local caregivers.
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Communication: Produce high-quality, local-language cooking demonstration videos.
3. Scope of Work & Phases
| Phase | Key Activities |
| 1. Planning | Inception report, methodology design, and tool development for 12 Kebeles. |
| 2. Assessment | Market mapping of prices, seasonality, and local food substitutions. |
| 3. Modeling | Application of Optifood (or equivalent) for nutrient optimization and affordability. |
| 4. Testing | Household-level TIPs and sensory acceptability assessments. |
| 5. Media | Production of BCC materials and short recipe demonstration videos. |
| 6. Institutional | Validation workshops with Borena Health/Agriculture Bureaus and FSNC TWG. |
| 7. M&E | Establishing indicators for Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) and adoption rates. |
4. Deliverables & Timeline
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Inception Report: (By April 12)
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Food Environment Assessment: (By April 25)
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Draft Recipe Package: EFCT-based nutrient profiling (By May 15)
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Field Validation Report: TIPs and sensory findings (By June 5)
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Communication Products: Video and BCC materials (By June 15)
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Final Approved Report: Including M&E framework (By July 5)
5. About You (Firm Profile)
Core Expertise
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Proven track record in Public Health Nutrition and IYCF recipe development.
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Expertise in Diet Modeling (Optifood/FNG) and SBCC strategies.
Required Team Composition
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Team Leader: Senior Nutritionist (10+ years experience).
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Food Technologist/Dietitian: Specialist in food composition.
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SBCC Specialist: Expert in behavior change and participatory trials.
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Media Expert: Specialist in professional video production for development.
6. How To Apply
Interested firms must submit separate Technical and Financial proposals.
Submission Checklist:
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Technical: Methodology, team roles, and samples of previous work.
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Financial: Detailed budget linked to milestones (Professional fees, production, logistics).
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Legal: Valid registration, TIN, and CVs of the core team.
Submission Details:
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Email: procurement@sos-ethiopia.org
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Subject Line: “Complementary Food Recipe Development and Validation Consultancy – Moyale (Borena)”
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Deadline: March 30, 2026
To apply for this job email your details to procurement@sos-ethiopia.org
