REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
FOR A JUNIOR CONSULTANT
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department (AHAI)
Rue Joseph Anoma, 01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Cote d’Ivoire
E-mail : O.AFUN-OGIDAN@AFDB.ORG
Title of the assignment: Junior Consultant to Support Feed Africa Flagships and AfDB Global Agriculture and Food Security Program Projects.
Brief description of the Assignment: Working from the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) headquarter in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the Junior Consultant will support the teams working on Feed Africa initiatives and flagships. The objective of this assignment is to support the teams working on Feed Africa initiatives. In particular, the consultant will support the operations of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) and support the Bank’s response to the COVID19 pandemic. The consultant will also support other flagships, namely: The African Agricultural Value Chain Flagship (AAVC), the ENABLE Youth Flagship, the Fall Army Worm Control Initiative (FAW), Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program, and the Digital Solutions for African Agriculture flagship.
Department issuing the request : AHAI.1
Place of assignment : Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Duration of the assignment : 6 months
Tentative Date of commencement : 1 May 2020
Detailed Terms of reference for the assignment : [TORs below]
Deadline for applications : 19th April 2020
Applications to be submitted to : Ms. Olukemi Afun-Ogidan, O.AFUN-OGIDAN@AFDB.ORG
TERMS OF REFERENCE
JUNIOR CONSULTANT TO SUPPORT FEED AFRICA FLAGSHIPS AND AFDB GLOBAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM PROJECTS
Introduction :
In June 2016, the Board of Directors approved the Feed Africa Strategy (2016-2025) for African Agricultural Transformation, which currently guides the work of the African Development Bank’s Agriculture & Agro – Industry Department (AHAI). Feed Africa is one of the Bank’s High 5s operational priorities, a blueprint for African countries to embark on a course of sustainable transformation. The others are: Light up and Power Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.
The Feed Africa strategy aims to end hunger and rural poverty in the next decade through self sufficiency in 18 priority commodity value chains specific to the continent’s agro – ecological zones. These objectives will be achieved through 7 mutually reinforcing enablers: increased productivity; value addition; increased investment in hard and soft infrastructure; an enabling agribusiness environment; capital flows; and inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition in the Bank’s Regional Member Countries (RMCs). The Department comprises the
Agribusiness Development (AHAI.1) and the Agriculture Research, Production and Sustainability (AHAI.2) Divisions.
The primary role of the African Development Bank’s Agriculture and Agro-industry Department (AHAI) is to contribute to the Bank’s vision of poverty reduction through increased agricultural production, productivity, marketing and trade in its regional Member Countries (RMCs), thereby increasing farm incomes; the welfare of rural populations in general.
The principal lending activities of the Department centers on the identification, preparation and appraisal of programmes and projects and their subsequent monitoring and supervision including project completion reviews to ascertain development outcomes. The principal non-lending activities of the Department involve economic and sector work to foster greater understanding of the constraints, challenges and opportunities that obtain in the agricultural and rural development milieu of the respective RMCs and/or region(s).
Feed Africa focuses on promoting given agricultural commodity value chains along 8 priority investment areas :
- Rice self-sufficiency
- Cassava intensification
- Food security in the Sahel
- Transformation of the savannah
- Revitalization of tree plantation
- Promote horticulture
- Fish self-sufficiency
- Wheat for Africa
This will be achieved through 7 mutually reinforcing enablers (Increased productivity, increased value addition, increased investment in hard and soft infrastructure, expanded agricultural finance, improved agribusiness environment, increased inclusivity, sustainability, nutrition.
Objectives of the Assignment :
The main objective of the Junior Consultant’s assignment is to support the teams in the Agribusiness Development (AHAI.1) division. S/he will specifically provide support to operations related to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), the Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT), the Bank’s response to the COVID19 Pandemic, Digital Solutions for African Agriculture, among other AHAI flagships. The Consultant will be expected to support pipeline projects design and implementation, data collection and management and support portfolio design and management in the delivery of Departments’ projects. He/she will support partnership building and a resource mobilization drive for various flagships. The Consultant will support in implementing the expanded work programs of the Department’s ongoing and new initiatives, as well as to monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Feed Africa Strategy.
The Consultant may also be required to join Bank missions outside Cote d’Ivoire, as may be required from time to time.
Major Activities and Deliverables :
Activities :
- Support AHAI in implementing its key Flagships, including but not limited to: the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), COVID19 Food Crisis Response Plan, Digital Solutions for African Agriculture, through improving the design of the concept and assisting Bank RMCs to design and implement projects under the above-mentioned flagships as need be;
- Support in the drafting of the COVID19 Food Crisis Response Plan appraisal report (PAR), which will involve stakeholder consultation across the continent;
- Support the delivery of lending projects from identification, preparation, appraisal and launching; leading to project effectiveness to mainstream nutrition, technology transfer, employment and addressing policy bottlenecks;
- Support AHAI staff in identifying resource mobilization opportunities and preparing proposals to attract grants and co-financing in implementing operations and programs in Regional Member Countries;
- Support the activities related to resource mobilization including project proposal writing and review for Trust Funds (i.e. KOAFEC, FAPA, etc.) trust funds
- Generally, support the Divisions through development and regular update of the Share Point website in partnership with the IT services department (CHIS);
- Support the Department and Division to plan and organize high-level international meetings and workshops through proposal and concept design, identifying viable partners and logistics support;
- Support the economic and sector work (ESW) and studies of the Department; leading to pipeline build-up;
- Undertake any other assignment as determined by AHAI management in conjunction with AHAI.1 Task Managers, to assist with PowerPoint presentations, preparing brief and background papers.
b) Deliverables :
- Support implementation of GAFSP Program through data collection and analysis, preparation of briefing GAFSP project reports and portfoilio updates.
- Input to a multi-stakeholder engagement process for COVID19 related interventions and policy support
- Support to the COVID19 Response Food Crisis Plan
- Contribution to the Digital Agriculture flagship workplan and pilot project proposals
- Design and update flagship communication tools including flyers, policy briefs, and posters.
- Support a resource mobilization drive for Feed Africa projects and flagships.
Administration and Reporting :
The Junior Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Agribusiness Development Division Manager (AHAI.1) and specific day to day guidance under the Post-Harvest Loss Management Flagship coordinator.
Duration and Location :
The duty station of the Junior Consultant with be at the Bank Headquarters’ in Abidjan. The Consultancy is for six (6) months, with possible extension based on satisfactory performance of incumbent roles. Consultant may also be required to join missions outside Cote d’Ivoire.
Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience :
- Preferably a Master’s degree or equivalent in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management, Development Economics, or a related field ;
- At least 2 years and a maximum of 4 years of relevant work experience (including professional internships) ;
- Less than 32 years age and be a citizen of a member country (regional or non-regional) of the AfDB ;
- Knowledge of agricultural entrepreneurship, food supply chains and agribusiness in Africa ;
- Experience in the Feed Africa flagship focus areas with different stakeholders, including development partners, government, private sector and agripreneurs ;
- Satisfactory organizational and planning proficiency including previous experiences in organizing important events and meetings preferably for multilateral or bilateral development organizations.
- Strong writing and communication skills, preferably in both English and French.
- Ability to prepare well detailed reports on event and project activities.
- Self-motivated with strong sense of initiative and, demonstrated ability to efficiently manage and perform multiple tasks.
- Prior experience in a multilateral bank an advantage.
- Good knowledge of the Bank’s standard software (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and web tools), proficiency in website management, a plus.
Please attach an updated Curriculum Vitae on the basis of the template below :
