Recruitment of Research Analyst Consultant for AHAI to Support Feed Africa Strategy Activities – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department (AHAI) Rue Joseph Anoma, 01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Cote d’Ivoire
E-mail : J.CHIANU@AFDB.ORG & F.Kondo@AFDB.ORG
Brief description of the Assignment :
The African Development Bank is seeking to recruit one (1) Research Analyst (Consultant) to support the Agriculture and Agro-Industry (AHAI) Department in the Feed Africa Strategy initiatives and flagship programs.
The Analyst will work specifically with management, flagship coordinators and designated staff of the Agriculture Research, Production and Sustainability (AHAI.2) in providing operations support to the Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT) and the Blue Economy flagship through support to pipeline projects, data collection and management and support portfolio design and management in the delivery of Departments’ projects; including support to building partnerships with other Departments and external audiences. The Analyst will support in implementing the expanded work programs of the Department ongoing and new initiatives, as well as to monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Feed Africa Strategy.
Due to the increased workload and programs, including new pipeline projects of the Department, exemplified by new and expanding Flagship activities the Department is working on, this consultancy services are proposed for six (6) months, with possible extension based on satisfactory performance of incumbent roles. The Consultant may also be required to join Bank missions outside Cote d’Ivoire, as may be required from time to time.
Department issuing the request : Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department
Place of assignment : Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Duration of the assignment : six months (6)
Tentative Date of commencement : 24 June 2019
Detailed Terms of reference for the assignment : [TORs below]
Deadline for applications : 7 June 2019
Applications to be submitted to : Mr. Jonas CHIANU J.CHIANU@AFDB.ORG & Ms.
F.KONDO: F.Kondo@AFDB.ORG
Agriculture and agro-industry department (ahai) terms of reference for research analyst (individual consultant)
Introduction and Objectives :
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 centre 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 Wheat in Africa ;
- 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, major duties and responsibilities of the Research Analyst (Consultant) :
Objectives of the assignment :
The Analyst will work specifically with management, flagship coordinators and designated staff of the Agriculture Research, Production and Sustainability (AHAI.2) in providing operations support to the Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT) and the Blue Economy flagship through support to pipeline projects, data collection and management and support portfolio design and management in the delivery of Departments’ projects; including support to building partnerships with other Departments and external audiences. The Analyst will support in implementing the expanded work programs of the Department ongoing and new initiatives, as well as to monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Feed Africa Strategy.
Due to the increased workload and programs, including new pipeline projects of the Department, exemplified by new and expanding Flagship activities the Department is working on, this consultancy services are proposed for six (6) months, with possible extension based on satisfactory performance of incumbent roles. The Consultant may also be required to join Bank missions outside Cote d’Ivoire, as may be required from time to time.
Major duties and Responsibilities of the Research Analyst (Consultant) :
- Support AHAI in implementing its key Flagships, including but not limited to: Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) phase II, Blue Economy flagship 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 implementation of Blue Economy Program through project identification preparation and appraisal, data collection and analysis, preparation of briefing, etc.) ;
- Support the TAAT and Blue Economy flagship coordinators to deploy proven technologies/practices including good agronomic practices to millions of smallholder farmers within the shortest possible time by identifying responsible actors, key deliverables, prepare performance management contracts and financing mechanisms to ensure delivery of low-cost proven technological options to farmers across Africa ;
- Support the delivery of lending projects from identification, preparation, appraisal and launching; leading to project effectiveness ;
- Assist with technical reviews of draft Terms of Reference (TORs) and draft Requests for Expressions of interests (REOI) for consultant recruitment ;
- Assist with reviews Statements of Expenditure (SOE), draft revised Procurement plans, and draft Bid Evaluation reports ;
- Assist with the overall portfolio management of TAAT Compacts (or sub-projects) and Entities (PMU and the Clearinghouse) of TAAT I ;
- Project management support as with recruitments of consultant, review of SOEs and procurement plans, and contribution to technical papers and reports ;
- Generally, support the division 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 ;
- Collaborate with other Banks’ units and conduct research on similar programmes and suggest recommendations on how to incorporate best practices into the TAAT and the Blue Economy Flagship;
- Assist to prepare monthly reports on the progress of the TAAT Flagship and Blue Economy Flagships ;
- Undertake any other assignment as determined by AHAI.2 management in conjunction with AHAI.2 Task Managers, in particular to assist with PowerPoint presentations, preparing brief and background papers ;
- Support the economic and sector work (ESW) and studies of the Department; leading to pipeline build-up;
- Perform other such ad-hoc assignments from the management of the AHAI Department.
Deliverables :
- The Consultant will support the delivery of lending projects from identification to launching in RMCs ;
- Support the TAAT and Blue Economy coordinators and TAAT compacts to deploy proven technologies/practices including good agronomic practices to millions of smallholder farmers within the shortest possible time by identifying responsible actors, key deliverables, prepare performance management contracts and financing mechanisms to ensure delivery of low-cost proven technological options to farmers across Africa ;
- Support to plan and organize symposiums, high-level international meetings and workshops through proposal and concept design, identifying viable partners and logistics support ;
- Support implementation of Blue Economy Program through project identification preparation and appraisal, data collection and analysis, preparation of briefing ;
- Design and update the TAAT and Blue Economy flagship communication tools including flyers, policy briefs, and posters ;
- Provide technical, policy and strategic input for periodic promotional reports prepared by the Bank for the Second phase of TAAT as need be ;
- Plan, develop and mobilize the required finance for projects and special programs that contribute to the objectives of the Feed Africa Strategy. Resource mobilization and leveraging partnerships for key flagship programs and special initiatives through proposal designs, dialogues and presentation.
Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience :
- Preferably a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Agriculture Sciences, Agronomy, Agriculture Economics, Development Economics, Rural Development, or a related field, with a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience and demonstrated ability to efficiently manage and perform multiple tasks;
- Knowledge of agriculture concepts and socio-economic development challenges in Africa ;
- Appreciation of regional agriculture and/or development contexts ;
- Relevant experience in project formulation and technical backstopping ;
- Satisfactory analytical skills and proven organizational and planning proficiencies ;
- Ability to work in teams, resourcefulness, attention to detail, client and result orientation and good decision-making ability ;
- Experience in working with agripreneurs, agricultural sector analytical work and monitoring and evaluation ;
- Competence in the use of standard IT software applications; and
- Ability to communicate verbally and write in English and/or French, with a good working knowledge of the other.
Duration and Location :
The duty station of the 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 Bank missions outside Cote d’Ivoire.
Please attach an updated Curriculum Vitae on the basis of the template below:
