REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Statistics Department (ECST)

Avenue Joseph Anoma

01 BP 1387, Abidjan 01

Côte d’Ivoire

Emails : F.Deme@afdb.org; b.adingra@afdb.org; and V.Ngendakumana@afdb.org;

Title of Assignment : Consultancy Services for Technical Assistance provision to countries on Food Balance Sheets compilation. 

Brief description of the Assignment : The services to be provided under the Assignment include the provision of Technical Assistance to AfDB Regional Member Countries (RMCs) in Supply and Utilization Accounts (SUA) and Food Balance Sheets (FBS) compilation using the required standard methodology. 

A new Guideline on Food Balance Sheets compilation which provides countries with a user-friendly handbook on the construction of country-level Food Balance Sheets for policy-making and analysis is available. Some innovations have been made in this handbook in terms of approaches and the estimations of the variables. Apart from these guidelines, a new standard FBS Compilation Tool has been developed. This Tool facilitates the imputation of missing values, production of Food Balance Sheets, and the computation of derived indicators, but needs to be adapted to each country context and specificities. 

Department/Division issuing the request : ECST.2. 

Place of assignment : Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. 

Duration of the assignment : About 3 months, with possibility of renewal, subject to satisfactory performance. 

Tentative Date of commencement : 11^th October 2021 

Detailed Terms of reference for the assignment : See Terms of Reference listed below.

The Statistics Department of the African Development Bank invites Individual Consultants to indicate interest in the above assignment. The interested individuals shall provide information in writing on their qualifications and experience, describing their ability to undertake the assignment, etc. through a cover letter and CV clearly indicating reference to similar services, and experience in similar assignments (the model of the CV is attached). 

The eligibility criteria and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Procurement Policy for Recruitment of Corporate Consultants. Please, note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist. 

Deadline and address for applications : Expressions of interest must be received at the address below no later than 07^th October 2021 at 17:00 hours Abidjan local time and specifically mentioning:

Consultancy Services for Food Balance Sheet Compilation – Technical Assistance to Countries.

Statistics Department (ECST)

Avenue Joseph Anoma

01 B.P. 1387

Abidjan 01

Côte d’Ivoire

Attention to : Ms. Fetema DEME (F.Deme@afdb.org) and Ms. Bossoma Rose-Marie ADINGRA

(b.adingra@afdb.org),        with         copy         to         Mr.         Vincent         NGENDAKUMANA : V.Ngendakumana@afdb.org. 

Any questions and requests for clarifications may be sent to : Mr. Vincent NGENDAKUMANA (V.Ngendakumana@afdb.org).

EVALUATION CRITERIA :

The following criteria with the corresponding weights shall be considered in the selection of the candidate

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES ON FOOD BALANCE SHEETS COMPILATION

1. Background :

Agriculture plays a central and strategic role for Africa development in terms of economic growth, enhanced living standards, poverty reduction, and increased food security. Indeed, all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the H5s of the Bank have direct or indirect linkages to agriculture. Therefore, the importance of agricultural sector requires that its planning, management, and monitoring be based on sound incidence. In turn, this requires the availability of comprehensive, reliable, consistent and timely agricultural statistics in a form that is usable to a variety of users at both national and international levels.

A new Guideline on Food Balance Sheets compilation which provides countries with a user-friendly handbook on the construction of country-level Food Balance Sheets for policy- making and analysis is available. Some innovations have been made in this handbook in terms of approaches and the estimations of the variables. Apart from these guidelines, a new standard FBS Compilation Tool has been developed. This Tool facilitates the imputation of missing values, production of Food Balance Sheets, and the computation of derived indicators, but needs to be adapted to each country context and specificities.

An increasing number of African countries have expressed the need to be technically supported in the use of this new FBS Guideline and related standard Compilation Tool. Towards this end, the Bank is seeking for an international consultant to help with the undertaking of activities related to building country capacity in producing FBS for Countries.

2. Objective of the Consultancy Services :

Under the overall direction of the Manager of Statistical Capacity Building Division (ECST.2), and direct technical supervision of the Principal Agricultural Statistician, the consultant will provide technical assistance to Regional Member Countries (RMCs) through regional and/or national training workshops and direct/bilateral TA to countries so that they can produce and disseminate FBS based on the recommended international methods, hence the New Guidelines and related standard Compilation Tool on the subject.

3. Tasks and Activities to be undertaken :

• Review existing Supply Utilization Accounts (SUA) and FBS of concerned selected RMCs ;
• Review related relevant and required documentation available at country level ;
• Compile needed SUA basic data, Technical Conversion Factors (TCFs), nutritive factors, etc. for the purpose of compiling SUA/FBS which are customised to each country specificity and context, through the related standard FBS Compilation Tool ;
• Populate each country’s FBS compilation tool with production, trade and utilization data as well as with the TCFs and Nutritive Factors for all of the food products included in the Tool ;
• Conduct regional and/or national Training Workshops, introducing the use of the Tool in processing the agricultural data from detail level into the aggregate format of the FBS, and, if needed, facilitating national Validation Workshops on SUA/FBS results ;
• Provide technical assistance to countries on specific issues related to improving national SUA/FBS systems ;
• Regularly provide technical guidance to national staff in compiling the SUA/FBS on conceptual issues, estimation procedures and data sources ;
• Contribute to setting up national technical working teams in charge of SUA/FBS compilation ;
• Conduct checking and validation of the annual National FBS results ;
• Supervise the analytical work of the FBS results ;
• Contribute to the editing and proofreading of the final version of the FBS report/publication ;
• Contribute to the development of countries Compilation Tools, including the mapping tool of the Harmonized System (HS) classification of trade data to Central Product Classification (CPC) ;
• Prepare a comprehensive report highlighting the methodology used, the key findings, best practices, and the constraints and limitations faced during the process of the Technical Assistance in this area; and
• Any other task as it may be requested by the Management.

4. Qualifications of the Consultants

The Consultants should have the following qualifications :

• A Master’s degree in Statistics or the equivalent ;
• A minimum of 10 years relevant experience in the field of Agricultural Statistics at national and/or international levels ;
• Outstanding experience in the compilation of Food Balance Sheets ;
• Good knowledge of Agricultural Statistical Systems in Africa ;
• Experience working with African Development Bank ;
• Good interpersonal skills in liaising with colleagues and partners ;
• Ability to make presentations and participate to international conferences; and
• Ability to write reports and complete tasks on a timely basis.

5. Language :

The Consultant shall have an excellent working knowledge of English or French, with good working knowledge of the other language.

6. Duration of the Assignment :

The consultancy is for about 3 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance.

7. Duty station of the consultant :

The duty station of the consultant is Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), but will be entitled to any travel/mission needed for his/her respective fulfilment of the duties, particularly to countries for the delivery of TA, and attending meetings/workshops as needed.

8. Reporting :

The Consultant will be required to prepare and submit (a) monthly reports outlining activities undertaken during each specific assignment, (b) required technical documents, including recommendations on the related program improvement and performance, and (c) a comprehensive consultancy report at end of the contract.

Please attach an updated Curriculum Vitae to your Cover Letter, on the basis of the information in the template below:

MODEL OF CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

MODEL CURRICULUM VITAE – AFDB BAD PDF