REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

FOR JUNIOR CONSULTANT

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Statistics Department (ECST)

Avenue Joseph Anoma

01 B.P. 1387, Abidjan 01

Côte d’Ivoire

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

Title of Assignment : Junior Consultancy Services for MSCD compilation.

Brief description of the Assignment : The role of the Junior consultant is to support the compilation, review, validation and publication of the MSCD reported by countries.

In order to inform the “Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)” known as “Feeding Africa” initiative, AfDB has developed a system for compiling the Minimum Set of agricultural Core Data (MSCD) produced by African countries, while assisting them to ensure that such data as well as their sources are consistent and coherent.

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 now invites qualified Junior Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested Junior Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience, demonstrating their ability to undertake this 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 MSCD compilation (Junior Consultant). 

Statistics Department (ECST)

Avenue Joseph Anoma

01 B.P. 1387

Abidjan 01

Côte d’Ivoire 

Attention to : Ms. Fatema DEME (F.Deme@afdb.org) and Ms. Bossoma Rose-Marie ADINGRA (b.adingra@afdb.org), with Cc 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 JUNIOR CONSULTANT FOR COMPILATION OF MINIMUM SET OF AGRICULTURAL CORE DATA

1. Introduction, background and objectives :

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) 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 statistical data in a form that is usable to a variety of users at both national, regional and international levels.

In October 2015, the Bank developed a strategy for long-term agricultural transformation in Africa, entitled “Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)” known as “Feeding Africa” initiative, in order to map out how to unlock Africa’s agricultural potential and boost job creation in view of diversifying economies. As such, ATA supports the realization of key SDGs through the development of an inclusive and competitive African agribusiness sector. Underpinning this vision the ATA are four specific goals: (i) contribute to the end of poverty; end hunger and malnutrition; (iii) make Africa a net food exporter; and (iv) move Africa to the top of export-orientated value chains where it has comparative advantage.

In order to inform the ATA, AfDB has developed a system for compiling the Minimum Set of agricultural Core Data (MSCD) produced by African countries, while assisting them to ensure that such for data as well as their sources are consistent and coherent. MSCD are published on the AfDB’s Africa Information Highway (AIH) Data Portal.

The MSCD covers crop production, core agricultural inputs, land cover & use, livestock production, aquaculture & fisheries, forestry production, food consumption, trade data, consumer & producer food prices, etc. The information is collected from African countries (& is regularly updated every year) by AfDB, as part of the AfDB activities on agricultural activities in order to inform agricultural & rural development policies in Africa, as well as the Feed Africa agenda of the Bank, and SDGs.

AfDB is therefore looking for a junior consultant to assist with the compilation, review, validation and publication of the MSCD reported by countries, as well as with the assessment of country capacity to produce required agricultural statistics.

2. Activities to be undertaken by the Consultant :

Under the overall direction of the Division Manager, ECST.2, and direct technical supervision of the Principal Agricultural Statistician, the Junior Consultant in Agricultural Statistics will assist the Statistics Department in the following activities :

• Contribution to the compilation, review, validation and publication of reported/collected MSCD time series ;
• Follow-up with countries to ensure that all countries report on the MSCD and establish an updated reporting status ;
• Identification of missing data and follow-up with countries to fill the data gaps, and/or look for alternative semi-official data sources to get supplementary data ;
• Identification of inconsistent data and, together with countries to make the needed adjustments ;
• Work with the AIH Team to keep updated and maintained the MSCD webpage data ;
• Responding to enquiries of data users on MSCD ;
• Identify supplementary data needs to comprehensively inform the Feed Africa agenda ;
• Where needed, contribution to data reconciliation between country agricultural censuses/surveys data and routine data, through related TA delivery ;
• Undertake any other activity as requested by the Management.

3. Expected Outcomes :

The main expected outcomes of the consultancy is: (i) to establish, for each country, the most updated and validated MSCD time series which inform adequately the Feed Africa agenda, (ii) to keep updated the published MSCD onto the African Information Highway; and (iii) Reconciled agricultural data (where needed).

4. Duration and duty station of the assignment :

The assignment is proposed for a duration of about 3 months on a continuous basis, renewable based on need and subject to satisfactory performance.

The Consultant shall work from home, but will be entitled to any travel/mission needed for his/her respective fulfilment of the duties.

5. Required qualifications of the candidates :

The candidates shall have the following qualifications :

• At least a Master’s degree in Statistics and/or economics, with a very good quantitative statistical and IT background ;
• Having the nationality of a Bank Member Country ;
• Having a minimum 2 and maximum 4 years relevant experience in the field of Agricultural Statistics at national and/or international levels, or any other similar area ;
• Less than 32 years age at the time of application submission ;
• Proven experience in data compilation, review and validation, as well as in data processing, and analysis ;
• Proven experience in database management ;
• Professional experience in agricultural statistics undertakings would be an advantage ;
• Ability to interpret and relate statistical data to socioeconomic developments ;
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office Package, and reputable statistical software’s for data processing, analysis and management ;
• Ability to complete tasks on a timely basis ;
• Excellent knowledge of one of the two languages (English or French), and average knowledge of the other ;
• Excellent interpersonal skills in liaising with colleagues; and
• Openness to sharing information and keeping people informed; strong communications skills, both oral and written, especially ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports and studies in a clear, concise style, and to make presentations.

6. Language :

The candidate should have an excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and/or French; and a good working knowledge of the other language.

7. Duty station of the consultant :

The duty station of the consultant is Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), but he will be entitled to any travel/mission needed for his/her respective fulfilment of the duties.

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