Recruitment of a Research Analyst Consultant for AHAI.1 to Support Feed Africa Strategy Activities . Ivory coast
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department (AHAI) Rue Joseph Anoma, 01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Cote d’Ivoire
E-mail : D.IHEDIOHA@AFDB.ORG & D.BENNIRAN@AFDB.ORG
Context :
Recruitment of one (1) Research Analyst Consultant for AHAI.1 to Support Feed Africa Strategy Activities .
Brief description of the Assignment: The African Development Bank is seeking to recruit one (1) Research Analyst (Consultant) to support the Agribusiness Development Division (AHAI.1) in the Feed Africa Strategy initiatives and flagship programs.
Working with the Agribusiness Division (AHAI.1) on the Feed Africa initiatives and flagship programs, the Analyst will work with AHAI.1 Division Manager and designated staff and in providing operations support to our pipelines, collect data and support portfolio design and management in the delivery of Division’s projects; including support to building partnerships with other Departments and external audiences. The Analyst will support the Division staff in implementing the expanded work programs of the 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 to last for one (1) year, 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: one (1) year
Tentative Date of commencement: 24 June 2019
Detailed Terms of reference for the assignment: [TORs below]
Deadline for applications: 12 June 2019
Applications to be submitted to: Mr. Damian IHEDIOHA D.IHEDIOHA@AFDB.ORG &
Mrs. Dorra BEN NIRAN: D.BENNIRAN@AFDB.ORG
Agriculture and agro-industry department (ahai) terms of reference for one 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-sufficiencyb ;
- Cassava intensification ;
- Food security in the Sahel ;
- Transformation of the savannah ;
- Revitalization of tree plantation ;
- Promote horticulture Wheat in Africa ;
- Fish self-sufficiency.
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 :
Working with the Agribusiness Development Division (AHAI.1) on the Feed Africa initiatives and flagship programs, the Analyst will work with the AHAI.1 Division Manager and designated staff and in providing operations support to our pipelines, collect data and support portfolio design and management in the delivery of Division’ projects; including support to building partnerships with other Departments and external audiences. The Analyst will support the Division in implementing the expanded work programs of the Division ongoing and new initiatives, as well as to monitor progress towards the Feed Africa vision which is to ‘transform African agriculture into a competitive and inclusive agribusiness sector that creates wealth.
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 to last for one (1) year, 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.1 in implementing the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation in Savannah (TAAT-S), the Post-Harvest Losses Reduction (PHAP) flagship, the ICT for Agriculture, Enabling Environment and ENABLE Youth Programme through improving the design of the concept and assisting Bank RMCs to design and implement their respective projects under the above-mentioned flagships as need be ;
- Analyse project proposals from Bank Regional Member Countries (RMCs) and provide technical inputs to align them to the goals and objectives of the Feed Africa Strategy, as need be ;
- Provide technical, policy and strategic input for periodic promotional reports prepared by the Bank for TAAT-Savannah for integrated poultry, livestock, maize and soybean value chains, PHAP flagship, ICT for agriculture, ENABLE Youth Programme and other Flagships, 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 ;
- Collaborate with other Banks’ units and conduct research on similar programmes and suggest recommendations on how to incorporate best practices into the TAAT-S, PHAP flagship, ICT for agriculture, ENABLE Youth Programme, etc. into project proposals of RMCs ;
- Review the Bank’s Jobs for Youth Initiative and provide recommendations for harmonization with the ENABLE Youth programme and/or other Flagships and value chain projects in increasing employment for youths in agribusiness ;
- Assist to prepare monthly reports on the progress of different flagships under AHAI.1 ;
- Undertake any other assignment as determined by the Division Management in conjunction with AHAI.1 Task Managers, in particular to assist with PowerPoint presentations, preparing brief and background papers;
- Support AHAI task teams and coordinators working on TAAT-Savannah, PHAP, ENABLE Youth, PPP advisory, ICT for Agriculture, Partnerships and other AHAI.1 initiative ;
- Work closely with agriculture sector experts and flagship program coordinators in AHAI.1 Division and private sector experts to scale up investments in agribusiness and value chain projects in RMCs ;
- Under the auspices of TAAT-S, and PHAP flagship, the consultant will work with the Division’s staff to promote the development of innovative, sustainable, and inclusive agribusiness value chains that are public sector enabled and private sector driven.
Deliverables :
- The Consultant will support the delivery of lending projects from identification to launching on the TAAT-Savannah initiative for lending in Guinea and Gabon ;
- Support AHAI.1 Task Managers to mainstream youth activities in all agriculture value chain projects, 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 the annual AYAF-AgriPitch youth events under the ENABLE Youth program and other high-level international meetings and workshops through proposal and concept design, identifying viable partners and logistics support ;
- Support the portfolio management of various flagships housed in AHAI.1 Division ;
- Support implementation of TAAT-S, PHAP, ENABLE Youth and ICT for agriculture flagships through project identification preparation and appraisal, data collection and analysis, preparation of briefing;
- Support the economic and sector work (ESW) and studies of the Division ;
- Perform other such ad-hoc assignments from the management of the Department.
Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience :
- Preferably a Master’s Degree or equivalent in Agriculture Sciences, Agriculture Economics, Development Economics, Rural Development, Finance 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 one (1) year, 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: