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
Email : F.Deme@afdb.org; N.Lazlem@afdb.org
B.Mungyereza@afdb.org; V.Ngendakumana@afdb.org
Title of Assignment : Consultancy Services for development of Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Agricultural Cost of Production (AgCoP) statistics, and Administrative Data.
Brief description of the Assignment : The assignment involves the provision of Technical Assistance to Regional Member Countries (RMCs) of the African Development Bank (RMCs) for development of Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Agricultural Cost of Production (AgCoP) statistics, and Administrative Data.
National Agrcultural Statistical Systems (NASS) and data are in a sorry state in many African countries – the systems are weak, uncoordinated, poorly resourced, and essentially unsustainable. Moreover, their outputs are wanting in terms of quantity, quality, and dissemination. The situation has been exacerbated by new data requirements to inform policy on emerging development issues such as food production vs. biofuels, global warming, environment, and food security.
In response to meeting these challenges in developing countries, newly cost-effective methods including Guidelines on Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Master Sampling Frames (MSF), Agricultural Cost of Production surveys, and Administrative Data, amongst others, and AfDB is providing Technical Assistance (TA) to African countries for absorbing those methods.
Department/Division issuing the request : ECST.2
Place of assignment : Home and Field based on Required Activities
Duration of the assignment : 120 days to be used on drawdown-basis, with possibility of additional days when work is available
Tentative Date of commencement : March 05, 2019
Detailed Terms of reference for the assignment : See Terms of Reference listed below
Deadline for applications : March 11, 2019
The Statistics Department of the African Development Bank invites Individual International 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.
Applications to be submitted to : Ms. Fatema DEME (F.Deme@afdb.org) and Ms. Nejma
LAZLEM (N.Lazlem@afdb.org); with cc to: Mr. Ben Paul MUNGYEREZA
(B.Mungyereza@afdb.org), and Mr. Vincent NGENDAKUMANA (V.Ngendakumana@afdb.org)
Any questions and requests for clarifications may be sent to : Mr. Vincent NGENDAKUMANA (v.ngendakumana@afdb.org).
Expression of interest must be received no later than February 27, 2019 at 17:00 hours Abidjan local time, and specifically mentioning: Consultancy Services for Development of Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Agricultural Cost of Production (AgCoP) statistics, and Administrative Data.
TERMS OF REFERENCE : International Consultants for delivering Technical Assistance (TA) in Agricultural Statistics – Development of Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Agricultural Cost of Production (AgCoP) statistics, and Administrative Data
Background :
Agriculture is Africa´s backbone, and it holds great promise for future growth and job creation. It employs 65-70% of the African workforce. It contributes substantially (about a third) to the continent´s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and as such is the key to economic growth, increased incomes, improved living standards, poverty eradication, and enhanced food security. Promoting agriculture is therefore one of the most effective ways to contribute to alleviating poverty.
Agriculture in Africa faces many challenges including (i) internal infrastructure deficiencies prevent Africa from realizing its full agricultural and food security potential; (ii) inadequate energy supply constraining productivity and processing and storage of produce; (iii) very low connectivity density in paved road and rail network contributing to high postharvest losses and lack of access to markets; and (iv) difficult adaptation to climate change mainly due to the continent’s limited capacity and technology.
In October 2015, the Bank developed a strategy for long-term agricultural transformation in Africa, entitled “Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)” and 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 of 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.
The importance of the agricultural sector in Africa and the challenges it is facing demand that its planning, management, and monitoring be based on sound evidence. This, in turn, requires the sustained availability of comprehensive, reliable, up-to-date, and consistent statistical data. In addition, these data need to be in a form that renders them intelligible and accessible for a variety of users.
Unfortunately, agricultural statistical systems and data are in a sorry state in many African countries – the systems are weak, uncoordinated, poorly resourced, and essentially unsustainable. Moreover, their outputs are wanting in terms of quantity, quality, and dissemination. The situation has been exacerbated by new data requirements to inform policy on emerging development issues such as food production vs. biofuels, global warming, environment, and food security.
In response to these challenges in developing countries, new cost-effective methods for producing agricultural statistics have been developed. These include Guidelines on Strategic
Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Master Sampling Frames (MSF), Agricultural Cost of Production surveys, and Administrative Data, amongst others.
The Bank wishes to hire two (2) international consultants to work with the AfDB Statistics Department, to support the provision of TA to Regional Member Countries (RMCs) in building their statistical capacity in the use of these newly developed cost-effective methods, focusing mainly on the development of Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS), Agricultural Cost of Production (AgCoP) statistics, and Administrative Data.
Activities :
Under the overall direction of the Manager of Statistical Capacity Building Division (ECST.2), and direct technical supervision of the Principal Agricultural Statistician, the consultants will work very closely with other ECST staff to deliver the technical assistance required by countries in a way that will create impact.
They will contribute to the development of the SPARSs as well as the activities identified therein (based on the results of a comprehensive capacity assessment of the National Agricultural Statistical System), including delivery of TA for agricultural statistics capacity building and skills transfer for specific activities, popularization of newly developed cost-effective agricultural statistics methods, such as Agricultural Cost of Production surveys, and Administrative Data, amongst others.
Specifically, the consultant is expected to undertake the following key activities :
- Provide TA in various areas of agricultural statistics ;
- Provide TA and assist with the development of Strategic Plans for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (SPARS) ;
- Provide TA and training in using a bottom-up approach to the development of SPARS and their integration into the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) process ;
- Provide TA in survey design, data collection, analysis and dissemination for the agricultural sector and subsectors ;
- Provide TAs on the use of newly developed cost-effective methods in agricultural statistics focusing on Agricultural Cost of Production surveys, and and Administrative Data ;
- Review and audit methodologies and instruments for use in the production of agricultural administrative data, document good practices in that field and provide TA to improve agricultural administrative data collection ; and
- Any other assignments as may be required ;
- Specific TORs and a work programme for each activities in a given county will be developed by the Statistics Department in consultation with the consultant.
Qualifications and Experience Required :
- The incumbent should have expertise in statistical organization and management, with a special focus on the production and use of agricultural statistics as well as on technical assistance. More specifically, the Consultants shall be a qualified Agricultural Statistician with:
- A Masters degree in Statistics ;
- A minimum of 10 years relevant experience in the field of Agricultural Statistics at national and international levels ;
- Sound knowledge of Agricultural Statistical Systems in Africa ;
- Experience in capacity building for the development and strengthening of Agricultural Statistical Systems in Africa ;
- Excellent interpersonal skills in liaising with colleagues and with sister institutions as well as with national statisticians working at country level (NSO) ;
- Excellent ability to make presentations and participate to international conference; Ability to write reports and complete tasks on a timely basis; and
- Excellent working knowledge of English or French with a good knowledge of the other one.
Duration of the Assignment :
The consultancy is for 120 working days on draw down basis, renewable on satisfactory performance.
Duty station of the consultants :
The Consultant shall work from home but will be entitled to any travel/mission needed for their respective fulfilment of the duties.
Reporting :
The consultant will be working under the overall supervision of the Division manager of ECST.2, and technical supervision of the Principal Agricultural Statistician. He/she will be required to prepare and submit (a) report outlining activities undertaken during each specific assignment, (b) required technical documents, including recommendations on the related program improvement and performance.
Please attach an updated Curriculum Vitae on the basis of the template below :
MODEL CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)