Support the establishment of the Postharvest Incubation Program and Agribusiness Accelerator aimed at promoting technologies and innovations in postharvest management of indigenous fruits and vegetables under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture project.
Name of Project: Lead Institution: Partner Institutions
Enhancing the production and consumption of African Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables to improve diets in Ghana and Mali (Eco-Inveg) the University of Ghana Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa; the University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTT-B); Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Food Research Institute (FRI)
Procurement Ref:
FARA/UG/FeedTheFutureInnovLABS/CS/QCBS/2024/01
Issue Date:
Tuesday, July 03, 2024
Submission Deadline:
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture is funding a collaborative project in Ghana and Mali involving academia, research institutions and the private sector from the two countries. The collaboration involves the University of Ghana, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTT-B), Food Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Ghana, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD).
The overall goal of the project is to increase the production and access to nutrient-dense indigenous fruits and vegetables in Ghana and Mali through diet diversification by valorizing indigenous fruits and vegetables and promoting their consumption. To ensure effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the project has been organized into five (5) work packages, which include:
Work Package 1 – Profiling of four Indigenous fruits and vegetables
Work package 2 – Value chain analysis
Work package 3: Improving postharvest handling and preservation of indigenous fruits and vegetables.
Work Package 4 – Creation of an Innovation Centre or Incubator
Work Package 5 – Dissemination of technologies, methods, and processes
This assignment is with reference to sub-theme 4.
The objective of the incubation program is to establish an incubator/innovation hub for women and youth entrepreneurs and key stakeholders in all 16 regions of Ghana to connect, increase knowledge sharing, and co-create solutions to spur innovations and business opportunities for selected indigenous fruits and vegetables.
To achieve the above, FARA and the University of Ghana propose engaging a suitable firm to support the process.
3. This request for proposals aims at engaging a consulting firm (hereafter referred to as Consultant) to carry out the following functions:
The Consultant shall liaise with the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for the Horticulture team for the necessary assistance and clarifications to undertake this assignment.
The consultant shall coordinate activities and engage with all relevant stakeholders to conduct interviews and schedule training using appropriate training materials.
The Consultant shall present the initial strategy and advise the team on the strategy for the incubation program before the launch of the call for applications.
The Consultant shall be responsible for the Screening of applications (establishing selection criteria)
The Consultant shall be responsible for coordinating the development of training manuals for participants (competency-based)
The Consultant shall recruit trainers and facilitators for the training
The Consultant shall be responsible for scheduling all training sessions, seminars, workshops and mentorship sessions of pre-selected participants
The Consultant shall conduct pre and post-training evaluations to assess the impact of the training.
The Consultant shall provide quarterly monthly reports and timely feedback on the progress of the incubation program and recommend strategies for continuous improvement.
The Consultant shall be responsible for coaching finalists in managing their enterprises after the award of grants.
The Consultant shall be responsible for monitoring and Evaluation of the Incubation Program.
The Executive Director of FARA invites interested firms to express interest in carrying out this assignment.
Your proposal, including a technical and financial proposal based on the Terms of Reference outlined above, must be submitted. The proposal must outline your firm’s proposed methodologies, references related to the execution of similar contracts, experience in similar areas, evidence of knowledge and a proposed timeline. The proposals must also include the CVs of the proposed team.
The anticipated period of performance for this consultancy is 18 months.
The firm shall be selected based on the Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) procedures defined in the FARA procurement Guidelines.
Interested firms may obtain further information from the Project Lead,[[email protected]]; [[email protected]] and copy the Procurement Expert, FARA, [[email protected]] during the following hours: 9h00 to 16h00 GMT.
Please download the Terms of Reference below for further information on this opportunity.
Proposals should be submitted electronically to [[email protected]] and addressed to Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director of FARA, No 7 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at 16h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888.
FARA-UG Affirmative Action Statement on Recruitment: there is no discrimination based on gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability, or health status.
Recruitment of an External Audit firm to audit FARA Secretariat for the financial years 2024-2026
Procurement Ref:
FARA/EXT-AUDIT/CS/LCS/2024/01
Issue Date:
Friday, March 15, 2024
Submission Deadline:
Friday, March 29, 2024
Established in 2002 by Sub-regional Agricultural Research Organizations, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) serves as the African Union Commission’s technical agency for agricultural research and development. It implements CAADP Pillar IV and the Science Agenda for Africa Agriculture (S3A), collaborating with organizations like ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF, and AFAAS. FARA advocates for Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) application in agriculture, facilitates knowledge exchange, and fosters partnerships. Independent audits ensure fund accountability. FARA seeks an Auditing Firm to audit implementation program accounts, promoting transparency and responsible financial management.
This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a consultant to carry out the following functions:
Funds are diligently utilized according to specified conditions and agreements, ensuring economic efficiency. Counterpart funds are used as stipulated, and procurement follows guidelines. Thorough documentation is maintained, establishing clear links between records and financial reports. Designated Accounts adhere to relevant conditions. Financial statements reflect accepted accounting principles, providing a true representation of the institution’s financial position. A review assesses compliance with financial covenants and release conditions for tranches.
The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to express interest in carrying out this assignment.
Consultants interested in the call must submit a concise Expression of Interest (10 pages max) detailing firm information, references, experience, knowledge evidence, and a proposed timeline.
The consultant shall be selected in accordance with the “Least-Cost Selection” method set out in the procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Please download the Terms of Reference in the link below, for further information on this opportunity.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted electronically to [[email protected]] and addressed to Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director of FARA, No 7 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Friday, March 29, 2024, at 16h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888.
Consultancy Services: Commission Regional Case Studies on Effective Partnerships for Innovation
Name of Project:
CAADP-XP4
Activity Ref No:
CAADP-XP4 Activity: 2.3.5
Procurement Ref:
FARA/CAADP-XP4/CS/IC/2024/01
Issue Date:
Thursday, February 01, 2024
Submission Deadline:
Thursday, February 15, 2024
The CAADP-XP4 program, involving organizations like AFAAS, ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF, and FARA, aims to enhance the development of African agriculture for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods. FARA, as part of this program, seeks to strengthen its capacity and collaborate with stakeholders to support African countries in achieving CAADP and SDGs results. The program focuses on promoting food security, economic development, and climate resilience through effective partnerships and innovation. Over the past two decades, FARA has championed the Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) approach, including the Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) concept and Innovation Platforms (IP). The IAR4D/IP model has demonstrated positive impacts on livelihoods, research demand, and meeting end-user needs. As the agricultural sector undergoes changes, the CAADP-XP4 program introduces an activity to commission regional case studies on effective partnerships for innovation. FARA, in implementing this, plans to collate knowledge on AIS, update continental synthesis studies, support SROs in institutionalizing IAR4D/IP, and document stakeholder experiences on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships (MSPs). Recognizing the evolving landscape, the TOR proposes a desk study to assess the continued relevance of the IAR4D-IP approach. This study includes synthesizing existing knowledge on AIS, reviewing the IAR4D-IP model with experts, collecting stakeholder experiences on AIS, and producing a third white paper on the IAR4D/IP model. The goal is to ensure the model’s adaptability to emerging issues in African agriculture, considering factors like food security, climate change, and evolving agricultural trends. The primary objective of this assignment is to engage a consultant to assess and document the effectiveness of the IAR4D/IP partnerships model for innovation to generate insights on the best model to ensure a collaborative effort for innovation in Africa.
This request for expression of interest aims to engage a consultant to carry out the following functions:
Desk study: a comprehensive desk review of existing literature, reports, studies, and documents on partnerships, innovation, multistakeholder arrangements for R&D, and other issues on agricultural innovation systems.
Surveys, Interviews, Key informant interviews, case studies, etc.
Online questionnaire to sampled stakeholders
Run a webinar with front-line experts, stakeholders and partners for validation exercise.
The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to express interest in carrying out this assignment.
Consultants interested in this call must provide an Expression of Interest no longer than 10 pages, outlining proposed methodologies, references related to the execution of similar assignments, experience in similar areas, or evidence of knowledge and a proposed timeline. Brochures, CVs, and other supplementary materials submitted shall not be accounted for as part of the 10-page limit.
The anticipated period of performance for this consultancy is 30 man-days spread over three months (March 2024 to May 2024).
The individual consultant shall be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Interested consultants may obtain further information from the Ag Director of Research and Innovation,Fatunbi Oluwole[[email protected]], and copy the Procurement Expert, Mr. Callistus Achaab [[email protected]], during the following hours: 9h00 to 16h00 GMT.
Please download the Terms of Reference below, for further information on this opportunity.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted electronically to [[email protected]] and addressed to Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director of FARA, No 7 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than [highlight dark=”no”]Thursday, February 15, 2024[/highlight], at 16h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888.
FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Recruitment: there is no discrimination based on gender, race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability, or health status.
Joint Press Release by AUC, AUDA, FARA, COMESA, & FAO
Lusaka, Zambia – October 17, 2023: Regional Economic Communities in Africa are set to meet this week to drive forward a proposal for mega agro-industrial hubs across the continent that would boost agricultural development. The Common African Agro-Parks (CAAPs) are aimed at boosting regional trade for agricultural commodities, increasing local processing of key agricultural products and reducing food import. This significant event will occur from October 18 to 21, 2023, at the COMESA headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia, with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP).
Partners participating in the meeting include the Africa Union Commission, the African Union Development Agency, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the Pan-African Agribusiness Chamber, the Pan-African Farmers Organisation, the Africa Business Council, IFPRI, African Continental Free-Trade Area, Afreximbank, African Development Bank and the CAAPs Secretariat hosted by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa. The rest are country representatives from Zambia and Zimbabwe, key private sector players such as Bühler Group, Grüner, BRICS as well as the World Food Programme.
The Third Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, held on 21-25 October 2019 in Addis Ababa, widely discussed the benefits of agro-industrialization to the continent and resolved to adopt the Common African Agro-Parks (CAAPs) as a programme contributing to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The CAAPs Programme was finally ratified as a flagship initiative of the AU Agenda 2063 during its 36th Summit in February 2023.
The CAAPs initiative aims to create transboundary mega agro-industrial hubs across Africa. This ambitious endeavour falls within the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) framework and the AU Agenda 2063. Its overarching objective is to drive the industrialization strategy of African governments and RECs, transforming economies from traditional raw material exporters to agro-industrial powerhouses.
Despite Africa’s abundant fertile land and a burgeoning young workforce, the continent spends approximately USD 50 billion ($50b) annually importing food commodities.
The CAAPs program seeks to reverse this trend by promoting cross-border agriculture value chains, attracting private sector investments in agro-industrialization, and establishing sustainable cross-border policies within the context of the African Continental Free-Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Over four days of intensive interaction, the Directors of RECs and CAAPs Technical Working Groups (CAAPs-TWG) Experts will strengthen collaboration, build synergies and draw actions to accelerate the implementation of this initiative.
Firstly, they will raise awareness among RECs about CAAPs, facilitating subsequent sensitization of AU Member States and fostering a knowledge exchange regarding regional agro-industry development within the AfCFTA framework.
Also, they will solicit feedback from RECs regarding the CAAPs process, necessary infrastructure, governance, and legal models, and the AfCFTA instruments vital for creating a conducive business environment for transboundary Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in CAAPs.
Again, they will deliberate on the mapping exercise for future agro-industrial development in Africa, with a practical case study of the ZimZam CAAPs location. RECs are expected here to propose locations for the 10 CAAPs Demonstration Projects ( 2 per region) and for the 5 larger CAAPs (one per region) envisioned by the African Union.
Finally, they will forge a harmonized process for RECs’ engagement with countries and stakeholders within their respective regions, including the private sector and regional banks, to prepare for CAAP implementation.
At the end of the four days meeting, participants would have (i) compiled feedback from RECs on the CAAPs process, infrastructure models, and the required legal instruments for joint governance and PPPs in transboundary settings within the AfCFTA context; (ii) agreed on a harmonized process for engagements with countries; (iii) compiled and validated feedback of criteria for mapping future transboundary agro-industrial development zones in Africa; (iv) developed a joint roadmap for rolling out CAAPs in AU Member States; and (v) developed action plans for joint resource mobilization and partnership engagement among RECs to develop CAAPs.
This Inaugural Coordination Meeting marks a pivotal moment in Africa’s agricultural and industrial transformation pursuit. By fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among regional economic communities, this event lays the foundation for a sustainable, prosperous, and food-secure future for the continent.
The African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) is the development agency of the African Union, promoting partnerships for the transformation of Africa as an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional economic community of 21 member states. It brings together over 600 million people into a cooperative framework for sustainable economic growth and prosperity through regional integration.
The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) is an African Union Commission (AUC) initiative to establish transboundary mega agro-industrial hubs across Africa to drive industrialization and food security. It is hosted by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), an apex continental technical institution of the AUC headquartered in Accra, Ghana.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO currently provides institutional support to the CAAPs Secretariat, hosted by FARA, to coordinate stakeholders’ consultations and leadership engagement for greater ownership of the CAAPs; formalize partnerships with the technical partners for the design and establishment of the CAAPs; and to build the capacity of stakeholders to support the decision-making process at the various African Union organs.
From 25 to 29 September 2023, a CORAF delegation, consisting of the Head of Knowledge Management, Ms Poko Alida Nadinga and the Head of IT Mr Ababacar Diouf, embarked on a benchmarking mission to learn about FARA’s knowledge management system. The team was welcomed to the FARA Secretariat in Accra, Ghana, by the Head of Human Resources and Administration, Ms Ama Pokuah Asenso, on behalf of the Executive Director, Dr Aggrey Agumya.
Mr Ababacar DIOUF and Ms Poko Alida NADINGA
The FARA team, consisting of the Lead specialist from the Knowledge, Learning and Communication Management Unit, Mr Benjamin Abugri, the IT Manager, Mr Francis Kpodo and the Web Designer, Mr Gabriel Quansah, provided an overview of FARA and its role as a continental institution. The technical sessions focused on the operational infrastructure and products of the FARA knowledge management system, including the virtual knowledge hub christened FARADataInformS, the directory of experts, the digital archiving system, and the community of practice. The team also seized the opportunity to examine the technological architecture supporting these different knowledge management platforms.
It is important to note that as part of the implementation of the CAADP XP4 programme, FARA is responsible for developing the continental Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) directory of experts and transferring the West and Central Africa’s management of experts to CORAF and the lead Sub-Regional Agricultural Organization. In addition, FARA intends to work with CORAF to revitalize its knowledge management system through experience sharing and technical assistance.
CORAF has affirmed its commitment to support FARA in strengthening data security and integrity to ensure the protection of key knowledge generated over the years. To this end, a FARA delegation will visit Dakar to inspect CORAF’s entire technological infrastructure, including the data centre and security platforms. This mission will also serve as a framework for presenting and validating the expert directory tool and training the CORAF team in its use.
A team of Knowledge Management and IT Experts from FARA and CORAF
The two teams have developed a joint action plan to ensure better follow-up of the actions and recommendations resulting from this knowledge-sharing mission.
The two organizations, through a letter of agreement signed, will continue to leverage each other’s strengths in Knowledge Management, Information technology and monitoring and evaluation to accelerate the achievement of the CAADP Malabo targets and support the African farmer and related actors, to realize their highest potentials.
Join the Continental Experts Directory
This mission is made possible mainly through the vision of the two eminent leaders of FARA and CORAF, Dr Aggrey AGUMYA, Executive Director of FARA, and Dr Abdou TENKOUANO, Executive Director of CORAF, who are committed to improving knowledge management in the agricultural research sector for a better future for the people of Africa.
