Recruitment of the pool of experts to constitute the Independent Evaluation Committee (IEC) for the AIRTEA Project
Name of Project:
AIRTEA
Procurement Ref:
FARA/ AIRTEA/CS/IC/2021/02
Date:
Friday, June 25, 2021
A consortium consisting of FARA, ASARECA, and EAFF is implementing the project Strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Ecosystem for Inclusive Rural Transformation and Livelihoods in Eastern Africa (AIRTEA) sponsored by the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) through the ACP-Innovation Fund which itself is funded by the European Union (EU) through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The OACPS is supported by a Technical Assistance Unit (TAU) – which oversees the management of the OACPS Research and Innovation Programme (https://oacps-ri.eu).
The AIRTEA Project is expected to produce a series of outputs that include but not limited to the following:
Capacities of youth and women involved in East Africa’s innovation platforms strengthened (Output 1.1);
Innovation Platforms and linkages along country priority value chains established and supported (Output 1.2);
Technologies, innovations and management practices generated or adapted to address challenges of marginalized rural communities (Output 2.1);
Knowledge products and solutions developed or sourced to address challenges of marginalized rural communities (Output 2.2);
National ABLA platforms established (Output 2.3);
Collaborative partnerships within ABLA supported (Output 2.4);
Technology transfer and uptake developed and made available for dissemination of knowledge products among value chain actor (Output 2.5); and
New business services offered by operators along the value chain (Output 3.1).
The overall aim of this assignment is to engage the services of Independent Experts is to evaluate proposals responding to the call for proposals launched for stakeholders from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The specific objectives of this Assignment are:
To assess, using the scorecard criteria, all proposals submitted in response to the call and fulfilling the administration criteria after a check done by the AIRTEA coordination.
To recommend, for funding, the best proposals to the Project Steering Committee (PSC).
To produce a report of the evaluation process and its outcome.
3. This request for expression of interest aims at engaging Experts to carry out the following functions:
Participate in the session that will nominate the chairman and the vice-chairman of the IEC.
Read, provide review comments, and score all proposals that will be assigned by the chairman and the vice-chairman of the IEC. Each proposal must be assessed by a minimum of 2 evaluators and a maximum of 3.
Participate in the development of a timetable/timeline/timeframe of the assignment. The assignment is expected to be completed by 16 August 2021.
Deliberate/decide on the proposals to be awarded and funds to be allocated based on the scores from different evaluators.
Produce a synthetic but detailed report on each proposal: strengths and weaknesses. And therefore, why was it recommended or not to be funded.
The detailed terms of reference is in the link below:
4. The Executive Director of FARA invites interested Experts to express interest in carrying out this assignment.
5. Individuals interested in this call must submit an Expression of Interest and CVs, outlining references related to the execution of similar contracts, experience in similar areas, or evidence of knowledge and educational qualifications.
6. The anticipated period of performance of the IEC for this assignment is 15 man-days spread over two (2) months. The assignment is expected to be completed by 16 August 2021.
7. The individual consultants shall be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
8. Interested consultants may obtain supplementary information from the Research, Policy and Investment Lead Specialist, Jonas Mugabe [[email protected]] and copy the Procurement Expert, Mr. Callistus Achaab [[email protected]], during the following hours: 9h00 to 15h00 GMT.
Please DOWNLOAD the Terms of Reference below for further information on this opportunity.
9. Expressions of Interest should be submitted electronically to [[email protected]] and addressed to Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director of FARA, No 9 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Wednesday, 14th July 2021, at 14h00 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.
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), together with the Sub-Regional Agricultural Research Organizations (SROs), offer a strategic platform that fosters continental and global networking to strengthen the innovation capacities of Africa’s agricultural research system. FARA also has a mandate from the AUC to serve as its technical arm in advancing the Science Agenda in Africa’s Agriculture.
FARA has identified an increasing need for deeper collaboration among Agricultural Research for Development practitioners and private sector partners in Africa to achieve transformation in the agricultural sector. FARA has therefore embarked on an inclusive process together with the Sub Regional Organizations (ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF) and AFAAS to develop a new vision of collaboration and operationalization with private sector partners. This is being done through the European Union (EU) FUNDS under the Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) initiative. The initiative aims to implement a 4-year project in Africa called CAADP Ex-Pillar 4 (CAADP-XP4).
Part of FARA’s organizational capacity development supported by this programme seeks to strengthen planning, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, learning, and accountability. A key dimension of this work entails automating the FARA MEL system. The data management models and architecture for this automation have been developed, and a working web application is currently in operation.
The overall aim of this assignment is to engage the services of a long-term Consultant to complete the automation of this system and support its maintenance.
This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a consultant to carry out the following functions:
Finalization of modules initiated for the MEL website.
Upgrade of the user interface and experience of the web application.
Development of additional layers of security and authentication.
Development of new modules, extra features, upgrades, forms and reports based on demand.
Regular maintenance of the web application, MySQL database, and the cloud and server architecture.
Provision of technical support for managing and administering the web application, database, and cloud and server architecture.
Support of training organized for local and international staff, partners, CAADP XP4 organizations, and users on the web application.
Support the interoperability of the web application with systems developed by FARA, other CAADP XP4 organizations, and other relevant data portals, including APIs development and integration.
Coordination of work on developing and implementing APIs in relation to external consultants.
The detailed terms of reference are in the link below:
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 contracts, 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 120 person-days spread over twelve months. The work shall be carried out from 1st August 2021 to 31st July 2022, an average of 10 working days per month.
The individual consultant shall be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Interested consultants may obtain further information from FARA’s Monitoring and Evaluation Lead Specialist, Anselme Vodounhessi [[email protected]], and copy the Procurement Expert, Mr Callistus Achaab [[email protected]], during the following hours: 9h00 to 15h00 GMT.
Please download the Terms of Reference below for further information on this opportunity. Terms of Reference
Expressions of Interest should be submitted electronically to [[email protected]] and addressed to Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director of FARA, No 9 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Monday, 5th July 2021, at 14h00 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.
A consortium consisting of FARA, ASARECA, and EAFF1 is implementing the project Strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Ecosystem for Inclusive Rural Transformation and Livelihoods in Eastern Africa (AIRTEA) sponsored by the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) through the ACPInnovation Fund which itself is funded by the European Union (EU) through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The OACPS is supported by a Technical Assistance Unit (TAU) – who is in charge of the management of the OACPS Research and Innovation Programme (https://oacps-ri.eu).
The consortium, through the AIRTEA Project, will technically and financially support multistakeholder partnerships (MSPs) from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda to develop proposals and implement projects that promote demand-driven agricultural research and innovation. The consortium believes that science, technology, and innovation in agriculture in Africa in general, and Eastern Africa in particular, constitute the major driver for economic development. This is because the agricultural sector is still the main employer providing jobs to the largest proportion of the population of Eastern Africa and contributes to over 35% of the GDP in the three selected countries.
The theory of change of the AIRTEA Project is that the research-policy interface will create a conducive policy ecosystem in the three countries that will, inter alia, enable knowledge generation, exchange, and learning; technology transfer, uptake, and scale-up; and business development through capacity building. These will lead to innovations with socio-economic benefits and impacts.
The overall objective of the AIRTEA Project is to contribute to achieving sustainable agrarian livelihoods and rural transformation by fostering an inclusive innovation environment. The three specific objectives are:
To strengthen the capacities of youth and women in East Africa’s multi-stakeholder innovation platforms and link to solutions within national, regional, and global food systems;
To facilitate technology, transfer and uptake through learning routes and multistakeholder engagement; and
To improve profitability and employment opportunities along agricultural commodity value chains by establishing national and regional Agricultural Business Learning Alliance (ABLA) platforms, business development services, and mentorship.
To achieve these objectives, the consortium will technically and financially support MSP projects in agricultural research for development (ARD) that address challenges and/or opportunities at the local, national or regional level from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
Please find below details of the call for proposals for your downloads:
Consultancy to Develop Strategies for Private Sector Engagement in Africa’s Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D)
Name of Project:
CAADP-XP4
Activity Ref No:
CAADP-XP4 Output 2/ Activity 2.1.4 / 2021
Procurement Ref:
FARA/CAADP-XP4/CS/IC/2021/02
Date:
Wednesday, June 09, 2021
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) together with the Sub-Regional Agricultural Research Organizations (SROs) offer a strategic platform that fosters continental and global networking to strengthen the innovation capacities of Africa’s agricultural research system. FARA also has a mandate from the AUC to serve as its technical arm in the advancement of the Science Agenda in Africa’s Agriculture.
To achieve transformation in the agricultural sector, FARA has identified an increasing need for deeper collaboration among Agricultural Research for Development practitioners and private sector partners in Africa. FARA has therefore embarked on an inclusive process together with the Sub Regional Organizations (ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF) and AFAAS, to develop a new vision of collaboration and operationalization with private sector partners. This is being done through the European Union (EU) FUNDS under the Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) initiative. The initiative aims to implement a 4-year project in Africa called CAADP Ex-Pillar 4 (CAADP-XP4). The overall objective of the CAADP-XP4 is to increase the contribution of Africa’s regional and country-level agriculture and food innovation systems towards the achievement of climate-relevant and sustainable transformation of the continent’s agriculture and food systems. The objective of this activity, therefore, is to develop and operationalize a continental private sector engagement strategy for Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D).
The overall aim of this assignment is to facilitate the development and operationalization of a private sector engagement strategy in Africa’s Agricultural Research for Development.
This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a consultant to carry out the following functions:
map out, select, and validate key stakeholders to be consulted in the development of a private sector engagement strategy
carry out an intensive consultative process with the identified key stakeholders to gather information, recommendations, and feedback on the development and operationalization of a private sector engagement strategy.
develop and validate a five-year continental private sector engagement strategy and clear guidelines on its operationalization.
The detailed terms of reference is in the link below:
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 contracts, 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 five months. The work shall be carried out from the first week in July 2021, to November 30, 2021.
The individual consultant shall be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Interested consultants may obtain further information from FARA’s Agribusiness Expert, Karen Munoko [[email protected]], and copy the Procurement Expert, Mr. Callistus Achaab [[email protected]], during the following hours: 9h00 to 15h00 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. Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director of FARA, No 9 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Wednesday, 23rd June 2021, at 14h00 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.
L’honorable Dr Kweku Afriyie, ministre de l’Environnement, de la Science, de la Technologie et de l’Innovation (MESTI) de la République du Ghana a reçu en audience le 2 juin 2021, dans son bureau, le Directeur exécutif du Forum pour la recherche agricole en Afrique (FARA) Dr Yemi Akinbamijo et la Responsable de l’administration, Mme Ama Pokuah-Asenso.
Le MESTI est le ministère de tutelle du FARA au Ghana. La visite de courtoisie de la délégation du FARA avait pour objectif de féliciter le ministre au nom du Forum et lui souhaiter un fructueux mandat à la tête du MESTI.
L’honorable Dr Kweku Afriyie, médecin par vocation et député de la circonscription de Sefwi Wiawso, était ravi de recevoir la délégation du FARA. Il a cité l’impact de la science et de l’innovation sur le secteur agricole du pays et souligné que l’accent continuerait d’être mis sur les activités de plaidoyer en faveur de l’Agenda scientifique pour l’agriculture en Afrique (S3A) et un soutien continu au Programme détaillé pour le développement de l’agriculture africaine (PDDAA) au Ghana.
Les deux responsables ont discuté des efforts concertés déployés par leurs bureaux respectifs en vue de promouvoir l’innovation, la science et la technologie au Ghana et sur le continent. Dr Akinbamijo a assuré le ministre de la collaboration continue du FARA avec le ministère de tutelle. Le Ministre a de son côté assuré le FARA de son engagement à l’égard de ses activités et à accueillir le Secrétariat du FARA au Ghana.
Mme Ama Pokuah Asenso, responsable des ressources et de l’administration et Mme Cynthia Asare Bediako, directrice principale au MESTI assistaient à la réunion.
De gauche à droite : Mme Ama Pokuah Asenso, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Dr Kweku Afriyie et Mme Cynthia Asare Bediako
