Le groupe de pilotage de la Plateforme de partenariat du Programme africain de semence et de biotechnologie (ASB PP en anglais) a approuvé la proposition de nommer le Forum pour la recherche agricole en Afrique (FARA) comme organisation hôte du Secrétariat de l’ASB PP. Cette approbation fait suite à un processus très concurrentiel mais transparent. Annoncée lors de la deuxième réunion du groupe de pilotage qui s’est tenue le 29 mai 2021, cette décision sera ratifiée par les organes directeurs compétents de l’Union africaine.
L’ASB PP est un mécanisme visant à améliorer la prise de décision et l’élaboration de politiques, à appuyer des activités de sensibilisation fondées sur des données probantes et à promouvoir le partage des connaissances dans le cadre du développement des systèmes semenciers en Afrique. Elle fournit également un appui technique, administratif et logistique à la structure de gouvernance du Programme africain de semence et de biotechnologie (PASB), un cadre stratégique de l’Union africaine pour le développement du secteur semencier africain. Le PASB a été créé sur décision de la Session ordinaire de la Conférence de l’Union africaine, tenue à Syrte (Libye) le 5 juillet 2005, entérinée par la Conférence de l’Union africaine tenue en 2007 (Assembly/AU/Dec. 135(VIII).
Le FARA facilitera la mise en œuvre des activités du Secrétariat de l’ASB PP en partenariat avec les Organisations sous-régionales de recherche agricole (OSR), à savoir le Conseil Ouest et Centre africain pour la recherche et le développement agricoles (CORAF), l’Association pour le renforcement de la recherche agricole en Afrique de l’Est et du Centre (ASARECA), le Centre de coordination de la recherche et du développement agricole de l’Afrique australe (CCARDESA), et l’Organisation sous-régionale pour l’agriculture d’Afrique du Nord (NAASRO), ainsi qu’avec le Forum africain des services de conseil agricole (AFAAS).
Le Directeur exécutif du FARA, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo a remercié le Département de l’Agriculture, du Développement rural, de l’Économie bleue et de l’Environnement durable de la Commission de l’Union africaine (CUA) et le Groupe de pilotage d’avoir choisi le FARA pour jouer ce rôle décisif. Il a affirmé la volonté du FARA de tirer parti de son vaste réseau pour mobiliser les parties prenantes concernées dans le secteur semencier et des biotechnologies en Afrique en vue d’assurer la sécurité alimentaire sur le continent et améliorer les moyens d’existence de millions d’Africains.
The Steering Group (SG) of the African Seed and Biotechnology Partnership Platform (ASB PP) has endorsed the proposal to designate the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) as the host of the Secretariat for the ASB PP. The endorsement came on the back of a keenly competitive but transparent process. Announced during the second meeting of the SG, which took place on 29 May 2021, the endorsement will be ratified by the relevant Policy Organs of the African Union (AU).
The ASB PP is a mechanism for improving coordination in decision making and policy formulation, supporting evidence-based advocacy, and enhancing knowledge sharing in seed systems development in Africa. It also provides technical, administrative, and logistical support to the governance structure of the African Seed and Biotechnology Programme (ASBP), an AU strategic framework for developing Africa’s seed sector. The ASBP was a decision of the Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Sirte, Libya, on 5 July 2005 and endorsed by the AU Assembly of 2007 (Assembly/AU/Dec. 135(VIII)).
FARA will be facilitating the implementation of activities of the ASB PP Secretariat in partnership with the Sub-Regional Agricultural Research Organizations (SROs), namely West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), and the North African Agricultural Sub-Regional Organization (NAASRO), as well as the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS).
In response to the announcement, the Executive Director of FARA, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, thanked the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the SG for selecting FARA to perform this critical function. He affirmed FARA’s commitment to leveraging its extensive network to galvanize all the relevant stakeholders in the seed sector and biotechnology in Africa towards attaining the vision of keeping Africa food-secure and improving the livelihoods of millions of Africans.
The Honorable Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Kweku Afriyie received in audience the Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the Head of Administration – Ms Ama Pokuah-Asenso, in his office on 2nd June 2021.
MESTI is the line ministry responsible for FARA in Ghana. The Courtesy visit by the FARA Delegation was to present the compliments of the Forum to the Honorable Minister and also expressed the best fraternal wishes of the Forum to the Minister for a successful tenure as Minister in charge of MESTI.
On his part, the Honorable Minister Dr Kweku Afriyie, a physician by vocation and member of Parliament for Sefwi Wiawso Constituency, was delighted to receive the FARA delegation in his office. Citing the impact of science and innovation in the country’s agricultural sector, he emphasized the continued advocacy for the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa (S3A) and the continued support for the CAADP initiative in Ghana.
The two principals discussed collaborative support from their respective offices to continue promoting innovation, science and technology in Ghana and, in particular, the continent at large. Dr Akinbamijo assured the Honorable Minister of FARA’s continual collaboration with the sector Ministry. In a reciprocal gesture, the Minister reassured FARA of the Ministry’s commitment to its operation and hosting in Ghana.
In attendance is Ms Ama Pokuah Asenso (HR & Administration Manager) and Mrs Cynthia Asare Bediako, Chief Director (MESTI).
From Left: Ms Ama Pokuah Asenso, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Dr Kweku Afriyie and Mrs Cynthia Asare Bediako
Consultancy to Support Inclusive Capacity Development, Business Incubation along Country Priority Value Chains for Smallholders & Other stakeholders
Name of Project:
European Union (EU) Funded – OACP (FARA, ASARECA and EAFF)
Activity Ref No:
AIRTEA Project/ Activity 3.1 / 2021
Procurement Ref:
FARA/OACP/CS/IC/2021/01
Date:
Thursday, May 27, 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. With its mandate from the AUC to serve as its technical arm on agricultural research and development (AR&D), FARA in collaboration with ASARECA and EAFF have secured resources from the European Union (EU) under the Organization for Africa Caribbean and Pacific (OACP) to Strengthen Agricultural Knowledge & Innovation Ecosystem for Inclusive Rural Transformation & Livelihoods in Eastern Africa.
The overall aim of this assignment is to carry out a capacity needs assessment for women and youth in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, as well as identifying major axes for investment.
This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a consultant to help identify priority value chains, key stakeholders, and conduct capacity gap assessment, in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
As part of the responsibility, the Consultant will work with the FARA Agribusiness Expert, in collaboration with ASARECA and EAFF to carry out the following functions:
Contribute to the development of an instrument for the identification and validation of stakeholders and priority value chains within the scope of the project.
Undertake a scoping exercise in the Eastern Africa sub-region, to
Identify priority value chains and key stakeholders (guided by the national agricultural plan)
Identify capacity gaps for women and youth in agribusiness.
Harmonize and recommend available materials for addressing the capacity gaps.
Review and analyze country agribusiness frameworks and action plans.
Develop a framework for establishing linkages and agribusiness alliances for increasing profitability and employment opportunities for women and youth in Eastern Africa.
Facilitate a virtual workshop with key partners on reviewing the framework and development of a guideline to establish an agribusiness learning alliance, with its supporting documents.
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, CV’s, 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 16 man-days. This is expected to be fully completed by October 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.
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 Thursday, 10th 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.
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is an apex organization forming and bringing together coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research for development (AR4D) in Africa. It is the technical arm of the African Union with the mandate of developing and coordinating Agricultural Research for Development in Africa.
FARA serves as the entry point for agricultural research initiatives in Africa designed to have a continental reach or a sub-continental reach spanning more than one sub-region. Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, FARA has been in existence since the late 1990s. Over this period, FARA has provided a continental forum for stakeholders in AR4D to shape the vision and agenda for this sub-sector, and to mobilize themselves to respond to key continent-wide development frameworks, notably the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
In order to ensure that the organisation’s funds are used properly for the purpose for which they are intended and accounted for in accordance with our donors’ procedures, it is prudent to engage an Internal Audit firm to provide a continuous and critical appraisal of the functioning of the organisation with a view to suggest improvements thereto and add value to and strengthen the overall mechanism of FARA and its internal control systems.
The overall objective of this assignment is to; a) express an independent professional opinion with regard to efficiency, effectiveness and economy of FARA’s operations; b) evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of the financial management and internal control systems; c) ensure compliance of the laid down Organisation’s Implementation guidelines and procedures; d) provide timely information and recommendation to the Management on the improvement of systems.
The Executive Director of FARA now invites interested and eligible firms to 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/or involvement in the financial audit, and a proposed work/time schedule. Brochures, CV’s of Partners, and other supplementary materials will not be included in the 10-page limit.
The time period for the said consultancy shall be one year from the date of award of contract. The duration may be extended if required with the mutual agreement of the parties.
The consultant will be selected based on Quality & Cost Based Selection (QCBS) procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours [09.00 AM – 4.00 PM]
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, 12 Anmeda Street, Roman Ridge, Accra, Ghana, no later than Friday, 19th February, 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.
