Initial 12 months, renewable for another 24 months
Issue Date:
Monday, September 16, 2024
Submission Deadline:
Tuesday, October 01, 2024
1. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is the apex organization coordinating agricultural research for development (AR4D) in Africa. It serves as the technical arm of the African Union and leads initiatives that support agricultural transformation at continental and sub-continental levels. FARA’s mandate is to enhance food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture across Africa. Food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA) are policy priorities for many African countries and are integral to the AU/EU international development agenda. Under the AU-EU High-Level Policy-Dialogue in 2016, a Research and Innovation (R&I) Partnership was established to promote sustainable food systems. Through EU Horizon Europe funding, FARA is implementing two key projects:
StEPPFoS: Strengthening Policy Analysis and Partnerships for Food Systems.
CEA-FIRST: Consortium Europe Africa on Research and Innovation for Food Systems Transformation.
Both projects aim to support FNSSA’s roadmap and create enabling environments that integrate R&I with food systems transformation efforts.
FARA is seeking a Programme Officer for Results Measurement and Learning to design and implement a comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework for the StePPFoS and CEA-FIRST projects. This role will ensure that project activities align with key performance indicators (KPIs) and track progress to enhance project impact.
2. This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a candidate to carry out the following functions:
Developing Results Measurement & Learning frameworks for the StePPFoS and CEA-FIRST projects
Designing and implementing data collection systems and supporting baseline development
Conducting regular monitoring and data analysis to assess project progress.
Preparing and submitting periodic reports, including quarterly, mid-term, and final reports
Providing recommendations to improve project execution.
Supporting FARA-wide M&E initiatives and contributing to future project proposals
3. If you are passionate about Africa’s agri-food systems transformation, have a good grasp of emerging trends and approaches to results measurement/monitoring and evaluation, a persuasive communicator (both oral and written), a good presenter and a learning mindset, we would like to interact further with you.
4. The ideal candidate should have:
An advanced degree in a relevant field (e.g., M&E, statistics, economics, social sciences); Proven experience in designing and managing M&E systems, preferably in agriculture and research & development settings; Strong analytical and report-writing skills; Familiarity with data analysis tools (SPSS, Excel, STATA, SAS); and Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
5. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their Expression of Interest, including a detailed CV and a cover letter explaining how they meet the requirements.
Please download the Terms of Reference below, for further information on this opportunity.
6. Applications 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 Tuesday, October 01, 2024, at 16h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888.
7. FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Recruitment: there is no discrimination based on gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability, or health status.
In Africa, the agriculture sector contributes to the economic development and livelihood improvement of a majority of the population. In 2022, this sector contributed 17% of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP. As a continent with a vibrant youth population and productive land, Africa possesses the potential to provide sufficient and nutritious food for its people, thereby mitigating hunger and poverty. However, challenges such as insufficient resources, climate change, inability to leverage and implement technological innovations, limited access to knowledge and many others continue to hinder advancement within the sector.
With the rise in innovation technologies, it is inherent for the sector to leverage some of these to improve agricultural yield. Innovation platforms (IPs) serve as a space for learning, experience sharing, collaboration, identification of challenges, and provision of possible solutions. These platforms bring together different stakeholders from every level of the agricultural value chain to discuss issues towards attaining a common objective. Based on data from the Observatory for Africa Agriculture Knowledge Hub, FARADataInformS, there are more than 400 agricultural Innovation Platforms established across Africa. Some countries with the highest number of IPs include Nigeria (93), Kenya (43), DRC (40) and Ghana (31). However, some of the stakeholders within these IPs lack the required capacity and resources to maintain and support the scaling of technologies and good practices for which they were formed in the first place. This is often due to low engagement among stakeholders at different levels of the value chain, discordant views and understanding of the IPs and their visions, as well as paucity of up-to-date information to allow them to thrive.
There is therefore a need to provide these stakeholders with the required capacity and opportunity to network and collaborate to ensure synergy amongst these actors. This will contribute to providing them with a better understanding of the IP model, address working in silos, and provide a close link between technology providers and those who will take up and upscale these technologies.
In a stakeholders’ training of trainers’ workshop held at the Pioneer Hotel in Tamale, Ghana, the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) through its Capacity Development and Technology Outreach (CDTO) compact and partners, including IITA, AATF, World Vegetables, FARA and CSIR-SARI, sought to address some of these IP challenges. The workshop, which was held between September 2nd and 6th, 2024, brought together over 120 stakeholders of the maize, rice, soybean, and vegetable value chains to strengthen their capacities in the establishment and management of IPs to facilitate the adoption of proven technologies for sustainable impact in the agricultural sector.
In their welcome and introductory remarks, the speakers commended the participants for their commitment and admonished them to be ambassadors in promoting good agricultural practices in Ghana.
The highly interactive sessions were filled with discussions, teamwork, case studies, and presentations, and aimed at fostering a culture of experience sharing and peer learning among participants. The modules covered included setting up an IP, governance of an IP, and resource mobilization in an IP, amongst others. Through these sessions, participants were able to understand the fundamentals of an IP, including key concepts and principles, setting up, functioning, facilitation, governance, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, conflict management, negotiation, and contracting.
Group of Maize IP Members pose for Picture during the Training workshop
Despite their significance, Innovation Platforms (IPs) cannot operate effectively without stakeholders’ ability to mobilize and manage resources. To address this, participants engaged in sessions on resource mobilization, financial models within IPs, and business plan development. Through value chain analysis exercises, participants identified key activities and stakeholders at each stage of the value chain, mapped the relationships and functions between them, and highlighted the challenges faced by each stakeholder. This practical exercise allowed participants to apply the theoretical knowledge they gained during the sessions, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
The module on conflict management sparked very interesting discussions and diverse perspectives from participants who shared their experiences on some conflicts they had been involved in and how they tackled them.
‘A difference in perception is at the heart of conflicts.’ – Dr Latifou Idrissou, Lead IP Trainer and Facilitator, University of Parakou, Benin.
The discussion on innovation versus invention brought thought-provoking examples and explanations for participants’ understanding of the two concepts.
An important workshop highlight was a session during which various Commodity Compacts (maize, soybean, rice, and vegetables) collaborated in teams to develop work plans, applying the concepts learned throughout the five-day program. These work plans enabled each group to identify key stakeholders, outline objectives, define indicators, plan activities, assign roles and responsibilities, estimate costs, set timelines, and project expected results.
Several actions common to all compacts focused on strengthening the capacity of seed producers and enhancing partnerships and collaboration across all levels of the value chain to boost yields and reduce post-harvest losses. These efforts align with the primary objectives of the training.
“If Africa is an agrarian community, we can’t rely on the West to feed us. The jobs that most of us are looking for are within our reach. All we need to do is to adopt the strategies and knowledge we have gained and within the next 12 months, we will have improved.” – Omikunle Oluwaseun Ayoola, Soybean compact representative, IITA.
“I came as a trainee and I can say that I am well equipped on how to establish, run, and govern an IP and I believe the stakeholders are also well equipped.” – Joyce Njuguna, Maize compact representative, AATF.
In his concluding remarks, Dr Abdulrazak Baba Ibrahim, Lead Specialist for Capacity Development and Future Scenarios, and the TAAT-CDTO Coordinator assured participants of the commitment of all compacts to the activities and sustainability of the IPs. To close the event, Chief Mohammed Rashad Abdulai, Secretary to the Paramount Chief of the Gukpegu Traditional Council, Tamale, commended the participants and organizers for their active participation. He emphasized the need to think outside the box to support the advancement and sustainability of Ghana’s agricultural transformation agenda.
“We must put into practice all that we have learned from here and bear in mind that there is more room to learn. To realize our full potential, we need to start self-organizing and avoid relying solely on donor agencies for support”, Chief Rashad concluded.
Author Affiliations
[1] Mabel Shu Lum is KM4AgD Fellow, Certified KM Manager for Sustainable Development and the Knowledge Management Assistant at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)
[2] Benjamin Abugri is a KM and Project Management Practitioner and the KM, Digitalization and Learning Cluster Lead Specialist at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
[3] Abdulrazak Ibrahim is a Scientist and Capacity Development and Futures Cluster Lead Specialist at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
GABON – The Gabonese National Program for Selection and Varietal Improvement-Seed Production (PNSAV-PS) has successfully developed five new rice varieties tailored to Gabon’s unique soil conditions promising to enhance food security and reduce the economic burden of rice imports.
This milestone was achieved through a collaborative effort with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), AfricaRice, and Kafaci, a South Korean intergovernmental organization.
Launched in 2018, the PNSAV-PS initiative has focused on selecting rice varieties capable of thriving in Gabon’s diverse agricultural landscapes. The research and development phase took place in Kougouleu, a village located approximately fifty kilometers from Libreville.
Speaking during the launch, Dr. Yonelle Déa Moukoumbi, the project leader, revealed that the five non-fragrant but high-quality varieties are ready for approval and registration in Gabon’s first national catalog of rice varieties.
“These varieties were developed using a genetic background from South Korea, where initial crosses were made. We received the material and followed research protocols to identify seeds that adapt well to Gabonese soils,” she noted.
The seven-year effort aims to revitalize rice production in Gabon and reduce the country’s heavy reliance on imported rice.
According to the Gabonese Shippers’ Council, Gabon imported more than 95,286 tonnes of rice worth over 41 billion FCFA (approximately US$70 million) in 2023.
In addition to the non-fragrant varieties, the project has also introduced five fragrant varieties, focusing on premium types such as Super Basmati and Basmati.
“Next, we will proceed with the actual production by distributing these seeds to various producers,” Dr. Moukoumbi added.
Despite some skepticism due to the failure of a similar initiative in the past, Dr. Moukoumbi remains optimistic. She assures that the project will succeed with the necessary financial support.
This comes at a time when The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that African rice consumption is projected to reach 34.9 million tonnes of milled rice by 2025.
However, current African rice production cannot satisfy the consumer demand in quantity and quality, with the gap filled by imports, predominantly of Asian origin, to approximately USD 5.5 billion annually.
According to FAO, the rice sector represents a pathway out of poverty in Africa, as rice availability and prices have become major determinants of the welfare of the poorest sections of African consumers.
This means that the continent needs to strengthen the local rice value chains to achieve better production, nutrition, an environment, and a better life in the target countries. This is where public–private partnerships (PPP) come in play.
The management teams of the country’s industrial parks have been given short notice to transition into Special Economic Zones following the federal government’s policy change.
Officials at the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) revealed details of the transition plans during a recent round of discussions with foreign investors operating in the flagship Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP).
Investors told The Reporter the Commission has given all industrial parks that fulfill the requirements to be designated as SEZs 20 days to finalize the transition.
EIC officials declined to comment on the issue but their counterparts at the Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) confirmed the decision and the short window for transition.
They told The Reporter they have differences with EIC officials.
“As per the new legislation, almost all existing industrial parks can fulfill the criteria to become Special Economic Zones. However, so far, IPDC has designated only Dire Dawa Industrial Park to become an SEZ. SEZs have additional features like logistics and other full-fledged economic activities integrated in one area. If other industrial parks fulfill all these, we will gradually designate other industrial parks to become zones,” said an official at IPDC, who spoke anonymously. “But the approach EIC is taking is a bit different from ours.”
Although IPDC is mandated to develop and administer industrial parks, there is also an industrial parks division department under EIC led by the Deputy Commissioner. Zeleke Temesgen (PhD), EIC deputy commissioner for industrial parks division and Dagato Kumbe, EIC deputy commissioner for investment operations division, traveled to Hawassa town and held meetings with HIP investors on august 20, 2024.
A new project office has been established to oversee the transition of industrial parks to SEZs.
The Special Economic Zone Proclamation recently ratified by Parliament lays out new criteria for an industrial park to be considered an SEZ.
It defines an SEZ as a geographical area designated so by the Ethiopian Investment Board and subject to customs control, and attended by business enabling policies, trade facilitation services, infrastructure and utilities, and amenities including a one-stop shop, duty and tax free privileges, and other special incentives.
An SEZ may comprise one or more industry parks, free trade and logistics zones, science and technology parks, service parks, agriculture and livestock zones, and similar investments.
An existing company that intends to be upgraded into an SEZ can apply to EIC, according to the proclamation. The legislation explicitly states an industrial park will not be required to submit a designation application or undergo designation procedures to attain a special economic zone status.
However, an industrial park must have ample land available (50 hectares minimum) and meet other critical infrastructure requirements to gain SEZ designation.
Applicants are also expected to commit a minimum equivalent exchange of USD 75 million as capital.
The capital may be financed through proven cash contribution, machinery, building, working capital, or debt financing, according to the proclamation.
Exporters operating within an SEZ are also eligible to retain 100 percent of the forex they generate, according to a recent directive from the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE). Other exporters can only retain half of their forex earnings.
“The investors inside HIP were delighted. This is a big deal for investors,” said a HIP administrator.
However, both the administrators of industrial parks and investors observe the revised retention rate will benefit them only if Ethiopia is reinstated to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Washington delisted Ethiopia from the preferential trade deal during the two-year northern conflict. The move proved detrimental to the tenants of industrial parks, particularly textiles manufacturers who benefited most from duty free exports to the US.
EIC officials hinted at renewed hopes for AGOA reinstatement during their discussions with HIP investors and administrators.
“Since Ethiopia is agreeing to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and also agreeing to open up its economy to foreigners, there is hope America will reinstate Ethiopia’s AGOA privileges. This was the reason why America delisted AGOA. America wants liberalization even more than the peace talks,” said the HIP administrator.
A Postharvest Technology Specialist, Department of Crop Science, University of Ghana, Dr. Gloria Essilfie, has rallied support of the private sector to partner academia in implementing research findings. This she said is critical to national development as many valuable research outcomes which could propel national development remain untapped.
Dr. Essilfie who is Project Lead, “Enhancing the production and consumption of African indigenous fruits and vegetables (AIFVs) to improve diets in Ghana and Mali, was speaking to GBCNEWS, during a recently held validation workshop and policy dialogue on enhancing consumption of indigenous fruits and vegetables to improve diets in Accra.
Postharvest Technology Specialist, Department of Crop Science, University of Ghana, Dr. Gloria Essilfie
With funding from the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, the University of Ghana is collaborating with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA, to implement various activities and engagements to promote the production and consumption of indigenous vegetables and fruits in Ghana and Mali. The goal is to improve the nutritional status of Ghanaians and Malians by encouraging the use and consumption of local fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Essilfie, said under the project some nutritious products are being developed which would require such critical collaboration to promote acceptance and consumption for the general well-being of citizens.
“Research is doing its bit, we hope that there’ll be the buy in of the private sector so that they would also promote these commodities so that we can consume them”
She hinted that the project would produce a food composition table, detailing the nutritional value of different fruits and vegetables to promote their consumption among the population in the project countries.
“We are all saying it’s nutritious, but how nutritious? So we will have the data to show to people that it’s nutritious. Then when it comes to policy, we can actually show them that this is the data”
Dr. Essilfie, also mentioned that under the project grants will be offered to youth and women led enterprises to expand their businesses. She explained that, “We’ll put an advert out for these enterprises mainly for women and the youth who would apply. If their business plan is good enough around these indigenous crops, we support them with 10, 000 dollars to help set up their business, but they have to already be in the business of producing something so that when they apply and get the money they just continue with what they are doing and work to promote the consumption of these indigenous crops”
The three year project she added will also train farmers to empower them to improve their livelihoods.
“After we’ve done the value chain where we have interacted with them, we now go back and say, we are training based on what we found in the value chain. We are training you on what you don’t have so that you will be able to use that to improve your own livelihood”
Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA, Dr. Aggrey Agumya, stated that investing in indigenous fruits and vegetables will strengthen the resilience of the country’s food system.
Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA, Dr. Aggrey Agumya
“Indigenous, fruits and vegetables are also essential in strengthening the resilience of our food systems. They are important as potential opportunities for generating revenue for especially for our farmers”
He said the African Union Commission and the African Union Development Agency, which are the top political organs on the continent are crafting the next phase of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program, which will guide agricultural development on the continent. The framework which he said will be implemented from 2026, will strongly feature indigenous fruits and vegetables.
“Resilience is a big part of the coming agenda and recommendations have been crafted calling for the integration of indigenous food systems and knowledge into national and regional food and nutritional security plans and resilience plans.”
Dr. Agumya, also emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between research, academia, particularly at country level, for maximum benefits.
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is the apex continental organization responsible for coordinating and advocating for agricultural research for development. FARA serves as the technical arm of the African Union Commission on matters concerning agriculture science, technology and innovation.
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“If Africa is an agrarian community, we can’t rely on the West to feed us. The jobs that most of us are looking for are within our reach. All we need to do is to adopt the strategies and knowledge we have gained and within the next 12 months, we will have improved.” – Omikunle Oluwaseun Ayoola, Soybean compact representative, IITA.
