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.
The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is the apex continental organization mandated to coordinate agricultural research and innovation in Africa and advocate for its effective deployment as a driver for African agricultural growth. FARA also serves as the technical arm of the Africa Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) on matters concerning science, technology and innovation for agriculture.
The mission of FARA is to contribute to generating high, broad-based and sustainable agricultural growth by catalyzing improvements to the productivity and competiveness of the sector through increased and effective application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). FARA executes its mission by performing the following functions within the context of supporting the implementation of the Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa: (i) advocacy for increased application of STI in agriculture which is a necessary condition for achieving national and continental agricultural development goals; (ii) strengthening the human, institutional and systemic capacities for agricultural innovation; (iii) facilitating the exchange of information and knowledge in STI for agriculture; and (iv) facilitating partnerships among research, innovation and agribusiness actors within Africa as well as between Africa and external regional or national entities.
The roles served by FARA are such that their successful execution is heavily dependent on the effectiveness of the communication function.
FARA has a vacancy for the position of Communications Specialist at its headquarters in Accra, Ghana. The successful candidate will be in charge of ensuring smooth and effective implementation of the Strategic Communication plan of the Institution.
Reporting to the Knowledge Management and Outreach Officer the successful candidate shall inter-alia perform the following roles and responsibilities:
Implement the current communications strategy in line with the new institutional strategy and operational plan;
Ensure FARA’s visibility
Issue weekly post on FARA’s activities
Oversee the implementation of, or conduct directly the following:
Develop an annual communications plan, work plan and budget;
Design and/or manage the creation of innovative communications initiatives that contribute to enhancing FARA visibility and stature with key target audiences;
Coordinate and supervise communication activities including digital and print media relations, social media platforms, audiovisual productions, outreach and promotion, corporate web presence, publishing, library and knowledge services; (FARA periodicals, e-newsletters, videos, infographics, news releases, media kits, media briefings, social media activities; corporate publications, impact stories; websites where appropriate);
Build strong professional relations in communication with FARA’s partners;
Ensure public relations and media relations activities which contribute to FARA visibility with identified target audiences;
Monitor and ensure the full application of the current FARA brand identity in all communications products, initiatives and projects;
Organize promotional events or side-events (including exhibitions, stands, displays) where they contribute to the effective delivery of key FARA messages and contribute demonstrably to FARA goals;
Develop and oversee the production of key FARA communications products, including the annual Corporate report;
Manage the implementation of a coherent social media strategy to match target audiences and FARA needs;
Develop a robust, analytical framework for evaluating social media and other FARA communications initiatives and channels;
Work with other colleagues to systematize access to FARA research publications;
Oversee communication and media relations for major conferences
Implement, in conjunction with other colleagues key recommendations of the FARA Communications Audit.
Required
The desired candidate for this position should be a qualified professional with strong skills and competences as described below:
Master’s degree in communication or Public relations or any other relevant field or equivalent experience;
At least five (5) years of working experience in the communication field. Experience/familiarity with FARA and/or with agricultural research will be an advantage; Preferably with scientific writing and editing experience
Proven experience in developing and implementing corporate communication strategies at national or sub-regional levels;
Experience in developing and implementing media, advocacy or marketing campaigns including the development of the relevant publicity materials;
Social media knowledge and skills, and the ability to manage website content;
Knowledge and experience in the use of data and analytics to evaluate communications performance
Excellent editing and graphics skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (fluency in French would be a valuable asset).
Demonstrated ability to leverage communication and marketing as critical instruments for achieving organization goals;
Ability to plan and execute a work program effectively and efficiently;
Strong mentoring abilities for working with other staff
The Candidate should have the following personality traits: outgoing and confident; speaks persuasively; strong teamwork and interpersonal skills with the ability to relate effectively to people at all levels; organized and able to meet tight deadlines; persistent, objective and innovative.
Compensation
FARA offers competitive salary and benefits in accordance with position and scale.
Location
The position is based at the FARA secretariat in Accra, Ghana
Applications
Qualified candidates are invited to submit via email comprehensive Curriculum Vitae together with a cover letter and names/contact details of three referees to Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, FARA, PMB CT 173, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana. Email:[email protected]. Applications will be assessed against the required skills, experience and aptitudes set out above. Applications will be accepted up to 5th February 2021
Due to the anticipated high volume of applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Employment: there is no discrimination on the basis of gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability or health status.
NB: Please quote in your application the reference code of the vacancy for which you are applying.
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
(INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT)
RE-ADVERTISING
Consulting Services:
To develop Continental Good Practice Guidance Notes based on AR4D Institutional Partnerships and Collaborative experiences of FARA, SROs and AFAAS to facilitate lesson learning and advocacy
Name of project:
Activity Ref No:
CAADP-XP4 Output 4/ Activity 4.4.3 / 2020
Procurement Ref:
FARA/CAADP-XP4/CS/IC/2020/16
Date:
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
The Science for African Agriculture (S4AC) Consortium comprising AFAAS, ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF and FARA, has secured resources from the EU under the Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) initiative to implement a 4-year project in Africa. The overall budget available to the S4AC consortium under this project is €30 million. This project, called CAADP Ex-Pillar 4 Africa Regional and Sub-regional Organizations for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAADP-XP4) project will link research and innovation with development initiatives to boost the transformation of innovation in agriculture and food systems to make them more resilient to climate change and better responsive to development demands. Its objective is to enable agricultural research and innovation, including extension services, to contribute effectively to food and nutrition security, economic development and climate mitigation in Africa.
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 achievement of climate relevant and sustainable transformation of the continent’s agriculture and food systems.
The objective of this request for expression of interest is to engage a consultant to facilitate the development of a continental Good Practice Guidance Notes based on AR4D Institutional Partnerships and Collaborative experiences between FARA, SROs and AFAAS over the past two decades (in areas including; capacity development, Innovation Systems and partnerships, Technology generation and adoption, research management, leadership, Policy, knowledge management, advocacy and Communication) to facilitate Lesson learning and advocacy.
As part of the responsibility, the Consultant will be assigned mainly to:
Design appropriate template and tools to facilitate the collection of content from these institutions identified themes.
Coordinate interviews of key beneficiaries and document their experiences on the agreed themes
Review available reports and documented lessons, experiences and good practices of these institutions on collaborative mechanisms and partnership in delivering public good.
Synthetize findings into a publishable document which include recommendations (including rural solutions for smallholder farmers) to strengthen AR4D governance structure in Africa.
Facilitate a workshop to validate and launch the final report leading to final dissemination
These tasks are detailed in the terms of reference below.
The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to express their 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, and a proposed timeline. Brochures, CV’s, and other supplementary materials will not be included in the 10-page limit.
The anticipated period of performance for this consultancy is 30 man-days expected to fully complete within a period of 6 months maximum.
The consultants will be selected based upon procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Interested consultants may obtain supplementary information and reference documents from Z Director of Research and Innovation, Dr. Agumya Aggrey [[email protected]] and copy the Knowledge Management & Outreach Officer, M Benjamin Abugri [[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, 12 Anmeda Street, Roman Ridge, Accra, Ghana, no later than Wednesday, 10th 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.
1. The Science for African Agriculture (S4AC) Consortium comprising AFAAS, ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF and FARA, has secured resources from the EU under the Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) initiative to implement a 4-year project in Africa. The overall budget available to the S4AC consortium under this project is €30 million. This project, called CAADP Ex-Pillar 4 Africa Regional and Sub-regional Organizations for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAADP-XP4) project will link research and innovation with development initiatives to boost the transformation of innovation in agriculture and food systems to make them more resilient to climate change and better responsive to development demands. Its objective is to enable agricultural research and innovation, including extension services, to contribute effectively to food and nutrition security, economic development and climate mitigation in Africa.
2. 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 achievement of climate relevant and sustainable transformation of the continent’s agriculture and food systems.
3. The objective of this request for expression of interest is to engage a consultant to develop, validate and launch a detailed strategy, guidelines and template to guide the production of the main flagship report dubbed “Africa Status Report on Research and Innovation (AfARR)”.
4. As part of the responsibility, the Consultant will be assigned mainly to:
(i) Develop the scope and content required to produce the first AfARR (Including content submission template to guide authors, annotated chapters, cover design, etc).
(ii) Identify authors for the various contents (theme/chapters) of the publication, possible source of data, design, publishers, and other relevant processes required of a Flagship report.
(iii) Set up an International Editorial Team (IED) for AfARR.
(iv) Identify users of the report and how the final report will be disseminated.
(v) Design a programme of activities with timelines on how the first edition will be conducted.
(vi) Organize a validation workshop for the content requirement of AfARR.
(vii) Finalize document and draft a programme for the launch of the first AfARR by June 2021.
These tasks are detailed in the terms of reference below.
5. The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to express their interest in carrying out this assignment.
6. 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, and a proposed timeline. Brochures, CV’s, and other supplementary materials will not be included in the 10-page limit.
7. The anticipated period of performance for this consultancy is 30 man-days expected to fully complete within a period of 4 months maximum.
8. The consultants will be selected based upon procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
9. Interested consultants may obtain supplementary information and reference documents from the Director of Research and Innovation, Dr. Aggrey Agumya [[email protected]] and copy the Knowledge Management & Outreach Officer, Mr. Benjamin Abugri [[email protected]], during the following hours: 9h00 to 15h00 GMT.
Please download the Terms of Reference below for further information on this opportunity.
10. 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 Wednesday, 10th February, 2021, at 14h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888
11. FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Recruitment: there is no discrimination based on gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability or health status.
Recruitment of a Consultant to develop/review guidelines for the establishment of an equitable partnership fund (EquiPart Fund) and its operationalization to support proposal development during a validation workshop (through webinar).
Name of project:
Activity Ref No:
CAADP-XP4 Output 2/ (Activity 2.3.4)
Procurement Ref:
FARA/CAADP-XP4/CS/IC/2020/21
Date:
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
The African AR4D supra-national institutions (AFAAS, ASARECA CCARDESA, CORAF, FARA), hereafter referred to as The consortium, has secured resources from the EU under the Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) initiative to implement a 4-year project in Africa. The overall budget available to the S4AC consortium under this project is €30 million. This project, called CAADP Ex-Pillar 4 Africa Regional and Sub-regional Organizations for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAADP-XP4) project will link research and innovation with development initiatives to boost the transformation of innovation in agriculture and food systems to make them more resilient to climate change and better respond to development demands. Its objective is to enable agricultural research and innovation, including extension services, to contribute effectively to food and nutrition security, economic development and climate mitigation in Africa.
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.
This call for expression of interest is to facilitate the engagement of a suitable consultant to develop/review guidelines for the establishment of an equitable partnership fund (EquiPart Fund) and its operationalization to support proposal development during a validation workshop (through webinar).
The Consultant will inter alia carry out the following functions:
Undertake a thorough review of the draft Guidelines for setup and operationalization of an EquiPart Fund to support the participation of ASARECA, AFAAS, CCARDESA, CORAF, FARA and ARD partners in proposal’s development.
Suggest practical improvements to Guidelines to operationalize EquiPart Fund to mobilize more financial resources to support research and innovation in the 5 organizations and their partner organizations.
The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to provide an Expression of Interest no longer than 5 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 establishment of an equitable partnership fund, and a proposed work/time schedule.
The consultant is expected to deliver on this consultancy within 5man-days spread over a maximum of 1 month.
The consultant will be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Interested consultants can obtain supplementary information and reference documents from the Director of Research and Innovation, Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong [[email protected]] and or the Lead Specialist on Research Management and Leadership (RML) Cluster, Jonas Mugabe [[email protected]] during the following hours: 9h00 to 15h00 GMT, Monday to Friday.
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 Thursday, 24th September 2020, 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.
Engage a Continental Enumerator to Support Content Generation in the Operationalization of FARADataInformS in CAADP-XP4
Name of project:
Activity Ref No:
CAADP-XP4 Output 4/ Activity 4.1.3 / 2020
Procurement Ref:
FARA/CAADP-XP4/CS/IC/2020/24
Date:
Thursday, August 27, 2020
The Science for African Agriculture (S4AC) Consortium comprising AFAAS, ASARECA, CCARDESA, CORAF and FARA, has secured resources from the EU under the Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) initiative to implement a 4-year project in Africa. The overall budget available to the S4AC consortium under this project is €30 million. This project, called CAADP Ex-Pillar 4 Africa Regional and Sub-regional Organizations for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAADP-XP4) project will link research and innovation with development initiatives to boost the transformation of innovation in agriculture and food systems to make them more resilient to climate change and better respond to development demands. Its objective is to enable agricultural research and innovation, including extension services, to contribute effectively to food and nutrition security, economic development and climate mitigation in Africa.
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 achievement of climate-relevant and sustainable transformation of the continent’s agriculture and food systems.
The objective of this request for expression of interest is to engage long-term experienced database/web expert to as one of the enumerators provide both back-end and front-end technical support for content generation in the Operationalization of FARADataInformS within the CAADP-XP4 Project. The task will take into consideration similar existing initiatives including the ones by FARA (IPAbP, eCapacities, Library, experts’ database, PAEPARD, BiomassNet, analytics, etc), SROs, NARIs, AOSTI, IFAD, FAO and others that will be identified during the course of the activity and in consultation with the CAADP XP4 partners.
As part of the responsibility, the Consultant will be assigned mainly to:
Support the implementation of the Data Capture strategy by reviewing existing contents of knowledge portals within the FARADataInformS to establish their requirements and compatibility
Support Content generation and validation for FARADataInformS along with the S3A teams, develop required online data collection tools and support analytics of data for publication
Support capacity development for FARA staff, regional and country levels enumerators, partners, and users on tools within FARADataInformS.
Back-end and Front-end technical support for FARADataInformS including cloud server and domains management, updates, and general technical backstopping
Support development and integration APIs of FARADataInformS with portals of SROs, AFAAS, WB, FAOSTATS, etc. towards their interoperability.
Upgrade of FARA Digital library to include editorial functions, Publication system, Analytical tool, Post format and sharing, a Download counter, Backup Facility, Language setup (English, Arabic, Portuguese, French) Editorial Team, Indexing, Graphics and Citation.
These tasks are detailed in the terms of reference below.
The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to express their 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/or involvement in climate change, and a proposed timeline. Brochures, CV’s, and other supplementary materials will not be included in the 10-page limit.
The anticipated period of performance for this consultancy is 120 man-days from September 2020 to September 2021 and may be subject to renewal.
The consultants will be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
Interested consultants may obtain supplementary information and reference documents from the Director of Research and Innovation, Dr. Irene Annor-Frempong [[email protected]] and copy the Knowledge Management & Outreach Officer, M Benjamin Abugri [[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]]; addressed to Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director of FARA, 12 Anmeda Street, Roman Ridge, Accra, Ghana, no later than Thursday, 10th September, 2020, 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.
