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Study to Identify Priority Areas of Investments and Framework and Guidelines for NARI Contribution to Country CAADP Process in West Africa

FORUM FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN AFRICA

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Ref: NSF1/3: 1.2.1/2012

Grant No. TF095129

(INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SERVICES)

Title of assignment: Study to Identify Priority Areas of Investments and Framework and Guidelines for NARI Contribution to Country CAADP Process in West Africa

Background

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is a continent-wide forum of stakeholders engaged in African agricultural research and development (ARD). The Forum encompasses all stakeholders, African and non-African, who are committed to enabling African agricultural development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), especially MDG1 (eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) and MDG7 (ensure environmental stability). FARA has been mandated by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) to serve as the lead institution for implementing the fourth pillar of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP Pillar IV) focusing on agricultural research, technology dissemination and adoption (ARTDA).

FARA’s mission is to create broad-based improvements in agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets by providing a strategic platform for catalysing and facilitating continental networking to reinforce the capacities of Africa’s national and sub -regional agricultural research systems (NARS/SROs). FARA makes this contribution through four mutually reinforcing Networking Support Functions (NSFs) concerned with advocacy and policy (NSF1/3); knowledge and innovation (NSF2); capacities and institutions (NSF4) and; opportunities and investments

(NSF5). The NSFs catalyse, connect and communicate to support FARA’s constituents (NARs/SROs) to undertake activities that generate continental spill-overs that will contribute to CAADP’s goal of agriculture-led development.

FARA’s Advocacy and Policy unit (NSF1/3) supports the implementation of CAADP Pillar IV agenda by creating awareness on the need for evidence-based pro-poor agriculture and natural resource policies that will improve broad-based agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets in a sustainable manner. It also supports the SROs and NARS (which include the National Agricultural research institutes - NARIs), in establishing appropriate institutional and organizational arrangements for regional agricultural research and development (conducive researchinfrastructure, evidence-based decision making tools, international markets and trade information and financial environments).

As indicated in the CAADP Pillar IV Strategy and Operational Plan (2011 – 2013) and articulated in the Framework for African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP), if the NARIs are to play a prominent role in the current CAADP country process and to contribute to the 6% annual growth targets set by African Governments and the international community (i.e. the MDGs), they need to undergo transformation to ensure that they have the appropriate institutional and organizational capacities to undertake research and respond to the needs of stakeholders. This transformation involves (i) carefully linking the programmes of the NARIs to the development priorities of their governments as outlined in the various National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans (NAFSIPs); (ii) improving coordination, interaction, inter-linkages, partnerships and networks among agricultural research institutions, extension systems, higher education, farmers’ organizations, private sector and civil society; (iii) strengthening human capacity for implementing programmes and undertaking research and; (iv) strengthening financial mechanisms for supporting NARIs to undertake more impact oriented activities that will catalyse agricultural innovation for development.

Recently, FARA launched the African Food and Agricultural Policy Platform (AFAPP) under its Policy and Advocacy Networking Support Function as a continental forum to enhance the effectiveness of policy support to agricultural transformation in Africa. Under the auspices of AFAPP, FARA intends to catalyze and strengthen the innovative capacities of the NARIs to effectively contribute to the CAADP process. To do this, FARA intends to engage an expert who is knowledgeable in institutional capacity development in Africa’s NARIs. The expert will lead the process of identifying priority areas of investments required to strengthen the innovative capacities of 2 NARIs in West Africa and to develop a framework and guidelines for the reform and transformation of the NARIs. These guidelines will outline modalities and mechanisms to be adopted in undertaking comprehensive capacity strengthening, internalizing new innovation systems approach to ARD, strengthening human capacity to implement, internalize and upscale the new approaches in ARD, restoring the credibility of the institution and for resource mobilization.

Objectives

The purpose of the assignment is to identify priority areas of investments required for NARIs to contribute to the CAADP country process and to develop a framework and guidelines for NARI reform.

Scope of Work

The Consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks:

(i) Undertake:

(a) A thorough review of the research, extension and education programmes and strategies of two (2) NARIs in West Africa (Nigeria and Togo) and;

(b) an analysis of the country investment plans and technical review reports of those

countries with a view to identifying priority areas of investments required for the NARIs to contribute to the CAADP process;

(ii) Develop a framework and guidelines for the reform and transformation of the NARIs. The framework and guidelines should enable the NARIs to:

(a) link their programmes and strategies to the research, extension and education priorities identified in the Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans (AFSIPs) of the countries;

(b) improve coordination, interaction, inter-linkages, partnerships and networking among agricultural research institutions, extension systems, higher education, farmers’ organizations, private sector and civil society in order to enhance the contribution of these entities to the CAADP process;

(c) strengthen the human capacity for implementing the priority programmes within the CAADP process; and

(d) Strengthen the financial mechanisms for supporting NARIs to undertake more impact oriented activities that will catalyse agricultural innovation for development.

(iii) Make specific recommendations on how the framework and guidelines will be applied by the NARIs concerned to enhance their contribution to the CAADP process.

Outputs and deliverables

The Consultant is expected to deliver:

i. An inception report articulating the methodology to be used. This should include the survey instrument and how it will be carried out. This should be submitted by mid-July 2012.

ii. A draft report that responds to the tasked outlined in (i) to (iii) above. This should be submitted by the end of July 2012.

iii. A presentation of the findings highlighting the priority areas of investment, the framework and guidelines for stakeholder validation by the second week of July 2012

iv. A final report incorporating inputs obtained from stakeholders during the validation exercise by Mid-August 2012.

Qualification and Experience

The following qualifications are required:

i. Minimum of a PhD in agricultural science, agricultural engineering, agricultural economics, impact assessment or any related social science and international development fields.

ii. A minimum of 10 years professional experience in the field of agricultural research and/or institutional development.

iii. Experience working in an African NARI and/or CGIAR

iv. Strong, knowledge of African agriculture, agricultural research, advisory services, education, science and technology.
v. Strong knowledge of African NARIs

vi. Understanding of institutional development and emerging paradigms in agriculture-led development

i. Familiarity with FARA’s role in African agricultural research and development

ii. Proof of previous experience in conducting institutional analysis.

iii. Proof of previous studies undertaken

iv. Fluent in English and/or French language with a working knowledge of the other

Duration of Assignment

The duration of the assignment will be 15 working days spread during the months of July and Mid-August 2012. The stakeholder validation will take place during the second week of August.

Location of the assignment

The assignment will mostly be home-based but will require the consultant to travel to the two countries for two days each to carry out interviews with senior NARI staff and collect information using a survey instrument. The consultant is expected to make his/her own appointments with those to be interviewed. There will be a one day stakeholder validation workshop at FARA Secretariat in Accra, Ghana.

Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)

Interested Individual Consultants should provide a detailed Curriculum Vitae, a Cover Letter indicating they are qualified to perform the services and a proposal on how they intend to carry out the assignment.

Individual Consultants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the WorldBank Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011 edition)

Interested Individual Consultants may obtain further information at the address below from 09:00 to 15:00 hours, Monday through Friday (except public holidays).

Expressions of Interest must be delivered to the address below by 10:00 hours GMT, 30th June, 2012.

Prof. Monty P. Jones, Executive Director, FARA,
PMB CT 173/12 Anmeda Street Roman Ridge,
Accra, Ghana.

Email: ed@fara-africa.org;

For Further information contact:

Dr. Emmanuel Tambi, Director Advocacy and Policy (NSF1/3), FARA, Tel: +233 302 772823

Email: etambi@fara-africa.org