STTA: Pre-Cooling Operations

BACKGROUND:

The USAID Agriculture Program is a five-year activity that aims to accelerate growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate strong potential to create jobs and increase micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) revenues. The USAID Agriculture Program provides competitive matching grants and technical assistance (TA)  to address identified gaps in horticultural value chains (VCs), namely berries, stone fruits, pome fruits (apples), culinary herbs, perishable vegetables, table grapes and mandarins, that will result in the improved productivity and productive capacity of MSMEs, strengthened value chain linkages, increased access to markets, and improved capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, associations and service/information/extension providers.

One of the challenges faced by targeted VCs in the horticulture sector is a lack knowledge of modern technologies and practices to be used in postharvest handling and cold storage operations, in order to minimize losses, preserve quality, extend product shelf life, and access new markets.  Pre-cooling, a critical postharvest operation, takes place prior to storage, reduces crop respiration rate, crop waste, and extends its storage life. It is a new practice for Georgia, requiring significant technical guidance that is critically missing from Georgian postharvest operations.

In line with above-mentioned, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to utilize international expertise to upgrade technical knowledge and skills of the relevant grant recipients and beneficiaries to improve their current operations and gradually adopt best practices.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to primary producers and postharvest handling operators, to increase efficiency of their operations, thereby strengthening targeted horticultural VCs.  The USAID Agriculture Program plans to engage an international consultant to render assistance over two visits.

The first will take place in April 2020, once pre-cooling equipment is purchased and installed by agribusinesses targeted for this consultancy. A second visit in July will facilitate observations and evaluation of pre-cooling operations in action. Ten grant recipients engaged in berry and vegetable VCs are targeted for this consultancy. 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored onsite consultancies on how to operate and maintain pre-coolers as well as best prepare for the season ( 1st visit);
• Provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored onsite consultancies once pre-coolers are operational (2nd visit);
• Hold a follow-up working session for targeted grant recipients and beneficiaries on pre-cooling operations;
• Develop trip report highlighting visit findings, consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS degree in engineering, agricultural technologies or another relevant field;
• Minimum 10 years of practical working experience in cold storage facilities with a focus on berries and vegetables;
• Proven experience in the design/improvement of postharvest handling and storage schemes;
• Strong communication skills.

DELIVERABLES:

• Final Report integrating visit findings, consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations;

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

This assignment is planned to take place during April 20- 30, 2020 and July 5- 15, 2020. This consultancy will be provided through two visits visit and follow-up offsite work and will not exceed 20 days.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Project Name: Feed the Future Liberia Agribusiness Development Activity

Consultancy Assignment: Distance Learning for youth entrepreneurs and food processors in post-harvest handling of cassava, and vegetables. 

Consultant Title: International Post Harvest Handling and Loss Specialist

Reports to: COP and Senior Agribusiness and Private Sector Advisor

Place of Performance: Distance Learning

LOE: 15 working days

Estimated Period of Performance: April 15- May 31, 2020

Introduction: 

The Liberia Agribusiness Development Activity (LADA) is being implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) and is supported and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the United States Government’s Feed the Future (FTF) Program. The LADA activity takes place in four counties: Bong, Nimba, Lofa & Rural Montserrado and focuses on three components, including:

C1:       Increase private sector investment in agricultural inputs system

C2:       Increase private sector investment in post-harvest handling support, packaging, marketing, storage and auxiliary services,

C3:       Strengthen facilitation, market information, advocacy and support

LADA works to catalyze increased private sector investment and commercial finance to agribusinesses and expand commercially sustainable linkages among consumers, producers, and post-harvest enterprises. LADA is designed to provide broad support to agricultural development and food security initiatives at the community and national levels in Liberia. It supports forging innovative partnerships with the private sector to leverage new resources and maximize impact in support of its developmental efforts. The activity supports USAID/Liberia IR 2.1: Food Security Enhanced, including Sub IR 2.1.2: Agricultural Sector Growth Supported, Sub IR 2.2: Selected Value Chains Strengthened and IR 2.3: Enabling Environment Supports Private Sector Growth.

Project Statement: 

To increase sustainability and enhance implementation, CNFA is working with various partners in Liberia whose activities are aligned with LADA objectives. Some of these partners are the Business Startup Center (BSC) Monrovia, the Consortium of Business Development Service Providers (CBDSP), Impact Advisory Services (IAS), the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) and the Ministry of Agriculture, which by use of their professional contacts and well-organized structures are considered as key CNFA implementing partners and professional entities with the requisite set of skills, knowledge, and expertise to contribute in attaining the overarching objectives of LADA. Specifically, these partners are strategic to CNFA/LADA in delivering agricultural extension outreach and business development services to smallholder farmers’ organizations, aggregators and agro-processors. However, in order to further strengthen the technical capacities of farmers’ organizations and agribusinesses that are involved with vegetable and cassava production, aggregation and marketing services, CNFA/LADA seeks to engage the services of a reputable international vegetable crop expert to address the production, postharvest handling, and marketing needs of these enterprises. Due to the global travel restrictions into the foreseeable future, the vegetable crop expert will develop training and technical assistance materials appropriate for smallholder Liberian farmers and Ministry of Agriculture personnel. The focus will be on proper postharvest handling and loss management of the commercially important vegetable crops in Liberia. The expert is expected to have strong technical skills in vegetable value chain development with specific emphasis on production, aggregation and marketing of high-value vegetable varieties for both domestic and international markets.

To facilitate LADA’s goals, the vegetable crop expert will work with CNFA to use practical and effective ways to get the required tasks completed. It is generally understood that the production and marketing of high-value vegetables varieties including tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, okra, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, strain beans and other leafy vegetables in Liberia is seriously affected by multitude of constraints. Some of the key constraints include but not limited to excessive rain fall during 5-6 months of the year; lack of controlled production system using rain shelters and appropriate irrigation scheme; as well as limited access to quality seeds and appropriate agronomic practices that are required for year-round production of high-value exotic vegetables that are locally adaptable. Additionally, the limited knowledge of vegetable producers’ organizations and aggregators on appropriate post-harvest handling and loss prevention techniques couple with their inability to access high-value markets for their produce due to food safety issues are also key factors hindering the development of the vegetable value chain in Liberia. These challenges over the years continue to negatively impact quality production, aggregation and marketing of high volume of quality vegetables to meet domestic and international market demands. Therefore, , a reputable international vegetable crop expert is needed to further address these gaps in order for CNFA/LADA and its partners to positively transform the vegetable value chain into a viable and sustainable agricultural sub-sector in Liberia.   

Objective of Scope: 

High amounts of postharvest losses of horticultural crops are significant constraint to smallholder producers in their ability to provide domestic and regional export markets with consistent supplies of high-quality vegetable products.

Objective: 

The objective of the assignment will be to develop training and technical assistance materials on postharvest handling and loss management of vegetable crops for smallholder producers and Ministry of Agriculture extension personnel. The training materials will help reduce the severity of postharvest losses of perishable vegetable crops, while extending their market life and nutritional quality. A long-term benefit of the training materials is to strengthen food security in Liberia and expand market opportunities for smallholder vegetable farmers through improved postharvest handling and management practices.

Proposed Performance Activities: 

Detailed training and technical assistance on postharvest handling and loss management of vegetable crops of commercial importance to Liberia will be provided. The delivery mechanisms will include a combination of electronic and long-distance formats, including video conferencing of training and technical assistance materials, Power Point presentations, and electronically transmitted crop-specific postharvest technical guides and manuals.

The training and technical assistance program activities will educate the Liberian stakeholders on numerous aspects of postharvest handling and management of vegetable crops. The training topics will include crop specific harvesting recommendations, product preparation for market, grading and sorting, waxing, packing and packaging materials, decay control, product cooling, storage, food safety requirements, transportation, phytosanitary control measures, and marketing. The technical information will be tailored to smallholder producers and Ministry of Agriculture extension personnel. The prepared materials will also be used by extension personnel in future outreach training programs on proper product postharvest handling practices.

The location of the preparation and delivery of the training and technical assistance activities will be in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  A series of long-distance training/technical assistance sessions along with preparation of individual crop specific written guides and Power Point presentations will be provided. This information will cover all aspects of the postharvest handling of the commercially important vegetable crops in Liberia.  The training sessions will be conducted via an appropriate long-distance electronic transmission format (e.g. Teams, Zoom, Skype, etc.).

Examples of training and technical assistance materials include crop specific postharvest handling guides, Power Point presentations, and video conferencing for the following commercially important Liberian vegetables and root/tuber crops:

·         Tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, cucumber, lettuce, squash,collard greens, okra, watermelon, cabbage, carrot, green onion/shallot, green beans, and cassava/sweet potato.

Examples of practical postharvest preservation techniques that will be demonstrated include the application of food-grade wax to extend the market life of cassava and sweet potato, shrink-wrap packaging technology to add value and extend the market life of vegetable crops, and low cost cooling technologies to extend the market life and nutritional quality of vegetables. In addition, training/technical guides on proper sanitation practices during harvest, handling, and marketing will be prepared to reduce the risk of COVID-19.

Performance Deliverables: 

Written Guides and Power Point presentations

Prepare well-illustrated training/technical guides and Power Point presentations for smallholder Liberian farmers and Ministry of Agriculture extension personnel on the following commercially important Liberian vegetable crops:

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Tomatoes

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Cabbage

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Lettuce

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Okra

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Cucumber

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Carrot

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Bell Pepper

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Squash

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Green Beans

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Collard Greens

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Green Onions/Shallots

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Eggplant

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Watermelon

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Cassava

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Sweet Potatoes

·         Postharvest Handling and Loss Management of Cassava and Sweet Potato Leaves

·         Postharvest Wax Application to Extend Cassava Market Life

·         Shrink Wrap Film Packaging of Vegetable Crops for Value Addition and Market Life Extension 

·         Low Cost Cooling Technologies to Extend the Market Life of Liberian Vegetable Crops

·         Practices to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 during Harvest of Vegetable Crops

·         Postharvest Sanitation Practices to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 during Packing of Vegetable Crops

·         Practices to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 in Vegetable Markets

Video Conferences/Webinars

A series of video conferences/webinars will be held covering the proper postharvest handling of each of the commercially important vegetable crops in Liberia.

In addition, demonstration presentations will be provided on the application of food-grade wax to extend the market life of cassava and sweet potato, shrink-wrap packaging technology to add value and extend the market life of vegetable crops, and low cost cooling technologies to extend the market life and nutritional quality of vegetables.

Also, training/technical guides on proper sanitation practices during harvest, handling, and marketing will be prepared to reduce the risk of COVID-19.

Level of Effort: 15 business days from April 15- May 31, 2020.

Qualifications:

• advanced degree in the field of food sciences or horticulture;
• Extensive experience of working in vegetables and Cassava sectors in Liberia or West Africa;
• Ability to provide on-line trainings in multi-cultural setting with different groups;
• Extensive experience in the field of shrink wrap technology for vegetables and post-harvest technical skills;
• More than 15 years of professional practical experience working in the field of horticulture and 5 years in field of food sciences;
• Requisite prior experience of working at senior level consulting assignments with USAID
• Experience in developing countries on designing and development of food processing facilities, horticultural projects. Previous experience in Liberia is a plus.
• Excellent English writing skills and oral fluency. 

Deadline for submission of application: 13 APRIL 2020 at 4:00 P. M. HOWEVER, APPLICATIONS WILL BE EVALUATED ON A ROLLING BASIS AND THE POSITION COULD BE FILLED IN PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE.

Applicants within Monrovia and its environs may apply in the following manner: Application should be submitted in hard copy addressed to the Human Resources Department, CNFA/USAID – LADA Program, Tubman Boulevard, Congo town (Behind Cuttington Graduate School), Monrovia, Liberia. Please indicate on the back of the envelope: “INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT SHRINK WRAP SPECIALIST”.

Applicants outside of Monrovia & within Monrovia may use the following email address to send in their applications:

 ladahr@cnfa-liberia.org. These applications should include the position title: “INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT SHRINK WRAP SPECIALIST” in the subject line. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status.

CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Program Description

The USAID Yidgiri Activity is a 5-year $19.4 million-dollar project implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers (CNFA in the Centre Nord, Est, and Sahel regions of Burkina Faso. As a key part of the second phase of USAID’s Regional Resilience in the Sahel Enhanced (RISE) Initiative, Yidgiri will strengthen market systems such that household incomes and nutritional status will be substantially improved. To achieve this goal, the Activity will implement interventions across the following mutually reinforcing results areas:  1) enhanced performance of commodity market systems; 2) increased utilization of quality inputs and services; and 3) increased local consumption of nutritious, safe food.  While predominantly focusing on the cowpea, small ruminants and poultry value chains, interventions will address barriers and constraints to progress across the broader market system, while also integrating market-based strategies to promote consumption of nutritious, safe foods. Taken together, these efforts will improve the resilience of market systems by establishing profitable market linkages between producers and buyers, with a particular emphasis on women and youth.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and implementation the cloud – based Yidgiri MEL system (per the approved MEL Plan) including MEL strategy, theory of change, performance indicator reference sheets performance monitoring of program activities, knowledge management, etc. and reporting in compliance with USAID and CNFA standards;
• Lead the design and implementation of Yidjiri indicator data collection methodology/tools, and data processing/analysis processes to ensure data capture, verification, analysis and reporting meet the five USAID data quality standards of validity, reliability, timeliness, precision and integrity;
• Train Yidjiri and sub-awardees’ staff on their responsibilities for monitoring and evaluation and on  internal indicator data quality assessment to ensure USAID Yidjiri’s indicator data meet USAID and CNFA data quality standards;
• Draft terms of reference (TOR) and scopes of work (SOW) for baseline study, periodic assessment of specific sub-sectors and special/case studies, impact assessments, mid-term and final evaluations,  gender analysis and needed local consultancy services with regard to USAID Yidjiri MEL;
• Coordinate the conduct of baseline study, periodic assessment of specific sub-sectors and special/case studies, impact assessments, mid-term and final evaluations as well as , gender analysis;
• Play a leadership role in facilitating workshops to develop/review MEL plans/indicator targets to ensure efficient implementation of program activities towards achieving quarterly, annual and LOP indicator targets;
• Work closely with other technical units in establishing and managing a cloud-based MEL system and ensure data requirements are integrated into project management processes;
• Undertake regular field visits to support implementation of MEL and identify where adaptations might be needed;
• Provide continuous support to relevant project staff on data collection and analysis, and to ensure timely data collection, analyses, reporting, and completion of other M&E activities;
• Regularly review and analyze monitoring data and help organize periodic learning days and annual learning summits with staff to help managers identify successes, lessons learned, and make decisions about adapting activities and approaches to achieve results;
• Contribute to program reporting by submitting accurate and timely MEL reports measuring USAID Yidjiri performance and impact;
• Contribute to any ad hoc report as requested by USAID and the Government of Burkina Faso;
• Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the COP and DCOP to ensure that USAID Yidjiri objectives are met.
• Complete other duties as necessary and assigned by the Chief of Party.

Qualifications :

• Minimum 5 years of experience working on monitoring, evaluation and learning for donor funded projects; USAID experience is highly desirable;
• Master’s degree required in relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience in a relevant competency area, including statistics, international development, economics or other;
• Experience using monitoring and evaluation systems with USAID-supported indicators;
• Willingness to collaborate, innovate and ability to think systematically;
• Demonstrated ability to interact and communicate with wide range of stakeholders both verbally and in writing;
• Proven experience in managing multiple and competing tasks while maintaining quality of deliverables within deadlines; and
• Strong communication skills and ability to present and write high quality technical reports in French and English.

Required Skills:

• MEL systems development and implementation;
• Methods and techniques of quantitative and qualitative data collection/analysis;
• MIS management;
• Information systems learning management.
• Mastering of office software (word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.) and data software analysis (SPSS, Sphinx, etc.)
• French:                         Spoken: Fluent                  Written: Fluent;
• English:                         Spoken: Fluent                  Written: Fluent.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

CNFA is currently seeking applications from qualified candidates for a Country Representative in Nigeria  to support a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress (FFPr) project in West Africa region (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria) called USDA West Africa PRO-Cashew project. The project aims to improve agricultural production and expand trade of agricultural products.  

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the Nigeria semi-annual work plans, and overall management of the project in line with USDA guidelines and within set timelines to achieve objectives;
• Provide in-depth knowledge of the country represented to the project senior management team and aid in the development of country plans and activities;
• Oversee program administration, operations and implementation to ensure technical and financial activities align with scope, budget allocations and internal policies;
• Promote the grant program and support grantees in their proposal stage and compliance once awarded;
• Lead team to provide effective coordination and guidance among academic institutions, local Government, smallholder farmers, service providers, cashew processing firms and other key stakeholders;
• Support M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation;
• Ensure quality control and provide overall technical and management leadership; adjust activities and operations in response to technical direction;
• Write semi-annual reports, and develop success stories (at least 2 per year);
• Represent CNFA with partners and key stakeholders, at conferences, workshops, meetings, and other industry gatherings, maintain positive relationships with USDA and the US Embassy, local authorities, and the country office team;
• Identify issues and risks related to activity implementation in a timely manner;
• Review and approve financial and administrative documents to ensure compliance with internal and external contract and policy requirements;
• Oversee financial and administrative activities, including monthly cash request, approval of project procurement, approval of project expenditures, and monitoring of expenditure levels against the budget; and other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in a field related to agriculture, economics, or business administration from an accredited college or university;
• Minimum of eight (8) years of international experience and expertise in agricultural development, successfully achieving meaningful and sustainable results;
• At least seven (2) years of experience in working with counterparts at various levels of government, as well as with non-government organizations (including private sector associations/organizations) in managing international development assistance activities;
• Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, such as the private sector, local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives, and local and international staff;
• In-depth knowledge of USAID/USDA policies, and regulations;
• In-depth knowledge of the Cashew sector in West Africa;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead large teams and work effectively and collaboratively in team environments;
• Strong technical expertise, management skills, and a strong command of English technical writing and communication skills. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

CNFA is currently seeking applications from qualified candidates for a Country Representative in Ghana  to support a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress (FFPr) project in West Africa region (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Ghana) called USDA West Africa PRO-Cashew project. The project aims to improve agricultural production and expand trade of agricultural products.  

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the Ghana semi-annual work plans, and overall management of the project in line with USDA guidelines and within set timelines to achieve objectives;
• Provide in-depth knowledge of the country represented to the project senior management team and aid in the development of country plans and activities;
• Oversee program administration, operations and implementation to ensure technical and financial activities align with scope, budget allocations and internal policies;
• Promote the grant program and support grantees in their proposal stage and compliance once awarded;
• Lead team to provide effective coordination and guidance among academic institutions, local Government, smallholder farmers, service providers, cashew processing firms and other key stakeholders;
• Support M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation;
• Ensure quality control and provide overall technical and management leadership; adjust activities and operations in response to technical direction;
• Write semi-annual reports, and develop success stories (at least 2 per year);
• Represent CNFA with partners and key stakeholders, at conferences, workshops, meetings, and other industry gatherings, maintain positive relationships with USDA and the US Embassy, local authorities, and the country office team;
• Identify issues and risks related to activity implementation in a timely manner;
• Review and approve financial and administrative documents to ensure compliance with internal and external contract and policy requirements;
• Oversee financial and administrative activities, including monthly cash request, approval of project procurement, approval of project expenditures, and monitoring of expenditure levels against the budget; and other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher in a field related to agriculture, economics, or business administration from an accredited college or university;
• Minimum of eight (8) years of international experience and expertise in agricultural development, successfully achieving meaningful and sustainable results;
• At least seven (2) years of experience in working with counterparts at various levels of government, as well as with non-government organizations (including private sector associations/organizations) in managing international development assistance activities;
• Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, such as the private sector, local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives, and local and international staff;
• In-depth knowledge of USAID/USDA policies, and regulations;
• In-depth knowledge of the Cashew sector in West Africa;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead large teams and work effectively and collaboratively in team environments;
• Strong technical expertise, management skills, and a strong command of English technical writing and communication skills. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Description de Programme

L’activité Yidgiri de l’USAID est un projet quinquennal de 19,4 millions de dollars mis en œuvre par Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) dans les régions du Centre Nord, de l’Est et du Sahel au Burkina Faso. En tant qu’élément clé de la deuxième phase de l’Initiative régionale de résilience au Sahel (RISE), Yidgiri renforcera les systèmes de marché afin d’améliorer sensiblement les revenus des ménages et l’état nutritionnel. Pour atteindre cet objectif, l’Activité mettra en œuvre des interventions dans les domaines suivants : 1) améliorer la performance des systèmes du marché des produits ; 2) augmenter l’utilisation d’intrants et de services de qualité ; 3) augmenter la consommation locale d’aliments nutritifs. Tout en se concentrant principalement sur les chaînes de valeur du niébé, des petits ruminants et de la volaille, les interventions permettront de surmonter les obstacles et les contraintes de progresser dans l’ensemble du système de marché, tout en intégrant des stratégies fondées sur le marché pour promouvoir la consommation d’aliments nutritifs. Ensemble, ces efforts amélioreront la résilience des systèmes de marché en établissant des liens de marché rentables entre les producteurs et les acheteurs, en mettant particulièrement l’accent sur les femmes et les jeunes.

Rôles et Responsabilités:

• Soutient la coordination des activités du projet dans l’organisation des voyages, la logistique, d’administration et de ressources humaines ;
• Prépare et contrôle le budget administratif, la documentation et les procédures de rapport et gère la petite caisse
• Joue le rôle de réceptionnistes et des visiteurs directs ;
• Soutient la coordination des activités du projet dans l’organisation des voyages, de logistique, d’administration et de ressources humaines.

Qualifications:

• Être titulaire d’une licence en administration des affaires ou en gestion des ressources humaines ou tout d’autre diplôme équivalent ;
• Posséder au moins 3 années d’expérience dans le soutien administratif, de préférence dans les programmes financés par l’USAID ;
• Avoir une parfaite maîtrise des logiciels comptables.
• La maîtrise de la langue anglaise serait un atout.

Nous sommes un employeur d’égalité des chances. Tous les candidats qualifiés seront pris en considération pour l’emploi et ne seront pas victimes de discrimination sur la base de la race, de la couleur, de la religion, du sexe, de l’orientation sexuelle, de l’origine nationale, de l’âge, du handicap ou du statut de vétéran protégé. La CNFA prend des mesures positives pour soutenir sa politique de promotion de l’emploi des personnes appartenant à des minorités, des femmes, des anciens combattants protégés et des personnes handicapées.

Seuls les candidats sélectionnés pour un examen plus approfondi seront contactés.

Description de Programme

L’activité Yidgiri de l’USAID est un projet quinquennal de 19,4 millions de dollars mis en œuvre par Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) dans les régions du Centre Nord, de l’Est et du Sahel au Burkina Faso. En tant qu’élément clé de la deuxième phase de l’Initiative régionale de résilience au Sahel (RISE), Yidgiri renforcera les systèmes de marché afin d’améliorer sensiblement les revenus des ménages et l’état nutritionnel. Pour atteindre cet objectif, l’Activité mettra en œuvre des interventions dans les domaines suivants : 1) améliorer la performance des systèmes du marché des produits ; 2) augmenter l’utilisation d’intrants et de services de qualité ; 3) augmenter la consommation locale d’aliments nutritifs. Tout en se concentrant principalement sur les chaînes de valeur du niébé, des petits ruminants et de la volaille, les interventions permettront de surmonter les obstacles et les contraintes de progresser dans l’ensemble du système de marché, tout en intégrant des stratégies fondées sur le marché pour promouvoir la consommation d’aliments nutritifs. Ensemble, ces efforts amélioreront la résilience des systèmes de marché en établissant des liens de marché rentables entre les producteurs et les acheteurs, en mettant particulièrement l’accent sur les femmes et les jeunes.

Rôles et Responsabilités

• Conçoit et facilite la mise en œuvre d’interventions relatives aux pratiques agricoles adaptées  aux changements climatiques et à l’amelioration d’accès des acteurs des chaines de valeurs ciblees aux intrants et conseils  agricoles de qualite.
• Élabore des stratégies et des interventions spécifiques aux chaines de valeur ciblees et susceptibles d’impacter les systemes, en particulier les femmes et les jeunes.
• Appuie  les acteurs du marché local dans l’identificationet la mise en œuvre des stratégies de marché afin d’améliorer leur  résilience aux chocs et  tensions du marché.
• Facilite le developpement des liens d’affaires entre les acteurs operant au niveau des segments specifiques des chaines de valeur ciblees en vue d’accroitre l’approvisionnement d’intrants et des services de qualite
• Joue un rôle de leadership dans le renforcement de la résilience des acteurs des chaines de valeur ciblees  aux chocs de marché par  la mise en œuvre de systèmes de marché innovants et le renforcement des capacités, tant du côté de l’offre que de la demande
• Facilite l’accès des petits exploitants agricoles ciblés à des intrants  et  conseils agricoles abordables et de qualité par l’améliorationdes services / réseaux d’approvisionnement en vue d’accroître la productivité et les revenus agricoles;
• Assure que l’approche technique, les méthodologies et les activités d’appui aux  fournisseurs d’intrants et conseils  agricoles soient techniquement appropriees, réalisables et pertinentes pour la réussite du programme;
• Rédige les termes de référence (TOR) et description du poste (SOW) d’assistance technique locale aux fournisseurs d’intrants et conseils agricoles ;
•  améliorerFacilite les collaborations stratégiques et le changement de comportement parmi les acteurs des chaines de valeur ciblees;
• Joue un rôle de leadership lors des ateliers d’élaboration/ revuedes plans de travail trimestriels et annuels afin d’assurer l’efficacite de l’assistance technique aux services de fourniture d’intrants et conseils agricoles en vue d’atteindre les cibles d’indicateurs trimestrielles, annuelles et globales;
• Contribue aux rapports du programme en soumettant des rapports de qualite  et a temps;
• Être le point principal de contact avec d’autres agences et individus travaillant sur des questions connexes
• Favorise de bonnes relations de travail avec d’autres agences et personnes resource intervenant dans les domaines d’intrants et conseils agricoles et le genre en vue renforcer  l’apprentissage et la visibilite;
• Oriente et supervise les responsables de la chaîne de valeur
• Contribuer à tout rapport spécial demandé par l’USAID et /ou le gouvernement du Burkina Faso;
• Entreprendre toute autre tâche assignée par le COP et le DCOP pour assurer l’atteinte des objectifs de l’USAID Yidjiri .

Qualifications

• Huit ans d’expérience dans la mise en œuvre de grands programmes agroalimentaires et / ou de chaîne de valeur grâce à une approche de systèmes de marché facilitateurs au Burkina Faso.
• Expertise avérée dans la collaboration et la négociation de partenariats avec les principaux fournisseurs d’intrants.
• Connaissances techniques en genre et développement, en particulier liées aux chaînes de valeur agricoles et à l’agriculture sensible à la nutrition.
• Maîtrise en agro-industrie, développement rural ou domaine connexe.
• Maîtrise professionnelle de l’anglais et du français.

Nous sommes un employeur d’égalité des chances. Tous les candidats qualifiés seront pris en considération pour l’emploi et ne seront pas victimes de discrimination sur la base de la race, de la couleur, de la religion, du sexe, de l’orientation sexuelle, de l’origine nationale, de l’âge, du handicap ou du statut de vétéran protégé. La CNFA prend des mesures positives pour soutenir sa politique de promotion de l’emploi des personnes appartenant à des minorités, des femmes, des anciens combattants protégés et des personnes handicapées. Seuls les candidats sélectionnés pour un examen plus approfondi seront contactés.

Program Description

The five-year USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment. To achieve this goal, the Activity focuses on four interrelated components: improving the enabling environment for agricultural sector growth; broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses; promoting and facilitating investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations; and sustainably enhancing the performance of agribusiness micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs). In line with the U.S. and Nigerian governments’ commitment to growing the non-oil-based economy, these efforts will increase the depth, breadth, dynamism, and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector. 

Beginning in December 2018 and closing in December 2023, the $15.7million Agribusiness Investment Activity, with Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) as the prime implementing partner, aims to viably and sustainably link thousands of MSMEs and producer organizations with high-performing commercial actors in the rice, maize, soybean, aquaculture, and cowpea value chains. As a result of streamlined regulations, more effective policies, improved production and processing practices, and significantly increased finance and investment flows, the Activity will increase the competitiveness and returns of both large, medium and small-scale agricultural enterprises. The overall objective of the Activity is to measurably improve the agribusiness investment climate in Nigeria, which plays a pivotal role in attracting foreign direct and domestic investment, leading to food security and improved nutrition.

Position Description

Reporting to the MEL Manager, the MEL Officer will support all Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) activities, and be solely responsible for managing data collection activities and maintaining all databases.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the design of the Activity’s MEL System, including development of Activity MEL Plans, MEL Field Manuals, Data collection toolkits, and databases.
• Support the implementation of the Activity MEL system, including tracking and reporting of KPI status/results, periodic surveys, CLA activities, knowledge management, learning activities and reporting.
• Ensure the collection of quality and robust monitoring data including GIS data and relevant attribution information by providing continuous supervisory support to the State Agribusiness Coordinators and other technical staff on the use of data collection tools and methods.
• Perform monthly analysis of Activity monitoring data and submit reports/statistics showing the status of the Activity’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Ensure that Activity databases (both digital databases and filing system for hardcopy documents) contain updated information on beneficiary stakeholders and outputs from activity supported interventions.
• Undertake regular performance field visits to obtain beneficiary feedback, perform data quality verifications, and identify challenges, key success factors, and lesson learned.
• Provide continuous support to technical staff on data collection and to ensure timely data collection, analyses, reporting, and completion of other MEL activities.
• Perform the analysis and reporting of post-event evaluation assessments for trainings and events organised or co-organised by the Activity.
• Upload Activity KPI targets and results on USAID MONITOR, Feed The Future Monitoring System, CNFA’s M&E database, and other relevant databases adhering to specified timelines and regulations.
• Draft MEL Unit progress reports including quarterly reports, semi-annual reports, annual reports and annual work plans.
• Ensure compliance with all requirements provided in the Activity contract, USAID regulations, CNFA standards and, if/where applicable, host country government requirements.
• Complete other duties as necessary and assigned by the MEL Manager and/or Chief of Party.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working on monitoring, evaluation and learning for donor funded agribusiness and livelihood projects; USAID experience is highly desirable.
• Degree (Master’s preferred) in relevant field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience in a relevant competency area, including statistics, international development, economics or other.
• Experience using monitoring and evaluation systems; experience with USAID-supported indicators, including Feed the Future indicators, a definitive plus.
• Willingness to collaborate, innovate, work hard, and contribute to a high performing and dedication group of development professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to interact and communicate with wide range of stakeholders both verbally and in writing as well as think strategically and systematically.
• Proven experience in managing multiple and competing tasks while maintaining high quality deliverables within strict deadlines (e.g., an ability to work under pressure).
• Strong communication skills and ability to present and write high quality technical reports in English.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

BACKGROUND: 

The USAID Agriculture Program is a five-year activity that aims to accelerate growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate strong potential to create jobs and increase micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) revenues. The USAID Agriculture Program plans to deliver firm-level investment and tailor-made technical assistance to entrepreneurial, market-driven enterprises, production clusters and supporting associations and service/information/extension providers to foster inclusive and sustainable market systems development. The USAID Agriculture Program provides competitive cost-shared grants and technical assistance to address identified gaps in targeted value chains (VCs) that will result in the improved productivity and productive capacity of MSMEs, strengthened value chain linkages, increased access to markets, and improved capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, associations and service/information/extension providers.

Development of the processing industry is pivotal to strengthening the Program’s priority VCs. Therefore, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to provide targeted technical assistance to its grantee and non-grantee beneficiaries engaged in processing operations. Natural fruit production is one of the directions with high potential, considering growth in the fruit and vegetable juice world market driven by increasing demand for healthy food. According to Sakstat, Georgia produced 53 million liters of natural juice in 2016, 82 million liters in 2017, and 138 million liters in 2018, most of which was exported.  One of the challenges faced by most local juice producers is limited knowledge on modern processing techniques and innovative product concepts.  In this regard, cold-pressed juices are one of the key segments influencing the growth of the juice market across the world. These juices preserve the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that are lost during the heating and oxidizing phases of the traditional processes for making juices.  With this in mind, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to utilize expertise of international consultants to provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored technical assistance, thereby helping them improve operations and gradually adopt best practices.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to natural juice producers to improve their processes and practices in cold-pressed juice production and recommend new fruit and vegetable combinations. 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Visit the Program beneficiaries engaged in juice production to provide onsite consultancies in cold-pressed juice production technologies, new product development (unique product offerings), most relevant marketing tools, infrastructural improvements, and cost-effective equipment.
• Conduct a one-day workshop for a broader audience of juice producers and relevant stakeholders to increase their awareness of the world fruit industry and provide them with a general overview of the global perspective on dried fruit.  It is anticipated that the workshop will highlight the following major topics: market trends in juice production, new product development and marketing strategies, market requirements/certifications, and technology innovations (for both fruits and vegetables), etc. In addition, the workshop will serve to summarize findings of the assignment and discuss industry development opportunities within the audience of key stakeholders.
• Develop report highlighting findings, consultancy-specific briefs and recommendations. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS in Food Technologies (Juice production);
• Minimum 5 years of practical experience in juice production with a focus on cold-pressed juices;
• Proven experience in new product development, supply chain development, and agriculture marketing areas; and
• Strong communication skills.

DELIVERABLES:

• Final Report summarizing consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations;
• Delivery of a one-day workshop for dried fruits producers and relevant stakeholders to increase their awareness of modern practices, approaches and innovations and to provide them with general overview of global perspective on juice production;

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

This assignment is planned to take place between 04/20/2020 and 05/20/2020. This consultancy will be provided through one visit and follow-up offsite work, and will not exceed 14 days.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. 

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. This is an immediate opening and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.