CONSULTANT – FIELD COORDINATOR AND AGRONOMIC SPECIALIST

 

THE ORGANIZATION

The Alliance of Bioversity International (www.bioversityinternational.org) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) (www.ciat.cgiar.org) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

 

With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstream innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

 

The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

 

        I.            Context

The Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security in the Horn of Africa (BREFONS ) program is designed as a follow-up phase to the Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Program (DRSLP) with the aim of improving the living standards of women, youth and the population in general. BREFONS is one of the priority programs identified under the Horn of Africa Initiative, a regional program that was prepared and designed for implementation in six countries, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan, by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Union and the World Bank.

In Djibouti, the program aims to strengthen resilience in food and nutrition security by implementing a pilot project exploring the use of digital technologies for digital extension services and the provision of concrete agronomic advice on plant and animal health. In doing so, it aims to improve access to high-quality agronomic advice and promote sustainable agricultural practices, including through improved access to safe and high-quality seeds.

As a key contributor to these objectives, the Field Coordinator and Agronomic Specialist (Consultant) will play a central role in working with CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) to coordinate all field activities in Djibouti and to ensure effective implementation of project components to improve agricultural productivity and food security in the country.

Location: Djibouti

Duration: The consultation will cover a level of effort of 2.25 months over a 12-month period (1 May 2025 – 30 April 2026), with the possibility of extension.

      II.            Goals

The Field Coordinator and Agronomic Specialist (Consultant) will support the successful implementation of the BREFONS project in Djibouti by coordinating field operations, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and contributing to the development of innovative digital advisory solutions tailored to arid and semi-arid regions.

    III.            Scope of work

The Field Coordinator and Agronomic Specialist (Consultant) will be responsible for the following roles and responsibilities:

1. Field coordination:

• Lead field activities, including identifying and engaging 150 producers (at least 40% women).
• Oversee field surveys, including baseline surveys, user preference surveys, and satisfaction follow-up surveys, ensuring accurate data collection, in collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant.
• Content development:

• Collaborate with the technical team to co-create and validate agronomic and veterinary content for videos and interactive voice response (IVR ) messages .
• Ensure that content is adapted to local linguistic and cultural contexts, with an emphasis on gender inclusion.
• Technical expertise:

• Provide agronomic expertise specific to arid and semi-arid agricultural systems in Djibouti
• Support the development of 40 educational videos and IVR messages by validating technical accuracy and relevance and working closely with the identified video producer

• Stakeholder Engagement:
• Facilitate the organization of workshops to co-create, validate and plan the scaling of project activities.
• Act as a liaison between the project team, local communities and government stakeholders to ensure alignment with national agricultural objectives.
• Monitoring and reporting:

• SuRVIe and assess the impact of pilot interventions on agricultural practices and food security.
• Contribute to project reports, including analysis of results and recommendations for scaling up in Djibouti

 

   IV.            Commitment and Availability

The consultant must demonstrate a full commitment to the effective implementation of the BREFONS project in Djibouti. He or she must be available. For frequent field trips to the Tadjourah and Ali Sabieh regions and be willing to work closely with various stakeholders. The ability to respond quickly to project requirements and ensure rigorous monitoring of field activities will be essential for the success of this assignment.

 

     V.            Main Deliverables

• A detailed list of identified producers, including contact details and consent in accordance with IRB Alliance procedures and standards (in coordination with the M&E consultant);
• Co-created content for videos and IVR messages in collaboration with project partners.
• Field survey data and corresponding reports, including user preferences and satisfaction ratings (in close coordination with the M&E consultant);
• Lead the organization (in collaboration with project partners) of four workshops (the project launch workshop, the Ali Sabieh regional workshop, the Tadjourah regional workshop and the project scale-up end workshop);
• Four workshop reports documenting key discussions, decisions and next steps, in French and English (for the project kick-off workshop, the regional workshop in Ali Sabieh, the regional workshop in Tadjourah and the project scale-up end-of-scaling workshop);
• Contributions to the final pilot report, including recommendations for scaling up digital advisory services in Djibouti

   VI.            Working Conditions

The consultant will work for CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) under the direct supervision of the BREFONS Project Coordinator in Djibouti.

 

·       Work location: The consultant will be based in Djibouti, with frequent field travel to the Tadjourah and Ali Sabieh. regions.

 

·       Equipment: The consultant will need to provide their own equipment (laptop, data analysis software, etc.).

 

·       Reporting relationships: The consultant will report directly to the BREFONS Project Coordinator in Djibouti and will work closely with the technical team at CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture).

 

·       Safety Conditions: The consultant will be required to adhere to safety protocols in place in the field and follow guidelines provided by the project team.

Requirements

        VII.            Consultant Profile and Experience

The Field Coordinator and Agronomic Specialist will be recruited as an individual consultant. The required profile is as follows:

• Diploma :
  • Hold a higher education diploma (BAC+5 minimum) in agronomy, agriculture, rural development, environmental sciences or any other field deemed equivalent.
• General experience :
  • Have at least five (10) years of relevant professional experience in agricultural project coordination , agricultural extension or rural development project management.              
• Specific experiences :
  • Have at least ten years of proven experience in agricultural systems in arid and semi-arid environments , preferably in contexts similar to that of Djibouti.
  • Have completed at least three (03) projects involving the coordination of activities on the ground and the engagement of stakeholders (local communities, governments, technical partners).
  • Have at least ten years of experience in developing technical content (e.g. guides, videos, IVR messages) adapted to local contexts.
  • Experience in the host country (Djibouti) or in similar contexts would be an additional asset.

      VII.            Evaluation Criteria

The consultant’s selection criteria include elements relating to his qualifications, his general and specific experience , the proposed methodological approach, as well as the quality and relevance of the expected deliverables.

        IX.            Duration and Forecast Schedule

• The total duration of the service is estimated at 2.25 months (level of effort) over a period of 12 months (May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026), with the possibility of extension.
• The consultant must provide in his offer a detailed schedule for the execution of his service, taking into account the deadlines.

      X.            Composition of the Application File

The application file must include the following elements:

1. Letter of expression of interest : (recent CV detailing professional experience and similar missions).
2. Technical document : (understanding of the terms of reference; presentation of the proposed methodology).
3. Professional references : (Three (03) professional references).
4. Supporting documents : (highest diploma; certificates of work or service rendered, etc. ).
5. Other documents : (e.g. study reports, publications, certifications)

Benefits

Terms of employment

This is a nationally recruited position based in Djibouti. Consultancy will cover a level 2.25 months of effort on a 12 -month period ( May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026), with the possibility of an extension.u202F 

 

Applications  

Applicants are invited to visit  https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/ and or to national.coordination@brefons.org to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number Ref: (RFP300202)- CONSULTANT – FIELD COORDINATOR AND AGRONOMIC SPECIALISTu202Fas the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting.  

 

Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. (application, interview meeting, processing or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts. 

 

Applications closing date: 8^th April 2025

 

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

 

We invite you to learn more about us at: 

 

http://alliancebioversityciat.org