{SEND-GHANA,Tamale,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 May-2014};

Food Security through Co-operatives in Northern Ghana (FOSTERING) Project Terms of Reference Consultancy for the Development of an Environmental Strategy

1.0 Background Information

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) in partnership with SEND-Ghana and the Ghana Credit Unions Association (CUA) Ltd is implementing a five year Food Security Through Cooperatives In Northern Ghana (FOSTERING) project which is aimed at increasing sustainable, gender equitable food security for over 42,000 women and men in eight districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana (East Gonja, Kpandai, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Krachi-Nchumuru, Zabzugu, Tatale-Sangule and Chereponi). When family members are included, this project will reach over 331,800 individuals. The project is being funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) of Canada. The FOSTERING project tackles directly four key areas of improving food security and sustainable economic growth for small-holder farmers: improving production; better marketing of products; expansion of household activities into off-season businesses; and access to finance. The project’s direct beneficiaries are women and men small-holder farmers that are members of credit unions. The project concomitantly builds the capacity of these farmers as members of financially viable agricultural co-operatives as well as strong and resilient community-based co-operative credit unions. Successful agricultural co-operatives help improve production, diversify farming activities, enhance processing and storage, and improve marketing. Strong and resilient community-based co-operative credit unions will help provide a stable source of financing, required by the agricultural co-operatives and farmers. The project also builds on previous DFATD initiatives in the region by increasing responsiveness of representative institutions in the districts targeted by the project. Environmental concerns are an integral part of the FOSTERING Project. The project seeks to ensure that there is no negative impact on the environment through its activities (the project works to ensure that not only is the environment further undamaged, but that there will also be remarkable environmental amelioration during the project span and beyond). In addition the project seeks to build the adaptive capacities and increase the resiliency levels of communities to climate change shocks to ensure sustainability of outcomes of results of the FOSTERING project. As such the project aims to build the capacity of stakeholders to address environmental issues from a multi-disciplinary and integrated perspective that supports sustainable production and diversification of household income. It is for this reason that CCA and its partners are seeking the services of a consultant to conduct an environmental analysis of communities in the eastern corridor to inform the development of an environmental strategy to inform the integration of environmental issues in project implementation, particularly ensuring that project activities are implemented in an environmentally sensitive manner, build the resiliency level of communities and co-operatives so they are able to adapt to the changes in climatic conditions that affect their livelihoods.

2.0 Overall Goal and Objective of Consultancy

2.1 Goal of Consultancy

The main goal of this consultancy is to develop an environmental strategy to guide the implementation of sustainable, environmentally friendly project activities and to reduce the vulnerability and low level of resilience of communities and co-operatives to extreme weather conditions (droughts, erratic rainfalls and flooding).

2.2 Objectives of Consultancy

There are three main objectives for this consultancy assignment;

• To conduct an environmental risk analysis (using CCA’s Environmental Assessment tools) of the project in communities in the eastern corridor and identification of mitigation strategies for negative impacts and strategies to support positive impacts
• To conduct a climate change risk assessment of project communities and identify adaptation strategies to address the negative impacts and strategies aimed at improving positive impacts
• To conduct an assessment of climate change resilience of project beneficiaries (households, farmer co-operatives and credit unions) – including economic, social, and environmental resilience

3.0 Scope and focus of the assignment:

3.1 Scope of work

The consultant will lead the process for conducting the environmental analysis and the development of an environmental strategy for the project in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana. For the purposes of this assignment, it is expected that a representative sample of FOSTERING Project communities and beneficiaries will be selected from the 8 operational districts of the project for data collection purposes. The assignment is expected to begin 26th May 2014. The Consultant will work closely with the Environmental Officer and report to the Project Management Team of the FOSTERING Project.

3.2 Proposed Methodology

The Consultant will:

• Provide a proposed draft methodology for a) the environmental analysis and b) the development of the environmental strategy, including questionnaires and other instruments, as well as a work-plan and time-table, which will be discussed and validated with the Project Management Team. The methodology would involve; ? Review and analysis of relevant documents, including SEND’s report on Mainstreaming Climate Resilience in SEND Programming and project evaluation reports, the FOSTERING project PIP documents, CCA Environmental Accountability Framework/ CCA’s Environmental Assessment tools, Ghana Environmental Management Program (GEMP) Gender Toolkit and any manual/document or information to help identify relevant environmental gaps and make recommendation for programming; ? Interviews with key informants e.g. management and staff of SEND-Ghana, district staff of Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), district staff of National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Savanna Agriculture Research Institute (SARI), etc; ? Focus group discussions with women and men in a representative sample of communities in the FOSTERING project area (within towns, rural and hard to reach with ethnic minorities) to identify environmental issues to be included in the development of the strategy; ? The use of participatory rapid appraisal techniques for data collection in the communities. (Possible tools for data collection: Agriculture seasonal calendar; 24 hour clock; organization venn diagram; etc.); ? Discussions with FOSTERING’s gender equality consultant and staff person to assess potential differentiated impacts of climate change on gender equality to inform project’s Environmental Strategy to ensure gender mainstreaming in all activities; ? Sourcing additional information through their established contacts; ? Applying gender perspectives on climate change into all information analysis for the report;

3.3 Deliverables Results

The draft methodology for the Environmental analysis and environmental strategy, complete with time table and proposed work plan.

• Develop and submit an electronic copy of the ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY REPORT in English to the Project Management Team. This will include; ? A 10 to 15 page environmental analyses report (document #1) that assesses the environmental concerns prevalent in the eastern corridor including a climate change risk assessment of project communities and assessment of climate change resilience of beneficiaries, looking at its differentiated impacts on men and women and ? A 10 page document (document #2) that outlines specific recommendations/measures to promote the implementation of environmentally friendly agricultural practices, climate change adaption strategies and guides the monitoring of the projects activities to the benefit of both men and women.

3.4 Key Tasks of Assignment

The consultant’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

• Preparation of a proposal and work plan for the work, based on this Terms of Reference, for approval of the FOSTERING Project Management Team;
• Review and analyze relevant environmental documents and sex-disaggregated project monitoring data;
• Conduct field work in project targeted communities to obtain data on the environmental situation in the targeted communities of the eastern corridor;
• Identify and review key environmental policies (government and other) affecting the sector at the national and regional levels.
• Assess the potential environmental impacts and make recommendations for mitigation of adverse impacts and enhancement of positive impacts to the FOSTERING Project Management Team

Qualification Required & Experience

Competencies

The consultant should have the following qualifications and expertise

• Extensive experience (at least 10 years) in the application of participatory methodologies for data collection and in developing environmental strategies that address gender concerns within the food security and agriculture sectors;
• Good knowledge and understanding of alternative development in food security and agriculture;
• Good understanding of poverty, social and cultural issues;
• International work experience preferred;
• In-depth knowledge of environmental and climate change issues;
• Demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high pressure situations and under tight deadlines
• Ability to write and communicate in English;
• Knowledge and understanding of rural northern Ghana context 5.2 Education The Consultant should have the following qualifications:
• At least a Master’s degree related to agriculture science, environmental studies, development studies, rural development and extension, social research, and related fields.

Experience

• At least 10 years experience in the area of environmental, agriculture and food security with proof of activities carried out within the last 5 years
• Strong professional knowledge in agriculture, environment, rural development, food security, gender and co-operative development in Northern Ghana
• Work experience in NGO’s, INGO’S, donor funded projects and other relevant institutions will be an added advantage;

Remuneration

The Consultant will receive a remuneration that corresponds to their level of experience and in accordance with SEND-Ghana’s policy on remuneration for services rendered. SEND-Ghana will pay travel expenses for the assignment, including transportation, food, incidentals, and lodging expenses. Modalities for payment will be specified in the service contract, which will be signed between the Consultant and SEND Ghana

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Expression of interest

The Consultant should express his/her interest in this call through a motivation letter accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae with three referees and samples of recent work to SEND-Ghana, by electronic mail to Raymond@sendwestafrica.org  and copied to Lucie.Tremblay@coopscanada.coop

Closing Date: 16 May, 2014

Only selected candidates will be contacted.

{SEND-GHANA,Tamale,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 May-2014};

Consultancy to Develop a Gender Strategy

1.0 Background Information

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) in partnership with SEND-Ghana and the Ghana Credit Unions Association (CUA) Ltd is implementing a five year Food Security Through Cooperatives In Northern Ghana (FOSTERING) project which is aimed at increasing sustainable, gender equitable food security for over 42,000 women and men in eight districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana (East Gonja, Kpandai, Nanumba South, Nanumba North, Krachi-Nchumuru, Zabzugu, Tatale-Sangule and Chereponi). The FOSTERING project directly tackles four key areas of improving food security and sustainable economic growth for small-holder farmers; improving production; better marketing of products; expansion of household activities into off-season businesses and access to finance. It will incorporate important gender and climate resilience strategies to ensure sustainability of outcomes. The project’s direct beneficiaries are women and men small-holder farmers that are members of credit unions. CCA and its partners recognize that gender inequality can be a significant constraint to economic growth and poverty reduction particularly in rural communities in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana where entrenched cultures and traditions have tended to relegate women in the background. Although women are significant actors in the agriculture labour force – women play a key role in producing up to 80% of basic food for household consumption and market and provide more labour for post-harvest activities in the eastern corridor, there is low gender equity and distribution of benefits at program, institutional and network levels. They particularly do not have equal access to income-earning activities or the financial services necessary to support them. In the family, aside rising trend in the number of female-headed households, women do more work, have less leisure time, and receive less nutrition due to cultural norms that dictate that men eat first. Women also lack decision-making power about household income and resources. Women have less schooling and have higher rates of illiteracy, which limits their ability to participate in co-operative governance. Integrating gender issues have been prioritized within the Project Implementation Plan (PIP) of the FOSTERING Project, as an approach to ensure the enhancement of women’s contribution to efficient delivery of the project results, which will contribute to poverty reduction and socio-economic development of project communities in the eastern corridor. To ensure the achievement of these results, a gender assessment is to be conducted to understand the prevailing gender issues confronting communities, particularly women empowerment vis-a vis men’s in production, yield attained, storage, processing, marketing and within the cooperatives/credit unions in the eastern corridor. As a result the services of a consultant is being sought to conduct a gender analysis of gender issues in the eastern corridor communities and to develop a Gender Implementation Strategy for the FOSTERING project. This strategy will guide the implementation and monitoring of the gender aspects of the FOSTERING project among the target beneficiaries in the short, medium and long term. This strategy when implemented will ensure that the FOSTERING project will support to advance women’s participation in decision making in co-operative governance and increase their access to and control over the resources and benefits of the project in the targeted communities.

2.0 Description of Assignment

2.1 Objectives of Assignment

The main goal of this consultancy is to develop a gender equality strategy for the implementation of the FOSTERING Project in the target communities of the 8 districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana. The specific objectives for developing the gender strategy would include;

•   To conduct a gender analysis in the eastern corridor to identify gender issues and challenges directly related to the situation of women at the household and community level
•   Evaluate the commitment and capacity of SEND-Ghana and CUA to promote gender equality
•   To Identify institutions and individuals as well as policies and programs within Ghana that the FOSTERING project may harness to support its efforts to promote gender equality
•   To make recommendations that will be used to guide the programming of activities in the upcoming project proposal to resolve or mitigate identified gender issues.

2.2 Scope of work

The consultant will lead the process for the development of a gender strategy for the project in the 8 target districts of the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana. For the purposes of this assignment, it is expected that a representative sample of FOSTERING Project beneficiaries will be selected for data collection purposes. The assignment is expected to begin on 26th May 2014. The Consultant will work closely with the Gender Project Officer and report to the Project Management Team of the FOSTERING Project.

2.3 Proposed Methodology

The Consultant will:

• Provide a proposed draft methodology for:

a) the gender analysis and

b) the development of the gender strategy, study, including questionnaires and other instruments, as well as a work-plan and time-table, which will be discussed and validated with the Project Management Team.

The methodology would involve;

•   Review and analysis of relevant documents, including SEND-Ghana and CUA gender assessments/audits (2010 and 2008 respectively) and project evaluation reports, the FOSTERING project PIP documents, CCA, CUA and SEND-Ghana’s Gender Tool Kit
•   Review and analysis of the different approaches to gender education being implemented by SEND-Ghana e.g. gender model family, gender trainer of trainers, etc.
•   Interviews with key informants e.g. management and staff of SEND-Ghana and CUA
•   Focus group discussions with women and men in a representative sample of communities in the FOSTERING project area (within towns, rural and hard to reach with ethnic minorities). ? The use of participatory rapid appraisal techniques for data collection in the communities. (Possible tools for data collection: Agriculture calendar; 24 hour clock; organization venn diagram; etc.)
•   Sourcing additional information through their established contacts;

2.4 Expected Deliverables

•   The draft methodology for the gender analysis and gender strategy, complete with time table and proposed work plan.
•   Develop and submit an electronic copy of the GENDER ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY REPORT in English to the Project Management Team. This will include;

a. A 15 to 20 page Gender Analysis Report (document #1) that assesses

•   the current institutional capacities and commitments of SEND-Ghana and CUA to promote gender equality, as per the CCA Institutional Gender Assessment Framework. Determine if there are areas of institutional weaknesses (regarding both capacity and commitment to promoting gender equality) which could affect the extent to which activities are carried out in a gender-sensitive manner;
•   the gender analysis carried out in the eastern corridor communities addressing the women’s capacity and empowerment vis-a vis men’s in production, yield attained, storage, processing, marketing and within the cooperatives/credit unions and it affect the household. Show the level of contribution of the women into the household (health, nutrition, economic) showing the importance to enhance equity.
•   the potential impact of the planned activities of the FOSTERING project (i.e., to start in April 2014) in terms of the results a) on women and b) on gender relations between women and men (is there evidence of increased equality between women and men?). To what extent women will be accessing and benefiting from the resources provided through the project, as compared to men? And to what extent the project is addressing women’s practical and strategic needs, as it relates to women’s primary responsibilities?

b. A 10 page document (document #2) that includes

•   a high-level summary of the conclusions from the critical analysis of the gender concerns affecting women’s decision making space and economic participation in the eastern corridor and
•   A gender operational strategy that outlines specific measures for enhancing the extent to which project activities will benefit women to the same extent as men; how the project can benefit women as equally as men.

2.5 Main Key Tasks of Assignment

The consultant’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:

•   Preparation of a proposal and work plan for the work, based on this Terms of Reference, for approval of the FOSTERING Project Management Team.
•   Review and analyze relevant sex-disaggregated project monitoring data.
•   Conduct field work in project targeted communities to obtain data on the gender division of labour in the households and related productive activities and in reproductive work; women and men’s access to resources, services, and markets (details of information to be collected to be shared with consultant by project management team).
•   Establish gender results to be achieved, indicators and reporting target for the five years project.
•   Identify and review key gender equality policies (government and other) affecting the sector at the national and regional levels.
•   Assess the gender issues in the eastern corridor and make recommendations for promoting gender equality to the FOSTERING Project Management Team.

2.6 Recommendations

On the basis of this gender analysis, the consultant will develop strategies, through which the project may address the practical needs of women and men and help improve the strategic position of women by suggesting:

•   Ways of improving women’s access to productive resources required under the project, as well as avoiding any negative effects of the project on women’s position;
•   Methods of improving women’s participation in training, and their access to information and extension services;
•   Strengthen women’s social status in the household and the community with regard to decision making and access to development opportunities;
•   Steps to facilitate women’s participation in producers’ organizations to give them access to services, inputs, and markets; and support for women’s savings and credit activities through group formation, training, and linkage with credit union services.
•   Mechanisms to overcome any bottlenecks to promoting gender equality in the FOSTERING Project, regarding the institutional capacity and commitment of SEND-Ghana and CUA to promote gender equality
•   Ways to address the issues of gender results, indicators, targets and reporting of the project.

Qualification Required & Experience

Competencies of the Consultant

The consultant should have the following qualifications and expertise

•   Extensive experience (at least 10 years) in the application of gender-sensitive methodologies for data collection and in developing gender strategies that address gender concerns within the food security and agriculture sectors;
•   Good knowledge and understanding of alternative development in food security and agriculture;
•   Good understanding of poverty, social and cultural issues;
•   International work experience preferred;
•   In-depth knowledge of gender issues;
•   Experience in the use of participatory methodologies;
•   Demonstrated high level of professionalism and an ability to work independently and in high pressure situations under tight deadlines;
•   Ability to write and communicate in English;
•   Knowledge and understanding of rural northern Ghana context;

Required Skills and Experience

The Consultant should have the following qualifications:

•   Master’s degree related to a social science, preferably gender studies, development studies, agriculture and environmental studies, rural development, public policy, social research, etc.
•   At least 10 years experience in the area of Gender and Diversity with proof of activities carried out within the last 5 years
•   Strong professional knowledge in gender policy issues with particular reference to agriculture, rural development, food security and co-operative development in Northern Ghana

Remuneration

The Consultant will receive a remuneration that corresponds to their level of experience, in accordance with SEND-Ghana’s policy on remuneration for services rendered. SEND-Ghana will pay travel expenses for the assignment, including transportation, food, incidentals, and lodging expenses. Modalities for payment will be specified in the service contract, which will be signed between the Consultant and SEND Ghana.

Location: Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

Expression of interest

The Consultant should express his/her interest in this call through a motivation letter accompanied by detailed curriculum vitae with three referees and samples of recent work to SEND-Ghana, by electronic mail to:- Raymond@sendwestafrica.org  and copied to Lucie.Tremblay@coopscanada.coop

Closing Date: 16 May, 2014

Only selected candidates will be contacted.

{Confidential,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 May-2014};

A potentially viable printing press which has been non-operational for over the past 6 years is looking for a Consultant to undertake a complete business assessment to:

•   Determine the viability and profitability of the Business
•   Conduct a dip-stick market survey
•   If viable, provide the equipment and capital requirement for the commencement of the business

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Detailed knowledge and experience in the Printing / Publishing industry in Ghana or elsewhere
•   About 10 years experience

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

If you believe you possess the required expertise, please apply by submitting a short business proposal setting out your expertise in the Printing and Publishing industry in Ghana or elsewhere and a copy of your most recent resume bearing your telephone and email contacts.

Submit to email:-

printingbiz14@yahoo.co.uk

Closing Date: 16 May, 2014

Note: Please use “reference” as email subject

{Ghana Grains Council (GGC),Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,31 Dec-2013};

The Ghana Grains Council (GGC) is a private sector organization comprising of grain value chain actors, including farmers, warehouse operators, agro-food processors, financial institutions, commodity marketers, etc. Since its inception in 2010, the GGC has developed an enabling environment including warehouse certification, rules and regulations, engaging collateral management services, training of users, etc. to enable it set up and manage a Warehouse Receipt System.

In December 2012, the Ghana Grains Council launched the first Regulated Warehouse Receipt in Ghana; the first of this kind in West Africa sub-region with financial and technical support from United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Ghana Agricultural Development Value Chain Enhancement Program (ADVANCE).

Since its commencement, the GGC Warehouse Receipt has focused on maize, a key food security crop in Ghana as part of a package of innovation that has modernized and enhanced the efficient marketing of this crop. The Warehouse Receipt System has played a very important role in the development of the maize value chain by enabling GGC member producers, traders and processors to hold stock back till the lean season, allowing them to access markets on more equitable terms, and enhancing the efficiency of the entire maize value chain.

So far over 29,000MT of maize have been stored under the GGC Warehouse Receipt Program. The use of a Warehouse Receipt allows GGC members to deposit their grains in a GGC certified warehouse and to meet short term need for cash by borrowing from a GGC member bank or other member lending institutions.

It has enabled the many GGC member small holder farmers in particular to avoid selling their grains immediately after harvest when the supply of the commodity is usually highest and sometimes result in low prices.  Warehouse receipts have also helped address the problems of price volatility and lack of quality standards usually attributed to market liberalization in the Ghana grain industry.

In order for GGC Warehouse Receipt System to continue to be more useful and serve the needs of the GGC members, periodically reviewing the system then becomes a pre-requisite to serve as basis for improvement. That is,  review  rules and regulations of the Warehouse Receipts; extent of the receipts to retain its key purpose( as secured collateral);  Warehouse Receipts serving as a functionally equivalent to stored commodities; clear definitions of the rights, liabilities, and duties of each party to a Warehouse Receipt (for example a member farmer, a member bank, or a member warehouse operator) must continue to be clearly defined; ability to transfer the Warehouse Receipts freely by delivery and endorsement, etc.

Within one (1) year of the implementation of the Warehouse Receipt Program, GGC has faced a number of challenges among which are relatively low take-up particularly by small holders, lack of suitable warehouses for certification, inadequate oversight by regulator, low participation by banks, high transaction cost, smallholders limited knowledge on how receipts works, high cost of establishing and running warehouses, difficulty in finding suitable markets for receipts, etc.

In light of the above, the GGC is seeking for a wholistic review of the Implementation Warehouse Receipt System to facilitate a more robust, efficient and sustainable receipts system.

SCOPE OF WORK
The Ghana Grains Council invites eligible consultant to review the implementation of the GGC Warehouse Receipts System.

The consultant will be required to undertake the following:

•   A thorough assessment of the enabling environment necessary to support a viable receipt system in conformity with established international standards;
•   Review the warehouse receipt system including the receipting processes, documentations for viability, efficiency, efficacy;
•   Review the support functions of the receipt process including warehouse certification, receiving and depositing of grains, quality improvement processes and supporting structures,  grains currently receipted and potential for expansion;
•   Review the roles and responsibilities of the collateral manager, required skills and knowledge;
•   Review the overall operations of the Central Depository and supporting structures and skill requirements ;
•   Review the inventory crediting processes and supporting structures Review current market information system, user requirements Assess capacity of the warehouse receipts software, disaster recovery and data storability;
•   Review the performance bond and possibly the creation of a warehouse operators common indemnity fund; and above all
•   provide recommendation for improvement on each of the above where applicable for improvement

Additionally,  the consultant  will be required to;

•   Develop an operational/compliance manual for warehouses and collateral management;
•   Develop training programs for warehouse operators and collateral managers;
•   Develop a warehouse inspection manual
•   Develop a risk assessment manual
•   Develop a dispute resolution process

EXPECTED OUTPUTS
Comprehensive report covering entire Scopes of Work (SOW)

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The Consultants will be required to have the following:

•   At least five years operational experience of such nature in a recognized warehouse receipts system.
•   The Consultant must at least include an individual with professional experience as Agricultural Economist/ and or commodities trader
•   Extensive experience in the evaluation of markets, commodity pricing, trade and/orcompetition policy
•   A synopsis of technical expertise in similar assignment in size and scope
•   Provide at least two customer references relating to the consultant’s previous work
•   Practical experience in running a viable warehouse receipts system or being a member of a recognized regulated body undertaking activities related to warehouse receipts or commodities trading would be an added advantage

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested person or group of persons should submit their document in sealed envelopes, clearly labeled,

Expression of Interest
Review of GGC Warehouse Receipts
The Ag. Executive Secretary
Ghana Grains Council
PMB 212, Mainda
118 West Legon – Haatso Main Road
Accra

Closing Date: 17 December, 2013

{AGRA,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 Nov-2013};

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is a not-for-profit organizations formed in 2006 to work with African governments, farmers, donors, NGOs and the private sector to reduce hunger and poverty in Africa through Agricultural development targeted at resource poor farmers. AGRA has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and an office in Accra, Ghana

Technical writers (open to global consultants)

Assignment Overview

AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA works across sub –Saharan Africa and is headquartered in Nairobi in Kenya with a regional office in Accra Ghana. AGRA was established nearly seven years ago and made a number of notable achievements over the past few years. The organization would like to enhance public awareness about its work and share the lessons it has learnt so far. The communications Unit is therefore seeking to recruit the following consultants/firms to assist in profiling the organization’s success stories and drive adoption of the innovation technologies and models that it is spearheading:

Summary TORS

Support the production of communications content to deliver AGRA’s messaging including success stories and best practices series, newsletter material, annual and programmatic reports, policy briefs and statements, multimedia content etc

Applications Ref. No: COMMSBID/TW/02

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

All interested companies are requested to submit their proposals to the following email:

commsbid@agra.org

Closing Date: 08 November, 2013

For ease of reference all bidders must quot the reference provided for each bid in the subject of their email and application letter.

For more information please visit www.agra.org

{AGRA,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 Nov-2013};

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is a not-for-profit organizations formed in 2006 to work with African governments, farmers, donors, NGOs and the private sector to reduce hunger and poverty in Africa through Agricultural development targeted at resource poor farmers. AGRA has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and an office in Accra, Ghana

Speech writers (Open to global consultants)

Assignment Overview

AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA works across sub –Saharan Africa and is headquartered in Nairobi in Kenya with a regional office in Accra Ghana. AGRA was established nearly seven years ago and made a number of notable achievements over the past few years. The organization would like to enhance public awareness about its work and share the lessons it has learnt so far. The communications Unit is therefore seeking to recruit the following consultants/firms to assist in profiling the organization’s success stories and drive adoption of the innovation technologies and models that it is spearheading:

Summary TORS

This role will support production of technical speeches, talking points and prsentations for high level global and regional events. The consultant will support preparation for AGRA’s Chair, Board and Management.

Applications Ref. No: COMMSBID/SW/05

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

All interested companies are requested to submit their proposals to the following email:

commsbid@agra.org

Closing Date: 08 November, 2013

For ease of reference all bidders must quot the reference provided for each bid in the subject of their email and application letter.

For more information please visit www.agra.org

{AGRA,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 Nov-2013};

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is a not-for-profit organizations formed in 2006 to work with African governments, farmers, donors, NGOs and the private sector to reduce hunger and poverty in Africa through Agricultural development targeted at resource poor farmers. AGRA has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and an office in Accra, Ghana

Event photographer/ Videographer (open to global consultants)

Assignment Overview

AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA works across sub –Saharan Africa and is headquartered in Nairobi in Kenya with a regional office in Accra Ghana. AGRA was established nearly seven years ago and made a number of notable achievements over the past few years. The organization would like to enhance public awareness about its work and share the lessons it has learnt so far. The communications Unit is therefore seeking to recruit the following consultants/firms to assist in profiling the organization’s success stories and drive adoption of the innovation technologies and models that it is spearheading:

Summary TORS

AGRA’s office hosts a number of key events and requires an event photographer/vediographer to undertake assignments on  a long term basis. The photographer/vediographer should be flexible and able to take up assignments at short notice.

Applications Ref. No: COMMSBID/EP/03

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

All interested companies are requested to submit their proposals to the following email:

commsbid@agra.org

Closing Date: 08 November, 2013

For ease of reference all bidders must quot the reference provided for each bid in the subject of their email and application letter.

For more information please visit www.agra.org

{AGRA,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 Nov-2013};

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is a not-for-profit organizations formed in 2006 to work with African governments, farmers, donors, NGOs and the private sector to reduce hunger and poverty in Africa through Agricultural development targeted at resource poor farmers. AGRA has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and an office in Accra, Ghana

Technical Editors (Open to global consultants)

Assignment Overview

AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA works across sub –Saharan Africa and is headquartered in Nairobi in Kenya with a regional office in Accra Ghana. AGRA was established nearly seven years ago and made a number of notable achievements over the past few years. The organization would like to enhance public awareness about its work and share the lessons it has learnt so far. The communications Unit is therefore seeking to recruit the following consultants/firms to assist in profiling the organization’s success stories and drive adoption of the innovation technologies and models that it is spearheading:

Summary TORS

The consultant will be required to edit AGRA’s key programmatic publications/ products to ensure that they meet high international standards. The editor should have the capacity to review and synthesize large technical documents and re-purpose them into a range of products depending on the audiences.

Applications Ref. No: COMMSBID/TE/04

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

All interested companies are requested to submit their proposals to the following email:

commsbid@agra.org

Closing Date: 08 November, 2013

For ease of reference all bidders must quot the reference provided for each bid in the subject of their email and application letter.

For more information please visit www.agra.org

{Ministry of Food & Agriculture,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,29 Oct-2013};

The Government of Ghana led by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), in collaboration with the World Bank and USAID is currently preparing the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP).

The proposed project will improve the investment climate for agri-business and establish inclusive PPPs aimed at increasing on-farm productivity and value addition in selected value chains. The project will have four components: (i) strengthening investment promotion infrastructure and facilitating secure access to land; (ii) securing PPPs and small-holder linkages in the Accra Plains; (iii) securing PPPs and small-holder linkages in the area under the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA); and (iv) Project Management and Monitoring & Evaluation.

The broad activities under each Component are confirmed as the following:

Component 1: Strengthening investment promotion infrastructure, facilitating secure access to land. This component will promote a secure investment climate that clarifies and strengthens the rights and Obligations of investors, government and affected communities, and support an improved mechanism for facilitating access to land by reducing the search costs to potential investors through an expansion of a database of land suitable and available for investors and by building on nascent mechanisms for actively matching potential investors suitable land owners.

Component 2: Securing Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and smallholder linkages in the Accra Plains. This component will involve the identification and realization of private investments in the agricultural value chain through irrigation-based PPPs in the Accra Plains. This component will support the first transaction of Ghana’s PPP agenda (which extends beyond agriculture) and will draw on support to the MoFEP’s PPP Unit. It will support all necessary tasks of ‘taking the PPP to market’ including the provision of any viability gap financing. It will also strengthen community benefit sharing mechanisms by directly supporting smallholder linkages through out-grower schemes and contract farming arrangements as well as other improved arrangements for benefit sharing through corporate social responsibility and revenue management at the local level.

Component 3: Securing PPPs and smallholder linkages in the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) region. This component will involve the identification and realization of private investments in the agricultural value chain through PPPs. Investors could be local or international and would cover both production and processing activities as well as ancillary businesses. It will also strengthen community benefit sharing mechanisms by directly supporting smallholder linkages through out-grower schemes and contract farming arrangements as well as other improved arrangements for benefit sharing through corporate social responsibility and revenue management at the local level.

Component 4: Project Management and Monitoring & Evaluation. This component would finance the operational costs of project management including monitoring and evaluation activities. It would also include necessary training and capacity building for the staff.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP) envisages monitoring and evaluation as a forward-looking activity given the likelihood of continued support to commercial agriculture in Ghana beyond the GCAP lifetime and future GoG reforms in the sector.

The Project intends to engage a firm that is led by a professional Monitoring and Evaluation Expert to work with the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) to provide services with a view to ensure adequate reporting on progress towards the development objectives and to lay a solid foundation of data and information on which evidenced-informed programming and policy-making can take place and coordination between development partners and GoG can be facilitated.

The Third Party M&E Firm will be responsible for operationalising the project’s M&E framework, as articulated in the M&E manual (already prepared) and will revise the manual as and when required to adequately fulfill the M&E function of the GCAP. It will implement the maiden M&E plan and design/operate the information management system of the Project that adheres to the project management information needs and implementation requirements of the World Bank and other donors.

The Firm will assist in provision of sector-specific information and feed-back relevant to the Ministry of Finance I on outcomes of public-private partnerships in agriculture and related issues and to SADA on the contribution that commercial agriculture can make to poverty alleviation and job creation in the Northern regions

The specific objective of the assignment is to provide M&E support to the project to determine performance I and progress toward achieving outputs and as well as short-, medium- and long-term outcomes as outlined in the project document, M&E manual and M&E framework.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Firm will take overall charge of the Project’s M&E system establishment and initial management with stakeholder participation and conduct the tasks identified below by applying sound technical practices and methods and collecting and making use) of available and necessary data in carrying out the assignment. The firm shall work in close consultation with the Project Coordinator of the PIU. The specialist will discuss issues that would affect efficient information M&E management with the Project Coordinator and agree on the ways to resolve them.

•   Undertake a Baseline Survey for the project. This survey will collect information that will aid in project planning as well as provide a basis for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the project;
•   Design a project performance monitoring, evaluation and reporting system for the project aligned to the overall Monitoring Framework of the project, including roles and responsibilities for implementation:
•   Supervise data collation, entry and generation of analyzed data and information on all M&E activities:
•   Collaborate with other focal persons for timely submission of data in the form and format required for reporting;
•   Establish and maintain an appropriate MIS system to monitor and evaluate progress in achieving the project outputs and outcomes at key junctures during the project period to assess progress towards achieving project’s Objectives.
•   Develop where necessary, refine and implement, together with Project Implementation Unit and project teams, the projects planning and M & E and MIS system
•   Build the capacity of the project implementing agencies to monitor project impacts and use the MIS (reporting functions related to M&E only) by providing on-the-job training;
•   Undertake regular visits to the field to support implementation of M&E and to Identify where adaptations might be needed;
•   Guide the regular sharing of the outputs of M&E findings with project staff, Implementing Agencies and major stakeholders;
•   Ensure that monitoring data are discussed in the appropriate forum and in on scheduled in terms of implications for future actions, if necessary, create such discussion forums to fill any gaps;
•   Supervise the annual value chain survey which will monitor the commercial agriculture value chain and the participation of smallholders in it;
•   Participate in External Missions and facilitate Mission Team Members access to monitoring and evaluation data and information and to beneficiary and stakeholders as well as direct personal knowledge of the field situation;
•   Support the project’s communications approach to deliver key policy messages effectively, including presentation of project achievements through the MOFA (project’s) website;
•   Through the regular M&E system will incorporate learning activities throughout: through stakeholder review activities, feedback from MTR, impact studies, cross-visits, field monitoring visits, to ensure lesson learning and feedback mechanisms;
•   Conduct all evaluations aside from the rigorous impact evaluation (which is being managed separately by the World Bank, in close collaboration with the PIU), this will include undertaking and/or supervising the Project’s mid-term evaluation, final evaluation, and all necessary data collection and analysis;
•   Work closely with the researchers from the impact evaluation team In order to supplement and integrate data collection efforts; and
•   Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably assigned by the Project Coordinator

Performance Criteria

The following criteria will be used to assess the performance of the Third Party M&E Firm at regular intervals and based upon which the contract with the PIU may be evaluated after six months:

•   Functionality and use of the MIS developed
•   Timeliness of project monitoring and evaluation management activities:
•   Quality of documentation submitted for prior review; and
•   Quality and timeliness of reports,

The Consultant shall be subject to monthly performance assessments based on agreed performance targets,

REPORTING AND TIME SCHEDULES

The Firm will prepare Quarterly, Semi-Annual and Annual M&E reports as inputs into the Project Management Reports and in addition, will prepare other reports, as and when needed.

Qualification Required & Experience

This assignment requires a firm with the following qualifications and experience:

1)  Must be registered in Ghana and have a track record of performing similar roles for projects and established extractive com parries:
2)  Must have a leading expert with more than 10 years experience designing M&E Systems and operationalising same. It will be desirable to have experience with World Bank and USAID PMPs;
3)  Must have a track record of designing and conducting district and regional Baseline studies in Ghana and elsewhere;
4)  Must have own office space, equipment and vehicles to facilitate fieldwork and data collection;
5)  Must have staff or associates that have most of the following qualifications;

•   A Post graduate Degree In administration, management, agriculture, rural development; planning, statistics economics, natural and/or social science or other relevant field
•   At least 10 years’ experience in designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation programmes and projects monitoring and evaluation;
•   Demonstrated knowledge of participatory M&E systems, project performance monitoring system, benefit monitoring and evaluation or other relevant experience;
•   Capacity to work under tight deadlines and to handle potentially controversial and/or very sensitive issues that require, initiative, clarity, accuracy and speedy responses;
•   Proven ability to multi-task and work independently;
•   Ability to transfer analytical results into simple and workable solutions.
•   Excellent conceptual and analytical skills. Highly self-motivated, confident and with good interpersonal skill;
•   Ability to arrange and facilitate consultations, meetings and workshops;
•   Proven ability to produce quality reports (quantitative and qualitative data, photos, charts, maps):
•   Excellent lime management skills, with an ability to deliver high-quality outputs on time;
•   Very good compute, skills including use of technical software for M&E purposes;
•   Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English IS a must; a Membership of a Professional Body will be an advantage.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

A short list of consulting firm will be compiled and a consultant selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) Method procedures set out in the Guidelines; Selection and Employment of consultant Under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grant By World Bank Borrowers (January 2011 Edition)

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hour, i.e. 0900 to 1700 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail or by fax, or by email)

The Project Coordinator
Ghana Commercial Agriculture
Ministry of Food and Agriculture
CASHEW Block (around Juvenile Court, Riviera Beach), Accra
P.O Box M.37, Accra, Ghana

Tel: 233 302 666567
Fax: 233 302 668245
Email: alabibortey@gmail.com

Closing Date: 30 September, 2013