- Introduction
African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) is a Continental body that brings National Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) stakeholders under one umbrella. The AFAAS’ goal is to enhance the utilization of improved knowledge and innovations by agricultural value chain actors for improving productivity oriented toward their individual and national development objectives.
AFAAS desires to ensure enhanced competency of AEAS providers to enable them better address the increasing needs and demands of various value chain actors. The AFAAS 2018-2027 strategy focuses on three pillars namely: (i) strengthening and expanding network and knowledge management capacities. (ii) Developing capacities for scaling out technologies and innovations. (iii) Facilitating advancement of AEAS. Notably, Agriculture plays a pivotal role in promoting productivity, increasing food security, strengthening rural communities, and underpinning agriculture as the engine of pro-poor economic growth and one of the key pillars for transforming rural livelihoods and contributing to Africa’s agenda in 2063.
As one of the major delivery pathways for innovation and impact in AEAS, AFAAS together with 25 partner organizations are implementing the European Research Executive Agency (EREA) funded project; ‘Diversifying revenue in rural Africa through circular, sustainable and replicable biobased solutions and business models’’ (Bio4Africa). The project is in the context that; African agri-food systems need to become: more resilient to economic and environmental risks, more sustainable to conserve, restore and enhance the biodiversity and natural resources that constitute an essential heritage for the rural communities that live off them. The project period is 48 months (June 2021 – May 2025).
The Bio4Africa project sets off to support the deployment of the bioeconomy in rural Africa via the development of bio-based solutions and value chains with a circular approach to drive the cascading use of local resources and diversify the income of farmers. AFAAS is specifically charged with the responsibility of co-designing of sustainable business models for the four pilot sites in Uganda, Ghana, Senegal and Ivory Coast (Cote dIvoire).
Within the implementation period, the Bio4Africa project has set up 4 pilot cases with over 8 testing sites in Uganda, Ghana, Senegal and Ivory Coast offering more than 300 farmers and farmer groups of all sizes (i.e. small dairy and lower-income farmers, women farmer groups and transhumant pastoralists among others) the opportunity to test them in real production conditions.
To ensure successful implementation, a balanced mix of 13 African (KRC and AFAAS being one of the local partners) and 12 EU partners are engaging in solid multi-actor collaboration with rural communities and government, co-developing novel sustainable value chains driven by circular business models and supporting deployment in other areas, while safeguarding agronomic, environmental, social and economic sustainability. To effectively implement this requirement, the AFAAS secretariat is seeking the services of a business development consultant to support the BIO4AFRICA project that ultimately create more income for the rural farmers through simple bio-based technologies.
2. Objectives of the Consultancy
The overall objective of this consultancy shall be to co-design and develop sustainable business models that are in line with simple biobased technologies. Specifically, the consultant shall be expected to;
- Review and analyze outputs t and related to the different Work packages 1, 2 and 5 for peculiar elements that could inform the co-designing of a sustainable business model.
- Review any other related literature on Bio-economy to augment the synthesized data for effective synergies.
- Carry out consultations with project partners on salient issues regarding the technologies being piloted.
- Carry out participatory activities in co-designing, testing and validating models alongside farmers and developing business plans in the four pilot sites projects in Africa.
- Support business model improvement and validation building.
- Support assessment of potential replication using sustainable agricultural practices.
- Draft Inception report how the consultant envisages to undertake the assignment.
- Draft a business model, approaches, and tools presented to AFAAS and other BIO4AFRICA teams for feedback and suggestions for improvement.
- Ten Sustainable bio-based business models developed across all the pilot projects (Uganda, Ghana, Senegal and Ivory Coast).
- Overall sustainable businesses developed for scaling out the developed models.
- Draft final report detailing Tested least cost sustainable business models and approaches for bio-based technologies and practices inclusive of socio-economic and environmental dimensions;
- Final report detailing the process and Bio based business models developed.
3. Reporting
The consultant shall report to the Executive Director of AFAAS through the Director of Programmes AFAAS and work closely with Bio4Africa Project coordinator.
4. Compensation
The consultant shall be paid a consolidated professional fee based on experience and qualifications. AFAAS shall cover any travel, and communications costs for important missions, with prior recommendation by the Director Programmes and approval by AFAAS ED.
5. Duration
The consultancy is expected to take 48 days spread through the months of June – November 2022.
6. Qualification and Experience Requirements
The following set of competencies and qualifications will form the basis for the selection of the consultant
- Minimum of Master’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, or any other related field.
- Experience of at least 5 years in providing communities with diverse options for taking up bio-based technologies using sustainable business models; deployment of participatory activities to co-design, test and validate models alongside farmers and developing business plans;
- Demonstrated experience in contextualizing and operationalizing ideas, models and frameworks.
- Demonstrated experience in developing sustainable business models using the Triple-layered approach in Sub Saharan Africa.
- Knowledge of the innovation systems and the global paradigms in extension and advisory services
- A track record of writing reports evidenced by publication record, such as study reports, policy briefs, books, chapters in books, conference papers and journal articles.
- Demonstrated understanding of the role of innovation and new markets, value creation processes, and feedstock collection systems.
- Evidence-based knowledgeable about value propositions and the ability to stimulate the stakeholders thinking in a participatory manner in order to sketch out alternative value propositions customized to different contexts as per the pilot cases.
7. Application Process
Interested qualified and experienced individual consultants should send their expression of interest (via e-mail) and comprehensive curriculum vitae, detailing proof of similar experience, together with the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three referees. The expression of interest should include technical proposal with clear methodology, to be addressed to:
Dr. Silim Mohammed Nahdy
Executive Director, AFAAS.
Kigobe Road House No. 26 Ministers Village Ntinda
P.O BOX 34624 Kampala Uganda
Email: secretariat@afaas-africa.org;
Telephone: +256-312-313400.
Further information may be obtained from AFAAS Procurement Unit Email pwanzala@afaas-africa.org; and/ or Directorate of Programmes; email: molupot@afaas-africa.org;
8. Closing Date
Applications will be accepted up to Friday 24th June, 2022. Only applicants who meet the minimum requirements shall be contacted in accordance with the solicitation method.
AFAAS Affirmative Action Statement on Employment: there is no discrimination based on gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability or health status.
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