Location: Home based, with possible travel to Kenya
Department: Sustainable Livestock Program
Deadline: 20 May 2022
Job Description
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), recruit a consultant to support a needs assessment work-package for the project on Development of Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) Land, Soil and Crop Information Services in the easter Africa region.
ILRI works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centres dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org
Background:
Currently, LSC information services is often not used effectively in decision-making, because it is not available in an organized and accessible form and is not viewed as ‘owned’ by national organizations. Therefore, stakeholders at national and local levels, including smallholder farmers, are not well equipped to evaluate existing policies, plans and farming practices and improve and transform these in a climate smart manner. This Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture, (DeSIRA) LSC-IS project starts, therefore, with the assumption that soil, land and crop information can help to improve the efficacy of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) related policies, plans and practices. Currently national governments and donors invest in CSA in Eastern Africa. To support these investments, it is of great importance to understand the nature of the land, the soil and the crop-soil relationships. This is confirmed by increased political attention translated into policies that recognize the crucial role soils have in providing food, feed and timbre, as well as sustaining ecosystem services for clean water, nutrients, biodiversity, and regulating climate.
Scope of Work:
The consultant will be expected to carry out the following tasks:
- Support workpackage-2 component of assessment of the demand among stakeholders for Land-Soil-Crop Information Services (LSC-IS) knowledge and information
- Support workpackage-2 component of assessment of strategic, technical, operational, and institutional requirements for LSC-IS hubs.
- Support workpackage-4 component of introducing, familiarizing, and training LSC-IS users working with and benefiting from land, soil and crop information.
- Support workpackage-4 component of collecting feedback from LSC-IS users for improving the functionality and user-friendliness of the LSC-IS hubs.
- Support workpackage-4 component of implementing and adapting a sustainability strategy for the LSC-IS hubs within hosting organizations.
Final products:
Expected deliverables to contribute to:
- Report on workpackage-2 component of assessment of the demand among stakeholders for Land-Soil-Crop Information Services (LSC-IS) knowledge and information
- Report on workpackage-2 component of assessment of strategic, technical, operational, and institutional requirements for LSC-IS hubs.
- Report on workpackage-4 component of introducing, familiarizing, and training LSC-IS users working with and benefiting from land, soil and crop information.
- Report on workpackage-4 component of collecting feedback from LSC-IS users for improving the functionality and user-friendliness of the LSC-IS hubs.
- Report on workpackage-4 component of implementing and adapting a sustainability strategy for the LSC-IS hubs within hosting organizations.
Consultancy Fee: Lumpsum or by mutual agreement based on agreed milestones and deliverables
Post location: Consultants base station
Duration: 6 months with maximum of 75 working days
Expected places of travel: Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia
Essential skills and qualifications
- PhD in in agriculture, agronomy agricultural economics, resource economics or related field
- Working experience within Eastern Africa, especially Ethiopia
- Working experience with modelling
- Strong analytical writing and communication skills
- Ability to work independently.
- Fluency in written and spoken English
How to apply: Applicants should send a cover letter and CV expressing their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Director, People and Organizational Development by clicking on the “Apply Now” tab before 20 May 2022. The position title and reference umber REF: SLS/457/2022 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the cover letter.
We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
To find out more about ILRI visit our websites at http://www.ilri.org
ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.