HIRING: Agronomy Consultant with West Africa Focus

Application due by the end of August, 2024

RICOWAS Project

Scaling-up climate-resilient rice production in West Africa

Part-time, 26 months Agronomy Consultancy

Terms of Reference

October 2024 - December 2026

1. Background

The RICOWAS project is under implementation over 4 years in 13 West African Countries from January 2023 to December 2026. The RICOWAS project builds on the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) methodology in association with agroecological zones and specific Sustainable Land and Water Management (SLWM) practices, which will maximize the adaptation potential of vulnerable rice production systems throughout West Africa. This integrative approach is synthesized as Climate-Resilient Rice Production (CRRP).

The project will implement the best practices for irrigated rice systems, rainfed lowland and upland systems and mangrove rice systems from the semi-arid to humid climate zones of West Africa. This is the largest project funded by the Adaptation Fund, as well as the largest SRI scaling-up project at the global level. We expect the project to create a long-lasting and profound impact for West African rice farming to sustainably grow rice, adapt to climate change and to reduce greenhouse gases, all at once. We also expect this project to be an inspiration on how to change rice production at the global level, and to mobilize more support to make that change happen.

Funded by the Adaptation Fund (AF), The Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), in its capacity as a Regional Entity Accredited by the AF, oversees the project overall implementation. The Rice Regional Center of Specialization, hosted by the Institute of Rural Economy (IER) of Mali, is the Regional Executing Entity (REE) working in close partnership with the Climate Resilient Farming Systems program at Cornell University, in the United States, as the Regional Executing Partner.

At the country level, the National Executing Entities (NEE) are:

· Benin: General Secretariat of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (GS/MALF)/National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB)

· Burkina-Faso: Ministry of Agriculture and Hydro-agricultural Development/General Directorate of Sector Studies and Statistics

· Côte d'Ivoire: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development/National Rural Development Support Agency (ANADER)

· The Gambia: Ministry of Agriculture

· Ghana: CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI)

· Guinea: Agronomic Research Institute (IRAG)

· Liberia: Community of Hope Agriculture Project (CHAP)

· Mali: National Directorate of Agriculture (NDA)

· Niger: National Institute of Agronomic Research of Niger (INRAN)

· Nigeria: Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)

· Senegal: National Agency for Agricultural and Rural Advice (ANCAR)

· Sierra Leone: Rokupr Rice Research Center / Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI)

· Togo: Institute of Technical Advice and Support (ICAT)

Many technical and scientific partners from the public, private and civil society sectors of the region will be involved in the project implementation, including in particular CILSS, CORAF, ECOWAS, UEMOA, etc.

2. Project document and activities

The project document can be downloaded from the official Adaptation Fund Website here.

The global objective of the project is to improve climate resilience and increase rice system productivity of smallholder rice farmers across West Africa using a climate-resilient rice production approach. The project aims to reach around 153,000 rice growers and indirectly benefit around 1.5 million people.

The three project components are:

· Project Component 1: Strengthen human and institutional capacity in CRRP

· Project Component 2: Assist farmers to scale-up CRRP

· Project Component 3: Strengthen communication, advocacy and partnerships to scale-up CRRP

The project activities under the three components are described in detail on pages 25-34 of the project document.

3. Cornell University’s contribution to the RICOWAS project

Cornell University’s Climate-Resilient Farming System Program (CRFS), led by Professor Erika Styger, is part of the Department of Global Development. CRFS is a Regional Executing Partner to the regional coordination of the RICOWAS. Cornell contributes significantly to a number of project activities over the entire period of project implementation.

Cornell University’s team will provide agronomic technical assistance to the country teams of the RICOWAS project. We will contribute in the implementation of the following project activities, which are described in detail on pages 25-34 of the project document.

· Activity 1.2.1.1. Support the development of SRI-CRRP adapted rice growing practices, equipment and tools

· Activity 1.2.1.2. Establishment of a regional technical group to review the advancement of SRI and CRRP best practices

· Activity 1.2.3.1. Undertake Training-of-Trainer’s (ToT) on SRI, CRRP

· Activity 1.2.3.2. Develop, revise, and produce training materials and modules for SRI, SLWM and other relevant technical topics

· Activity 2.1.2.1. Develop and test data tracking methodology and mechanism on the implementation of SRI and CRRP

· Activity 2.1.2.3. Provide agents of national institutions and extension services, researchers and smallholder rice farmers with the expertise to use the data tracking methodology.

· Activity 2.1.2.4. Update the data analysis and CRRP tracking database annually and publish its key performance indicators and results on the project website

· Activity 3.1.1.2. Development of a user-friendly web-based platform for SRI and CRRP methods

4. Consultant’s responsibilities (additional responsibilities designated as needed)

The consultant will work in close consultation with Professor Styger, who is responsible for the Cornell implementation of the RICOWAS project activities. The consultant will either take the lead for certain activities or assist REE and Dr Styger in the implementation of the activities. The responsibilities will be clearly defined in an established workplan, which will be reviewed and adjusted on a quarterly basis.

This will be a desk-job consultancy with no travels. Work is done remotely for most part, with periodic in-person meetings at Cornell University as indicated.

The consultant’s main responsibilities include:

· Establish and manage a database for i) best agronomic practices on SRI and Sustainable Land and Water Management (SLWM) in relation to different rice systems for the four major climate zones in West Africa, and ii) SRI smallholder equipment for West Africa.

· Facilitate and coordinate a regional technical innovation group from 13 countries to identify and review best SRI and SLWM practices.

· Create training materials for the regional yearly training of trainers on SRI and SLWM, with topics identified throughout the year with country representatives from the 13 countries.

· Assist REE in developing an SRI tracking methodology (TM) - through an app and dashboard - and assist country teams in its correct use. Assist REE in summarizing results for their annual report.

More detailed responsibilities can be found in the Appendix.

5. Desired skills, experience and qualifications

· Ms or PhD in agronomy, or associated fields, such as crop and soil sciences

· Professional experience of five or more years

· Strong knowledge of agro-ecological approaches, crop production practices, regenerative agriculture

· Passionate about agricultural practices and agronomic details

· Practical experience in farming, and ideally in rice production

· Experience in undertaking technical trainings and in developing technical teaching materials for agriculture technicians and farmers

· Experience in data and database management

· Fluent in French and English (reading, speaking, writing)

· Field experience working in Africa (preferably West Africa)

· Pro-active and independent working style, self-starter

· Good communications skills

· Well organized

· Good listener

· Needs to be USA-based, ideally based in the Northeast, New York State, or Ithaca, New York (can’t be on Cornell payroll for the last 12months).

· This will be a desk-job consultancy with no travels. Work is done remotely for most part, with periodic in-person meetings at Cornell University as indicated.

6. Timeline, level of effort and compensation

This is a part-time consultancy for 28 months with ca 50-100 days per year, starting immediately (October/November 2024- December 2026). Level of effort will be distributed fairly evenly throughout the year but might vary depending on meeting certain deadlines. Compensation will be determined according to salary history.

The consultant needs to be US-based, ideally based in the Northeast of the USA, New York State, or Ithaca, New York (but can’t be on Cornell payroll for the last 12months). This will be a desk-job consultancy with no travels. Work is done remotely for most part, with periodic in-person meetings at Cornell University as indicated.

7. Application

Please send a cover letter and CV to Professor Erika Styger, eds8@cornell.edu, by August 31, 2024. Please add the subject title “RICOWAS Consultancy Application” to your email. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants will hear from us latest by end of September.

Appendix: Consultant responsibilities

Activity 1.2.1.1. Support the development of SRI-CRRP adapted rice growing practices, equipment and tools

The consultant will take the lead and develop together with RCoS-Rice an SRI equipment and SRI best practices database. Best SRI and Sustainable Land and Water management practices will be identified for each climate zone and rice systems based on West African and international experiences. The database will become a comprehensive resource accessible to project partners and rice programs in West Africa. It will be updated in coordination with the regional technical group (A. 1.2.1.2.) every quarter throughout the project.

Activity 1.2.1.2. Establishment of a regional technical group to review the advancement of SRI and CRRP best practices

The consultant will assist Dr Styger in the coordination of the regional technical group. The aim is to identify best SRI and SLWM practices for each climate zone and rice systems (regionally and nationally). Templates will be provided to technical group members for their use. Cornell will organize and lead the quarterly zoom meetings for the regional technical group. Cornell will also be in charge of collecting and synthesizing the best practices ideas, manuals, new findings and innovations, and other information coming from the countries and i) integrate into database, ii) integrate into TOTs, and iii) develop, improve and revise project manuals and technical materials.

Activity 1.2.3.1. Undertake Training-of-Trainer’s (ToT) on SRI, CRRP

Cornell will co-facilitate and co-lead the yearly regional TOTs on SRI and SLWM, which is taking place in the first quarters of Y2, Y3, and Y4. The TOT is addressed at NEE and the project implementing agencies. In the first year of the project (2024), the ToT workshop focused on SRI. The subsequent workshops will focus on the integration of best practices in soil, water, and crop pest and disease management according to climate zones and rice systems. Periodic check-in with countries allows to stay be touch with the project implementers and maintain dialogue over capacity strengthening needs. Topics for future TOTs will be identified in close discussion with countries. The consultant will coordinate communications with countries and develop TOT materials.

Activity 1.2.3.2. Develop, revise, and produce training materials and modules for SRI, SLM and other relevant technical topics

The Consultant and Dr Styger will collaborate with RCoS-Rice to develop regional training materials for the TOT on various topics such as SRI, soil and water conservation, soil fertility management, integrated pest management according to climate zones and rice systems. New training modules will be developed each year based on i) the recommendations of the technical group (1.2.1.2), ii) based on the TOT and capacity needs assessments, and iii) based on the direct requests from countries in the region. The requests will be collected on a rolling basis, best practices identified in connection with the best practices database (see under 1.2.1.1), and modules designed to serve the project implementers needs.

Activity 2.1.2.1. Develop and test data tracking methodology and mechanism on the implementation of SRI and CRRP

Cornell will collaborate with the REE and OSS to develop a tracking methodology for the implementation of SRI and CRRP. The Consultant will collaborate in the design of data sheets, a field app for data collection and a dashboard to present country data.

Activity 2.1.2.3. Provide agents of national institutions and extension services, researchers and smallholder rice farmers with the expertise to use the data tracking methodology.

Once the first version of the tracking methodology (TM) is developed, the consultant will assist RCoS-Rice to train users over zoom on its use, share a training manual with users, collect their feedback, and adjust training so everyone can use the TM satisfactorily.

Activity 2.1.2.4. Update the data analysis and CRRP tracking database annually and publish its key performance indicators and results on the project website

Consultant will assist REE in presenting results for the annual report. This includes assisting REE in summarizing the collected data and present the data and indicators in a yearly overview. This will be made available on the project dashboard and on the project website. Results will be integrated in REE’s annual report and will be presented during the yearly regional meeting.

Activity 3.1.1.2. Development of a user-friendly web-based platform for SRI and CRRP methods

Cornell will closely work with the REE communication hub to integrate the practices database (Activity 1.2.1.1.) as features and for accessing the database in a user-friendly way. As knowledge on CRRP will steadily increase during the project implementation, Cornell will assure that new information (stemming from Activities 1.2.1.1, 1.2.1.2., and 1.2.3.2) will be continuously added to the project website.