BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
AGRA’s Strategy 3.0 envisions intentional and targeted political and technical assistance to governments and other continental bodies to create an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable transformation of agriculture system. AGRA has therefore positioned itself to seek and /or build on partnerships with key sector stakeholders to support national governments deliver policy and strengthen institutional and systemic capacity for implementation of the national priorities contained in the National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans (NAIPs).
To support the successful delivery of this programmatic focus within AGRA’s Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA), AGRA is seeking to recruit a consultant with strong technical skills to work as a Political Economy Analysis Consultant for the Policy and State Capability (PSC) Division.
SCOPE OF WORK
The consultancy is expected to deliver the following tasks:
i. Understanding and mapping of the political-economy landscapes, key institutions power structure and bargain, relations, and dynamics and trends in agrifood systems governance and policy systems, policy priorities and processes at macro, sectoral/thematic, and program/project levels across the 15 Countries, Continental (Africa Union - AU), NEPAD, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) such as ECOWAS, COMESA, EAC, SADIC, IGAD, and others where AGRA operates.
ii. Identification and analysis of key formal and informal institutions and interest groups, their development bargains, both overt and covert, incentives, influences, enablers, and rewards for brokering and influencing policies and implementations within the agrifood systems environment where AGRA operates.
iii. Investing and analyzing the political-economy factors or enablers fostering and/or issues affecting agrifood systems transformation, including barriers and knowledge gaps and opportunities for effective policy prioritization, budget and other resource allocations and implementations.
iv. Analyzing priority agricultural value chains and market matrix to identify key barriers to active and influential use of evidence for inclusive and sustainable transformation of agrifood systems.
v. Identification of key institutional capacity gaps that hinder effective implementation of agrifood systems policies in AGRA Countries.
vi. Develop a political economy analysis tool kit that guides and explains the relationship among various political and economy actors in agrifood system at continental, regional (RECs), national/country, and program/project levels.
vii. Provide actionable and highly targeted recommendations on both immediate and longterm strategies for engaging political economy system actors and institutions across the agrifood systems where AGRA operates to inform its plans and interventions at continental, regional and countries levels.
REQUIRED SKILLS, COMPETENCIES, AND EXPERIENCE
The consultant should have the following qualifications and experience:
a. Advanced degree with a specialization in relevant field(s) related to policy and governance, political economy, development economics, economics, public administration, public policy, food security, social sciences, and related field or proven relevant experience in the above fields.
b. Demonstrable experience in political economy analysis, policy analysis and highlevel policy advice relating to agrifood systems governance, food security, agriculture, and rural development.
c. Relevant experience working with high-level continental, regional or governmental and intergovernmental policy actors, multi stakeholder agencies and multisystemic teams in Africa.
d. Demonstrable clear understanding of inclusive agrifood systems transformation through evidence-based decision making.
e. Evidence of extensive policy networks in Africa will be an added advantage.
f. Demonstrable experience in working on similar assignments.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
Electronically via Oracle System
DEADLINE: MAY 24, 2024
