Background
AGRA is a not-for-profit organization working with African governments, other donors, NGOs, the private sector, and farmers to improve the productivity and incomes of resource-poor smallholder farmers in Africa. AGRA aims to catalyze an inclusive agricultural transformation in Africa by increasing incomes and improving food security for millions of smallholder farmers in Africa. For more information about AGRA, please visit www.agra.org.
AGRA acknowledges the importance of Environmental and Social Risk management and recognizes the need for systems to monitor and control potential impacts, in line with legal requirements, in its operational areas. AGRA is committed to mitigating the adverse environmental and social impacts of its interventions.
Over the last three (3) years, AGRA has been implementing the ESMS in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Nigeria. The implementation has been mainly at project level targeting KfW funded investments. The implementation has however been cascaded to an institutional level where the ESMS risk assessment and action plan development has been integrated into AGRA’s project management tool, called AMIS. This has resulted in institutional wide integration of the ESMS into project management. One of the key success ingredients of implementing ESMS is to ensure effective communication to both internal and external stakeholders. Communication contributes to a number of key issues including continued documentation and learning, effective stakeholder engagement, feedback gathering and mitigation of risks that may emerge out of limited information on risk management. Another key issue is the continued capacity building among the different levels of project managers and decision makers in the organization. As the ESMS reaches its maturity, there is a need to develop simplified operating procedures to facilitate the easy application of the risk assessment tools, a communication plan for at the country level and a training and orientation plan and exercise on key elements of the ESMS, this will include – installation of a grievance mechanism, development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of action plan, ESMS performance reporting and overall dissemination. This exercise is part of the organisation-wide rollout of the ESMS.
Therefore, AGRA is seeking the services of an environment and social management expert to develop simplified operating procedures for AGRA’s ESMS to facilitate the use of risk assessment tools, action plan implementation, monitoring and reporting, communication and engagement. The expert will also be required to update Agra’s develop training/orientation materials for the ESMS that will be used in the training and capacity building of both AGRA staff and Grantee staff. The expert will work with the country teams and all relevant staff. The expert will work with country teams to fast track the implementation of existing ESMS action plans. The expert will undertake training-of-trainers (ToT) of selected AGRA staff officers.
The expert will consolidate, and finalise, ESMS reports in Burkina Faso and Nigeria. This assignment will require limited in-country travel to undertake training/re-orientation of AGRA staff and the implementation of selected ESMS actions already identified such the installation of the Grievance Mechanism.
The consultant will use existing reports to focus on areas that require attention in the ESMS implementation at country level.
The consultant will develop a manuscript for knowledge management and sharing on the experience and learnings of developing an E&S policy and implementation of an ESMS in smallholder agriculture initiatives in Africa.
Objectives
This assignment aims to enhance operational effectiveness of the ESMS at project level by developing summarized and easy to use Standard Operational Procedures for E&S risk management. The assignment also aims at enhancing the dissemination of ESMS findings and mitigating actions to stakeholders as part of its risk mitigation strategy. As part of building capacities at country level, the consultant will develop training materials and also conduct a ToT on ESNS at country level. The assignment will target the following two countries: Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The ToT will cover officers from all AGRA countries – this training will take place in Nairobi.
Scope of Work
The scope of the assignment is itemized below:
a) Develop a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) document on the following ESMS thematic areas:
1. E&S risk screening
2. Action plan development, implementation, and reporting
3. Installation and implementation of a Grievance Mechanism at project level
4. ESMS performance reporting
b) Update AGRA ESMS training materials on all topics
c) Update AGRA’s E&S policy and manual.
1. Exclusion list. This should include a clause on indigenous people
2. Screening questionnaire
3. Action plan format
4. Review the reporting templates
d) Training or orientation of country staff on the following:
1. ESMS risk assessment
2. ESMS action planning
3. ESMS performance reporting
The training will take place in the following countries: Burkina Faso – 1; Nigeria – 1, Nairobi - 1
e) Development ESMS Communication and engagement plans
Location and nature of the assignment
The assignment will primarily focus on the following AGRA countries: Burkina Faso and Nigeria. This assignment will be conducted as a home-based consultancy with 1 trip per country for the training and in person discussions. The number of days per country will not exceed 5 days.
Duration
The assignment will be carried out within 90 days from the commencement date.
Qualifications and Experience
1. Minimum of a Master’s Degree in environmental science, sustainability, natural resources management, biodiversity management, agriculture sciences. A PhD degree in related fields like Environmental Management, and Sustainability is advantageous.
2. Prior experience in the design, implementation, evaluation of environment and social safeguard policies in the agriculture sector or food systems arena
3. Proficiency in data analysis, interpretation, and reporting is crucial. Identifying trends, measuring performance indicators, and quantifying environmental assets are central aspects of the role.
4. Experience in developing communication plans and/or engagement strategies for diverse stakeholders, and the public.
5. A strong grasp of AGRA’s existing ESMS is essential.
6. The ability to develop strategies and tools plan.
7. Experience in ESG implementation and management.
