Background
AGRA is an African-led alliance focused on putting smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives. Founded in 2006, at a time when agricultural development was emerging from a 20-year decline characterized by minimal growth and investment in the sector, AGRA’s mission is to catalyze and sustain an agricultural transformation in Africa through innovationdriven productivity increases and access to markets and finance that improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. For more information about AGRA, please visit www.agra.org.
About YEFFA Program
One key program that is central to the implementation of AGRA’s Strategy, towards which this consultancy is commissioned, is the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) program, which is a 5-year strategic partnership between AGRA and the Mastercard Foundation. The YEFFA program is designed to drive the transformation of Africa’s agrifood systems and aims to unlock millions of dignified and fulfilling work opportunities that are more resilient, sustainable, and equitable, ensuring greater value retention from Africa in Africa. Expected impact from YEFFA includes:
a) 10 million unemployed and underemployed Youth (50% young women) reached through YEFFA program activities.
b) 1.5 million young people (50% young women) transitioned into dignified and fulfilling work opportunities through two main employment pathways- on-farm and off-farm.
c) Increased volume and value of trade by women and Youth-led enterprises in regional markets.
d) Increased private sector investment to create job opportunities for young people, especially young women in agribusinesses.
e) Increased public and private sector financing for Youth enterprises delivering climate-smart agricultural products and services.
f) Improved agency, voice, and representation of Youth across the continent in key policy processes (including climate change and carbon markets), supply chain partnerships, and trading relationships.
The YEFFA program recognizes that climate change and poverty in Africa are deeply interconnected and exacerbate each other in a vicious cycle. Climate change is a threat multiplier, especially for the poor and most vulnerable sections of society. It can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities such as poverty, hunger, and poor health, and hamper progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030. Climate change is breaking down food systems by increasing the frequency and severity of natural hazards with a disproportionate impact on vulnerable foodinsecure households. Climate change thus directly impacts on the ability of financially disadvantaged young people to find work and earn income from agriculture on a sustainable basis.
To ensure that poverty relief interventions are effective and sustainable, and that improvements in the lives of poor smallholder farmers are not at risk of being squandered due to a lack of climate resilience, the YEFFA Program includes targeted activities designed to address climate-related issues and risks. In particular, it seeks to:
About the Southern Africa Poultry Initiative (SAPI)
In this context, the Southern Africa Poultry Initiative (SAPI) aims to develop a productive, inclusive, and globally competitive poultry sector in the Southern African region, generating thousands of jobs for African youth across the SADC region. Initially conceived by the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) and its partners in 2021, the initiative has gained momentum and, in 2024, held the inaugural Poultry Futures Forum on October 16–17 in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania, in conjunction with World Food Day. Organized by the Food Action Alliance (FAA), in partnership with the Government of Tanzania, AGRA, and the Tanzania Poultry Executive Compact Committee (TPECC) – along with support from GAIN, Gates Foundation, IFAD, Mastercard Foundation, SACAU, USAID, and US Grains Council – the Forum surfaced key elements of a strategic vision for the poultry sector in Southern Africa. It identified key investment priorities and fostered alignment among more than 350 public, private, and financial sectors, poultry associations, youth agripreneurs, and development partners from 23 countries.
In terms of overall impact, SAPI seeks the following:
To achieve these outcomes, SAPI has initially outlined five pillars of action for its 5– 10 Year SAPI vision as follows:
Building on this initial agreed framework, the SAPI partners are now working together to co-create a regional investible flagship program by the end of 2025 with youthcentric, evidence-based business investment cases to unlock significant investment and finance from private and public sector, and development finance institutions. This co-creation process seeks to uncover specific catalytic points of entry to unlock investment in several parts of the value chain across Southern Africa, and particularly in the four focus countries of the region (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia). These investments will seek to deliberately build on and complement other existing funding and efforts at the country level, such as what AGRA’s teams are doing in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania to assess markets for youth employment opportunities in poultry and value chains for animal feed (e.g., maize, soya).
Following the finalization of this flagship program at regional and country level, AGRA will continue to work closely with a Program Management Office (PMO) of SAPI to help drive its implementation with partners throughout 2026 at regional and country level in alignment with the strategic vision and a shared work plan.
Objectives of the consultancy
The Consultant will deliver on the following objectives:
1. Provide leadership and technical guidance to the program management office (PMO) of the Southern Africa Poultry Initiative (SAPI) to help shape its flagship program and governance, and roll out programs in 4 focus countries and the region.
2. Facilitate strategic engagements, resource mobilization, and partnership development for SAPI with national, regional and global partners.
3. Support AGRA country teams, regional office for Eastern and Southern Africa and partners in designing and scaling poultry development programs in focus countries, particularly in Southern Africa, and in select East and West Africa countries as priority opportunities arise.
Location and nature of the assignment
The Consultant will work across Southern Africa and at the country level in the four specific focus countries of the assignment (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia), with occasional travel outside the region.
Qualifications and Experience
The Consultant is expected to possess the following:
a. Minimum 15 years of experience in poultry value chains, with continental or regional exposure, particularly in Southern Africa.
b. Experience in developing and managing poultry value chain operations at the country level, particularly in Southern Africa.
c. Strong understanding of Africa’s development landscape, especially the poultry sector, agriculture and food systems.
d. Deep networks with the private sector, public sector, and development organizations are key to strengthening poultry value chains, particularly across Southern Africa.
e. Excellent analytical and facilitation skills.
f. Proven ability to generate actionable insights and clear reporting.
g. Demonstrated leadership in strategy development, program delivery, and stake-holder engagement.
h. Proven ability to mobilize partnerships and resources.
i. First degree in animal science, agricultural economics, or relevant field, with a Master’s degree preferred.
j. Familiarity with AGRA and its partners is an asset.
