Objectives
The overall objective of this assignment is to support ECOWAS in strengthening and providing technical leadership and guidance to youth-related agriculture and food security interventions and initiatives at the ECOWAS Secretariat, ensuring that interventions are high-quality and evidence-based. Specifically, the objectives include:
The expected outcome of this consultancy is to enable ECOWAS to successfully implement the Kampala Declaration, domestication of the AAYS and achieve the targets within the prescribed timeline. The youth expert will emphasize data collection and analytics on youth in agri-business, building the external capacity of youths to engage in policy dialogues and advocacy.
Scope of Work
The Youth Adviser will primarily focus on youth asks, reporting and guiding youth stakeholders on the integration of Kampala commitments into the planning frameworks:
a. Review/reconfigure the ECOWAP Meals to fit the needs of the Kampala initiatives, domestication of the AAYs, and the ECOWAS Employment Policy Framework (2019).
b. Identify systemic capacity gaps that affect youth participation across the agrifood systems in ECOWAS and its member states and propose evidence-based recommendations for actions.
c. The Adviser will strengthen regional evidence-based youth policy advocacy networks and dialogue platforms to engage the youth on employment policies, including the challenges and opportunities in youth employment within agrifood systems.
d. Support ECOWAS Partner States to set up a comprehensive database of young people who participate in agriculture and agri-food systems interventions.
e. Support the ECOWAS to provide an overarching vision and workplan for the youth in agriculture interventions at the secretariat in collaboration with the director agriculture and food security, other staff at the division, development partners and other key stakeholders at the regional levels
f. Support continuous youth in agriculture program learning and ensure integration of measurement, monitoring and evaluation data/processes into management decision-making and policy advocac
g. Support engagement of ECOWAS with the private sector to accelerate digital adoption and reduce the costs of cross-border trading and production.
h. Develop and implement capacity strengthening plans for youth in agribusiness. Develop tools and guides to facilitate knowledge transfer. Provide technical training and support.
i. Produce effective written reports and oral presentations on the youth-related interventions, including preparing periodic reports, providing updates on challenges facing the project, and articulating the project’s success in meeting deliverables.
j. Contribute to the conception and implementation of specific programmes and projects geared towards the development and empowerment of the youth in the ECOWAS.
k. Lead resource mobilization efforts to mobilize resources for financing of youth projects and enterprises at the ECOWAS level. This activity will also involve setting up and implementation of the online crowd-funding platform for the financing of youth projects and enterprises.
l. Identify and follow up partners for the financing of the youth in agribusiness interventions in ECOWAS, as well as policies and initiatives to be implemented at the international level to benefit ECOWAS Youth.
Location and nature of the assignment
The consultant shall undertake the assignment from ECOWAS Secretariat based in Abuja, Nigeria. He/She will be reporting to the ECOWAS Director of Agriculture & Rural Development for daily supervisory work, and matrix reporting to the Senior Specialist, Policy and State Capability-West Africa.
Duration
The assignment will take 12 months (48 weeks) to complete and will be subject to renewal based on performance and availability of funds.
Required Experience and Skills
a) Eight years of relevant experience leading agriculture projects/programs focused on youth, economic empowerment, livelihoods, access to finance, and/or private sector development.
b) Strong understanding of the economic, educational, and youth contexts in Africa, with a deep
c) Good understanding of issues and of youth economic empowerment.
d) Good knowledge of the socio-economic situation of the ECOWAS region.
e) Technical leadership experience on youth development programs funded by development partners such as the Master Card Foundation, FAO, USAID, and the World Bank.
f) Strong understanding of best practices in youth programming, including Positive Youth Development, and familiarity with the African Agribusiness Youth Strategy.
g) Good knowledge and experience on how to mobilize technical and financial resources to finance youth-related projects.
h) Experience working with a regional or international organization would be an advantage.
i) Experience cultivating relationships and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders, including youth, government ministries and officials, NGOs, donors, the private sector, and community-based institutions, preferably in a country in the ECOWAS region.
j) Experience developing and implementing adequate capacity strengthening models and approaches for organizations and individuals, including among low literacy populations.
k) Knowledge of life skills and their integration into comprehensive skills-building programs for youth.
Qualifications and Experience
a. Education and Qualification
Master’s Degree in an area relevant to the assignment, such as Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Youth International Development, or related discipline.
b. Added Experience, skills and competencies must include:
DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 24, 2025
