Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
|FARA |FAO |Bioversity |ISAR-Rwanda |
FARA seeks to recruit a Communication and Public Awareness Specialist who will be based at the FARA Secretariat in Accra, Ghana.Working under FARA’s Networking Support Function 2 and reporting to the Director, Access to Knowledge and Technologies (NSF2), the successful candidate shall perform inter alia the following duties:
• Update and implement FARA’s communication strategy i.e. produce and disseminate public awareness materials such as case studies, policy papers targeted at development partners and policy makers
• Build on the FARA communication strategy to develop a specific strategy to target the media i.e. relate with the International and African Press Agencies in preparation for major FARA events such as the FARA General Assembly held triennially; drafting press releases, and opinion pieces on agricultural research issues in Africa and other related to the activities of the FARA secretariat and FARA forum
• Support to the national RAILS teams to relate with their local media and capture local press stories on agricultural research for development
• Contribute to the regular updates of FARA information and communication tools relevant for FARA and its network.
• Edit communication materials released by FARA Secretariat
• Monitor events or developments at the Global level, FARA Programme sites, SROs and NARS level and identify agricultural research opportunities to inform relevant FARA’s policies, programmes and advocacy functions
• Coordinate FARA’s response to requests for information in a timely, cost effective and appropriate manner on various issues raised by FARA Stakeholders
• Any other duties as that might be assigned by NSF2 Director or FARA management
Compensation
This is a full-time internationally recruited staff position (categorized as Professional Staff within FARA
Secretariat). FARA offers competitive terms of employment.
Applications
Please send (via e-mail) comprehensive curriculum vitae, together with the names, addresses, e-mail addresses, telephone and fax numbers of three referees to:
Dr. Monty P. Jones, Executive Director, FARA, PMB CT 173, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana; Email: ed@faraafrica.org ; Fax: +233 21 773676. Applications will be accepted up to 28th January 2010. More information
Networking
Support Function-1 is responsible for advocacy and resource
mobilization on behalf of the Forum’s stakeholders and coordinates the
Secretariat’s lead role in the implementation of CAADP Pillar IV. The
unit supports the integration of FAAP principles and the inclusion of
Pillar IV issues in agriculture sector investment programmes developed
within the CAADP framework as well as assisting with the evolution and
reform of national agricultural research systems at sub-regional and
national levels. NSF-1 leads the process to promote the awareness of
key players in Pillar IV implementation.
FARA is seeking to
recruit a Consultant for six-months to provide technical support to
assist with the expected increased activity in Pillar IV implementation
in 2010.
The consultant will work with the Director, Networking
Support Function 1 and the NSF1 team in achieving the goals of the
Pillar IV process.
More information Terms for reference
Location:Kampala, Uganda
Duration: Three years duration, contract renewed annually
Eligibility: The post is open to:
• candidates who have Dutch nationality or a permanent residence status in the Netherlands; or candidates who have the nationality of another EU Member State; or
• candidates from eligible developing countries; See the section “Further Information” for other eligibility criteria and the list of developing countries eligible to participate in the JPO/JE/APO/AE Programme.
Note: Nationals of the duty station (Uganda) are not eligible. Nor are candidates who have previously worked as a JPO/JE/APO/AE.
Terms and conditions: Bioversity International offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary, noncontributory retirement plan, housing allowance, medical insurance and leave provisions. All benefits are denominated and paid in US Dollars.
Further information: on Bioversity can be found at:http://www.bioversityinternational.org/ or about the vacancy by request to bioversityvacancy@cgiar.org
For further information on eligibility criteria, click on the link below:
http://www.minbuza.nl/en/Key_Topics/Development_Cooperation/Associate_Experts_Programme
Applications: Please apply online through the following link: Bioversity Employment Opportunities Webpage by clicking the “Apply” button. Alternatively, via e-mail to: bioversityvacancy@cgiar.org including a letter of application, curriculum vitae in English
indicating ‘Associate Expert, Uganda’ in the subject line; or via mail to: Human Resources Office, Bioversity International, Via de Tre Denari, 472/a, 00057 Maccarese, Rome, Italy; or via Fax to (39) 06 6118 341. Please quote the source of advertisement.
The curriculum vitae should include applicant’s date of birth, nationality, marital status (if married with spouse and children details); contact details; summary of secondary education; detailed description of higher education including degree courses undertaken and special assignments/projects; consultant contracts; work experience; recreational interests; language capabilities; details of three referees including telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address. Deadline for applications: 29 November 2009. More information
Bioversity International is developing a programme of work on the use of biodiversity resources for food and nutrition. Bioversity’s research is designed to explore how biodiversity conservation and use can provide immediate local as well as global benefits to people, especially in developing countries facing a growing burden of malnutrition. Agricultural biodiversity within agroecosystems (including crop genetic diversity, neglected or orphan crops, and plants and animals in home gardens and in a range of niches including aquatic environments and forest margins) is an important a source of micronutrients and dietary diversity.
Agricultural biodiversity is also crucial to counter trends towards uniform, simplified, and nutritionally poor diets. Bioversity seeks to fill the international post of Senior Scientist in Nutrition with expertise in human nutrition
to lead a global research programme investigating how agricultural biodiversity can contribute to improved nutrition and health. The incumbent would lead research that (i) provides systematic evidence of the links between agricultural biodiversity, dietary diversity and relevant health outcomes; (ii) documents the role of local foods, local food culture and traditional knowledge of plants and foods; (iii) identifies strategic options
and pathways that mainstream biodiversity into cross-cutting policy and development agendas in agriculture, health, and environment. More information
Interested candidates will submit the letter of application, their technical and financial proposals, curriculum vitae, and statement of capability to the Director General, ISAR Office in Kigali by email: dg@isar.rw, with a copy to dgsec@isar.rw, j_mugabe@yahoo.fr, kagiboni@yahoo.fr and ndiramiye@gmail.com.
The deadline for submission of application is the 22 December 2009.
More information Terms of Reference
TOR for a consultancy to develop the Rwanda Agricultural Research Strategic Plan
Background
Agriculture, which contributes around 40% of the GDP, needs a strong support of research to
play a sustainable role in the country's development. The agricultural research mandate is
vested with the Rwanda Agricultural Research Institute (ISAR), one of the main pillars of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), meant to support the
implementation of the National Agricultural Policy and the Ministry's mission of transforming agriculture from the traditional subsistence type to a demand driven and commercially oriented agriculture. ISAR mission is "to generate and develop demand-driven innovative technologies to increase agricultural productivity for food security and improved incomes while conserving the natural resource base".
To ensure that developed and disseminated research technologies contribute towards the
Ministry's mission and are in line with the Rwandan agriculture needs, ISAR is undertaking
to revise the Agricultural Research Strategic Plan, to align it with the current national
agricultural and development policies, which includes the Strategic Plan for Agricultural
Transformation (SPAT) and the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy
(EDPRS).
Objective of the consultancy
The primary purpose of the agricultural research strategic planning is to develop a
comprehensive "roadmap" setting the direction, priorities and pace of agricultural research,
taking into account the country's policies and development programs in agricultural sector,
and the need to rapidly disseminate newly created and existing technologies to Rwandan
farmers and create sustained visibility for Agricultural research for the next 10 years. The
development of the Agricultural Research Strategic Plan should take into account the current
merger of agricultural research and extension into one agency, the Rwanda Agriculture Board
(RAB).
Who is expected to undertake this work?
The consultant, an individual or company, will be experienced in strategic planning and
formulation process for agricultural research programs and institutions in Sub-Saharan
Africa. For individual applicants, the consultant will have a minimum of a master's degree in
a relevant field and at least eight years of professional experience, of which policy and
strategy formulation for similar organizations.
Scope of work
The consultant, in consultation with ISAR management, especially the Planning Office, will
develop a strategic plan document indicating clearly the priority research programs, the
necessary human and infrastructure resources capacity building strategy to support these
programs, a clear strategy to developladapt and disseminate existing and new technologies to
farmers and other beneficiaries in support of the country development policies; a resources
mobilization plan and refining the existing capacity building plan guarantying the successful
implementation of the strategic plan.
Specific tasks
a) Gathering and analyzing policy and strategy documents in agriculture and agricultural
research, both national and regional and making sure that relevant issues are addressed in
the strategic plan;
b) Contacting all the stakeholders in agricultural research, i.e. academia, policy makers,
agricultural research scientists, agricultural research management, research partners
(NGOs, Donors, Farmer organizations, local administration, etc.) to gather their views
and needs on the agricultural research input to development programs;
c) Developing the agricultural research strategic plan basing on already existing documents
and research policies and the data gathered in a) and b) above;
d) Conducting a stakeholders workshop to validate the agricultural research strategy
e) Produce the final strategic plan document
Time-frame
The contract will be executed in a period of 1.5 months.
Applications
Interested applicants will submit their technical and financial proposals, curriculum vitae, and
a statement of capability to the Director General, ISAR Headquarters in Kigali by email:
dg@isar.rw daphrose.gahakwa@gmail.com with a copy to j_mugabe@yahoo.fr, and
ndiramiye@gmail.com. The deadline for submission of applications is the 25 December 2009.
Download the ToR as PDF file
For further information on ISAR, its research programmes and units, please visit ISAR
website at www.isar.rw