MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
LESOTHO SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS SELECTION METHOD)
LOAN NO: P165228
CREDIT NO: IDA -64220 -LS
ASSIGNMENT TITLE: PROJECT FIELD OFFICER
REFERENCE NO: LS-MAFS-355401-CS-INDV
DURATION: THIRTY-SIX MONTHS
DUTY STATION : MASERU
BACKGROUND
The Government of Lesotho is implementing the Smallholder Agricultural Development Project (SADP) 2 with financial support from the World Bank, Government of Japan and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The project covers ten districts – Maseru, Leribe, Botha-Bothe, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka, Berea Mafeteng, Mohale’sHoek, Quthing and Qacha’sNek. SADP is coordinated by the Project Management unit (PMU) based in Maseru. The project has four components:
- Component 1. Promoting Climate Smart Agricultural Practices and Advisory Services. This component aims at strengthening the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to adjust and modify their production systems to minimize the potential future impacts from climate variability
- Component 2. Improving Agricultural Commercialization and Nutrition. This component will build on Component 1 by addressing financial constraints in the agricultural sector so that the training and advisory services provided under Component 1 is complemented with much-needed financing to help the farming community undertake productive and profitable investments.
- Component 3. Project Management, Coordination and Monitoring and Evaluation It is responsible for: implementation and coordination, financial management and procurement, communication, visibility and awareness programs, environmental management and safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation.
- Component 4. Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). This is a zero allocation to partially cover emergency response via implementation of key activities by the appropriate agencies to respond to the emergency.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
Under direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Field Officer (PFO) will be responsible for addressing the Project’s Project implementation in their assigned districts for all activities of Component 1 and 2.
DUTIES
- Participate and advise in the preparation of annual work plans and budget for the Implementation of SADP funded activities.
- Disseminate information and organize orientation session in the district to inform Districts officials, communities and other stakeholders of the objectives, Implementation modalities, progress and impact of the different project activities.
- For Sub-component 1.1 and Sub component 1.2, the PFO will collaborate with the PMU Climate Smart Agricultural Officer to support the implementations of the Climate Smart Agriculture technologies by providing information on the Project, facilitating linkages between Non-Governmental Organizations and farmers, and undertake the demonstrations and trials and field days.
- For Sub-Component 1.3 the PFO will help the PMU Irrigation Engineer to identify, design, award contracts to the international firms and implement the irrigation schemes to be rehabilitated and modernized. This is one of the core responsibilities of the PFO who will conduct close consultations with community members and beneficiaries to advise the engineering firm in its design to ensure that beneficiaries take proper “ownership of the installation and maximize its impact on production minimizing conflicts.
- For Sub- Component 1.4, The PFO will support the development of real time agro weather forecasting and marketing information system and their dissemination tools to improve farmers’ long-term capacity for adopting climate Smart Agriculture technologies, managing weather shocks and climate risks, and sustaining agricultural production under changing climatic conditions.
- For sub-component 2.1, the PFO will support the formation of alliances for service and marketed related activities that are new as well as to strengthen the sustainable existing alliances.
- For Sub Component 2.2, the PFO will collaborate with the Grants Officer to target support to commercial and semi commercial off-takers (micro, small and medium agro enterprises) to drive their operations towards more lucrative domestic and export markets while at the same time providing smallholder farmers opportunities for increasing agricultural productivity and commercialization.
- Present the PMU at districts meetings, as delegated by the PMU Project Manager.
- Brief district administration on Project activities on a regular basis.
Qualifications and Required experience
- B.Sc. in Agriculture, Agronomy or related discipline
- 3 to 5 years professional experience in Agricultural production
- In-depth knowledge of agriculture in Lesotho.
- Sesotho and English Fluency
Skills/Abilities
- Community leadership and mentoring skills, able to support, motivate and liaise effectively with community groups.
- Ability and experience in workshop facilitation and giving presentation in both formal and non-formal settings.
- Ability to develop training programs and lessons plans
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work independently and lead a team of communities.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III paragraph 3.14 to 3.17 of THE WORLD BANK’S Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, PROCUREMENT IN INVESTMENT PROJECT FINANCING Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services, Fourth Edition, November 2020, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A consultant will be selected in accordance with selection of Individual Consultants Method set out in Procurement Regulations.
SUBMISSION
Expressions of interest accompanied by a detailed CV must be delivered in a written form to the address below by email by 12:00hrs local time on the 28th of April 2023 clearly marked ‘’ Expression of Interest for Project Field Officer ”
To: Project Director SADP
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
Department of Livestock Services -Moshoeshoe 11
P.O. Box 24
Maseru 100 Lesotho.
Email: [email protected] copied to [email protected]
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.