Kenya’s agricultural sector has considerable potential for development. The adoption of sustainable land use methods and the implementation of urgently required investments can bring about a substantial increase in agricultural productivity. With irrigation and with complementary investments in transport and marketing, significant reserves can be mobilised in areas with high potential. Much of the pasture land in the arid and semi-arid areas has yet to be fully utilised, and much more agricultural land can be brought under irrigation. Further potential for development lies in the sustainable intensification of livestock production, in the expansion of animal health services, in the cultivation of animal feed, and in the provision of water during dry periods. Kenya also has several reputed agricultural research centres with extensive networks.
The objective of the German development cooperation programme in the agricultural sector in Kenya is as follows: Food security and drought resilience in the west and north of Kenya have improved.
The target group comprises smallholder and pastoral households in the rural areas of the priority regions in western Kenya and in the arid north. The latter are most affected by poverty and food insecurity.
The planned measures will bring about a sustainable increase in productivity among smallholders and will increase resilience to droughts. Better market access and needs-based cultivation systems will help improve the income situation and consequently enhance food security in smallholder households.
Key tasks of the international long-term expert and team leader include:
A) Project management function as expert and team leader
- Managerial responsibility for the staff of the firm of Consultants in Marsabit and Turkana, their work and time plans after approval by the GIZ
- Coordination of consultants
- Responsibility for the budget of the consulting contribution to the programme
- Responsibility for the deliverables
- Ensuring the connectivity of project/programme management with established GIZ practice by applying Capacity WORKS
- Capacity development for relevant county employees, organisation/running and follow up of training measures
- Monitoring of the trainees’ progress in their professional environment and feedback/measures to enhance the work environment and/or improve future trainings
- Monitoring and documenting work progress of the project and preparing regular reports
- Coordinating stages of the project with key stakeholders and ensuring transparency for the partners
- Supporting the officer responsible for the contract and cooperation in updating and/or adapting the project design on the basis of the five success factors of Capacity WORKS
- Supporting the officer responsible for the contract and cooperation in preparing and adapting the plan of operations
- Supporting project-related research
- Supporting the officer responsible for the contract and cooperation in preparing and conducting an internal assessment mission, if applicable
- Supporting the officer responsible for the contract and cooperation in preparing a follow-on project, if applicable
B) Providing advice to
- the relevant County departments of Turkana and Marsabit
- the other relevant stakeholders in the two counties
- the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries on specific issues
C) Specific core tasks
- Responsibility for in selected agro-ecological concept development for coordinated and integrated advisory approaches to drought resilience areas
- Responsibility for the development of knowledge products on innovative, gender-sensitive advisory approaches for drought resilience
- Responsibility for the development/adaptation of planning tools such as GIS
- Support to the GIZ expert responsible for the projects in Northern Kenya to feed the developed concepts and tools as well as the lessons learned at County level into the discussions and policy processes at national level
- Support to the programme manager and the GIZ expert responsible for the projects in Northern Kenya to develop PR material and PR/awareness activities
Core requirements of the team leader:
M.Sc. or comparable or higher degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Environment Sciences or related fields
Minimum 10 years of work experience in or with developing countries
Minimum 5 years of work experience in Africa
Minimum 3 years managerial responsibility experience
Experience in different business models of agrarian systems including pastoralist livestock rearing, especially in ASAL areas
Experience in capacity building, especially in ASAL areas
Experience in the application of gender-sensitive approaches and their adaptation to specific contexts
Experience in spatial planning, in particular GIS
Experience in advising organizational development and in participative processes and bottom-up planning approaches and their implementation
Experience in monitoring and verification of advising organizational development
Socio-cultural competences and pronounced experience in the promotion of measures to enhance capacity building in public and private organizations
A team player with good leadership and communication skills
Working knowledge in English; good oral and writing skills in German is an asset
Being familiar with the GIZ's Capacity WORKS management model.
If you are interested to cooperate with AFC, please send your most recent CV to
Barbara.Braun [at] afci.de
Thank you!
Please note that only shortlisted experts will be contacted