Support to the modernisation of the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka

The purpose of this contract is to provide technical assistance (TA) to support the Government of Sri Lanka to work on 4 key results areas which are instrumental to achieve a more productive, diversified, climate-resilient, market-oriented and equitable agriculture in Sri Lanka.

This contract expects to achieve the following results:

  • To develop an overall agriculture policy in line with the Government development goals,
  • To create the enabling environment and implement relevant reforms and policies for the modernization and diversification of existing agriculture production, and promote exports to meet expanding international demands,
  • To improve existing systems and practices used by central and provincial ministries involved in agriculture for planning, budgeting/resource allocation, implementation of sectoral and sub-sectoral policies,
  • To monitor and assess the impact of implementing the Government's overall agriculture policy through an improved statistical and data analysis system.

The TA will operate at the national, provincial and local levels. It will also provide support to the main stakeholders in identifying and addressing the needs/gaps in capacities, policy, fiscal, legislative or institutional regulatory frameworks needed to enable smallholder farmers to move towards a more sustainable, resilient and productive agriculture.

Key beneficiaries of long-term support will be: the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Primary Industries. Following specific needs-assessments, the TA will also provide ad hoc support, through non-key experts, to other sectoral ministries as well as deconcentrated and decentralised levels (mainly provincial and district levels).

Qualifications: 

Key expert 2 will be responsible for helping the Government of Sri Lanka to develop an overall policy for the Agriculture Sector and its various sub-sectors, as well as develop systems for planning, budgeting, resource allocation, implementation and monitoring at central and decentralised levels. S/he will be involved in needs assessments and design of training, capacity building programme in particular for the Ministry of Agriculture and the Provincial Ministries of Agriculture. S/he will be supported by SNKEs and JNKEs. S/he will be based in Colombo at the Ministry of Agriculture, but will undertake frequent field missions in the country (around 8/10 times per year). S/he will report to the Team Leader.

Qualifications and skills

  1. A University degree, or equivalent, in Agriculture,  Public Policy and Administration, Economics, Development Studies or a directly related discipline or equivalent (MR);
  2. Specific trainings in the areas of agriculture development, and/or the economics of rural development, development studies with a focus on agriculture (MR);
  3. The expert must have a proven understanding of agricultural and rural development issues, design and implementation of public policies in the area of agriculture (MR);
  4. The expert must possess excellent training and mentoring skills. (MR)

General professional experience

  1. At least 10 years’ general professional experience in developing countries (MR)
  2. At least 5 years' experience of implementing projects with public sector/national authorities (MR).
  3. Experience in working with EU-funded projects (PR).
  4. Professional experience in Sri Lanka and/or Asia (PR).

Specific professional experience

Out of the minimum 10 years of general professional experience required, the KE 2 must have:

  1. At least 7 years' experience in agriculture policy analysis and design, planning & budgeting, monitoring and evaluation (MR);
  2. At least 5 years' experience in developing and/or implementing programmes of capacity building for government counterparts in the agriculture sector (MR);
  3. Experience of gender in agriculture (PR);
  4. Experience of climate change issues and their impact on the agriculture (PR).
  5. Experience in the identification, design and/or implementation of EU budget support operations using sector reform contracts related to agriculture development (PR).
Start / Duration: 

The project office will be located in the premises at the Ministries of National Policies and Economic Affairs, of Agriculture and of Primary Industries, Colombo, Sri Lanka, although travel throughout the country may be necessary.

The intended start date is 1 December 2017. The period of implementation of the contract will be thirty six (36) months from this date.

Please send your most recent CV to:

barbara.braun [at] afci.de


Thank you!

Please note, that only shortlisted experts will be contacted