Technical Assistance for the Agricultural Development Project

The aim of the Agriculture-for-Development (A4D) project is using the value chain approach to help rejuvenate the private cash crop sector, targeting crops of highest socio-economic comparative advantage (cocoa; coffee; cashew) by: Improving the quantity and quality of cash-crop production Reducing transaction costs Maximizing efficiency and effectiveness, and Increasing profitability at all levels So that the sector regains its important position in the economy, as was originally the case long before the civil war. The proposed project has the potential to reduce the poverty levels of approximately 140,000 farming families amounting to a total of about one million people overall. The PEMS specialist based in Freetown - with continual trips to Kenema and Kambia - shall be required for at least twenty-five (25) months. This position will be pivotal in helping MAFFS re-develop a sound, data-based monitoring and reporting system that will be central to their planning, reporting and monitoring function. Technologies to include will initially focus on paper-based processes, re-establishing functions  that gradually disappeared as capacity of governance was eroded during the past thirty years. During the course of the project appropriate computer-based technologies will be used to build the knowledge base of a trained cadre of technicians, economists and statisticians within MAFFS, but particularly within its PEMS Division. Main responsibilities The main tasks will be: Establish a Monitoring & Evaluation system for the project; Elaborate monitoring plans and formats at all levels; Elaborate reporting formats at all levels; Supervise all necessary data collection; Use sound ground-based data at field level and integrating it into useful information at District level, then filtering upwards to national level for use at planning stage; Re-establish on a sustainable basis at MAFFS headquarters and District levels a planning, evaluating, monitoring, statistics and reporting system to track the progress and development in the agricultural sector. Focus will be primarily based on private sector operations and the tree crop sector but will include government and other non-state actor inputs, and processing and adding value will gradually be included.
Qualifications: 
Profile of the expert She/he must be a citizen from one of the EU member States or from any of the ACP countries. The following criteria are considered to be essential prerequisites in her/his profile: Qualifications and skills A master’s degree from a recognised university in agriculture economics or equivalent qualification with a specialisation or special interest in statistics and reporting. Preferably, post-graduate or work experience qualifications in data-handling, file management, systems processing and systems maintenance. IT skills would be a significant advantage but not a substitute for basic, logical skills in paper-based handling data and information management. General professional experience Minimum of 15 years total experience, including 10 years of relevant experience in systems processing and maintenance, preferably in the agricultural or natural resource sectors Proven ability to train and motivate staff at varying levels Proven ability to work in a multi-cultural team Working knowledge and ability to communicate in English An in-depth knowledge of statistical computer software (MS Office; SPSS; etc…). Specific Professional Experience Proven ability to manage data and information, develop and manage files and archives Proven ability to develop, manage and regularly update a simple database containing large quantities of data and information
Start / Duration: 
Duration: 25 working month between October 2011 – November 2015 – 525-550 working days
If you are interested in a co-operation, please send your current CV to the following e-mail address, quoting the project title in the reference: Ms Barbara Braun Barbara.Braun [at] afci.de Thank you! Only candidates under serious consideration and contacted will receive notification of the final outcome of the selection process.