ARA Vacancy: Desk-based review on smallholder agriculture co-creation programme scoping (Closed)

The ARA is looking for an organisation to carry out a Desk Based Review (DBR) on smallholder agriculture adaptation issues and opportunities to inform the thematic and geographical scope for the co-creation process.

The DBR should help to identify potential research priorities within countries/ regions to ensure that proposed/identified activities can bring together relevant actors to achieve shared goals.

Activities

The Desk Based Review (DBR) is expected to draw learning and information from the wider adaptation community on smallholder agriculture issues, particularly learning, recommendations and opportunities from past and current programmes, as well as from wider scientific literature. The geographic scope of the review shall include a high level regional focus (East, West and Southern Africa) as well as the following countries:  Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda. The review will:

• Develop a stakeholder mapping including institutional capacity and focus areas of research for East, West and Southern Africa as well as each aforemented country in smallholder agriculture adaptation action-oriented research. This may include:
  • University programs
  • National research systems
  • Farmer organizations and cooperatives
  • Certain NGOs
  • In-country partners of donor projects like CLARE and WISER, and CGIAR projects like AICCRA, among others.
• Develop a summary of past needs, prioritization exercises, policy and action in each country (e.g., the African Academy of Sciences’ Food Security and Nutrition Research Priorities in Africa, AICCRA activities, National Adaptation/sector Plans, etc.).
• Develop criteria for identifying opportune countries to help refine the geographic scope (e.g., demand).

Outputs

The supplier will also work closely with the ARA Secretariat to identify potential scope and research questions that could inform a new adaptation programme on smallholder agriculture.  Written reports presenting the outcomes and knowledge generated from the DBR will be submitted and presented to the ARA Secretariat and BMGF representative.

Specific deliverables and outputs expected include:

• Framework for assessing and prioritising potential topics and focus of activities (for instance sustainability, etc) and for narrowing the geographic spread of options.
• Report detailing the outputs of the desk-based review of current needs and opportunities for smallholder agriculture in Africa (due 1 May 2023)
• Presentation and discussion of findings with ARA Secretariat and BMGF (due 1 May 2023)

How to apply

Please submit your application to secretariat@adaptationresearchalliance.org no later than 6 March 2023.