The creation of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food, by ECOWAS Commission Regulation C/REG.1/08/11, contributes to the operationalization of the agricultural policy of the Economic Community of West African States: ECOWAP/CAADP.

In view of the purpose of ECOWAP/CAADP, which is to promote food security and sovereignty as well as regional integration in West Africa, the mandate assigned to the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food is:

"To ensure the technical implementation of regional investment programs and plans contributing to the operationalization of the ECOWAS agricultural policy, relying on regional institutions, bodies and actors with proven expertise".

Three missions contribute to the achievement of its mandate, namely:

• Strengthen the intervention and action capacities of the ECOWAS Commission, in particular the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources (DAEWR). The aim is to provide the Commission with technical support in the implementation of investment programs to enable it to fully play its regulatory role (strategic orientation, regulations, management).
• Contribute to the capacity building of regional actors in the p reparation of cases and the implementation of activities. The Agency must contribute to improving the performance of the various technical cooperation institutions and other regional actors involved in the agricultural sector (private sector, professional agricultural organizations, civil society). This support includes assistance in the preparation of tender documents or project proposals, project implementation and their monitoring.
• Coordinate, with a view to rationalization, the activities and fields of intervention of the technical institutions specialized in the agricultural and agri-food sectors.

To accomplish these missions, the RAAF functions as a technical structure through which ECOWAS fully plays its sovereign role in supporting regional cooperation actors and institutions in the implementation of investment plans. As such, it does not directly carry out actions on the ground, but contracts with technical institutions and any other competent actor through "faire faire" approach.

The RAAF has selected a total of 43 projects over the period 2015-2018 through 5 calls for proposals, including 24 projects under PASANAO and 19 under the social safety nets project. During the first quarter of 2019, 15 other projects were selected as part of the Agro-Ecological Transition Project in West Africa, bringing the total number of field projects to 58. It is also planned to select new field projects under the PACBAO, which has already been launched, and the GCCA+ project, which will be launched during the year.

As part of the management of all these projects, a MESECOPS database has been developed. In order to ensure a proper use of MESECOPS, it is desirable to use the services of two (2) trainees to support the monitoring and evaluation officer of the RAAF in the use of the MESECOPS database.

Missions and Tasks of consultants

These trainees will play the role of assistant to the RAAF monitoring and evaluation officer in a global way but specifically will have the task of entering project information in particular social nets, PACBAO and PRAOP into the MESECOPS platform. At the end of the mission, it is expected:

• The 19 social safety net projects are integrated into the MESECOPS database.
• The new PACBAO, PROAP projects are also integrated into the database.
• The MESECOPS database is effectively monitored.

Mission location

The service will be provided at the headquarters of the ECOWAS Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food based in Lomé in the Togolese Republic.

Qualifications / Experiences

The Trainees will be required to meet the following qualifications and competencies:

• graduate degree (at least BAC+3): Computer Science, Statistics, Agronomist, Agro-economist or equivalent.
• experience in information systems and database management systems for organizations/institutions/projects/programs related to the agricultural sector in the sub-region would be an asset.
• expertise in M&.E systems.
• a proficiency in at least two ECOWAS languages and a command of a second language would be a great asset.

Duration of Mission

The total execution time is 3 months with the possibility of renewal. The renewal is subject to a satisfactory evaluation of the work of the two trainees and the submission of reports to the satisfaction of the RAAF.

Applications file

The application package is made up of:

• A letter of expression of interest.
• A recent curriculum vitae.
• Certified copy of the highest diploma.

Incomplete application will not be considered.

Submission of applications

Interested candidates should send their applications to the following address, not later than 20 February 2020 by 5 PM:

Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF)

83, Rue de la Pâture, Lomé-Togo (sealed envelope « Trainees in monitoring and evaluation ».

procurement@araa.org

Subject : « Trainees in monitoring and evaluation ».

NB: Applications which are not marked « Trainees in monitoring and evaluation » will not be considered.

Selection method

The candidates will be selected according to the qualification-based selection method as defined in the ECOWAS procurement Code. An interview session may be organized with a short list of candidates.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. ARAA reserves the right not to act on this expression of interest.