Capacity Needs Assessment Specialist at Food and Agriculture Organization

Reporting line and specific tasks

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Kenya, and the direct supervision of the TA-SIVAP project manager, the consultant will be responsible for the deliverables in Activity 1.1 under Output 1.0 and Activity 2.1 under Output 2.0 in the project document. Output 1.0 and 2.0 narrate as “KSIVAP’s National and County Coordination Unit members’ knowledge and skills to oversee and coordinate the implementation of KSIVAP enhanced”, and “Capacity of County government technical staff and local private extension service providers to facilitate increased agricultural productivity, incomes and food security enhanced” respectively.

The consultant will assess;

i) The existing capacities of the PCU, CCU and county agricultural extension staff to successfully undertake their roles and fully implement SIVAP

ii) Capacity building/training needs required for the PCU, CCU and county agricultural extension staff to promote increased agricultural productivity, improved household nutrition, agribusiness management and market development

The exercise will involve use of participatory approaches and employing a methodology that will include institutional and field visits to all the select counties, literature review (previous capacity assessments of relevant projects), key informant interviews, focus-group discussions as well as other relevant assessment tools.

The key responsibilities entail:

• Holding entry meetings with the TA-SIVAP team to clarify TORs and assignment including methodology and approach and depending on the agreed methodology, development of tools such as interview guides and questionnaires.
• Undertake a capacity/training needs assessment of the national and county project coordination units, county agricultural extension staff and producer organizations at the select SIVAP sites targeting both men, women and youth on nutrition-sensitive agricultural issues, and agribusiness and market development.
• ·Develop one comprehensive overall capacity-building plan based on the identified needs after the capacity assessment to be integrated into the programmed training that will be implemented over time.
• Compiling a draft report on findings and proposed capacity building processes, facilitate and participate in the presentation of the key findings in validation workshops with relevant stakeholders.
• Present final report with inputs from the validation workshops incorporated

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in any of the following; Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Social Sciences and/or Development Studies or related fields.
• Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience in capacity needs assessments and development at national and/or county level related to nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions, agribusiness management and market development.
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable
• Extent of Experience in participatory methodologies.
• Ability to communicate in English and Kiswahili.

Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Knowledge sharing and continuous Improvement