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The World Food Programme is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world's largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
WFP’s Strategic Plan (2022-2027) recognizes the pivotal role the organization can and should play in the global discussion on food systems to ensure that safe and healthy diets are available to all, and that the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved. Food systems influence diets and are complex webs of interconnected activities and actors involving food production, processing/value addition, marketing, supply, and consumption. Food systems in the East Africa/Horn of Africa region are stretched and have shown themselves to be highly vulnerable to shocks.
The World Food Programme (WFP) procures food items to support the agency’s global fight against hunger. These procurement activities include both direct (from Producers) and indirect (through Traders/Intermediaries) purchases of both raw and processed food items, such as Specialised Nutritious Foods (SNFs). In 2019 the Local and Regional Food Procurement Policy (LRFPP) was published with the objective of ensuring that WFP’s procurement activities not only meet the supply needs of the agency but also contribute more broadly to the elimination of hunger by supporting local food producers and the development of sustainable food systems in vulnerable regions.
Aflatoxin contamination has remained one of the challenges while sourcing food within the region, especially from the small holder farmers and farmer cooperatives. Contamination of agricultural commodities, including maize, milk, groundnuts, cassava, and cottonseed with aflatoxin mold poses a serious threat to human and animal health. Aflatoxin contamination in food and feed continues to impede trade, translating to significant financial losses for the agriculture sector. This also undermines the livelihoods and well-being of millions of households who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Persistent and chronic aflatoxin exposure has been shown to be widely prevalent throughout the Eastern Africa countries with elevated serums aflatoxin levels demonstrated across all geographical regions, within all socioeconomic and demographic groups, and among people of all ages.
RBN would like to establish a harmonized approach by WFP’s Eastern Africa countries in tackling the Aflatoxins risk, to achieve synergy as well as leverage available resources, partnerships, expertise, experiences, and lessons learnt from existing and past interventions. In addition to supporting the implementation of the Local and Regional Food Procurement Policy (LRFPP), there is envisaged need to integrate specifically Aflatoxin control and management in the affected Countries’ priorities e.g Small Holder Farmers capacity strengthening and market linkages, food fortification, School Based Program etc.
WFP East Africa regional office (RBN) is currently also defining its food systems domains for policy and programmatic priorities, partnership engagement strategies, and related activities and interventions. RBN Food Safety and Quality Unit is a key player in this and therefore requires additional support and expertise to establish the technical framework as part of its support and guidance to RBN Units and Country Offices in the region.
Reporting to the Regional Food Safety and Quality Assurance Officer and working in close collaboration with RBN Procurement, Logistics, Programme, Innovations, Partnerships and Country Office focal points, the incumbent will be responsible for the following:
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
Mapping of Aflatoxin Innovations
Implementation of Aflatoxin Control innovations
Information Sharing and Awareness
Implementation of Regional aflatoxins control and management strategy
Monitoring and Evaluation
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Education:
Advanced University degree in Agriculture Management, Development Studies, Project Planning and Management or related fields, or A First University degree with additional relevant years of work experience in Food Science and Technology, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Value Chain/ Market Development or related fields. Additional professional courses in related fields are also a plus.
Experience:
Knowledge & Skills:
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