Nutrition Expert at RTI International

Description

RTI International seeks an Agri nutrition expert for Kenya Crops and Dairy Markets Systems Activity (KCDMS), a USAID-funded program that works to increase agricultural production and incomes, and reduce malnutrition in Kenya by spurring competitive, inclusive, and resilient market systems in the horticulture and dairy sectors. KCDMS is implemented by RTI International in partnership with East Africa Market Development Associates (EAMDA) and Farm Input Promotions (FIPs). Other partners in the past five years included International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the Busara Center for Behavioral Economics, Making Cents and Open Capital Advisors (OCA). The project works in 12 counties and has partnered with over 200 agribusinesses and reached over 300,000 farmers. The Agri-nutrition Expert will provide oversight on our agri-nutrition engagement. They must be experienced on County Government and Civil Society engagement and on the use of the inter-agency agri-nutrition dialogue cards.

The consultant will work in close partnership with the USAID Advancing Nutrition Activity and county representatives to institutionalize the County AgriNutritrion Integrated Strategies (CANIS) in Siaya and Taita-Taveta Counties. The Consultant will also support the County Nutrition Focal points and ADS-W and ADS-E in the CANIS dissemination of already developed to the sub counties in Kisumu, Kitui and Kakamega. The consultant will work with USAID Advancing Nutrition Activity to train nutrition champions and farmer groups on agri nutrition messaging in the select 5 counties.

Objective

The scope of the assignment will focus on working together with the USAID Advancing Nutrition (AN) and KCDMS selected partners at the county level to institutionalize the agri nutrition strategies. The expert will support agri nutrition activities at the county level, ensure their successful implementation and attend relevant meetings whenever called upon. S/he will co-lead the stakeholder engagement at the county/sub county levels together with Advancing Nutrition.

Responsibilities

• Workplan development. The expert is expected to suggest targeted number of messages to be developed during the inception meeting.
• Support select 5 counties, ADSW and ADSE in the development agri nutrition key messages to be sent by SMSs to farmers regularly through our digital service provider.
• Periodic monitoring and communicating on the performance of implementing the KCDMS Agri-nutrition implementation work with the various partners, assess the progress made, identify areas of improvement, advise and making recommendations for changes as necessary.
• Link with USAID Advancing Nutrition work Institutionalizing CANIS in Kisumu, Kitui and Kakamega and lead CANIS institutionalization in Siaya and Taita Taveta Counties using a similar framework.
• Responsible for implementation the joint workplan between Counties, USAID Advancing Nutrition and KCDMS including:
• Work with Advancing Nutrition to disseminate for implementation the CANIS to the sub county level in Kitui, Kakamega and Kisumu counties
• Train the 140 Nutrition Champions and CSOs in Kisumu, Kitui and Kakamega, Siaya and Vihiga on the Kilimo Lishe messages in the Agri Nutrition Community Dialogue Cards. The specialist will work with Advancing Nutrition to identify and train the 140 champions to be trained. Emphasize on the 6 cards focusing on consumption of diversified nutritious foods (especially those promoted through KCDMS) and complementary feeding for the under 5. The training can take place in two cohorts.
• Integrate the 140 nutrition champions and Civil Society Organizations into the market systems activities through KCDMS private sector partners
• Submit a final report which will be not more than 20 pages excluding annexes

Deliverables

• Inception report including the proposed workplan, implementation schedule
• Number of SMSs developed and deployed through the available digital platforms.
• Work with KCDMS Communications Manager to have the messages printed for frontline staff
• Bi-weekly monitoring update via Meeting and via report.
• Monthly update on progress against the joint workplan:
• Institutionalization of the CANIS in 2 counties
• Dissemination of the CANIS at the county and sub county levels in the 5 counties
• Update on establishment of the MSN coordination structure
• Update on training on Kilimo Lishe and integration of the 139 nutrition champions and CSOs into the market systems activities as they promote the agri nutrition agenda
• 140 Nutrition Champions and CSOs representatives trained on Kilimo Lishe messages in the Agri Nutrition Community Dialogue Cards.
• Training data submitted to KCDMS using the KCDMS data tools.
• The 139 champions and CSOs all linked to market actors and integrate
• Linkage data submitted to KCDMS using the KCDMS data tools.
• Submit a final report which will be not more than 20 pages excluding annexes approved by KCDMS

Qualifications

• Bachelor or master’s degree in one or several of the following areas: Agribusiness management, Nutritional Sciences, Social Sciences or other degree relevant to the above SOW
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, especially in mainstreaming social inclusion, working with women and youth in development programs.
• Experienced with USAID agri nutrition management and farmer training.
• Experience in supporting implementing partners mainstream inclusion considerations
• Experience working in an agricultural program – Livehoods, food security, agribusiness
• Demonstrated familiarity with social inclusion integration tools and methodologies.
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Swahili required