Background:

•   The Government of the Republic of Ghana has received funds from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to implement the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP).
•   The Programme provides a framework for a long-term financing engagement for private sector-led, pro-poor agricultural value chain development in Ghana.
•   The objective of the programme is to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction in rural Ghana, ensuring that agribusinesses - including smallholders - increase their profitability and resilience to climate change.
•   The programme is national in scope and governed by a demand - and market- driven approach that will provide a basis for scaling up investments in pro-poor agricultural value chain development led by the private sector.
•   The strategic focus of GASIP will be on smallholder farmers, to make them more competitive by increasing their capacity to respond to market demand in terms of quality, price, time and volume thus contributing to METASIP objectives. At least 62,860 clients or direct beneficiaries will be targeted towards the end of project year 3 (PY3) and 86,400 clients by PY6  of which at least 50% will be women, 20% youth (15-24 years) and 30% young adults (25-34 years).

Components of Programme:
The Programme has three components:

Component 1:

•   Value Chain Development - is central to ensuring strong business linkages among actors in the entire value chains of commodities to ensure they meet market or consumer and industry demands.
•   It has three sub-components: Agribusiness linkage development; rural financial services and climate change resilience which needs to be mainstreamed in promoting value chains to reduce risks and enhance profitability and sustainable production systems.

Component 2:

•   Rural Value Chain Infrastructure - aimed at providing the enabling infrastructure to catalyze value chain development. It has two sub-components:
•    Productive Infrastructure and Facilities - aimed at encouraging investments in commercial infrastructure and facilities for the selected value chains and
•   Enabling Public Infrastructure - aimed to finance enabling public infrastructure for the growth and viability of selected value chains.

Component 3:

•   Knowledge Management, Policy Support and Coordination aimed at harnessing successful lessons for replication and providing an enabling environment for optimization of programme opportunities and benefits. The two Sub-components are Knowledge Management,
•   Harmonization and Policy Support - aims at creating an enabling environment for small holders to participate in profitable and climate change resilient agricultural value chains and Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Programme.
•   The Programme which is planned for six years is expected to commence in January 2015 under the responsibility of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
•   It builds on the achievements of some on-going and soon-to-complete projects such as Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP) and Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTlMP).
•   GASIP will have a National Programme Coordination Unit in Accra and three Zonal Programme Offices (ZPO) in Kumasi, Tamale and Dodowa. The ZPCO shall be composed of (i) Zonal Programme Coordinator, (ii) a M&E Officer, (iii) a Zonal Accountant and (iv) a Zonal Infrastructure Officer,
•   To enhance implementation of the GASIP, MOFA intends to recruit a qualified person to fill the following position:
•   Climate Change Adaptation Manager

Reports to: Climate Change Adaptation Manager
Directly Coordinates: Consultants

Role:
The Climate Change Adaptation Officer will support the mainstreaming and development of environmental management and climate change adaptation best practices across selected agricultural value chains. This will include the design, evaluation and scaling up of frameworks, strategies, tools and awareness raising and capacity building.

Specific Tasks:

•   Act as a point of contact for environmental management and climate change adaptation advice to field-based projects and programmes.
•   Work with the Climate Change Adaptation Manager to develop programmes for mainstreaming climate change adaptation into GASIP programme design.
•   Support the development of best practice in climate change adaptation for the mainstreaming of climate adaptation into GASIP programmes and assist with Knowledge management of the programme.
•   Work with the Climate Change Adaptation Manager to build relationships with environmental and development NGOs, Government Departments, the scientific community and colleagues within the agriculture value chain to develop and share latest thinking on adaptation practice, frameworks, strategies and tools.
•   Monitor and disseminate emerging best practice on climate change adaptation strategies, planning and practice and relevant scientific research developments, particularly as they affect or address biodiversity, ecosystems and vulnerable people and their livelihoods.
•   Ensure that GASIP activities on adaptation contain lesson-learning and evaluation components to support the development and dissemination of learning and best practice.
•   Assist in the implementation of the climate change components of GASIP activities, specifically ensuring robust monitoring and evaluation indicators are fully embedded.
•   Work with the Environment and Climate Change Unit of MOFA to provide guidance and training to farmers on waste management, safe use of agro chemicals and natural resource management.
•   Design and coordinate survey covering a representational sample of the target programme areas to assess relevant climate change adaptation baselines in keeping with the ASAP tracking tool requirements
•   Support assessment of climate change vulnerabilities to local livelihoods and livelihood assets/ resources, and identify existing (including traditional practices) and potential adaptation responses using participatory and gender-based approaches in selected areas, encompassing representational samples of the targeted project areas;
•   Identify capacity development needs of the local governments and local communities to implement the potential adaptation responses;
•   Document the full process in which the assessment of climate change vulnerabilities, potential adaptation responses and associated capacity development needs was carried out in the field;
•   Analyze and describe the climate change vulnerabilities, potential adaptation responses and local capacity development needs to implement them in detail based on the field assessments. The analysis should also show the commonalities and differences (and their reasons) in climate change vulnerabilities and potential adaptation responses between men and women
•   Assist with inception, contracting and start-up of programmes/projects including establishment of indicators, benchmarks and work plans;
•   Support GASIP implementation partners in supervision, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, troubleshooting and adaptive management;
•   Maintain high quality of the programme's implementation delivery, monitoring of results, and reporting;
•   Identify and source technical expertise and support including assisting with the preparation of Term of References,identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports.
•   Evaluate, capturing, codifying, synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge, including the development of resource kits and other knowledge materials;

Performance Targets:

•   Ensure GASIP delivers on its RIMS indicators on climate change resilience mainstreamed into GASIP value chains
•   Respond to queries on programme progress, impacts and lessons leant
•   Liaise between GASIP and other implementing partners and donors

Common Considerations:

•   Remuneration: Competitive salary

Qualification Required & Experience

•   A University degree with sound background in agricultural economics, natural resource management, environment, climate change and agriculture or similar background. An advanced degree will be an advantage.
•   Demonstrable ability to understand complex scientific issues and to communicate and apply them at project and programme level.
•   A sound understanding of the linkages between ecosystems, biodiversity, human wellbeing and climate change.
•   A clear understanding and practical experience in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
•   A broad understanding of the various aspects of climate change adaptation, particularly frameworks, strategies and tools for implementation.
•   At least six years' experience working in agriculture, climate change, or related environment and/or development issues, either in an NGO or the public or private sector.
•   At least six years' field-related project and programme experience with proven skills in their design, management, monitoring and evaluation and reporting.
•   Excellent presentation, communication and facilitation skills.
•   Demonstrable experience of an ability to integrate new and challenging issues into existing areas of work, including through educating, supporting and facilitating others.
•   Experience in climate change adaptation practice such as example managing risk and uncertainty, supporting organisational change, developing community based adaptation, or integrating climate change issues into the design, monitoring and evaluation of conservation and/or development projects and programmes
•   An understanding of climate change and conservation challenges in Ghana, with the ability to recognise and work with local and national level priorities to identify linkages between policy and practice.
•   Proven ability to work as part of a team, and as part of a wider network, is essential.
•   A self-starter with the ability to work where necessary to meet deadlines.
•   A good understanding of climate vulnerability and adaptation in Ghana
•   Experience in adaptation planning
•   Demonstrated understanding of the implications of climate change on small holder agriculture and ability to provide guidance on the integration of climate adaptation management and, development of long term and medium term responses to climate change
•   Experience undertaking baselines in climate change adaptation/resilience
•   Strong analytical, excellent drafting ability and presentation and communication skills, both oral and written; ability to explain complex climate change issues to non-technical audience
•   Experience of working on climate change agriculture adaptation and livelihood resilience
•   Experience in policy development and strategy implementation of climate change adaptation programmes.
•   Project implementation experience on agricultural resilience programme
•   Ability to work under tight deadlines and demonstrate strong time-management skills

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Qualified and interested applicants should send application letters with copies of curriculum vitae, certificates and other relevant documentation to:

The National Programme Coordinator
Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme
Ministry of Food and Agriculture,
P.O.Box M.37, Accra, Ghana

Tel: 0544-094669 / 233244-233887

Email: procurement@gasip.org

•   Location: MOFA Projects Block,Procurement Office, 3rd Floor, in the premises of the Government Secretarial School,Cantonments, Accra.
•   Deadline for submission of Applications shall be on or before 15:00 hours GMT [i.e. 3.00pm local time) on 2nd May, 2017.
•   Applicants are to include direct contacts (reliable telephone, fax numbers and email address) in their applications in order to facilitate early and easy contact.
•   Only short listed applicants will be contacted.
•   Candidates can send both soft and hard copies.

Closing Date: 02 May, 2017