Appel à candidature : IFPRI recrute une Consultant en séchage solaire au Nigeria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOB DESCRIPTION:             

Fruits & vegetable value chains (F&V VC) in Nigeria hold significant potential to continue toward sustainable, inclusive food system transformation. Domestic food system growth, including that of F&V, remains crucial in achieving a healthy food environment and serving as a source of various micronutrients. There is a need for bundles of innovations to address multiple challenges along F&V VC in Nigeria, characterized by a set of challenges that are unique to developing countries and F&V.

V&F VC consists of many small actors, farmers, and traders, whereby limited vertical coordination can lead to significant efficiency loss along the value chain. Seasonal and temporal variations in supply-demand gaps for F&V commodities are substantial, and considerable scope exists for reducing losses and enhancing the overall efficiency of the domestic F&V sector. Policy environments are also favorable for such efforts, as the latest Agricultural Policy documents highlight the Nigerian government’s interest in modernizing F&V VC. Given the significant involvement of women and youths in the sector, F&V VC development has substantial potential to contribute to Nigeria’s inclusive development of agrifood systems.

The current domestic F&V VC in Nigeria suffers from various sets of problems. Access to quality seeds is limited due to the significant use of recycled seeds, limited supply, and high costs of certified seeds. Cooling practices are inefficient due to insufficient access to the grid and off-grid electricity, limited knowledge of intermediate cooling methods applicable at the farm gate, and constraining quality preservations at farm gate storage, during transportation, and storage at market premises. Processing is insufficient due to the high costs of processing equipment and limited knowledge of the construction and operation of simpler, less resource-dependent processing facilities, including drying of F&V commodities. Inappropriate packing, such as the use of Rafia baskets instead of reusable plastic crates, which are commonly recognized, is still prevalent, potentially due to limited market coordination.

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) implements an intervention to reduce food loss and increase rural incomes by building solar dryer facilities in rural areas of Nigeria. Specifically, the intervention introduces improved solar dryers and provides training on appropriate, hygienic processing methods, building, and utilization of these driers, possibly combined with the introduction of a business model. The intervention will be introduced in the clustered RCT framework for impact evaluation with 20 communities that receive the intervention and 20 communities as control group.

IFPRI seeks a qualified consultant based in Nigeria to work with IFPRI between June 2023 and March 2024, with the possibility of an extension.

Scope of work

  • Conduct preparation works for the solar dryer intervention;
  • Build solar dryer facilities in the intervention communities;
  • Provide technical training to local groups (most likely, women’s groups);
  • Supervise them on the actual use of the technology during the intervention;
  • Collect laboratory data on horticultural products in solar dryer facilities;
  • Work with IFPRI/HQ/Nigeria teams and collaborators in Nigeria.

Required qualifications of the consultant

  • Demonstrated knowledge and technical expertise on solar dryer technology and its use;
  • Excellent experience in building solar dryer facilities;
  • Research capacity to collect laboratory data on horticultural products in solar dryer facilities;
  • Ability to provide technical training to local groups (most likely, women’s groups).

Preferred qualifications

  • Strong basis in Kano State, Nigeria;
  • Strong research capacity;
  • Superb tracking records on the activities defined above.

Duration: 10 months (June 2023 to March 2024)

Application documents

Please upload all required documents (in English) as one PDF in your application:

  • Cover letter.

Company profile

  • CV;
  • Technical proposal with a detailed budget.

Kindly direct any questions to Futoshi Yamauchi ([email protected]), Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute.

Application process

Application Deadline: April 14th, 2023