GBLCAREERS

Nigerian Small Entrepreneurs (SEs) and Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) face significant barriers to growth, including weak supply chains, poor access to lucrative markets, poor access to financial services and limited business skills. In addition to these, women and youth starting and growing businesses must contend with limited business networks, low literacy levels and restrictions on their mobility. Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) has developed a project to target interventions on age- and gender-specific barriers to promote greater involvement and success of women and youth in agricultural SEs and SGBs.

This project will advance more equitable economic growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by sustainably raising the business performance of small, growing businesses and small entrepreneurs, particularly those run by women and youth, and the value chains in which they participate. Early field research indicates that rice and sesame are appropriate and promising value chains, with strong and growing markets and with potential for significant outreach. In-depth research at the inception mission will confirm and deepen this analysis.

The project intends to target interventions on age- and gender-specific barriers to promote greater involvement and success of women and youth in agricultural SEs and SGBs. Interventions shall mitigate the challenges facing women and youth in starting and growing businesses, such as their limited business networks, low literacy levels and restrictions on their mobility. The project will also focus on reducing the risks of child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), which affects 39.4% of Nigerian women (Malhotra 2011), and will focus on improving the young women’s vulnerability through safe spaces, networking opportunities and community support for reduced early marriage. In addition, the project will build entrepreneurial skills and opportunities for girls to build their economic resilience and the resilience of their families.

MEDA is conducting an inception mission to gather additional data to support the development of a gender equality, youth, and CEFM mitigation Strategy and Plan for the project. The successful consultant candidate will participate in the inception mission with support from MEDA’s Gender Specialist, Vulnerable Populations Technical Director, and other MEDA staff, and will conduct the tasks laid out in the Scope of Work.

Scope of Work

The Local Consultant will support the inception mission, participate in relevant inception mission meetings, and report to MEDA’s Gender Specialist and Vulnerable Populations Technical Director; and will work closely with the Project Manager and other staff on the inception mission to complete the following:

• Conduct desk research to gather information identifying program-relevant gender and youth challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s agriculture sector, describing their approach for addressing gender and youth issues, including youth labour laws and regulations.
• Conduct a desk review of the economic factors, structural factors, security issues, social, religious and cultural factors involved in child, early and forced marriage.
• Serve as a local advisor, assist in setting up meetings, translating any questions or discussions (as needed), and supporting the inception mission team in other inputs to their final report.
• Conduct interviews and focus group discussions to gather information to understanding of the gender dynamics at work to increase gender inclusion in micro and small enterprise growth and identifying technologies, practices, and services to improve gender and youth inclusion.
• Work with MEDA’s Gender Specialist and Vulnerable Populations Technical Director to develop the project’s Gender Equality and Youth Strategy and Plan, as part of the overall Project Implementation Plan and in sync with its other components.

Deliverables

1. Interview transcripts and meeting notes (well-structured and well-written)

Draft the following inputs towards the overall report including:

1. Mapping gender roles and relationships in value chains, identifying gender based constraints and assessing the consequences of gender inequalities and developing an action plan for gender equality, pertaining to Nigeria’s agriculture sector
2. Applicable Youth labour laws and requirements for businesses (including small entrepreneurs) operating in Nigeria’s agriculture sector
3. List of youth and gender equitable technologies, practices, and services (by these categories) available or achievable in Nigeria’s agriculture sector, particularly in Bauchi State
4. Recommendations for MEDA’s project to consider when developing its gender equality and youth strategy and plan

Qualifications:

The Consultant must have strong capacity, knowledge of, and experience in environmental and climate change issues relating to the Nigerian agriculture sector including processing and other agri-businesses. The consultant should have the following minimum qualification criteria:

• A university degree in gender and/or youth studies, community/ socio-economic development, sociology, or a related field required.
• Demonstrated understanding of gender and youth issues and needs, research and analytical tools, strategies and approaches especially those related to agricultural value chains.
• At least five (5) years of professional experience, three (3) of which must be gender related in an international development setting
• Experience in youth and gender analysis and gender integration programming, including on-the-ground participatory approaches, and knowledge of Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
• Familiarity with supply chain and market systems concepts
• Experience in rural socioeconomic development
• Experience in working with NGOs
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills
• Fluent in English and ideally local languages in Bauchi State

To apply: Interested individuals should submit their expression of interest and CV by April 24, 2017.

Interested consultants are should provide a cover letter, current resume/CV, writing sample, and financial information, including daily rate/fees.

• The cover letter shall demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of and interest in the topic, describe the applicant’s capability for completing the assignment, include a timeline for completing the work, include examples of previous experience with similar activities, and confirm availability to perform the work during the anticipated period of performance indicated above (maximum two pages). Please also include language or regional expertise as well as any specific experience working in gender equality, youth development, and child marriage, if possible.
• The resume/CV shall include a list of at least three references with contact email and phone numbers who can independently verify past work.
• A writing sample of a similar case study, blog, or report that the consultant has already had published

CRITERIA/QUALIFICATION FOR EVALUATION

Selection will be based on best value, weighing price against technical factors as outlined below:

• Experience & Capabilities (50pts): based on CV and references
• Budget (25pts): based on daily rate and estimated LOE
• Writing Sample (25 pts): based on technical relevancy and quality

  Competitively ranked applications may be interviewed, so applicants must address the required qualifications in their applications. Consultant will be reviewed and selected by May 1, 2017.