The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia.

The Position:

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a consultant to undertake a study on the informal forage seed market in Ethiopia. Forage production has significant potential to enhance livestock productivity in Ethiopia and to this end projects and NGO’s have promoted forage production for many years. This promotion has included procurement of forage seed and distribution to beneficiary farmers often at highly subsidized prices. Our previous work suggests that these transactions are substantial and may have impeded emergence of a vibrant and self-sustaining forage seed market in Ethiopia.

General:

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org.

This study aims to investigate the extent of forage seed trade and the supply channels used, both formal and informal. Topics of particular interest are the procurement criteria, including seed quality standards, prices paid to producers or intermediaries, and distribution arrangements to farmers. It also aims to catalogue the main actors in this market.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Using snowball sampling approaches and existing contacts, develop an inventory of the major actors in Ethiopia that procure forage seeds and distribute to farmers;
• Conduct key informant interviews with key supply chain actors to develop an understanding of procurement and distribution arrangements;
• Assess the extent to which the current arrangements distort the forage seed market in Ethiopia
• Assess the role of the Forage Seed Producers and Marketing Association in strengthening the supply chain
• Develop a report synthesizing the main findings from key informant interviews;
• Contribute to a draft Code of Conduct for seed transactions that would support emergence of a more sustainable and robust forage seed market.

Final Products (to be developed in collaboration with international seed specialist):

• Report summarizing the main findings of the key informant interviews
• Draft manuscript for journal publication

Requirements

Education

• At least Master’s degree in forage agronomy, agricultural economics or agricultural sciences

Experience

• At least four years of relevant work experience in an R4D context in agricultural sector
• Proven field experience in Ethiopia, especially with senior livestock stakeholders, preferably related to the forage seed sector

Skills

• Skills in qualitative research methods including conduct of key informant interviews, thematic analysis and report writing.
• Computer literate especially in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Good understanding of the Ethiopian livestock/forage seed sector; Sound understanding of forage seed issues
• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision, but also participate as a team member in accomplishment of duties;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including liaising with senior actors in the forage seed sector in Ethiopia
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-cultural environment and to motivate others.
• Commitment to project mission and objectives
• Strong attention to detail and maintaining a timely and efficient workflow

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Terms of appointment: The consultant appointment is for maximum of 20 days’ work within six months contract duration.