Introduction

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (Alliance) invites qualified individuals, to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) to become part of the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) during its Additional Financing (AF) phase. In the area of agricultural innovation and climate resilience, international partnerships like the CGIAR have played an instrumental role in delivering significant benefits to African smallholder farmers.

The AICCRA project, funded by the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank (WB), has already made substantial progress, surpassing its initial targets. It is expected to reach about five million smallholder farmers from 2021 to 2023, enabling them to increasingly access enhanced climate information services (CIS) and validated climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies.

Under the AICCRA AF phase, we recognize the need to expand access to and use of enhanced CIS and validated CSA technologies. AICCRA aims to extend its reach to more African smallholder farmers beyond the six core countries of the project. This involves spillover effects to the farmers in other countries and accessing and using CIS and CSA innovations and technology bundles through the collaborative efforts of regional and national partners and stakeholders of AICCRA.

Background

AICCRA is currently being implemented across multiple countries in Africa and has a team presence in Senegal, Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia. AICCRA also works with various regional initiatives that complement national activities to deliver benefits for a broader range of stakeholders across West, East, and Southern Africa. The AICCRA project comprises twelve clusters, each dedicated to specific focus areas. These clusters consist of six Country Clusters, two Regional Clusters – West (WA) and East and Southern Africa (ESA), and four Thematic Clusters, which are as follows:

Theme 1: Policies and Institutions for Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)

Theme 2: Climate-Smart Technologies and Practices

Theme 3: Gender and Social Inclusion; and

Theme 4: Climate Information Services (CIS)

As we approach the new phase set to begin in 2024, AICCRA is actively seeking an individual to take the lead in the Theme 4 Cluster focused on Climate Information Services. The selected individual should possess substantial experience in collaborating with African entities that offer climate services within Africa. This includes organizations accredited by the World Meteorological Organization, such as Africa's Climate Prediction and Applications Centers of Excellence.

Furthermore, the selected individual that will lead this Thematic Cluster must be based in Africa, following the World Bank's requirements for AICCRA AF. This strategic leadership role will be essential in advancing the objectives of AICCRA and facilitating climate resilience in the African agricultural sector.

Scope of work

The Lead for Theme 4 is expected to work with other Thematic, Regional and Country Clusters and should have extensive experience working with African organizations that provide climate services in Africa, and will be responsible for managing the Thematic Cluster, to achieve the following objectives:

Strengthen the capacity of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) to provide detailed, timely, and reliable sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts for early warning to the relevant stakeholders by working with African Centers of Excellence.

Work with African Climate Centers of Excellence and other relevant organizations to support work related to implementing early warning and action in Africa to maximize the use and uptake of climate information.

Develop and improve customized, location-specific, and inclusive climate information services and ag-advisories for agriculture and food security, working with Africa’s Climate Prediction and Applications Centers of Excellence and NMHS of Africa.

Provide training and capacity building in climate science and climate services for Africa’s Climate Prediction and Applications Centers of Excellences, NMHS of Africa, and Africa’s ministries of agriculture and extension services.

Promote the dissemination of climate information to Regional Climate Centers (RCCs), agriculture and food security and disaster risk management decision-makers, NGOs, African development partners, public and private sectors, and end-users.

Enhance curricula in CIS and climate risk management in African universities.

The administrative and management duties of the Thematic Lead will include the following tasks:

• Lead the definition of the strategic direction for the AICCRA Climate Services Cluster in collaboration with AICCRA Director and Regional Cluster Leaders
• Coordinate relevant activities with high-level partners and develop new partnerships as appropriate for the cluster strategy.
• Participate and represent the Climate Services Cluster in events and conferences as relevant.
• Work with other AICCRA affiliates to identify and plan cluster activities.
• Participate in AICCRA monthly virtual meetings and biannual in-person meetings.
• Contribute to AICCRA-wide documents and initiatives as relevant, especially on topics related to climate services.
• Produce planning report(s) for all AICCRA activities according to AICCRA timeline.
• Report all AICCRA activities according to AICCRA timeline.

Qualifications and expertise

The Thematic Lead for CIS Cluster is expected to have an objective understanding and working knowledge of the following:

1. Climate forecasting in Africa;
2. Dissemination of climate information in delivering climate services in Africa;
3. Disaster risk management and related early warning systems;
4. Environmental monitoring systems for water resources management and food security;
5. Capacity development for CIS in Africa.

Ideally, the Thematic Lead should also have a strong understanding and extensive experience in the co-design, validation, and implementation of Decision Support Tools (DST) to facilitate access, uptake, and use by African NMHS. Specifically, the expert should have experience with climate, environmental, and food security monitoring tools, and sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasting models/tools. The Theme 4 Lead should also know about multi-hazard early warning systems for hazard and drought watches in Africa and should demonstrate experience in engagement with Africa’s Climate Prediction and Applications Centers of Excellence accredited by the World Meteorological Organization.

The lead expert of the team should have the following set of qualifications:

• Ph.D. in climate science, meteorology, or a related field
• 10+ years of experience working in climate services
• Strong technical skills in climate modelling and data analysis
• Experience working in agriculture and food systems in Africa
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• A proven team player working in a multicultural environment
• Capable of effectively leading a multi-disciplinary team

Terms of engagement

The successful role will sign a partnership agreement with the Alliance with an initial term of two years, with the possibility of renewal subject to performance and target delivery and funding availability. The Theme 4 Lead will be allocated an all-inclusive budget of USD 465,000 per year.

The representative of Theme 4 will be based at one of the CGIAR centers in Africa or one of the African Centers of Excellence for Climate Prediction, such as ICPAC. The expert will work closely with the center’s staff, as well as other Thematic Cluster staff, to conduct research, develop, and improve climate monitoring and forecasting systems and DSTs, provide training and capacity building, and promote CIS curricula.

Submission instructions

We welcome all prospective candidates to submit their expressions of interest.

Important dates

Expression of Interest submission period: December 18, 2023 to 15 January 2024.

Interviews scheduled: February 5 to 29, 2024.

Contact information

Kindly ensure the timely submission of your response letter to the EoI along with a copy of your CV. Please send your submission to Julian Rivera (j.rivera@cgiar.org) and Angelica Barlis (a.barlis@cgiar.org)  by no later than 15^th January 2024.