The SPRING Project is looking for an experienced consultant to support SPRING's work with a USAID Feed the Future country (to be determined, but likely in West Africa) to deepen the evidence base on integrating nutrition-related information into agricultural information systems. This consultant will ideally be based in Washington, DC with some travel to West Africa. The option for remote work can be explored for the right candidate. Please read the SOW below to see if you are interested and qualified! This consultancy will run from mid-April through mid-July 2016 with up to 60 days level of effort.
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OBJECTIVES FOR THE CONSULTANCY:
The objective of this small-scale research activity is to examine mechanisms for integrating nutrition-sensitive content into agricultural information systems to better affect food production, purchase, preparation, and consumption practices. The research is expected to focus on a target geographical zone, or sub-sector within agricultural systems. It will highlight use of multiple communications and service platforms, and identify system-level strategies for integration of nutrition-sensitive agriculture content, including gender, food quality and micronutrient-related information, in agricultural information systems.
The report resulting from this activity will:
-Define the specific research hypothesis, the contextual parameters and key stakeholders involved. This may include focusing within a specific geographic area, and on specific value chains or sub-sectors.
-Document the agricultural information dissemination channels and the services and stakeholders they are linked to, particularly including the growing uses of ICT mechanisms to scale up availability and access to agricultural information, financial services, health, and other information.
-Document what type of nutrition--sensitive agriculture information exists and how it is generated. This will also include information that intersects and may be generated through other related sectors, primarily environment and natural resource management, financial services, health, and education.
-Identify where nutrition-sensitive agriculture information has been included in existing messages and related services, and what the perceptions of how this information is understood, accessed, and used by service providers, end-users, and other stakeholders;
-Highlight use of multiple communications and service platforms, and propose specific system-level strategies for integration of nutrition-sensitive agriculture content into agricultural information systems.
-Where possible document observations for additional research, and promising approaches to integrating nutrition into agriculture information systems that could be scaled up or replicated.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT:
The consultant will be responsible for co-leading the research into the existing agriculture information systems in a Feed the Future country to be determined. He/she will work closely with the small SPRING team overseeing this activity: Agriculture Advisor, Food Security and Nutrition Manager, In-country Advisor, and Project Officer to produce a final report that addresses the central objectives in the bullets above. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for:
-Reading and enhancing an extensive background literature review on agriculture information systems, and adding and summarizing content relative to the target country context.
-Finalizing research questions, establishing a timeline for the activity, and establishing an outline for the final product.
-Developing protocols and interview instruments for in-country research.
-Working with a local consultant and coordinating consolidation of findings, as appropriate/necessary.
-Traveling to the target country and conducting the interviews and related research in the field.
-Completing a draft of the final research report and working through edits and comments based on feedback from SPRING and the USAID Bureau of Food Security and the target country Mission.
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