Agro Expert

Background and Context

The USAID-funded Lebanon Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF) project’s facilitates the exports of Lebanese goods and services and investments that simultaneously promote job creation, income generationand improved livelihoods throughout the country.

TIF has three objectives:

• Increased exports of Lebanese goods and services.
• Investment facilitation leading to increased domestic investment.
• Improved business and investment enabling environment.

TIF is developing a Food Security Strategy to animate interventions required to overcome the food security crisis in Lebanon. As such, TIF seeks to hire an Agro Expert with relevant experience and knowledge of the agricultural sector, particularly in geographical areas with high rates of food insecurity.

Tasks

Tasks to be covering, include:

Task 1:  Conduct background research on food security, trends, investments and policy constraints in agricultural production, food processing and export. (10 days)

• Research and contextualize the food security situation in Lebanon and the linkages between agriculture, food availability and affordability.
• Meet with key actors to map and analyze food security challenges and opportunities.
• Collect related information and data prioritizing zones, crops, cropping systems and value chains according to the highlest need and potential. 

Task 2: Develop analytical and operational plans (15 days)

• Participate in a Food Security Strategy development sessions and discussion forums with TIF staff, the Senior Agricultural Sector Advisor and potential partners to collect input, identify and produce potential support mechanisms, methodologies implementation timelines and budgets.
• Create a plan based on geographic prioiritization, high-potential value-chains and partners for possible interventions; include circular economy report findings produced by TIF.
• Work with Senior Agricultural Sector advisor to draft an operational Agro-Food Strategy Development plan.

Task 3: TIF Sector Analysis Report (10 days)

• Update TIF Agro sector analysis report (done annually).

Task 4: Conduct on-the-ground investigations to develop feasible and responsive food security intervention approaches. (15 days)

• Interview key stakeholders involved in crop production (farmers, cooperatives, corporates, others), aggregation; processing, export/import/substitution, etc.
• Participate in weekly meetings to assess findings, discuss implications and resolve issues with the Senior Agricultural Sector Advisor and the TIF team.
• Lead (with input from Senior Agricultural Sector Advisor) an internal findings synthesis workshop for TIF staff outlining possible TIF approaches and interventions.

Task 5:  Produce final report (15 days)

• Coordinate with the Senior Agricultural Sector Advisor and the TIF team to produce a draft Food Security Strategic report.

• Under the supervision of TIF Business Development and Trade Lead produce a final report in collaboration with the Senior Agricultural Sector Advisor.

Location of Assignment

Throughout Lebanon and periodical meetings at TIF offices (Beirut).   

Level of Effort and Period of Performance

The period of performance is expected to extend for four month starting o/a August 2023 with possibility for renewal for an initial total of 65 days.

Deliverables

In addition to specific technical outputs listed above, the Agro Expert will provide monthly progress reports.  

Reporting and Supervision

The Agro-Food Expert will work closely with the Business Development and Trade Lead and the Senior Agriculture Sector Advisor.

Qualifications

• Have a strong knowledge and understanding of the Agro-food sector including stakeholders and key players.
• Significant strategic analysis in the Agro sector.
• Understanding of Circular Economy and Food Security principles/ issues.
• Extensive experience in agro-value chains/market systems approaches.
• Experience dealing with production, agriculture in general and agro export in the the Lebanese context.