Call for Consultancy Services – 2023-24 Agriculture Sector Budget Analysis tendering job at ActionAid Zambia
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ActionAid Zambia and SAfAIDS are part of the Partnership for Social Accountability (PSA) Alliance implementing a project titled ‘Strengthening Social Accountability and Oversight Capacity for Rights-based Public Resources Management in Health and Agriculture in Southern Africa’ with support from the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC). The PSA Alliance is a consortium of 4 agencies: Lead organisation- ActionAid International (AAI), and consortium partners – Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum (ESAFF), Southern African HIV and AIDS Information and Dissemination Services (SAFAIDS), and Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM). The project is being implemented in five countries in Africa namely, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In Zambia, the PSA project is led by ActionAid Zambia (AAZ) in collaboration with the Mongu District Farmers Association (MDFA) and National Union for Smallholder Scale Farmers of Zambia (NUSFAZ) on the agriculture sector with focus on food security.
The project seeks to improve accountability and gender-responsiveness in public resource management, particularly in the areas of HIV/SRH services for adolescents and youth and agricultural services for smallholder farmers, contributing to the realisation of selected SADC regional commitments by strengthening the oversight and social accountability roles of five target groups in the SADC region, specifically: selected parliamentary committees, relevant government departments, issue-based civil society organisations (CSOs), smallholder farmer organisations, and the media. Using a rights and evidence based approach to social accountability monitoring, the project focuses on the five inter-related processes of PRM: planning and resource allocation; expenditure management; performance monitoring; public integrity; and oversight.
The advocacy goal of the PSA project on food security is Increased Extension Services and Recruitment of the Extension officers for improved agriculture services at local level (Particularly in the three districts Chipata, Nalolo and Mongu) for Climate resilient and gender-responsive agricultural public services (including input and extension) which benefit smallholder farmers through promoting agroecology and community-based seed systems. The PSA project would like to track the adherence to CAADP targets and go beyond the allocation of 10% of the national budget to Agriculture sector to assess the distribution of resources (intra-sectoral allocations) that will be instrumental to the attainment of 6% annual agricultural growth. Noting that there are growing concerns of food security that have been exacerbated with increasing incidences of climate change and disasters, the AAZ would like to track National Budgets to assess the extent to which they build resilient agriculture systems.
As part of strengthening the social accountability monitoring and with the budget cycle in mind, the 2023/24 Agriculture budget analysis will have to assess the merits and possible knock-on effects of this change on the sector in terms of timeliness of financing and effect on program delivery.
The budget analysis, should aim to respond to these key regional SDC questions:
– Do national budget allocations to the Agriculture Sector, particularly in the areas of Agriculture Extension Services, Seed Services and Agro-ecology and Climate Change Adaptation Farming Systems/interventions in particular, respond to the needs and priorities of smallholder farmers? (Three-year trend)
– Does the Government provide support programmes and/or grants for smallholder farmers such that they easily access Agricultural Advisory Services, seeds, quality and affordable agriculture inputs, and appropriate knowledge, skills and technologies?
– How many Agriculture Extension Services workers are deployed across the country? For Chipata, Nalolo, Mongu and Lusaka Rural District (Chilanga, Monze and Lusaka. Review the relevance of the extension workers; and identify the areas which they provide services in, and the current gaps in the provision of agriculture public extension services.
Specific to this assignment the study should:
– Analyze allocations versus disbursement trends for different sector trends (Education, Health) and district level disbursements.
• Analyze the 2023/2024 National budget considering key set agricultural policy priorities within Zambia 2063, National Agricultural Policy and National Agricultural investment Plan, National Export Strategy, National Adaptation Plans, National Extension Strategy and Climate Change Strategy
• Propose projected recommended allocations to NAIP programme areas to achieve the desired growth rate in the sector as stipulated in the CAADP requirements.
• Assess debt servicing as well the additional debts and the extent to which they continue to challenge growth and development.
Scope of work
2023/2024 National Budget Analysis
Analyze the national policies that informs agriculture budget and make key recommendations for areas that require reforms. Furthermore, assess how the IMF supported public sector wage bill constraints are affecting the budget.
Conduct a trend analysis on budgetary investments that government has been making to National Agricultural Policy areas focus areas since adoption of the policy and the target set in NAIP for 2023/2024
Assess budget alignment to sector priorities against National Agricultural Investment Plan
Assess the investments that have been going to key subsectors such as Climate change related, Research, Extension, and market development programmes and make recommendations on key areas that the assessment will make attainment of 6% agricultural growth possible.
Assess the budget considering the recent Biennial Report for Malawi and isolate indicators needing attention.
As government is geared towards export led agriculture, the exercise should also review some strategies put in place for promoting commercial agriculture and export agriculture to assess their poverty and gender impacts, paying careful attention to tax concessions, large infrastructure development and other incentives proposed for large scale agribusiness investments.
Assess gender responsiveness of the agriculture sector budget.
Assess climate resilience and adaptation with a focus on agroecology.
Review District budget for Chipata, Nalolo, Lusaka and Mongu against the District budget isolating agricultural sector priorities and targets.
Provide recommendations based on identified gaps and needs in the agriculture sector.
Deliverables
a. A power point presentation with major findings, implications, and recommendations to be submitted within two days on budget statement release.
b. A policy position paper to be submitted on 3 days after submission of (a) above.
c. Conduct an orientation to targeted stakeholders on the findings.
d. A comprehensive 2023/2024 Budget Analysis Report to be submitted 14 days after submission of (b) above.
Required Knowledge and Experience of the Consultants.
The Consultant(s) should have at least the following:
a. Minimum of a master’s degree in any of the following fields: Public Policy, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender, Management, or Agriculture Economics.
b. At least five years’ experience in analyzing and tracking of public policy implementation national budgets.
c. Experience in mainstreaming agroecology and food security needs in national and local development activities.
d. Knowledge and experience on the use of ActionAid’s Agroecology Financing Analysis Toolkit (AFAT) tool for the public sector in Africa will be an added advantage.
e. Wide knowledge and vast experience in the undertakings of Civil Society Organizations.
f. Wide knowledge of the Zambia Agriculture.
g. Sound knowledge of social accountability monitoring as a model for public resources management.
Applications (soft copies) should be sent to the following address by 19th January 2024 and closing time is 1pm.
The Chairperson, Internal Procurement Committee (IPC), ActionAid Zambia (AAZ), 38G Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, P.O. Box 51407Lusaka, Zambia.
Telephone: +26 (0)9 664 53677, Fax: +26 (0)2 112 55593 Email: info.zambia@actionaid.org
The project seeks to improve accountability and gender-responsiveness in public resource management, particularly in the areas of HIV/SRH services for adolescents and youth and agricultural services for smallholder farmers, contributing to the realisation of selected SADC regional commitments by strengthening the oversight and social accountability roles of five target groups in the SADC region, specifically: selected parliamentary committees, relevant government departments, issue-based civil society organisations (CSOs), smallholder farmer organisations, and the media. Using a rights and evidence based approach to social accountability monitoring, the project focuses on the five inter-related processes of PRM: planning and resource allocation; expenditure management; performance monitoring; public integrity; and oversight.
The advocacy goal of the PSA project on food security is Increased Extension Services and Recruitment of the Extension officers for improved agriculture services at local level (Particularly in the three districts Chipata, Nalolo and Mongu) for Climate resilient and gender-responsive agricultural public services (including input and extension) which benefit smallholder farmers through promoting agroecology and community-based seed systems. The PSA project would like to track the adherence to CAADP targets and go beyond the allocation of 10% of the national budget to Agriculture sector to assess the distribution of resources (intra-sectoral allocations) that will be instrumental to the attainment of 6% annual agricultural growth. Noting that there are growing concerns of food security that have been exacerbated with increasing incidences of climate change and disasters, the AAZ would like to track National Budgets to assess the extent to which they build resilient agriculture systems.
As part of strengthening the social accountability monitoring and with the budget cycle in mind, the 2023/24 Agriculture budget analysis will have to assess the merits and possible knock-on effects of this change on the sector in terms of timeliness of financing and effect on program delivery.
The budget analysis, should aim to respond to these key regional SDC questions:
– Do national budget allocations to the Agriculture Sector, particularly in the areas of Agriculture Extension Services, Seed Services and Agro-ecology and Climate Change Adaptation Farming Systems/interventions in particular, respond to the needs and priorities of smallholder farmers? (Three-year trend)
– Does the Government provide support programmes and/or grants for smallholder farmers such that they easily access Agricultural Advisory Services, seeds, quality and affordable agriculture inputs, and appropriate knowledge, skills and technologies?
– How many Agriculture Extension Services workers are deployed across the country? For Chipata, Nalolo, Mongu and Lusaka Rural District (Chilanga, Monze and Lusaka. Review the relevance of the extension workers; and identify the areas which they provide services in, and the current gaps in the provision of agriculture public extension services.
Specific to this assignment the study should:
– Analyze allocations versus disbursement trends for different sector trends (Education, Health) and district level disbursements.
• Analyze the 2023/2024 National budget considering key set agricultural policy priorities within Zambia 2063, National Agricultural Policy and National Agricultural investment Plan, National Export Strategy, National Adaptation Plans, National Extension Strategy and Climate Change Strategy
• Propose projected recommended allocations to NAIP programme areas to achieve the desired growth rate in the sector as stipulated in the CAADP requirements.
• Assess debt servicing as well the additional debts and the extent to which they continue to challenge growth and development.
Scope of work
2023/2024 National Budget Analysis
Analyze the national policies that informs agriculture budget and make key recommendations for areas that require reforms. Furthermore, assess how the IMF supported public sector wage bill constraints are affecting the budget.
Conduct a trend analysis on budgetary investments that government has been making to National Agricultural Policy areas focus areas since adoption of the policy and the target set in NAIP for 2023/2024
Assess budget alignment to sector priorities against National Agricultural Investment Plan
Assess the investments that have been going to key subsectors such as Climate change related, Research, Extension, and market development programmes and make recommendations on key areas that the assessment will make attainment of 6% agricultural growth possible.
Assess the budget considering the recent Biennial Report for Malawi and isolate indicators needing attention.
As government is geared towards export led agriculture, the exercise should also review some strategies put in place for promoting commercial agriculture and export agriculture to assess their poverty and gender impacts, paying careful attention to tax concessions, large infrastructure development and other incentives proposed for large scale agribusiness investments.
Assess gender responsiveness of the agriculture sector budget.
Assess climate resilience and adaptation with a focus on agroecology.
Review District budget for Chipata, Nalolo, Lusaka and Mongu against the District budget isolating agricultural sector priorities and targets.
Provide recommendations based on identified gaps and needs in the agriculture sector.
Deliverables
a. A power point presentation with major findings, implications, and recommendations to be submitted within two days on budget statement release.
b. A policy position paper to be submitted on 3 days after submission of (a) above.
c. Conduct an orientation to targeted stakeholders on the findings.
d. A comprehensive 2023/2024 Budget Analysis Report to be submitted 14 days after submission of (b) above.
Required Knowledge and Experience of the Consultants.
The Consultant(s) should have at least the following:
a. Minimum of a master’s degree in any of the following fields: Public Policy, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender, Management, or Agriculture Economics.
b. At least five years’ experience in analyzing and tracking of public policy implementation national budgets.
c. Experience in mainstreaming agroecology and food security needs in national and local development activities.
d. Knowledge and experience on the use of ActionAid’s Agroecology Financing Analysis Toolkit (AFAT) tool for the public sector in Africa will be an added advantage.
e. Wide knowledge and vast experience in the undertakings of Civil Society Organizations.
f. Wide knowledge of the Zambia Agriculture.
g. Sound knowledge of social accountability monitoring as a model for public resources management.
Applications (soft copies) should be sent to the following address by 19th January 2024 and closing time is 1pm.
The Chairperson, Internal Procurement Committee (IPC), ActionAid Zambia (AAZ), 38G Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, P.O. Box 51407Lusaka, Zambia.
Telephone: +26 (0)9 664 53677, Fax: +26 (0)2 112 55593 Email: info.zambia@actionaid.org
Job Info
Job Category: Tenders in Zambia
Job Type: Full-time
Deadline of this Job: 19 January 2024
Duty Station: Lusaka
Posted: 17-01-2024
No of Jobs: 1
Start Publishing: 17-01-2024
Stop Publishing (Put date of 2030): 17-01-2068
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