1. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
AATF is driven by the vision of a prosperous, resilient, food and nutrition-secure Africa, where smallholder farmers’ livelihoods are transformed through agricultural innovations. Created in 2003 in response to the need for an effective mechanism to support access to technology for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), AATF has, in the last two decades, dedicated itself to promoting access, adaptation, and adoption of innovative agricultural technologies that effectively address farmer productivity constraints highlighted above. Any meaningful effort to secure Africa’s future must address the persistent low agricultural productivity. Improved access to agricultural technologies will enable farmers in Africa to sustainably boost productivity and reduce hunger and poverty without significantly expanding land under cultivation.
The AATF 2023-2027 strategy, ’Scaling for Impact’ affirms AATF’s commitment to innovative and sustainable delivery of agricultural technologies as a contributor to food and nutrition security and economic growth in Africa.
The strategy also identifies four Cross-cutting Priorities namely.
- Improve climate change resilience amongst farmers in Africa,
- Enhance gender equality in access to resources, agribusiness opportunities and technology.
- Improve nutrition for farmers and consumers in Africa.
- Build knowledge and foster evidence-based decision-making in African agriculture.
The fourth Cross-cutting Priority in the strategy; Build knowledge and foster evidence-based decision-making in African agriculture also forms the basis and justification for strengthening the AATF approach to harnessing knowledge and information to transform the agricultural technology sector.
For more information around the Concept note, click here: AATF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT HUB CONCEPT NOTE
2. ABOUT THE TASK:
AATF seeks the services of a consultant to develop and deploy a contemporary knowledge management hub that will enhance internal and external information sharing and utilization for AATF staff and the wider agriculture, science, technology, and innovation stakeholders.
3. RATIONALE FOR THE ASSIGNMENT:
AATF aspires to proactively share and exchange information on trends, lessons, models, and insights on agricultural technology in Africa for diverse audiences. AATF aims to set up a Knowledge Hub on Agricultural Technology to support education and effective decision-making in technology access and commercialisation. The hub will provide credible and evidence-based information and knowledge in formats that can be accessed and understood by different audiences and for different needs – whether at the level of ‘how-to’ or at policy/government or investor strategic decision-making. The hub will provide an opportunity for aggregating information to unearth patterns and trends, and information and knowledge that will form a knowledge base to be deployed for different purposes such as advocacy for better policy and regulation, demonstration of technology benefits for productivity, industrialisation, income, jobs, investment, and nutrition.
The agriculture technology arena in Africa is riddled with limited understanding due to the dearth of credible evidence-based knowledge, especially on innovative technologies. As a result, misinformation continues to thrive impacting decision-making and agriculture technology uptake and adoption. A huge volume of critical and relevant data is generated regularly by a wide range of stakeholders. These can be captured, processed, verified, analyzed, and tested to produce various knowledge products that can serve the various needs of different stakeholders. For instance, in situations where farmers are facing the threat of climate change, data is crucial to inform insurers on the likelihood of crop failure, lenders on the likelihood of default, and traders on surplus and deficit regions. In the absence of data, smallholder farmers are underserved by most financial service providers, they
Achieving this will require improved institutional and operational mechanisms for knowledge gathering, curating, exchange, and sharing. A contemporary knowledge hub for technical information and knowledge gathering, curating, and sharing will go a long way in supporting this mandate and is a good starting point because experience, existing information, and examples of good practice in the sector exist to inform this process.
When fully implemented and in operation, the Knowledge Hub will contribute to :
- Evidence-based policy formulation and decision-making on STI and agriculture at country, regional, and continental levels;
- More effective response to emerging issues in STI and agriculture – including robust response to misleading reports; enhanced awareness of the contribution of STI to livelihoods;
- Increased public access to relevant, objective, and up-to-date information on STI and agriculture and especially biotechnology;
- More objective and balanced media coverage of biotechnology; a demand-driven ag-biotechnology R&D space
- A significant farmer population that understands, demands, and uses appropriate ag-biotechnology; A private sector that is increasingly aware of and taking up opportunities in the delivery of appropriate ag-biotechnology
4. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
The purpose of the consultancy is to advise on the design and oversee the development of a robust and contemporary knowledge management hub for AATF that supports the delivery of the organization’s Knowledge-sharing objectives. The specific objectives include:
- To conduct an audit of the existing knowledge management systems setup at AATF to identify and document what is needed to set up the envisaged knowledge management hub
- To help design the hub, support systems, and equipment needed and define the approach towards set up and dissemination of knowledge.
- To develop facilitative operational processes and lead the acquisition of appropriate technology.
- To develop a knowledge management hub that enhances current means of gathering knowledge internally and externally considers innovative types of knowledge products, and broadens the means of dissemination in support of AATF’s mandate.
- To identify relevant web-based and other knowledge management programs (including ICT systems) to enhance utilisation by stakeholders.
To develop a capacity-strengthening plan for widening collaboration in knowledge exchange internally among AATF staff and externally among stakeholders. To advise on and help set up a user database based on interest and knowledge consumption and sharing habits for system optimisation.
5. SCOPE OF WORK
- Develop a plan of work and approach for the assignment.
- Review and understand the new AATF strategy 2023-2027
- Develop and administer tools for needs assessment for staff and relevant stakeholders.
- Develop and administer tools to assess current knowledge and information systems.
- Conduct consultations with senior management and program staff on priority information needs and areas of focus.
- Propose a contemporary knowledge management hub.
- Develop and deploy the Knowledge management hub.
- Build the capacity of staff on systems and processes for effective use of the knowledge hub.
6. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
- An inception report detailing an understanding of the assignment and approach for delivery.
- A set of tools for data/information collection on information needs
- A report of identified information needs and a design and proposed approach towards setting up of the hub.
- A fully operational knowledge hub platform
- A capacity building/training report
- A full report of the consultancy activities
- Defined knowledge management operational processes
- A structured knowledge hub user database
7. EXPECTED PROFILES OF THE CONSULTANT(S)
The Team/Consultants/Firm should constitute a minimum of 3 key staff including the Team Leader. The Team Leader should have at least:
- Master’s Degree in Development Communication, Mass Communication, Public Relations, or another related field relevant to the current assignment;
- At least five years of professional experience in developing and implementing/managing knowledge management systems with proven programming skills; and good database development skills
- Track record of at least five years of developing KM-related strategies for similar institutions;
- Team members must have:
- A mix of critical skills in knowledge management, social media; and Information Technology (IT)
- At least 3 years of experience in a relevant field
8. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Interested consultants should submit detailed technical and financial proposals (not more than 8 pages) covering:
- Capacity statement.
- Demonstrated understanding of the terms of reference.
- Proposed methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment.
- A detailed work plan (time and activity schedule).
- A detailed financial proposal
The proposal should, in addition to the above, be accompanied by the below as annexes:
- Company Profile
- CV’s of the consultant.
- list of past and present clients for which the consultant(s)/firm has offered similar services.
- Samples of three most recent related works (and/or references of the same with contact details of the referees)
9. TIMELINE AND ESTIMATED CONSULTING DAYS
This consulting assignment is expected to take place for 40 Days beginning in January 2023 to be completed no later than the end of March 2024.
10. APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Interested applicants should send their Technical and Financial Proposals together with other supporting documents to the Procurement Officer through the email procurement@aatf-africa.org by COB 5th December 2023, with the subject head ‘Knowledge Management’.
11. TERMS AND CONDITION OF THE PROPOSAL
- AATF reserves the right to request new or additional information regarding each service provider and any individual or other persons associated with its project proposal. AATF reserves the right not to make any appointment from the proposals submitted.
- Service providers shall not make available or disclose details pertaining to their Project proposal with anyone not specifically involved unless authorized to do so by AATF. Service providers shall not issue any press release or other public announcement pertaining to details of their project proposal without prior written approval.
- AATF Service providers are required to declare any conflict of interest they may have in the transaction for which the tender is submitted or any potential conflict of interest. AATF reserves the right not to consider further any proposal where such a conflict of interest exists or where such potential conflict of interest may arise.
12. CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT
All data and information received from AATF for the purpose of this assignment are to be treated confidential and are only to be used in connection with the execution of these Terms of Reference. All intellectual property rights arising from the execution of these Terms of Reference are assigned to AATF.
