SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II – REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST: HORIZONTAL ALLIANCE OFFICER   

Kingdom of Lesotho 

           MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

                        SMALLHOLDER AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT II

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 

(CONSULTING SERVICES- INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS SELECTION METHOD) 

LOAN NO:                      P164486 

CREDIT NO:                   IDA -63580 -LS 

ASSIGNMENT TITLE:   HORIZONTAL ALLIANCE OFFICER                                 

REFERENCE NO:           

DURATION:              :         12 MONTHS 

REPORTING TO      :      PROJECT DIRECTOR 

BACKGROUND 

The Government of Lesotho is implementing the Smallholder Agricultural Development Project (SADP) 2 with financial support from the World Bank, the Government of Japan and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The project covers ten districts – Maseru, Leribe, Botha-Bothe, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka, Berea Mafeteng, Mohale’sHoek, Quthing and Qacha’sNek. SADP is coordinated by the Project Management unit (PMU) based in Maseru. 

• Component 1. Promoting Climate Smart Agricultural Practices and Advisory Services. This component aims at strengthening the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to adjust and modify their production systems to minimize the potential future impacts from climate variability. 
• Component 2. Improving Agricultural Commercialization and Nutrition. This component will build on Component 1 by addressing financial constraints in the agricultural sector so that the training and advisory services provided under Component 1 is complemented with much-needed financing to help the farming community undertake productive and profitable investments. 
• Component 3. Project Management, Coordination and Monitoring and Evaluation It is responsible for: implementation and coordination, financial management and procurement, communication, visibility and awareness programs, environmental management and safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation.  
• Component 4. Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). This is a zero allocation to partially cover emergency response via implementation of key activities by the appropriate agencies to respond to the emergency.  

DUTIES

The Horizontal Alliances Officer shall be responsible to the Project Director of the SADP2 Project Management Unit (PMU) and shall:

• Establish contact with the key stakeholders concerned with the implementation of the programme, determine their operations and priorities, and determine how the market linkage mechanisms to be included in sub component 2.1 would help facilitate more marketing of smallholder production.

• Based on the conclusions from the above consultation, develop the appropriate market linkages (such as agricultural trade fairs and round table meetings with farmer/farmer groups and traders/processors and specify in the operational manual the detailed requirements for each (including costing), the procedures and processes to follow and the information dissemination required to implement them.

• In consultation with the PMU team and with the Department of Marketing (MSBDCM), spells out in the operational manual the steps and procedures for implementing the programme activity to upgrade the public market information system by improving information quality and services, through training, sub sector/commodity studies and enhancement of IT supported data and information exchange;

• Participate in the preparation of annual work plans and budget for the Implementation of SADP2 funded activities.

• Develop the approach to be used and processes involved in establishing a mentoring service that provides direct field support to producer groups and companies helping them to understand and adopt technologies in accordance with market requirements.

• Working with the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Manager and the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant, help specify the Monitoring and Evaluation requirements for the sub component.

• Manage and coordinate timely reports and acquittals on field work as required by SADP2.

• Attend to any other duty delegated by project Director.

• Coordinate Gender Equality and Women Empowerment activities implemented by World Vision Lesotho under GAFSP funding.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor of Marketing, Agribusiness, Commerce and or Economics.
• 3 to 5 years professional experience in agricultural marketing and trade.
• In-depth knowledge of agriculture in Lesotho.
• Sesotho and English Fluency

SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Community leadership and mentoring skills, able to support, motivate and liaise effectively with community groups.
• Ability and experience in workshop facilitation and giving presentation in both formal and non-formal settings.
• Ability to develop training programs and lessons plans
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and lead a team of communities.

CONTRACT DURATION AND CONDITION

•           Contract duration is one year, but renewable upon satisfactory performance of the incumbent and subject to business continuity and availability of funds. The assignment is planned to condescendence by May 2027.

FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE CLIENT

The client shall render the officer with all such facilities as may be reasonably required to enable the officer to discharge his/her duties that is office space laptop/computer, landline telephone, and transport project-related duties.

The short-listed candidate will be requested to participate in personal interviews and submit the names and contact details of personal referees who can attest to their abilities. A pre-employment screening and background check will be done on all short-listed candidates. The successful candidate must understand the objectives and delivery mechanisms of the project’s portfolio. He/she must be willing to work in a team, be flexible to emerging or changing conditions, and undertake initiative in his/her broad field of action.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III paragraph 3.14 to 3.17 of THE WORLD BANK’S Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, PROCUREMENT IN INVESTMENT PROJECT FINANCING Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services, Sixth Edition, February 2025, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A consultant will be selected in accordance with selection of Individual Consultants Method set out in Procurement Regulations.

SUBMISSION

Information required from candidates.

• Signed application letters stating explicitly relevant qualifications and experience.
• Provide current CV’s (including telephone, email and contact details).
• Certified copies of educational certificates and transcripts.
• Provide names and contact details of three (3) contactable professional referees.
• Certified copy of an Identity Document (ID).

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

SUBMISSION: Interested candidates should deliver their applications to the address below not later than the 9^th March 2026 at 16.00 hours.

Human Resources Department

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition

80 Constitution Road

P.O. Box 24

Maseru 100

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