Banana Accompanying Measurers

The Financing Agreement for the BAM 2012 programme was signed on the 18th February 2013. The overall objective of the proposed programme is to foster social and economic development contributing to the reduction of poverty, focusing on the workers and their families in the region of the Stann Creek and northern Toledo districts of Belize.

Its specific objective is to ensure that the efficiency of banana production is increased, the economic and social development of the banana farmers, their workers and communities are improved. Three expected results are foreseen, namely:

(i) increased efficiency of banana production

(ii) improved economic diversification opportunities for rural communities in the target region; and

(iii) improved quality of and better access to heath, water and sanitation services.

The National Authorizing Office (NAO), which is part of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, in Belize will be the Contracting Authority for the Belize Accompanying Measures 2012 programme. It seeks to recruit a Technical Assistance Team (TAT) to provide resident technical and administrative assistance that will enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture which is the Implementing Agency for the programme.

The Agronomist will be responsible for the following activities:

  • Liaise closely with the Team Leader/Project Coordinator and provide required technical support for sound implementation and management of the competitiveness component of the BAM;
  • Liaise closely with the BGA, banana growers and farmers and monitor project activities in the respective farms in relation to the implementation of grant contract(s);
  • Support, monitor and record all grant contract-related transactions between Growers and Contractors to ensure that they are correctly implemented and reported;
  • Monitor and document cultivation practices of all fields impacted under the BAM;
  • Ensure that investments made in rehabilitation in the industry are technically and financially sound and utilize the most efficient methodology and technology available;
  • Prepare reports on the advances made on the rehabilitation aspects of the project as well as expenditures under the competiveness/agronomic component of the BAM;
  • Prepare technical specifications for supply, works and service contracts related to agronomic activities as required;
  • Design an improved banana production technology package for industry-wide application, drawing on industry resources, to build on the previously SFA-funded strategies developed for sigatoka and nematode control and plant nutrition;
  • Ensure that capacity building for the Banana Growers Association staff in improved agronomic practices is effectively carried out and monitored;
  • Do an on-going analysis of improved agronomic practices (plant nutrition, nematode management, drainage, irrigation, integrated pest management, etc.) as it relates to yield performance;
  • Support the NAO office in identification of monitoring and evaluation tools and implementation of methodology system to define baseline and report progress against results and indicators envisaged in the competitiveness/agronomic component of BAM;
  • Other relevant BAM-related duties assigned by the Project Manager of the TAT.
Qualifications: 

Key expert 2: Agronomist– Senior Expert (minimum 600 person days)

The Agronomist will be responsible for all the agronomic and competitiveness aspects and components of the BAM programme. S/he will provide project management support to the Team Leader, as required. S/he will assist the Team Leader in the preparation of guidelines to launch one or more call for proposals for implementation of grants under the competitiveness component of the BAM. S/he will support the Team Leader in the sound monitoring and reporting under the contracts awarded and will provide technical and administrative support, as required, in the management of the grants and programme estimate.

Qualifications and skills

  • A Master’s degree in one of the following areas:, Agronomy, agricultural science, plant sciences and technology, plant protection, pest management or a relevant directly related discipline;
  • Excellent command of spoken and written English and working knowledge of the Spanish language;
  • A very good knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel and MS projects or equivalent;
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both written and oral);

General professional experience

  • Preferably 10 years, but a minimum of 5 years, of working experience as an agronomist or agricultural scientist in the banana sector;

  • At least 5 years proven application of various EU contractual procedures and implementation modalities in line with the PRAG (works, supply, service, grant contracts, Programme Estimates) experience in EU Budget and/or EDF operational rules and procedures;

  • Practical experience monitoring and/or evaluating development cooperation projects and programmes in one (1) previous project.

Specific professional experience

  • Minimum of 5 years of experience within the last 10 years in banana agronomy, good agricultural practices and in monitoring the execution of field rehabilitation works in the ACP region;

  • Must have worked as an agronomist or agricultural scientist on at least one (1) similar project in the banana sector in the past 7 years;

  • Hands-on knowledge of the ACP banana sector in at least 1 similar project is required.

  • Knowledge of ACP, particularly of both the Caribbean and Latin America, banana sector would be an advantage.

Start / Duration: 

The intended start date is November 5, 2013 and the period of implementation of the contract will be 36 months from this date.

If you are interested to cooperate with AFC Consultsns International in this tender, please send you most recent CV to:

Barbara.Barbara.Braun [at] afci.de

Thank you!