Short-Term Consultant- Mapping of Organo-Mineral Fertilizers - Soil Values - Office of Programs - Africa at International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

About IFDC

• IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems, enabling policy environments, and strategic partnerships that assist farmers and countries to identify and bring to scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. The approaches are needed to boost soil health, its productivity as well as enhancing crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, and safeguard the soil on which our lives depend. These are done alongside building the economic resilience of farming households and the countries in which they live.

Responsibilities

• Provide a comprehensive, evidence-based overview of the entire fertilizer ecosystem from production and import to distribution and end-use to identify bottlenecks, opportunities, and strategic entry points for program interventions and policy advocacy;
• Map agricultural inputs to determine availability, distribution, and actors across the supply chain strengthening collaboration, improving resource allocation, and targeting underserved areas, particularly those affecting smallholders, women, and youth;
• Support long-term policy development and monitoring providing a foundation to improve regulatory frameworks, harmonize standards, and ensure access to affordable, quality fertilizers, including organic inputs;
• Conduct a comprehensive sector analysis identifying and assessing all key actors from producers to end-users evaluating their dynamism, organization, and role in the supply chain;
• Lead a physical mapping initiative, geo-locating and visualizing major supply sources, including production units and sales points to produce detailed maps illustrating distribution networks and density;
• Assess the spatial distribution and economic factors affecting fertilizer availability and accessibility, including prices, market margins, and practical barriers faced by farmers;
• Conduct a thorough review of relevant policies, regulations, and standards governing the fertilizer sector;
• Synthesize findings to identify principal constraints to adopting integrated fertilization practices and develop actionable, evidence-based recommendations tailored for program designers, policymakers, and private sector actors.
• Objectives of the Assignment
   

To produce an updated mapping and analyze the supply distribution of the organic and mineral fertilizer to inform program interventions and stakeholder actions.

Specific Objectives
 

• Identify and characterize key sector actors (producers, importers, distributors, institutions, users) and assess their dynamism and level of organization by area;
• Locate and map supply sources: production units, warehouses, sales points, importers;
• Analyze the spatial and economic availability and accessibility of different types of organic amendments and mineral fertilizers;
• Examine policies, regulations, and standards governing the production, importation, distribution, and use of organic and mineral fertilizers;
• Identify key constraints to the adoption of integrated fertilization and propose operational recommendations.

Requirements

The consultant must have:

• Advanced degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Supply Chain Management, or a related field;
• Experience working on fertilizer-related topics is highly desirable;
• At least 10 years’ experience in sustainable agriculture, agroecology, or rural development;
• Proven expertise in farm-to-landscape interventions, financial mechanism design, and multi-stakeholder facilitation;
• Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa preferred;
• Fluency in speaking and writing English and preferably French;
• Excellent communication and writing skills.

Deliverables

The Deliverables Expected From This Consultancy Are

• Methodology, persons/institutions to be contacted, timetable after 5 days
• Final report with actionable recommendations after 30 days