Consultant (Budget Analysis on Agroecology) at ActionAid (AA) Nigeria

ActionAid (AA) Nigeria is an affiliate of ActionAid International, which is a global alliance of organisations working towards achieving a world without poverty and injustice in which every person enjoys the right to a life with dignity. As a large and visible development organisation, we work in more than 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and America. Our expertise lies in community-led approaches to development and working through partnerships with the poor and other grass root organisations.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Budget Analysis on Agroecology (Expression of Interest)

Location: Nigeria
Contract: Short Term

Background

• ActionAid Nigeria in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation - Abuja Office is working on Promoting Public Finance for Agroecology. Climate change poses major challenges to agriculture in Nigeria. Impacts range from desertification in the north to an increase of extreme climate events such as droughts and floods across the country, depriving smallholder farmers of land and destroying crops.
• With a 25.2 percent contribution to Nigeria’s GDP and employing about two-thirds of the labour force, agriculture is a major backbone of the country’s economy. Women farmers constitute 60–80 per cent of the agricultural labour force. However, their access to credit, inputs, training and advice, technology, crop insurance, etc. remains poor. Despite the crucial role they play in society, smallholder women farmers are hardly involved in local, states and national decision and policymaking.
• Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) made under the Paris Agreement embodies the country’s efforts to reduce national emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change. If fully implemented, these efforts will pave way for a low carbon and climate-resilient economy. However, government action towards these commitments is perceived to be poor.
• Meanwhile, agroecology offers an important nature-based solution to the challenge of feeding the world in an era of climate change. By working with nature, increasing bio - diversity and avoiding harmful agrochemicals, agroecology improves resilience to climate change and reduces the greenhouse gas emissions released in the process of producing agrochemicals and growing food.
• Against this backdrop, this project, in close collaboration with the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), seeks to analyse the budgetary allocations and actual expenditure of the Nigerian government at national and state level on line items that would contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agricultural and environmental sector.
• In view of the above, ActionAid Nigeria is seeking the services of a consultant to undertake the analysis budget allocations and expenditures covering the years from 2015 - 2019 of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Agency for the Great Green Wall, and the Ecological Fund Office. The consultant will harmonise outputs with ActionAid Nigeria.

Objectives

• To provide in-depth analysis of the budget allocations and actual investments and expenditures from 2015 – 2019 to uncover the extent of government’s budgetary commitment to climate adaptation and mitigation and agroecology.
• To scrutinize identified allocations and expenditures for their potential for and/ or actual support of agroecological farming practices among smallholder farmers especially women.
• To provide the needed information that will enable smallholder farmers especially women, CSOs and citizens to effectively engage with the government on public financing for agroecology, climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• To work with, mobilise and support smallholder farmers, especially women, CSOs and citizens to effectively engage with the government on public financing for agroecology, climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Methodology
Budget analysis of allocations and actual investments and expenditures covering the years from 2015 - 2019 of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Agency for the Great Green Wall, and the Ecological Fund Office but not limited to:

• Budget Analysis of the budget allocations and actual investments and expenditures from 2015 – 2019 to uncover the extent of government’s budgetary commitment to climate adaptation and mitigation and agroecology
• Percentage of allocations from the total Federal Government budget of the mentioned ministries and agencies from 2015 - 2019
• Extent of Federal Government's adherence to International Commitments in the allocations
• Percentage of Recurrent and Capital Expenditure from 2015 - 2019 Budget of the ministries and agencies
• Real Value of budget allocations from 2015 - 2019 considering nominal value, deflator/inflation, shortfall, etc.
• Allocations & Expenditures to critical sub-sectors on climate change adaptation, mitigation and agroecology of the Federal Ministries and Agencies to be covered
• Questionable Budget Items and Expenditures in the budgets from 2015 - 2019

Outputs and Deliverables
The overall output is a comprehensive evidence base for advocacy for increased public financing of agroecological approaches in agriculture as a nature-based solution for promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria. In view of these the deliverables are:

• Detailed comparative and trend analysis of allocations and actual investments and expenditures covering the years from 2015 - 2019 of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), National Agency for the Great Green Wall, and the Ecological Fund Office.
• Detailed comparative and trend analysis clearly highlighting budget line items strengths and weaknesses on climate adaptation, mitigation and agroecology and articulate recommendations for improvement.

Timeline:

• The contract for the consultancy is for a period of twenty (20) working days

Required profile for consultant applying
Consultant (She/he) to be recruited should have the following experiences:

• A good understanding and practical experience of development work including advanced skills in Public Finance Analysis/Budget Analysis in Climate Change, Environment and Agriculture
• Be a graduate of Economics, Statistics or any related field (Masters/PhD or Professor preferred)
• Have at least 7 years experience in and capacity for budget analysis (a report of such work done in the last 2 years is a required evidence)
• Excellent facilitation and writing skills (keeping it simplified)
• Computer literate and able to apply Microsoft Office and other analytical tools efficiently
• An excellent team worker

Reporting Lines:

• For this work, the consultant will be expected to report to the Food and Agriculture Programme Coordinator for technical oversight of the action required.

Payment
ActionAid Nigeria will pay a rate of N50,000 daily. Please note that ActionAid Nigeria will deduct and remit to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) a 5% Withholding Tax from the total consultancy fees in accordance with the Nigerian Tax Law.

Application Closing Date
31st August, 2020.