CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
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Recruitment of a Regional Multi-Actor Research Network (RMRN) Consortium on Agroecology in West and Central Africa (WCA)
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Opening date: 2nd October 2023
Closing date: 17th November 2023
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CEI No. 35-2023
West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) in collaboration with the European Commission (EC) will support Research Institutions, Universities, and other local Organizations to establish and operationalize at least one Regional Multi-actor Research Network (RMRN) on Agroecology in West and Central Africa. The aim of the RMRN is to buildexcellence in research and education based on innovative approaches to produce knowledge, and to test or scale solutions conducive to transitioning to an agroecological agri-food system in WCA by inclusively mobilizing and engaging with a diversity of interacting stakeholders ranging from WCA universities, agricultural research institutions, multi-disciplinary teams of researchers, multi-sectoral private sector actors, farmer’s organizations and the civil society. The ultimate goal is to develop sustainably productive and resilient agri-food systems able to address current aspirations and emerging challenges (food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, water scarcity) with a holistic perspective aligned with agroecology principles.
The RMRN overall objective is to contribute to a sustainable agri-food system transition in WCA based on agroecological principles. The transition towards agroecological agri-food systems is an effective pathway supported by a broad range of multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral actors such as researchers, policy makers, civil society, traders, and consumers. It requires new knowledge, competences, and policies to address complex situations, as well as challenges and co-create solutions based on agroecological principles and the integration of scientific and local knowledge.
The Specific Objectives are to:
- Strengthen the scientific and technological capacities of RMRN Consortium to produce, collect, access, process, share data / information guided by agroecology principles and using a gender-sensitive approach.
- Increase the RMRN’s Consortium contribution to scientific knowledge and innovation for agroecology through transformative quality multi-disciplinary research.
- Enhance the RMRN Consortium support to agroecology practitioners, scientists, consumers, and policymakers with a gender-sensitive approach.
CORAF, as coordinator and facilitator of the programme, is issuing a Call for intention to express interest in constituting a RMRN Consortium with proven expertise as well as experience in agroecology and related fields based on a multidisciplinary approach (Social and Biological Sciences).
The CORAF Executive Director invites consortia with the required qualifications indicated in the guidelines below to express their interest in this call.
Interested parties are invited to express their interest by forming a cohesive consortium in accordance with the guidelines provided and using the template provided. Applications from potential RMRNs will be reviewed internally by the CORAF Scientific and Technical Committee to ensure their eligibility in accordance with EU requirements. Applications from eligible RMRNs will be submitted for external review by a Regional Selection Committee (RSC), composed of representatives from CORAF, AFAAS, RUFORUM and FARA, as well as external evaluators.
Selection will be based on the rules contained in CORAF’s administrative, financial and accounting manual of procedures.
Further details on this Call for Expression of Interest can be found in the guidelines and preparation template below.
Interested consortia can obtain further information from the Director of Research and Innovation, Dr Emmanuel NJUKWE by sending an email to e.njukwe@coraf.org with a copy to procurement@coraf.org fifteen (15) calendar days before closure.
Expressions of interest must be submitted by e-mail to procurement@coraf.org with a copy to e.njukwe@coraf.org, no later than 17th November 2023 at 5.00 pm GMT.
A shortlist of four (4) to six (6) consortia will be drawn up following the call for expressions of interest and the consultation will be carried out in accordance with CORAF’s Rules of Administrative, Financial and Accounting Procedures.
It should be noted that the expression of interest by a consortium does not imply any obligation on the part of CORAF to include that consortium in the shortlist.
The CORAF Executive Secretariat has the discretion to accept or reject any expression of interest submitted and cancel the development of the entire proposal at any stage, without giving any reason(s) and without incurring any prejudice to the applicants.
Dr Abdou TENKOUANO
Executive Director of CORAF