VACANCY– GOPA AFC, IRAM, AND BASA DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES

Background of the Organizations

GOPA AFC GmbH is a private German consulting firm based in Bonn, founded in 1973, that works on agricultural, agribusiness, and financial development projects in developing and transition countries. It has implemented projects in more than 120 countries for clients including the EU, AFD, GIZ, KfW, the World Bank, and several development banks. The firm has worked extensively on the cassava value chain in Nigeria and Ghana, including the GIZ-funded SEDIN and AgriBiz programs. Part of the GOPA Group and certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, it serves as the lead partner for this consortium.

IRAM (Institut de Recherches et d’Applications des Méthodes de Développement) is a Paris-based associative consultancy firm that has worked in international development since 1957, operating in about 40 countries with a multidisciplinary team of agronomists, economists, sociologists, and development specialists. It has a record of Expertise France contracts, including the AFIDEC project in Comoros, the PGE Gabes in Tunisia, and the PAGOF project in West Africa, as well as extensive technical assistance for AFD and the EU. Its cassava work includes value chain analysis and extension strategy development in the D.R. Congo. IRAM is the consortium partner.

BASA Development Initiatives (BDI) is a legally registered Liberian non-profit and non-governmental organization with a mission to empower women, youth, and communities through sustainable, locally led development that improves livelihoods, strengthens resilience, and advances inclusive social and economic growth. Its main intervention areas are agribusiness, environmental sustainability, education, youth and women empowerment, and health and nutrition. BDI has implemented work funded by the Global Environment Facility, the European Union, and GIZ. The EU-funded Cassava Transformation Project in southeast Liberia provided business support services and training in climate-smart agriculture and good agricultural practices across Maryland, Sinoe, and River Gee counties. BDI is built on the principle of local ownership, with Liberians championing their own development.

Project Background

The GOPA AFC–IRAM consortium, with its Liberian sub-contractor BASA Development Initiatives (BDI), is being awarded “Strengthening the cassava value chain in Liberia – boosting sustainable production, processing, and market access” (Lot 1), a technical assistance assignment tendered by Expertise France under the Liberia Private Sector Development Project and funded by the European Union. Cassava contributes about 23% of Liberia’s agricultural GDP, but yields are low. The assignment addresses these gaps through five results across the value chain. Results 1 to 3 target the core segments: production, processing, and marketing. Results 4 and 5 operate at the meso level, focusing on service provision and stakeholder organization. Cross-cutting attention goes to food security, poverty reduction, gender, youth, and people with disabilities. A team of seven subject-matter specialists will deliver the work, covering value chain development, production, processing, marketing, finance, social inclusion, and monitoring and evaluation, and will be complemented by local experts and facilitators. The GOPA AFC–IRAM–BDI team is now recruiting a Team Leader / Senior Value Chain Expert (Cassava) to lead a team of international and Liberian experts.

Job Title: Agronomy and Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist
Location: Monrovia, frequent travel to Gbarpolu, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Rural Montserrado.
Project: Cassava Value Chain Component under the EU-funded Private Sector Development Project
Reporting to: Team Leader / Senior Value Chain Expert (Cassava)
Status: National / International
Duration: 6 months with renewal based on performance

Job Overview

The Agronomy and Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist provides technical leadership on cassava production and sustainable, climate-smart farming across the value chain. The role promotes disease-resistant varieties, soil fertility management, intercropping, and sustainable land management, and builds farmer capacity through field schools, demonstration plots, and participatory learning. As BDI’s lead technical officer for agriculture and agribusiness, the Specialist anchors the consortium’s production-level work, links improved practices to processing and market demand, and works closely with the Team Lead and technical experts to raise productivity and resilience among smallholder farmers, with particular attention to women and youth.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as BDI’s lead technical officer for agriculture and agribusiness, providing direction on production-level activities.
• Provide technical expertise on cassava production systems and climate-smart agriculture.
• Promote disease-resistant and improved varieties, soil fertility management, intercropping, and sustainable land management.
• Design and implement strategies to raise productivity, sustainability, and climate resilience among smallholder farmers.
• Establish and oversee farmer field schools, demonstration plots, and participatory learning approaches.
• Develop and deliver training programmes, manuals, and capacity-building activities on good agricultural practices.
• Support improved seed and planting material systems, including rapid multiplication techniques.
• Strengthen the links between production, processing, and market demand.
• Work with extension systems, research institutions, and service providers to reach large numbers of farmers.
• Ensure integration of inclusive approaches, particularly targeting women and youth.
• Work with the M&E Specialist to track production and climate-smart agriculture indicators.
• Contribute to project reporting, documentation, and coordination with relevant stakeholders.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in agronomy, crop science, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in cassava production systems and climate-smart agriculture.
• Expertise in disease-resistant varieties, soil fertility management, intercropping systems, and sustainable land management.
• Experience in training farmers through field schools, demonstration plots, and participatory learning.
• Strong understanding of inclusive approaches for smallholders, MSMEs, and cooperatives.
• Familiarity with donor-funded project environments and reporting requirements.
• Prior experience in West Africa (preferably Liberia or neighbouring countries) is highly desirable.

Preferred Profile

• Masters or PHD in agronomy, crop science or a related discipline
• Extensive hands-on experience in cassava production and climate-smart agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Proven track record in promoting improved and disease-resistant varieties and seed multiplication systems.
• Strong experience in designing and delivering farmer training, including field schools and demonstration plots.
• Demonstrated ability to promote innovation and climate-smart solutions, including mechanisation and improved service delivery.
• Experience working with extension systems, research institutions (e.g., IITA), and service providers at scale.
• Background in working with women- and youth-led farmer groups and inclusive business models.
• Strong project management, coordination, and technical backstopping skills within donor-funded programmes.
• Familiarity with the West African farming systems context is highly desirable.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of additional regional languages is an advantage.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit a CV and a cover letter to recruitment@basadev.org, with “Agronomy and Climate-Smart Agriculture Specialist” in the subject line. The CV should detail relevant experience in cassava production and climate-smart agriculture on donor-funded projects, and the cover letter should explain your suitability for the role and your availability. Please include the names and contact details of at least two professional references. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is encouraged. The deadline for application submission is 28 September 2026 at 5pm. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.