Scientific Officer, African Union Inter-African Phytosanitary Council

ABOUT US:

By sharing knowledge and science, CABI tackles global issues like poverty, hunger, education, equality, sustainability, climate change, and biodiversity. We do this by helping farmers grow more and lose less of what they produce, combating threats to agriculture and the environment from pests and diseases, protecting natural habitats from invasive species, and improving access to scientific knowledge.

CABI is an international, inter-governmental, not-for-profit organization that improves people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment. Our approach involves putting information, skills, and tools into people’s hands. CABI’s 48 Member Countries guide and influence our work which is delivered by scientific staff based in our global network of centres.

CABI is committed to making a difference and playing its part in creating a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future.

You can learn more at:www.cabi.org

Background

Agriculture is central to the African economy, accounting for about 40 percent of GDP, 15 percent of exports and between 60 to 80 percent of employment on the continent. Moreover, about 75 percent of intra-African trade is in agricultural products. Therefore, agricultural commodities are expected to be a major contributor to trade in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Hence, improving the overall performance of the agricultural sector will be vital to achieving sustainable socio-economic development and food security in African societies.

Plant protection activities and programs for Africa are envisioned to focus on and prioritize information exchange, regional standard development, inputs into international standard setting and regional pesticide programs. In addition, the uptake of integrated pest management (IPM) programs for building national capacities in member states is key in building strong plant health systems for better livelihoods, enhanced trade and biodiversity. These measures ought to thus focus on compliance of AU member states with international phytosanitary standards and enhancing effective participation of AU member states to standards setting processes; influencing policy and decision makers to contribute to improved and strengthened plant pest management in Africa; addressing the negative effect of and risks of pandemic and exotic invasive plant pest species on livelihoods and biodiversity in Africa and supporting capacity enhancement and tailor-made training program that address specific plant health challenges. In this regard and as part of the effort to further strengthen regional plant health coordination and the capacity of AU Member States National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs), the African Union has developed the Continental Plant Health Strategy. The recently launched Plant Health Strategy for Africa (PHSA) and its Implementation Plan will serve as a harmonized framework to deal with any plant health risks that might undermine the effective realization of goals and objectives of Africa’s development frameworks and strategies. The Strategy envisages minimizing duplication of efforts while helping to achieve synergy through leveraging the resources and capabilities of different players and provide guidance and direction to the plant health efforts that are much needed on the continent. The Strategy seeks to address components geared towards ensuring phytosanitary security under the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

Aligning to the AU SPS Policy Framework, AU PHS, the Cross-Border Plant Health Support in Africa project will build on the prior activities aligning on pesticide regulatory guidelines, promoting e-Phyto certification implementation, and risk-based border inspection. The cross-border Plant health project intervention will contribute to the facilitation of trade, strengthening Africa’s agricultural food systems, increasing food security, and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change by improving AU MS’s ability to prepare for and respond to new pest outbreaks.

In addition to the Cross-Border Plant Health Support in Africa, the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE project): Regional alignment of pesticide regulatory systems and trade facilitative MRLs will focus on harmonizing pesticide registration systems and Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) standards across Africa, aligning them with U.S. and international standards. The project will also identify key regulatory issues affecting U.S. specialty crop growers. Ag Align Global (AAG) and Bryant Christie Inc. (BCI) will provide additional technical expertise and industry guidance, enhancing the project’s effectiveness in promoting harmonized, trade-friendly pesticide regulations in Africa.

Contract Period

This is a one (1) year contract- Renewable based on funding.

Purpose of the role:

The Scientific Officer will support the implementation of the Strategic Objectives of Plant Health Strategy for Africa, 2022 – 2036, by the Inter-African Phytosanitary Council of the African Union (AU-IAPSC). The Plant Health Strategy for Africa is one of the strategies for operationalizing the AU SPS Policy Framework. Also, the Scientific Officer, will contribute to the day-to-day management of the ASCE projects funded by USDA-FAS intended to support countries, regional economic communities (RECs), and AU-IAPSC to utilize international standards and guidelines and adopt science-based pesticide policies and regulations. The incumbent will also contribute to reporting and communication-related tasks.

Key Accountabilities:

Roles & Responsibilities

• Support AU-IAPSC in the provision of phytosanitary technical assistance to AU Member States and RECs in support of the African Union Plant Health Strategy for Africa,
• Support AU-IAPSC to enhance/strengthen Member States’ in understanding of existing phytosanitary best practices such as Pest Risk Analysis (PRA), contingency plans, surveillance, Inspection, and other official controls for market access,
• Provide technical support to AU-IAPSC in enhancing stakeholder consultations on plant health at national (NPPOs) and regional (RECs) levels,
• Support the Secretariat in meetings and workshops, e.g. drafts of workshop/meeting Concept Notes, invitations, agendas, papers, emails, workshop reports, and other communication pieces,
• Support meetings and workshops supporting Member States on the uptake and adoption of Electronic Phytosanitary Certificates (e-Phyto).
• Support the implementation of AU-IAPSC technical assistance projects and programmes and provide technical advice and training on the life cycle management of pesticides at the continental level,
• Support the identification of existing and potential pesticide and MRL-related trade opportunities and barriers in Africa,
• Support AU-IAPSC in the development, implementation and approval of continental guidelines for registration of plant protection products in Africa,
• In liaison with AU-IAPSC, technical project coordinator and project manager, support development of continental guidelines, develop and approve the biopesticide guidelines, and (b) coordinate with project stakeholders to organize related training and meetings,
• Provide support to efforts to develop, operationalize and domesticate harmonized pesticide regulatory system in EAC, ECOWAS, and SADC, and other RECs as applicable,
• Improve adoption of science-based pesticide regulatory systems and MRL setting in priority topics and regions throughout Africa,
• Support the project manager in preparation of quarterly and annual project and position performance reports, quarterly and annual financial reports, and annual project and position workplans for submission to the donor,
• In consultation with the Coordinator of AU-IAPSC, validate on a regular basis all technical reports related to the implementation of the Cross-Border Plant Health Support in Africa project and any other task that may be assigned to the scientific officer
• Participate in regularly scheduled meetings and provide timely communication with AU IAPSC and CABI

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Knowledge & Skills

• At least 5 years’ hands-on experience working in the field of plant protection/health in Africa with at least 2 years of working experience in the field of SPS,
• Experience in working with International Organizations or Institutions and/or Regional Economics communities,
• Demonstrated experience in project implementation and management of partner-funded projects;
• Experience in the facilitation of stakeholder engagements/workshops,
• Proficiency in one of the official working languages of the AU (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili) and fluency in another AU language(s) are added advantages.
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, would be an asset.

Education & Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Crop/Plant Protection, Agronomy, Food Safety or other related area.

Personal Characteristics

• Highly motivated, organized and adaptable, with strong inter-personal and communication skills. Proactive and enthusiastic in communicating with and supporting colleagues.
• Comfortable working both independently or as a collaborative team player.
• Able to work under pressure and deliver high-quality products to tight deadlines with flexibility, including occasional out-of-hours work.
• Managing and prioritising a high workload with a flexible approach to changing environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to travel from time to time
• A demonstrated commitment to high professional and ethical standards and a diverse workplace.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

CABI is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or marital status. No applicant will be disadvantaged by conditions which cannot be shown to

ROLE DETAILS:

Grade: Hay Band 5 (P3 Step 1)

Reporting to: Director, AU-IAPSC

Contract Duration: 1 year (renewable based on availability of funds)

Peers: Project Officers, Research Officers, CABI scientists

Direct reports: None