AGRA is a not-for-profit organisation working with African governments, other donors, NGOS, the private sector, and farmers to improve the productivity and incomes of resource-poor smallholder farmers in Africa. AGRA aims to catalyse an inclusive agricultural transformation in Africa by increasing incomes and improving food security for millions of smallholder farmers. For more information about AGRA, please visit www.agra.org.

Trade and market integration are at the heart of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aims and objectives. Article 3 of the Revised Treaty of ECOWAS stipulates the removal of trade barriers and the harmonization of trade policies to establish a Free Trade Area, a Customs Union, a Common Market, and the eventual culmination into a Monetary and economic union in West Africa.

To achieve these objectives, the ECOWAS Treaty identifies, among other things, under Article (3), the need to adopt measures for the ‘…integration of the private sectors particularly the creation of an enabling environment to promote small and medium scale enterprises’ of which women form a majority and also to ensure relation and flow of information among ‘women and youth organisations and socio-professional organization such as businessmen and women…’ is ‘encouraged’ and ‘strengthened’.

Despite the ECOWAS Commission’s substantial efforts to promote regional integration and formalize trade liberalization within the community, persistent trade obstacles persist in West Africa. Some impediments to cross-border trading include (i) multiple checkpoints and lengthy procedures, (ii) high formalities costs at border posts, (iii) stigmatization of informal actors who are often treated as criminals, (iv) harassment by security officials, (v) limited knowledge of cross-border trade requirements and procedures, particularly among women and youth, and (vi) illegal fees charged along the corridors. Additionally, specific challenges affecting women and youth include limited access to education, training, and marketing skill development; low literacy levels that result in limited knowledge and understanding of rules and customs procedures; weak bargaining power; and exposure to violence and harassment at border crossings.

The ECOWAS Trade Commission, in partnership with AGRA, has co-created a project titled “Strengthening Women and Youth Participation in Cross-border Trade,” funded by the Mastercard Foundation. This project aims to improve trade facilitation measures and regional agricultural trade policies in ECOWAS countries by leveraging the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the Regional Trade Facilitation Committee through digital NTBS elimination and reporting. It will benefit vulnerable trade actors, especially women and young entrepreneurs, who face various tariff and non-tariff barriers. The harmonization and enforcement of trade facilitation measures at the borders and in the corridors will reduce trade costs and delays in importing, exporting, and transiting foodstuffs. The objective is to contribute to reducing or eliminating bottlenecks to the free movement of agricultural products and to increase intra- regional trade, particularly among young people and women in West Africa. Additionally, policymakers will recognize the importance of reducing non-tariff measures and agree to regulatory convergence. The implementation of the project will result in the achievement of the following key outputs:

AGRA, with its long-standing commitment to improving regional trade facilitation and agricultural market integration in West Africa, partnered with ECOWAS. AGRA has successfully implemented the Africa Regional Food Trade and Resilience Initiative, funded by the FCDO, which focuses on reducing trade barriers, improving structured trade systems, and ensuring food security in Africa. This new initiative with the ECOWAS Trade Commission builds on AGRA’s previous investments, leveraging lessons learned, strengthening existing frameworks, and introducing new dimensions of digital NTB reporting and policy harmonization tailored to the needs of vulnerable trade actors— especially women and youth.

On the other hand, the Commission ofthe Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established in 2006 with the mandate to implement the integration agenda of West Africa, in line with the treaty establishing the Community signed in 1975. One of the objectives is to develop a common market in the region. Several flagship programs are being implemented to achieve this objective, including the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, the Free Movement of Persons, and the Common External Tariff. Several Intermediary projects and programs have been implemented successfully, including the Trade Facilitation West Africa Program, the West Africa Competitiveness Program, and Trade Negotiation Capacity Building.

The objective of the assignment is to monitor project activities, outputs and progress. Specifically, the assignment aims at the following:

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Consultant will design, implement, and manage the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework for the ECOWAS-AGRA Project on Strengthening Women and Youth Participation in Crossborder Trade. The role involves tracking project progress, measuring impact, and ensuring the effective collection, analysis, and reporting of project data.

Specifically, the M&E Expert will:

a) Must have An Advanced university degree in International Development, Management, Business Administration or a related field.

Experience of the consultant in similar assignments

a) The Monitoring and Evaluation Expert should have a minimum of seven (7) years of proven experience, preferably in International Trade and Trade Facilitation or a related area.

b) Have a good understanding of the cross-border trade of agricultural products and facilitation projects related to monitoring and evaluation work.

c) Experience working with the ECOWAS Commission and international organizations working in trade.

d) Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to organise, convene, coordinate, and work in a cross-sector, multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural environment.

e) Fluency in English, both oral and written.

AGRA works to achieve a food secure and prosperous Africa through the promotion of rapid, sustainable agricultural growth based on smallholder farmers. Smallholders--the majority women--produce most of Africa's food, and do so with minimal resources and little government support. AGRA aims to ensure that smallholders have what they need to succeed: good seeds and healthy soils; access to markets, information, financing, storage and transport; and policies that provide them with comprehensive support. Through developing Africa's high-potential breadbasket areas, while also boosting farm productivity across more challenging environments, AGRA works to transform smallholder agriculture into a highly productive, efficient, sustainable and competitive system, and do so while protecting the environment.