Consultancy - Bundling Specialist– Regional Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub (West Africa & Sahel) - Enabling Impact Department – Office of Programs - Nigeria

Current Job Openings --> Full Time --> Full Time Africa

Abuja

•

ID: 20121521

•

Full-Time/Regular

About IFDC

IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live.

Responsibilities

Conduct a rapid inventory of existing bundling practices, tools, and partners across selected Wave 1 countries;
Identify gaps and opportunities in bundling input supply, extension, off-take arrangements, and financial services;
Map and assess ecosystem partners in the public, private, and NGO sectors who could play roles in bundling services;
Design a farmer-focused bundling model, tailored to specific country contexts, that aligns with ISFM and 4R principles;
Develop a modular toolkit (visual, simple, and practical) for communication and training purposes for both farmers and ecosystem partners;
Draft a roadmap for implementation in Years 2–5, including strategy for scale and sustainability.

Requirements

Advanced degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, Agricultural Extension, or Rural Innovation;
Minimum of 5 years of experience in agricultural development with a focus on ISFM, rural service delivery models, and/or bundling;
Proven ability to design and implement farmer-centered extension or delivery systems;
Strong background in facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and development of visual communication tools;
Demonstrated ability to work across technical, policy, and communication domains;
Bilingual (English/French) preferred; knowledge of local languages in West Africa is an added advantage.

Deliverables

The deliverables expected from this consultancy are:

Inception report;
Bundling Inventory Report (existing tools and practices) & Initial Ecosystem Mapping;
Bundling Blueprint & Partner Engagement Strategy;
Concept Note: “ISFM + 4R” Bundling Model & Country Prioritization Memo;
Practical Communication Tools (Visual Toolkit for Farmers and Partners);
Final Technical Report & Roadmap for Years 2–5 Implementation.

Location

This is a national recruitment with a duty station at the IFDC Regional Hub, based in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Duration

The consultancy requires a total of 12 months' full-time Assignment.

Consultancy fee

Payment shall be made to the consultant upon receipt and acceptance of deliverables as highlighted above.

Reporting and Work Relationships

The Bundling Specialist will report to the Director, Regional Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub for West Africa and the Sahel and collaborate with focal points from IFDC, IITA, OCP Africa, APNI, CORAF, and national implementing partners.

About Program/Project

The Regional Hub for Fertilizers and Soil Health in West Africa and the Sahel is a strategic initiative of ECOWAS and CILSS covering 19 countries, designed as a coordinated response to the systemic challenges of agricultural productivity and environmental degradation. Faced with the critical decline in soil fertility and dependence on imported unsuitable and expensive fertilizers, the Hub acts as a catalyst to transform the agricultural input value chain. Its action revolves around the development and promotion of specific fertilizers adapted to local pedoclimatic conditions, in collaboration with national research institutes. It facilitates the creation of an integrated regional market through the harmonization of policies and standards, while promoting a holistic approach to integrated soil fertility management that combines mineral inputs, organic amendments, and agroecological practices. The Hub also builds the capacities of agricultural advisors and distributors to ensure effective technology adoption by smallholders. Operating as a collaborative platform, it aligns the actions of governments, the private sector, research, and technical and financial partners such as the World Bank and FAO. Ultimately, this initiative aims to structurally transform regional agriculture to sustainably increase yields, improve climate resilience, raise rural incomes, and reduce dependence on imports, thereby directly contributing to food security and socioeconomic stability across the region.

The objective of this recruitment is to support the development and implementation of an integrated bundling model for fertilizer, soil health, and complementary services within the framework of the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel. Despite the existence of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) technologies, uptake remains low due to fragmented service delivery and short-term economic disincentives for farmers. This assignment aims to co-develop scalable, farmer-centered bundling strategies that align inputs, advisory, finance, and off-take services to support the adoption of sustainable soil health practices such as ISFM and 4R nutrient stewardship.

The Bundling Specialist will work closely with ecosystem partners and Regional Hub stakeholders to prepare a "Wave 1" bundling model, develop communication tools, and lay the groundwork for strategic scale-up across target countries.

Apply