Lesotho: Gender and Irrigation Sector Expert

May 16, 2022 | EnCompass
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EnCompass LLC is seeking a consultant to serve as a Gender and Irrigation Sector Expert for the five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Call Order in Lesotho.  Under this project, the EnCompass team will support all GSI activities under MCC Lesotho’s Compact II Improving Capital Investment (ICI) Project including: Institutional Reforms (IR), Market-Driven Irrigated Horticulture Activity (MDIH), Business Environment and Technical Assistance Facility (BETA). The consultant will work closely with a team of staff and other consultants at EnCompass, MCC and local project staff in Lesotho. 

The position is remote with expected occasional travel to Lesotho as needed.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

Essential functions: The consultant will review project documents and related reports, conduct interviews, meet with people and institutions of interest to the project, and conduct minor research, as needed, and provide recommendations on specificity of approaches and design features to meet gender, youth and GSI objectives of MDIH.  More specifically, s/he will assess and provide recommendations on:

  • The socio-economic feasibility studies of MDIH
  • Integrating GSI into all the stages of MDIH activities to: (a) enhance access to extension and advisory services for all, with a focus on improving women and youth’s practical knowledge of irrigation, horticulture, and relevant agriculture processes, and access to and use of new technology and inputs; and (b) increase employment and non-farm economic opportunities
  • Ensuring women, men, and youth have equal opportunities to participate in the design and implementation of the scheme, adoption of irrigation technologies and sharing of benefits from the MDIH investment
  • Potential implications of the irrigation scheme on women, men, youth, and people living with disabilities
  • Feasibility and management of water-users associations/committees, including equal opportunities and active participation of women and men in leadership and decision making on the use of water resources for irrigation, human and animal consumptions
  • Ensuring training and capacity building programs across projects, for partners, institutions, and beneficiary communities have clearly integrated GSI objectives. This, among others, include training materials, monitoring and evaluations, operations, policies and procedures, and design activities of the project
  • Collaborative work among the different stakeholders in the project to ensure GSI objectives are integrated throughout the project activities and processes
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

  • A Masters degree in agriculture or a closely related discipline is required

Experience and Skills

  • At least 10 years of experience in gender and social inclusion integration within irrigation activities, with at least 5 years of experience in irrigation for commercial agriculture
  • Understands women’s barriers and opportunities in agriculture, horticulture, and irrigation sectors
  • Through understanding of gender and social inclusion issues related to irrigation, water management, agriculture, and other allied economic development, such as climate change, value chain and trade
  • Experience with water user committees
  • Experience in horticulture value chain and cold chain development
  • English language proficiency is required, including both strong oral and written English language skills
  • Based in southern Africa is preferable
  • Able (absent COVID-restrictions) to travel to Lesotho
  • Excellent communication (written and oral), reporting and presentation skills
  • Experience with working with large agencies/organizations and large projects, preferably with MCC or USAID

How to Apply

Please submit CV and cover letter, and complete the application online.