Gap Assessment on Early Warning Systems in the SADC region — CCARDESA

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION BOTSWANA Assignment Title: Consultancy to conduct a Gap Assessment on Early Warning Systems in the SADC region Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): BW-CCARDESA-2025-07-03-CS-INDV The Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) has received financing from the World Bank toward cost of the facilitation of the implementation of the Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds to engage an individual consultant to assess the status of the Agricultural Early Warning System at both the National and Regional Levels. The overall objective of this consultancy is to conduct an assessment of the current status of agricultural early warning systems at both national and regional levels and provide recommendations to enhance their capacities to provide adequate, reliable and timely information for decision making in the wake of increased climate related disasters in the region. In undertaking the assignment, the tasks will include, but not limited to: • Review and document the current status of national early warning systems in the 16 SADC Members States; • Determine the extent to which the existing systems are providing adequate, reliable and timely information to different users in the wake of heightened climate related disasters; • Identify capacity gaps and challenges within the existing systems that hinder their effective operations and ability to provide adequate services; • Identify capacity gaps at national and regional level that affect the effectiveness of agricultural early warning systems in providing the necessary support to national systems; • Propose recommendations to improve capacities at national and regional levels; and • Document the role to be played by FSRP and other agencies in supporting the national, and regional agricultural early warning agricultural information systems. The consultant is expected to undertake the assignment within 60 working days spread over a period of 90 calendar days starting in November 2025. The shortlisting criteria are: |

# |

Item |

Minimum Requirement |

Score |

1 |

Education |

At least a Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Information Management, Meteorology, Environmental Science, or any related field. |

15% |

2 |

General Experience |

At least ten years of professional experience in a relevant field: agricultural information systems or early warning systems. |

30% |

3 |

Specific Experience: |

Minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in leading assessments of policies at national and regional levels preferably in Agriculture. He/she should have demonstrable ability to write concise technical papers on subjects related to the assignment. The consultant should have carried out at least 3 similar assignments during the past 10 years. |

45% |

4 |

Language Requirements |

English proficiency. Knowledge of other SADC languages will be an added advantage |

10% |

5 |

Total | |

100 The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. Further information (terms of reference) can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1630 hours. Interested Individual Consultants should submit their expressions of interest, detailed curriculum vitae and a brief technical proposal to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) not later than 24th October 2025. Applications should bear the name of the assignment in the subject field. The Procurement Officer Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research in Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Ground Floor, Red Brick Building Plot 4701 Station Exit Road Private Bag 00357 Gaborone, Botswana E-mail: procurement@ccardesa.org Tel: +267 3914997