Consultant – J-PAL Egypt Agricultural Innovation Assessment and Stakeholder Mapping

Job purpose 

J-PAL MENA is seeking a qualified consultant to support a comprehensive stocktaking exercise focused on Egypt’s agricultural policies, development strategies, and CGIAR-related innovations introduced over the past two decades. This work is part of a broader CGIAR Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA) country-level initiative that documents adoption and diffusion of agricultural innovations to better understand their contributions to sustainable development.

Egypt is among the priority countries selected for Phase 3 of SPIA’s ongoing country studies, which build on successful pilot phases in countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. These studies combine rigorous background research with innovative data collection methods to analyze how CGIAR initiatives, spanning crop improvement, animal agriculture, natural resource management, and policy innovation, have influenced agricultural development at scale.

The Egypt study will link past and current CGIAR research outputs with national priorities and stakeholders, offering a detailed stocktake of agricultural innovations and systematically mapping relevant actors at national and sub-national levels. This effort will underpin strategies for enhancing the uptake and impact of CGIAR-related innovations in Egypt’s evolving agricultural landscape.

Estimated Duration

• 6 months, contingent on completion of deliverables.

Scope of work

The consultant will be responsible for:

a) Background Review

• Conduct a thorough review of Egypt’s agricultural policies and development strategies.
• Report on the contribution of CGIAR-related efforts to Egypt’s agricultural development.
• Provide a comprehensive account of CGIAR initiatives, activities, and innovations introduced in Egypt, focusing on four core CGIAR domains:
  • Crop improvement
  • Animal agriculture
  • Natural resource management (on- and off-farm)
  • Policies and markets

b) Stakeholder Mapping and Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with J-PAL MENA’s Policy Team to identify and categorize key national and sub-national stakeholders involved in CGIAR-related activities.
• Develop a stakeholder mapping matrix capturing:
• A comprehensive list of stakeholders, with classification by type (government, CGIAR centers, international organizations, NGOs, private sector)
• Summary of each stakeholder’s roles, interests, and influence
• Identification of contacts for interviews or further collaboration, and recommendations for engagement strategies
• Engage key stakeholders through one-on-one interviews and multi-party roundtable discussions
• Design and implement a series of national roundtables to capture diverse perspectives and insights on CGIAR-related efforts to Egypt’s agricultural development  

Deliverables

• A stakeholder mapping report or detailed matrix
• A detailed report on the outcomes and takeaways from each stakeholder interview and roundtable discussion
• A summary report detailing Egypt’s agricultural policies and development strategies
• A comprehensive report documenting CGIAR initiatives, activities, and agricultural innovations introduced in Egypt over the last 20 years

Required skills and qualifications

• A degree (Bachelors or Masters preferred) in agricultural economics, development economics, public policy, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in policy research, and desk research in agricultural or development sectors.
• Track record engaging with key national stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and international organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in managing cross-sector meetings and synthesizing varied perspectives into final deliverables.
• Familiarity with the agricultural innovation landscape in Egypt.
• Excellent analytical, synthesis, writing, and communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple information sources and deliver outputs to deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in both English and Arabic is required.