Individual Consultant: Post-Harvest Management and Best Parboiling Practices

Position description

The ECOWAS Rice Observatory (ERO) is a multi-stakeholder platform, conceptualized and established by ECOWAS, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Competitive Africa Rice Initiative (CARI) to foster sustainable development and investment in the rice value chain across ECOWAS countries. Supported by a diverse group of partners, including the ECOWAS Commission, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, JICA, FCDO, AGRA, and various development banks such as The World Bank, IsDB, AfricaRice, and GiZ. 

The ERO’s main objective is to help key actors in the West African rice sector better coordinate policy value chain development, financing, and R&D to work synergistically, reduce dependence on imported rice, create employment opportunities, and increase income for smallholder farmers. 

The ERO national chapters, known in Ghana as Competitive African Rice Platforms (CARPs), are being formed in participating countries as part of the ERO’s governance structure. These national chapters act as policy coalitions, addressing local needs and priorities while collaborating with the private and public sectors to develop mutually beneficial solutions. 

The Ghana Chapter of the Competitive African Rice Platform (CARP) has been established, receiving financial support from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and technical and administrative support from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and AGRA. The Ghana CARP aims to enhance sustainability and competitiveness in the rice sector within Ghana and beyond. This has necessitated the need to build the capacity of rice processors in post-harvest management and best parboiling practices to improve rice quality and market competitors.

Rationale for the Assignment 

The rice industry in Ghana faces several post-harvest challenges that significantly affect the quality, marketability, and overall competitiveness of locally produced rice. Poor post-harvest handling, inefficient drying techniques, inadequate storage facilities, and suboptimal parboiling practices contribute to high post-harvest losses, reduced grain quality, and limited market acceptance. To address these challenges, CARP Ghana through the support of AGRA is conducting capacity-building training on post-harvest management and best rice parboiling practices for key stakeholders in the rice value chain.

Objectives 

Main Objective: The main objective of the training is to enhance the capacity of rice processors in best post-harvest management and parboiling practices to improve rice quality and marketability. 

Specific Objectives: 

• Improve CARP Ghana rice processors’ technical knowledge in post-harvest handling, drying, storage, and parboiling techniques. 
• Reduce post-harvest losses through the adoption of best handling and storage practices. 
• Enhance the quality and consistency of parboiled rice to meet international market standards. 
• Promote sustainable and efficient post-harvest management practices that align with food safety and quality regulations. 
• Build the capacity of rice processors to manage their operations more effectively, including business management, marketing, and financial planning.

Duration

The assignment will be for two months.

Minimum Qualification and Experience 

A minimum of a master’s degree in agriculture, Agribusiness, Agricultural Engineering, or a related field. 

• At least 10 years of experience in post-harvest management, rice processing, or capacity-building training. 
• Proven experience in conducting training programs for agricultural professionals, particularly in the rice sector of Ghana and by extension the ECOWAS region. 
• Strong knowledge of post-harvest handling, drying, storage, and parboiling techniques. 
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills. 
• Experience working in Ghana or West Africa will be an added advantage.

Application instructions

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