Food Security Consultant – Emergency pool

About Humanity & Inclusion

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an independent and impartial international aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Working alongside people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights. HI is currently implementing projects in more than 50 countries worldwide. Since the organization was founded in 1982, we have established programs in around 62 countries and responded to hundreds of emergencies. Today, the organization has around 3,500 employees worldwide. Eight national associations, based in the United States, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Great Britain and Canada, provide overall support for the field programs, which are implemented through the headquarters in Lyon, France. HI is engaged in an employment policy in favor of workers with disabilities. As such, people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit: www.hi.org

Global Food Crisis: Context of intervention

The world faces a global hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions. According to WFP, a record 349 million people across 79 countries are facing acute food insecurity – up from 287 million in 2021. This constitutes a staggering rise of 200 million people compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. More than 900,000 people worldwide are fighting to survive in famine-like conditions. Conflict, climate shocks and the continued economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic fuel the crisis, while the war in Ukraine continues to drive up the costs of food, fuel and fertilizers.

HI’s positioning on the Global Food Crisis:

We believe that action must be taken now, and that HI has a role to play in responding to the food security crisis.

HI has identified, among its country programs, that Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, DRC, Chad, Mali and Niger as countries where the food security situation has particularly worsened and where the severity of needs has sharply intensified, including in some instances pockets of populations already facing famine-like conditions.. These countries need support in identifying needs and gaps in the food security response, defining strategies and projects, and potentially implementing relevant activities.

To continue providing this support, HI is looking for food security specialists, to join our emergency pool and who could be rapidly deployed to the aforementioned countries in order to provide technical and programmatic support depending on the country programs’ needs.

HI’s pillars of interventions to respond to the food security crisis are:

• Basic needs: In order to mitigate the risks of undernutrition, mortality, and to reduce the likelihood of households adopting negative coping strategies, HI will provide immediate life-saving food assistance in the form of in-kind, cash, or vouchers to the most vulnerable communities affected by the crises. HI’s food assistance projects will have complementary humanitarian and development interventions to support the recovery and resilience of populations through economic inclusion activities. This approach aims to address, not only the immediate food needs of people, but also the root causes of food insecurity. HI will ensure the protection and recovery of livelihoods and food systems affected by the crises to avoid dependence on emergency assistance.

• Physical and Functional Rehabilitation. In this context, HI will focus on interventions for acutely malnourished children in partnership with health/nutrition actors:

  • Stimulation Therapy for acutely malnourished children and their caregiver(s) (Integrated Approach to Rehabilitation/MHPSS
  • Strengthening of health professionals (rehabilitation staff, health agents, etc.) and structures that implement this approach (training, equipment, etc.)
  • Sensitization of key community members and family members to the importance and benefits of stimulation therapy
  • Referral to appropriate services
  • Facilitation of financial access to rehabilitation service

• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS): HI will focus on activities related to Physical Rehabilitation and Stimulation Therapy. HI can provide integrated Rehabilitation/MHPSS approach, refer to existing MHPSS and other services and develop integrated activities with Food Security activities.

• Inclusive Humanitarian Action (IHA): HI can conduct vulnerability analysis with DGA data in a cross-cutting manner-integrated into all multi-sector and sector assessments; can analyse barriers (including DGA data) in a cross-cutting manner-integrated into all multi-sector and sectoral assessments; can focus on identification / orientation / referral (in conjunction with MHPSS and Protection); can raise awareness and participation in coordination mechanisms; and can provide ad-hoc technical support

Background:

Depending on the context and the needs of the country program, the consultant may have different objectives and deliverables. These will be defined and agreed upon prior to their deployment.

Potential Consultant Objectives:

The Consultant will:

1. Conduct a rapid food security assessment (which could include desk review, survey, findings analysis, mapping, etc.) to gain deeper insight of the food security situation in the assigned country. This will help with positioning and the development of appropriate food security projects.
2. Develop and design food security projects (from emergency food assistance to economic inclusion and resilience programming related to food security) in close links with other sectors Specialists and teams, both at HQ and program leveland facilitate action planning as appropriate.
3. Support in the initial implementation of food security projects *(*set up of tools and methodology): technical oversight to ensure program quality, operational guidance, capacity building of staff
4. Support with business development (mapping and analysis of opportunities, concept note and proposal writing)

Consultant Profile and Expertise:

• Proven successful experience as a consultant conducting food security analysis and creating response strategies in humanitarian settings
• Excellent skills and experience in designing and implementing food security projects in emergencies
• Minimum of five years of field experience working on food security projects. Humanitarian setting experience is mandatory.
• Knowledge and experience of complexities of working in an emergency context in relation to food security
• Excellent communication, training and writing skills (grant proposals, reports, etc.)
• Excellent written and spoken English/or French depending on countries of expertise/interest where the consultant can be deployed
• Ability to travel to all or some of the countries aforementioned
• Experience working in aforementioned countries or similar contexts is desirable