Consultant to Develop a Strategic Plan to Upgrade ICBA's GenBank Operations

Consultant to Develop a Strategic Plan to Upgrade ICBA's Gen Bank Operations The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) is an international, non-profit agricultural research center established in 1999 through the visionary leadership of the Islamic Development Bank (Is DB), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ICBA is a unique applied agricultural research center focused on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live, helping to improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities around the world. ICBA is seeking a qualified and experienced consultant to assist in the development of its strategic plan to upgrade its Gen Bank facility and operations. The selected consultant will play a crucial role in ensuring the success of this initiative. Job Summary ICBA's mission revolves around unlocking the genetic potential concealed within its Gen Bank facility, which boasts an extensive array of genetic resources. With over 16,000 accessions spanning more than 230 species, ICBA's Gen Bank collection emphasizes species exhibiting remarkable heat and salinity tolerance, as well as exceptional water use efficiency. The significance of this repository extends beyond scientific interest, as it plays a critical role in addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change and global food security. ICBA seeks to engage a qualified consultant to implement a comprehensive strategic plan for the Gen Bank facility. This initiative aims to assess the current status of the facility, prioritize species and traits, conduct a gap analysis, upgrade infrastructure, enhance data management and digitalization, foster collaboration and networking, establish research and breeding partnerships, conduct educational and outreach activities, outline a sustainability plan, and establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework. Job Responsibilities Assessment of Current Status Conduct a thorough assessment of the Gen Bank operations, including facilities, infrastructure, storage conditions, operations model/practices, data management systems, and human capital. Identify gaps and areas that require improvement. Evaluate the effectiveness of the genebank's conservation and utilization strategies, considering factors such as genetic diversity, seed viability, and documentation. Provide recommendations for improving infrastructure, capacity building, and resource allocation to ensure the long-term sustainability of the genebank. Prioritization of Species and Traits Prioritize species and traits that align with current agricultural and environmental challenges in marginal environments. Focus on food and feed crop species for cash or food security with potential for improving high nutrition, heat and salinity tolerance, and water use efficiency. Gap Analysis Identify missing genetic resources that complement the existing collection. Focus on species or traits of high value for addressing current and future challenges. Evaluate the legal status and compliance with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture of ICBA’s collection. Collaboration and Networking Propose potential collaborations with research institutions, agricultural organizations, and stakeholders. Propose a plan for sharing genetic resources, exchanging knowledge, and working collectively on broader challenges. Analyze the genebank's role in supporting regional and global agricultural research and development goals. Research and Breeding Partnerships Identify potential partnerships with plant breeders and researchers to develop new varieties with improved traits. Propose a plan for the adoption of these traits in crops. Educational and Outreach Activities Develop an agenda for workshops, seminars, and training sessions to raise awareness about genetic resources. Develop a plan to engage the scientific community and the general public in the importance of genetic resources and their applications. Long-Term Sustainability Develop a sustainability plan outlining funding and management strategies. Diversify funding sources and explore partnerships with public and private entities. Monitoring and Evaluation Propose a plan for regularly monitoring the impact of investments and initiatives. Propose a plan to evaluate the success of breeding programs and the facility's contribution to addressing challenges. Identify opportunities for collaboration and partnerships to enhance the genebank's impact and reach. Strategic Plan Development Develop a comprehensive strategic plan outlining key objectives, priorities, and action steps for the future development and management of the Gen Bank facility. Qualifications and Experience Extensive experience in genetic resource management and crop improvement. Demonstrated success in managing similar projects. Relevant academic qualifications (Ph D) in plant breeding, agriculture, or related fields. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Proposal Submission Interested consultants should submit a proposal that includes: A cover letter expressing interest and understanding of the assignment. Detailed methodology and approach to address the scope of work. An itemized budget, including all anticipated costs. A work plan outlining key milestones and timelines. Curriculum vitae or company profile. References or examples of previous relevant work. Post Date: 17 October 2023 Status: Closed Vacancy Type: Consultancy Closing Date: Location: ICBA and Remote Report To: ICBA Job Number: NA Apply for position #J-18808-Ljbffr