Aji Oulaye Njie

• Provide overall coordination, administration, and guidance for implementation of the USD 10 million Adaptation Fund Project in the Gambia jointly implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources and the World Food Programme.
• Coordinate preparation and implementation of the annual work plan and budget and facilitate proper project resource disbursements, utilization and audit as well as deliver periodic progress reports to the Ministry of Environment, World Food Programme, Adaptation Fund and Project Stakeholders
• Facilitate capacity-building activities for the government/project staff relevant stakeholders
• Ensure the completion of the procurement process and full compliance with WFP and Gambia Government procurement guidelines
• Facilitate agreements with designated implementing agencies and responsible parties, including negotiation, preparation of the documentation
• Ensure the establishment, operationalization, and utilization of Knowledge Management and Monitoring and Evaluation systems
• Facilitate dialogue with relevant Government, international agencies, donors, public & private sector and civil society organizations

Summary of achievements:

• Led the project team through a successful Project Mid-Term review, with an overall satisfactory rating, denoting good progress against achieving project indicators.
• Collaborated with partners to secure over $5 million in additional financing to expand project interventions significantly
• Led the development of The Gambia's inaugural Climate Change, Food Security & Nutrition Nexus Social and Behavioral Change Strategy
• Spearheaded the creation of 57 Local Climate Action Plans, catalyzing high-level policy dialogue for domestic investment in community climate adaptation and women empowerment. Also, currently leading investments on the plans
• Directed the design and pilot implementation of a pioneering weather-based microinsurance scheme for smallholder farmers (first of its kind in The Gambia), and building capacity for a national committee to oversee the pilot.
• Oversaw capacity building for subnational structures(TACs & MDFTs ) in Local Climate Change Adaptation planning and launched the Ministry's first-ever Rural Youth Resilience Entrepreneurship Award.
• Facilitated the development and dissemination of vital climate information services, including six National Food Security and Early Warning bulletins

• Lead the development and implementation of Environment and Social Management Plans, ensuring full compliance with national regulations and IFAD's social Environment Climate Assessment Procedures Plan
• Implement and quality assure all Farmer Field Schools and related extension field activities supported under the ROOTS project
• Coordinate, guide and quality assure Component 1 (agricultural productivity and adaptation to climate change) activities
• Coordinate and provide technical support to service providers or specialists hired for implementation, specifically those responsible for: the Department of Agriculture, pre-service and in-service training and the training of Village Extension Workers and District Officers, System of Rice Intensification, Participatory Learning and Action Research, Participatory Based Seed System – and the training of field staff and farmer facilitators
• Provide technical support to regional implementation teams
• Provide technical support to component 2 of the project - implementation of access to markets through matching grant for agriculture services provision, digitalization of the sector and upstream value chain enhancement and ensure climate consideration throughout rice and vegetable value chains

Summary of key achievements

• Integrated Climate Change training into pre- and in-service curricula for Gambian agricultural extension workers, enhancing their capacity to address climate-related challenges.
• Supported the development of youth matching grants for green businesses, including establishing selection criteria for effective resource allocation.
• Coordinated national stakeholders for the mid-term review of IFAD's Country Strategic Opportunities Program (2019-2024), ensuring alignment with national development goals.
• Led the coordination of support for poultry farmers within the Rural Poor Stimulus Facility committee, providing essential resources and guidance to boost resilience and productivity.

• Lead the implementation of the USD 5million component (CHOSSO) of the NEMA project
• Lead the design, development, implementation, and monitoring of all the climate change adaptation activities within the context of NEMA project
• Provide technical expertise in climate change adaptation & resilience
• Coordinate the selection of the sites where adaptation interventions will be piloted in the selected regions and districts
• Ensure the inclusion of climate data collection in the major project studies such as base/mid and end-line studies.
• Liaise closely with the climate change specialists in the Department of Water Resources, Department of Meteorological Services and the National Environment Agency to ensure cross-learning, skill development and evidence bases for climate change adaptation and good agricultural practices
• Directly contribute to outcome harvesting exercises and development of knowledge products.

Summary of key achievements

• Supported the implementation of the agriculture component of the National Adaptation Plan of Action, integrating climate resilience strategies into agricultural practices.
• Oversaw the design, development, implementation, and monitoring of all climate change adaptation activities within NEMA.
• Liaised with the National Climate Change Committee to establish structures recommended in the National Climate Change Policy of 2016 and represented NEMA in national, regional, and international policy dialogues.
• Oversaw the development of training manuals for Multi-Disciplinary Facilitation Teams (MDFTs) and extension officers on community-based climate change adaptation.
• Collaborated with partners to document lessons learned, capture case studies, and produce knowledge products on climate change resilience, and organized the first open-house event for the project.
• Actively engaged in the agricultural and nutrition sector's contribution to the Global Alliance for Resilience Initiative (AGIR).

• Develop and put in place the resilience programme.
• Lead field assessments, emergency response programming and recovery/rehabilitation planning exercises, including through inter-agency coordination platforms.
• Lead in the organizing and systematizing existing and new information related to the Sahel crisis with a view to making it easily accessible and analysable.
• Closely monitor and follow up on the progress of emergency/resilience projects
• Contribute to the preparation of programme documents and project proposals for financial support and/or presentation to donors and programmes and ensure that policy guidelines and emerging themes are properly reflected.
• Participate in formulating regular progress reports, final reports, briefs and comprehensive reports for ongoing emergency projects as well as correspondence with recipient governments and donors.
• Provide rapid and efficient answer requests for information from partners as the need arises.
• Actively participate in inter-agency coordination platforms such as the Disaster Management group and the food and Nutrition Security Group and constructively liaise with other UN agencies and partners (NGOs, national authorities, donor community, etc.) involved in Food security-related activities, relief and rehabilitation activities, promoting the FAO mandate, roles and competence
• Prepare Letters of Agreement and any required contract documents

Summary of key achievements

• Coordinated the FAO component for the implementation of over $2million CERF funding
• Coordinated stakeholders to develop and integrate a comprehensive resilience program for the first time within the Country Programming Framework.
• Played a key role in coordinating and managing relief and rehabilitation efforts during the 2011/2012 Sahel food security crisis, ensuring effective response and recovery.
• Led the day-to-day operations of emergency and rehabilitation projects, guaranteeing successful execution and impact.
• Provided prompt and accurate information to partners, enhancing transparency and collaboration.
• Built relationships with other UN agencies, NGOs, national authorities, and donors to strengthen joint resource mobilization efforts, resulting in the country winning two rounds of CERF funding