The project aims to strengthen the resilience of cereal supply chains in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries, regions heavily reliant on imported cereals and vulnerable to global market fluctuations. STAPLES addresses these challenges by improving supply chain stability and promoting food security.

The chosen expert will provide technical and scientific expertise to facilitate Work Package 3 (WP3) of the STAPLES project. Task 3.1 of the WP includes conducting a needs assessment for developing a modular agricultural machine through interviews and focus groups with cooperatives and farmers.

Task 3.2 encompasses an analysis of the social, economic, cultural, and historical factors influencing the cultivation or neglect of specific drought-resistant crop varieties, using data gathered from interviews and meetings.

Responsibilities of the expert include introducing the project objective and activities to target groups, engaging key stakeholders from the public sector, cooperatives, and a pool of minimum 80 farmers, ensuring the requested number of interview participants and meetings.

The interviews and focus groups will take place in the governorates of El-Fayoum and Al- Sharkeia, targeting the following groups:

• Farmers: At least 30 successful interviews per governorate with small-scale cereal farmers.
• Other stakeholders (minimum of 20 interviews):

1. Public authorities (national or local level)
2. Agricultural input producers or traders
3. Service providers for farmers (e.g., extension services, equipment rental, storage facilities)
4. Service providers for processors and traders (e.g., storage facilities, transport, logistics)
5. NGOs
6. Experts in the Egyptian food market

The expert will also lead a minimum of one introductory workshop in each target area (el-Fayoum-
ElSharkia), followed by on-site visits to multipliers and stakeholders to facilitate onboarding the needed contacts to implement the interviews and focus groups meetings. Additionally, the expert will document and report on all activities. The expert is not required to implement the interviews.