WFP: Consultant- Nutritionist – Maseru

  • Location:
  • Salary:
    negotiable / YEAR
  • Job type:
    FULL_TIME
  • Posted:
    3 months ago
  • Category:
  • Deadline:
    03/07/2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

 

To develop updated, standardized school meal menus and recipes that:
• Meet the nutritional requirements of primary and pre-primary school children.
• Are locally sourced, cost-effective, and culturally acceptable.
• Promote dietary diversity, food safety, and environmental sustainability.
• Align with national nutrition guidelines, school feeding policy, and TAF priorities.

Scope of Work

The consultant will work closely with the WFP, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition (MAFSN), Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), FNCO, Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Trade, CRS, and other stakeholders. These individuals are expected to actively participate in TWG meetings and activities, closely work with the consultant, contribute sector-specific expertise and insights, and serve as liaisons between their respective institutions and the TWG. Key tasks to be delivered by consultant include:

a) Desk Review

• Review existing national menu and recipe guidelines.

• Review relevant policies and documents such as the 2023 NSFP Policy, school health and nutrition frameworks, dietary guidelines).

• Analyze school feeding and national nutrition data (e.g. past menus, consumption patterns, cost data, food availability and seasonality).

b) Conduct a local Food Availability and Quantification Assessment

• Lead an assessment to identify and document regionally available food items that can be used in the development of sustainable and context-specific school menus

• Map and list locally available food commodities within the targeted geographic areas, considering seasonality and typical production cycles.

• Assess the consistency, quality, and volume of supply to determine the feasibility of integrating these items into school menus throughout the academic year.

• Analyze pricing trends and procurement options to ensure cost-efficiency and sustainability of sourcing locally available foods.

c) Stakeholder Consultations

• Conduct structured consultations with:

oNational technical teams under MAFSN leadership comprising of FNCO, MoET, MoH, Department of Standards, Department of Research, school staff (teachers & cooks), NGOs, community members involved in the school feeding programme, to gather insights and feedback.

oSchool administrators, cooks, parents, teachers, local farmers.

oNutrition experts and development partners.

• Facilitate workshops to gather inputs and promote consensus.

d) Menu and Recipe Development

• Develop age-appropriate, costed, seasonal weekly menus (for primary and ECCD levels), based on locally available foods.

• Ensure recipes align with national dietary guidelines and nutrient needs.

• Examine the sourcing of ingredients and propose alternatives to promote local and sustainable options.

• Incorporate considerations for food allergies, cultural relevance, gender sensitivity, and cooking methods appropriate for schools.

e) Validation and Training

• Present draft menus and recipes to stakeholders for validation.

• Develop simplified implementation tools (recipe cards, costing sheets, and menu guidelines).

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements

This job has expired.