Vacancy in Rainforest Alliance - Consultant of Field Trainer Strategist for Sustainable Farming in Tropical Asian Landscapes (SFITAL)

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CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY: Field Trainer for Sustainable Farming in Tropical Asian Landscapes ( SFITAL) project

 

Under direction of:                  Project Manager

Department:                            Landscapes and Community Program

Location:                                 North Luwu, South Sulawesi

Commitment:                          November 2020-November 2021 (240 days)

 

1.0  Background

 

The Rainforest Alliance works in more than 70 countries at the intersection of business, agriculture and forests. We are building an alliance to create a better future for people and nature by making responsible business the new normal. For more information, please visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/about. 

The Rainforest Alliance has worked in Indonesia for more than 16 years and is legally registered in the country as PT Rainforest Alliance. Given the country’s wealth of biodiversity and the critical interplay between agricultural development and deforestation/environmental degradation, the Rainforest Alliance has developed a diverse program to support sustainable production systems and community enterprise in forestry, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and tea.

Cocoa is one of six RA priority sectors in the Strategic Plan for 2019 –2021. In the cocoa sector, RA began working in Sulawesi in 2012 with key stakeholders: government officials at all levels (district, provincial and national), the private sector (Mars Inc Indonesia, PT Olam Indonesia), indigenous communities cooperatives  and smallholding farmers, international partners (IFAD, CEPF, FORD Foudation GrowCocoa, Swisscontact, ), local NGOs and national platforms (Cocoa Sustainability Partnership/CSP). RA has been working with IFAD and MARS on several cocoa initiatives in Poso, Central Sulawesi and Banteang South Sulawesi.

Rainforest Alliance with its extensive experience are trusted by ICRAF ((International Centre for Research in Agroforestry) Southeast Asia region’s leading agroforestry research-in-development organization under IFAD funding to Implement SFITAL (Sustainable Farming in Tropical Asian Landscapes)-Project for cocoa  and Palm oil commodity in Indonesia.

The goal of this project is he emergence of smallholders who are both entrepreneurs and environmental stewards benefiting from well-functioning Agri-service providers and enabling environments for sustainable commodity value chains in Asia. In Indonesia, this project goal aligned with Indonesia’s COSOP 2016–2019, which targets an inclusive rural transformation to enable rural people to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable livelihoods. The project works towards targets to encourage more participation from smallholders in Agri-markets, improve the resilience towards risk of rural female and male smallholders, and strengthens rural institutions to provide enabling environments for development. It will also be linked with existing IFAD’s Rural Empowerment and Agricultural Development Scaling Up Initiative loan project in Central Sulawesi. The project team will also build on the links and experience gained from Smart Tree-Invest, the regional grant project led by ICRAF, which in Indonesia took place in Central Sulawesi 2014–2016.

In order to ensure the smooth field implementation of the project Rainforest Alliance cocoa program needs to expand its local capacity and optimizing the existing longtime engagement with beneficiaries as well as encouraging local initiative. Full time existence of Rainforest Alliance is vital so that consultant is hired to support daily project operation.

 

2.0 Objectives:

Support RA Cocoa Project Manager, Cocoa Associate and field implementation strategies  with  Implement direct field activity with farmer and farmer groups on training event, Good agriculture practice and post-harvest handling, both training and coaching and cocoa business assistance as well as supporting assessment FGD, traceability dissemination also business plan piloting activity.

 

3.0 Scope of work

From the objectives of this terms of reference, the following task should be addressed:

Issue

Actor

Description

Farmer challenge on value chain and farming Assessment and business plan pilot

Farmer, Farmer Groups, village level government

  • Support data collection and beneficiary’s verification
  • Support FGD event and farmer/groups mobilization
  • Identify and assist prospective farmer to cocoa business leveraging activity such as coaching and business plan piloting
  • Identify and engage with village level stakeholder, local trader, informal and farmer leader to ensure full alignment to program goals

 

Capacity Building and Coaching

Farmer, Field staff, Farmer groups

·       Conduct field training on sustainable cocoa farming include agroforestry program and business practice

·       Practice regular coaching and mentoring to selected prospective farmer

·       Report the progress and achievement of training in the field

·       Support project online monitoring and other survey activity

Tracebility, data and mapping

Cocoa associate and manager, field implementation strategies

  • Learn and understand traceability system and data management practice
  • Disseminate tracebility system to local trader or lead farmer
  • Support fast response on practical troubleshooting of the system
  • Maintain data integrity and update during project period
  • Collect GPS point and polygon as well as other data required by the project

Field liaison for ME and other RA division

Cocoa associate and manager

  • In coordination with field implementation strategies, cocoa associate and manager to support field activity on baseline survey, follow up survey, success story cand outcome harvesting.
  • Communicate with RA Cocoa Manager on a regular basis and prepare periodic/monthly reports or information as required.
  • Support coordination with grassroot level stakeholder and farmer beneficiaries.

 

 

4.0. Selection Criteria

If Consultant Firm, a dedicated staff person with the following qualifications is required, if consultant is an individual the following demonstrated skills and knowledge are required:

·      Relevant education in Socioeconomics, agronomic or other related studies;

  • At least 3 years’ relevant experience of working in the fields of ‘new-normal’ cooperative for smallholder, technical skill in cocoa farming, nursery and side grafting is preferred;
  • Ability to work efficiently under tight deadlines and ready to stay in project site at maximum 20 day per month;
  • Proven ability and experience to work as field trainer (experience working in project site is preferred);
  • Proven experience of delivering training and coaching to smallholders;
  • Ability to operate Microsoft Office suite;
  • Working experience sustainability farming environment is desirable;
  • Having experience working with cooperatives is preferred;
  • Having experience working in sustainability program both UTZ and RA is preferred;
  • Understanding in determining the cocoa quality and promoting business in farmers level (community nursery, solar dryer and agro input) is preferred;

·     Knowledge of local language is an advantage;

·     Understanding well related to youth and women empowerment;

·     Female candidates are also encouraged to apply.

 

Selection of the consultant is based on the following criteria:

-            Relevant Studies/Education              20%

-            Relevant Technical expertise            70%

-            Availability                                     10%

 

  1. Proposal Process and Format

Please send the following documentation to: hhafid@ra.org and mhestiawan@ra.org, no later than 17 November 2020:

•                Daily rate; include basis for costing i.e. previous rates;

•                List of previous engagements that addresses the above experience desired;

•                Current CV.