Consultant in Improving Agricultural Productivity and Practices for Small Plot Farmers

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

As part of the recently launched Partnership for Improving Prospects for Forcibly Displaced Persons and Host Communities(PROSPECTS), the ILO is aiming to build the capacity of smallholder farmer groups and agricultural cooperatives in East Darfur and West Kordofan, Sudan. PROSPECTS aims to promote improved agricultural practices that would increase and improve production and productivity to consequently create employment opportunities, empower people, provide protection and alleviate poverty.  In Sudan, this multi-year Government of the Netherlands funded Partnership brings together four  agencies (ILO,  IFC, UNICEF, UNHCR) to devise collaborative and innovative approaches for inclusive job creation and education in contexts characterized by forced displacement. The program encompasses three pillars, namely

• Pillar 1: Education and Learning
• Pillar 2: Employment with Dignity
• Pillar 3: Protection and Inclusion

In Sudan, under Pillar 2, the ILO and ourpartner agencies are working to promote and improve agricultural practices in East Darfur (Nimir and Assalayaa) and West Kordofan (Keilak/Kharasana and El Meiram).To that end, the ILO is inviting experts in agriculture in the following crops: groundnut, sesame, sorghum and hibiscus to apply for this opening. This is an exciting opportunity to help enable  smallholder farmers by developing improved training packages and in-kind support to support  farmers to increase their income and create sustainable revenue streams. This will draw on technical expertise of government partners at the state level and it will use a peer-to-peer and activity-based learning methodologies.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this assignment are four fold:

1. Build partnerships with government stakeholders as agreed with PROSPECTS project team;
2. Jointly develop a step-by-step manual for improved agriculture practices with agreed actors as well as delivery methodology and processes;
3. Coordinate the procurement of in-kind support to farmers and monitor logistics to ensure timely delivery at state level.
4. Monitor and evaluate the delivery partner’s implementation at the targeted localities, which are: Nimir and Assalayaa in East Darfur and Keilak/Kharasana and El Meiram in West Kordofan.

All of whichwill be embedded in the wider approach of cooperatives (Think COOP) and competency building by theILO and partner agencies. Therefore theconsultant chosen by ILO is expected to familiarize themselves with this tool as well as other components of the COOP training package (i.e. StartCOOP and MyCOOP). It will also be an advantage if the consultant has experience at state level and is able to include refugees in the process of delivering the aforementioned objectives. The selected consultant will be expected to ensure delivery at locality level and that this training is conducted using approaches that help smallholder farmers to grasp andapply theimproved agricultural practices and to be responsive to their questions so as to help them to begin the process of establishing an agricultural cooperative or a farmer group that is productive and results in direct benefits to its members.

REPORTING LINES

• The selected consultant will work under the direct supervision of the PROSPECTS team in Sudan.This includes regular planning and progress meetings, joint discussions and agreement on best approaches.The selected consultant will agree with the team on the details of the improved agricultural practices training package before the delivery starts at the state level.

KEY DELIVERABLES

IMPORTANT – HOW TO APPLY

• The candidate must send an inception report (including stakeholder consultations and a detailed workplan), a financial proposal, and a sample of a knowledge product or training standard or manual they produced to sirelkhatim@ilo.org with a copy of their most recent CV. The evaluation and selection will be based on a review of the submitted documents.
• Closing date of applications is MIDNIGHT OF 16February 2021, applications shown as being received after this time will not be accepted.
• Feedback will only be given to the short-listed individuals.
• Failure to follow the outlined procedure may result in the proposal not being considered
• We thank all for your interest in working for ILO, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.
• Those submitting their proposals must be legally authorised to live and work in Sudan.