Agricultural Expert to Develop the Content of Training Handbooks

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERT TO DEVELOP THE CONTENT OF TRAINING HANDBOOKS IN CONEMUND

Location:                Hanoi, Vietnam
Application Deadline:            July, 8th, 2015
Type of Contract:            External services           
Post Level:                Consultant
Languages Required:            Vietnamese and English
Starting Date:                July, 15th, 2015
Duration of Contract:            1 month (estimation of 5 working days)

I.BACKGROUND

CONEMUND is an independent non-governmental organization that was born in 1997 in Spain with the aim of promoting international cooperation for the economic and social development of developing countries. Nowadays our effort is focused on supporting the development of low – income countries of Africa and Asia. At the present time, all our efforts are focused on the following areas:
- Giving response to the basic needs of the communities, especially concerning literacy, basic education and the protection of children.
- Increasing the economic capacity of poor households (especially women and young people), through training programmes and labour insertion.
- Strengthening our institutional structure, providing a special attention to the training of those persons working in the local organizations we collaborate with.

In Vietnam, CONEMUND has its representative office since 2011 and has developed 2 projects in 3 provinces of the country, working with rural communities increasing the economic capacity and promoting gender.

In August 2014, CONEMUND started the implementation of the project: “Improving living conditions through sustainable agriculture for poor rural families in Phu Yen District (Son La)”. The project aims to promote social and economic rights of rural people of Vietnam, through enhancing their food security conditions and the expected results are the following:

Result 1. Project partner at Village level has increased capacity in supporting poor villagers and facilitating own development interventions successfully.
Result 2. Improved access to irrigation and water management for enhancing agricultural production in 5 villages, in Muong Thai commune.
Result 3. Improved agricultural production system in project area for increasing productivity (rice and corn) and food quality with low environmental impact.
Result 4. Improved animal husbandry and access to veterinary services with low environmental impact.

Within the project, CONEMUND has the intention of developing several training handbooks including the different agricultural techniques introduced in the target villages within the implementation of the project. 

The materials that will be developed are related to the following topics:

• Technical guidelines for the System of Rice Intensification technique
• Corn production, Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management
• Compost making
• Use of new rice varieties

Thus, CONEMUND will contract a consultant to develop the content of the training materials that will be hand over to the farmers from the 5 villages from the Muong Thai commune that are beneficiaries of the project.

The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Country Representative of CONEMUND based in Hanoi, Vietnam and with the collaboration of the staff of CONEMUND.

II. OBJECTIVES

General objective:

To develop the content of the training handbooks related to the System of Rice Intensification, the Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management for corn, the compost making and the use of new rice varieties that will be handover to the villagers of the 5 villages (Suoi Tau, Suoi Cuoc, Giap Dat, Khe Lanh and Khoai Lang) from the Muong Thai commune, in Phu Yen district (Son La province).

Specific objectives:

• Review the materials already existing in CONEMUND’s office regarding the topics mentioned above.
• Develop the content of a leaflet about the System of Rice Intensification to be handover to the members of the Farmer Interest Group of Rice production that have received the training within the project.
• Develop the content of a training handbook on Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management for Rice.
• Develop the content of a training handbook on Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management for Corn.
• Develop the content of a poster and/or leaflet on compost making technique.
• Develop a training handbook on the use of new rice varieties with high value on the market in the Son La province.

III.DELIVERABLES

The consultant will submit the following deliverables:

1.Document with the content of the leaflet on System of Rice Intensification.
2.The content of a training handbook on Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management for rice.
3.The content of a training handbook on Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management for Corn.
4.The content of a poster and/or leaflet on compost making technique.
5.The content of a training handbook on the use of new rice varieties with high value on the market in the Son La province.

The content of the leaflets, training handbooks and posters must include the text and pictures, diagrams, graphs, etc. for the better understanding of the villagers. The materials delivered by the consultant must be adapted to the level and context of the recipients.

IV.COORDINATION

Under the supervision of the Country Representative of CONEMUND in Vietnam and in coordination with the staff of CONEMUND, both in Hanoi and in Phu Yen district.

V.DURATION OF CONTRACT

The estimated duration of the contract is 1 months (with an estimation of 5 working days), starting on the 15th of July, 2015. The contract will be considered finalized once all deliverables are submitted.

VI.PLACE OF EXECUTION OF WORK

The consultant will carry out the activities in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is expected that he/she will have different meetings with CONEMUND’s staff in Hanoi to discuss and review the content of the training handbooks.

The planning will be discussed with the consultant in further detail when preparing the assignment and can be modified.

VII.TYPE OF CONTRACT

Technical assistance, without employer-employee relationship (i.e., not subject to any obligations and benefits in the context of full-time employment) according to Vietnamese law.

VIII.PROFILE, COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Education

• University degree in Agricultural Engineering
• Master/PhD in Agro ecology, Permaculture system would be an asset
• Specialization in Crop production

Experience/knowledge/skills

• Extensive experience developing contents for agricultural training handbooks
• Experience preparing, editing and publishing training handbooks related to the mentioned topics
• Knowledge on pedagogy and communication
• Knowledge of the ethnic minorities’ context
• Ability to work independently
• Computer proficiency
• Up to date knowledge of international donors policies, guidelines and procedures would be an asset
• Experience in delivering training in different contexts
• Good spoken and written skills both in Vietnamese and English

IX.CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND PUBLICATION

The contract will be signed by the consultant and CONEMUND’s Country Representative in Hanoi, Vietnam.

X.PARTICIPATION IN THIS TENDER

Participation in this tender is open to any individual able to act and who is not involved in any inability to be recruited, whose activities are directly related to the object of the contract and can demonstrate his/her professional profile.

XI.SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

Interested candidates must submit the following documents:

• Updated CV
• Technical proposal: the consultant will submit, in English, a draft for the content of the training handbook of one of the mentioned working fields: Compost making, System of Rice Intensification, Integrated Pest Management and Integrated Crop Management for crop and/or rice and the use of the new rice varieties.
• Financial proposal.

This documentation should be sent to the following email: [email protected] (Ms. Inés Ramos, Country Representative of CONEMUND in Vietnam), on or before the 8th of July, 2015.

CONEMUND reserves the right to call the applicants for a personal interview.

XII.FEES AND TERMS OF PAYMENTS

The contract and fees will be signed on the basis of the experience, knowledge and quality of the proposal. Payment will be made based upon satisfactory completion of agreed outputs.

The consultant will receive the payment upon submission and approval of each deliverable.

All taxes should be included in the amount of the contract and as such, the consultant will be responsible for tax payment according to local legislation. Payment will be transferred to the bank account of the consultant. To process the payment, the consultant will provide an invoice and the bank account details where the payment will be transferred to and a receipt thereafter.