Inclusive Agribusiness/Value-Chain Advisor

INCLUSIVE AGRIBUSINESS/VALUE-CHAIN ADVISOR

COFFEE AGRO-FORESTRY AND FOREST ENHANCEMENT FOR REDD+ (CAFÉ-REDD) PROJECT IN LAM DONG SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy and WASH to local contexts. SNV has an annual turnover of €130 million, over 1,250 staff in more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We are proud to be a not-for-profit organisation that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995, and currently has over 40 national and international staff. SNV Vietnam operates from a head office in Hanoi and projects in over 50 provinces in the country, including in the poorest and most remote areas.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is an international policy initiative that has been developed through international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to provide results-based financial incentives to developing countries for actions which reduce emissions from forested lands and investing in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

Vietnam has demonstrated considerable interest in REDD+ and has made important progress to date in terms of preparing for REDD+ implementation at both national and sub-national levels. Recently, Vietnam became one of the few developing countries in the world to have completed meeting the REDD+ ‘readiness’ requirements under the Warsaw Framework (or ‘REDD+ rulebook’). One of the core requirements is to have a National Strategy or Action Plan, and the Government of Vietnam approved an updated National REDD+ Action Programme (NRAP) in 2017. The new NRAP provides a clearer orientation towards the integration of REDD+ in the context of sustainable development/green growth. It identifies 7 work packages with a total of 35 policies and measures for the development and implementation of actions to achieve REDD+ in addition to a further 4 work packages which focus on REDD+ readiness and programme management, monitoring and evaluation. Several of the new policies/measures indicate REDD+ actions beyond the forest sector - notably reviewing land use planning and the promotion of sustainable and deforestation-free agriculture in key forest landscapes.

In this context, and in an effort to support the provincial government of Lam Dong to implement its stated policies and plans, SNV – The Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) has obtained funding from the International Climate Initiative (ICI) for a project entitled ‘Coffee Agroforestry and Forest Enhancement for REDD+ in Lam Dong’ (CAFÉ-REDD). The project aims to establish and develop a public-private-producer partnership (4P) approach for forest landscape conservation and restoration in one of Lam Dong’s most important forested landscapes i.e. the Langbiang Biosphere Reserve comprised of Bidoup Nui Ba National Park and Buffer Zone in Lac Duong District. Activities will include; i) strengthening public sector capacity for climate smart/sustainable land use planning and collaborative management of forests with communities, ii) working with coffee-buying companies to improve monitoring and traceability systems to prevent deforestation in supply chains; and iii) investing in (mainly ethnic minority) smallholder farmers to promote climate smart, sustainable coffee production techniques leading to improved coffee quality and prices, whilst also promoting landscape restoration through mixed agroforestry systems and alternative livelihoods.

Café REDD project signed MOUs with wide range of stakeholders for Deforestation free sustainable landscape in August 2019 with Lac Duong DPC, IDH, ACOM, Chappi. In addition, SNV is partnership with various private sectors for coffee value chains and inter-cropping species. SNV is hiring a full-time inclusive business/value chain advisor to support the Café REDD activities in Lac Duong district, Lam Dong province.

Objectives

The overall objective of the assignment is to support the development of inclusive value chain approaches that benefit smallholder ethnic minority farmers in the project area that cover coffee, inter-crops, mushrooms or other off-farm agriculture products.

The individual advisor is expected to perform the following tasks working closely with project staff (including Agriculture Sector Leader, National Project Manager, field support staff as well as project partners and local level facilitators):

• Development of overall work plan for the assignment in a 12-month period
• Development of strategy for different value chains: 1) For specialty Arabica coffee (with various boutique companies); 2) For big buyers like ACOM; 3) For inter-crops (macadamia, kaki, artichoke, etc); 4) For mushrooms

Implementation of MOUs signed with coffee companies for Café REDD

• Development of a suitable strategy and action plans for MOU partners including ACOM, Chappi mountain coffee, the Married Beans, Tam Trinh coffee company.
• Advise on organisation of farmers into groups, support cooperative establishment and strengthening, connect farmer groups/coops to value-chains, support the development of inclusive business plans
• Establish and maintain relationships with 43 shops that buy coffee directly from farmers.
• Facilitate meetings and workshops with coffee businesses and lead the coffee value chain discussions
• Support marketing and branding for Lac Duong Arabica Coffee trademark
• Support traceability system in connection with consulting firms, businesses and local farmers
• Work with macadamia, artichoke, and mushroom companies for inclusive business development

Provide capacity building in sustainable production, inclusive business and monitoring and traceability systems

• Preparation of training course materials for coffee value chain, business plan, and marketing
• Delivery of the training courses in Lam Dong
• Preparation of a brief report on the training and meeting minutes (agenda, participant list, photos, evaluation)
• Contribute to sustainable coffee business production and communication activities
• Advise coffee businesses on obtaining coffee certification such as RA, 4C, C.A.F.E Practice

Other business technical assistance

• Promote win-win approach for Coffee value chain
• Organize and implement livelihood challenge fund in Lac Duong
• Occasionally provide technical assistance to access additional funding opportunities and connect to impact investors to scale up sustainable coffee business including USAID LinkSME and USAID Green Invest Asia, Sustainable coffee challenge, GIZ, etc
• Mobilize funds to sustain and scale up coffee businesses
• Conduct survey to explore financial access options and recommendation
• Support coffee companies to join trade fairs, exhibitions, coffee events, etc
• Prepare monthly report to Café REDD project manager
• Prepare a final report documenting the assignment and process (including annexes documenting the results of business improvement, participant lists, photos etc.)

Requirements:

• Master or higher in agriculture, inclusive business, value chains or similar with minimum 7 years of work experience
• Demonstrable experiences in the field of coffee business, business expansion, value chains, marketing (ideally in the Central Highlands)
• Good communication skills, business oriented, facilitation skills

Desired Start Date: ASAP

Duration of assignment: full time for 12 months

How to apply: Please send your Application letter and CV, to THIS LINK by 22nd October 2019.

Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis to identify appropriate candidates as soon as possible. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For more information on SNV, please refer to our website: www.snv.org

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