Local STTA Sustainable Agribusiness Expert (Lead/focused on quality and food safety of rice production)

Vietnam Digital Trade

SCOPE OF WORK

Local STTA Sustainable Agribusiness Expert
(Lead/focused on quality and food safety of rice production)

Date: February 2024
Position: Local STTA Sustainable Agribusiness Expert (Lead/focused on quality and food safety of rice production)
Reports to: USAID Vietnam Digital Trade (VDT) Technical Team
Location: Hanoi or other provinces in Vietnam (if required)
Eligibility: Vietnamese Nationals
LOE: (STTA) 40 days
Period of Performance: February – October 2024

International Development Group LLC is an international development consulting firm that assists donors, governments, and the private sector to create and take advantage of opportunities for sustainable, broad-based economic development and poverty reduction. IDG provides entrepreneurs and policymakers with the practical tools needed to achieve real and measurable impact for their communities and countries. IDG assistance programs aim to build the capacity, skills, and knowledge of local individuals and institutions in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, fostering synergies between local knowledge and international experience. 

Project Background

The VDT is a two-year activity (2023-2025) addressing regulatory gaps and promoting private sector engagement in the rapidly growing digital economy. USAID VDT activity (“VDT”) supports the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s (MOIT) implementation of frameworks that facilitate digital trade, with an emphasis on supporting MOIT in holding public-private dialogues to ensure implementation is done in consultation with the private sector. Regulations that are responsive to private sector needs remove bottlenecks in trade faced by enterprises and increase regulatory transparency, helping to shape an e-commerce sector where enterprises of all sizes can benefit. The activity encourages the participation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in digital trade by introducing new business models and other best practices, such as traceability of goods, as well as facilitating cross-border connections between enterprises via MOIT’s digital trade promotion platform.

Activity Background

Under the approved work plan between the USAID and MOIT, the USAID Vietnam Digital Trade Activity will support the MOIT Agency of Foreign Trade of MOIT (the “AFT”), to conduct comprehensive assessment of the state of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam, to ensure requirements for quality, food safety, environment, and origin of rice production.

Vietnam, one of the world's top three rice exporters, is under increasing pressure from global markets to meet stringent standards for the origin, quality, and environmental impact of its rice industry. To develop the industry in a sustainable manner, it is necessary to apply digital technology to help the production process of exported to ensure requirements for quality, food safety, environment, and origin which well and compressively responds to the requirements of export markets. This process needs to be implemented quickly by stakeholders in the rice industry value chain (producers, exporters, and state management agencies), and at the same time, increase efficiency.

In response, the proposed activity will primarily focus on conducting a comprehensive assessment of the current state of applying digital technology to support sustainable agribusiness, i.e. rice production. The activity is aimed to:

• Evaluate the status of digital technology application to ensure requirements for quality, food safety, environment, and origin of rice production.
• Study appropriate digital technology application methods/processes for the rice industry based on Vietnamese regulations and requirements from other countries.

The assessment will encompass the mitigation of the environmental impact of rice production, especially concerning water usage and methane emissions. It will address food safety standards, focusing on pesticide use and potential contamination with mycotoxins like aflatoxin. Ultimately, the activity seeks to improve the transparency of the rice supply chain, allowing for better origin tracing and promoting sustainable production practices without directly implementing these changes.

The activity will include the following tasks:

• Conducting survey to production households, exporters and state management agencies about the current situation and interviewing a number of large enterprises in Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
• Providing a report on results, guidance on the application of digital technology, and the method/process of applying digital technology in the rice industry. The report will also include the best international practices and recommendations.
• Workshop and trainings to relevant stakeholders.

To conduct this activity, the VDT will mobilize two local experts and one international expert to implement the following tasks:

• Local STTA Sustainable Agribusiness Expert (Lead/focused on quality and food safety of rice production) (Local Expert 1) (this SOW): In charge of designing and leading the activity in cooperation with VDT Technical team, MOIT Legal Department and other local and international STTA experts. The Local Expert 1 will have main responsibility of assessing the situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam, to ensure requirements for quality and food safety. The Local Expert 1 will participate to the survey, workshop, and trainings and be the main responsible of delivering the final report, in cooperation with Local Expert 2 and International STTA Expert.
• Local STTA Sustainable Agribusiness Expert (focused on environment and origin of rice production) (Local Expert 2): The Local Expert 2 will be in charge of assessing the situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam, to ensure requirements for environment and origin of rice production. The Local Expert 2 will also participate to the survey, workshop and trainings and be the main responsible of delivering part to the final report, focused on environment and origin of rice production.
• International STTA Sustainable Agribusiness Expert (focused on international experiences). The International Expert will provide international best practice in digital technology application in the rice industry in other countries to ensure requirements for quality, food safety, environment, and origin of rice production. The International Expert will participate to the workshop and trainings (online) and deliver part to the final report, focused on international experiences and recommendations for Vietnam.

In consultation with the VDT Technical team, the Local Expert 1 will work primarily closely with the MOIT Agency for Foreign Trade and the other STTA local and international experts. The Local Expert 1 may also be required to work in collaboration with other members of the VDT team in order to undertake this activity.

Key Tasks/Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the VDT team, Agency of Foreign Trade, and the other local and international STTA experts to design the activity plan and timeline.
• Desk study on situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam (focused on requirements for quality and food safety).
• Lead to conduct survey to assess situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam, in coordination with Local Expert 2:

1. Develop a comprehensive questionnaires to assess the situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam (focused on requirements for quality and food safety).
2. Identify key stakeholders (production households, exporters, and state management agencies) for sending survey questionnaires and interviews (focused on requirements for quality and food safety);
3. Distributing questionnaires and getting feedbacks (focused on requirements for quality and food safety);
4. Conduct interviews with relevant stakeholders in collaboration with other STTA expert to assess the situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam (focused on requirements for quality and food safety).

• Draft part of the assessment report (focused on requirements for quality and food safety) in analyzing survey responses and interview information. 
• Lead to complete the final assessment report, incorporating parts of local and international experts, with recommendations on applying digital technology in the rice industry in Vietnam leveraging international best practices to ensure requirements for quality, food safety, environment and origin of rice production.
• Participate in and present key findings and recommendations in workshops and trainings to relevant stakeholders in different provinces in Vietnam.

Deliverables

• A concise activity plan outlining the activity's scope, objectives, methodology, key milestones, and timeline agreed upon by VDT team, MOIT Foreign Trade Agency, and the local and international STTA experts.
• A list of suggested key stakeholders for the surveys and interviews in quality and food safety area; and a list of key stakeholders for overall survey and interviews in cooperated with other local STTA expert.
• Part included in final survey questionnaires in quality and food safety area; and final completed survey questionnaires in cooperated with other local STTA expert.
• Written part in the assessment report (focused on requirements for quality and food safety)
• A final assessment report on the situation of digital technology application in the rice industry in Vietnam, in corporate with the international and local STTA experts, with recommendations on applying digital technology in the rice industry in Vietnam leveraging international best practices to ensure requirements for quality, food safety, environment and origin of rice production;
• Active participation and a presentation at the workshops and trainings to relevant stakeholders in different provinces in Vietnam. 

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master) in Agricultural Technology, Environmental Science, Agroecology, or related fields.
• Substantial experience of at least 5-7 years in the field of agricultural technology and environmental science, with a focus on sustainable practices within the rice industry.
• In-depth knowledge of the rice industry in Vietnam, including a deep understanding of environmental dynamics, technological advancements, and challenges faced by stakeholders.
• Familiarity with information technology (IT) applications in agriculture, particularly with respect to environmental sustainability and the potential impact on the rice industry.
• Proven skills in conducting environmental impact assessments and market analysis, including the ability to assess the economic and environmental implications of changes within the rice industry.
• Strong research and data analysis skills, including experience in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data related to agricultural technology and environmental impact.
• Excellent written communication skills to produce clear, concise, and impactful reports, proposals, and presentations, with a specific focus on environmental aspects.
• Strong written and oral proficiency in both English and Vietnamese to facilitate effective communication with stakeholders.

Proposals should be submitted to [email protected] no later than March 1, 2024.