Vegetable Programme Planning Facilitator

Terms of Reference: Vegetable Programme Planning Facilitator

1. Background

VECO Vietnam is the Vietnamese country office of the international NGO with Belgian roots Vredeseilanden/VECO. For more than 40 years, VECO has worked continuously to achieve a better deal for farmers. VECO’s mission is to enable and support smallholder farmers to take up their role in rural poverty alleviation and to contribute to feeding a growing world population in a sustainable way. VECO Vietnam, along with its partners, supports smallholder farmers to produce tea, rice, and fruits & vegetables in a sustainable way. VECO also works with private sector actors to develop business models that include smallholder farmers in their sourcing policies, and with consumers to raise their awareness on sustainable and safe produce.

VECO Vietnam recently started its new 5-year programme from 2017 to 2021. The specific objective of this programme is to ensure that fresh fruits & vegetables (FFV) and rice in Vietnam are produced in safe and sustainable ways and marketed through viable, competitive and efficient chains benefitting smallholder producers. In the safe vegetables sub-sector, VECO Vietnam aims to bring about the following change at the structural level: “Inclusive, sustainable & safe food policies tackling safe vegetables production, consumption and marketing are implemented in Vietnam”.

VECO Vietnam will organise a workshop with its safe vegetables programme stakeholders focusing on both strategic and operational planning.

In order to fulfil this mission, VECO Vietnam is looking for an experienced and qualified consultant to facilitate the programme planning workshop for the vegetables subsector.

2. Objectives of the workshop

The purpose of this workshop is three-fold: 1) agree on and fine-tune the programme strategy; 2) create ownership among partners and 3) operationalize the programme in practice.

The first day of the workshop will be dedicated to reviewing the proposed programme’s theory of change, validating the pathways of change, and analysing the context and problems at hand. The second day of the workshop will focus on initiating action plans with partners in order to operationalize the pathways of change for the next 1.5 year and to determine the broad lines of partners’ budgets.

3. Duration and location of the assignment

The two-day workshop will take place on May 18-19, 2017.

In addition to the Consultant’s presence during workshop days, 2 days of preparation and 3 days to consolidate workshop results will be required for the assignment.

Depending on the Consultant’s evaluation, VECO and the Consultant will discuss the possibility to collaborate further on future planning workshops.

The workshop will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam.

4. Language of the workshop

Vietnamese

5. Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

• Recommendations for the fine-tuning of VECO Vietnam’s theory of change for safe vegetables, based on the discussions on the existing theory of change;
• 1.5 year operational plans for each of the stakeholders in the four programme provinces, including tentative outlines of budget plans and a list of prioritized activities;
• A final report consolidating all proceedings and findings/outcomes of the workshop.

6. Roles and responsibilities of the Consultant and VECO

The Consultant will lead facilitation for both two-day workshop. S/he will be leading the design and planning of the workshop, in close collaboration with VECO’s Project Manager and Planning, Learning & Accountability Coordinator.

Her/his responsibilities include:

• Familiarizing her/himself with VECO’s 2017-2021 programme strategy;
• Designing the agenda of the workshop;
• Designing the facilitation methodology for the workshop;
• Preparing a list of stationeries/facilities required for the workshop;
• Facilitating the workshop;
• Preparing the workshop report in Vietnamese and English. The Vietnamese version will have to be submitted no later than 4 days after the workshop while the English version can be submitted up to 6 days after the workshop.

VECO’s responsibilities include:

• Coordinating the logistics and administrative support for the workshop;
• Preparing any relevant communications to be sent to workshop participants;
• Following-up on the outcomes of the workshop;
• Providing regular guidance and feedback to the Consultant in the fulfilment of her/his tasks;
• Bearing translation cost when required.

7. Methodology of the Workshop

As indicated in the section above, the Consultant will provide a clear methodology for the facilitation of the workshop. The paragraphs below provide some guidance in preparing for the workshop.

Workshop process and steering: As soon as the Facilitator is selected, s/he will propose the methodology for concurrence by VECO. On 16 May, the Consultant will meet with VECO’s programme team to review the methodology for the two-day workshop. VECO will provide overall guidance and oversight over the workshop.

Participants: About 50-60 participants are expected for the safe vegetables planning workshop.

Summary and conclusion: Towards the end of the workshop, the facilitator will draw out summary and conclusions from group discussions for validation in the plenary.

8. Qualifications and experience

• Demonstrates high level of experience in facilitating participatory workshops in a Vietnamese context;
• Familiarity and experience with safe and sustainable agriculture in Vietnam, especially vegetables;
• Demonstrates strong ability to manage, facilitate, and engage in discussions with multiple stakeholders in a formal setting, seeking to encourage participation in an open way, using practical and inclusive facilitation skills;
• Ability to use appropriate methodologies for facilitation of group processes around Theory of Change;
• Experience facilitating workshops for international organisations;
• High level of experience in planning and designing participatory workshops with engaging facilitation methods and activities;
• Works collaboratively with team members;
• Native Vietnamese speaker;
• Very good working knowledge of English, both spoken and written;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

9. Preparatory documents

• Upon selection of the candidate, VECO Vietnam will provide the Facilitator with the following documents to support the methodological design of the workshop:
• 2017-2021 Programme;
• Intervention Framework for safe vegetables;
• List of participants

10. Procedure to apply

Please send your application letter, including your proposed methodology for the workshop, budget and a detailed curriculum vitae with at least three referees in English by 12 May 2017 by email to:
Mr. Hoang Thanh Hai, Officer-in-Charge at [email protected] and;
Ms. Charlotte Flechet, Planning, Learning & Accountability Coordinator at [email protected]

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.