Position: National consultant to support the establishment of two bamboo cooperatives in Thanh Hoa province
Reporting: Thanh Hoa VFD provincial coordinator, SNV
Background
The USAID Vietnam Forest and Deltas Program (VFD), from 2013 to 2018, is being implemented through Winrock International, the Netherlands Development Organisation SNV, American Red Cross, Vietnam Red Cross and Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD). The USAID Vietnam Forest and Deltas Program is embarking upon a six-year effort that supports four provinces to accelerate their transition to climate resilient, low emissions development through investments in reducing net emissions from forests, and enhancing resilience of people, places, and livelihoods to short and long-term climate impacts. The sustainable landscape component of VFD is focusing on upland landscapes, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forests degradation, maintaining and enhancing existing forests stocks and increasing climate change resilience and sustainability of landscapes.
VFD supported Thanh Hoa province in preparation of Thanh Hoa Bamboo Development Plan which was approved by Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee in Feb 2016. One of the priorities in this plan is to establish 20 bamboo cooperatives by 2020. As part of continued effort from VFD to the implementation of Thanh Hoa Bamboo Development Plan by improving the bamboo value chain by strengthening networks of bamboo cooperatives (representing farmers/producers) and the bamboo business association (representing processors, retailers and exporters) to support better market access, VFD is seeking for a national consultant to support in establishment of two bamboo cooperatives (following Government Law on Cooperatives) as model for future upscale.
Consultancy service description:
Objectives
The objectives of this consultancy are to support Thanh Hoa in establishment of two bamboo cooperatives to be used as models for future upscale in the province.
Scope of work
- The geographic focus of the assignment is only in Thanh Hoa province.
- The assignment will include feasibility assessment, capacity building for government staff, develop cooperative operational mechanism and technical support for initial running of the established bamboo cooperatives.
Methodology and tasks
- Conduct desk review of current status of cooperatives development in Vietnam and based on this review, propose the most suitable model for Thanh Hoa bamboo.
- Conduct field surveys and consultative meetings to evaluate the feasibility for promoting bamboo cooperatives in Thanh Hoa province.
- Together with project and its partners in Thanh Hoa to develop cooperative operational mechanism.
- Provide training on establishment and management of bamboo cooperatives for at least 20 provincial and district staff of Thanh Hoa province and cooperative management boards established with this assignment.
- Document the experience and lessons learnt from the pilot to share with key stakeholders in Thanh Hoa through a provincial workshop.
Deliverables:
- An inception report describing methods and plan for implementation of the assignment;
- An assessment report on feasibility of promoting bamboo cooperatives in Thanh Hoa including opportunities, challenges and recommendations
- Pilot areas are selected and two cooperative models established with clear operational mechanism and start operating.
- Training packages for a 2 days training on bamboo cooperative establishment and management and actual trainings provided to at least 20 provincial and district staff of Thanh Hoa province and cooperative management boards established under this assignment.
- A power-point presentation sharing experience and lessons learnt from the pilot to district and provincial staff in Thanh Hoa through a provincial workshop.
Timeline: The expected total duration of the assignment is from February and August 2017.
Qualifications, skills and experience required:
- An individual consultant or the lead consultant (in case of group of consultants) with the following background are encouraged to apply:
- Master or university degree or higher levels in forestry, natural resources management, economic and social sciences, or relevant fields.
- Intensive knowledge of rural development context in Vietnam and familiar with Government Law on Cooperatives including cooperative principles, criteria, requirements and operations.
- Strong experience in developing trainings materials and providing trainings in cooperative establishment and operation to farmers and government staffs in Vietnam;
- Experience in conducting feasibility assessment for cooperatives development and management in other rural areas in Vietnam;
- Proven experience in supporting farmers or rural communities in other provinces of Vietnam in cooperative establishment.
- Past working experience in Thanh Hoa is an advantage.
How to apply:
Interested consultant is requested to submit their letter of interest, CV and technical and financial proposal demonstrating their ability to deliver on this assignment to: [email protected] [1] by 09 February 2017 with the title: “Support the establishment of bamboo cooperatives”.
Key compositions of the technical and financial proposal include:
- Proposed assignment approach and work plan including resource arrangement
- Working package of the consultant (s) with daily rates
- Total estimated cost.