UNDP Jobs - 84243- Local Consultant to Provide Training on Raspberry

Local Consultant to Provide Training on Raspberry Farm Management in Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce

Location :

Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce, Kosovo, UNSCR 1244 (1999)

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

08-Apr-2019

Application Deadline :

02-Apr-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

08 April 2019 – 30 June 2019 (33 working days within this period)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

08 April 2019 – 30 June 2019 (33 working days within this period)

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The Integrated Territorial Development 2 project builds on the successes of the Austrian Development Cooperation-funded UNDP “Local-level Response for Employment Generation and Integrated Territorial Development (INTERDEV)” project that has been implemented in southern Kosovo’s municipalities of Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce since 2014. This project has proven to address some of the paramount challenges citizens of not only the partner areas, but of Kosovo in general, face: high rate and long spells of unemployment, lack of decent income generation, poor public services, as well as socioeconomic exclusion of women, youth, and other vulnerable groups.

The project continues to utilize tested methodologies and will expand its services to a new municipality of Viti/Vitina in the south-east of Kosovo. It is expected that as a result of project’s three core pillars of activities, 1) municipal officials have enhanced capacities in provision of services in rural development; 2) local micro and small enterprises and farmers have been supported to upgrade their businesses; and 3) bottom-up approaches and local-level concertation for employment generation in the form of Territorial Employment Pacts operate at the municipal level.

This TOR contributes to the expected result no. 3: Bottom-up approaches and local-level concertation for employment generation will be operationalized at municipal level through Territorial Employment Pacts (TEPs). The Territorial Employment Pacts in the Municipality of Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce are an institutional innovation based on negotiated planning where different actors at the local level assume complementary and inter-connected roles and responsibilities in views of employment objectives. They constitute a model of territorial concertation that has been adopted in many European countries.

The project is implementing TEPs in both Municipalities with the close cooperation of Local Action groups (LAGs) through specific actions in each Municipality. Through the TEPs activities in both municipalities, under the first phase of the project (2014-2016), and the first part of the second phase (2017-2018), around 240 raspberry farmers in total (154 through the second phase of the project) were supported to establish and expand raspberry cultivation plantations in the size of 10 or 20 Ares, and enabled them to upgrade their farms, increase of productivity and income, and generate additional seasonal employment for the community. In addition to the grant packages (seedlings, irrigation systems and equipment), under the TEP actions designed for these target groups, the project has also supported local associations of raspberry producers in both municipalities to improve the coordination of farmers and enhance the management capacities of the associations. Moreover, the project through the Local Development Fund grant programme supported 1 raspberry producer in Dragash/Dragaš and 8 in Shtërpcë/Štrpce.

TEP Actions 3 in Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce municipalities envisages provision of training on farm management in the context of raspberry cultivation for approximately 154 berry-farmer beneficiaries of the INTERDEV phase 2 project.

Objectives of Assignment
The overall objective of this assignment is to enhance farm management capacities of targeted raspberry micro and smallholder farmers in Shtërpcë/Štrpce and Dragash/Dragaš Municipalities who have benefited from the interventions of the INTERDEV 2 project.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the INTERDEV Project Manager and in direct cooperation with the Municipal Project Support Officers (MPSOs) in Shtërpcë/Štrpce and Dragash/Dragaš Municipalities and the respective Municipal Departments for Agriculture (DAFRDs), the consultant is expected to:

1. Prepare the training methodology and the training material on farm management in the context of raspberry cultivation. The training package is to include farming small enterprise management notebook to help farmers to keep track of their farm financial activities, as well as streamlined elements of environmental considerations such as water management, waste management, appropriate fertilization, hygiene, and eco-profit farming approach. The package should reflect and, where appropriate, include the previous recommendations from the similar consultancy services in this area with INTERDEV beneficiaries, in order to minimize duplication and ensure consistency of information. (Consolidated topics to be prior consulted with DAFRD and MPSOs for avoiding duplication of information).

2. Deliver the classroom-based training and field advisory services (locations to be identified in coordination with DAFRD and MPSOs) to approximately 88 targeted farmers in Shtërpcë/Štrpce, including the latest information to farmer beneficiaries in terms of any appropriate developments in the field of raspberry cultivation to improve productivity. The training should also apply brief pre-training and post-training tests to evaluate the knowledge acquired by the training participants. The post-training test should also include a brief satisfaction questionnaire with the training delivered.

Given the size of the group, 4 groups of raspberry farmers will be trained separately:
22 farmers in Shtërpcë/Štrpce (1st group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/ field demonstrations
22 farmers in Shtërpcë/Štrpce (2nd group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/field demonstrations
22 farmers in Shtërpcë/Štrpce (3rd group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/field demonstrations
22 farmers in Shtërpcë/Štrpce (4th group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/field demonstrations

3. Deliver the classroom-based training and field advisory services

Given the size of the group, 3 groups of raspberry farmers will be trained separately:
21 farmers in Dragash/Dragaš (1st group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/field demonstrations
20 farmers in Dragash/Dragaš (2nd group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/filed demonstrations
25 farmers in Dragash/Dragaš (3rd group)
1 day joint workshop and 2 days practical/field demonstrations

4. In cooperation with municipal DAFRDs in the two municipalities, organize and facilitate a joint demonstration visit of farmers/producers to 2 collection/processing points/companies in each municipality (in total 4) to discuss quality standards and other matters related to the requirements of potential clients. The distribution of participants and logistics will be communicated together with the DAFRDs and MPSOs.

5. Submit to UNDP and the Municipal Departments for Agriculture a final report on implementation of the training, elaborating on the results of the trainings, analysis of the pre- and post-training test data, the satisfaction of the farmers with the training and advisory services, with streamlined references of appropriate environmental elements and conditions. The report should also provide further recommendations for effective farm management to the farmers and should attach all training materials as annexes.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Training methodology and the training material on farm management in the context of raspberry cultivation is developed and validated by UNDP and municipal departments, including considering previous recommendations from the similar consultancy services and streamlining environmental elements, together with enterprise management notebook to help farmers to keep track of their farm financial activities.
Training (workshops and technical field advisory activities) to approximately 154 targeted farmers in Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce is delivered in 7 groups.
The practical part of the training on quality standards is delivered to the group of beneficiaries in Dragash/Dragaš and Shtërpcë/Štrpce Municipalities through field demonstrations in collaboration collection centres/processing points/companies.
Final report on implementation of training, elaborating on the results of the trainings with streamlined environmental elements and providing further recommendations for effective farm management in raspberry cultivation is drafted and validated by UNDP. The consultant is expected to review the report taking into consideration the feedback provided by UNDP.

Remuneration - Lump Sum Amount
The Contract is based on lump sum remuneration and shall be processed subject to deliverables as per the schedule listed below:
Upon successful completion of all activities and validation of the final report: 100% of the total amount

Recommended Presentation of Offer
The following documents are required to be submitted:

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
P.11 and personal CV, indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
Technical proposal, a max. 2-page document briefly outlining the methodology envisaged for the assignment for delivering the expected results within the indicated timeframe, and why the candidate is considered him/herself as the best candidate for the assignment.
Financial proposal, the consultant is expected to provide an all-inclusive lump sum amount financial proposal. The Offeror must indicate at this point and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. The contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer
Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and technical proposal will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%;

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Committed to professionalism, impartiality, accountability and integrity;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Demonstrates substantial experience in gender equality. Actively promotes gender equality in all activities;
Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

Empathy and patience, people orientation;
Punctuality and honouring of commitments;
Ability to draw conclusion on the related subjects;
Ability to pay attention to details;
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment;
Good organisational skills;
Commitment to accomplish work;
Responds positively to critical feedback;
Results and task oriented.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Forestry, or another relevant field is required.

Experience:

At least 3 years of demonstrated relevant experience in provision of consultancy services to farmers, producers and associations in farm and/or business management is required.
Proven experience in and knowledge of the agriculture sector in Kosovo is required.
Previous experience and knowledge in providing advisory services to berry and other small fruit producers is required.

Language requirements:

Fluency Serbian and Albanian is required, fluency in English is an asset.

Application Instructions:

Click on the "Apply now" button;
Input your information in the appropriate sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation; you can type in, or paste your short Resume into the last box;
Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. On the next page, you will be asked to upload your Resume;
System will only allow one attachment. All docs (CV; P11; financial offer; list of similar profiles should be included as one attachment).
Please make sure to submit all the requested documents/information; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete.