Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Strategic Learning Agenda Consultant.

MEDA’s work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

Background
MEDA is an international economic development organization whose mission is to create business solutions to poverty. Founded in 1953 by a group of business professionals, MEDA partners with the poor to start or grow small and medium-sized businesses in developing regions around the world.

In the Philippines, MEDA is now on its second year of project implementation of its five-year Resilience and Inclusion through Investment for Sustainable Agrikultura (RIISA) initiative. It strives for more resilience and inclusive economic growth for women and men cacao smallholder farmers (SHFs) in Mindanao, Philippines, from strengthened cacao market systems supported by investment. With a focus on Davao region and exposure to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), RIISA responds to multiple challenges in the Philippines cacao sector and draws on MEDA’s experience in market systems development, gender lens investing (GLI), gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and environment and climate change (ECC).

RIISA is addressing cacao SHFs socio-economic challenges while contributing to market systems resilience (MSR) by i) mobilizing Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG)-focused investment for cacao sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and financial intermediaries (FIs); ii) strengthening the capacity, including GESI, human rights (HR), and ECC, of local FIs and business service providers (BSPs) to deliver better services and products to cacao SMEs and cooperatives; iii) strengthening the capacity of cacao cooperatives and smallholder farmers (SHFs) in environmentally sustainable and inclusive farming and business practices; and iv) improve key enabling environment actors’ awareness of ESG practices in the cacao market system.

On improving market system actors’ awareness of and promotion of ESG practices in the cacao sector, there will be capacity strengthening program to be implemented for the regional level cacao council, based on the training needs assessment and analysis of vision, gaps and needs of the Davao region Cacao Industry Development Council. As a parallel support at the national level, RIISA will co-develop with the identified strategic partner and market system actors and stakeholders a strategic learning agenda with focused learning products that will be disseminated through various learning platforms. The main objective is to improve the practices of relevant actors to promote best gendered ESG practices in the cacao market system in the Philippines.

Scope of Work
MEDA seeks an experienced Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA) and Knowledge Management service provider in Mindanao to facilitate the co-development of strategic learning agenda and the dissemination of learning products on gendered-ESG and other project results through various learning activities and platforms to influence system level change as outlined in the RIISA Performance Measurement Framework (PMF). The Service provider will also facilitate the co-development of capacity strengthening program with the Davao region Cacao Industry Development Council to address the needs and gaps in promoting productive and gendered-ESG aligned best practices and approaches that benefit the small holder farmers in the cacao market system. The consultant shall have the expertise and experience to respond to the challenges of the cacao market system working with the market actors and stakeholders in promoting and adopting gendered-ESG best practices to increase the cacao industry awareness of market system investment, ESG and gender lens investing approaches.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA):
The key responsibility of the Consultant is to support the co-development of strategic learning agenda working closely with RIISA staff, Philippine Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA) and project stakeholders for all learning activities utilizing Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach that maximizes learning and action. By working closely with PPSA, the Consultant will be responsible for the industry wide distribution of learning products to target strategic and relevant cacao market actors to improve their practices in promoting best gendered ESG (G-ESG) approaches that benefit businesses and smallholder farmers. Specific tasks include:

Work closely with RIISA-Market System Technical Lead, PPSA in identifying and convening the SLA stakeholders both at the regional and national level to co-develop the strategic learning agenda (SLA) with responsive strategy and implementation plan for developing the required learning questions, identifying, and conducting the learning activities, and producing the learning products on G-ESG best practices that will be disseminated through learning sessions to address knowledge gaps and practices in the cacao market system
Work closely with PPSA in conducting learning activities through participatory action research with the identified strategic market system actors and stakeholders.
Work closely with PPSA in producing learning products on G-ESG best practices from the participatory action research learning activities.
Work closely with PPSA in disseminating the learning products on G-ESG best practices in organized meetings/workshops or learning sessions using several platforms (e.g., National Cacao Working Group; National Cacao Congress) as identified by the SLA actors and stakeholders, and the contracted Service Provider to answer the learning questions that were co-developed. In RIISA’s Project Implementation Plan there are initial questions below that have been identified but will be updated during the co-development of SLA.
- What are the key considerations impeding equitable growth within the Philippine cacao sector, i.e., environment & climate change, gender equality and social inclusion, financing, etc.
- How does integration of ESG within business or cooperative operations boost performance – in profits, in productivity, in employee/supplier retention, etc.?
- Gender Lens Investing is still nascent in the Philippines and focused on the use of sex-disaggregated data and targeting of women-led businesses. How can RIISA further the discourse and promotion of GLI with organizations such as AVPN and Investing in Women.
Work with RIISA Market System Technical Lead (MSTL) to Facilitate one Convergence Forum to disseminate gendered Environmental Social and Governance (G-ESG) learning products and hold B2B and B2C matching for RIISA cooperatives and SMEs and other market system actors with commercial interests to support SHFs.
Work with PPSA to prepare for MEDA’s participation in Canada Day as part of RIISA market linkages support for cooperatives and SMEs and dissemination of G-ESG learning products.
Prepare and facilitate MEDA-RIISA’s participation in the National Cacao Congress and World Chocolate Day.
Design and produce 2 video materials on IMSA key messages and disseminate through various platforms.
Provide a weekly update to RIISA Market System Technical Lead on the progress of SLA works and the concerns or issues that need immediate attention.
Capacity Strengthening of the Cacao Council:
The Consultant will work closely with RIISA Market System Technical Lead and the Davao region Cacao Industry Development Council (DCIDC) in accomplishing the following deliverables.
- Work with DCIDC in finalizing the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Cacao Council and get the commitment of its 15 members.
- Work with DCIDC in conducting the G-ESG training assessment (TNA) with its members.
- Work with DCIDC in co-developing a three-year capacity strengthening program for the Cacao Council members based on the result of the G-ESG TNA and the analysis of DCIDC vision, needs and gaps through participatory methodologies.
- Work with DCIDC in conducting four (4) capacity strengthening training courses for its members including other strategic and relevant cacao market system actors and stakeholders as outlined in the three-year capacity strengthening program for DCIDC. Prepare and submit the training reports for the capacity strengthening training courses conducted.
- Work with relevant RIISA staff and DCIDC in developing the ToR and hiring of resource persons or facilitators to conduct the capacity strengthening training course for DCIDC members and other actors and stakeholders in the cacao market system.
- Provide a weekly update to RIISA Market System Technical Lead on the progress of capacity strengthening works for DCIDC and the concerns or issues that need immediate attention.

Deliverables
Co-developing the Strategic Learning Agenda (June-July 2023, 30 days)

Compiled studies and literature relevant to cacao and environmental, social, and governance considerations whether these are about investments and financial services, gender equality and social inclusion, and environment and climate change. Assessed the compiled studies to determine if these are responding to the identified knowledge gaps or not.
Provided the required support to PPSA in organizing workshops for the co-development of Strategic Learning Agenda (SLA) with responsive strategy and implementation plan for developing the required learning questions, identifying, and conducting the learning activities through PAR, and producing the learning products on G-ESG best practices that will be disseminated to address knowledge gaps and practices in the cacao market system.
Submitted the SLA report.

Addressing Learning Questions (August 2023 - March 2024, 40 days)

Provided the required support to PPSA in conducting two learning activities (I.e., learning events & process, evaluations, monitoring activities, reflection sessions) through participatory action research with the identified strategic market system actors and stakeholders.

SLA Learning Products (August 2023 - March 2024, 30 days)

Provided the required support to PPSA in producing two learning products on G-ESG best practices from the participatory action research learning activities.

Dissemination of SLA Learning Products (October 2023 - March 2024, 15 days)

Provided the required support to PPSA in disseminating two learning products on G-ESG best practices in organized meetings/workshops or learning sessions using several platforms

Organize & Facilitate Particiaption of MEDA-RIISA in the National Cacao Congress (November 2023, 10 days)

All requirements for MEDA-RIISA’s participation in the event are complied with.
MEDA-RIISA has disseminated or presented at least two learning products on G-ESG best practices during the event.

Facilitate Convergence Forum (February 2024, 10 days)

Held and facilitated One Convergence Forum to disseminate gendered Environmental Social and Governance (G-ESG) learning products and hold B2B and B2C matching for RIISA cooperatives and SMEs and other market system actors with commercial interests to support SHFs.

MEDA’s participation in Canada Day (May 2024, 5 days)

Provided the required support to PPSA in organizing the participation of MEDA staff and cooperatives and SMEs representatives and in disseminating G-ESG learning products.

IMSA Key Messages (August 2023 - May 2024, 40 days)

Designed and produced two video materials on IMSA key messages and disseminated through various platforms

Organizing the Cacao Council (June - July 2023, 8 days)

Finalize with DCIDC the ToR of the Cacao Council and get the commitment of its 15 members. Minutes of meeting and attendance records submitted.

G-ESG Training Needs Assessment for DCID (June - July 2023, 5 days)

G-ESG training assessment (TNA) conducted, and TNA report submitted.

Capacity strengthening program for the Cacao Council (June - August 2023, 10 days)

Co-developed with the DCIDC a three-year capacity strengthening program for the Cacao Council members based on the result of the G-ESG TNA and the analysis* of DCIDC vision, needs and gaps. Activity report and attendance record.

Conduct of capacity strengthening training (August 2023 - May 2024, 40 Days)

Conducted with DCIDC the four (4) capacity strengthening training courses based on the co-developed plan.
Prepare and submit the training report for the three capacity strengthening training courses conducted.

Hiring of a resource person for training the DCIDC (August - October 2023, 2 days)

Developed with RIISA team a ToR for a resource person to conduct the two capacity strengthening training courses for DCIDC.
Facilitated the hiring of a resource person for the two capacity strengthening training courses.

Qualifications & Selection Criteria

Generic and Mandatory:
1. With Tax Identification Number and been doing consultancy services on learning agenda and development or behavioral communications for at least 3 years.
2. Fulfill MEDA’s due diligence requirements:
  1. Not involved in terrorist, illegal, or criminal activities, including but not limited to drug, arms or sex trafficking, money laundering, violation of women’s rights and human rights.
  2. Does not appear on the US, UK, UN, or EU lists of terrorist organizations or individuals.
  3. Sample work is required to be submitted.

2. Specific Expertise and Experience:

Demonstrated expertise and experience in the following. The proponent needs to submit a work sample.
- Designing or developing a strategic learning agenda or mindset change and behavioral development communication plan to address specific practices.
- Been providing or conducting training to officers and employees of private sector, government agencies, and civil society organizations.
- Event organizing and able to communicate effectively to various actors and stakeholders including the cooperatives and small holders, MSMEs and other businesses, government officials and key employees, NGOs, and other relevant sectors.
- Facilitating online or in-person capacity building training involving various participants with different learning styles.
- Disseminating learning products through various platforms.
Master’s degree in development communication or behavioral communication is an advantage.
Experience in conducting monitoring activities, evaluations, learning activities, and pause and reflect activities is a plus.
Experience working with cooperatives and women and men small holder farmers, youth, and Indigenous Peoples is an advantage.
Familiarity with the cacao industry is an advantage.
Preferably with working knowledge on environmental social and governance (ESG) factors or considerations.
Passionate in making a difference in the lives of cacao small holder farmers.
Proficient in Microsoft Software use i.e., Word, Excel, and Power Point; additional experience with MS Access and design applications (Canva, lnDesign, etc.) a plus.
Proficient in both spoken and written English

Funding

Professional fees will be discussed once the applicant is successful in the initial stage of assessment and selection.

Reporting

The consultant will report to the MEDA-RIISA Market Systems Technical Lead / ECC Focal Person for supervision and administration support and will receive feedback on all deliverables from RIISA Program Team and MEDA Philippines Country Director.

Application Procedure

Interested Consultant to send application by uploading their Curriculum Vitae to BambooHR by May 19, 2023 at 4:00 pm ET

Questions can be directed to: RIISA_Submissions@meda.org

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of MEDA staff and shortlisted applicants will be interviewed for the final evaluation. Only one Consultant will be selected within May 25-30, 2023. Upon selection of a Consultant, MEDA will enter a contract for the engagement.