Sustainable Agriculture Consultant

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Sustainable Agriculture Consultant to join our dedicated and talented team in Davao City, Philippines on our mission to create business solutions to poverty!

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.

PROJECT SUMMARY

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 financial intermediaries (FIs) and business service providers (BSPs) to deliver better business services and products to cacao SMEs and cooperatives; iii) strengthening the capacity of cacao cooperatives and smallholder farmers (SHFs) for environmentally sustainable and inclusive farming and business practices; and iv) improve key enabling environment actors’ awareness on ESG practices in the cacao market system.

On strengthening the capacity of cacao cooperatives and smallholder farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices that result in increase in cacao yield while protecting the natural environment, RIISA will be providing capacity building training on environmentally sustainable agriculture practices (ESAP) to 15 target cooperatives. The ESAP training will be provided to target Cooperatives to prepare them to implement business activities or project in support of their G-ESG Action Plan in which the Environmental Action Plan has been integrated. The elements of ESAP, as the focus of the capacity building training to smallholder farmers (SHFs) will be based on the result of RIISA baseline study. Essentially, the training will put emphasis on the two to three practices needed by SHFs that can be implemented with very minimal funding support and results can already be observed within three years. The Consultant needed for this engagement will provide a practical and hands-on training to SHFs based on the successful cacao farms that are already practicing the ESAP.

POSITION SUMMARY

MEDA seeks an experienced Agriculture Consultant in Mindanao and with IPs to develop a training module designed based on the top two to three ESAP elements that are needed and can directly contribute to increasing the cacao yield and protecting the natural environment. The Consultant shall have the expertise and experience that respond to the challenge of SHFs/cooperatives and the cacao industry to having sustainably and ethically produced cacao that meet the quality and quantity of the domestic and export market. The Consultant shall also provide recommendations on other approaches other than training to have a sustained application of ESAP with expansion cacao cooperatives and SHFs in Mindanao.

• Job Status:  Full-time Contract Consultant

• Anticipated Start Date: April/ May 2023

• Location: Davao City, Philippines

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Review existing training modules related to ESAP and compile the set of information needed for training cacao SHFs on practices that only require a very minimal funding support and result can already be observed within three years.
• Work with RIISA Market Systems Technical Lead / ECC Focal Person and MEDA Technical Specialist--ECC in designing a ToT level ESAP training module based on the result of baseline study and the compiled set of information from review of existing training modules related to ESAP.
• Create contact and build linkages with government and local fabricators of those specific ESAP practices.
• Work with RIISA Market Systems Technical Lead / ECC Focal Person in pilot testing the ESAP training module with target SHFs.Based on the results of the pilot-testing, the consultant will finalize the ESAP training module.
• Conduct the ESAP training to 55 lead farmers involving 11 cooperatives in Davao region and BARMM.
• Work with 11 cooperatives in Davao region and BARMM in establishing demonstration plots on ESAP.
• Prepare and submit to MEDA a training report and the updated ESAP training module based on the result of training conducted with 11 cooperatives.

DELIVERABLES

• Activities

  • Review of existing training modules related to ESAP.
  • Design the ESAP training module based on the result of RIISA baseline study, and the review of existing training modules related to ESAP.
  • Pilot test the ESAP training module with 5 SHFs.
  • Conduct the ESAP training of trainers to 55 Lead Farmers involving 11 cooperatives.
  • Work with 11 cooperatives in Davao region and BARMM in establishing demonstration plots on ESAP.
  • Prepare and submit a training report.

• Deliverables

  • Set of information or training topics on practices related to ESAP that can be implemented with minimal funding and result can be observed within 3 years.
  • Draft ESAP training module (ToT level).
  • Final copy of the ESAP training module.
  • 55 Lead Farmers undergone practical, site-based, and hands-on training of trainers on ESAP
  • Demonstration plots establishment started.
  • Training report with the updated ESAP training module based on the result of the training with the 11 cooperatives.

REQUIREMENTS

Generic and Mandatory:

• If institution, legally registered in the Philippines and been providing consultancy services on sustainable agriculture for the past three years. If individual, with Tax Identification Number and been doing consultancy services on sustainable agriculture for the past five years.
• Fulfill MEDA’s due diligence requirements:
  • 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.
  • Does not appear on the US, UK, UN, or EU lists of terrorist organizations or individuals.
• Sample work is required to be submitted.
• Has contingency plan and mechanism in place to adapt to travel and health restrictions.

Specific Expertise and Experience:

• Demonstrated expertise and experience in the following. The proponent needs to submit a work sample.
  • Designing or developing a ToT level training module on environmentally sustainable agriculture involving smallholder farmers as Lead Trainer in the roll out.
  • A trainer herself/himself or the company has been providing conducting trainer’s training to farmers.
  • A practitioner of sustainable agriculture herself/himself or the consultancy firm itself. Sustainable agriculture could include natural farming, Agroecology, regenerative agriculture, climate resilient agriculture, conservation agriculture with trees, organic farming, integrated diversified farming system, Permaculture, etc.
• Preference is given to Agriculture or Sustainable Development related educational background
• Experience working with cooperatives and women and men small holder farmers, youth, and Indigenous Peoples
• Familiarity with the context of Davao region and BARMM.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Interested Consultant may apply and submit a PROPOSAL as attachment to the application, by 5:00pm on April 21, 2023.

PROPOSAL OUTLINE

1. Introduction (maximum half page): provide understanding of the ToR and how the individual or consultancy firm / organization can respond to the ToR’s requirements.
2. Capability Statement (maximum of one page):
   • Briefly describe the consultancy services you have provided, in relation to the expertise required by this ToR, in the last three years with specific information on the beneficiaries, contracting company/organization, and results of your engagements.
   • Briefly discuss your contingency plan and strategy to adapt to the travel and health restrictions and the safety and security risks in Davao region and BARMM.
   • Please include the contact details (contact person, phone, and email) of at least three (3) organizations/companies/agencies who can speak to your capability and credibility.
   • Describe the qualifications of the team members, if applicable who will possibly be involved in the engagement.
3. Proposed Methodology (maximum of one page).
   • Describe how the proponent will develop the ToT level training module and deliver them on time given the challenges and limitations you have identified. Discuss risk mitigation on identified challenges and limitations.
   • Discuss how it will ensure participation of women, youth, and IPs in the development of the ToT level training module.
   • Discuss how it will conduct the trainer’s training with the target cacao SHFs.
4. Work Plan. Outline the activities, timeline, expected outputs, and the expertise needed (half-page)
5. Estimated Cost of the Engagement
6. Annex:
   • Certificate of Registration / TIN
   • Resume or CV of Consultant or Experts who will work on this engagement.
   • Work sample/s

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 21, 2023.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis when received. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive and diverse environment of mutual respect_. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring such accommodation make their needs known in advance._