Feed the Future Farmer to Farmer Program Sierra Leone

Volunteer Assignment Scope of Work

NOTE: SCOPE OF WORK AWAITING FINAL EDITS.

Summary Information
Assignment Code / SL 04
Country / Sierra Leone
Country Project / Sierra Leone FTF EAIN F2F Program
Host Organization / The Future In Our Hands – Sierra Leone (FIOH-SL)
Assignment Title / Agricultural value chain development
Assignment preferred dates / March, 2017
Objective: / Build the capacity of FIOH staff and partner community based organization (CBO) executive members on Agricultural Value Chain technologies.
Desired volunteer skill/expertise /
  • Formal qualification and experience in .Agri-Business development and Marketing.
  • Good knowledge in Agricultural Value Chain development
  • Good facilitation skills.
  • Ability to develop user friendly training manual and effectively deliver trainings.
  • Good organizational development skills.
  • Good communication skills.

A. BACKGROUND

The Future In Our Hands – Sierra Leone (FIOH-SL) is an indigenous Non-Governmental Organization registered with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) and Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO) with Head office in Makeni, Bombali district and sub-offices in Kabala town (Koinadugu District) and Mile 91, Tonkolili District. It was established in 1993 as an offshoot of what was formally the Yoni Farmers’ Union. In 1994, as the political situation in Sierra Leone deteriorated, the membership decided that FIOH had a vital role to play in providing assistance to those affected by the escalating conflict. The main focus of the organization during the rebel war was to complement the emergency relief work of the Government of Sierra Leone, as well as that of international and national NGOs. During and immediately after the war, FIOH worked in collaboration with CARE International, DFID, and WFP, distributing food and other relief items to internally displaced persons in their operational areas. Further activities included providing psychosocial support to affected communities and raising awareness on Human Rights, HIV and AIDS prevention and control.

Following the end of the conflict in 2002, FIOH shifted focus from emergency relief to sustainable development with specific focus on building the capacity of communities for self-reliance. It has continued to build partnership and linkages with a variety of local and international organizations and currently implementing; Rural Nutrition & Livelihood Promotion Project, supported by Bread for the World in Koinadugu and Tonkolili districts whilst the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and UNDP/NAYCOM-GIP is providing the human resource support. In addition, the FIOH-UK, and UN/WFP are supporting in community asset creation and rehabilitation for marginalized youths and communities.

FIOH-SL. also enjoys strong links with CBOs at grassroots level aimed at building their capacities to better serve their communities.

  1. ISSUE DESCRIPTION

While each agricultural value chain in Sierra Leone has its own specific weaknesses, there are several constraints common to all value chains, poor storage facilities and systems that cause major losses, lack of access to processing facilities contributes to food loss, limited volumesof trade which discourages value addition that could increase farmers’ incomes. Also market knowledge in the villages is limited and farmers must interact with traders from Freetown and other big towns and cities who often take advantage of them. This leaves the farmer in the position of being price-takers.

New jobs in storage, processing and marketing will absorb unemployed and underemployed youth, and more robust value chain will be able to absorb the increase yield of crops. CBOs and entrepreneurship training approaches will be used to overcome weaknesses in the agricultural value chain development.

  1. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Build the capacity of FIOH staff and partner community based organization (CBO) executive members on Agricultural Value Chain technologies and marketing.

  1. Train FIOH staff and partner CBO executives on value addition for improved marketing
  2. Provide improved knowledge and skills to FIOH staff and partner CBO executives on the marketing of value added products for increased incomes
  1. HOST CONTRIBUTION
  • FIOH will provide office space and mobility (vehicle or motorbike) during training and field visit.
  • FIOH will assign staff to work closely with the volunteer during training and visit.
  • FIOH will mobilize staff and executive members of partner CBOs for the trainings.
  • Also conduct in-country induction training for the volunteer.
  1. ANTICIPATED RESULTS FROM THE ASSIGNMENTCheck that all network cables are plugged in.
  • Verify that airplane mode is turned off.
  • Make sure your wireless switch is turned on.
  • See if you can connect to mobile broadband.
  • Restart your router.
  • Enhanced integration into agricultural value chains and improved marketing along selected value chain.
  • Increased ability of staff and CBO members to support smallholder farmers to start up agricultural oriented micro enterprises.
  • Check that all network cables are plugged in.
  • Verify that airplane mode is turned off.
  • Make sure your wireless switch is turned on.
  • See if you can connect to mobile broadband.
  • Restart your router.
  1. DELIVERABLES
  • FIOH staff and CBOs trained on agricultural value chain and marketing of enterprises.
  • FIOH staff and CBOs trained on how to run a business, develop business plan and risk mitigation strategies in agribusiness.
  • Volunteer developed simple structure reports and share with stakeholders.
  • Volunteer developed user friendly training manual to be used by staff and CBOs
  1. SCHEDULE OF VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES IN SIERRA LEONE

Upon arrival at the Lungi International Airport, the Feed the Future Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Volunteer Logistician, Alie Timbo (cell phone: +23276648010/+23230506922) and CRS Expeditor, Bai Bai Kamara (cell phone: +23276412456) will receive the volunteer, and assist him or her with movements and luggage within the airport before taken to the hotel.

Day / Activity
Day 1 / Arrive at the Lungi International Airport and received by the FTF F2F Logistician and CRS Expediter
At 6:00 pm the volunteer is accommodated at the Lungi International Airport Hotel to pass the night
Day 2 / Next morning the volunteer is taken to Makeni from the Airport Hotel by the FTF F2F Logistician
At 10:30 am the volunteer arrives in Makeni and is accommodated at the Hotel Conteh U. Volunteer receives per diem.
Day 3 / The volunteer rests and prepares for work on the following day
Day 4 / At 9.00 am, the volunteer is greeted at the CRS Makeni Guest House by CRS staff and leaves for the CRS office in Magburaka, Tonkolili, for introductions and briefings, logistics and expectations and anticipated outcomes, as well as security briefings. Hand-outs will be prepared at CRS offices.
At 10:30 am, the volunteer is taken by a CRS Driver together with the Program Coordinator to Mile 91 to meet with Future In Our Hands.
At 11:30 am, the volunteer is received at the FIOH office in Mile 91 by the Director and his team for introductions and host briefings, logistics and expectations, as well as review and finalize the work-plan together with CRS and the FIOH management.
At 1:00 pm, the volunteer will have lunch and accommodate at the G-Complex Guest House in Mile 91.
At 2:30 to 5:00 pm the volunteer and CRS are taken to a field visit to some of the FIOH women groups.
Day 5 9 / Training FIOH staff and partner community based organization (CBO) executive members on improved methodologies of producing rice, groundnut and vegetables for increased productivity
Day 10 / Volunteer rests for the weekend and prepares for work on the next day
Day 11 to 13 / Training FIOH staff and partner community based organization (CBO) executive members on value addition for improved marketing.
Day 14-16 / Train FIOH staff and partner CBO executives on the marketing of value added products for increased incomes
Day 17 / Volunteer rests for the weekend and prepare for work on the next day
Day 18 / Wrap up trainings and emphasize key concepts of assignment to the entire FIOHmembership. Participants evaluate the training and together with the volunteer discuss final report recommendations.
Day 19 / From 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, the volunteer develops a training guide on best practices for food diversification and improved nutrition
At 2:30 pm the volunteer is taken from Mile 91 to the Hotel Conteh U in Makeni
Day 20 / From 8:00 am to 1:00 pm the volunteer finalizes his/her reporting at CRS office in Magburaka and fills out all necessary M&E forms as well as finalize advances and expenditures with finance.
At 3:00 pm the volunteer travels with the Sierra Leone F2F Program Coordinator to Freetown for end of assignment in Sierra Leone.
The volunteer is accommodated at the New Brook Fields Hotel in Freetown.
Day 21 / At 9:00 to 10:30 am the volunteer debriefs at the CRS Office in Freetown to the senior management/staff
At 11:00 am to 1:00 pm the volunteer debriefs at USAID Mission in Freetown.
From 2:00 to 3:00 pm the volunteer is taken to the Sea Coach/water taxi by a CRS car.
At 4:00 pm the volunteer arrived at the Lungi International Airport for departure
TBD / Outreach event in the US

After the volunteer debrief at the USAID Mission in Freetown, depending on the departure time, he or she will have a 15 minutes’ drive from the CRS Office in Freetown to Aberdeen to board a water taxi that will take him/her to Lungi for departure. The water taxi takes about 20 to 30 minutes to land on the shore in Lungi. At the shore, the passengers will wait for about 10 to 15 minutes for the luggage to be transferred to a mini-bus that will take them to the airport and the passengers will board another mini-bus to the airport for checking and departure. At the airport, it takes an hour or more for the airport authorities to complete checking. However, some flights may delay for about an hour or more, and passengers will be encouraged to exercise patience by the airline.

  1. DESIRABLE VOLUNTEERS SKILLS
  • Formal qualification and experience in .Agri-Business development and Marketing.
  • Good knowledge in Agricultural Value Chain development
  • Good facilitation skills.
  • Ability to develop user friendly training manual and effectively deliver trainings.
  • Good organizational development skills.
  • Good communication skills.
  1. ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER IN-COUNTRY LOGISTICS

Volunteers arriving at the airport before 4 pm will be taken by Alie in a CRS car to Makeni for accommodation at the Hotel Conteh U, When the volunteer arrived after 5:00 pm, the Logistician or CRS Expeditor will take the guest to the Lungi International Airport Hotel, E-mail: () for passing the night. The volunteer will have a dinner at the hotel provided by CRS. In the morning around 8, the volunteer will be taken by a CRS car to Makeni where he/she will stay at the Hotel Conteh U, for conducting the assignment in Tonkolili. The volunteer will have a dinner at the hotel provided by CRS.

For the purpose of effectively conducting this assignment, CRS will provide accommodation for the volunteer at the G-Complex Guest House at Mile 91, Tonkolili.

FIOH will support the volunteer with a vehicle to facilitate his/her movement from the guest house to their locations throughout the stay at Mile 91 for the assignment.

CRS will provide the volunteer with per diem in the form of advance which will have to be cleared before departing from Sierra Leone, to cater for meals and other incidentals during the stay. For more information, please refer to the country information that will be provided.

  1. RECOMMENDED ASSIGNMENT PREPARATIONS

The volunteer should prepare materials for hand-outs, which can be printed at CRS office in Makeni before commencement of the assignment. Flip charts, markers, masking tapes can be obtained at CRS offices in case the volunteer wishes to make some illustrations. Depending on the training venue the volunteer may use a laptop and projector for power point presentations. However if the training venue is in the community, it will be difficult to use PowerPoint. In this case the volunteer will be expected to prepare training materials and have hand-outs printed at CRS offices for distribution to the participants.

CRS strongly recommends that the volunteer becomes familiar with the Sierra Leone Feed the Future EAIN F2F Program description prior to arrival in the country as well as country information that will be provided.

  1. KEY CONTACTS

CRS Baltimore
Priyanka Subba
Farmer to Farmer Volunteer Recruiter
Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Program
228 W. Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-951-7366
Email: / Bruce White
Project Director
EA Farmer to Farmer Program
228 W. Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-951-7249 / 410-428-4224 Cell
Skype: brucew219
Email:
CRS Country Program
Nikaj Van Wees
Chief of Party
Feed the Future Sierra Leone Entrepreneurial Agriculture for Improved Nutrition (FTF SL EAIN) Project
41 Riverside Drive, Brook Fields, Freetown
Email: / Nathaniel G. Lamin
Program Coordinator
Feed the Future Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Program
41 Riverside Drive, Brook Fields, Freetown
Email: