Training Provider(s): Climate-Smart Agriculture Approaches - TOMAK

 

STA Terms of Reference

Job title: Training Provider(s): Climate-Smart Agriculture Approaches

Dates & duration: Up to 3 trainings (each training to be facilitated over 2-3 days, plus additional days for development and review)

Location(s): Dili

Reports to: Modesto Lopes 

ARF Discipline Category and Job Level (if applicable): N/A

TOMAK Contract Representative: Tammy Theikdi, TOMAK Program Manager

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Background

The To’os Ba Moris Di’ak Program (TOMAK) is a 5-10 year agricultural livelihoods program implemented in Timor-Leste with funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Its goal is to ensure rural households live more prosperous and sustainable lives. Since 2016, TOMAK has worked with key partners (including the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL)) to implement a range of interventions which aimed to:

·         Establish a foundation of food security and good nutrition for targeted rural communities;

·         Build capacity so these communities can confidently and ably engage in profitable agricultural markets.

Throughout Phase 1 of TOMAK (2016-2021) TOMAK implemented two component streams of activities, with gender and social inclusion (GESI) embedded in the planning, implementation and monitoring of activities across the program.

Component 1 (Food Security and Nutrition) promoted nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) approaches to improve the availability and utilisation of nutritious food. Component 2 (Market System Development) promoted the development of commercial agriculture following a market systems development approach, focussing on selected higher-potential value chains. 

The primary target area for Phase 1 covered inland mid-altitude suku (villages) with reasonable agricultural potential, located in Baucau, Bobonaro and Viqueque municipalities. Program management and technical leadership is provided from a central office in Dili (located within the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF)), with three regional offices currently operating in Baucau, Bobonaro and Viqueque.

Phase 1 of TOMAK concluded in May 2021, with the program entering a period of transition ahead of the design of TOMAK Phase 2. Throughout the transition period, TOMAK has continued to provide support to Government partners (especially MAF) as well as select farmers, while also undertaking a variety of reflection, assessment and research activities in preparation for Phase 2 inception.

 

The assignment

Various assessments, studies and reflections carried out by TOMAK and partners prior to the end of TOMAK Phase 1 revealed that water scarcity, soil fertility and climate change remain persistent challenges negatively affecting farmers’ agricultural production and livelihoods. Communities targeted in Phase 1 were most commonly located in mid-altitude, sloping areas where soil fertility is often reduced during the rainy season (when heavy rains wash out soil nutrients and organic matter from the top soil), resulting in reduced overall crop production. Lack of year-round access to water and limited understanding or implementation of water conservation and management practices was frequently cited by farmers (and MAF extension workers) as a key barrier to improved production, especially for farmers living in dry areas with limited access to a water source. 

The TOMAK Component 1 & 2 midline evaluations recommended that in the program’s second phase, greater emphasis be placed on promoting various resilience strategies for rural households including climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approaches. In November – December 2021, TOMAK carried out an assessment of three types of CSA interventions that have been implemented by various projects in Timor-Leste. These included: 1) conservation agriculture (CA); 2) sloping agricultural land technology (SALT); and 3) water conservation and management (various approaches). TOMAK technical personnel reviewed literature on past projects and interviewed key informants in order to document the advantages and implementation challenges associated with the various approaches, their relative cost, and other factors.

As TOMAK Phase 2 is due to commence in July 2022, the program now seeks one (or more) training providers to lead practical training in the three CSA areas for a target audience of MAF extension workers and TOMAK project officers. Many of these participants already have some technical understanding of CSA and CA approaches.

The successful candidate could be a consultant or consultant team, or a locally based organisation capable of preparing an appropriate methodology and facilitating training for this target audience. Depending on skills and expertise, interested candidates may apply to lead the training for one, two OR all three of the CSA areas outlined below:

• Conservation agriculture (CA)
• Sloping agricultural land technology (SALT)
• Water conservation and management

It is anticipated that each training will last approximately 2-3 days (including a field visit to demonstrate the approach (or approaches) being applied in practice. Additional days should be allocated for developing the methodology and curriculum and summarising the training and training outcomes in a concise final report. The final report should include an evaluation of participant progress as well as recommendations for how capacity might be further strengthened. Candidates should have experience using a variety of facilitation techniques including interactive activities, group work, and discussion in addition to presentation/teaching methodologies.

Depending on the topic, trainings could be carried out in Dili (or surrounds) or in the municipalities of Baucau, Bobonaro or Viqueque where TOMAK offices are located. TOMAK will cover the travel and accommodation costs to mobilise participants to/from the training location.

 

Assignment responsibilities

·         In consultation with TOMAK technical personnel, develop a training module for one or more of the training topics specified above, including session plans, site visit identification, key methodologies and the curriculum/training content;

• Facilitate the training (2-3 days per training topic) including organising and facilitating a field trip to see relevant techniques being applied in practice;
• Carry out a short evaluation of the training (e.g. pre/post-test) with participants to assess changes in knowledge and skills;
• Produce and issue a training certificate per training for each participant;
• Submit a concise final report at the end of the training documenting participant progress, feedback, and outlining key recommendations going forward.

Timeline

To be decided in consultation with the TOMAK team but within the period April – June 2022.

Skills and experience required

We are seeking individuals, teams, and/or organisations that have:

• Skills and experience developing and facilitating high quality trainings to strengthen capacity of technical personnel (describing the methodologies to be used and key learning outcomes to be achieved);
• High level facilitation skills (in Tetum) including the ability to engage both women and men participants using interactive, participatory approaches;
• Strong planning and organisation skills to ensure training (and in particular the associated site visit) are well executed and contribute to planned learning outcomes; 
• Strong technical knowledge (at least 3-5 years) in the relevant CSA approach/intervention (i.e CA, SALT and/or water conservation/management) including practical experience implementing the approach(es) in Timor-Leste;
• Significant experience and understanding of the agriculture sector in Timor-Leste and the challenges faced by Timorese farming households;
• Strong writing skills (Tetum or English) and ability to submit deliverables by the agreed deadlines.

  

How to apply

Interested candidates (consultant/consultant team/organization) should submit an application which includes:

• Cover letter/expression of interest clearly identifying which training topics the consultant/consultation team/organization intends to deliver (whether 1,2 or all 3 topics)
• CVs of any key personnel to be involved in developing and/or facilitating the training and/or an organizational statement (for NGOs or community-based organizations)
• A technical proposal and budget, including a timeline and outlining any assumptions

Application should be sent to Tammy.Theikdi@adamsmithinternationa.com by 4 April 2022

Adam Smith International is an equal opportunity employer and applications from a diverse range of candidates including from women and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged/