Curriculum Developer Consultant BASATINE – AFD project

With support of L’Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Bolstering Agriculture Systems’ Ability to Invest, Nourish, and Employ (BASATINE) programme is a 4-year Consortium of six local and International NGOs with vast experience in agriculture and market systems development. These NGOs include CARE (as lead), Mercy Corps (MC), Berytech Foundation, Georges N. Frem Foundation (GNFF), Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) and Al Majmoua. BASATINE aims to support farmers, other value chain and associated sector actors in areas of Beqaa and Akkar, focused on the production of cereals, legumes and vegetables, seeking a territorial approach, and promoting linkages with other value chains. Through complementary interventions designed in alignment with the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, the project will immediately address food insecurity and provide needed income and technical support to farmers to survive the current economic crisis, as well as improve the capacity of food systems to maintain employment and growth in the longer term via stronger domestic production and system linkages. This will ultimately contribute to greater economic stability – particularly for women, improved rural development, and more positive social cohesion between host/refugee communities at a local level.

Overall Objective of BASATINE

To help sustain the capacity of the Lebanese agriculture to produce food for the local market and create and maintain jobs, to contribute to the prevention of tensions between host communities and refugees.

Specific Objectives:

1. Value chain actors recover their livelihoods affected by the socio-economic and financial crisis.

2. Farmers improve their access to livelihoods, through Sustainable, Productive, Equitable and Resilient (SuPER) Food Systems.

3. Agriculture sector actors engage in improved market activities, resources, and trade relationships.

4. Agriculture and related sector actors increase investments through tailored and inclusive financial services and products.

5. Agriculture sector stakeholders utilize high quality, reliable evidence to promote evidence-based sector development.

Expected Results

BASATINE will support 6,000 farms, reaching 12,000 male and female adult farmers, 10,000 host and refugee seasonal farm workers, 400 public extension officers and vocational students, 20 input supply/distributor SMEs, 156 agri-food processor micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and over 30 agri-sector key stakeholders (including development actors, donors, local and national government). Overall, the project will maintain/improve over 19,000 jobs and create 700 jobs for male and female value chain actors. Overall, the project will generate the following results:

- Farmers have an increased volume of farms’ sales by the end of the project.

- Female actors in the agri-sector have improved access, control, or ownership of agricultural productive resources, assets and services.

- Targeted farms and MSMEs (female/youth-led and owned) have maintained, improved, or increased employment levels including for females, youths and PWDs.

Objectives of the Consultancy

CARE International in Lebanon (CIL) is seeking a consultant or consultancy company to develop a full technical curriculum and training package that shall serve in the attainment of the interconnected program objectives, based on the Farmer Field Business School (FFBS) approach developed by CARE USA.

This Consultancy falls under BASATINE Specific Objective 2 (SO2-Activity 2.4.1) – please refer to Annex number 1 – summary of BASATINE Program.

The consultancy will consist of:

1. Review existing training material and curricula relevant to the FFBS approach and targeting farmers in the value chains of vegetables, legumes and cereals.
2. Set the training topics and its learning outcomes in the targeted value chains (Cereals, Legumes and Vegetables) in coordination with the Consortium partners and as per the below general topics:

Technical

• Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
• Sustainable water management in agriculture and drip irrigation
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Farm Management as a business
• Organic Input production seed extraction and storage
• Good Harvest and Post-harvest Practices-packaging, cold storage, …
• Composting
• Monitoring progress and impact, traceability and bookkeeping

Business and Finance

• Enhanced business management practices
• Social and inclusive entrepreneurship
• Marketing
• Financial Literacy

Digital Literacy

Decent work conditions, Gender-Based Violence awareness raising, and soft skills training

Conflict sensitivity and Do No Harm Approach (with the support of CIL)

1. Align/ expand/ adapt CARE’s Farmer Field Business School (FFBS), in coordination with CARE USA, iconic extension approach and curriculum that has been tested in 28 countries over the last years and integrate BASATINE activities into this school that will suit the Lebanese context and target groups.
2. Design training tools and material to be used by the consortium partners.
3. Design farmer manuals and handouts in Arabic language to ensure the effective delivery of the training.
4. Conduct training of trainers to field staff /community facilitators and other relevant actors on the developed curriculum approach and methodology in Akkar and Beqaa as appropriate.                          

Deliverables & Timeline:

 Review existing materials and present overall methodological approach for the full package and a detailed table of content under each of the thematic areas. 8 Days

Deliver a sample of one thematic area manual. 5 Days

Participate in FFBS workshop with other CARE country offices – covered by CARE “1 representative” 5 days

Deliver a full FFBS curriculum in English language, including training material and handouts in Arabic. 30 days 

Deliver 7 days ToT session to around 40 technical field staff and trainers. 7 Days

Consulting firm/ Institution Profile or Consultant

• At least 8 to 10 years of relevant experience, especially at NGOs, training, and academic institutions.
• Experience in developing curricula and training material is a must.
• Consultancy team with strong technical experience conducting training to farmers in Lebanon. The team must include (1) at least one agriculture expert, (2) one market systems expert / economist and (3) one gender and social inclusion expert.
• The Team Leader and relevant technical team members will possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, economics, business administration, peacebuilding, international development, or a project-related field (Master’s degree is preferred).
• Demonstrated competence in agricultural curriculum development.
• Experience working in Lebanon.
• Fluency in spoken and written English (required for primary contractor) and Arabic (required for local team if not possessed by primary contractor).

PSEA and Child Safeguarding

CARE International in Lebanon is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

CARE International in Lebanon and its employees and stakeholders abide by the CARE International Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding Policies.