Sustainable Agricultural practices trainer (s)

The European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD) is a French non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1988 and operating in the field of social and economic development in partnership with local institutions. IECD’s main sectors of action are vocational training and professional integration, assistance to micro and small enterprises, and access to education and health for the most vulnerable. IECD has been operating in Lebanon since 1989 and opened a regional office in Beirut in 2007.

Semeurs d’Avenir (SDA) is an association created in 2010 and is the main operational partner of the IECD in Lebanon. As part of its partnership with IECD, SDA implements projects in the fields of entrepreneurship, education, training, and professional integration.

Among these projects, the Support to Micro Enterprises program has been running in Lebanon and accompanying very small entrepreneurs since 2010, training about 100 entrepreneurs and startups per year on “basic management training” and “skills for your business” in the North, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and South regions. In addition to the management trainings provided by IECD, entrepreneurs and startups are followed for a year after the training to assess their improvement and provide the needed support, which has a positive impact on the evolution of entrepreneurs' practices and the development of their businesses.

In 2024, IECD and SDA are committed to fostering entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector to promote sustainable development through the Fostering Local Opportunities, Urban, and Rural Initiatives for Sustainable Horizons (FLOURISH) project, which aims to: 

1. Support farmers and beekeepers to adopt agroecological practices. 

1. Provide entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to develop and maintain their businesses. 

1. Support entrepreneurs in accessing new markets and financing opportunities. 

FLOURISH Program have 2 main objectives:

• improving farmers’ management skills while supporting them to switch to agroecological practices
• scaling up agri-food entrepreneurs, farmers, and small businesses established by entrepreneurship project holders. 

To achieve this goal, IECD and SDA are seeking the expertise of a consultant to conduct a comprehensive market study focusing on agriculture entrepreneurship. Additionally, the consultant will be responsible for developing tailored entrepreneurship content for farmers and building the capacity of our team to effectively deliver such activities.

The objectives of the external agriculture trainer will be:

• to provide expert training and guidance on sustainable agriculture practices, agroecology, permaculture to project participants.
• To develop specific agriculture content tailored to the needs of farmers, covering topics such as sustainable practices, Agroecology introduction and practices, Crop production and management, Soil Management, Irrigation and Pest Control and other topics relevant to the project objectives.
• To enhance the Training capacities of the project team members involved in delivering Agriculture activities.

The expert will be responsible of the following:

1. Theoretical and Practical Training to Farmers:
   The consultant will be responsible for conducting theoretical training and in farm follow up and coaching for farmers included in the project scope. The role entails the following scope:

-  Content Material: the consultant will work closely with IECD/SDA and the group of interns to support in the development of training modules tailored to the farmers' needs and requirements of the Project team.

- Training - coaching – follow up: the consultant will provide training on agroecological practices, provide technical assistance support to the farmers to ensure that they are able to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the training (coaching and follow up).

-  The consultant will report to the Project Manager and the Agriculture Technical Advisor.

-  the consultant will prepare and conduct pre & post-tests to track and measure changes in participants’ knowledge

- The consultant will be required to provide regular updates and progress reports on the training – coaching – follow up activities including lessons learnt and improvement suggestion.

-  The consultant will be responsible on the following:

• Develop and deliver training modules for farmers
• Provide technical assistance and support to the farmers to Develop and deliver a final report on the training
• Conduct in farm coaching and follow up sessions for the farmers

1. Training of the trainers/ capacity building of SDA training coordinators:

• Conduct training, ToT sessions and workshops for the team members involved in delivering agriculture and entrepreneurship content for farmers.  
• Provide guidance and coaching during the pilot phase to enhance their understanding of the content and agricultural entrepreneurship and effective training methodologies.
• Provide advice on action plans for implementing entrepreneurship programs within the agricultural sector.

The Project and Program manager of the Agriculture and Entrepreneurship project will guide and oversee the overall direction of the consultancy.

The Trainer should provide support in collecting quantitative and qualitative data through different methods for example:

• Desk study and review of the project documentation includes available content, tools, data, previous study…
• Individual interviews to gather primary information with team member, trainers, farmers, beneficiaries following a structured methodology set by the IECD/SDA project team

• Observation of the activities by attending some trainings and coaching session.  

The Contracting Period is expected to start October in 2024 and expected to be completed within- 6 months or 40 working days from the date of contract signing or receiving confirmation email from IECD/SDA.

The Sustainable Agricultural practices trainer is expected to achieve the following deliverables:

• Agricultural Training Report, including findings, analysis, and recommendations.
• Agricultural training material and resources
• Support in content development (Training content)
• Coaching and follow up reports outlining findings, recommendations and next steps.
• 1 Training of trainers: includes training sessions and workshops conducted for team members, along with delivering ToT material and documentation of sessions as well as feedback report.

Experience and qualifications:

• Master’s degree in agriculture, or relevant fields.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting Agricultural Training and developing agricultural curriculum, and capacity building preferably in the agricultural sector.
• Significant experience in conducting research and field studies, use of participatory techniques, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to generate actionable insights from data and stakeholder consultations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• At least 5 years of experience in working with international organizations and donors.
• Previous experience working with an international organization in agriculture programs and entrepreneurship programs is a plus.
• Familiarity with local agricultural contexts, Trends, and networks is a must.
• Knowledge and understanding of Agroecology, Permaculture and Sustainable Agriculture Practices is desirable
• Experience in project formulation and evaluation.

Recommended skills and competencies:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is a requirement.
• Strong analytical skills and capacities.
• Strong information technology skills
• Can navigate and produce results within a complex and challenging environment.
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic and professional integrity.
• Display gender, religion, ethnic, age, and cultural sensitivity and adaptability.