SNV Netherlands Development Organization is a not-for-profit international development organisation, founded in the Netherlands in 1965. SNV operates in more than 25 developing countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. For detailed information on SNV visit: www.snv.org. 

Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF) – Lower Mekong

The BLF is a UK government programme focussed on protecting biodiversity and promoting its conservation, reducing poverty and tackling climate change across 6 critical landscapes.

Its general activities are:

• Improving management and linking of protected areas
• Creating alternative sustainable livelihoods for local communities improving their climate resilience
• Strengthening land rights, stewardship and natural resource governance, as well as supporting improved planning to reduce environmental impacts of infrastructure development
• Tackling illicit activities such as poaching
• Investment in sustainable local businesses and green finance initiatives

Consultancy Objective 

The aim of this consultancy is to design and implement a comprehensive cashew farm maintenance training program aimed at enhancing the productivity and resilience of cashew farmers. The consultant will oversee the recruitment of Master Farmers, establish demonstration farms, develop training materials, conduct Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions, and provide ongoing support to ensure effective adoption of the new techniques by farmers.

1. Master Farmers Recruitment
   1. Develop Recruitment Criteria: Establish clear selection criteria for Master Farmers. Candidates must demonstrate a strong willingness to learn, a commitment to sharing knowledge with others, availability to participate fully, and the capacity to contribute either financially or in-kind towards setting up demonstration farms.
   2. Conduct Recruitment Process: Identify and recruit Master Farmers from each village within the Virachey National Park area, ensuring they meet the established criteria.
2. Design Demonstration Farms:
   1. Design Demonstration Farms: Collaborate with recruited Master Farmers to establish demonstration farms that will showcase best practices for cashew maintenance, such as soil fertilization, pruning, and pest control.
   2. Ensure Village Engagement: Actively involve local farmers in the learning process by encouraging them to observe and participate in the activities on the demonstration farms.
3. Training Materials Development
   1. Develop Cashew Maintenance Curriculum: Create a curriculum following the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach. The curriculum will cover essential topics, including:
      1. Soil fertilization: through non-chemical such as organic fertilisers, fast composted, mulching and intercropping with nitrogen-fixing cover crops including chemical fertilizer to fulfil crop nutrient demand and lack of composted manure supply amounts
      2. Weed control
      3. Pruning techniques
      4. Pest management (foliar spraying, fungicide, and insecticide use) during flowering and fruiting stages including IPM options such as weaver ant, smoking burning leave to avoid insect, and another alternative.
      5. Climate-resilient farming practices
   2. Tailor Materials for ToT: Adapt the training materials for use in ToT sessions, ensuring they are relevant and accessible to Master Farmers, district agriculture officers, and provincial agriculture officers
4. Conduct Training of Trainers (ToT)
   1. Deliver ToT Sessions: Conduct ToT sessions for Master Farmers, district agriculture officers, and provincial agriculture officers. The sessions will include both practical, hands-on training at the demonstration farms and classroom-based learning.
   2. Focus on Capacity Building: Equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to train other farmers in cashew maintenance techniques, ensuring the sustainability of the training program.
5. Farmer Field School and Field Follow-Up and Monitoring
   1. Conduct on-farm training sessions: covering the outlined topics with active participation from farmers.
   2. Field Monitoring and Support: Regularly visit the demonstration farms and other farms where techniques have been implemented to monitor the progress and effectiveness of the training methods.
   3. Provide Ongoing Support: Offer continuous technical assistance to Master Farmers and agricultural officers, helping them overcome any challenges they may face during the adoption of new practices.
   4. Document Progress: Track and document the progress, lessons learned, and overall impact of the training on improving cashew productivity and strengthening the resilience of farmers.

• Proven experience in agricultural training, particularly cashew farming or similar value chains.
• Strong knowledge of climate-resilient practices, pest management, and soil fertility.
• Experience with Farmer Field School (FFS) methodology and ToT programs.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with local farmers, government officers, and stakeholders.

Interested applicants are requested to submit CV, and cover letter via the SmartRecruiter through provided link. The application should be submitted by Friday, 29 November 2024.