Job Vacancy at Fairtrade International

CLIMATE ACADEMY PROJECT

PREAMBLE

In February 2016 the Dutch Postcode Lottery awarded SMH a grant to finance the project Coffee Farmers in Dire Straits. The proposal for this project was developed together with Fairtrade Africa and Food Cabinet, supported by Fairtrade International. See Annex 1 for the full Project Description.

In order to execute this project, SMH works together with the mentioned partners. For part of the work in Kenya, FTA will subcontract another specialised organisation called We Effect. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE OVERALL PROJECT

The Climate Academy aims to increase the climate change resilience of coffee farmers, organised in SPOs, through training and subsequent application of insights, skills and techniques designed to better adapt to climate change. Farmers learn from experts and from each other (Farmer field school methodology). The project results in a Climate Academy Guide which will be made available for other coffee SPOs.

In parallel a communication program called Coffee to stay will be carried out in the Netherlands. This program raises awareness on the dramatic impact of climate change for small-scale coffee farmers. It builds on the experiences generated in the Climate Academy. Coffee of from Fairtrade certified Machakos Union serves as a vehicle to bring the message to the public.

Key pillars and objectives of climate academy project

• Coffee SPOs have improved their institutional and management capacity to enable them to make decisions and take action to more effectively tackle climate change
• Improved farmer’s resilience to climate change through sustainable agricultural land management practices and Disaster Risk Management
• Increased opportunities for Machakos  Cooperatives Union, selected primary societies and women members to promote an energy switch to renewable energy
• Increased opportunities for households of smallholder coffee farmers to diversify and engage in alternative income generating activities
• Monitoring, evaluation and up scaling: the Climate Academy Guide

Coffee to Stay

The Fairtrade Week of autumn 2017 is turned into a Fairtrade Climate week, focused spiralling around the Climate Academy carried out in Kenya.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY SERVICE

The objective of this consultancy is the development of a curriculum and training contents based on the evaluation of gaps identified in the scope insights reports assessment done on 6 coffee cooperatives of Machakos Cooperative Union.

The curriculum should be tailored based on the local context with the focus of building/ improving climate change adaptation capacities of the coffee farmers within a SPO’s framework as well as align with the Fairtrade Africa Approach to Climate Change. The guide should be practical in its design, easy to follow and include self-driven programmes that can be implemented by the producer organisations directly, without too much additional assistance from external parties. Most importantly, the guide should reflect a realistic combination of deliverables in line with available budgets.

SPECIFIC TASKS TO BE DONE BY THE CONSULTANT 

 The consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks:

• Review the results of the scope insights assessment of each the six beneficiary cooperatives  and two unions  to identify the gaps to be included in the curricular
• Develop a curriculum and training materials which responds to the individual and general requirement of the cooperatives based on the gaps identified in the scope insights assessment.
• Make recommendations on how best to deliver the curriculum including: best training strategies, methodologies and tools.
•  Familiarise the partners with the curriculum.

DELIVERABLES

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following.

• Report (one (1) hard copy and electronic copy) on major findings of the review of the scopeinsight assesment  reports.
• Outline of contents of the proposed subject matter(s)/modules to be included in the curricula and materials  (trainer manual and four trainee manuals ) gaps from the assesment findings.
• Draft specialised curriculum and trainee manuals) on each of the subject matter(s)/modules. A target of 4 modules developed based on the gaps
• Report of the validation meeting of the curriculum to be attended by representatives of the project partners and beneficiaries cooperatives.
• A copy of the final curriculum

 CONSULTANT (S) PROFILE

Qualifications and experience

The consultants will be expected to possess the following;

• Knowledge and relevant academic qualifications in the areas of expertise including development studies, community development, financial management, Organization development, business development. Individual(s) or consultant(s) with background in curriculum development will have an added advantage
• 3 or more years of professional work experience directly related to Fairtrade certification and/ or certification of other sustainability standards.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.  
• Ability to communicate with producers as well as establish and maintain effective relationships. A proven track record of activities in regards to successful client orientation is essential.
• Excellent organizational and work planning skills, high personal and work ethics and a successful record of development and management.
• Demonstrated solutions†oriented approach to working with producer organizations and within the team.
• Proven ability to plan and organize work independently, and meet tight deadlines.
• Experience in carrying-out similar assignments and particularly working with producer organizations in East and Central Africa.
• Experience in adult learning and participatory methodologies and approache
• Good interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi†ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. Ability to work successfully as part of a team is essential.