Consultant - Mapping of Local Artisan at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and nonchurch partners to implement its programs, therefore, strengthening and building the capacity of these partner organizations is fundamental to programs in every country in which CRS operates. CRS has worked in Nigeria for more than 25 years.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant - Mapping of Local Artisan (Fabricators, Operators and Mechanics) of Agricultural Farm Machineries for Accessibility to Farmers within the Communities of Project Implementation; as well as Training/Building the Technical Capacity of Youth and Women on Operation, Maintenance, and Repairs of Friendly Farm Operations in Adamawa and Borno States

Ref. Code: FMB121219
Location: Adamawa

Terms of Reference

• This Terms of Reference (TOR) provides the description and work to be done to conduct mapping of local artisan (fabricators, operators and mechanics) of agricultural equipment; as well training youth and women on operation, maintenance, and repairs of friendly farm operations in target communities in Adamawa and Borno States in Northeast Nigeria under the Feed the Future Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity
• The work required by this TOR includes feasibility of service provision for agricultural farm machineries, developing/adapting training manual, training selected artisans/master trainers and documentation.

Background

• With donor support from USAID, Catholic Relief Services (CRS/Nigeria), as subgrantees to International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and in partnership with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Borno State Agricultural Development program and Adamawa State Agricultural Development Program is implementing the Feed the Future Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity
• The two-year Activity issued under the US Government’s Global Food Security Act was awarded by USAID Nigeria to IITA and its partners on 19th July 2019 as part of USAID’s contributions to the economic recovery in the North East seeks to support vulnerable populations to engage in basic farming activities that will improve food security, increase agricultural incomes and improve resilience among smallholder farmers and their families in Adamawa and Borno states
• The Activity will work with a coalition of partners to facilitate improved agro-inputs and extension advisory services to serve vulnerable populations, strengthen the institutions that form the market system and the networks that serve smallholder farmers who have been disenfranchised by conflict, and facilitate the engagement of youth and women in commercial agribusiness activities.

Primary Purpose

• The objective of this assignment is to provide consultancy services for mapping of local artisan (fabricators, operators) and mechanics of farm machineries, post-harvest handling equipment in Song, Fufore, Yola South, Demsa, Guyuk, Hong, Gombi Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Adamawa State and Biu, Hawul, Kwaya Kusar, Shani and Bayo LGAs in Borno States that could service the communities mentioned above
• In addition, the consultant will provide training to at least 25 master trainers (private and public machinery operators) across the targeted project communities on elements of equipment fabrication, operation and repairs that emphasize the proper maintenance of farm machinery operation and maintenance of women and youth friendly mechanization tools and associated equipment that can be utilized for farm operations to ensure delivery of quality services to farmers and reduce machine downtime.

Scope and Geographical Coverage

• Mapping of local artisan (fabricators, operators and mechanics) of farm machineries in the focus LGAs: The consultant will conduct a mapping exercise for existing local artisan (fabricators, operators and mechanics) of farm machineries (public and private), and post-harvest/processing equipment availability within the afore mentioned project communities. The mapping is intended to encourage adequate planning and to facilitate effective linkages of farmers to available services within their communities
• The mapping will inform the project on the types of existing services in the communities, as well as helping in the identification of service providers, such as private and public machinery operator groups and artisans responsible for the maintenance of this equipment within the project communities.
• Building the technical capacity of 25 artisans/ farm machinery mechanics and operators: The consultant will build the capacity of identified 25 local artisans/farm machinery mechanics and operators across the targeted project communities. The consultant will also develop a detailed curriculum for training these skilled personnel, featuring among other technical details, appropriate loop for competency level required for certification and/or professional registration as technicians, craftsmen, and technologists; and sustainable mechanization services business models.
• Submit a detailed final report on the whole assignment.

Approach and Method
This consultancy will be done at two stages

• Mapping of local artisan (fabricators, operators and mechanics) of farm machinery as well identify women and youth friendly pre and post-harvest mechanization tools including solar powered pumps/machines. Assessment data collection, analysis and submission of final report is expected to be completed within a period of 25 calendar days from 9th December 2019 – 15th January 2020 upon signing of the Contract
• Building the technical capacity of 25 artisans/ farm machinery mechanics and operators and the trained artisans would be expected to step down the training to 500 youth and women on operating farm machinery and minimum of 200 women and youth as farm machinery mechanics. The assignment is scheduled to last for 20 days (including curriculum development and training in Adamawa and Borno States). The dates will be agreed with the consultant.

All activities will be conducted with supervision, assistance, and guidance of the below Integrated Agriculture Activity staff IITA, ICRISAT and CRS (Program Managers, Snr Agricultural Livelihoods Advisor), Youth and Gender Coordinator and; CRS Program Officer in Borno and Adamawa States.

Required Qualifications
CRS seeks expressions of interest from Consultant(s)/a firm of consultant with the following skills/qualifications in conducting field assessments. Key Requirements of the Consultant(s) include:

• Postgraduate Degree in any one of the following fields: Agriculture Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Vocational Skills In Farm Machinery Fabrication, or other fields related with strong background in youth and women friendly mechanization tools and registered with COREN is an added advantage etc;
• Having at least one consultant knowledgeable in mapping farm machinery/equipment, pre and post-harvest/processing equipment, mechanization tools that women and youth friendly for the cultivation of sorghum, rice, maize, cowpea, groundnut and soybean production to processing systems
• Having a deep knowledge on farm machinery operations and repairs; production and post-harvest handling equipment for sorghum, rice, maize, cowpea, groundnut and soybean, and having experience in conducting training to community-based artisans as vocational skills
• Good eye for details; adherence to logic; and capacity for inductive reasoning;
• Strong presentation, facilitation, communication and team coordination skills;
• Excellent networking skills with private and public sector institutions;
• Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to conduct discussions with a diversity of people ranging from senior management to project participants;
• Willingness and ability to travel to rural communities in Northeast Nigeria and work in a complex and security-sensitive environment. Proficiency in local language(s) in the area is desirable.

Payment Schedule:

• CRS will pay a consultancy fee based upon a mutually agreeable daily consultancy rate. Logistics for field trips will be arranged separately. CRS will reimburse operational and logistical costs if they are identified and approved by the Consultancy Manager in advance.
• Please note that CRS will deduct and remit to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) a 5% or 10% withholding Tax from the total consultancy fees for individuals or organizations in accordance with the Nigerian Tax Law.

Application Closing Date
COB, 24th December, 2019.