Consultant (Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum) at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant (Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum)

Location: Biu, Borno
Employment Type: Contract

General Position Summary

• The Borno Agricultural Development Initiative (BADI) whose goal is to introduce food insecure communities to sustainable, context-appropriate smart agricultural practices and to catalyze the market for seeds and other agricultural markets in Borno State.
• BADI seeks the services of a consultant to train Agric Extension Workers (AEWs) and selected Lead Farmers (LF) on smart agricultural practices; particularly to adopt the Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum and equip participants with basic Business skills to strengthen the capacity of smallholder poultry farmers to profitably run poultry businesses for increase income and sustainable livelihoods that will improve their household wellbeing outcomes.

About the Training

• The Nigerian Agricultural Enterprise Curriculum (NAEC) is a training model designed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to train agribusinesses with simplistic and innovative methodology in order to employ commercial approaches in agricultural activities.
• This approach will build the capacities of participants in the areas of entrepreneurship value to their knowledge. The agribusiness training has will be graduates diversify their income sources. Many people who are plague with poverty do not know they can make a lot of money from agriculture even the home base type of agriculture. Smallholder agribusinesses do not require much capital and with little technology a lot of profits can be maximized.
• The NAEC model is basically experiential in learning integrated with a social intervention package and designed to respond to human capital development and economic.
• The trainees therefore will be exposed to relevant information that will stir up latent abilities/skills and expose them to other development opportunities around them.

The Program Aimed to:

• Increased adoption of knowledge and skills by agricultural extension workers and local input suppliers
• Agricultural extension workers and local input suppliers have improved knowledge, skills and capacity to train farmers
• Increased adoption of improved farming techniques and management practices among farming households
• Farming households have improved knowledge and skills through agricultural training

Consultant Activities
The Consultant will:

• Support to enhance participants’ understanding and awareness of basic business concepts and market conditions that affect abilities to maximize profits, and improve production;
• Make participants understand the broader context of suppliers, procedures, service providers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers in the agriculture value chain.
• Support participants to discover practice methods and techniques for planning, income projection, risk assessment, debt management, saving and profit maximization.
• Support participants improve skills in the areas of financial management (including cash flow) record-keeping, and market analysis;
• Support formulates individual action plans to implement what is learned after the training.

Consultant Deliverables:

• Business skills training – record keeping, marketing and sales, customer relationship management. The consultant will adopt the NAEC curriculum and use it for the training sessions to be facilitated by a certified NAEC trainer for the poultry value chain.
• Support formulates individual action plans to implement what is learned after the training.
• Production of Training materials for trainees.
• Production of training kits (6).
• Mentoring.
• Certification.
• Final training report.

It is expected that a total of 15 days will be required for the training on business skills. This is broken down into: Five days for preparation/development of training modules and materials, five days to deliver the training and 5 days for mentoring, certification and report writing. This is excluding the travel days. (But must not be more than 3 days). The training is scheduled for week of 8th February, 2021.

Qualification / Selection Criteria

• B.Sc in Agricultural science or equivalent in relevant field: Maters in Agriculture preferred
• Good Facilitation skills.
• At least 3- 5 years’ previous experience conducting similar training as a consultant.
• Evidence of at least two contracts from different clients
• Good oral and written skills.
• Minimum delivery period
• Good report writing skills
• Sample report from previous similar contracts
• Strong computer skills on MS office programs (MS word, Excel and Power point)
• Fluency in English and Hausa is an asset.
• Knowledge of poultry value chain will be an asset
• More preference will be given to Candidate from Borno State.

The Consultant will Report to:

• Benjamin Bivan, BADI - Livelihoods Program Officer, Biu

The Consultant will work closely with:

• Reuben Wambutda, BADI - Livelihoods Program Officer, Damboa
• Abdulafeez Sanyaolu, BADI - Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
• Mercy Corps Nigeria (Charles Haruna, Ibrahim Ali Munguno Tijjani Mustapha)
• Others as identified during the contract timeframe.

Application Closing Date
26th January, 2021.