<p> Feed the Future Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Program Volunteer Assignment Scope of Work Summary Information Assignment Code SL 10 Country Sierra Leone Country Project Feed the Future Sierra Leone EAIN Project; Nutrition Promotion Host Organization Bennimix Food Company, Bo Assignment Title Improved product quality for International Standards Organization (ISO) accreditation and product promotion Type of Volunteer Business/Enterprise Development (E) Assistance: Type of Value Chain Marketing (M) Activity: Assignment preferred May-June 2017 dates Objective of the Provide improved technical skills and knowledge to the management of assignment Bennimix Company to improve the quality of baby foods produced in order to attain the standards of ISO accreditation for improved marketing Desired volunteer  At least five years’ experience in large and successful private skill/expertise and public institutions working in food processing with development of improved standards  Extensive experience in the manufactural production of baby foods for improved health and nutrition  Experience in analyzing product quality, including nutrient composition, for improved child health and nutrition </p><p>A. BACKGROUND Developing agricultural livelihood can be achieved in terms of:  Better farming techniques  Higher yields and better seeds  Improved marketing opportunities to adding values As the only tertiary food processing company, the Bennimix Food Ltd is committed to working closely with the farming communities, adding value to locally produced crops and produce a highly nutritious product In the 1970s, the FAO, Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and N’jala University collaborated on a 3- year study to find a suitable, nutritious food for infants and young child feeding (IYCF) that could be made from local produce in an effort to reduce malnutrition. The final product: Bennimix (BNX) was developed made from rice, pigeon peas and sesame, achieving a virtuous circle The local home-made recipe has been promoted by health workers ever since. </p><p>Availability, affordability and accessibility of key raw materials has been a barrier to wide-scale up-take.</p><p>The Bennimix Food Company (BFC) was established as a pilot scheme in the mid-1980s aiming to produce BNX at a small industrial scale at a factory located in Bo town, Southern Province. However, the BFC factory was looted during the war in 1996, suffering significant structural, and material losses. Since then competition with food aid from WFP (Corn Soya Blend and Corn Soya Blend plus) have limited sales to less than 100MT annually. </p><p>Post-war investments in 2009-2015 from African Entrepreneur Competitive Fund (AECF) enabled the procurement of one lorry to facilitate transport of raw materials from farm gate to factory, a new packaging machine, rebranding of the original Bennimix for the retail markets and new packaging materials for greater shelf-life.</p><p>Technical support from HKI enabled diversification of the formulation: replacement of rice with sorghum (to satisfy WFP) and fortification. This new product SierraMix (SMX) was developed as a supplementary food and used by WFP in school feeding programs in 2013-14. However, high nutritional content make it more suitable for therapeutic feeding programs and this was demonstrated as an alternative to Corn Soya Blend plus in the management of acute malnutrition by ACDI/VOCA in Tonkolili in 2016. Economies of scale have not yet been reached. SierraMix has also achieved high acceptance when used by MoHS health facilities in the integrated maternal and child health ‘six months contact point’ which is to be scaled-up in Tonkolili and nation-wide over the next 4 years. USAID requested SMX samples for nutritional and micro-bacterial analysis in late 2016 (ANNEX 1). The produce passed its analysis for suitability for feeding programs.</p><p>Reaching economies of scale for the retail market from BNX is facilitated with support from SOBA on marketing. Further diversifications of products is required and at least two new products PowerMix for older children, youth and adults and PikinMix a cheaper complementary food for IYCN have been produced and at currently being tested for organoleptic acceptability. </p><p>The current factory layout, machinery, infrastructure and work flows need to be re-vitalized and reviewed. New procedures and facilities for crop cleaning, storage of raw materials and milling are planned over the next 2 years.</p><p>B. ISSUE DESCRIPTION</p><p>Diversification of products and scaling up production to meet current and perceived needs of 600 MT pa over the next 5 years requires improved efficiencies in production from an ‘almost artesian’ process. The existing mill is to be moved to a new, larger production room at the BFC site and a fed hopper installed. Both the current roaster and packaging equipment will also be moved to comply with ISO work-flows.</p><p>C. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT Provide improved technical skills and knowledge to the management of Bennimix Company to improve the quality of baby foods produced in order to attain the standards of ISO accreditation for improved marketing 1. Advice and provide technical support to the management of Bennimix on standard specifications for developing a building that will be fit for the purpose and ISO accreditation. 2. Advice and provide technical support to the management of Bennimix on the re-location of the mill, roaster and packaging machine. 3. Provide training for Bennimix staff on cleaning and packaging, as well as training for the use of the new automated hopper. </p><p>D. HOST CONTRIBUTION Improved crop-cleaning machinery has been procured and delivered on site. New workflow designs commissioned. New structures are being erected to house the mill and hopper and re-sited raw materials, roasters and packaging rooms. Food and allowances for training participants Vehicle for facilitating the movements of the volunteer from the hotel to BMC locations</p><p>E. ANTICIPATED RESULTS FROM THE ASSIGNMENT Re-located mill with automated hopper, roasters and packaging machine fully commissioned and operational in readiness for ISO2000 by inspection.</p><p>F. DELIVERABLES Establish Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) to pave the way for ISO2000 accreditation. HACCP assessment and further recommendations</p><p>G. SCHEDULE OF VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES IN SIERRA LEONE</p><p>Upon arrival at the Lungi International Airport, the Feed the Future Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Volunteer Logistician, Alie Timbo (cell phone: +23276648010/+23230506922) and CRS Expeditor, Bai Bai Kamara (cell phone: +23276412456) will receive the volunteer, and assist him or her with movements and luggage within the airport before taken to the hotel.</p><p>Day Activity Day 1 At 5:00 pm the volunteer arrived at the Lungi International Airport and received by the FTF F2F Logistician and CRS Expeditor At 6:00 pm the volunteer is accommodated at the Lungi International Airport Hotel to pass the night. The volunteer will have a dinner at the hotel. Day 2 At 8:00 am the volunteer is taken to Bo from the Airport Hotel by the FTF F2F Logistician/Program Coordinator. At 11:30 am the volunteer arrived in Bo and accommodated at the Hotel Dohas/Sahara. Meanwhile the volunteer will be given a per diem by the Logistician Volunteer will rest and try to accommodate well Day 3 Volunteer rest and prepare for work Day 4 At 8:30 am, the volunteer is greeted at the hotel by CRS staff and thereafter go to the Bennimix Company office in Bo for introductions and briefings including host brief, logistics and expectations and anticipated outcomes. Hand-outs will be prepared at CRS offices. At 10:00 am the volunteer together with the F2F Program Coordinator and BMC management will review the SOW and finalize plans for the assignment. 12:00 to 1:00 pm the volunteer will receive briefing by BMC management 1:00 to 2:00 pm the volunteer will have lunch 2:00 to 5:00 pm the volunteer will review relevant documents BMC for ISO Accreditation Day 5-9 Preparation for the dismantling of existing mill and move existing mill and roasters Day 10-11 Volunteer rest for the weekend and prepare for work on the next day Day 12-14 Move packaging machine and re-establish production Day 15-17 Onsite re-training of local BFC team Day 18 Volunteer rest for the weekend and prepare for work on the next day Day 19-20 Training of 4 new youth staff of BMC Day 21 Wrap up of assignment and submission of SOP to BMC Production Manager Day 22 Volunteer and CRS F2F Program Coordinator to Freetown for debriefing Day 23 At 10 am the Volunteer debrief CRS Management team in Freetown At 12 noon the volunteer debrief USAID Mission in Freetown A 2:00 to 3:00 pm the volunteer is taken to the sea coach for travel to the Airport for departure At 4:00 to 6:00 volunteer depart for the US or country of origin TBD Outreach event in the US</p><p>After the volunteer debrief at the USAID Mission in Freetown, depending on the departure time, he or she will have a 15 minutes’ drive from the CRS Office in Freetown to Aberdeen to board a water taxi that will take him/her to Lungi for departure. The water taxi takes about 20 to 30 minutes to land on the shore in Lungi. At the shore, the passengers will wait for about 10 to 15 minutes for the luggage to be transferred to a mini-bus that will take them to the airport and the passengers will board another mini- bus to the airport for checking and departure. At the airport, it takes an hour or more for the airport authorities to complete checking. However, some flights may delay for about an hour or more, and passengers will be encouraged to exercise patience by the airline. </p><p>H. DESIRABLE VOLUNTEERS SKILLS Extensive milling experience, Experience in Sierra Leone Engineering capacity</p><p>I. ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER IN-COUNTRY LOGISTICS Volunteers arriving at the airport before 4 pm will be taken by Alie in a CRS car to Makeni for accommodation at the Hotel Conteh U, http://www.hotelcontehu.com. When the volunteer arrived after 5:00 pm, the Logistician or CRS Expeditor will take the guest to the Lungi International Airport Hotel, E-mail: ([email protected]) for passing the night. The volunteer will have a dinner at the hotel provided by CRS. In the morning around 8, the volunteer will be taken by a CRS car to Bo where he/she will stay at the Hotel Dohas/Sahara for conducting the assignment with Bennimix Company in Bo. BMC will provide transportation for the volunteer from the hotel to the host throughout the assignment. CRS will provide the volunteer with per diem in the form of advance which will have to be cleared before departing from Sierra Leone, to cater for meals and other incidentals during the stay. For more information, please refer to the country information that will be provided. J. RECOMMENDED ASSIGNMENT PREPARATIONS Review of new BFC payout and equipment.</p><p>K. KEY CONTACTS</p><p>CRS Baltimore Priyanka Subba Bruce White Volunteer Recruiter Project Director Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Program EA Farmer to Farmer Program 228 W. Lexington Street 228 W. Lexington Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Baltimore, MD 21201 410-951-7366 410-951-7249 / 410-428-4224 Cell Email: [email protected] Skype: brucew219 Email: [email protected] http://farmertofarmer.crs.org CRS Country Program Nikaj Van Wee Nathaniel G. Lamin Chief of Party Program Coordinator Feed the Future Sierra Leone Entrepreneurial Sierra Leone Farmer to Farmer Program Agriculture for Improved Nutrition Project 41 Riverside Drive, Brook Fields, Freetown 41 Riverside Drive, Brook Fields, Freetown Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] </p>