Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations s3
Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations
Terms of Reference for Consultant o/PSA o
Vacancy Number: / FVAC.15.017Job Title: / National Consultant Specialized in Post-Harvest Losses in the fruit value chain
Division/Department: / FAO Representation Office in Lebanon
Programme/Project Number: / TCP/SNO/3501 - Capacity Building for Food Loss Reduction in the Near East
Location: / Beirut
Expected Start Date of Assignment: / 15 October 2015 / Duration: 120 days over a period of six months
Reports to: / Maurice Saade
Jennifer Smolak and Mohamed AwDahir / Title: / FAOR in Lebanon
Lead Technical Officers (LTO), FAO Regional Office in Cairo
General Description of task(s) and objectives to be achieved
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, the operational supervision of the Budget Holder as well as the FAO Representative in Lebanon, and in close collaboration with the Project Lead Technical Officer (LTO), National Project Coordinators (NPC) and the other project consultants, the national consultant will carry out the following activities:1- Collaborate with the Project Lead Technical Officer (LTO) for effective coordination of the consultant’s activities and inputs;
2- Liaise with concerned departments at the Ministry of Agriculture to exchange information and generally facilitate collaboration, if needed;
3- Submit all technical documents to the National Project Coordinator (NPC), FAO Representation and the FAO Lead Technical Officer (LTO) for review and clearance;
4- Brief the FAO Representative and senior related staff of the MOA during meetings organized by the project;
5- Undertake any activity that may be requested by the LTO in his fields of expertise;
6- After completion of assigned duties during each mission, submit a report of activities to the National Project Coordinator, with copy to FAO Representation in Lebanon, and the LTO, in excellent English and in line with FAO’s official editorial guidelines to be found at:
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/004/AC339e/AC339e00.HTM
Specific Responsibilities (see Annex 1 for description of Services):
1. Lead a field case study on the present status of fruit sector in the country, applying FAO’s methodology ‘Extent, Causes and Solutions to Food Losses in the Small-scale Agriculture and Fisheries Subsectors’ to review and understand the value chain and the problematic areas where food losses occur.
2. Conduct a training needs assessment for target audiences in the fruit sector in Lebanon to determine capacity building needs.
3. Design a curriculum, develop training materials and visual aids (posters, charts) illustrating improved practices for fruit commodities, prepare a tool kit and conduct a Value Chain Development Workshop, including classroom instruction, field visits and demonstrations on reducing food losses to be conducted for at least 24 managers, technical experts in the food industry, and extension agents.
key performance indicators
Expected Outputs:1. Carry out a field case study of the present status of fruit sector in the country, to understand the value chain and the problematic areas where food losses occur.
2. Conduct a training needs assessment for target audiences in the fruit sector in Lebanon to determine capacity building needs.
3. Design a curriculum, develop training materials and visual aids (posters, charts) illustrating improved practices for fruit commodities, prepare a tool kit and conduct a Value Chain Development Workshop, including classroom instruction, field visits and demonstrations on reducing food losses to be conducted for at least 24 managers, technical experts in the food industry, and extension agents.
4. Submit a final report of activities to the National Project Coordinator, with copy to FAO Representation in Lebanon, and LTO / Required Completion Date:
Interested qualified persons, meeting the mentioned requirements can fill in the Personal History Form and send it along with their CVs and a motivation letter, clearly indicating the vacancy announcement number, by e-mail to , or to fax 05-922128 to the attention of the Administrative Assistant, no later than Monday 5 October 2015.
Only short-listed will be contacted
Annex 1 : Description of Services
Activity 1: Undertake a field case study on the present status of fruit sector in Lebanon, applying FAO’s methodology ‘Extent, Causes and Solutions to Food Losses in the Small-scale Agriculture and Fisheries Subsectors’ to review and understand the value chain and the problematic areas where food losses occur, as part of a consultants team including an agro-economist and rural sociologist.
(See Annex 2 for details about the field case study).
Leading a study team of three (including an agro-economist and rural sociologist):
Attend methodology briefing workshop, develop work plan
Carry out the field survey (see Annex 2)
Deliver draft report and reduction action plan, circulate for comment
Conduct a validation workshop to discuss and endorse the strategy and action plan
Finalize the reports and submit for clearance
Activity 2: Based on Activity 1, assess the training needs for target audiences, in particular the knowledge and capacity gaps in the postharvest handling and storage, processing, and distribution phases of fruit value chains.
Carry out the assessment and deliver draft, circulate for comment, finalize and submit for clearance.
Activity 3: Design the curricula for the Value Chain Development Workshop on fruit sector including classroom instruction and demonstrations on improving food value chain and reducing food losses, for concerned stakeholders, operators and extension agents.
The training curriculum will include 3-4 days of classroom instruction, plus 1-2 days demonstrations/local site visits. The curriculum should consist of training based on the needs identified in Activity 2 (capacity development component), and should also prepare the participants to conduct their own training to at least 10 other people (training of trainers component).
Deliver draft of the curricula/agenda, circulate for comment and submit for clearance.
Activity 4: Create training materials and manuals with a focus on the fruit value chain management and strategies for food losses reduction. The materials should reflect the training needs identified in Activity 2, for example guidance on postharvest handling and packaging, pest management, processing, cold chain management, agribusiness management and marketing. The objective is to prepare training materials that are profound enough to provide a good basis of knowledge and versatile enough so that the materials in it can be used by as many trainers in their outreach efforts. The materials should be organized into modules in-line with the curriculum in Activity 3, case studies, explanatory text, graphics, or any other methods to communicate the material in a concise manner.
Deliver draft of the outline, circulate for comment.
Activity 5: Develop visual aids (posters, charts) illustrating improved practices in reducing food losses of fruits in order to increase the awareness on the negative impacts of food losses among all concerned stakeholders. These visual aids are to be used by trainees after the Value Chain Development Workshop when conducing their own training sessions for at least 10 other people.
Deliver draft of the curricula/table of content, circulate for comment and submit for clearance.
Activity 6: Prepare a Food Loss Prevention Tool Kit in relation to the fruits including the basic tools needed to assess food quality, and monitor shelf life of fruits along the value chain. The tool kit will be provided to trainees and demonstrated at the Value Chain Development Workshop.
The tool kit should adhere to any technical or budget specifications.
Deliver draft of the curricula/table of content, circulate for comment and submit for clearance.
Activity 7: Conduct a Value Chain Development Workshop, including class room instruction and demonstrations on prevention and reduction of food losses, for at least 24 participants, managers, technical experts in the horticulture and food industry, and extension agents.
Collaborate with National Consultant, International Consultant, and TCP project team as needed to prepare and deliver the workshop.
Conduct training in English (and Arabic).
Prepare a CD or flash drive with all materials, agenda, supporting documents.
Annex 2: Field Case Study on losses in the fruits supply chain (Activity 1)
Food losses and their prevention have an impact on the environment, food and nutrition security for poor people, food quality and safety, and economic development. The exact causes of food losses vary throughout the world and are very much dependent on the specific conditions and local situation in a given country. Currently, the magnitude of food losses have been assessed, and most of the causes of food losses have been identified. However, the assessments are extremely rough, and still unknown are the quantifications of food losses per cause, making it difficult to prioritise and decide on interventions, to have the maximum effect.
The main objective of this study is a clear view of the weak points of selected fruits supply chains in Lebanon, and the identification of interventions to reduce food losses and improve the supply chain efficiency.
The Post-harvest Technologist will lead a team of three, including an agro-economist and rural sociologist, to identify main causes and indicative quantitative data of food losses in the food supply chain, and analyse the measures to reduce food losses for their technical and economic feasibility as well as social acceptability, leading to concrete proposals to implement a food loss reduction programme.
Specific activities and main responsibilities:
A. SUPPLY CHAIN SELECTION AND STUDY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
1. Assemble and review technical information/ literature, as well as recent economic information.
2. Identify existing work in the area and review its completeness and gaps if any.
3. Identify what additional and/or new information the survey and analysis will provide on food losses.
4. Select the food products to include in the study and provide the reasons for this selection.
5. Select the specific supply chain and the geographical area where to undertake the study; provide the reasons for this selection.
CRITERIA: The subsector supply chains to be studied will be selected based on the secondary data review findings and should start from small-scale operations to small and medium scale processors, will produce for human consumption, and have their final outlets in the communities/ villages, urban areas, the region or international markets. If possible, the selected chains are included in an ongoing support programme for the subsector.
6. Based on the above information and knowledge of the supply chain, identify 3-4 steps in the chain where food losses are likely to be high or have the highest impact.
7. Identify indicators to assess or measure the impact of food losses on the (local) economy, on the environment, and on (local) social systems.
8. Develop a detailed approach including a (semi)-structured tool for primary food loss data collection, identify how data will be collated and analysed; identify study scope and limitations, and any potential gaps, coordinate and divide tasks between study team members according to area of expertise.
The study implementation plan will be submitted within one week of the methodology briefing workshop for review and approval by AGS of FAO.
B. PRIMARY DATA AND INFORMATION COLLECTION.
9. Make logistical arrangements and the required contacts (with stakeholders, chain actors, authorities, rural sociologists, etc.) to undertake the study.
10. Visit the FSC activities and actors, especially the chain areas identified under 6 above, to make observations and have consultations and participatory field assessments to obtain the information as stipulated in the attached ‘Outline of the Report on the Study to the Reduction of Food Losses’.
11. Determine the technical aspects of the various supply chain operations, assess the level of quantitative and qualitative food losses, the frequency of occurrence and identify their causes.
12. Determine the cost of the various supply chain operations, the prices and value-added of raw materials, intermediary and final products.
13. Assess the social aspects and environmental impact of the various supply chain operations.
14. Identify potential interventions to reduce these losses and estimate their cost.
15. Assess the social and environmental impact of the potential interventions to reduce food losses.
C. DATA ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS OF A FOOD LOSS REDUCTION STRATEGY.
16. Design the proposed interventions in detail, and prioritize them based on a cost benefit analysis.
17. Outline a food loss reduction strategy, including resources and means.
18. Prepare and submit the ‘Report on the Study to the Reduction of <subsector> Food Losses’ with all the findings and conclusions within five weeks after the end of the assignment;
Participate in a national seminar with other experts and stakeholders, to discuss the technical, economic, social, environmental, legal and food security implications, viability and acceptability of the food loss reduction measures for all food supply chains studied in the country, to endorse the final conclusions.
Outline of the Report on the Study to the Reduction of Food Losses
Table of Contents:
0. Executive Summary (not more than 2 pages)
1. Introduction and Background
a History of government and private sector involvement in the <subsector> subsector; developments over the last 15 years.
b Inventory of activities and lessons learnt from past and on-going interventions in <subsector> losses.
c The process of policy making and current policy framework or national strategy on <subsector> losses (if any), and brief description/ assessment of the level and extent of current implementation.
2. Situation analysis
a Relevant institutions and their role in terms of policy, organisational structure, mandate and activities in the small and medium <subsector> industry sector.
b Description of the selected <subsector> supply chain, mainly based on existing information and including an estimate of the quantities of products, and why it was selected.
c Description of the existing marketing systems of the selected <subsector> supply chain, for small-scale producers (formal and informal) and quantification of stakeholder’s involvement and their benefit, including job creation and income generation.
3. Study Findings and Results
a Type and level of post-harvest losses in the selected small-scale <subsector> chain actors across the different marketing systems, including both quantitative and qualitative losses.
b The causes of these losses and identify how they can be reduced.
c Required inputs and associated costs for specific interventions to reduce food losses, as options.
4. Result analysis, conclusions and recommendations
a Critical points in the <subsector> chain where stepwise improvements can be sustainably effected to reduce losses.
b Cost benefit analysis of the options identified at the critical loss points.
c Prioritization of the interventions based on the cost benefit analysis.
d An outline concept note for encouraging investments in these interventions in the selected area as a ‘<Subsector> Loss Reduction Strategy’.
Bibliography/ references
Annexes: TOR, Methodology, Outline concept note, List of people visited