Environment and Sustainable Development Unit

Terms of Reference

Field Volunteers with Agro-Food Background

Addressing immediate socio-economic impacts of COVID-19: Subsistence support for Host and Refugee Populations in Lebanon

The Environment & Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) is an inter-disciplinary research and development center specialized in rural community development, local food systems and sustainable agriculture hosted at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS) of the American University of Beirut (AUB). For more than 20 years, ESDU has been promoting through large community development projects sustainable rural livelihoods all over Lebanon. The Unit focuses on participatory development and capacity building through knowledge management and sharing, appropriate technologies, and impact analysis with particular attention to smallholder farmers, women and youth in the rural areas.

Following the COVID-19 outbreak and the current economic crisis and based on the market needs, ESDU in partnership with ACTED is currently implementing a COVID-19 response project aiming at providing livelihood assets support as well as technical support, market linkages and wage subsidies to MSMEs, small-holder farmers and agro-food processing cooperatives. The project aims at supporting entities (agro-food processing coops/MSMEs and farmers) to expand production and at generating income while engaging vulnerable Syrian and Lebanese workers in cash for work (CFW) and cash for training (CFT) activities. The project will be implemented in the areas of South and Bekaa for a 6 months period.

ESDU is thus seeking to recruit volunteers coming from agriculture, agro-food or related background to support in the outreach and to follow-up on on-site activities. He/She will be directly coordinating with the outreach officers of the respective regions and will support in capacity building of farmers/ agro-food processing cooperatives and development of agricultural land management or agro-food processing cooperative management plans.

All agricultural volunteers will be provided with specialized training from ESDU and ACTED including trainings on building soil health and microbial activity, water management on farms, sustainable agriculture, food processing and safety trainings (particularly related to COVID-19).

All volunteers will be provided with certificates upon successful completion of the trainings.

Scope of Work

The student/volunteer will be responsible of the following activities:

· Assist outreach officers in the respective regions in conducting outreach and collecting required data from entities (agro-food processing coops/farmers) and workers

· Attend the training sessions (at least 5-10 days) and assist outreach officers in managing training logistics

· Follow-up on farmers and agro-food processing coops to ensure the proper implementation of the acquired skills (technical and protective) during the implementation phase

· Follow-up with agro-food processing coops on the proper implementation of food safety measures; and/or with farmers on the proper implementation of sustainable agricultural practices

· Conduct at least 4 visits to the farms or agro-food processing cooperatives and support in the development of implementation plans (land management and agro-food processing coop management plans) based on a template provided by ESDU/ACTED and provide their technical input.

· Follow-up on the proper implementation of COVID-19 protective guidelines

· Assist outreach officers in tracking beneficiaries during training sessions and throughout the intensive labor work phase

All volunteers will be provided with safety and health trainings in relation to COVID-19 impacts, and are expected to comply with safety conditions.

Essential Minimum Qualifications:

· Fresh Graduate or student in agriculture, agro-food processing, agri-business, environmental sciences or relevant fields.

· Basic knowledge in food safety and/or sustainable agriculture practices

· Good communication skills

· Excellent knowledge of Arabic and English languages

· Some knowledge of GIS software advantageous. Can also use other smartphone mapping apps to develop land plans.

· Some knowledge of GIS software advantageous. Can also use other smartphone mapping apps to develop land plans.

· Good reporting skills

Period

· From August 2020 till December 2020

Location

Volunteers must be based in, or willing to conduct site visits in the following locations:

· Bekaa: Rachaya, West and Central Bekaa districts (including Rashaya, Kfarmechki, Kamed EL laouz, Khiara, Machghara, Saghbine, kherbit Kanafar, sohmor, Kab Elias, Soultan Yaacoub, Anjar, Ferzoul municipalities);

· South: Bent Jbeil, Nabatiyeh, Sour, Hasbaya and Saida districts (including Ain Ebel, Debel, Hariss, Yanouh, Kfar dounine, Arab Salim, Abbasye, Bourj Rahal, Jannata, Qana, Hasbaya, Sarafand municipalities).

How to Apply

· Deadline to submit CV: August 20, 2020

· Interested candidates should send their CV to: esdu@aub.edu.lb