National Consultant: Farmer trainer – EU ACP Business Friendly Project (Ethiopia)

Result of Service• Output 1: Training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) delivered to 5,000 smallholder farmers – August to December 2025 • Output 2: Establishment and utilization of 18 coffee demonstration plots to facilitate farmer training and promote technology adoption – August to December 2025 • Output 3: Monthly delivery of reports and inputs by 18 Field Technicians (FTs) - August to December 2025 • Output 4: Monthly digital reporting by 18 Field Technicians, with input of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) data into the digital dashboard – August to December 2025 Work LocationHome-based in Ethiopia (with domestic travel) Expected duration01.08.25 -31.12.25 Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization for trade-related technical cooperation in developing countries. The Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OLAC), as a geographical section of the Division of Country Programmes (DCP), is responsible for defining the ITC strategy and coordinating all interventions in the region, either for individual countries or at the sub-regional and regional levels. The Sector Competitiveness Unit (SEC) is responsible for developing and disseminating sector level expertise for sustainable market driven solutions in ITC, including the Alliances for Action (A4A) methodology. A4A is a participatory partnership model that engages smallholder farmers and MSMEs in order to manage risk and facilitate networks that provide the required technical expertise and capacity building. The “Support to Business Friendly and Inclusive National and Regional Policies, and Strengthening Productive Capabilities and Value Chains” Programme aims to complement the European Union support for private sector development in ACP countries, under the context of the joint ACP-EU Programme for ACP Private Sector Development Support, adopted by ACP-EU Council of Ministers in Nairobi in 2014, and is financed from the 11th European Development Fund. With major focus on the development of agriculture and agri-business value chains, the Programme is designed to achieve two key outcomes: (1) adopting and implementing business-friendly, inclusive and responsible national policies and legal frameworks, and (2) strengthening productive, processing, promoting and marketing capabilities and value chains. ITCs is collaborating with UNIDO and the World Bank in the implementation of the program. ITC will lead the implementation of the micro pillar level of the Programme, which will focus on two core themes: 1) Promoting inclusive productive and commercial Alliances and investment to strengthen VC governance and MSME competitiveness; and 2) Increase small farmers and processors value addition, productivity and competitiveness. As part of this programme, in Ethiopia, ITC will implement a value chain development project with the objective of improving the competitiveness of farmers and agribusiness MSMEs in the coffee sector with focus on digitalization. The project will deliver under the below 4 outputs: • Output 1: Resilient and sustainable business and production models are identified and understood • Output 2: Public-Private alliances and support ecosystems are strengthened • Output 3: VC operator capabilities for more competitive and resilient commercialization and production are built • Output 4: SMEs, SEs and Producers Associations are exposed to and matched with potential partners, business and investment opportunities The potential impact on smallholder farmers includes developing farmers’ confidence of market access and farmers’ price share out of the coffee value-chain which can also influence their productivity, production and supply of quality coffee, and that ultimately impact on poverty reduction and ensuring sustainable livelihood. Trainings on coffee as a family business in the business model would also impact on the confidence of the women and the youth in coffee farming communities. The business model is to expand good agricultural practices and the service onto more number of farmers, which, through its visibility, can benefit more number of coffee households. This can also impact on coffee farmers’ confidence about the relative importance of coffee over other crops, and there by on sustainability of coffee farming system Under Output 3, training on good agricultural practices and farming as a family business will be delivered to a total of 5,000. The southern region covers 2,000 coffee farmers and the south-western region totals 3,000 farmers. Access to the farmers will be granted through cooperation with the local authorities at Woreda and Kebele level. The basic architecture of the action foresees: • Coffee (Project) Coordination Responsible for selecting, managing, and training the FTs. Will be conducting visits to DP (demo plot) and assist trainings in order to assess the work done by the FT. • Farmer Trainer Responsible for training the farmers. Each FT will be covering 10 FFG. Each FFG will have 30 Farmers and 1 DP. • Focal Farmer Group Each village will be organized around one FFG. Each FFG will have 30 Farmers and an individual DP. Here Farmers will be trained by the FT and they will be able to do the exercises under direct coaching of the FTs. • Demonstration Plot Each FFG will have an individual DP. The main purpose of the DP is to give Farmers the opportunity to experiment under direct supervision of a coaching FT. Further work of the FT when visiting the Farmers on their own plots shall foster the knowledge. In order to deliver according to the set goals the project will hire 18 FTs. A thorough selection of candidates took place at local level. Description of Duties/Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the ACP Business Friendly Programme Manager – in close collaboration with the National Coordinator of the ACP project in Ethiopia, , the consultant will be responsible for the following duties to be carried in the region of SNNP (Ethiopian Region). Output 3: VC operator capabilities for more competitive and resilient commercialization and production are built Under Output 3, training in good agricultural practices and farming as a family business will be delivered to a total of 5,000 in two regions. The southern region covers 2,000 coffee farmers and the south-western region totals 3,000 farmers. Access to the farmers will be granted through cooperation with the local authorities at Woreda and Kebele level. The 18 Farmer Trainer will provide technical support to 180 Farmers Group which is equivalent to 5400 smallholder farmers. 1. Each Farmers' Trainer will conduct regular training sessions for 10 Farmer Field Groups (FFGs), reaching a total of 300 farmers between August and December 2025.: The training will focus on sustainable production practices and strategies to increase crop yields. Key topics will include: • Climate change adaptation and mitigation • Best agricultural practices The main activities are outlined below: ● Coffee agronomy/ introduction/ Farming as a family business ● Weed and shade management ● Sucker selection ● Integrated disease management ● Understanding social business ● Harvest ● Intercropping ● Basic finance and Record keeping ● Compost turning ● Integrated Pest Management (IPM) ● Soil Erosion control ● Coffee rejuvenation (stamping) ● Coffee nutrition (compost application) ● Farming as a family business 2. Each Farmer Trainers should maintain and facilitate one coffee demonstration plot in each farmers group and make sure it is appropriate for training the rest of farmers (Sep 2025) Train 5,000 smallholder farmers in the adoption of practices showcased in coffee demonstration plots, while also providing advisory support on crop diversification through intercropping with alternative income-generating crops such as soybeans, avocados, and beekeeping for honey production. 3. Provide inputs and report progresses to Jimma and Hawasa Coffee Coordinators on the progress of operations (one monthly report per month) (August -December 2025) 4. Input M&E information using digital surveys to show results on the Power BI Digital Dashboard set-up by the project. Power BI application to be updated every time (August -December 2025). Copyright The Consultant has to ensure that s/he has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform his/her services under this consultancy contract and for subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the Consultant shall request prior written permission from ITC. S/he has further to ensure obtain accreditation to event(s), if required. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind. Qualifications/special skills• Undergraduate degree (BA/BSC or other) Agriculture, technology or related fields • Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree. • Minimum 2 years’ Work experience in value chain development and lead farms development models • Experience working in developing countries. • Experience with coordinating and leading groups of experts is an added advantage Skills • Ability to work with minimum supervision, efficiency, competence and integrity and in harmony with people from different backgrounds. • Pro-active and initiative-driven behavior; • Excellent interpersonal, presentation, written and oral communication skills. LanguagesMinimum intermediate English required Additional InformationApplication can be sent to Sadiq Syed (syed@intracen.org) and Simachew Mekonnen (smekonnen@intracen.org) No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.