STTA: Pre-Cooling Operations

BACKGROUND:

The USAID Agriculture Program is a five-year activity that aims to accelerate growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate strong potential to create jobs and increase micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) revenues. The USAID Agriculture Program provides competitive matching grants and technical assistance (TA)  to address identified gaps in horticultural value chains (VCs), namely berries, stone fruits, pome fruits (apples), culinary herbs, perishable vegetables, table grapes and mandarins, that will result in the improved productivity and productive capacity of MSMEs, strengthened value chain linkages, increased access to markets, and improved capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, associations and service/information/extension providers.

One of the challenges faced by targeted VCs in the horticulture sector is a lack knowledge of modern technologies and practices to be used in postharvest handling and cold storage operations, in order to minimize losses, preserve quality, extend product shelf life, and access new markets.  Pre-cooling, a critical postharvest operation, takes place prior to storage, reduces crop respiration rate, crop waste, and extends its storage life. It is a new practice for Georgia, requiring significant technical guidance that is critically missing from Georgian postharvest operations.

In line with above-mentioned, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to utilize international expertise to upgrade technical knowledge and skills of the relevant grant recipients and beneficiaries to improve their current operations and gradually adopt best practices.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to primary producers and postharvest handling operators, to increase efficiency of their operations, thereby strengthening targeted horticultural VCs.  The USAID Agriculture Program plans to engage an international consultant to render assistance over two visits.

The first will take place in April 2020, once pre-cooling equipment is purchased and installed by agribusinesses targeted for this consultancy. A second visit in July will facilitate observations and evaluation of pre-cooling operations in action. Ten grant recipients engaged in berry and vegetable VCs are targeted for this consultancy. 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored onsite consultancies on how to operate and maintain pre-coolers as well as best prepare for the season ( 1st visit);
• Provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored onsite consultancies once pre-coolers are operational (2nd visit);
• Hold a follow-up working session for targeted grant recipients and beneficiaries on pre-cooling operations;
• Develop trip report highlighting visit findings, consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS degree in engineering, agricultural technologies or another relevant field;
• Minimum 10 years of practical working experience in cold storage facilities with a focus on berries and vegetables;
• Proven experience in the design/improvement of postharvest handling and storage schemes;
• Strong communication skills.

DELIVERABLES:

• Final Report integrating visit findings, consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations;

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

This assignment is planned to take place during April 20- 30, 2020 and July 5- 15, 2020. This consultancy will be provided through two visits visit and follow-up offsite work and will not exceed 20 days.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

BACKGROUND:

The USAID Agriculture Program is a five-year activity that aims to accelerate growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate strong potential to create jobs and increase micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) revenues. The USAID Agriculture Program provides competitive matching grants and technical assistance (TA)  to address identified gaps in horticultural value chains (VCs), namely berries, stone fruits, pome fruits (apples), culinary herbs, perishable vegetables, table grapes and mandarins, that will result in the improved productivity and productive capacity of MSMEs, strengthened value chain linkages, increased access to markets, and improved capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, associations and service/information/extension providers.

One of the challenges faced by targeted VCs in the horticulture sector is a lack knowledge of modern technologies and practices to be used in postharvest handling and cold storage operations, in order to minimize losses, preserve quality, extend product shelf life, and access new markets.  Pre-cooling, a critical postharvest operation, takes place prior to storage, reduces crop respiration rate, crop waste, and extends its storage life. It is a new practice for Georgia, requiring significant technical guidance that is critically missing from Georgian postharvest operations.

In line with above-mentioned, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to utilize international expertise to upgrade technical knowledge and skills of the relevant grant recipients and beneficiaries to improve their current operations and gradually adopt best practices.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to primary producers and postharvest handling operators, to increase efficiency of their operations, thereby strengthening targeted horticultural VCs.  The USAID Agriculture Program plans to engage an international consultant to render assistance over two visits.

The first will take place in April 2020, once pre-cooling equipment is purchased and installed by agribusinesses targeted for this consultancy. A second visit in July will facilitate observations and evaluation of pre-cooling operations in action. Ten grant recipients engaged in berry and vegetable VCs are targeted for this consultancy. 

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored onsite consultancies on how to operate and maintain pre-coolers as well as best prepare for the season ( 1st visit);
• Provide targeted beneficiaries with tailored onsite consultancies once pre-coolers are operational (2nd visit);
• Hold a follow-up working session for targeted grant recipients and beneficiaries on pre-cooling operations;
• Develop trip report highlighting visit findings, consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS degree in engineering, agricultural technologies or another relevant field;
• Minimum 10 years of practical working experience in cold storage facilities with a focus on berries and vegetables;
• Proven experience in the design/improvement of postharvest handling and storage schemes;
• Strong communication skills.

DELIVERABLES:

• Final Report integrating visit findings, consultancy briefs and improvement recommendations;

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

This assignment is planned to take place during April 20- 30, 2020 and July 5- 15, 2020. This consultancy will be provided through two visits visit and follow-up offsite work and will not exceed 20 days.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Background

The USAID Agriculture Program is a five-year activity that aims to accelerate growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate strong potential to create jobs and increase micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) revenues. The USAID Agriculture Program plans to deliver firm-level investment and tailor-made technical assistance to entrepreneurial, market-driven enterprises, production clusters and supporting associations and service/information/extension providers to foster inclusive and sustainable market systems development.

The USAID Agriculture Program provides competitive cost-shared grants and technical assistance to address identified gaps in targeted value chains (VCs) that will result in the improved productivity and productive capacity of MSMEs, strengthened value chain linkages, increased access to markets, and improved capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, associations and service/information/extension providers.

A comprehensive sector selection and value chain analysis conducted by the USAID Agriculture Program in early PY1, as well as subsequent series of meetings and roundtable discussions held with primary producers revealed that the lack of knowledge of modern production technologies remains to be key impediment to achieving higher yields and quality produce within the selected VCs. Therefore, finding a lack of understanding, as well as implementation of modern production technologies, to be a primary factor, the Program planned to allocate resources and engage local and/or international consultants who will introduce farmers and agribusinesses to improved production practices, including new technologies for primary production, ports-harvest handling and storage.

Meanwhile, in order to support growth of productivity of crops deemed priorities for both local and export markets, the USAID Agriculture Program has identified farmers and lead agribusinesses in strategic locations who are willing to establish knowledge plots, showcase new varieties and agricultural best-practices, and share their experiences with other farmers in the community. By organizing field days at these locations, a large number of farmers will obtain new knowledge and essential technical and practical information. Trainings will be delivered as a series of one-to-two day field-based education sessions, incorporating both, theoretical and practical aspects of primary production, post-harvest handling and storage.

In line with abovementioned, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to utilize expertise of international consultants, to provide targeted beneficiaries – greenhouse as well as open field producers of culinary herbs, post-harvest handling operators and consolidators with tailored consultancies, thereby helping them improve operations and adopt best practices.

Objective: 

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical support to culinary herbs growers, consolidators and post-harvest handling operators, to increase efficiency of their operations, thereby strengthening linkages among VC actors and supporting growth of horticulture sector in Georgia. 

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

Under this scope of work, the Consultant shall work closely with the USAID Agriculture Program’s value chain specialist and technical assistance team to perform the following tasks: 

·         Deliver 2-days field-based group training at the selected farm to highlight modern technologies and practices for both, greenhouse and open-field production of culinary herbs. Through highlighting major theoretical and practical technical aspects, the training should at least cover the following topics:

o   Soil preparation and nutrient management

o   Water management

o   Greenhouse operation management

o   Pest management (disease control, quality inputs, etc.)

o   Diverse species and varieties of culinary herbs in light of local/international market demand

o   Harvesting and post-harvest operations

·         Provide individual consultancies to up to 20 culinary herbs growers to increase their awareness of modern production technologies, as well as harvesting, post-harvest handling and storage practices; It is anticipated that traditional species of culinary herbs, including parsley, dill, coriander, mint, etc. will also be highlighted in the course of these consultancies;

·         Provide ToT course for selected group of culinary herbs growers, to support effective dissemination of crop-specific knowledge and creation of a better knowledge base at a farmer level;

·         Develop a production guide that will feature step-by-step production recommendations, from planting through to storage, as well as descriptions of specific species and varieties deemed well-suited to local growing conditions and better aligned to both local and international buyer preferences. The Program will further disseminate the guide through ARDA’s state extension centers, FSCs, and sector associations;

·         Develop Report highlighting implemented activities, findings and recommendations. 

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in agronomy;
• Minimum 5 years of practical working experience related to culinary herbs production;
• Proven experience in conducting trainings and providing consultancies;
• Knowledge of English will be an advantage;
• Strong communication and reporting skills.

Deliverables:

• Delivery of 2-day field-based training for broader audience of culinary herbs producers;
• Delivery of ToT course for selected group of culinary herbs growers;
• Production guide on modern technologies and practices for culinary herbs production;
• Final report highlighting implemented activities, findings and recommendations;

Period of Performance:

This assignment is planned to take place starting from early February to the end of September, 2020. The assignment will be carried out through at least 2 field visits and off-site follow-up work. Total LOE for this assignment will not exceed 30 days.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Background:

The USAID Agriculture Program is a five-year activity that aims to accelerate growth of agricultural sub-sectors that demonstrate strong potential to create jobs and increase micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) revenues. The USAID Agriculture Program plans to deliver firm-level investment and tailor-made technical assistance to entrepreneurial, market-driven enterprises, production clusters and supporting associations and service/information/extension providers to foster inclusive and sustainable market systems development.

The USAID Agriculture Program provides competitive cost-shared grants and technical assistance to address identified gaps in targeted value chains (VCs) that will result in the improved productivity and productive capacity of MSMEs, strengthened value chain linkages, increased access to markets, and improved capacity of MSMEs, cooperatives, associations and service/information/extension providers.

A comprehensive sector selection and value chain analysis conducted by the USAID Agriculture Program in early PY1, as well as subsequent series of meetings and roundtable discussions held with primary producers revealed that the lack of knowledge of modern production technologies remains to be key impediment to achieving higher yields and quality produce within the selected VCs. Therefore, finding a lack of understanding, as well as implementation of modern production technologies, to be a primary factor, the Program planned to allocate resources and engage local and/or international consultants who will introduce farmers and agribusinesses to improved production practices.

Meanwhile, in order to support growth of productivity of crops deemed priorities for both local and export markets, the USAID Agriculture Program has identified farmers and lead agribusinesses in strategic locations who are willing to establish knowledge plots, showcase new varieties and agricultural best-practices, and share their experiences with other farmers in the community. By organizing field days at these locations, a large number of farmers will obtain new knowledge and essential technical and practical information. Trainings will be delivered as a series of one-to-two day field-based education sessions, incorporating both, theoretical and practical aspects of crop production.

In line with above mentioned, the USAID Agriculture Program plans to utilize expertise of international consultants, to provide targeted beneficiaries – lettuce producers, with tailored consultancies, thereby helping them improve operations and adopt best practices. 

Objective:

The purpose of this assignment is to disseminate knowledge of modern lettuce production technologies and practices among the wider circle of primary producers, to help them achieve increased yields and improved crop quality, thereby strengthening primary production part of culinary herbs VC.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

Under this scope of work, the Consultant shall work closely with the USAID Agriculture Program’s value chain specialist and technical assistance team to perform the following tasks: 

·         Deliver 2-days field-based group training at the selected farm to highlight modern technologies and practices for both greenhouse and open-field production of lettuce. Through highlighting major theoretical and practical technical aspects, the training should at least cover the following topics:

o   Soil preparation

o   Water management

o   Greenhouse operation management

o   Pest management (disease control, quality inputs, etc.)

o   Lettuce cultivars and varieties in light of local/international market demand

o   Harvesting and post-harvest operations

·         Provide individual consultancies to up to 20 lettuce growers to increase their awareness of modern production technologies, as well as harvesting and post-harvest handling practices;

·         Provide ToT course for selected group of lettuce growers, to support effective dissemination of knowledge;

·         Develop an informational guide that will feature step-by-step production recommendations, from planting through to harvest, as well as descriptions of specific cultivars deemed well-suited to local growing conditions and better aligned to both local and international buyer preferences. The Program will further disseminate the guide through ARDA’s state extension centers, FSCs, and sector associations;

·         Develop Report highlighting implemented activities, findings and recommendations. 

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in agronomy;
• Minimum 5 years of practical working experience related to culinary herbs production;
• Proven experience in conducting trainings and providing consultancies;
• Knowledge of English will be an advantage;
• Strong communication and reporting skills.

Deliverables:

• Delivery of 2-day field-based training for broader audience of lettuce producers;
• Delivery of ToT course for selected group of lettuce growers;
• Informational guide on modern technologies and practices for lettuce production;
• Final report highlighting implemented activities, findings and recommendations;

Period of Performance:

This assignment is planned to take place starting from January 20 to September 30, 2020. The assignment will be carried out through at least 2 field visits and off-site follow-up work. Total LOE for this assignment will not exceed 30 days.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status.

CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Please be advised that employment is contingent on permanent and legal entitlement to work in the U.S.  Position is not eligible for U.S. work sponsorship.

Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.