Field Coordinator

Terms of Reference   Position: Field Coordinator Duration: 30 months, part time Starting date: ASAP   The Field Coordinator will work under the project ‘Improved livelihoods for small-scale farmers in Akkar, North Lebanon’, funded by the European Union and implemented by Mada Association.  The objective of the action is to improve the livelihoods of small scale farmers  mainly in three villages of Upper Akkar and surrounding through training sessions on sustainable, cost-efficient agricultural practices, the introduction of drip-irrigation systems, and improved access to markets.   The Field Coordinator will be based in Mada’s office in Hrar. He will report to the project coordinator.   Main work interfaces   Internal interfaces -    Project Director -    Project Coordinator -    Administrators -    Monitoring Expert   External interfaces -    Small-scale farmers -    The Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) -    The Agriculture Extension Centre – (Ministry of Agriculture) -  Hrar -    Agriculture Experts -    Technical advisors -    Municipalities   RESPONSIBLITIES   Activity 1: Capacity Building on cost-efficient and sustainable agricultural practices Tasks: -          Contact farmers’ representatives and plan all logistical and venue details for the conduction of focus groups to validate the training program. -          Daily visits to farmers for consultations, advice, and needs’ identification. -          Assist LARI on the field for the installation of weather stations and collect farmers’ contacts for the alert message service. -          Support the Project Coordinator in the organization training sessions (IPM, CA, certified rootstocks, pruning, and pesticides) and plan all logistical and venue details. -          Conduct pathology tests at the American University of Beirut and provide the vetch seeds to be distributed to farmers during the training session on CA. -          Identify several certified nurseries (for the eventual selection of one) for the subsidization of rootstocks and encourage farmers to purchase and plant in their fields. -          Assist the Project Coordinator and Monitoring Expert to develop technical sheets to support farmers in their fields. -          Work with an expert the development of a short documentary film on sustainable agricultural practices and be present on the field.   Activity 2: Development of sustainable water management systems and practices Tasks: -          Daily visits to farmers for consultations, advice, and needs’ identification. -         Assist in the development of a set of criteria for the selection of 100 farmers to benefit from drip-irrigation systems and further training. -         Conduct field visits to identify the 100 farmers. -          Support the Project Coordinator in the organization of training sessions on water management and fertigation with experts to take place in one of the villages and replicate each training twice (once per village); and plan all logistical and venue details. -          Conduct soil analysis (one per plot of the selected farmers) and water analysis. -          Support the Project Coordinator in the organization of the bid to select an irrigation systems’ supplier and ensure that the installation of the systems proceeds properly and on time.   Activity 3: Capacity building to link farmers to markets and market stakeholders Tasks: -         Support the Project Coordinator in the organization of a participatory workshop on farming system analysis and identification of best promising options of produce to be delivered by an expert to 30 farmers’ representatives. -          Support the Project Coordinator in the organization of two participatory workshops on post-harvest practices with market stakeholders and farmers’ representatives. -          Organize a training session on organizational skills. -          Organize an event(s)/exhibition(s) to promote products from Akkar in the city. -          Plan all logistical and venue details for all activities under Activity 3 -          Daily visits to farmers for consultations, advice, needs’ identification, and for the assessment of the impacts of the project.   Methodology & REPORTING   The Field Coordinator will follow the activities detailed in the logical framework, ensuring that indicators are met and target groups are reached. The methodology will include: -          Daily field visits to farmers’ fields for consultations and advice. -          Cooperation with LARI, the Agricultural Center in Hrar, and all project stakeholders. -          Organization of the training sessions, workshops, events, and meetings with project stakeholders.   The Field Coordinator will be in charge of reporting to the Project Coordinator, who is under the overall supervision of the Project Director. The reports will include: -         Support in the development of the progress reports to be submitted to the donor on a three months’ basis. -         Support in the development of an Interim Report to be submitted to the donor on a yearly basis. -         Internal monitoring reports to be submitted to the Project Coordinator on a weekly basis.     Education and experience Other: Experience in agriculture, rural development projects, reporting skills, ability to commute on a daily basis, physical fitness, excellent communication skills, and ability to commit to deadlines.