Technical Consultant – KO165202201 - The Food System Challenge (WFP)

Background  

Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Lebanon, that aims to provide a conducive environment for the creation and development of startups, through incubation, business support, counseling, funding, networking, and the company hosting, hence taking part in the economic revival of the country, participating in wealth and job creation, and retaining graduates and high-level skills in Lebanon.  

Lebanon has been facing multiple crises growing in intensity since 2019: economic, financial, health, humanitarian, which slowed and continue to slow down the economy and productivity of the country. As a result, the national currency has lost around 90% of its value, 55% of Lebanese live below the poverty line of 3.84USD a day and unemployment rate stand at 39%. Before the crisis, the median salary was 630USD, while it has reached currently less than 50USD.

Prior to the financial and economic crisis, Lebanon’s agricultural sector was already beset with series of challenges such as productivity constraints, limited access to finance in rural areas, insufficient agricultural technologies, weak post-harvest systems, and limited market access specifically to non-traditional markets such as Europe. The crisis added further pressure on the sector, putting food security at risk given the increase in food prices of which 85% if imported. WFP’s assessments conducted in 2020 indicated that deteriorated purchasing power is one of the main reasons why food security in Lebanon is at risk. Lebanese and refugees are increasingly struggling to buy food, pay rent and access health care, with high inflation and stark currency devaluation worsening the situation.

Building a resilient agri-food sector in Lebanon is key in overcoming these challenges and establishing sustainable solutions based on local resources and productions. A resilient food system in Lebanon relies on supporting farmers with credit facilitations, strengthening the linkages between the different segments of the agri-food production, and developing the capacities of SMEs working in the agri-food production in business investment in order to ensure better production that may satisfy a large part of the local market. There is a need to shift from a traditional and conventional food culture to a smarter more efficient one where technology, innovation, sustainability, and optimization take an active role.

Within this framework, World Food Programme (WFP), in line with its Country Strategic Plan, has recently launched a cooperation with Berytech to implement Food Systems Grant Facility programme with the aim of improving food security and resilience of food system actors to economic shocks and stresses. Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Eco-system in Lebanon that has been working on the Agrifood sector mainly through the Agrytech program and the establishment of the QOOT Cluster which aims to support innovation in the Agri-food sector, improve its competitiveness and expand employment opportunities. Since then, several programs have been developed and implemented targeting the sector and SMEs resilience and growth.

Spread over 18 months, the programme aims to enhance competitiveness, efficiency and resilience of cooperatives and SMEs working across different streams of the food, supporting around 30 Cooperatives and SMEs with financial, technical, and in-kind support to improve performance and inclusiveness of food systems.

Context & Objectives

Berytech has recently launched the call for applications. Twenty SMEs and cooperatives were shortlisted out of which 10 entities were selected to receive a support package of one hundred thousand dollar (USD 100,000) in cash grant and technical assistance to help them develop their solutions. Selected participants were chosen based on their project’s final impact on the food system in Lebanon, throughout the food value chain, be it on the producer end or at the consumer level. Impact includes improved food security, impact on local rural producers and communities, labor, and consumer. Within that framework, Berytech hire technical consultants to deliver the assistance within a specific scope determined on case-by-case basis after a thorough business needs assessments.

Berytech seeks an external consultant to support a well-established cooperative in developing its fodder hydroponic system. The cooperative currently services around 270 farmers and producers, which all registered members of the cooperative. The cooperative deploys its services and area of influence across all the northern Akkar region. It provides year-round agricultural and animal production expositions and points of sale, on its premises, free-of-charge. It also provides the farmers with animal medication, through its fully equipped animal pharmacy, located in its premises. The cooperative also has its own food processing unit, as well as an olive press, currently producing about 4,500 olive tanks/year.

The cooperative owns and runs a livestock farm (100 cows) on a 20,000 sqm parcel of land located near the cooperative’s premises. It also has access to a 50,000 m3 artificial lake, which can potentially be used for any water shortages in the region. The water pipeline of 4 inch is spread along 1.3 km benefitting 77 plots around the area.

Scope of Work, Outputs, & Deliverables

The Consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

• Advise on the Feed supply in terms of feed production and cultivation practices, concentrates, and premixes, timing.
• Advise on best feeding strategy related to different livestock breeds.
• Advise on optimum crop production strategy.
• Provide the FSC team, at the end of the intervention, a briefing clearly and thoroughly demonstrating the milestones achieved in terms of the beneficiary’s understanding of the above-mentioned training terms and the remaining areas of development within that scope.

Technical Capacity Building:

• Train on herd and livestock management (herd management system, farm life cycle, animal health, cattle sales).
• Introduce local farmers to hydroponic agriculture.

Applicants must fulfill the following requirements:

• Be able to comply with national fiscal context and rules for receipt of international funds.
• BSc/BA diploma in agriculture engineering, animal nutrition, and all relevant fields.
• 7 to 10 years of experience in farm management, animal production, animal nutrition, etc.
• Proven experience in delivering trainings and training materials.
• Excellent communications and report writing skills.
• Fluent in English and Arabic