Internships for  Sustainable Agricultural-Entrepreneurship projects

Support to Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Programs

Lebanon

 

 

Introduction

 

The European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD) is a French non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1988 and operating in the field of social and economic development in partnership with local institutions. IECD’s main sectors of action are vocational training and professional integration, assistance to micro and small enterprises, and access to education and health for the most vulnerable. IECD has been operating in Lebanon since 1989 and opened a regional office in Beirut in 2007.

 

Semeurs d’Avenir (SDA) is an association created in 2010 and is the main operational partner of the IECD in Lebanon. As part of its partnership with IECD, SDA implements projects in the fields of entrepreneurship, education, training, and professional integration.

 

Among these projects, the Support to Micro Enterprises program has been running in Lebanon and accompanying very small entrepreneurs since 2010, training about 100 entrepreneurs and startups per year on “basic management training” and “skills for your business” in the North, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and South regions. In addition to the management trainings provided by IECD, entrepreneurs and startups are followed for a year after the training to assess their improvement and provide the needed support, which has a positive impact on the evolution of entrepreneurs’ practices and the development of their businesses.

 

In 2024, IECD and SDA are committed to fostering entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector to promote sustainable development through the Fostering Local Opportuniti

es, Urban, and Rural Initiatives for Sustainable Horizons (FLOURISH) project, which aims to:

1. Support farmers and beekeepers to adopt agroecological practices.
2. Provide entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to develop and maintain their businesses.
3. Support entrepreneurs in accessing new markets and financing opportunities.

 

FLOURISH Program have 2 main objectives:

• improving farmers’ management skills while supporting them to switch to agroecological practices
• scaling up agri-food entrepreneurs, farmers, and small businesses established by entrepreneurship project holders.

 

To achieve this goal, IECD and SDA are seeking the expertise of a consultant to conduct a comprehensive market study focusing on agriculture entrepreneurship. Additionally, the consultant will be responsible for developing tailored entrepreneurship content for farmers and building the capacity of our team to effectively deliver such activities.

 

Objectives:

The objectives of the Agro-Entrepreneurship Group of Interns:

• Develop a structured training program and content focused on Agricultural and Entrepreneurship practices.
• Support various stakeholders, including farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and aspiring entrepreneurs, in adopting sustainable agricultural methods and innovative business strategies.
• Support project team in Agro-entrepreneurship implemented activities on field

 

Scope of work:

Under the overall supervision and guidance of Project Team, the group interns will perform the following specific tasks:

1. Research and Analysis:

• Conduct comprehensive research on sustainable agricultural practices, agroecology, permaculture, and relevant entrepreneurial strategies.
• Analyze the needs of target groups (farmers, SMEs, young entrepreneurs) to tailor the training content accordingly

1. Content Development:

• Develop training modules covering key topics in agriculture (e.g., sustainable farming techniques, climate resilience, crop diversification) and entrepreneurship (e.g., business planning, marketing, financial management).
• Create educational materials, including presentations, manuals, videos, and case studies.
• Design interactive and engaging activities to facilitate hands-on learning.

1. Training Program Design :

• Structure the training program to include beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
• Outline the course flow, including objectives, lesson plans, assessment tools, and evaluation criteria.

1. Pilot Testing:

• Conduct pilot training sessions with a sample group to test the effectiveness of the content.
• Gather feedback from participants and make necessary adjustments to the materials.

1. Documentation and Reporting:

• Prepare detailed reports on the research findings, content development process, and outcomes of the pilot testing.
• Document all training materials and resources for future reference and use.

 

Methodology

The Project manager Agriculture and Entrepreneurship project will guide and oversee the overall direction of the consultancy.

The expert should provide quantitative and qualitative data through different methods for example:

• Desk study and review of the project documentation includes available content, tools, data, previous study…
• Individual interviews to gather primary information with team member, key stackeholders, partners, trainers, farmers, beneficiaries following a structured methodology set by the consultant and confirmed by IECD/SDA.
• Observation of the activities by attending some trainings and coaching session.

 

Duration

The consultancy is expected to start in October 2024 and expected to be completed within  6 months or 40 working days from the date of contract signing or receiving confirmation email from IECD/SDA. This will include Content development, training of trainers, and the Action plan. Which includes also all studies, field work, interviews, observation and report writing.

 

Expected Deliverables:

The Group of Interns Agro-Entrepreneurship experts are expected to achieve the following deliverables:

• Agro-Entrepreneurship Training Report, including findings, analysis, and recommendations.
• Agro-Entrepreneurship Content package consisting of curriculum, training materials, and resources.
• Action Plan outlining the implementation strategy for agricultural and entrepreneurship activities

PROFILE

Experience and qualifications:

• Undergraduate or Fresh Graduate Students have a Master’s degree in Agriculture, or relevant fields.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting Research and Development in addition to field studies in the Agricultural and Entrepreneurship sector, develop PowerPoint, Word Documents Content
• Use of participatory techniques, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to generate actionable insights from data and stakeholder consultations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Previous experience working with an international organization in agriculture programs and entrepreneurship programs is desirable .
• Familiarity with local Entrepreneurship and agricultural contexts, Trends, and networks is Desirable .
• Knowledge and understanding of Agroecology, Permaculture and Sustainable Agriculture Practices is desirable
• Experience in submitting Reports

 

Recommended skills and competencies:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is a requirement.
• Strong analytical skills and capacities.
• Strong information technology skills
• Can navigate and produce results within a complex and challenging environment.
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic and professional integrity.
• Display gender, religion, ethnic, age, and cultural sensitivity and adaptability.

 

How to Apply

 

Required documents for applying to the BID.

Interested professionals are invited to submit their bid consisting of a financial and technical proposal for completion of this assignment.  The technical proposal shall include:

1. letter to IECD/SDA confirming interest and availability for the individual contractor (IC) assignment
2. CV of the applicant.
3. A description of the approach and methodology for completion of the assignment with a clear time frame.
4. List of previous clients
5. Reference letters from at least 2 previous clients
6. Any other information that the applicant finds relevant.

 

Financial Proposal:

The financial proposal shall indicate the total amount required to cover all aspects of the assignment broken down into the following categories:

• Professional fees should be presented as daily fees . The consultant is expected to work an estimated 50 days per mission.
• Expenses including transportation to and from and between duty stations if not provided by IECD/SDA; communication; materials; other.

 

Payment Terms

 

Payment schedule to be defined at the contract stage based on mutual agreement between consultant and SDA.

Payment will be made within 15 working days after submitting the invoice.

 

Evaluation Criteria

 

A technical evaluation will be conducted to all the bidders based on the above technical proposals submitted. The weighted evaluation will be done as below:

• The Technical proposal grade: 70% of the total evaluation grade
• The Financial Proposal: 30% of the total evaluation The technical evaluation grading will be based on the below:

Qualifications	Scale
CV	15%
Agriculture Development Studies & Research, Quality report writing	20%
curriculum design, training facilitation, and capacity building	20%
Availability	15%
Financial proposal	30%

 

Other information

 

The Consultant will be working directly with the Agriculture and Entrepreneurship project manager and program manager and with the trainers if needed to coordinate the field activities.

Job Location: Lebanon with field visits (BML, North and South Lebanon).

Contract Type: Internship Contract

Starting date: 5 days after receiving a confirmation email from IECD to send the inception report.

Application sent to Lara Khawand project manager Entrepreneruship & Sustainable Agriculture. Please mention in the subject of the mail: Internships for  Sustainable Agricultural-Entrepreneurship projects

 

CONTACT

Fill the application form and upload your CV and Cover letter.