Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
Wool and Mohair Promotion Project (WAMPP)
REQUEST FOR CURRICULUM VITAE
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR ENGAGEMENT OF A TECHNICAL ASSISTANT TO PROVIDE SUPPORT ON ASPECTS OF EXISTING COTTAGE INDUSTRIES AND YOUTH GROUPS TRAINED UNDER WAMPP
| Job Title: Cottage Industry Technical Assistant | |||
| Location: | Maseru, (Lesotho) with travel to the districts | ||
| Expected Start Date of Assignment: | 1 January 2021 | Duration: | 9 Months |
| Reports to Name: | T. Molapo | Title: | Component C Manager |
| General Description of task(s) and objectives to be achieved |
Background
Lesotho is a country that is almost totally reliant on rain-fed agriculture and in recent years the agricultural economy has suffered from extreme weather conditions – prolonged droughts and very damaging flooding. There is an acute awareness in the Government and within the communities that climate change is already impacting on the lives of the people of Lesotho and threatening their future.
WAMPP is therefore designed to address the issues of rural poverty and food insecurity in the context of climate change and the increasing vulnerability of poor livestock producers. WAMPP is national in scope however most of the activities focus on the poorer mountain regions of the country, where the incidence of poverty and food insecurity is highest and agricultural activity is severely restricted due to the lack of cultivatable land, the degraded rangelands and the harsh climate. In these mountainous areas sheep and goat herding is the main economic activity and subsistence and food security is essentially derived from the proceeds of selling animals or wool and mohair.
The livelihoods of the smallholder producers of merino sheep and angora goats are threatened by degradation of the rangelands and the compounding impact of climate change on this fragile mountain environment. Sheep and goat producers generally graze the highland areas where agricultural production is limited and the incidence of poverty and food insecurity is greatest.
Component C (Wool and Mohair Fibre Handling and Marketing), the third component of the project aims to increase market returns from wool and mohair systems for livestock producers through
a) improved quality of the fibre while at the same time
b) stimulating a niche cottage industry for wool and mohair tapestry products, and
c) providing a market outlet for unproductive animals that need to be removed from the rangeland these are the three sub components that will address the value chain challenges.
Women and Youth are an important part of the target group therefore, Sub-component C2 – Cottage Industry and Niche Market Development, builds on existing but small-scale cottage industries, of which the majority is led by women. WAMPP aims to boost their capacity to manage these cottage industries to higher productivity and expand it further in the future. If promoted as niche products, cottage fabricated wool and mohair products will have the potential to expand its current national market coverage and expand into regional/ or even international markets.
To date the project has conducted three studies being used to benchmark ongoing activities: Assessment and policy development of wool and mohair weaving cottage industries n Lesotho; Insights on potential range of products of Lesotho’s Wool and Mohair Cottage Industry and Cottage Niche Market Study
Objectives
The Technical Assistant will be expected to provide support on product design aspects for existing cottage industries and youth groups trained under WAMPP, fast track activities marked as critical priorities and facilitate implementation of recommendations of the Comprehensive marketing study especially the development of the Marketing plan.
Scope of work
The Technical Assistant (TA) will be recruited to provide assistance to the Component C Manager; for the duration of nine (9) months and will primarily assist and report to the Component C Manager. The tasks of the TA will include but not necessarily be limited to the following specific responsibilities:
Under the guidance of the Component C Manager, coordinate the activities of the Sub Component (C2)Organize and facilitate technical meetings and any other meetings with counterparts including government, donors, private sector, NGOs and other stakeholders, taking minutes of the meetings and reporting frequently to the Component C Manager
Assist the Component Manager in preparing the monthly work plan, and be responsible for following up, review and update work plan in coordination with the manager,
Develop strategies that will promote a growth oriented cottage industry capable of competing successfully in local and export markets and promote diversification into additional wool and mohair products.
Analyse market opportunities and challenges of supporting a stronger market for local wool and mohair cottage industries. Provide support on product design aspects for existing cottage industries and youth groups trained under WAMPP;
Follow up, coordinate and advise accordingly on the ongoing systematic trainings of existing cottage industries and youth groups. Assist in the formation of the multi stakeholder platform for the wool and mohair cottage industry;
Establishment of supply contracts for high quality mohair;
The operationalisation of the mini processing facility and Perform any other functions as required by the Component Manager which are in line with the Sub Component activities.
Expected outputs The technical assistant upon engagement will provide a timeline in accordance to the deliverables as per the table below, in agreement with the Component Manager.
Deliverables/ Outputs Estimated Duration to Complete Target Due Dates Review and Approvals Required (Indicate designation of person who will review output and confirm acceptance)
Assessment report 1 month January 2021 Component C Manager Development of the Marketing plan 2 months February 2021 Component C Manager Enhanced business skills of cottage industry 3 months March 2021 Component C Manager Improved design and range of products 4 Months April 2021 Component C Manager Improved access to inputs and technology 4 Months April 2021 Component C Manager Access to Finance and Markets 5 Months May 2021 Component C Manager Submission of a mid-term and Final report 4 and 8 Months April 2021 & August 2021 Component C Manager Wrap up 1 Month September 2021 Component C Manager
Reporting/ Institutional Arrangements
The TA will be directly responsible to WAMPP under the supervision of the Component C Manager
The TA will be expected to report progress weekly, monthly and as and when required on the agreed formats. The TA will also be expected to make presentations to relevant stakeholders. In collaboration with WAMPP Component C, the implementation of this sub component is led by the Ministry of Small Business Development, Cooperatives and Marketing under the Department of Marketing. Together with BEDCO and the TA is expected to liaise, interact and collaborate within the course of performing the work (e.g., Lesotho Mohair trust, The Women Exporters Association, LNWMGA, Young designer groups and Cottage industry, other government agencies, project co-implementers, etc.)
Duration of the assignment
The TA will be engaged for a period of 9 months, working five days a week with the possibility of working during weekends. The WAMPP project will be closing in May 2022, thus time is of the essence and any delay in meeting time lines might result in not achieving the desired deliverables. The TA will be expected to start work no later than 01st January 2021.
Qualifications of the Successful Technical Assistant
At least a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in fashion and apparel designing or related, with a specialization on crotchet, knitting and sewing with a background in business management, Marketing and Advertising;
A minimum of four years’ experience with knowledge of the wool and mohair cottage industry is required. Excellent communication (Written and Oral) Skills with a good command of English and Sesotho. Appropriate experience working with government, structures at local level, NGOs and private sector. Excellent inter-personal skills as well as working well within a team environment.
Application letter, Curriculum vitae and certified copies of certificates clearly indicating job title must be delivered in a written form to the address below or through email (complete submission must be included in one pdf-file sufficiently compressed to allow for transmission by E-mails given below) by December 14, 2020 Procurement Office Wool and Mohair Promotion Project Department of Livestock Services Old Airport Road, Moshoeshoe II P.O. Box 24 Maseru 100 Lesotho. E-mail: [email protected][email protected][email protected]