Edible Caterpillars and Mushroom Processing Consultancy TORs

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TORS)

SHORT TERM CONSULTANCY TO CONDUCT TRAINING IN PROCESSING/DRYING OF WILD MUSHROOMS AND EDIBLE CATERPILERS FOR  COMMUNITIES IN BANGWEULU WETLANDS

OCTOBER 2020

1. BACKGROUND

Introduction

WWF Zambia, in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and African Parks is implementing an integrated conservation programme in the eastern part of the Bangweulu ecosystem. One of the objectives of the programme is to promote community livelihoods by increasing community stewardship and ownership in conservation of forest resources as wildlife habitats.

The programme also aims to facilitate alternative livelihoods to communities by supporting value addition forest-based value chains such as mushrooms, caterpillars, wild fruits as they have high potential to contribute to increased economic and social development of the communities and environmental conservation of the Bangweulu wetlands. It is no doubt that increased value addition of wildlife commodities also leads to rural industrialization drive as espoused in the Zambia Industrialization Strategy.

The three value chains were selected based on the following specific criteria:

• The three forest products (value chains) have potential to generate value addition, (ii) potential to create jobs as alternative livelihoods, (iii) contribution to environment conservation, (iv) likeliness to be linked to local and regional markets, (v) potential for rural enterprise establishment, (vi) potential to attract investment and tourism, and (vii) facilitation of scale up and multiplier effects.

2. OBJECTIVES OF CONSULTANCY

The overall objective of the consultancy is to conduct community training in processing/drying of wild mushrooms and caterpillars in a selected community in Bangweulu wetlands. The training will also include elements of costing, packaging marketing, and food safety and consumer awareness.

The specific objectives of the assessment include:

• To identify and profile/map forest product value chains collectors, including their role, capacity, and power.
• To develop a database for key forest products collectors and other actors in targeted forest products and with focus on women and youth.
• To identify the good practices being employed in processing /drying wild mushroom and caterpillars in the area.
• To make actionable recommendations including rural enterprise establishment, forest products bulking centers for the three commodities and also policy responses to support the commercialization of the forest products and there role in environment conservation.

3. SCOPE OF WORKS

The consultant (s) will report to WWF Bangweulu Project officer in Bangweulu Wetlands.

The consultant (s) is expected to carry out the following work:

• Design and develop training manuals for wild mushroom and caterpillar processing /drying
• Design and develop quality control plans in processing mushroom and caterpillars
• Conduct a three day theory training in mushroom and caterpillar processing /drying
• Develop marketing plans
• Facilitate market linkages for dried mushrooms and edible caterpillars
• Produce a training report

DELIVERABLES

The following are the expected deliverables:

1. Training report will be submitted to the WWF Team Leader in Bangweulu in English language in electronic format.
2. Market linkages for the products

4. OUTCOMES OF THE TRAINNING

Capacity of community members, especially women and youth enhanced in forest products processing/drying for increased economic returns, trade and rural enterprise development.

5. TIMEFRAME

The consultant is expected to spend 12 professional days on the assignment

3 days preparation of training materials (October 2020)

5 days conducting actual training in 5 villages (October 2020)

4 days facilitating market linkages for the products (January 2021)

6. REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSULTANTS

The consultants should have the following requirements:

1. A firm or company that has multi-disciplinary team in value chain development, marketing and enterprise development that facilitate alternative livelihood.
2. Demonstrated experience in value chain development and value addition
3. Expertise in conducting community based trainings in value addition and processing techniques in agriculture, livestock and forest based products
4. Demonstrated experience in the design of interventions for enhancing rural community market access and competitiveness and for integrating youth- and women into market access and market development across forest based value chains;
5. Good knowledge and understanding of the dynamics and requirements of developing rural based enterprises.
6. Excellent English and Bemba speaking and writing skills.

7. METHOD OF APPLICATION

Interested persons and teams with the right qualification are expected to submit an expression of interest accompanied by detailed technical proposal and assignment budget  with copies to [email protected] by 17:00 on 12th October 2020.