Background

Baldushk area with its 14 villages offers excellent conditions for cultivating vast varieties of fruit trees and vegetables. Farmers in this territory have a long tradition in cultivating vegetables although mostly for family consumption and what left goes for market. The variety of vegetables currently cultivated in the territory on one side demonstrates the very favorable climate and soil conditions of the area, and on the other, it tells of a lack of specialization of agriculture in order to match the gross market demand.

There is a tendency in Baldushk Administrative Unit (BAU) villages in recent years to specialize in vegetable production as the population in Tirana City has nearly doubled compared to 1990s. In addition, some of the surrounding areas (former communes) have increased dramatically in population and changed rather rapidly from typical rural areas to peri-urban areas with the majority of the population living in apartment buildings (instead of private houses surrounded by arable land for own use). All these changes represent a major market opportunity for the rural areas surrounding Tirana that has oriented some rural households to move to specialized farming activity.

In the last three years farmers of Baldushk (37 farming households in May 2017 were in ownership of 5 ha of greenhouses) started investing in greenhouses as a measure to prolong the seasonality of their farming activity and improve the efficiency of the land they cultivate (avoid harm from natural phenomena such as hail, spring heavy rains when the seedlings start to grow, hoarfrost - typical for hilly areas during the months of April/May and September/October, increase the number of production seasons in one calendar year, increase the amount of product per season, produce products in atypical seasons to ensure higher prices and better return on the investment). The land under greenhouse rapidly increased in recent years (currently a farming household owns on average ±1,300 m² of greenhouse). The 5 ha of greenhouse are a good step forward for positioning the farmers of Baldushk in the vegetable gross market. The area is favoured by the vicinity with Tirana market (unlike Lushnja, Fier and Durres) and the quality of the soil. 

Farmers in the territory producing as per traditional standards typically cultivate potatoes (about 20 Ha), onions (15 Ha) and legumes/beans (about 20 Ha). Due to high competition from other mountainous areas the selling price for potatoes is relatively low and farmers in the territory complain that the return on the investment is minimal (depending on the season sometimes it may result with losses). Onions are cultivated throughout the country and there is no competitive advantage for Baldushk farmers in the market. The legumes provide a better return on investment.

Farmers in Baldushk demonstrate consideration for responsible farming (they are all proud of the fact that they do not manipulate the product with hormones to produce bigger and faster). While this is difficult to prove for the experts conducting the Territorial Audit, the message to take away is that farmers here take pride on responsible cultivation techniques and this could become a niche in the market. Consumers in Tirana city are very sensitive to genuine healthy agricultural products. In recent years there are numerous incidences of farmers cultivating agricultural products in greenhouses injecting hormones to products to speed up the growing process to enter the market earlier to sell the products with higher prices. Promoting responsible farming among farmers in ownership of greenhouses in Baldushk Administrative Unit may help create a niche in the market for the products from the area and improve the return on investment for the local farmers.  

Duties and Responsibilities

This intervention aims to provide support to farming households in Baldushk Administrative Unit to upgrade and specialize their farming activity in vegetable production by focusing on the expansion of land under greenhouse and other forms of extension of seasonality of products.

The specific objectives of the intervention on the generation and formalization of employment though upgrading of rural micro-enterprises (ca 15 households) for vegetable production focus on:

• Increasing productivity
• Extending seasonality
• Strengthening linkages with the market looking primarily at Tirana Municipality

UNDP Albania is seeking a contractor that during the period December, 2017 – March, 2018, will be engaged with the following tasks:

1. Establish cooperation with at least three supermarket chains operating in Tirana region (e.g. CONAD, Big Market, Eco Market). The consultant is expected to facilitate business deals between the supermarkets and the producer groups (or individual producers) that cultivate vegetables and legumes in greenhouse-based systems, in Baldushk Administrative Unit. In this context, the consultant is expected to design and facilitate 3 workshops with representatives from the supermarket chains and the farmers. The workshop should serve as a platform where farmers and corporates discuss and identify possibilities of cooperation.

The 3 workshops should address the following topics: 

• how market chains operate with pre-orders;
• what are their quality standards and how are they tested;
• what are the requirements for each product after harvesting (packaging, transportation, cooling requirements - if applicable, etc.);
• what are the absorption capacities for each given season (maybe month of the calendar year);
• what can the group of farmers offer realistically given their production capacities;
• what are some requirements from the market chains for seedlings/ cultivation techniques/ maturation of product;
• how can market chains support cooperation among farmers to the best of their business (model) interest;
• best seasonality for each product (that can be produced in winter-greenhouses;
• what costs arise from the moment of harvesting the product to selling to the individual client in the supermarket (may be specific to certain product groups);
• what typically goes wrong with farmers who supply the market chains - lessons learned, and how to overcome them.

2. Based on the feedback received from the market chains during the three workshops, the consultant is expected to design a training programme, (max. 3 modules for 1-day trainings), inclusive of the following:

• cultivation techniques and post-harvesting processes (to meet the quality standards presented by the markets, how to integrate the open-air and greenhouse cultivation processes to maximise the benefit from the farming activity);
• inputs (certified suppliers, how to test quality of inputs, prices, negotiating power of farmers cooperating, benefits of different modalities of payments);
• financial management and crediting for growing (cost analysis, outflows and inflows, management notebook, liquidity, when is time to expand, main crediting programmes for agriculture in Albania, costs of loans, qualifying criteria, what are the benefits and possible threats of growing, etc.).

3. The Consultant shall define a minimum standard for the construction of each of the 15 selected greenhouses.

Deliverables

The contractor is expected to carry out the following deliverables:

• Workshop report inclusive of documents and agreements between supermarket chains and farmers after completion of the workshops;
• Training documentation inclusive of: 1) training programme; 2) list of participants; experiences and feedback;
• Description of a minimum standard for the construction of greenhouses, 1 month after their selection;
• Final report inclusive of: 1) summary of the assignment indicating strengths and weaknesses; 2) recommendation for improvement and possible follow-up activities, 3) considering replication of the assignment on a larger scale.

Duration:

The consultant will be engaged for 30 working days over the period of December, 2017 - March, 2018.

Management arrangements:

The consultant will report to UNDP Albania’s Programme Specialist.

Competencies

Core Values

Integrity:

• Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
• Additionally, the individual should have an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

Communication:

• Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Planning & Organizing:

• Develops clear goals in line with agreed strategies, identifies priorities, foresees risks and makes allowances accordingly.

Organizational Awareness:

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Teamwork:

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and delivers outputs in accordance with agreed time, cost and quality standards.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrate good knowledge of rural development;
• Demonstrate good access to lead companies and other private sector stakeholders;
• Demonstrates team building and coordinating skills;
• Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals;
• Generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
• Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;
• Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with    excellence;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master degree in economics, agricultural or any other related field.

Work experience

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant working experience working closely with rural development;
• Proven experience in working with agricultural development;
• Strong inter-personal, teamwork and organizational skills;
• Excellent communication skills.

Language 

• Excellent communication and report-writing skills in English.

Evaluation Procedure

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

Criteria A: Methodology on how the assessment is going to be carried out – max points: 30

Criteria B: Educational background– max points: 10

Criteria C: Prior experience in working closely with the private sector– max points: 30

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form...http://www.un.org.al/doc/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Letter%20to%20UNDP.docx
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download here.
• Financial Proposal in ALL* - specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek  for the tasks specified in this announcement.  The attached template may be used - http://www.un.org.al/doc/Financial%20Offer%20template.doc Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant during the contract period (e.g. fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services).
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport.

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application.

How to Submit the Application:

How submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs);

• Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal, Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability  and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;

• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement); 

• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”

• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);

• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

• Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Qualified women and individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.