Consultancy for Advocacy Training for Country and Product Networks in Fairtrade Africa West Africa Network

Introduction and Background

Fairtrade Africa (FTA) is the independent non-profit umbrella organization representing all Fairtrade certified producers in Africa. FTA is owned by its members, who are African producer organizations certified against international Fairtrade standards producing traditional export commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, cotton, bananas, mango and non-traditional commodities including shea butter and rooibos tea. FTA represents over 500 Fairtrade certified producer organisations in Africa and the Middle East.

FTA works through regional networks which enable our members to have a strong voice in the governance and management of the organization. FTA has four (4) regional networks – Western Africa Network (WAN); Southern Africa Network (SAN); Eastern & Central Africa Network (ECAN); and the Middle East and North Africa Network (MENA).

The Fairtrade Africa-West Africa Network (FTA-WAN) is the regional network of FTA for the West Africa sub-region and to date represents producers in ten (10) countries: Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin and Togo.

The Fairtrade Africa-East and Central Africa Network (FTA-ECAN) is the regional network of FTA for the East and Central Africa sub-region and to date represents producers in eight (8) countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Cameroon and Ethiopia.

Fairtrade Africa – Southern Africa Network (FTA-SAN) is the regional network of FTA for the Southern Africa sub-region and to date represents producers in ten (9) countries: South Africa, Swaziland, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, Mozambique, Sao Tome

Fairtrade Africa – Middle East and North Africa Network (FTA-MENAN) is the regional network of FTA for the Middle East sub-region and to date represents producers in ten (5) countries: Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Palestine.

Additional structures at the regional level are country and product networks. These networks provide a platform for networking and experience sharing for producers across products, countries and sub-regions. Producers from the same sector can relate to each other’s challenges, learn from each other and share best practices.

Currently, FTA-WAN has product networks for cocoa, banana, coffee, in Ghana, Cote de Ivoire, Cameroon and Sierra Leone, Cote de Ivoire, and country networks in Ghana, Cote de Ivoire, and Burkina Faso.

FTA is seeking to engage a consultant who will provide training to country/product networks in West Africa Network on producer-led advocacy.

The objective of the Consultancy

The overall objective of the training will be to increase knowledge and understanding of advocacy skills and how to put them into practice in the Western African Context. The consultancy service will aim to train 40 participants from the Cote de Ivoire, and Ghana country or product networks on producer-led advocacy.

At the end of the training process, the 40 participants from the different country/ product networks should be equipped to train others within their organization as well as support the development and implementation of advocacy actions within their organization and hence engagement in policy and legislative processes at national and local levels.

Methodology and Scope of Work

Because of the current restrictions on travel and gatherings, the training will be conducted virtually. It is expected that varying participatory methods will be applied in order to maximize participant involvement and learning while accommodating diverse learning styles. Case studies, group work and brainstorming should be used for every conceptual session to ensure participants are fully engaged and their knowledge gaps are addressed. However, any other creative and progressive methods of learning can be proposed and considered by the consultant.

A rapid assessment using a pre-self-assessment tool shall be developed and filled in by the participants before the training and a post-training assessment on the level of knowledge gained.

Key Tasks and Deliverables

The consultant will be required to do the following:

· Undertake virtual survey and needs assessment for the participants to be trained;

· Develop interactive and detailed training modules/training session plan and all accompanying background material for the delivery of the training workshops. This should include a quality assurance plan for the sessions;

· It is expected that the training will equip participants with knowledge and skills on at least, but not exclusive to the following:

o Basics of Lobbying, policy analysis and advocacy;

o Developing advocacy strategies;

o Evidence-based advocacy;

o Influencing planning processes at local and national levels

o Identifying strategies which reflect the needs of different groups (such as women, refugees and youth groups, among others);

o Generation and dissemination of evidence-based documents (position papers, petition and case studies) to facilitate civil society advocacy and lobbying at different levels.

· Share training tools developed with FTA prior to the training date;

· Based on the adopted methodology and training/workshop scheduled, deliver the program in a manner that enables learning and application;

· Develop a detailed evaluation of the modules/workshop(s) by the participants so that the workshop/training materials can be improved according to the participant feedback.

· Develop and submit high-quality training report that incorporates day-to-day deliberations (capturing the voices) and that also outlines the main opportunities, challenges, remaining needs and suggested way forward for the producer/ country networks.

Schedule

The precise dates of the assignment will be agreed on with the consultant prior to the signature of the agreement. However, tentative scheduling is provided below.

• Develop and conduct a needs assessment survey and conduct virtual meetings with key staff in order to develop a tailored training package -2days
• Develop and submit a detailed workshop plan and background materials-2days
• Set up a meeting with FTA and other stakeholders to discuss and refine the training program-2days
• Conduct the training-3days
• Submit training workshop report and a report with recommendations for developing legal support services to service providers-2days

Total working days-11

Required Qualifications

· Potential consultant(s) should possess an Advanced University Degree in development studies, international relations or other related disciplines.

· Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering advocacy training, particularly within the development sector and/or on global issues within the past three (3) years.

· Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in providing training to non-governmental and development organizations.

· Good knowledge of the latest developments in international best practices related to advocacy.

· Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English, Kiswahili/ French.

· Demonstrated experience in carrying out similar assignments with supporting documentation.