Consultant – Seed Certification Regulations and Procedures – Syria (Hasakeh and Raqqa)

Background:

With programs in over 41 countries around the world, Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war over nine years ago, Mercy Corps has worked to address the urgent needs of nearly 4 million people both inside Syria. The program is implemented through a combination of the local and international teams located in different operation areas in Syria, with remote support from the Amman office, Jordan.

Globally, Mercy Corps has made a high-level commitment to achieving greater impact through evidence and learning, adaptive management, using data-driven evidence to demonstrate results and contribute toward solving complex global challenges. It is in this context that the Syria Team created this position.

Program Summary

Mercy Corps is working extensively across NES since 2015 to support agricultural production, to improve the availability of and access to food and livelihoods opportunities for households affected by the decade long conflict in Syria. Wheat and barley are strategic crops in North-East Syria (NES), important for food and feed security. Before the current crisis, the country used to produce more than 4 million tons of wheat a year, making Syria self-sufficient in terms of production of its main staple, and a leading food exporter in the region. Unfortunately, the decade long crisis has weakened wheat production in Syria making 6.5 million vulnerable people food insecure and 2.5 million people at risk of food insecurity. Farmers have faced many difficulties, which have reduced wheat production. Besides being unable to access their lands in conflict areas, and having very limited access to water due to damaged irrigation infrastructure (as well as experiencing a period of severe drought), the farmers are also unable to obtain certified quality seed from a trustworthy resource. The Seed Multiplication Foundation (SMF) controls the wheat breeding program in NES and is the sole public sector agency producing certified wheat seed. The seed is distributed directly to farmers for a fixed price by the Agricultural Community Development Company (ACDC). Although the SMF has been able to provide a proportion of the seed requirement in NES through contracted out-growers, its activities remain seriously curtailed by the crisis and lack of capacity. The production of certified wheat seed in 2020 reached 30,000 tons against an annual requirement of 700,000 tons. Due to this inadequacy of quality seed in the market, farmers resort to using their own saved seed, or seeds from unknown sources in the local market. This has a serious impact on food security – poorer quality seed results in lower quality wheat, with a higher risk of diseases and less yield stability against climatic changes, as well as reduced quantities. In some cases, farmers have abandoned their lands altogether to seek other livelihood opportunities and the lack of seed is one of the factors cited. To protect and secure the availability of wheat, Mercy Corps supported by the Syria Resilience Consortium (SRC) Multi-Donor Fund (MDF), is supporting the seed system in NES to improve farmer access to quality early generation bread and durum wheat seed. Mercy Corps, therefore, seeks a consultant to design a seed certification system for the Agriculture and Economy Department in NES.

Purpose / Project Description:

The incumbent will be working directly with the Livelihood team in NES and the Country Technical Advisor to meet the post objectives. The post will mainly focus to strengthen Mercy Corps knowledge base and Syria organizational skills in delivering high-quality Agriculture programing. The role will input into our existing support for the production of certified wheat seed.

Consultant Objectives:

The following are the objectives of the consultancy:

a) After reviewing, the current wheat seed system in NES, assessing the supply and demand, as well as the current certification system. Identify bottlenecks and potential for improvement of the certified seed availability.

b) Provide/facilitate technical training to DoA technical staff on GAP production techniques of wheat seed and certification process.

c) Design improved seed production and certification systems focusing on the following three levels:

§ Understand the impediments of the (1) government departments, (2) the seed multipliers and (3) the other seed actors.

§ Propose systemic improvements to overcome these impediments in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

§ Design support mechanisms for Mercy Corps to support the implementation of the systemic improvements.

d) Develop a policy brief on seed production and certification in NES.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant’s assignment will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following activities:

1) Developing a plan to strengthen seed production programs, including early generation seed multiplication, taking into account comparative advantages of the public seed sector;

2) Developing a strategy to develop the capacity of public sector seed actors (Agriculture Research Centre, Agriculture Society Development Company and Seeds Multiplication Foundation) involved in the production and distribution of seed through improved access to new varieties, capacity-building activities and appropriate credit schemes;

3) Providing technical knowledge and skills related to the seed-production system which includes seed multiplication and the informal seed sector;

4) Developing a plan for the strengthening of the community seed system to improve farmers’ knowledge and skills related to varieties and seeds;

5) Producing an evaluation report on the seeds system in NES, key stakeholders, needs, capacities, challenges and recommendations for potential program interventions;

6) Developing and describing in detail a generic business model that can be adopted by any other private seed players wishing to produce and distribute certified seeds;

7) Facilitating a seed conference to bring together stakeholders in the NES seed value chain, to discuss the status of the NES seed certification system and to suggest areas of possible improvement;

8) Making recommendations on requirements to bring the seed production to an acceptably efficient standard;

9) Participating in a planning workshop with ASDC, SMF, DoA senior staff and other appropriate government officials to discuss the findings and recommendations of the consultancy.

Consultant Deliverables:

The following will be outputs expected from the assignment:

1. A report detailing the Seed Assessment.
2. A policy brief on seed production and certification in NES.
3. A conference report from the seed conference incorporating all presentations made by seed stakeholders.
4. A generic business model that can be used by any private seed player with risk analysis and implementation plans.
5. PowerPoint presentation summarizing the assessment and proposed certification system.

Timeframe / Schedule:

This assignment is for 60 days. Due dates for specific deliverables will be agreed upon with the successful candidate.

The Consultant will report to:

The consultant will report directly to the Livelihoods Program Manager for NES.

The Consultant will work closely with:

The consultant will work closely with the Syria Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor, NES Area Director of Programs and the NES Senior Agriculture Officer.

Required Experience & Skills:

• PhD on Seed System (or MSc with excellent field experience), preferably with special attention to wheat (Triticum aestivum) seed;
• Minimum 5 years’ working experience with seed systems;
• Fields of study in seed certification, experience with seed systems in the Middle East a plus;
• Detailed knowledge of wheat seed production systems;
• Experience with research and extension in the seeds production system;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and adult training skills;
• Excellent communication skills, including fluency in English and or Arabic;
• Working experience with INGO projects in the field of improving certification seeds system will be an advantage.

How to apply:

• A covering letter that explains the motivation.
• A commitment to be available for this assignment for the total duration of the project.
• An explanation of experience in seed system development and wheat seed production in particular.
• A full CV.
• The desired fee: a flat rate per day.

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