Islamic Relief Pakistan is implementing a project supported by Islamic Relief USAI ‘Drought Resilient Agricultural Modelling (DRAM)’ that aims to improve income and food security in Balochistan. The objective is to establish drought resilient market oriented livelihood models through influencing/ advocating agriculture department for drought management planning.

The drought situation in Balochistan is rapidly developing into one of the worst disasters in Pakistan. Upland Balochistan is the most heavily affected area of the province. Although the affected areas of Balochistan have always been prone to water shortages, rainfall measured over the last few years has reached a record low, with minimal or sometimes no rainfall. The abrupt decline in rainfall in most of the upland areas of the province has caused a complete drying up of the surface drinking water resources, and has decreased water output from springs and tube wells.

The current drought phenomenon in Balochistan is impacting on agriculture, livelihood and water resources. Many areas of the province are experiencing drought because since 2013 the rainfall has been hardly one fourth of the usual rainfall (usual rainfall is 200-250 mm). District Noshki and Chagai are out of 14 drought hit districts identified by Provincial disaster management authority (PDMA). The socio-economic impact of drought as a protracted emergency have been emanated on incomes, nutrition and livelihood sources.

Islamic Relief USA has granted IRP a project “Drought Resilient Agricultural Modelling” that aims to improve income and food security in Balochistan. The objective is to Establishing drought resilient market oriented livelihood models through influencing/ advocating agriculture department for drought management planning.

The overall Goal of DRAM is:

Project Goal and Impact Developing economic productive base for drought affected communities contributing towards improved income and food security in Balochistan.

Result 1: Improved household income through drought resistant agricultural models and institutional strengthening.

Result 2: Community led water management practices evolved/created/developed with the support of academia and agriculture department.

Horticulture promotion Training

Horticulture promotion Training is one of the Key activity of DRAM project for selected farmers of union councils of Keshangi, Jamaldini, Badini of district Nushki and Chagai, Chilghazi and Amori of District Chagai. As farmers are employing poor agriculture practices, high delta cropping by exploiting ground water causing decline in agriculture production, inadequate and unstable fruits and vegetable production and thus causing poor nutritional status for the families. For this, Islamic Relief is going to impart training to promote horticulture to face the current issues of agriculture and make them able to utilize available resources.

Generally, Horticulture deals with fruits, vegetables, and orchards. Likewise soil management, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), organic farming, soil conservation, irrigation management, crop rotation, plant protection, marketing and Climate change. Keeping the ground realities of area in consideration and current issues of agriculture with farming communities some topics are finalized in training as climate change impacts on agriculture in Balochistan and mitigation measures to minimize negative impacts, plant protection, soil fertility management, IPM, organic farming, recommended crops and varieties, water efficient agricultural practices, maximizing agricultural production with concept of collective marketing (opportunities and threats).

The three-day training on horticulture is being outsourced, to deliver this training, a firm or consultant /trainers are required to submit technical proposal along with budget and plan of not later 16 January 2018 .The general and specific objective of the training are elaborated hereafter.

General Objective of the training

To promote such type of fruits and vegetables to enhance and diversifying agriculture economy by building their capacities on current issues of agriculture and enable them to improve agriculture practices in sustainable manner to combat climate change impacts specifically drought.

Specific Objectives of the training

To promote those fruits and vegetables which requires less amount of water.
To cope with the current contextual issue on farming and hence improve food security situation by improved agriculture practices.
To introduce budding grafting and cutting practices in orchards.
To create knowledge of good practices for low delta orchards like olive, grapes, pistachio and dates.
Improving profitability through adoption of IPM practices by reducing potential human health risks from pest and related pest management practices.
Capacitate farmers with technical support on improved horticulture practices, marketing trends and concept of collective marketing.
To introduce knowledge about grading, sorting and packaging of horticultural crops

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES FOR CONSULTANT

The consultant shall provide the following services, during this assignment of the project:

Training course material development
Conduct the capacity building training to the participants from targeted union councils
Training Report

Proposed Course Contents:

Day 1st:

Annuals and Perennials addresses the role of seasonal and returning plants in landscape design. Course topics include plant choice and care as well as non-invasive gardening techniques.
Plant Diseases and Chemicals shows gardeners how to diagnose and treat fungi, focus on chemical pesticides that can be used in commercial or home gardens.
Plants and Landscapes includes topics in plant life cycles, annuals and perennials, plant physiology and plant selection.
Pruning shows how to prune a variety of trees and plants, including conifers, shrubs, vines and yews. Video topics discuss pruning rationale and equipment. Viewers also learn when to prune and how to make the right cuts.
Weed Control is one of the last installments in the landscape management series and covers topics in pre- and post-emergent chemical weed controls. Students also examine common weeds and their effect on landscapes and plants.

Day2nd:

Introduction about Picking and packaging of fruits, basics tools, their usage.
Business association and marketing linkage in the context of local and international markets.
Group work and explore models for working with group dynamics, identify ways that work teams practice skills used to deal with issues in the training. Working with challenging issues group members’ experience.

Day3rd:

Field visit for grafting, cutting budding and layering techniques interactive farmers training will provide technical skills.

Training Duration: Number of training five each training will be three days. Three training will be for District chagai and two for District Noshki.

Training Venue: Field based training at cluster level in Districts Noshki and Chaghi

Audience/ Participants: Training participants will be finalized by IR.

Timeframe: Consultant will hold training in the month of February 2018 (4^th or 5^th week)

IR Responsibilities:

Arrangements regarding Training venue for training delivery.
Training material like multimedia, banners, charts, markers, audio-visual aids, and demonstration would also be arranged by IR.
Meals and tea arrangement for the trainees and trainer.
Road travel/Air ticket, boarding and lodging arrangements of the consultant and participants.
Training certificates for the trainees
Any other administrative and logistical arrangements

Consultant Role & Responsibilities:

Following will be the role of consultants regarding training:

Préparation and submission of training manual/course, handouts, and other materials (Presentations, Trainer and Trainee manual etc.) for effective training and future reference/ roll out by the field practitioners before the actual commencement of trainings
Delivery of the training as per agreed training methodology.
After the selection and pre test evaluation consultant should deliver the session product specific, Keeping in view the local former requirements.
Compilation and submission of training completion report consisting of standard quality contents

Payment Terms and Conditions

The payment will be made via Cheque. All applicable government taxes will be deducted from the payment amount. The schedule for payment will be as follows:

25 % on start of trainings
75% on receiving the Final Report
The process time for the payment will be 21 Days

Please Note: Final clearance will be made subject to receiving final training report

Reporting

Consultant shall produce a comprehensive, clear and concise training report after one week of completion of the training.