Consultant to Conduct Study on Situation and Potential for Promoting the Application of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and Other Sustainable Rice Techniques in Vietnam

TERMS OF REFERENCE
A Study on Situation and Potential for Promoting the Application of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and Other Sustainable Rice Techniques in Vietnam

1. Background

Oxfam is a world-wide development organization that mobilizes the strength and voice of people against poverty, inequality and injustice. Oxfam’s vision is a just world without poverty: a world in which people can influence decisions that affect their lives, enjoy their rights, and assume their responsibilities as full citizens of a world in which all human beings are valued and treated equally. We are a confederation of 20 Oxfam organisations working together in more than 90 countries. Oxfam works with partner organisations and alongside vulnerable women and men to end injustices.

Oxfam in Vietnam is working to seek transformative changes in policies, practices and beliefs in ways that will fundamentally improve the lives of poor and marginalised women and men, and ensure that all citizens have the same opportunity to enjoy their rights.

In Vietnam, rice is one of the most important crops and about two thirds of households produce rice both for domestic consumption and as a cash crop. For the poorest Vietnamese, rice represents for about 30% of household expenses. National rice production has increased nearly double in the period 1990-2010, that helps Vietnam from a food insufficiency country to the second largest rice export in the world.

However, many rice farmers are amongst the poorest in Vietnam and rice production is facing with a number of challenges such as (i) Vietnamese rice is generally low quality and aims at non-discerning markets; (ii) Industrialization of the country is resulting in land use shortages and a reduction in paddy land; (iii) Rice intensification is having negative impacts on the environment from overuse of natural resources and inputs; (iv) Heavy market regulation is limiting the role of the private sector and causing market deficiencies. In short, the fast development of the rice sector in Vietnam needs to be reflected upon, restructured and modernized in order to ensure sustainable development. Booming exports of the past decade might not fully translate to high profits for farmers.

From 2007-2015, Oxfam implemented the Farmer Led Agriculture Innovation for Resilience (FLAIR) project with the aims to transform the agricultural systems in which the small-scale farmers are empowered to innovate and adapt their agricultural practices on an on-going basis so that they are able to address challenges and take advantage of opportunities to improve their food security and livelihoods. One of program’s key interventions was to support partners (e.g. government agencies, NGOs, Research institutes, and Universities) to promote System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a technical package in rice production that has been bringing dramatic change to thousands of farmers across Vietnam. Through a combination of improved yields, less inputs and environment friendly, SRI is unquestionably delivering increased returns and can do so on a much wider scale for small farmers in the country. By 2016, about 1,85 million farmers has adopted partly and fully SRI technique in more than 20 provinces of Vietnam (PPD report, Sept. 2016).

Oxfam continues to support Vietnam SRI network to leverage SRI and other sustainable rice practices in Vietnam through capacity building for SRI network as well as joining advocacy for supportive policies. In order to support SRI network to develop its long-term strategy and to advocate for scaling up SRI/sustainable rice practices in Vietnam, there is a need for reviewing the situation of SRI/sustainable rice application and promotion policies as well as identifying key constraints and potentials for scaling up. Therefore, Oxfam would like to hire a competent consultant team (hereunder called the consultants) to conduct a review on situation and potential for promoting the application of SRI and other sustainable rice practices in Vietnam.

2. Objective of Study

The overall objective of the study is to review and assess the status of SRI and other sustainable rice cultivation practices (e.g. three increases and three reductions, one must and five reductions, etc) in Vietnam. Findings and recommendations from this study will enable Vietnam SRI network to develop its long-term direction and intervention plan to promote sustainable rice production in Vietnam. The followings are specific objectives:

• Map out and analyze the status of SRI and other sustainable rice practices application in Vietnam as well as major actors involving in these practice promotions.
• Realize the barriers/constraints of rice farmer, especially small holders to adopt SRI and other sustainable rice practices.
• Update the current supportive policies and resources for sustainable rice promotion in Vietnam and potential for policy influencing as well as opportunities for resource mobilization
• Recommend comprehensive solutions to promote sustainable rice practices in Vietnam

3. Scope and study questions

The study will focus on three major rice cultivation techniques/practices that have been applying in Vietnam:

• System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
• Three reductions and three increases (3 gi?m- 3 t?ng)
• One must and five reductions ( 1 ph?i-5 gi?m)

For each technique/practice, the study will address the following issues/questions:

• History/background of the techniques/practices, characteristics and advantages of the techniques/practices, involved actors/stakeholders, applied locations, number of household/applied areas, yield and productivities.
• How the techniques were transferred? What are the extension strategies/approaches that have been used to expand the techniques? What lesson learnt could be draw from these extension models?
• What are the benefits (economics, social, environment) for the farmer to apply the techniques? What are farmer’s perspectives in adopting these techniques? (analysis by ethnic groups, regions- flat and mountainous/remote areas)
• What policies/program that Central and local authorities promote the expansion of these techniques/practices?
• Key challenges and barriers that limits the expansion of these techniques/practices in the provinces? And potentials for scaling up/replicating the techniques/practices?
• What are solutions and intervention strategies to promote the applications of these techniques/practices, especially for small scale farmers and ethnic minorities?

4. Expected outputs and Timeline

• The study team is expected to submit:
  
  • A maximum 30 page report (excluding appendix and executive summary).
  • A powerpoint presentation on key information of the report
  • A policy recommendation paper

• Timeline: The consultant team is requested to submit 1 st draft report by 15 October 2017. The final report and documents will be submitted by 31 st October 2017.

5. Team composition

A consultant team will be recruited to carry out this study. The team leader and members should be a rice/crop science expert who understands deeply about rice crop production and extension methodology.

The consultants should meet the following qualifications:

• At least master degree in Agriculture (crop science, agriculture system)
• Having strong agriculture background and experiences, preferable with rice/crop production
• At least 10 years of experiences in research, field survey, qualitative and quantitative analysis, assessment/evaluation
• Strong analysis and writing skills
• Understand well about public policy, rural, agriculture, environment, ethnic minority and gender issues
• Ability to work under pressure and to deliver high quality output to an agreed timeframe

6. Proposal submission

The interested consultants should submit technical and financial proposal (in English) by email before 5 PM, 25 th August 2017 to:

OXFAM in Viet Nam, 22 Le Dai Hanh, Ha Noi
Contact person: Tran Thanh Hang- Finance and HR Administrator
E-mail: [email protected]

The Proposal should include:

• Introduction of the Consultants’ profile and related experience with study personnel including team structure and allocation (with CVs)
• Technical proposal and detailed working plan to achieve the objectives within expected timeframe.
• Breakdown financial proposal

Note: Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.