National Consultant to Provide Training on Forest Seed Handling and Nursery Techniques in Pu Hu Nature Reserve Area

Position: National consultant to provide training on forest seed handling and nursery techniques in Pu Hu nature reserve area, Thanh Hoa province.

Reporting: VFD Thanh Hoa provincial coordinator, SNV

I. Background

The USAID Vietnam Forest and Deltas Program (VFD), from 2013 to 2018, is being implemented through Winrock International, the Netherlands Development Organisation SNV, American Red Cross, Vietnam Red Cross and Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD). The USAID Vietnam Forest and Deltas Program is embarking upon a six-year effort that supports four provinces (Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh and Long An) to accelerate their transition to climate resilient, low emissions development through investments in reducing net emissions from forests, and enhancing resilience of people, places, and livelihoods to short and long-term climate impacts. In VFD, SNV provides technical leadership for the sustainable landscape component that is focusing on upland landscapes, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forests degradation, maintaining and enhancing existing forests stocks and increasing climate change resilience and sustainability of landscapes. VFD has supported Thanh Hoa in development Provincial REDD Action Plan (PRAP) and this PRAP has been approved by Thanh Hoa provincial people’s committee in May 2016.

As requested by Thanh Hoa province, VFD is supporting the province in effective implementation of the approved PRAP. As part of the support in building provincial capacity for tree seedling production for future forest plantation, enrichment and restoration for PRAP implementation, VFD is seeking a national consultant to provide training on forest seed handling and nursery techniques in Pu Hu nature reserve area, Thanh Hoa province.

II. Consultancy service description:

1. Objectives:
The objective of this consultancy is to provide training for selected staff of Pu Hu nature reserve on forest seed handling (collecting, processing, testing and storage) and nursery techniques (production of seedlings and management of nursery) to enable Pu Hu NR operate the newly established nursery in 2017.  

2. Scope of work

• The geographic focus of the assignment is only in Pu Hu nature reserve area, Thanh Hoa province.
• The assignment will include both technical training and practices in the field for Pu Hu staff.
• The training will focus on native tree species in Thanh Hoa.

3. Methodology and tasks

• Work VFD and Pu Hu NR to agree on a program for training.
• Conduct a quick training need assessment.
• Develop training program and materials.
• Conduct trainings including both theoretical and practical.
• Provide follow up advices and practices (if requested).

4. Deliverables

• Training need assessment report
• Training packages for one week training on Forest seed handling and nursery techniques. The training package should include theory and practice.
• Training evaluation report.

5. Timeline

• The assignment is expected to start as soon as possible, preferably in January 2017.

III. Qualifications, skills and experience required:

A consultant or a group of consultants, specialized in forest seed handling and in nursery techniques. The qualification, skills and experience of the consultants are:

• Bachelor degree in forestry or biology or higher degrees.
• Intensive knowledge and skills of forest seed handling and nursery techniques, with at least 10 years working in the area.
• Proven experience in developing trainings materials and providing trainings in forest seed handling and nursery techniques in Vietnam.
• Good knowledge of forestry development context in Thanh Hoa is advantage.

IV. How to apply:

Interested consultants are requested to submit their letter of interest, CV and a short proposal demonstrating their ability to deliver on this assignment to: [email protected] by 8 January 2016 with the title: “Forest Seed handling and Nursery techniques consultant”.

Key compositions of the technical and financial proposal include:

• Proposed assignment approach and work plan arrangement.
• Working package of the consultant (s) with total man-days and daily rate.