Training on cocoa farm pruning At Fairtrade Africa

1. Background

During the implementation of the LEAP programme in 2024, the introduction of the Agripreneurs Business Unit (ABU) model was a key intervention to address the labour shortage in cocoa farming and improve the service delivery of cooperatives to their members. The satisfying results of this innovative intervention is leading to the scaling up of the Agripreneurs model from this year. In addition, the Thrive programme, part of Mars’ sustainability initiatives, focuses on improving the income and productivity of cocoa farming households. A key intervention is the professional pruning of cocoa farms to improve yields and tree health. To support this, Fairtrade Africa is looking for a qualified consultant to provide quality training on structural pruning in line with the programme’s guidelines.

2. Objective

The consultant will design and deliver theoretical and practical training sessions on pruning for labor groups (agripreneurs) and ensure that the participants are able to perform pruning activities that meet the quality standards of grade 1 and grade 2 of the programme (see Annex), including a post-training field coaching of the participants.

Agripreneurs.The training will be combined with a session on the use of motorized pruning tools to be provided by another supplier.

3. Scope of Work

The consultant will:

1. Review and integrate program guidelines on pruning techniques, safety, and quality standards.
2. Develop and print 44 training materials, including practical demonstration guides suitable for field-level labor groups in A4 format (manuals), and presentations format.
3. Conduct trainings in the geographical area of each cooperative
4. Train the identified pruning groups on:
   • Proper use and maintenance of pruning tools (e.g., machetes, swing hook).
   • Structural pruning techniques to achieve Grade 1 and Grade 2 quality levels. (see Annex)
   • Safety measures and first aid procedures during pruning activities.
   • Verification processes for quality assessment.
5. Conduct practical demonstrations on cocoa farms to reinforce learning.
6. Develop and administer assessment tools to evaluate the competency of participants.
7. Conduct post-training monitoring and coaching visits to strengthen participants’ pruning skills.
8. Provide a report summarizing training outcomes, participant feedback, and recommendations.

4. Number of Groups to be Trained

The consultant will train a total of 38 pruning labor groups, with each group comprising approximately 10 members. The groups are geographically distributed across selected Thrive Program cooperatives (CAKIB and CAVA) and non-thrive cooperatives (CAUD and COOPAPIG) respectively in Grand Bereby, Vavoua, Divo and Bangolo, in Côte d’Ivoire. The consultant will ensure all groups receive consistent and high-quality training.

5. Deliverables

• Training materials in French.
• A schedule of training sessions (theoretical and practical) and participant attendance records.
• A schedule of attendants’ field coaching sessions
• Pre- and post-training assessments report; as well as attendants’ field competency reports following the coaching.
• Final report including challenges, participant feedback, and recommendations for improving pruning practices.

6. Consultant Profile

The ideal consultant should possess:

• A degree in agriculture, agroforestry, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in training on pruning or in providing extension services in the cocoa farming sector.Proven expertise in pruning techniques and cocoa farm management.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with proficiency in French and local languages.
• Familiarity with safety protocols and first aid in agricultural contexts.

7. Duration

The assignment will be conducted over a period of 3 months, starting from 05th March to June 30th, 2025. In details it is split as follow:

• Theoretical and practical training: March 05th to 20th, 2025
• Monitoring and Coaching of labour’s groups (Agripreneurs): March 10th to May 30th, 2025
• Final report after all reviews: June 30th, 2025

8. Location

The training sessions will be held at the selected cooperatives (CAKIB, CAVA, CAUD and COOPAPIG), respectively, in Grand Bereby, Vavoua, Divo and Bangolo.