CARE International Indonesia (CII), as an international NGO, has carried out large scale operations in Indonesia, encompassing emergency operations, transitional activities centered on agriculture and nutrition and a range of development initiatives in such areas as water and sanitation, health and micro-credit.
CARE Indonesia in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan is currently recruiting the following position:
JOB TITLE : RUBBER CROPS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY
DEPARTMENT/PROJECT : PROGRAM/KFCP
REPORTS TO : REGIONAL PROGRAM MANAGER KALIMANTAN
The following is the Terms of Reference TOR for above position.
Background
The Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) is a REDD demonstration activity in Central Kalimantan under the Indonesia Australia Forest Carbon Partnership (IAFCP). The goal of KFCP is to demonstrate a credible, equitable, and effective approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, including from the degradation of peat lands that can inform a post-2012 global climate change agreement and enable Indonesia’s meaningful participation in future international carbon markets. One aim of the activity (output 1.3) is to reduce threats to the forest through economic incentives linked to sustainable livelihoods compatible with REDD and community-based forest management.
KFCP is located in the Kapuas district of Central Kalimantan, within the Ex-Mega Rice Project area. The district and provincial development planning agencies (BAPPEDA) and the Ministry of Forestry are the key government partners. About 14,000 mostly Ngaju Dayak people live in 14 settlements within the area. Rubber is the most important key commodity for farmers in the KFCP area and offers the most immediate and significant prospects for improvement. Therefore, the focus of KFCP’s efforts so far has been to improve the quality and value of rubber produced by local farmers while developing incentives to reduce GHG emissions through changes in land use.
The livelihood development strategy centres around two key approaches:
- Participatory technology development through farmer field schools. The
strength of farmer field schools (FFS) lies in a two way communication
between farmer groups and extension agents, drawing on applied research
and technologies suited to local conditions.
- Value chain restructuring. Income from rubber is sub-optimal due to
limited access to markets and information. This results in low prices
for commodities at the farm gate. Rubber produced in the region is of
low quality, and this creates additional costs for processors and
traders. Potential to realize additional value from the rubber harvest
is therefore high through restructuring existing value chains by
working with farmers, traders, and processors.
These approaches emphasize capacity-building of partners including farmers, local government agencies, and NGOs.
The community-based livelihoods improvement program has been split into two phases: (1) a pilot phase, already completed in two villages, that engaged local government and community representatives to field-test key elements of the intervention; and (2) an implementation phase, lasting for two years, that will scale up to engage farmers in all communities in the KFCP area, establish and operate farmer field schools and other facilities, and improve on-farm capacity and incomes.
A key advantage of the approach taken during the pilot phase was its focus on market development in order to motivate changes in farmer practice through the farmer field schools. KFCP now requires a dedicated team specializing in livelihoods improvement, with a focus on rubber and other commodities, to run Farmer Field Schools and other trainings. The work of the livelihoods improvement team will be closely coordinated with other aspects of community engagement, including village development planning, and KFCP interventions. The consultant will be a member of this team and provide critical technical input to the team, and Farmer Field Schools. The consultancy will be for two months, commencing as soon as possible, with potential for extension.
Rubber and REDD
Rapid improvements are possible with limited investments in the project areas. Farmers have shown an ability to cope with changing circumstances despite this happening at high environmental cost. As the forest is disappearing, rubber is emerging as a key component of a cash crop based economy. The challenge is to enhance productivity of rubber on mineral soils, in systems which maintain to a significant extent the carbon stock while delivering income to farmers and while restoring peat land. REDD should be used as the facilitative framework leading to more productive livelihoods and restored peat lands. This implies investment in stabilizing land tenure, development of appropriate technologies and adding value to sustainably produced rubber.
KFCP will provide incentives to invest in improved jungle rubber systems through REDD payments. Jungle rubber systems show room for productivity improvement. However, more extensive and thus less productive systems offer more scope for avoided deforestation and carbon sequestration through stock enhancement. Incentives can be provided for farmers to adopt these types of systems with an optimal mix of livelihood outputs.
An integrated approach is proposed, in which the project and key stakeholders work together jointly. This is centred on building strong partnerships between communities, extension workers and the KFCP project.
Position description
Title: Rubber crops management specialist
Location: Based in Palangkaraya with frequent travel to villages
in the KFCP area.
Period of service: Two months commencing as soon as possible (with
potential for extension)
Reporting to: Regional Program Manager of CARE Indonesia Central
Kalimantan
Responsibilities and outputs
1. Assess the current cultural and agronomic practices of rubber farmers
and make recommendations for yield enhancement and quality improvement.
The consultant will develop a detailed report of current practices of
farmers to manage rubber crops in each unit settlement. This report
will provide inputs to the existing farmer field school curriculum,
including:
- Difference between clones and regeneration through seeds. This
information will enable farmers to better select planting materials.
- Nursery management. Farmers receive training in grafting and basic
nursery management.
- Plot selection, choice of appropriate crop mixtures, use of peat
lands and proper peat land management for rubber on shallow peat.
This involves as well:
• Mitigate flood and acid soil impact through the introduction to
surjan or simpuk and jalur systems. Surjan is a system based on
raised beds, mostly through collecting organic matter (bush
vegetation, rice straw). Jalur is a traditional planting system
which will allow other forest plants to grow. In the end, this
practice will form jungle rubber or rubber agro-forest.
• Design of appropriate tree crop mixtures. Farmers are already
experimenting with mixed systems.
- Crop establishment, intercropping and tree care. Poor tree care
leads to diseases. In particular white root disease (Rigidoporus
micropus) which spreads through plantations. It can be controlled
biologically through trichoderma to be applied on a six monthly
basis.
- Better management of fire use. Farmers will be trained in improved
management of fire aiming at reducing reliance.
- Participatory monitoring through the use of farmer led
agro-ecosystem analysis. This tool which entails monitoring of crop
performance, observing weather patterns and changes in the
eco-systems has proven to be a powerful learning tool because it
structures observations farmers make on a daily basis well. The
results, drawings and graphs, allow for discussion and sharing of
experience.
2. Develop detailed implementation strategy in each KFCP unit settlements
to stimulate rubber agro-forests on mineral soils.
To stimulate rubber cultivation on mineral soils, fields and plots need to be identified. Farmers moving from peat land to other soils will incur additional costs. Acid sulphate soils are in particularly difficult to farm. Detailed farm monitoring, using systems CARE have used, should enable identifying a reasonable incentive level to stimulate farmers to move farmers out of peat lands. A hectare based systems is to be developed. This could include incentives for improved land and crop management.
The recommended strategy will be described in detail on the report. The consultant will present the findings to KFCP managers and district working group which will use it as basis to create input or performance-based payment.
Key Activities
1. Prepare work plan with CARE’s Community Engagement team in
Palangkaraya; field visits to observe farmers in managing rubber crops
in each each unit settlement.
2. Develop detailed report and recommendations.
3. Modify existing FFS curriculum.
Conduct of the work
During the contract the consultant will report directly to Regional Program Manager of CARE Indonesia Central Kalimantan. During the consultation period, the Community Engagement Team will assist the consultant by providing necessary resources as needed.
Qualifications and Work Experience
CARE seeks assistance from consultants/organizations with the following:
1. Demonstrated knowledge and experience:
- Expert knowledge of rubber plantations management and rubber
cultivation.
- Field related experience to rubber plantation.
2. The desired language skills for this position:
- High quality written and spoken English and Bahasa Indonesia.
- Highly desirable in written and spoken Dayak (Ngaju) and Banjar.
3. The desired competencies and interpersonal skills for this position:
- Willing to work in remote locations.
- Familiarity with multilateral, bilateral, and international NGO
program approach.
- Good communication skill.
- Good interpersonal skill.
Interested consultants are requested to express their interest in this assignment as follows:
• Brief narrative proposal on the approach to the assignment
• Estimate of fees for consultant and other costs if any
• CV including list of relevant assignments and any other factors that
demonstrate suitability for the assignment
Please submit your applications before August 4, 2011 to CARE International Indonesia, Human Resources Unit:
recruit_524@careind.or.id
"Only qualified applicants will be shortlisted"
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