The Republic of Armenia has received a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) toward the cost of the Rural Enterprise and Small-Scale Commercial Agriculture Development Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of this credit to payments under the contract.

It is of great importance to the Armenian agricultural sector to establish and develop Farmer Field Schools (FFS) to ensure sustainable agricultural development as well as development of rural communities. At the community level, formation and development of farmer groups can help to solve an important problem of increasing participation of farmers (especially small and medium scale farmers) in the process of the local resource management and decision-making. The farmer groups that are conducting informal researches in their communities form units that work on the same principles as all non-governmental institutions. In close cooperation with the members of their community, they initiate discussions, make suggestions and analysis, develop strategies and make decisions.

The Agricultural Reform Support Project Implementation Unit State Institution (ARSPIU SI) hired the services of a qualified NGO to introduce and implement the Farmer Field School based integrated production management projects throughout Armenia.

The ARSPIU SI now invites an individual consultant to review the NGO activities, in particular to review the FFS methodology and procedures, to identify strengths and weaknesses of the pilot IPM program, to assist in strategic plan development, in development and/or preparation of information materials.

The International Integrated Production Management Specialist hired under the Component will review the NGO activities to date in establishing FFSs within the framework of the pilot program in two Marzes (districts) in Armenia; review the FFS methodology and procedures used in the pilot program, assess the pilot program sustainability; identify strengths and weaknesses of the pilot IPM program so that further programs in other Marzes can be modified as necessary; organize workshops on FFS practice and provide technical advice on their current functions, further improvement and actions to be taken, etc.

The work is expected to be carried out twice in a year: January/February 2008, and November/December 2008 over a period of about one month.

Expressions of interest with the CVs of consultants must be delivered to the address below by 16.00 (local time GMT + 04.00) on October 26, 2024 to: