Demonstration Plot Assessment
Restoring Efficiency to Agriculture Production Activity in Georgia
About CNFA:
CNFA is an enterprise development organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to stimulating economic growth in the agricultural sector by nurturing entrepreneurship, private enterprise and market linkages. CNFA specializes in fostering private sector investments in training, new technologies and marketing as a means to increase the overall competitiveness of agricultural value chains, to expand exports, and to develop skills in the rural workforce. CNFA assists smallholders in increasing household-level food security and nutrition through improved agricultural practices, introduction of new varieties, diversification of crop production, food preservation and storage, development of farmer-based organizations (FBOs) and strengthened linkages to markets.
Project Description:
The USAID Restoring Efficiency to Agriculture Production (REAP) project implemented by CNFA aims at increasing incomes and employment in rural areas by delivering firm-level investment and technical assistance to agribusiness enterprises that provide inputs, services, training and commercial markets to smallholders. REAP will catalyze increased private investment and commercial finance to the sector, mitigate risk for rural SMEs and entrepreneurs, and expand commercially sustainable linkages between service providers, producers, post-harvest enterprises and local consulting firms.
Extension methods like demonstration plots and field days are used worldwide as key tools that lead to desirable changes in behavior of farmers, facilitate opportune learning situations, and provide opportunities in which useful communication and interaction take place between extension workers and farmers. There is an acute need in Georgia to educate farmers on the importance of improved farming practices, adoption of proven and tested production technologies, and better utilization of land holdings through well-coordinated efforts of agricultural research, input suppliers, machinery service providers, and extension. There have been numerous attempts to establish demonstration plots in Georgia, but few have been successful in sustainably and effectively transferring knowledge to farmers. The REAP project will facilitate entry of agribusinesses and input suppliers to improve the availability of high-quality inputs and services, and strengthen markets for agricultural goods and services in Georgia. An assessment will focus on demonstration plots operated by Farm Service Centers/Machine Service Centers (FSCs/MSCs) and identify options to develop and expand a private sector led demonstration plot system.
Objective:
The objective of this assignment is to conduct an assessment of options to develop a sustainable private sector demonstration plot system that could be used to showcase agricultural products, techniques, best practices and access to new information to small-holder and emerging commercial farmers. Analysis and recommendations will support the development of a demonstration plot system contributing to improved quality of smallholder produce, increased smallholder sales and incomes, and expanded markets and reach of FSCs/MSCs in the Georgian agricultural sector.
Essential Job Functions:
Deliverables:
Period of Performance:
Total LOE for this assignment will be 18 days.
NOTE: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
