BACKGROUND:

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Established by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat in 2015, Grow Asia is a multi-stakeholder platform that builds regional and country partnerships to broker market driven solutions for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems in Southeast Asia. We do this by convening global and regional stakeholders from public, private, civil society and farmer organizations around macro-level issues (e.g., agritech innovation, women’s economic empowerment, responsible investing, and climate change resilience) and by facilitating the development of more inclusive and sustainable value chains through partnership brokerage, developing and sharing best practice, and creating an ecosystem that supports pre-competitive collaboration. The Grow Asia network comprises our regional office in Singapore and six national chapters - which we refer to as our Country Partnerships - in Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam. The network collectively engages 580+ partner organizations and supports 44 Working Groups that are reaching over 2 million smallholders across Southeast Asia.

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As of 2020, Grow Asia has been accredited as an Entity Associated with ASEAN. The accreditation recognizes the important role Grow Asia plays in the region, particularly in facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships for more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems in our region.

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One of Grow Asia’s four regional Flagship Programs is “Responsible Agriculture Investing”. The core project under this Flagship is a collaborative project to create, disseminate and operationalize the ASEAN Guidelines for Promoting Responsible Investments in Agriculture, Food and Forestry (‘ASEAN RAI’). Grow Asia and International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) developed the ASEAN RAI, in partnership with the ASEAN Secretariat and other partners, as a framework for environmentally, socially, and economically responsible investments in ASEAN’s agriculture, food and forestry sectors. The ASEAN RAI is meant to balance the rights and interests of stakeholders involved in large-scale investments along value chains:  producers, agribusinesses, government, and financial institutions. The ASEAN RAI was adopted by the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry in October 2018.

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Starting in 2020, Grow Asia with our partners have launched Phase 1 of the ASEAN RAI 10-year Implementation Plan, which aims to facilitate a measurable increase in responsible and sustainable private sector investment in ASEAN by 2030. The overall aim is that the ASEAN RAI will become the de facto framework for large scale agribusiness investments.

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A key element in the 10-year Implementation Plan will be the creation of a Learning and Accreditation Program (LAP) on responsible agricultural investment (‘ASEAN RAI Academy’). The RAI Academy will build a cadre of 400+ individuals with detailed knowledge of the ASEAN RAI, equipped with the necessary know-how and skills to support the application of the 10 Guidelines that comprise the ASEAN RAI in practice and in the field. The RAI Academy will provide training to stakeholders from three primary learner groups: private, public and producer/civil society sectors. The LAP is currently under development, with a plan to launch its pilot cohort in September 2022. 

 

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SCOPE OF WORK

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The ASEAN RAI Learning and Accreditation (LAP) is an accredited training for professionals in the food, agriculture and forestry sectors looking to gain practical skills needed to drive responsible investments. 

Grow Asia seeks up to 4 trainers (‘Consultants’) for the delivery of the LAP pilot program launch. Trainers will provide the program with the following support: 

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• Co-facilitate 4 days of in-person workshops 

• Co-facilitate 10 weekly Zoom tutorial sessions (90 minutes per session) 

• Co-facilitate coaching guidance for designing and implementing a change project (2 half day sessions, via Zoom)

• Provide coaching support to groups as they design their Change Project (4 x 90 minutes)

• Provide feedback and assess participants' change project at the end of the program

Trainers should be experts in both the content area, as well as experienced in running and delivering training programs. 
 

This engagement takes place over specific dates between 20 October 2022 - 26 June 2023. The successful candidate should be able to join two half-day ‘Training of Trainer’ sessions with Grow Asia’s learning experts in November and December October and November ; attend the launch workshop in Cambodia (TBC) (15 - 17 February 2023) and closing workshop in Viet Nam (TBC) (1 day only, in end of May 2023); and support learners during the online learning and ‘change project’ design process (2 - 15 May 2023).

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

 

This consultancy consists of four sets of activities: 

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1) Participating in Training of Trainers 

• Participate in the preparatory session and consultation with the team members (Grow Asia and learning experts) 

• Understand the existing training curriculum, specific training materials on the selected training topics to be delivered. 

• Participate in the development of a facilitation plan for in-person workshops 

 

2) Conducting in-person workshops in Cambodia and VietNam (TBC)

• Apply the curriculum, design and facilitation techniques 

• Use the facilitation plan to facilitate engaging training. 

 

3) Providing online support to learners during e-learning modules and designing change projects 

• Prepare for and attend weekly 1.5-hour sessions 'drop-in sessions’ over 10 weeks (mid-February - end April) 

• Co-facilitate 2 live, half day session on the change project that participants will design and plan to implement

 

4) Submitting Training reports 

- Draft and finalize a comprehensive training report, including lessons learned from the delivery of the program, to enhance the program for future cohorts (May - June 2023).

 

KEY OUTPUTS AND DEADLINES:

 

• Inception meeting with the team: 20 October 2022 

• Attend and complete two half-day Training of Trainers sessions: 27 October and 10 November - 2022 

• Facilitate 3-day launch workshop: 15 - 17 February 2023

• Lead review of content during 10 weekly 1.5 hour drop-in sessions (online): 20 February - 24 April 2023 

• Provide ‘change project’ design support to teams over 4 sessions of meetings:  2-15 May 2023

• Facilitate 1-day closing workshop:  26 May 2023

• Training report due:  26 June 2023

 

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

 

• Familiarity with the outlined Learning Program content, with relevant field-level experience in the agriculture, food and/or forestry sectors (at least 5 years) preferably in an ASEAN context.

• Strong communications skills relevant to training learners from diverse backgrounds: 

• Clear and effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills 

• Strong listening skills, with the ability to ask follow-up questions to promote deeper thinking and application 

• Strong interpersonal skills: Respectful and patient, able to dialogue with and manage participants from different backgrounds, education and roles 

• Instructional design / lesson planning skills with a focus on delivering engaging learner-centered training 

• Experience delivering training with defined learning outcomes, contextualized learning activities that are aligned to the learning outcomes, effective learning aids (slides, videos, flip charts for in-person training), and appropriate tech tools to support in-person and virtual training via Zoom

• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing group needs and dynamics during both in-person and virtual workshops and sessions with learners 

• Currently living or based in any ASEAN Member State 

• Fluency in English required; other ASEAN languages are a significant advantage

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APPLICATION:

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To apply, submit the following to Hendrietta Retno at retno@growasia.org by 31  August 2022, subject line: ASEAN RAI – LAP Trainers: 

• Cover letter indicating your expertise related to RAI competencies and expected daily rate

• CV 

• Portfolio or sample of relevant work 

• Reference to any previous work completed with Grow Asia

 

Due to the volume of applications expected, only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

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As a multi-stakeholder platform we believe all voices matter, and we actively seek to bring them to the table. Aligned with this ethos, Grow Asia is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity.