Farmer to Farmer East Africa
Volunteer Assignment Scope of Work
NOTE: THIS SCOPE OF WORK IS AWAITING FINAL EDITS
Assignment Code
Country:
Summary Information
UG105
Uganda
Country Project:
Oil Seed Crops Country Project
Host organization:
Alito Joint Farmers’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd
(AJOFMCS)
Assignment Title
Farm records keeping
Preferred assignment dates:
January – February, 2017
Objective:
Enable farmers to assess the profitability of their farm business
operations and improve in their business skills
Formal qualifications in agribusiness, farm business
management and production economics are desirable.
Desirable Volunteer
Knowledge and Skills:
A. Background
Alito Joint Christian Farmers’ Group (AJCFG) started in 1998 with only five members who had a
vision of taking farming as a business through bulk marketing of soya beans, sunflower, sesame
and groundnuts alongside food security crops such as maize, cassava, pigeon peas and beans. It
was legally registered as CBO/NGO in 2004 having 58 founder members, 42 men and 16 women.
The organization is currently registered and operates as Alito Joint Farmers’ Multipurpose
Cooperative Society Ltd (AJOFMCS) with a total membership of 10,815 farmers – 45% women
representation, organized in 161 subgroups covering Lango and part of Acholi sub regions. The
cooperative has a vision of becoming the leading promoter and producer of oil seed crops in
Northern Region in a cooperative setting, and improving the livelihoods of the farmers through
bulking and marketing of their produce.
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In order to achieve its vision, AJOFMCS is engaged in a number of activities ranging from
provision of agro-inputs- seeds, fertilizers, PHH materials, produce bulking and marketing, cross
cutting services such as guidance and counselling sessions for HIV infected farmers. The various
roles played by Alito Joint Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd from production to
marketing make the organization influential in regards to the dynamics of the local sunflower,
sesame and soybean markets.
This technical assistance will focus on record keeping, as a component of ‘farming as a business’.
Rural farmers generally lack knowledge in enterprise selection, enterprise budgeting, farm
business planning and record keeping.
B. Issue Description
Improving on-farm income earnings from agriculture enterprises is considered a key strategy of
addressing poverty and transitioning of Uganda’s agriculture from subsistence to commercial
farming. Majority of rural farmers lack the appropriate skills to operate their farms as profitable
enterprises. The average Ugandan rural farmer has historically carried out farming primarily to
meet household food requirements, selling the excess, and often at a loss because production
factors are not factored into the pricing primarily because farmers do not keep records. Therefore,
to improve the livelihoods of rural farmers, it is critical for them to start viewing farming as a
business.
Farmers of AJOFMCS are no exception to the plight of the Ugandan farmer, they do not keep any
written farm records, records are kept in their minds- the implication of the absence of records are
that produce is sold at a give-away price and because they cannot determine the profitability of
their agro-enterprises and as such cheated by traders and middle men because they cannot negotiate
for better prices. The failure to keep records is limited knowledge in farm business record keeping
and lack of appreciation of its significance to improving incomes and therefore livelihoods. In
order to be competitive and to take advantage of the new market opportunities that are arising,
farmers have to increasingly adapt practices that enable them conduct farming as a business.
Related challenges are that farmers generally lack knowledge in enterprise selection, enterprise
budgeting, farm business planning, improved input usage (such as use of improved seeds and
complementary inputs) in profit maximization, importance of functional linkages (such as input
and output markets, credit and extension services) in sustaining the farm business, business
performance assessment, risk management, and how various farming or business enterprises
interact with each other to enhance production.
The management of AJOFMCS requested for CRS’ Farmer to Farmer training of its members in
farm records keeping to gain skills and be able to negotiate for better produce prices, select more
profitable enterprises for investment and make better & informed production and marketing
decisions.
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C. Specific Objectives of the Assignment
Alito Joint Farmers’ Multipurpose Cooperative Society has requested for a F2F volunteer to assist
the organization in introducing the concept of farm records keeping among the cluster group
members and empower the farmers with business skills of approaching their farming activities as
business entities. The host organisation members are involved in production of various oil seed
crops as commercial crops- understanding and conducting a gross profit analysis for each of these
enterprises will help farmers understand the profitability, cost of production, break even points and
hence make better, informed investment decisions.
The specific topics for the volunteer to provide technical support in are:
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Importance of keeping farm records
Types of farm records (Production records &Labour records)
Cash inflow and outflow records/sales records
Preparation of simple income statements and balance sheets
Profit and Loss calculations
Cost Benefit Analysis for major oil seed crops enterprises
In addition, the Volunteer will prepare training guides for Training of Trainers on the above
mentioned topics and develop simple templates that can be used by the farmers to start the record
keeping for their farms. The operation of AJOMFCS is spread across two sub regions of Lango
and Acholi in Northern Uganda, organised under different subgroups with management structures
at each level. The volunteer technical assistance will be spread across some of the subgroups and
with the leaders identified as future trainers to cascade the trainings to other subgroups.
D. Anticipated Results from the Assignment
With the volunteer’s technical assistance, Alito Joint farmers should be in position to make
production decisions based on cost benefit analyses and use records to make informed decisions.
Farmers will be able to invest in enterprises that fetch them higher profits based on profitability
and loss calculations. Good management decisions will help reduce farmers’ production costs and
risks, and improve efficiency of farm production and marketing. In addition to the training, the
volunteer will be required to develop a training guide on ‘Records Keeping’, which will be used
for future reference and training. It is further anticipated that once farmers begin keeping records
and approaching farming from a business perspective, their incomes will increase and overall their
livelihoods will be improved. Additionally, at the end of assignment, a group presentation and the
training materials developed by the Volunteer will be shared to ensure a wider audience and initiate
the process of knowledge trickle down to the wider community.
The anticipated deliverables include:
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At least 200 farmers from different subgroups trained on farm records keeping
Training manuals/guidelines/templates on farm record keeping developed
Debriefing with USAID and in country group presentations after assignment
Volunteer feedback
Field trip report and expense report
E. Schedule of Volunteer Activities in Uganda
Day
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Days 5
Days 6- 7
Days 7 - 20
Day 22
Day 23
Day 24
Activity
Travel from home to US international airport
Arrival at Uganda Entebbe Airport, picked by Airport shuttle to Kampala and
check in at Fairway Hotel.
At 9.00 am, the volunteer is greeted at the hotel by CRS staff and thereafter go
to CRS office for introductions and briefings including host brief, logistics
and expectations and anticipated outcomes. Handouts will be prepared at CRS
offices.
At 8:30am, Travel to Lira to commence the assignment
In the morning CRS introduces the volunteer to the AJOFMUCOS
management team. Together with CRS and the management, the volunteer
will review work-plan and be finalized. The work plan should include group
presentation to be done after the assignment. In the afternoon, tour existing
facilities and understand the structure and operations of the organisation.
Trainings and Discussions with management staff and selected sub group
leaders as Trainer of Trainers
Training farmers from selected subgroups (clusters). Each cluster will receive
a farm records training for two days before the volunteer moves to a different
location
Wrap up meetings with AJOFMUCOS staff and emphasize key follow up
steps. Carry out outreach activity at the district headquarters.
Travel back to Kampala
Debriefing at CRS office and USAID Mission.
Volunteer will finalize his/her reporting at CRS office and fill out all
necessary M&E forms as well finalize advances and expenditures with
finance.
F. Desired Volunteer Skills and Qualifications
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Formal qualifications in agribusiness, farm business management and production
economics are desirable
Good knowledge on smallholder subsistence and semi-commercial agriculture in
developing tropical countries
Experience with set up and management of agro processing facility, along with strategic
planning for such a facility
Experience in working with smallholder grain farmers and farmers’ organisations.
Good writing and analytical skills, interpersonal communication and presentation skills
(adult education skills).
G. Accommodation and Other In-Country Logistics
In Kampala, the volunteer will stay at Fairway Hotel & Spa (www.fairwayhotel.co.ug,
telephone: +256414259571) and while in Lira s/he will be accommodated at Margaritha Palace
Hotel
CRS will pay for hotel accommodation, and provide the volunteer with per diems to cater for meals
and other incidentals. The volunteer will get an advance that will have to be cleared before
departing from Uganda. For more information, please refer to the country information that will be
provided.
Host contribution – the management of AJOFMCS has committed to allocate one staff to work
closely with the volunteer for the entire duration of the assignment. He/she will ensure continued
mobilisation of participants and ensuring that key people trained will continue to train and share
the knowledge with the rest of their teams.
H. Recommended Assignment Preparation
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The volunteer should prepare materials for hand-outs, which can be printed at CRS office
in Kampala before commencement of the assignment. Flip charts, markers, masking tapes
can be obtained at CRS offices in case the volunteer wishes to make some illustrations.
Depending on the training venue the volunteer may use a laptop and projector for power
point presentations. However, if the training venue is in the community, it will be difficult
to use PowerPoint. In this case the volunteer will be expected to prepare training materials
and have hand-outs printed at CRS offices for distribution to the participants.
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CRS strongly recommends that the volunteer becomes familiar with the oil seed crops
(Sunflower, Sesame, ground nuts and soybeans) country project description prior to arrival
in the country as well as country information that will be provided.
Knowledge on Records keeping, in particular, and FaaB and agribusiness in rural settings
of developing countries, in general, is also advised.
I. Key Contacts
CRS Baltimore
Maria Figueroa
Volunteer Recruitment Manager
EA Farmer to Farmer Program
228 W. Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-951-7366
Email: [email protected]
CRS EA Regional Office
Nyambura Theuri
Deputy Project Director
EA Farmer to Farmer Program
P.O. Box 49675 – 00100
Nairobi, Kenya
St. Augustine Court Karuna Close Road
Email: [email protected]
CRS Uganda
George Ntibarikure
Project Director,
Farmer to Farmer Program
Uganda
Office Tel: +256 031 226 5658
Mobile cell phone +256 772 472 103
Email: [email protected]
Elizabeth Pfifer
Country Representative
CRS Uganda
Office Tel: +256 031 226 5658
Mobile cell phone +256 772 724 796
Email: [email protected]
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