Terms of Reference
Aquaculture Training Consultancy
GROW Liberia
Reports to: Senior Intervention Manager for Investment Promotion Activities, GROW
Also involved: Team Leader, Monitoring & Results Measurement Manager, Market Development Specialist
Primary Location: Monrovia, plus travel to Gbarnga, Bong County for training delivery
Consultancy duration: Maximum of 15 days
Start date: October 2016
The Programme:
GROW is a Sida-funded market development initiative utilising the ‘Making Markets Work for the Poor’ (M4P)
approach to facilitate sustainable, pro-poor economic growth and stability across Liberia. Currently working in the oil
palm, rubber, vegetable and cocoa sectors, the programme seeks to contribute to sustainable peace and poverty
reduction through inclusive and integrated economic development in Liberia. Its objective is substantially increased
incomes and employment opportunities for a large number of poor women, men and youth, created through
agricultural market system change.
One of GROW’s areas of focus across the various sectors is to stimulate investment. Effective investment promotion
can serve to highlight profitable investment opportunities, by identifying relevant local partners and by raising the
positive image of the agriculture sector as an investment target. Stimulating investment can help diversify the
economy, create on- and off-farm jobs and support a boost in production. The Liberia National Investment
Commission (LNIC) is the primary investment promotion agency seeking to promote, attract, facilitate, and retain
quality investments in Liberia. As part of GROW’s work with the LNIC in the Aquaculture sector as a pilot, GROW
has identified the Bong County Aquaculture Association (BCAA) as a vehicle through which smallholder fish farmers
can benefit from growth in the sector through investment attraction.
In November 2015, GROW conducted an institutional needs assessment of the BCAA in an effort to strengthen the
association. As a result of the needs assessment, GROW is seeking the services of a consultant/consulting team to
deliver training in technical areas in aquaculture, including pond site planning, pond design, construction and
rehabilitation, pond management including water management, stocking density, feeding rates and frequencies, fish
health and disease management and any other relevant areas. The training should also focus on developing BCAA’s
business administration capacity, including financial management, record keeping, staff management, business
formalization, marketing and business planning. The training will equip BCAA with a greater ability to engage with
any potential investors.
The Role:
GROW is seeking the services of a consultant or consulting team that can provide hands-on training and capacity
building for members of the BCAA. The role will involve iterative group training sessions.
Major areas of work includes:
1. Design of effective training modules and capacity building initiative. The consulting team is expected to liaise
closely with GROW to understand the current status of BCAA (including through meeting with BCAA and
GROW staff), and use this information to develop appropriate training modules. Modules will be designed
around particular topics that will provide both technical knowledge and enable members to run better
businesses. The consulting team will explain in practical terms how capacity building will be delivered.
Deliverables: all materials (session plans, slides, exercises, hand-outs, evaluation forms, etc.) for all training
modules; brief on approach to capacity building.
2. Delivery of training modules. The consulting team will offer training modules on an agreed schedule to
members of BCAA. The consulting team will integrate hands-on exercises into the training that directly relate
to the members’ businesses and the association objectives.
Deliverables: Training modules delivered; reports submitted.
GROW would welcome suggestions on modifications to these training areas from applicants. These proposed
changes should be clearly documented in the application/technical proposal.
Time Frame and Duration:
This contract is expected to run for a maximum of 15 days beginning October 2016.
Qualification and skills
The consultant/team of consultants should possess the following qualifications and skills:

Extensive experience in business and financial management, particularly for low capacity, small-scale
farmers

Extensive knowledge of and experience in Aquaculture, including hands-on interaction with smallholder
farmers.

Experience in developing and providing tailored business development support, and in delivering practical
and hands-on trainings for small-scale businesses and organisations, especially agribusinesses

Excellent written and oral communications skills

Fluency in English, both written and spoken
Inquiries and submission of offers
For clarifications on the ToR, please contact [email protected].
As part of your expression of interest and offer, please submit the following:

Technical proposal, outlining your approach to the various phases of the assignment and the composition of
your proposed consultant/team of consultants;

CVs of involved expert[s], including references; OR

Profile of consulting firm (if applicable)

Details of professional referees

Financial proposal detailing daily fees rate for a maximum of 15 days in total; and accommodation and
transport for field trips in Gbarnga to deliver the training, as well as other logistical cost considerations.
Please submit your offer as either pdf, Word or Excel files, and by email to [email protected].
The deadline for submitting offers is September 29th 2016.