Vanuatu National Cocoa Strategy Consultant

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) with assistance from the Vanuatu Coastal Adaptation Project (VCAP) is seeking to hire a local consultant to undertake a series of consultations and use the information from the consultations and workshops to develop the Vanuatu National Cocoa Strategy. The consultancy is for a period of three 3 months commencing November 2016. The consultant is required to conduct literature reviews, hold consultations with all the relevant stakeholders of the cocoa sector, collate all discussion outcomes and formulate a National Cocoa Strategy, aligning it to relevant policy directives and strategies stipulated in the National Agriculture Sector Policy.

It is expected that the successful candidate will possess the following qualification:
 An advance tertiary qualification in the fields of agriculture, or economics, or rural development or related fields;
 Professional knowledge and experience in policy and strategic development at national and regional level;
 Sound knowledge and skills in cocoa development in Vanuatu and the region;
 Over 5 years of administrative experience; and
 Sound understanding of the socio-economic setting of Vanuatu.

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:
 Conduct literature review on Cocoa development in Vanuatu and around the region with a view to capture the best cocoa practices to boost cocoa production and development;
 Review the draft cocoa strategy developed by POPACA consultants and recommend the best strategies for inclusion in the draft cocoa sector strategy;
 Develop a draft Cocoa Strategy framework for deliberation and discussion based on the value chain approach;
 Identify all the stakeholders within the value chain and their roles and responsibilities to boost the quality and production of cocoa to ensure full implementation of the policy directives and strategies;
 Present to stakeholders in a workshop, their roles and responsibilities within the value chain, their interventions to ensure quality production of cocoa and seek validation and endorsement; and
 Prepare a National Cocoa Strategy based on the information gathered during the validation workshops and literature reviews.

Remuneration package will be negotiated based on qualification, skills and experience of the applicant.
Applications and Curriculum Vitae should be addressed to:

The Director
Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
P O Box 9040
Tagabe, Port Vila

Application must be received at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Tagabe, Port Vila or emailed to aravo@vanuatu.gov.vu no later than Friday 18 November by 4:30pm.