ToR Consultancy – Study to assess Carbon & Water Footprint in key FT sugar producing countries as a measure to enhance Climate Smart Cane Production and to mitigate risks resulting from Climate Change.
Fairtrade International is the international non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization behind the FAIRTRADE Mark, the most recognized ethical label in the world. Fairtrade currently works with over 1,240 producer groups across 75 countries, reaching some 1.66 million smallholder farmers and plantation workers. Fairtrade changes the way trade works through better prices, decent working conditions and a fairer deal for farmers and workers in developing countries.
Fairtrade members include three Producer Networks (from Africa, Asia and Latin America), and 20 National Fairtrade Organizations (NFOs). FLOCERT is the certification body on behalf of Fairtrade.
The ToR falls under the scope of the Global Products, Programs, and Policy (GPPP) Unit. GPPP ensures that trade of Fairtrade global products & programs, deepens and broadens impact on farmers, workers and their communities.
About the consultancy:
As part of the FSI (Fairtrade Sourcing Ingredient) program, the Fairtrade sugar cane sector in the following countries will be beneficiaries of additional support in areas that increase their sustainability:
– Belize
– Costa Rica
– El Salvador
The study should measure the carbon and water footprint of cane sugar and also propose CC mitigation / adaptation strategies. Outcomes of the studies could be used for strategic investments for adaptation and mitigation measures.
The study is supposed to focus on agriculture & processing in Belize & Costa Rica. In Salvador the study will only focus on the agricultural part. With regards to agriculture its focus should be on Fairtrade sugar cane production (even if in El Salvador and Costa Rica FT coffee and sugar is produced). A cluster could include non-Fairtrade production in e.g. Costa Rica and El Salvador if this is beneficial. Origin partners in the 3 focus countries agree on up to 3 clusters in the country that represent specific geographies, i.e. hilly/mountainous vs flat areas, high level of rain vs areas with less or no rains, mechanization vs manual harvesting etc. Where prior analysis exists at country level, the research / study could be different, adapted to known challenges. Existing data can be integrated into the assessment. In the case of Belize and the central supply chain, it is suggested that a country study is carried out.
The consultant will provide the following:
The consultant will provide a commercial offer to conduct a remote assessment of the carbon and water footprint in the above mentioned sugar cane producing countries. The assessment boundaries of this proposal are farm level as well as in country of origin processing (in the case of Belize and Costa Rica). Further upstream emissions such as transport (at farm and mill level) and packaging should also be assessed (up to the port).
The research must be carried out as a desk-top research with online trainings. The consultant offers at least one online training to farmers and millers to collect data including a reality check. Should physical visits become necessary, those need to be paid extra.
The consultant will draft questionnaires for data collection in English for Belize and Spanish for Costa Rica and El Salvador (if this is not possible, the CLAC is asked for an inhouse translation into Spanish). The questionnaires will be reviewed and agreed before the research in country starts.
The consultant’s data collection and assessment process will be as resource efficient as possible. Depending on the final decision, the Fairtrade cooperatives supported by CLAC in the producing country are responsible for the correct data collection, while the consultant will provide data collection templates. The origin partners and consultant will agree on the use of Apps and/or offline questionnaires whatever best suits the local circumstances. The data collection time per farm should not exceed 1-2 hours by focusing on the crop and region specific most relevant data sets while using representative but certifiable assumptions for the remaining data.
The consultant will calculate the PCF in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol using primarily the Cool Farm Tool as well as selected other applications. The PWF will be in compliance with the guidelines of the Global Water Footprint Network.
The consultant is asked to map the collected data with general cane sugar data.
Before finalization of the project, a review session will be conducted between the origin partners, the consultant and Fairtrade to ensure the delivery against objectives.
Upon finalization a full report (5-10 pages) and powerpoint presentation in which the consultant presents the results as well as the technical approach, assumptions made and specific mitigation & adaptation recommendations and interventions at farming & processing level.
Powerpoint presentation per cluster of the findings and recommendations.
Provision of any other information that becomes relevant during the research.
Reports and ppts need to be delivered individually and separately for Belize and El Salvador; for Costa Rica reports & ppt need to be provided for each of the coops/mills (are part of the coops).
The report for Belize needs to be in English and Costa Rica and El Salvador in Spanish (and English – if possible).
Payment: 70% will be paid once contract is signed and 30% upon successful delivery of the consultancy.
Project duration: Max 3 months. Start of project November/December 2020
Requirements: Understanding the sugar cane sector Fluency in English and Spanish Ability to present concise and precise data Proposal of the methodology (if not covered above) Presentation of consultancy days and overall budget
Deadline for application: 27 October 2020 Please send your application to: Monika Berresheim m.berresheim@fairtrade.net