1. Introduction

UNNATI – Inclusive Growth Programme is a five year programme supported by the Danish Government with the key priority being to strengthen market-based growth with a focus on the agricultural sector and on private sector development in compliance with the strategies of the Government of Nepal and DANIDA. The strategic focus of the programme is on private sector development in compliance with DANIDA’s strategy for support to growth and employment. The private sectors are beneficiaries as well as implementing partners. The programme’s main implementation is in seven hill districts of the Eastern Development Region of Nepal, namely Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Terhathum, Sankhuwasabha, Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung, but also with interventions at regional and national levels.

The overall objective of the programme is “Promotion of sustainable inclusive growth that reduces poverty and raises living standards”. The programme consists of three components:

C1: The Value Chain Component comprises two sub-components:

            1.1: Commercialization of Selected Value Chains (tea, ginger, dairy and cardamom)

            1.2: Access to Finance;

C2: The Infrastructure Component comprises two sub-components

            2.1: Rural Transport Infrastructure 

            2.2: Public Market-Related Infrastructure; and

C3: The Enabling Environment Component comprises two sub-components

            3.1: Public-Private Partnership

            3.2: Advocacy for Rights and Good Corporate Governance. 

The Value Chain component is the core component with the other two components being the supporting components. The value chain component has an objective of “sustained improvement in competitiveness of selected value chains”. For this, four value chains are to be developed, namely, tea, ginger, dairy and cardamom. UNNATI’s value chain approach is to identify market opportunities and the players at the various levels of the four Value Chains that it supports. Having identified market opportunities and players, programmes will be designed that will improve the functioning of the Value Chain and bring economic and social benefits to its beneficiaries.

3. Objective(s)

The broad objective of the assignment is to improve the quality and profitability of the small tea factories in order to be able to pay better prices to their farmers and so improving their income.

The specific objectives are;

1. To improve the quality of green leaf produced by farmers
2. To improve the quality and efficiency of the processing equipment
3. To improve the quality of the processing process
4. To improve the management and marketing skills
5. To create strong relationships built on trust between factories and farmers

Activities

Activity 1: ToT on improved tea cultivation technology including compost vermin compost making technology

CTCF will hire experience tea experts to conduct 3 days residential ToT on Improved tea cultivation technology. The training includes both theoretical and practical sessions on nutrient management, disease management, pruning, plucking, and compost and vermin-compost production technology. A maximum of 150 participants will be invited among UCF awarded tea companies, cooperatives and STPUs from UNNATI Project districts comprising a minimum of at least one person from a single processing unit or more on the basis of no. of farmers covered. The training will be organized in 6 events. These 150 lead farmers receiving Tot are expected to be mobilized by the respective factories or cooperatives for conducting field level training to other farmers.

Activity 2: Tea Processing Technology Training for Tea makers (post production handling)

CTCF will hire an experienced tea expert as resource person for this training. The duration of the training will be 4 days residential in 8 events. A maximum of 160 participants involving at least one or more persons from UCF grant recipient single factory or cooperative based on no. of farmers covered or processing capacity from the UNNATI programme districts. The training includes both theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and latest tea processing technology, such as Black tea, Green tea, Oolong tea, White tea, etc. The tea makers receiving this training are expected to adapt appropriate tea processing technology and improve their tea making skills.

Activity 3: Factory specific technical training (coaching) to tea makers of Small processing units (STPUs)

This training is particularly designed and proposed for 45 small tea processing units. CTCF will hirean experienced tea expert for delivering this factory specific technical training (coaching) to tea makers of small processing Units (STPUs). STPUs have different types of tea processing machines and some machines are mis-matched with their capacity or the product they intend to manufacture. The expert will provide technical services to each of the small processing factories for 2 days to make better quality tea in their processing factory according to their processing machines and green leaf available.

Activity 4: Business and Marketing Skill Development Training

This training is designed and proposed for 50 small tea processing units (also UCF grant recipient) in UNNATI programme districts to improve their business management and marketing skills in the tea sector. CTCF will hire experienced business and marketing expert as resource person for facilitating this training. The duration of the training will be 3 days residential and 25 participants for each slot.

Activity 5: ICS (Internal Control System) ToT Training

This training (TOT) is designed and proposed for tea factories who are planning for organic certification through UCF matching grant. CTCF will coordinate with Organic Certification Nepal (OCN) and hire their expertsfor facilitating this training. A maximum of 125 persons from tea processing factories will be trained on Internal Control System (ICS) and expected to develop, adopt and implement the ICS in the field. The number of ICS person per factory depends on the number of farmer they serve and who are willing to go for organic certification. At least one person will be involved from a single factory. The duration of training is 5 days residential.