The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) is an international, non-profit agricultural research center established in 1999 through the visionary leadership of the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), . ICBA is a unique applied agricultural research center focused on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live. It identifies, tests and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity and drought. Through its work, ICBA helps improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities worldwide. ICBA is an equal opportunity employer and appoints qualified staff regardless of race, creed, color, age, gender, religion, or national origin.
As part of ICBA’s efforts to reach more stakeholders around the world and transfer knowledge through capacity development offerings, ICBA is developing an E-Learning platform. This platform will provide a collection of digitized training courses in different topics. These courses will target stakeholders worldwide, including experts, technicians, extension officers, and graduate, and post-graduate students.
The assignment for this consultancy is to develop an E-learning course material on the “Postharvest Technologies in Marginal Environments”. The course targets agribusiness managers, professionals, experts, technicians, extension officers, and students in fields related to post-harvest technologies. The language of the course is English.
This e-learning course on “Postharvest Technologies in Marginal Environments” should be designed to provide participants with an understanding of the concept of post-harvest procedures and their role in enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the agricultural sector. The course will equip learners with comprehension of the fundamentals, tools, difficulties, and approaches pertaining to postharvest challenges in marginal environments. Learners will explore existing technologies and their adaptability to address these challenges and ensure an understanding of the subject matter.
Understand the concept of postharvest technologies and their significance in marginal environments.
Identify the key challenges and constraints in preserving postharvest quality in resource-constrained settings.
Evaluate and select appropriate postharvest technologies for specific marginal environments.
Apply best practices and innovative techniques to reduce postharvest losses and enhance food security.
Assess the economic, environmental, and social implications of postharvest technologies in marginal environments6. Gain knowledge on value addition and market access strategies in resource-constrained settings.
The consultancy will include the followings deliverables:
Module 1: Introduction to Postharvest Technologies in Marginal Environments
This module will delve into the fundamentals of postharvest technologies and their significance in marginal environments. Leaners will explore the challenges faced in these environments and the crucial role that postharvest technologies play in reducing food losses and enhancing livelihoods.
Module 2: Postharvest Challenges and solutions throughout the value chain in Marginal Environments
This module will explore the postharvest challenges and solutions that arise at various stages of the value chain in marginal environments. Learners will examine the specific challenges faced on the farm, in the packinghouse, at the storage house, during transport, and at the market. Additionally, the module will discuss the available solutions and best practices to overcome these challenges.
Module 3: Postharvest Losses in Marginal Environments
This module will focus on understanding the factors contributing to postharvest losses in marginal environments. Learners will analyze the extent of postharvest losses in different marginal environments and examine case studies that highlight the impact of these losses on food security.
Module 4: Sustainable Postharvest Management Practices
This module will focus on sustainable postharvest management practices for marginal environments. The module will explore approaches and strategies that promote sustainability, discuss the role of good agricultural practices (GAPs) in reducing postharvest losses, and examine case studies that showcase successful sustainable postharvest management initiatives.
Module 5: Innovative Postharvest Technologies for Marginal Environments
This module will explore innovative postharvest technologies and practices that are suitable for marginal environments. The module will provide an overview of these technologies, discuss the importance of appropriate technologies for marginal environments, and engage in practical exercises to understand the implementation of these innovative postharvest technologies.
Module 6: Value Addition and Market Access in Marginal Environments
This module will focus on value addition and market access strategies in resource-constrained settings. The module will explore ways to add value to agricultural produce, discuss strategies for improving market access and enhancing profitability, and examine successful models of value addition and market access in marginal environments.
Module 7: Policy and Socioeconomic Considerations
This module will focus on the policy and socioeconomic considerations that play a crucial role in supporting postharvest technologies and management in marginal environments. It will explore policy frameworks, interventions, and their impact on the adoption and implementation of postharvest technologies. Additionally, the module will discuss the socioeconomic implications and benefits of effective postharvest management in marginal environments. Case studies will be used to highlight the role of policy and socioeconomic factors in achieving postharvest success.
Other requirements
The consultant will prepare the training contents using ICBA templates and branding guidelines.
ICBA will keep the right to use the provided material in other training contents and/or translate them to other language while maintaining the credit to the author.
The consultant is expected to finalize the course material within four months after signing the consultancy agreement.
The consultant should provide ICBA with updated CV and a passport copy.
The consultant must provide links to all open-source images, videos, data, and similar resources used in the training. ICBA can share their resources to include in the contents, if available
