IAEFP SOW

International Agriculture Education Fellowship Program (IAEFP)

Fellows’ Scope of Work

Country	Uganda
Country Portfolio/Sector	Agriculture Education
Implementing Organization	Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Broad Fellowship Objective	Advancing IAEF Program goals through conducting learner instruction using US based and Uganda contextualized agriculture teaching materials and participation in trade initiatives to promote trade linkages between Uganda and US. Fellowship focus areas: classroom instruction, field based practical activities, youth extension and community engagement, entrepreneurship projects, leadership development, digitized AgEducation and trade awareness initiatives
Fellowship Duration	June 2022 – March 2023 (Approx. 9 months)
Desired fellowship skills/ expertise	US Citizenship Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education/ Agriculture extension/ training in agriculture related field Understanding of the US agriculture education system/ membership with National FFA, NAAE or National 4-H council is a plus Experience with or interest in international travel and working across diverse cultures. Experience in student teaching, classroom instruction internships or teacher certification a MUST. Excellent computer skills, youth training, and interpersonal skills
Important Notice:	This assignment will be accomplished under a fellowship arrangement and NOT as an employment opportunity with CRS. Fellows must provide an official transcript of undergraduate and/or graduate degree prior to fellowship departure (this is required for visa purposes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. BACKROUND

The International Agriculture Education Fellowship Program (IAEFP) is a three-year (2020 – 2023) program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The program has two broad goals; to improve developing countries’ ability to meet the food and fiber needs of their domestic population and to strengthen trade linkages between selected countries (like Uganda) and the US agricultural industry. The program provides opportunities for eligible U.S. citizens to assist developing countries in establishing school-based agricultural education and youth extension programs. To achieve these goals, CRS will work closely with the Government of Uganda (GoU) to identify components of the newly revised lower secondary school agriculture curriculum and develop complementary teacher instructional materials to be used through classroom instruction, practical field based demonstrations, small entrepreneurial projects, and youth extension programs for community engagement. Additional activities will include promoting digitized agriculture education among the teachers and learners, leadership skills development and create awareness about US- Uganda agriculture trade initiatives.

Through the IAEFP, CRS will also recruit, train and place nine fellows in Uganda’s secondary schools for 10 months to help advance program goals. IAEFP fellows will help scale up innovative agricultural education programs in selected schools in alignment with the government of Uganda’s newly revised Lower Secondary Curriculum, launched at the beginning of the 2020 school year, which emphasizes an active, learner-centered approach to pedagogy and a competence and skills-based curriculum.

2. ISSUE DESCRIPTION

Agriculture is the backbone of Uganda’s economy, contributing 24% to GDP and accounting for 52% of export earnings. The sector employs approximately 60% of the total labor force. Agriculture is also crucial to Uganda achieving its 2040 goal of transitioning into a middle-income economy. Agro-industrialization has been identified as one of the priorities in the National Development Plan (NDP) III, 2020-25[1]aimed at increasing the commercialization and competitiveness of agricultural production and processing. However, to achieve the above goals, key improvements are needed including increasing labor productivity in the agro-industrial value chain and creating jobs across an increasingly comprehensive food and agricultural economy which encompasses the private sector, research, academia, government and policy, food sciences, economics and trade. Accomplishing these goals will also be crucial to reducing high youth unemployment rates.

Agriculture education is central to human capital development and contribute greatly to labor productivity in the agriculture value chain. Despite the many opportunities in the agriculture sector, young people in Uganda are disinterested in pursuing careers in agriculture. This population relates agriculture with poverty—it is seen as a subsistence livelihood rather than as a potential money-making venture and providing a wide range of respectable success-oriented career paths. The country’s education system has significantly contributed to the youth’s disinterest in agriculture, right from the obsolete agriculture curriculum that has been used in schools to the passive, teacher -centered learning methodologies, dominated by theoretical rather than practical field demonstrations. Historically, education systems throughout the developing world are tied to their colonial past. In Uganda, vestiges of this are reflected in agriculture training at all levels, focusing more on theoretical approaches, rote learning methodologies and often no relation to workforce preparedness or even on practical aspects of the subject. With the growing digital world, the youth are keen on technological advancements, hence the digitalization of agriculture and agriculture education would be fundamental for young people to desire and pursue opportunities and careers in the agriculture sector.

The NDP III is leading an educational transformation that now prioritizes human capital development, strengthening mechanisms for quality educational content, effective learner-centered service delivery, and improving the quality and relevance of skills development geared toward preparing students for a comprehensive workforce. To achieve the NDPIII objectives, in 2020, GoU through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) rolled out the newly revised lower secondary school curriculum to foster a learning environment that places the learner at the centre of the learning experience. The aim of this curriculum is to promote positive values and attitudes, effective learning, and acquisition of skills in order to produce a secondary school graduate who has the competences that are required in the 21st century, thereby reducing unemployment among graduates. The curriculum is also aimed at reducing the content overload and contact hours in the classroom to create time for research and practical work, as well as creative ventures, promoting emerging fields of knowledge across all subjects and doing away with obsolete information.

The new agriculture syllabus uses a science- based technology and entrepreneurial approach to agriculture education designed to build practical knowledge and student skills across a four-year high school program. The new curriculum roll-out was started with new students from the primary section as a fresh cohort to enable follow up and curriculum evaluation through the lower secondary period. However, curriculum implementation and roll out was hampered by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to the closure of schools. In addition, incorporating this new curriculum approach in schools across the country, training of teachers, developing instructional materials (teaching guides, lesson plans, assessment tools), layering practical field and laboratory applications and facilitating of student entrepreneurial projects is still a major challenge for Uganda. Therefore, CRS’IAEF program will strategically focus on supporting GoU to address this challenge through the placement of fellows in early adopting schools or centers of excellence to help teachers and administrators understand and implement the new agriculture curriculum, focusing in the practical and active learner instruction benchmarking from the US agriculture education approach incorporating leadership, entrepreneurship and digital methodologies.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE FELLOWSHIP

The overall objective of the fellowship it to advance IAEF Program goals through conducting teacher and learner instruction using US based and Uganda contextualized Agriculture teaching materials aligned with the newly revised lower secondary curriculum with a focus on pedagogic instructional methodologies. Focus areas will include classroom instruction, practical field-based demonstrations, entrepreneurship projects development with teachers and students, youth extension programs and community engagement, and digitalized Agriculture education initiatives.

Specific Objectives include:

1. To review and familiarize with Uganda’s newly revised lower secondary school agriculture curriculum to understand agriculture content, required competencies to be developed and the history of agriculture education in Uganda. This is part of the initial needs assessment to understand country specific needs in agriculture education and targeted classes (Senior one and two).
2. Participate in the development of instructional materials aligned with Uganda’s new agriculture curriculum. Materials development will be conducted in partnership with CRS, NCDC, NAAE, National FFA, National 4-H council and USDA/FAS.
3. Participate in a one – two weeks training on the use of developed and contextualized materials to enable skills transfer to agriculture teachers while in Uganda. This training may be conducted virtually while fellows are still in the US or physically while in Uganda
4. Travel to Uganda to commence the fellowship, conducting the activities detailed below:

• Train agriculture teachers in the use of new instructional materials and share specific US-based agricultural education teaching methodologies in workshop sessions for teachers and school administrators. This will be conducted alongside classroom instruction for teachers to gain hands-on practical experience

• Design and facilitate practical field-based demonstrations at and/or outside schools for experiential learning for students.
• Work closely with learners and teachers to document one successful case study of a student led entrepreneurship project unique to that specific region by the end of the fellowship period. The case study should have potential for scale up to neighboring schools within the region.

• Design appropriate learning and assessment tools aligned with the curriculum specifically for small entrepreneurial projects, field visits and practical field activities
• Facilitate youth extension and community engagement activities for the learners through; working with teachers and learners to conduct; community needs assessment, design of appropriate solutions to address identified challenges, technology dissemination to target communities

• Fellows will work with the teachers to develop field learning guides and assessment tools to assess students’ adaptability of classroom knowledge in the field.
• In collaboration with club patrons and students, develop/ strengthen leadership skills development through mentorship and developing streamlined young farmers’ club activities unique to schools, develop generic club activities and support the club members to develop a YOFFA manual
• Design and introduce the use of digital platforms to teach agriculture, fellows will be required to be creative in designing tools such as video clips, marketing blogs, etc to promote the use of digital technologies by teachers and learners. And seek opportunities for connecting Ugandan schools with US high schools for information and cultural exchange on shared activities and projects

5. To strengthen trade linkages between Uganda and the US agricultural industry, fellows will participate in various activities/projects to include.

• Farm and factory (strategically those engaged in crop /livestock production and value addition for export markets) field visits with teachers and students for learning and knowledge adaptation, engage with relevant government agencies such as regulatory bodies to understand food safety aspects, quality assurance and safety guidelines, trade promotion and value addition
• During the school breaks (approx..3weeks), fellows will participate in TDY (Temporary Duty assignments) opportunities with different CRS or non-CRS projects: such as Food for Peace (FFP)- Food and Nutrition Security project (Nuyok), Food for Progress (FFPr) – VINES project, Farmer to Farmer (F2F) host organisations, American Chamber of Commerce Uganda and participation in FAS trade initiatives in Uganda

Fellowship modalities:

Each fellow will be placed in a pre-selected secondary school in Uganda for a complete school calendar year (Term I, II, & III). The fellow will be required to work closely with the agriculture teacher, school administrators and other contact teachers within school who may be interested in integrating agriculture in teaching other subjects. The school will identify one staff to act as the fellow’s point of contact throughout the fellowship. Fellows may also work closely with student interns from National Teacher Training Colleges (NTCs) and relevant Universities, this is a sustainability measure to ensure skills transfer beyond the project duration.

During the school breaks, fellows will the placed with other CRS projects to provide learning opportunities and provide technical support to project staff or partners. Project placements will depend on fellows’ skills set and interest. A separate scope of work will be shared with each fellow depending on the project type.

4. ANTICIPATED RESULTS FROM THE FELLOWSHIP

The anticipated deliverables include:

• Monthly reports on fellowship activities
• End of term reports (Term I. II, III) and a consolidated end of fellowship report
• Record of learners and teachers participating in activities initiated by fellows (Class-room instruction, field/practical demonstrations, field visits, leadership training sessions with youth clubs, etc)
• Compilation of all materials/ manuals developed to support agriculture education with teachers and learners. Including fellowship related photos.
• End of term expense report for funds received to implement project activities
• Documented case study of student (s) adoption and engagement in an agri-business enterprise/entrepreneurship project
• TDY (Temporary Duty Assignment) reports – shared with program chief of party/project director and the IAEFP program manager
• Participate in the joint end of Term I program review and learning activity
• Participation in the end of fellowship workshop.
• Participate in biweekly and monthly check in fellows’ meetings

Outreach activities, press release or media event conducted by fellows back in the U

5. SKELETON SCHEDULE OF FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITIES WHILE IN UGANDA

 

Dates	Broad activity categorization
June 3- 5,2022	Arrival at Uganda Entebbe International Airport. Pick up by CRS contracted transport company (Silver Fleet) and check in at Hotel Interservice/CRS Guest house.  June 5: Rest-day at the hotel – there are no scheduled activities
June 6 – 25, 2022	Orientation workshop for all nine fellows. A detailed orientation schedule will be provided to fellows before arrival in Uganda. Finalize all related logistical preparations before field placement.
June 27, 2022,	Flag off fellows to the field
June 28 – 31, 2022	Travel to the various field placements in the company of school headteachers or designated agriculture teachers
July 1- March 2023	Fellowship duration per detailed activities under the specific activities section
End of Term II (August 2022)	Participate in one-week joint project review and learning event (the activity schedule will be developed in collaboration with the fellows.
During the 3-weeks Break (At the end of Term II &III)	Fellows will be placed with other CRS projects, partners/host organisations. Placements will be made based on fellows’ skills set and required technical expertise.
March 2023	End of Fellowship workshop and final reporting to donor and CRS
March 30, 2023	Departure for the US

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COSTS COVERED

Costs covered by CRS in Uganda
Item category	Cost details
Fellows allowance (includes daily meals and other incidentals)	$7,150/per fellow for the fellowship year
Transportation allowance (to and from school sites)	$ 105/month
Housing & utilities, furniture, and appliances	covered by CRS
Laptops and mobile phones	Provided by CRS, the in-country team will support the fellows to acquire registered simcards for use while in Uganda.
Costs for three-week TDY to the field (per diem, accommodation, transport)	covered by CRS
International medical and evacuation coverage	covered by CRS
Costs to be incurred in US
Return flight ticket Uganda to US	covered by CRS
Travel related Vaccinations	covered by CRS
Visa and work permit processing fees	covered by CRS

Accommodation and in country logistics

In Kampala, all fellows will stay at hotel Interservice which is within 10 minutes walking distance from CRS Offices behind the United States Embassy. While in the field, each fellow will stay at a pre-selected venue (either a school residence inside the school, where school accommodation is non-existent, fellows will be accommodated at carefully selected housing outside the school).All fellows housing will be selected and vetted to comply with CRS policies on international staff housing. The accommodation will have basic facilities such as running water and power. Each fellow will be provided with a smart phone and supported to obtain a registered Sim card, the phone will be used both as a hot spot for internet access and communication while in Uganda.

CRS will provide each fellow with a monthly stipend to cater for meals and other incidentals while in Uganda. For more information, please refer to country information that will be provided.

1. RECOMMENDED FELLOWSHIP PREPARATIONS

• This scope of work has been designed to facilitate pre-departure preparation by the fellow. Actual preparation time will vary based on the experience of the fellow, as well as informational or training resources the fellow has readily available. CRS relies on the fellow to assess the tasks outlined in this SOW and to make his or her own judgment about how much and what kind of preparation is needed prior to arriving in Uganda. All preparations should be in alignment with Uganda’s Lower Secondary Agriculture Curriculum with exception to soft skills development activities outside classroom such as: leadership training with YOFFA club members, digitalized agriculture education and developing entrepreneurial projects
• Fellows will be provided with funds to facilitate printing and photocopying if this cannot be done at school, some of the funds will be used to purchase items such as flip charts, markers, masking tapes, materials for field demonstrations. Funds will be provided on termly basis, and an expense report should be submitted by the end of each term.
• CRS strongly recommends that the fellows familiarize with Uganda’s Agriculture and Education sectors.

. KEY CONTACTS

CRS Uganda

Maria Nakayiza Program Manager International Agriculture Education Fellowship Program Office Tel: +256 031 226 5658 Email: maria.nakayiza@crs.org

School Head teachers’ contacts will be shared per fellow’s site.

 

CRS Baltimore

Priyanka Subba US. Operations Manager Farmer-to-Farmer Program 228 W. Lexington Street Baltimore, MD 21201-3443 443.955.7194 Email: Priyanka.subba@crs.org