TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR RESEARCH VICE HEAD

Project “Promoting forest governance and legal timber trade through

Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)- VM 066" and the project "Suitainable Forest management - VM 080 "

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Research vice head for study project’s name: Assessing the degree of compliance with due diligence requirements of EUDR among small-scale coffee producers in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

1. Background

The European Commission introduced the Regulation on Deforestation-free products (EUDR) on 6 December, 2022, which became effective on June 29, 2023. This regulation mandates that only products not contributing to deforestation or forest degradation are permitted to import and export into the EU. The EUDR aims to ensure that the seven main goods^[1] entering the EU market do not cause deforestation and forest degradation. This regulation significantly helps in preventing global deforestation and forest degradation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preserve biodiversity. With the EUDR in effect, all companies involved are required to conduct strict due diligence for importing their products into the EU market or exporting from it.

EUDR requires businesses and producers (farmers) to demonstrate that their products are not linked to deforestation (produced on non-forest land after December 31, 2020) and are legal (adhere to all relevant applicable laws in force in the producing country). This regulation aims not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect biodiversity, but also contribute to ensuring the livelihoods of millions of people, including local people and communities around the world, who heavily depend on the forest ecosystem. This poses a significant challenge for exporting Vietnamese agricultural products to the EU market. Coffee products, representing 16.1% of the EU market share and 40% of Vietnam's total coffee exports, are particularly affected.

Vietnam is known as one of the world's leading countries in terms of coffee size and productivity. Coffee area and output have tended to increase continuously in recent years. In 2022, the country's coffee growing area is nearly 700 thousand hectares, with total output reaching more than two million tons. Vietnam's coffee productivity reaches an average of 2.6 tons/ha of beans for Robusta coffee and 1.4 tons of beans/ha for Arabica coffee.

In Vietnam, coffee is planted across 5 main production regions, including the Central Highlands, Southeast, South Central, North Central and Northern provinces. Central Highlands region (including 5 provinces: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong) is the largest coffee-producing region of the country. The Central Highlands has a total coffee area of about 639,000 hectares (representing 92 % of the whole country), productivity of 28.5 tons/ha (1.1 times higher than the whole country), output of about 2 million tons (accounting for 95 % of the whole country).

Robusta coffee, the most produced coffee in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with a large amount of caffeine, is the most exported to the EU. This type of coffee is mixed with other coffee to create famous coffee brands around the world. In particular, the EU market is still the main market for Vietnamese coffee. The requirements for food quality, hygiene, and safety are becoming more stringent along with the new EUDR regulations, leading to considerable challenges for Robusta coffee production and processing in the Central Highlands. Therefore, assessing the EUDR's readiness to implement due diligence will have an important significance in developing coffee sustainably in the Central Highlands in particular and Vietnam in general.

Funded by the project "Promoting Forest Governance and Sustainable Timber Trade through the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)" and the Program "Forest Governance, Markets and Climate (FGMC)", the Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) will recruit a group of experts to conduct the research "Assessing the readiness of Robusta coffee producers to implement EUDR due diligence ".

2. Objective

Support the Team Leader in managing and coordinating the research project, ensuring the timely and efficient execution of tasks and achievement of project goals.

3. Qualification

ü  Advanced degree (Master's or higher) in sociology, economics, forestry, agriculture, or a related field.

ü  At least 7 years of experience in research or projects related to agriculture, sustainability, or regulatory compliance.

4. Responsibilities

ü  Assist in the development of the research outline and detailed implementation plan.

ü  Coordinate the collection and analysis of Vietnamese and EU legal documents concerning EUDR.

ü  Contribute to the review of the indicators and requirements of EUDR due diligence implementation regulations.

ü  Support the finalization of indicators specific to Robusta coffee in the Central Highlands, considering SRD's developed set.

ü  Assist in developing sampling methods and conducting investigations and surveys.

ü  Play a key role in the analysis and processing of data, ensuring accuracy and relevance to the research objectives.

ü  Help in preparing comprehensive reports and developing proposals for supporting solutions.

ü  Represent the research team in presenting findings to stakeholders and in discussions to refine research directions.

ü  Facilitate the development of policy newsletters and dissemination of research outcomes.

ü  Act as an intermediary between the research team and the Team Leader, ensuring clear communication and project alignment with objectives.

5. Reporting

The Vice Head will report directly to the Research Team Leader and collaborate closely with all team members, ensuring that project milestones are met and that the research adheres to high standards of quality and integrity.

6. Scope of work

- Location: The study will be conducted in Dak Lak province, a leading Robusta coffee-producing province in the Central Highlands region.

- Target audience: Robusta coffee producers, with a focus on the diversity of ethnic groups in the region. This includes identifying and selecting households of diverse ethnicities to reflect cultural diversity and farming practices.

7. Timeframe

The research is conducted during January to August 2024.

8. Working days

In consideration of the timeframe, responsibilities, and scale of the research, experts can suggest the total number of working days required. This estimation will be subject to discussion and approval from the project manager before implementing the study. The total number of working days for the Vice Head should not exceed 90 days.

9. Proposal submission deadline

The proposal documents need to be submitted in person before 5:00 p.m. on December 30, 2023.

Recipient location: Center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), No. 31 Alley 19, Kim Dong Street, Giap Bat Ward - Hoang Mai – Hanoi.

Submitted documents should includes application form and CV of candidate.

10. Contact person

Project manager: Mr. Nguyen Phu Hung, Tel.: +84 912094190; Mail:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.