Description of the internship
On the basis of documentary research, a survey of a sample of cooperatives and interviews with key people, the aim will be to draw up an inventory of the storage, breeding and processing infrastructure available to agricultural cooperatives, according to the production sector, to assess the needs and demand of these cooperatives for this type of infrastructure, and to evaluate its relevance and economic added value for each of the sectors studied (crop conservation, warranting, processing, etc.).
Secondly, the study will assess the suitability of Nubian vault buildings to meet the needs identified for each commodity chain: technical feasibility (taking into account the constraints of NVA construction) and added value compared with ‘traditional’ solutions: potential effects of lower temperatures and regulated humidity on crop conservation and animal health, time of day when a productive building can be used, and so on.
Finally, in coordination with AVN’s technical team, the study will produce a catalogue of Nubian vault farm buildings suitable for the various sectors, together with a cost estimate.
The research work will be framed and managed remotely from France (Ganges). The fieldwork will be supervised by AVN’s national coordinator in Benin and his field team.
Required qualities and skills
- Student in rural engineering, SIE or social and economic sciences
- Knowledge of or interest in agricultural value chains conservation techniques and socio-economic survey methodologies
- Interest in the development cooperation sector
- Ability to travel in rural areas on a moped
- Ability to listen and engage in dialogue
- Spirit of initiative
- Autonomy
Duration of the internship: 4 months, including at least 2 months in Benin, with the rest of the time spent teleworking
Location: Djougou, Benin
Accommodation provided: No, but help will be provided to find accommodation
Meals provided: No
Section(s) concerned: SIE, MTE (eventually AR)
Description of the organization
AVN’s mission is to quickly give as many people as possible access to decent housing and green jobs, by encouraging the spread of the Nubian Vault technique.
Nubian Vault houses are built 100% from unbaked earth, including the vaulted roof, a carbon-neutral material that is widely available locally. This 3,000-year-old architectural concept uses neither wood, which has become rare, nor cement or sheet metal, which are imported materials that are expensive, unsuitable and have a high CO2 footprint.
Supported by local players, offering vocational training, jobs and income for young people in rural areas, this sector aims to give the millions of Sahelians currently living under tin roofs access to decent housing that is adapted to climate change and the local economic context.
Name: La Voute Nubienne
Contact person: Sylvia Maeght, [email protected]