Agribusiness Expert

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit an Agribusiness expert in Uganda to carry out scoping studies for designing a pig business hub model and develop a business plan for centralized slaughtering.

ILRI works with partners worldwide to enhance the roles that livestock play in food security and poverty alleviation, principally in Africa and Asia. The outcomes of these research partnerships help people in developing countries keep their farm animals alive and productive, increase and sustain their livestock and farm productivity, find profitable markets for their animal products, and reduce the risk of livestock-related diseases.

ILRI is a not-for-profit institution with a staff of about 700 and, in 2014, an operating budget of about USD83 million. A member of the CGIAR Consortium working for a food-secure future, ILRI has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, a principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and offices in other countries in East, West and Southern Africa and in South, Southeast and East Asia. www.ilri.org

CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. www.cgiar.org

Background

In Uganda, the smallholder pig value chain has been identified by the Livestock and Fish CGIAR program as one of the livestock options where research investments are most likely to make a major difference to the livelihoods and diets of poor people. Since 2012, ILRI with the support of IFAD/EU, has been conducting research on the pig value chain, the challenges and opportunities for enhancing the pig/pork sector and identified promising best-bets for action research and capacity development interventions which will both generate evidence for wider applicability in the value chain. Some of the interventions identified for piloting include innovative pig business models to improve effectiveness of pig value chain linkages and need for proper slaughtering facilities to assure hygienic process and facilitate veterinary inspection and disease control. A group of partners in Masaka district have lobbied the local government and got 2 acres of land to establish a slaughter house. In the framework of the Livestock and Fish Program and 2 Uganda pig value chain Research for Development projects (IFAD-EC funded and Irish Aid funded) ILRI now seeks an Agribusiness expert on a consultancy basis to carry out scoping and feasibility studies for potential pig business models.

The Position

The consultancy assignment is for three months and max. 60 working days and involves working closely with the local partners on the ground, the value chain actors and ILRI’s pig value chain staff in Uganda. The specific tasks for the 2 components of the consultancy include:

Component 1. Designing of a hub model around Kyanamukaaka-Kabonera Pig Farmers Cooperative

The consultant will work with ILRI’s team to undertake scoping and feasibility studies on the willingness and incentives of the value chain service providers to be part of the hub and the capacity of the pig farmers cooperative to participate. Key tasks will include:

• Facilitating meetings between the cooperative and the pig buyers to agree on the contractual arrangements and mode of operation of the hub.
• Identifying relevant business development services and their providers in the area to meet the pig cooperative members demands/needs.
• Assessing service providers’ incentives to provide services and be part of the hub, including willingness to provide services to cooperative members on credit.
• Facilitate discussions with willing service providers and the cooperative leaders to develop MOUs for service provision to member farmers on credit.
• Assess business and financial related capacity strengthening needs of the cooperative and service providers.

Component 2. Developing a business plan for centralized slaughtering in Masaka Municipality

The consultant will work with ILRI’s team and Masaka Local government, specifically the DVOs office to develop a business plan for a slaughter slab and an abattoir. Key tasks will include:

• Developing of feasibility assessment tools and implementing them to assess acceptability of the idea of a centralised pig slaughter system among the value chain actors.
• Developing a business plan for the centralised slaughter slab with a clear marketing, financial and operational plan. The consultant will work closely with another consultant who will provide the slaughter slab and abattoir designs that the consultant will use to obtain the bill of quantities which will form the basis for the financial estimates.

Essential qualifications and competencies

The consultant should have:

• An MSc or M.A. in Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Economics or related discipline;
• Previous experience in linking farmers with agri-business development services for improved access to inputs, services and output markets;
• Proven experience in facilitation of agri-business groups/entrepreneurs to develop bankable business plans
• Extensive and proven knowledge of agricultural and/or livestock value chains in sub-Saharan Africa and their inherent constraints;
• Excellent communication skills in Luganda and a good community facilitator with ability to live and work in rural settings;
• Good writing skills in English and proven capacity to write well-structured documents;
• Ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams and to respect given time-lines;

Duration: The work should be carried out over a period of 3 months for 60 effective days starting from the 15^thof October 2014. Latest date for completion is 31^st of December 2014.

Location: Consultant will be based in Kampala with very frequent travels to the project site in Masaka.

Consultancy fee: USD 300 per day

How to apply:

Applicants should send a cover letter and CV expressing their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Director, People and Organizational Development through our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com/ before 30 September 2014. The position title and reference number REF: AE/ LGI /09/14 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.

To find out more about ILRI, visit our websites at http://www.ilri.org

To find out more about working at ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org/ilricrowd/

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer