Livestock Value Chain Assessment

Job Description

Purpose of Assignment & Background Information:

NEAT is a three year economic development project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and designed to create strong, competitive value chains towards enhanced trade and improved food security. NEAT will operate throughout Nepal working with established national, regional, and local networks to achieve extensive outreach and scale to create transformational impact by increasing rural purchasing power, fueling competitive markets, and creating synergies to encourage policy reform. Component 2 of NEAT, Encouraging Competitiveness and Exports, focuses upon strengthening competitive industries and sectors by addressing all points on the value chain from identifying buyers, to upgrading business practices and expanding access to credit. NEAT will work to improve the competitiveness of Nepali firms, products, and services in global, regional, and domestic markets, at the same time reducing the inequities that impede the poor from reaping greater benefits through economic and income growth.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Nepal’s economy, and processing agricultural products is the country’s primary industrial activity. The agricultural sector employs more than 71% of the population and accounts for approximately 32% of the GDP. In recent years the agricultural sector has not achieved significant growth, stagnating around 2.8%. The livestock sector contributes one-third of the agricultural GDP at 11% and roughly 70% of households own some type of livestock; cows, buffalo, pigs, chickens, and small ruminants. The livestock sector is of critical importance since over half of the cattle, buffalo, goats and sheep are managed by some of the most vulnerable and food insecure Nepalese households. In fact, Nepal’s Agriculture Perspective Plan (1997-2017) gives emphasis to livestock as a strategic means to reach poor communities and to meet poverty reduction targets.

As a sub-contractor in the NEAT consortium, Land O’Lakes will conduct an assessment of the dairy, poultry and meat sectors highlighting value chain constraints, past successes and failures and identify key private and public sector input and service providers.

Level of Effort:

• 22 days including days in Nepal, travel days, and report writing based upon a 6-day work week while in-country

Specific Tasks to be completed:

The consultant is to conduct an analysis of existing and potential dairy, poultry and meat value chains. The specific areas of focus will be on the unique constraints and opportunities for value addition and/or growth in production, processing, the markets for inputs and services. Another key task will be a close analysis of output product markets which will include domestic and export end markets. The analysis will assess the impact and contribution of livestock and livestock products on the food security situation in Nepal.

The assessment will focus on dairy/livestock value chains. Specific points of analysis include, but are not limited to:

• effects of existing policies, including investment and trade policies, on dairy/livestock development
• production constraints and opportunities
• current state of input markets – production inputs, credit and other services, etc.
• current state of output product markets, both domestic and export
• consumer preferences and consumption trends in domestic and export end markets
• description of current export markets and export growth opportunities
• availability of dairy/livestock products currently on the market and domestic consumer accessibility
• processing constraints and opportunities
• market linkages from production to consumption
• present roles, capacity, and opportunities for various actors in the dairy/livestock value chains – private and public sector
• capacity building needs of key actors where constraints exist in the value chain – private and public sector
• existing pricing and price information systems and impacts on actors at all stages in the value chains
• impacts of existing opportunities and constraints along the value chains on food security

Data and information collection for analysis, to include:

• Identify, collect and synthesize data and information from primary and secondary sources
• Identify and interview a relevant sample of key actors in the dairy/livestock value chains – public and private institutions, private firms, smallholders and commercial dairy/livestock farms, cooperatives and unions, etc.
• Visit key production areas in the value chains.

Deliverables, Outputs or Other Follow-up:

Deliverables will include the following with the anticipated due dates:

• Submit a written assessment document with analysis.
• Submit a list and copies of secondary source data and information collected and analyzed.
• Debriefing and presentation for Land O’Lakes and NEAT.

Key qualifications:

• MSc in agricultural economics or related field
• Minimum 10 years experience in economic and agriculture development in Nepal
• Past experience in livestock-related value chain analysis – experience in USAID’s value chain approach preferred
• Excellent written and spoken English (professional proficiency)
• Familiarity with USAID programs

Please apply online through the IDD website . Click on contact us and follow the instructions from there.