FARMER-TO-FARMER PROGRAM
STATEMENT OF WORK: Market Research Expert
Position: Pro Bono Expert Advisor
Reports to: IESC Program Manager
Location: Egypt
Level of Effort: 16 days
Proposed Start Date: January 23, 2015
GENERAL OBJECTIVE:
About the International Executive Service Corps (IESC)
Throughout its fifty-year history, the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) has stayed faithful to our mission of linking stability and prosperity to private enterprise. We have brought practical, cutting-edge production and marketing expertise to small entrepreneurial clothing and consumer product firms, developed merchandising strategies for start-up consumer product firms in Former Soviet Union countries, helped private enterprises integrate new technologies and helped commodity suppliers in Africa reach international markets they never expected to access. We have set up stock markets in emerging countries and helped arrange investment capital opportunities for non-U.S. businesses venturing into new areas of opportunity.
IESC is a non-for-profit organization and, at its core, IESC is volunteer-centered organization. Our history began with the idea of deploying senior U.S. executives to situations where their decades of practical, hands-on operational expertise would work to complement the local expertise and experience of in-country managers.
FARMER-TO-FARMER PROGRAM BACKGROUND:
The Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program is designed to enhance agricultural competitiveness in the MENA region and to ensure reliable and consistent national food supplies. To help improve agricultural competiveness in the MENA region, the F2F Program seeks to increase access to rural finance by:
1) enhancing access to finance for infrastructure upgrades essential to improve quality assurance; and
2) supporting financial institutions to better serve farm enterprises that seek to implement quality assurance protocols.
DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES:
The objective of this assignment is conduct market research activities that will inform the formulation of a tailored lending programs for livestock producers in Egypt. The host organizations for this assignment will beFirst Micro Finance Foundation (FMFF) of Agha Khan Foundation and Alexandria Businessmen Association (ABA). The pro-bono expert will travel to Alexandria, Behira, and Aswan to conduct the market survey on behalf of the two host organizations.
Background:
Livestock production is a key agricultural industry in Egypt. The host organizations (FMFF and ABA) have concluded that formulating and setting up a tailored lending program for livestock producers in Aswan governorate holds great potential for livestock producers in the region and they are keen to respond with a viable financial product for this market.
The volunteer will complete the following activities in-country:
- Attend assignment briefing meetings at the F2F Program office in 6 October city;
- Meet with reps for ABA & FMFF;
- Visit livestock producers in Alexandria, Behira and Aswan and other value chain actors;
- Create an individual questionnaire and data collection worksheet, covering the needs and current situation of the livestock producers and other participants in the value chain;
- Train ABA and FMFF staff on how to tabulate the data;
- Test the questionnaires out with additional livestock producers;
- Present and discuss research findings with reps for ABA& FMFF;
- Attend a debriefing session with F2F Country Director and staff members to report feedback and discuss the suggested follow-up plans on the recommendations, as well as capture impact;
- Submit a final report summarizing observations, findings and recommendations.
The volunteer is encouraged to bring any media or training materials such as manuals, journals, literature, video tapes, DVDs or CD-ROMs that will serve as good resource materials for training and for the library of the host organizations and the Farmer to Farmer program.
Deliverables:
Project final report, submitted to the F2F Program that includes research findings, general observations and recommendations for the establishment of lending programs for targeted livestock producers per each host. A simple research plan along with questionnaires and data tabulation worksheets should also be included.
Project final report, submitted to the F2F Program that includes research findings, general observations and recommendations for the establishment of lending programs for targeted livestock producers per each host. A simple research plan along with questionnaires and data tabulation worksheets should also be included.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- U.S. Citizen or U.S. permanent resident (as required by the Farmer to Farmer Program).
- A minimum of 15 years of experience in Microfinance with an emphasis in Agricultural Lending
- Regional experience in MENA highly desired
- Background in livestock activities especially dairy farming is a plus.
- Writing Skills: Reporting requires good computer skills including, but not limited to, working and generating reports with MS Word. Experience with graphic design and/or creating PowerPoint presentations is desirable.
- This is a United States government funded program. Therefore, for the purpose of achieving desired results in accordance with the work plan and submitting requisite reports, written and spoken fluency in English is required. Ability to work through translators in the field, however, is essential. This requires deliberation and sensitivity to cultural issues in communication.
- Arabic and/or French language skills a plus, but not required.
PRO BONO EXPERT SUPPORT:
IESC provides comprehensive support to pro bono experts before, during, and after the anticipated assignment. Support to include:
- All travel and logistics arrangements and costs to be provided by IESC including airfare, visas, medical examination, medevac and emergency travel insurance, and transit expenses;
- Project management and oversight from the country office and the home office in Washington, DC;
- All accommodation, transport, meals, and incidental expenses throughout the duration of the assignment in country;
- Translation and communications support;
- Follow up and administrative support for the production and dissemination of the final report and deliverables for the project.
HOW TO APPLY:
HOW TO APPLY:
- Interested and experienced pro bono experts are requested to send a letter of interest and current resume to the following email address: volunteer@iesc.org
- Please indicate that you are interested in the “Farmer-to-Farmer - Market Research Pro Bono Expert” in the subject line of your email.