Consultancy: Market & Value Chain Analayis at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Nigeria through the Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) sector is implementing a two years agriculture project in Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria. The project focused to transform agricultural production for smallholder farmers through the following objectives:

• Improve agricultural production and livelihoods of vulnerable smallholder farmers through climate-smart practices and other improved agricultural practices
• Increase smallholder farmer’s access to quality inputs for agricultural production.
• Enhance smallholder farmer’s access to market information and opportunities to increase their income.
• In line with the aforementioned objectives, the IRC is seeking the services of a consultant to carry out market and value chain analysis of Rice and Maize in the project area.

Objectives of the value chain analysis
The main objective of this analysis is to provide sufficient understanding on the current status and potential of Rice and Maize Value chains in the project area by identifying specific bottlenecks and opportunities in the value chains that can be addressed and leveraged through the project intervention thereby increasing production, income and employment for smallholder’s farmers. 

The specific objectives for Value Chain Analysis are as follows:

• Identify major production pockets, growth potential, market trends and competitiveness of the value chains (supply and demand) including its future prospects.
• Conduct a value chain mapping that depicts the chain actors and their functions & inter relationship.
• Identify and examine constraints and opportunities within the value chain  (rice and maize) and recommend interventions to overcome the constraints
• Analyse dynamics of processing and value creation, reward distribution, value chain governance and structures and knowledge transfer.
• Identify the underlying policy, institutional, and infrastructural issues that affect the competitiveness of the value chains with reference to the role of government and private sector in the area.
• Also develop a matrix indicating areas of priorities for which public sector can intervene and areas for the private sector support
• Identify institutions and organizations working for the value chains from national, state and  local levels (NGOs and private sectors) that can contribute to the value chain development

The specific objectives for Agro dealers are:

• Identify the different types of products agro dealers are selling; demand for the products and their seasonality
• Identify challenges affecting agro dealers in restocking products 
• Identify the relationship between agro dealer’s retailers and wholesalers, what constraints exist between the two
• The general constraints/challenges affecting agro dealers in their businesses
• Identify the different training needs and type require by agro dealers
• Identify agro dealer’s challenges in setting up outlets in rural communities
• Identify associations/groups established among agro dealers; the constraints affecting the associations.
• Identify the type of supports received from government, private sectors and NGOs by the agro dealers

Expected Outcome

The consultant is expected to provide the IRC with a comprehensive value chain analysis report having the following, but not necessarily limited to:

• Detailed analysis of Rice and Maize value chains with quantitative and qualitative description and the incremental values at each level of the chain.
• Value chain mapping of actors, process stages, monetary flows, governance and power structures, information and knowledge flows from input, production, processing to consumption level.
• Economic analysis, production and market costs and revenues, value additions and profit margin along the chain including income and employment.
• Production pockets area and major market centres identification, growth potential, market trends (supply and demand) including cross-border trade (export and import) and competitiveness of selected value chain.
• Map the main actors providing farmer services (agro dealers, extension, information services and financial products including insurance)

Identify constraints and opportunities at each stages of value chains and leverage points, such as:

• Challenges to production (environmental and inputs)
• Land access
• Gender—women’s participation in different stages of the value chain
• Recommend areas of interventions to improve the value of products including capacity building requirements for pro poor value chain development.
• Enabling environment (policy/incentives and its implication) with suitable policy advice for project implementation and VC supporting/facilitating organizations and institutions at local or national level (CBOs, cooperatives, NGOs and private sector) and their roles.

List of stakeholders consulted and list of References (studies and other literature used)

• Agro Dealers
• Detailed analysis of agro dealer’s products, demand and seasonality
• Mapped out the locations of agro dealers for the project engagement
• Agro dealers challenges identified 
• Training needs for agro dealers identified 
• List of agro dealers consulted and their contacts

Deliverables
The consultant is expected to deliver the following to IRC:

• Provide methodologies, work plan, assessment tools to be use for the market and value chain analysis 
• A Report capturing  key findings, recommendations of the market and value chain analysis

Geographical Scope
The geographical scope of the analysis will cover Adamawa State in general, Mubi North and Mubi South in particular, with more focus on Muchalla Community.

Consultant expertise required

• Relevant degree(s) in Social Sciences or Development studies.
• Strong experience with and of qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Proven experience in conducting surveys and research in the areas of smallholders farmers, value chain analysis, agricultural technology adoption, gender, and capacity strengthening.
• Excellent communication and written skills in English and the ability to present data concisely and clearly.