SCOPE OF WORK 

Economic Growth Advisor as Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) 

1.     INTRODUCTION

USAID Economic Recovery and Development Activity (USAID-ERDA) is a five-year (2022-2027) activity aims to “increase economic opportunities by strengthening and modernizing the agriculture sector and promoting micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its MDs”.  These initiatives will contribute to broad-based economic growth in the province and will create income generating and employment opportunities, which will be achieved through the following three sub-objectives.

• Agriculture sector capacity enhanced and modernized through strengthening and modernizing agriculture production resources.
• Micro & small businesses promoted by strengthening MSMEs in both farm and non-farm sectors.
• Improved business enabling environment through policy reforms and Technical Assistance to Govt. of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

2.     RATIONALE

The USAID-ERDA has undertaken several initiatives that directly contributed to agriculture sector capacity enhancement and micro and small enterprises (MSEs) promotion. The Activity’s under the agriculture sector modernization efforts, has leveraged technical expertise of private sector seed and processing companies and public sector departments to promote adoption of improved farming technologies including climate-resilient seed varieties and farming practices. This, combined with the Activity’s direct technical and input support to farming communities, has demonstrated increased yield, reduced wastage, and improved commercialization potential of high value crops for smallholder farmers. Moreover, it has promoted adoption of modern technologies for growing high-value vegetables and fruits as well as offering on-farm value addition.

In parallel, the Activity has contributed to the growth of agribusinesses including agriculture input dealers and processing enterprises, promoted adoption of ICT solutions and promoting value addition. The Activity has supported strengthening of women-led commercial stitching, food products and personal care enterprises by providing targeted capacity building, in-kind grant and market linkages development support. promoting sustainable youth-led micro-enterprises in MDs in agribusiness, livestock and services sectors, USAID-ERDA is implementing a comprehensive technical and grant support intervention for the youth of MDs.

The Activity has mobilized provincial and national-level seed marketing, agriculture inputs, and processing companies to invest in KP and expand their operations in the province. Moreover, it has worked on strengthening organizational capacity of Farm Service Centers (FSCs) to improve its service delivery to member farmers and lead commercial level collaboration with the private sector. These efforts have resulted in economic development of the priority sectors in selected geographic regions, piloted private sector-led economic growth initiatives and created employment opportunities for local population.

However, it is critical to build on these efforts and develop sustainable commercial models for replication and scale-up as well as evidence-based case for private sector investments and adoption in government systems. In this regard, USAID-ERDA is seeking the services of an individual consultant, Economic Growth Advisor under an STTA contract to provide technical and advisory assistance to ERDA team.

3.     OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of engaging an economic growth advisor are,

• Provide technical assistance in developing private sector led models for promoting high value crops and market access for sustainable gains in farmer incomes.
• Provide support in designing economic growth interventions across high potential sectors aimed at mobilizing private sector investment and job creation.
• Help maximize impact of ERDA investments across key sectors by leveraging public and private sector resources.
• Assist in promoting micro scale women and youth-led agribusiness enterprise and schemes for developing their market linkages.
• Provide support in designing and implementation of market-oriented skilling program to expand sustainable income generation opportunities for women and youth.
• Assist technical teams in development evidence-based, impactful interventions to maximize value of ERDA investments.

4.   SCOPE OF WORK

USAID-ERDA plans to engage an individual consultant, with relevant knowledge, expertise, and experience to help USAID-ERDA achieve the above objectives. The specific activities to be undertaken by the consultant under this assignment are outlined below.

• Review existing ERDA technical proposal, annual work plans, quarterly reports and annual performance reports to understand Activity scope, objectives and initiatives.
• Review ERDA progress and performance reports and available data on the outcomes of ERDA's initiatives to have a baseline understanding of the key outputs, outcomes, achievements and challenges.
• Work with the relevant departments of the Government of KP to replicate and scale up successful models implemented by ERDA, leveraging public sector development funds.
• Technical support to the monitoring, evaluation, and communications teams in creating impact assessment studies and developing dissemination materials (such as fact sheets, infographics, presentations, and success stories) to showcase the successes and achievements of the ERDA.
• Consult the stakeholders of ERDA including public sector departments, market/clusters associations, farmers representative bodies, private sector partners and beneficiaries to develop better understanding of work already carried out.
• Design and provide technical supervision to implement adoption of high value crops and market linkage mechanisms for sustainable gains in farmer incomes.
• Support in development of evidence-based, impactful interventions to maximize value of ERDA investments.
• Support designing economic growth interventions across high potential sectors aimed at mobilizing private sector investment and job creation.
• Support in adoption of innovative approaches for promoting youth-led agribusiness enterprises.
• Support in adoption of innovative poultry farming among women headed MSMEs and develop and lead implementation of an analytic scheme for developing market linkages.
• Develop solutions to realign agriculture extension services with farmer needs and requirements and prepare a data led case for adoption in government systems.
• Develop and provide technical support to implementation of youth skilling program to install trainees in well-paying jobs and explore sustainable mechanisms.
• Develop and implement skilling programs for women for well-paying and sustainable incomes.
• Design and provide technical supervision to data collection schemes for impact analysis of key program interventions.

5.   TIME DURATION & LEVEL OF EFFORT

The consultant will be engaged on an LOE-based contract with a clear timeline. The anticipated level of effort under this STTA is 82 working days on intermittent basis spread over one year period.

6.   DELIVERABLES

The expert will be required to complete the following deliverables at minimum under this STTA contract,

1. Design and supervise implementation of 1-2 high impact interventions for adoption of high value crops and market linkage mechanisms for sustainable gains in farmer incomes.
2. Design and supervise implementation of 1-2 high impact interventions/schemes for promoting youth-led agribusiness enterprises and innovative poultry farming among women headed MSMEs.
3. Develop and supervise implementation of one (1) youth and women skilling program to install trainees in well-paying jobs and explore sustainable mechanisms.
4. Develop a comprehensive impact analysis report highlighting evidence-based outcomes, results and impacts generated through ERDA interventions.
5. Facilitate development of dissemination materials (such as fact sheets, infographics, presentations, and success stories) to showcase the successes and achievements of the ERDA.
6. Draft report outlining the technical assistance support provided to ERDA team as per scope of work.
7. MS Power Point presentation outlining the technical assistance support provided to ERDA team as per scope of work.
8. Final report after incorporating the feedback and comments of ERDA team as per scope of work.

7.   REPORTING

The consultant will work in close coordination with the USAID-ERDA team and will report to the Chief of Party USAID-ERDA.

8.   QUALIFICATION & EXPERTISE

• An advanced degree in the field of business management, business administration, economics, development economics, finance, or other related field from a reputed university.
• Minimum of 15 years of prior work experience with the public sector, private sector or donor/donor funded programs on economic growth initiatives, private sector development, business enabling environment and related aspects.
• Previous work experience with donors/donor funded programs in similar nature role will be preferred.
• Strong understanding of the government system and demonstrated experience of working with the government entities on planning and implementation of economic development projects. 
• Strong ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speaking clearly and convincingly.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.