General Summary
To build upon the value chain development interventions carried out for the peach, potato and fisheries sectors in Swat; and after the Piloting for Information and Financial Mobile Solutions, USAID Firms Project intends to develop the market information system, that can collect the information of auctioned prices of horticulture products, in mandis and can disseminate the information to farmers and general public by using IVR / SMS/ Website.
In the current agriculture trading set up, growers and buyers do not have access to real time information about market prices in different mandis (markets) for their produce. They rely on an existing relationship with a limited number of buyers for setting of market prices and on knowledge of the ongoing rate at the local mandi in their region. The Agriculture Department of KP has presence in two mandis in the province and prices are collected for vegetables only. However, prices for horticulture products are not collected. This process is very fragmented. Due to this information gap, the farmers are unable to get good prices by selling his/her produce in markets, paying better. An effective, efficient and convenient system of price collection and compilation can be developed that can provide and disseminate prices information on daily basis to buyers and sellers of the respective commodities.
The consultant will study the modalities and methods currently being used in Punjab and Sindh for collecting information of daily prices of both vegetables and fruits and how it is communicated to the local farmers and other stakeholders. The consultant will in coordination with GoKP Agriculture Department, develop a system, relying on information and communication system (ICT)for price collection and also dissemination of information to farmers. To successfully implement the system, the consultant will also help train the representatives from Agriculture department of KP on the new system. The consultant will work as a resource person for the trainings will be conducted by the consultant. The material/ curriculum will however be developed by the consultant.
The assignment encompasses providing the details of ICT based complete solution for gathering the prices of fruits and vegetables from respective mandis, its validation, recording and uploading in an online system. As a stepping stone, the consultant will carry out a detailed analysis of the mechanism / system that is being implemented and used by the “Agriculture Marketing Information Services, Government of Punjab” (AMIS). It can be benchmarked for the development and implementation for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Objective of the Consultancy
The USAID Firms Project intends to engage a consultant to work with the stakeholders in the KP agriculture sector and analyze the current daily price data collection systems of agricultural and horticulture produce, devise efficient system for price data collection and dissemination; and will present to USAID Firms staff for in turn proposing it to Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agriculture Department. After approval of Government of KPK, the consultant will develop the training material and conduct the training for capacity development of concerned employees of GoKP.
The consultant will work closely with the GoKP to propose an efficient and practical mechanism by which prices for fruits and vegetables, specifically peach and potato can be collected by the GoKP Agriculture Department staff, recorded and submitted for dissemination through ICT tools.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities
- The consultant will carry out an analysis of the prevailing price gathering and dissemination system of agriculture and horticulture produce in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He will also carry out a study of the Agriculture Marketing Information Services, Government of Punjab” (AMIS) which will then be benchmarked for the development and implementation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The consultant will visit established markets in KP and also in Punjab to understand the current practices.
- Primarily, the assignment will include devising an end-to-end system and implementation plan for price information gathering for fruits and vegetables, especially for Peach, Potato and Fisheries sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This will include charting out a process flow for price collection whilst ensuring its applicability for integrating it with dissemination tools such as SMS and/or online web portals. The consultant will also prepare training material for two days training program for the capacity building of staff of the Agriculture Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the proposed system and will also conduct training as resource person.
Specific Tasks of the Consultant
The Consultant(s) shall use his/her education, experience, and specific understanding on the subject matter, to accomplish the following:
- Carry out a study of the “Agriculture Marketing Information Services, Punjab” (AMIS), which will be used as a benchmark for KP, to evaluate its different features including data gathering mechanism, data uploading on website and data dissemination.
- Analysis of the GoKP Agriculture Department current status in terms of:
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- Price gathering mechanism from ‘Mandis’
- The capacity of employees of agriculture department of KP to execute and implement any information and communication technology (ICT) based marketing information system
- The strengths and weaknesses of the existing set up of agriculture department of KPK for the execution of proposed marketing information system.
- Important limiting factors and enablers to replicate Price collection mechanism of Punjab
- Identify the markets in which currently the agriculture and horticulture produce from KP (especially peach, potatoes etc. are sold.
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- Market Visit to the Peshawar and surroundings Mandis
- Visit to the fruit mandis in Swat and trading platform in Matta
- Identify and visit at least two major markets in Punjab that auction / trade the produce from KP
- Process flow and developing the entire marketing information model: in consultation with GoKP Agriculture Department, the consultant will chalk out the operational model of the market information systems including detailed process flow of all associated activities. This assignment will include:
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- Develop price collection mechanism for Agriculture and Horticulture products
- Analyze skills and experience of KP Agriculture department staff and identify the areas that need to be developed/ improved.
- Develop a price reporting mechanism and process flow
- Price recording and uploading to database and website
- Process flow and mechanism on how the collected information can be disseminated using tools such as SMS/IVR and a website portal
- Recommend the nature and types of website, required for proposed model, along with its features.
- Advise on the tools and equipment (hardware) required to assist all of the above
- Submit a final report encompassing price information gathering modalities, reporting, and dissemination/uploading mechanism.
- The consultant will also present his key findings to GoKP and USAID Firms Project
- After approval of proposed model by GoKP, prepare training material for a two days training event and in turn conduct training for the representatives of GoKP.
In addition to above tasks, the consultant is supposed to submit interim reports which will be submitted periodically during the assignment at the time of submission of deliverables, in editable formats that may comprise of site visits, trip reports, meetings with key players, and overall progress of assigned work.
Job Qualifications
- Masters degree or PhD in Agricultural Economics with experience of conducting similar studies.
- Minimum 05 years of relevant professional experience preferably working for agriculture marketing field in Pakistan
- Knowledge and understanding of AMIS Punjab and its operations
- At least one similar assignment of enhancing agriculture trading practices in Pakistan
- Excellent English and Urdu writing, report writing and, communication skills. Skills in Pashto language a plus.
Deliverables
- Implementation methodology and work-plan for consultancy
- Analysis of AMIS Punjab
- Capacity analysis of GoKP Agriculture Department
- Market Visits in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab
- Proposed model encompassing price collection, reporting, and dissemination/ uploading mechanism and the tools and equipment required for assignment
- Submission of complete market information
- Training material development for training of representatives of GoKP Agri. Department
- Execution of training (one event of two days) on proposed model
- Final Report
Duty Station
For perdiam purpose, the home station of consultant will be treated as base station. Since this assignment is for KPK province, the consultant will have to undertake most of work from Islamabad office of USAID Firms Project. However, he/she would be required to visit other cities, as per the needs and requirements of the assignment.
Duration of the Assignment
This assignment is planned to take place as per a start date of on or around April 25, 2014 and end date of on or around July 15, 2014 hereto for a total of 40 days LOE (Level of Effort), including 15 travel days.
Note: Applications can also be submitted through email at [email protected] till April 17, 2014. Kindly mention the consultancy position clearly in the subject line.