Value Chain Analysis in Ethiopia on cotton – Call for Experts!

05th August 2019
by secretary

Agrinatura News

We are glad to share with you a new call for experts for a very interesting value chain analysis in Ethiopia on cotton.

The profiles are detailed below. Each expert will have 45 working days (50 for the team leader).The period for the study is October 2019 – March 2020.

The ToR will be circulated as soon as approved – but this is expected to be a standard study, undertaken by using the VCA4D methodology, as described in the ‘Methodological Brief. Tools and Methods’. https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/value-chain-analysis-for-development-vca4d-/documents/methodological-brief-v12

Please send the CVs of candidates to sara.baumgart@agrinatura-eu.eu and giorgia.mei@agrinatura-eu.eu , by Monday, 9^nd September, COB.

Context

Cotton is one of the oldest and traditional fibre crops in Ethiopia. There are two major types of cotton farms in Ethiopia: smallholder farms with an average individual cotton holdings of 0.5 ha, mostly on rain-fed land (30 to 40% of the total cotton production); and large irrigated private commercial farms (60 to 70% of the cotton production). Cotton produced by private commercial farms is mainly used in the modern textile manufacturing sector with little export, whereas the majority of the cotton produced by peasant farms is used by handloom artisans.

Over the past 10 years, the demand for cotton has risen in Ethiopia forcing textile factories to import, whereas just less than a decade ago, factories were unable to absorb what was produced in the country. Currently, the country produces approximately 50,000 tons of lint cotton while its current demand is around 150,000 tons. Of the estimated 3M ha suitable for cotton production, only 100,000 ha are now cultivated. Moreover, given the relatively limited use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers by smallholder farmers, Ethiopia could increase its organic cotton production.

Some of the bottlenecks that hinder the development of the value chain are represented by: erratic weather conditions, poor use of inputs, absence of mechanization; lack of contract arrangements between private companies and farmers and inadequate infrastructures.

In the “National Cotton Development Strategy” (NCDS), the Ethiopian Government defined a roadmap for the period 2017-2032 with the objective of making Ethiopia one of the world top producers of sustainable quality cotton by 2032. The overall strategy is, on the one side, to increase production, and on the other, to invest in the textile and apparel domains to transform Ethiopia’s agrarian economy into an industrial one and to create employment opportunities.

The EUD requested a value chain analysis on cotton to have a better understanding and evidence-based information on the actual production, marketing and transformation dynamics in the chain. The study will serve as a baseline to back the consultation process among the EUD, government and other partners in view of an eventual EU action in support of the cotton sector in Ethiopia.

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Experts’ profiles

Agricultural economist

S/he is a senior expert with deep knowledge and experience on value chain analysis from an economic point of view. S/he will elaborate financial and economic accounts of the VC actors and the VC (and VC sub-systems) as specified in the toolkit (see https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/value-chain-analysis-for-development-vca4d-/documents/methodological-brief-v12).

S/he is able to undertake a full functional analysis with the support of his/her colleagues.

Experience on economic analysis in value chain, and in particular in developing countries, is required.

Experience in the cotton value chain is highly appreciated.

Professional experience in Ethiopia is an asset.

Knowledge of English is required.

A collective training or at least an individual introduction to the software AFA will be made to the Economist prior to the first mission. In the case the training cannot be done before the first mission, it will be done before the second mission.

S/he will provide a report on Functional Analysis and Economic Analysis that will be included in the final report.

S/he will help the team leader to: (i) define the typology of actors that will be adopted throughout the study, (ii) formulate an executive summary and conclusions that combine the results of the different analyses in order to answer the framing questions and to finalise the report (rereading, formatting the report…).

Social expert

S/he is a senior expert with deep knowledge of and experience on social issues related to agricultural value chains in developing countries the project wants to delve into (gender equality, land and water rights, working conditions, living conditions, social capital, food and nutrition security).

S/he has experience at least in one (but preferably 2 of 3) of these domains and is able to handle and inform on the other ones.

Specific experience in social analysis of the agricultural sector in developing countries is required.

Experience in social aspects of the cotton value chain is an asset.

Professional experience in Ethiopia is compulsory.

Knowledge of English is required.

Experience in stakeholder management or policy and practice capacities are a plus.

An introduction to the Social Profile as a guiding tool will be made to the Social Expert prior to the first mission.

S/he will provide a report on Social Analysis that will be included in the final report, based on a completed Social Profile.

3) Environmental/LCA expert

S/he is a senior expert with deep knowledge of and experience on the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).

Experience on LCA value chain analysis in developing countries (in particular in Africa) is required.

Experience in the cotton VC is appreciated.

Professional experience in Ethiopia will be appreciated.

Knowledge of English is required.

S/he will preferably use the SimaPro software for LCA.

S/he will provide a report on Environmental Analysis (together with the other environmental expert) that will be included in the final report.

4) Cotton Value Chain National Expert

S/he is a specialist of the cotton value chain in Ethiopia.

Relevant knowledge of the national institutions (technical, economic and political ones) and stakeholders involved in the cotton value chain is required.

At the beginning of the study, s/he will provide overall information on the value chain, identifying key players and existing and relevant information and data for the analyses. The national expert will help to select the most relevant data from available sources, to clarify inconsistencies and to improve coherence between analyses.

S/he will facilitate and complete the data collection, in agreement to guidelines of the Team Leader.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in contact!

Photo by Marianne Krohn on Unsplash

Value Chain Analysis in Ethiopia on cotton – Call for Experts!

We are glad to share with you a new call for experts for a very interesting value chain analysis in Ethiopia on cotton.

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