Junior consultant to support the potato value chain assessment in Rwanda at United Nations Economic Commission for Africa: (Deadline 12 April 2024)

Result of Service

a. An assessment of potato value chain actors (producers, cooperatives, NGOs, merchants, and processing firms in Rwanda), potato by-products, and the challenges the value-chain actors face. b. An assessment of the overall potato value chain in Rwanda. c. Sound recommendations to increase the productivity and quality of potato products using certified and improved seed varieties that are more climate resilient and early yielding. d. Assessment of the potato logistics distribution and storage capacity to reduce post-harvest losses. e. Assessment of potato derivative products already available and new possible derivative potato products, based on world experience, to enhance the potato value chain, potato contribution to food security, poverty reduction, and economic growth in Rwanda. f. Strategies to improve market access and income of local potato producers and manufacturers. g. Macroeconomic, social, and agricultural statistics, relevant to the Rwandan agricultural potato sector.

Work Location

home based

Expected duration

2.5 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION Agriculture stands out as one of the most strategic sectors in Rwanda’s development. Under its pillar “Agriculture for wealth creation”, Rwanda’s Vision 2050 sets the overarching objective to attain agriculture transformation equally led by both men and women professional farmers and commercialized value chains. The sector employed 54.67% of the total employed population in 2021 and contributed about 27% to the GDP in the first quarter of 2023 . In addition, it accounts for a significant part of the foreign exchange earnings. About 61% of Rwandan soil is suitable for agriculture. The country’s principal staple crops include coffee, pyrethrum, tea, flowers, beans, cassava, banana, rice, wheat, sugarcane, and Irish potatoes. Rwanda is the fifth biggest producer of potatoes in Africa, after Algeria, Egypt, Malawi, and South Africa, in 2022. Through the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS2) and Vision 2020, the Government of Rwanda’s goal is to transform subsistence farming into a modern agricultural sector. Irish potato is one of the six priority crops. So important is the plant that the government earmarked it under the Crop Intensification Program (CIP) of 2007 to ensure that it gets maximum production. In addition, over 800,000 small farmers are involved in the cultivation of Irish potatoes, mostly in the high-altitude regions of the northwest of the country. The crop contributes to about 10% of the agricultural GDP and it is commendable for food security and income generation. In Rwanda, potato is mostly grown in Musanze, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Burera, Gicumbi, and Nyamagabe districts where different potato varieties such as Gikungu, Kinigi, Kirundo, Cruza, and Kuruseke are cultivated. The dynamization of the potato value chain in Rwanda, cultivation of varieties of potatoes that are more resistant to climate change and less sensitive to degradation, as well as an industrial sector capable of transforming raw potatoes into manufactured products with high added value, would contribute significantly to improving the lives of these farmers. The potato value chain in Rwanda faces several challenges, including low productivity, lack of storage and processing facilities, post-harvest losses, weak market linkages, low transformation of raw potato into its derivative products, and limited extension services. These constraints limit the potential of the sector to meet the growing demand for potato products, both domestically and regionally, to improve the living standards of farmers and local producers and increase the contribution of the crop to the socio-economic development of the country. 2. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF CONSULTANCY Based on a request of the Government of Rwanda, the main objective of this project is to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the potato value chain in Rwanda, by addressing the key bottlenecks and opportunities along the production, post-harvest, industrial transformation, marketing stages, and supply chain. The project will adopt an inclusive and participatory approach, involving all the relevant stakeholders, such as farmers, cooperatives, processors, traders, consumers, government agencies, research institutions, NGOs, and development partners. 3. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES In close consultation with and under the guidance of the lead consultant of the project and the project manager at the Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA), the national consultant will conduct a comprehensive value chain analysis to identify the gaps, needs, and opportunities for improving the performance and profitability of the potato sector. With the view to perform the above duty, the national consultant will carry out the following tasks and activities: 1. Inception report: a. Assist with desktop research, conduct interviews, hold key informant and focused group discussions, and liaise with local officials and development partners and main actors of the potato value chain providing context and input for the study to determine the gaps in terms of access to improved intrants and production and the strengths and weaknesses of the different segments of the value chain. b. Within the methodology, assist in conducting a review on strengthening the capacity of farmers and cooperatives to adopt improved varieties, agronomic practices, and seed systems. This involves ensuring easy access to farmer field schools, demonstration plots, and seed multiplication centers. c. Assist in conducting a review on the establishment or upgrade of storage and processing facilities in major potato production zones to mitigate post-harvest losses, enhance value addition, and diversify product offerings. d. Assist in identifying processed potato derivative products available in the country and the region, as well as the linkages between local farmers and processing companies. e. Assist in assessing market linkages and establish contract farming arrangements between farmers, cooperatives, processors, and buyers. This aims to ensure stable and equitable prices, adherence to quality standards, and the provision of market information. f. Sort, consolidate, extract, and processes data for the study; and g. Perform other support work as requested by the lead consultant or project manager. 2. Collaborate with national stakeholders (both public and private) and relevant development partners in the potato value chain. Initiate discussions on their current funding mechanisms and evaluate mechanisms applied by other agencies, including their SWOT analysis, as outlined in the Inception Report. 3. Collaborate with national stakeholders (both public and private) and relevant development partners in the potato value chain. Initiate discussions on their current funding mechanisms and evaluate mechanisms applied by other agencies, including their SWOT analysis, as outlined in the Inception Report. 4. Provide an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses in the policy and regulatory environment for the potato sector. 5. Support in drafting sections of the preliminary report, including preparing tables, charts, and diagrams. 6. Assist in organizing an online validation workshop for the consultant to present proposals for review and feedback to national stakeholders and partners. 7. Submit a proposal to strengthen the potato complete value chain based on conclusions and contributions from the workshop for a final round of comments. 8. Finalize the report, proposing the most suitable mechanism to strengthen the potato value chain in Rwanda. 9. Perform other support work as requested by the international consultant or project manager and assists with the presentation of the findings and recommendations to the Ministry.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic qualifications: A University degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in economics, agronomy, sustainable development studies, statistics, or a related field is required. Experience: Two (2) years’ experience in collecting and researching data across various areas of agriculture, social, economic, and sustainable development or related areas is required. Preference will be given to candidates who are based in Rwanda. Also, the national consultants should ideally: ─ Have some experience in conducting statistical analysis. ─ Be familiar with the agricultural sector and the prevalent farming systems n Rwanda. ─ Have some experience working with national institutions (e.g., Ministry of Agriculture). ─ Be able to demonstrate experience working under tight deadlines and delivering high-quality outputs. ─ Possess strong oral and written communication skills. ─ Show the ability to work independently, proactively, and with little supervision.

Languages

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required (oral and written). Knowledge of Kinyarwanda is desirable.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.