Project title: Climate Protection through Avoided Deforestation (CliPAD)

Subject of the tender: Support of agricultural enterprises along selected agricultural value chains

Client: GIZ

Country: Lao PDR

Position: Expert with national experience on business development in the agricultural sector

Contact person: Paul Belchi (p.belchi@iram-fr.org)

Project duration: 01.01.2025 to 31.03.2027

Duration of position: 27 months

Application deadline:  30.09.24

Tasks:

• Supporting the team leader in management, monitoring and quality control of the implementation as well as reporting
• Identification and economic analyses of successful inclusive business models that can be replicated in the selected VCs
• Identify, screen and select suitable agri-MSMEs for close cooperation with the project
• Support in initiating and shaping inclusive business relationships
• Develop close and trustworthy collaborations with selected agri-MSMEs
• Preparation of cooperation agreements with companies
• Organisation of B2B (business-to-business) meetings
• Support the implementation and up-scaling of successful inclusive business models
• Support the team leader in preparing and hosting policy dialogues

Qualifications:

Education/training	University degree (‘master’s or equivalent) in Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship or Innovation
Language	Knowledge of English C1-level (5 out of 10 points) and Lao C2-Level (5 out of 10 points) in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
General professional experience	4 years of professional experience in private sector development (6 out of 10 points) and 3 years of professional experience in Agri-MSME support (4 out of 10 points)
Specific professional experience	3 years of professional experience in climate change adaptation and mitigation (7 out of 10 points) and 1 year of professional experience in the forestry sector (3 out of 10 points)
Professional experience in the country/region of assignment	7 years of professional experience in Lao PDR
Experience in the field of development cooperation	2 years of experience working in development cooperation projects

Project description:

The overall module objective of the BMZ commission states: “Emissions from land use change and forestry in northern Laos are reduced.”

The above stated module objective is directly linked to the following outcomes:

Outcome 1: Governance and the implementation of low-emission and climate-informed planning is strengthened, and sustainable financing sources are accessed.

Outcome 2: Vulnerabilities of villagers are reduced, and their livelihoods are improved by engaging in climate resilient, deforestation free value chains and access to markets

Outcome 3: Sustainable management, protection and rehabilitation of forest ecosystems is improved.

Based on the outcomes, the project focuses on the following three core areas:

1) Strengthening the enabling environment for REDD+ through three principal means: enhancing the availability of financing for a transformation in the way Lao PDR manages its forest landscapes; revising and strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for forestry; and improving the enforcement of the new regulatory framework.

2) Supporting deforestation-free agriculture and agroforestry by enhancing productivity, increasing farmers’ integration into agricultural value chains, and improving access to finance and private sector participation in economic activities that reduce pressure on forests.

3) Supporting the implementation of sustainable forest landscape management and forest landscape restoration on degraded forest lands. As part of the forestry component, the project introduces participatory planning for land and forest use and establishes a system to measure and monitor progress.

The contractor is responsible for providing the following work packages:

Work package 1: Evaluation of existing studies and interventions targeting Agri-MSMEs

Work package 2: Identification of potential Agri-MSMEs and assessment of their potential for cooperation based on business model and capacities

Work package 3: Assessment of capacity building needs of selected MSMEs and development of appropriate capacity building measures

Work package 4: Capacity Building for Agri-MSMEs

Work package 5: Sustainability of private sector interventions and policy dialogue