Terms of Reference
Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis of Agricultural and
Non-agricultural commodities and Labour markets in Lahj and Taiz
Governorates of Yemen
1. Introduction and Background
Save the Children (SC) has been implementing cash and voucher programmes in Yemen since
2010 and has more than a year of experience specifically in Taiz and Lahj governorates. In
September 2013 SC has started planning for the implementation1 of a two-year DFID-funded
programme to improve food security and resilience of rural communities in Taiz and Lahj. The
overall goal is to improve children’s quality of life and increase access to opportunities. The
programme has been designed to build longer-term livelihoods options, firstly through livelihoods
provision and protection and, ultimately, through livelihoods promotion 2 , for very poor
households with children under five years of age. Planned livelihoods activities, such as Cash
For Work (CFW), will seek to enhance household access to diversified foods; nutrition and
hygiene trainings will seek to foster greater awareness of nutrition and hygiene practices to
contribute to improved children’s nutrition.
The expected outputs of the project are:
1. Increased economic access to sufficient and diverse diet;
2. Strengthened sustainable livelihoods through the provisions of assets and skills
development;
3. Enhanced access to, and management, of community assets;
4. Improved knowledge and practices in relation to child rearing, hygiene, and nutrition;
5. Expanded evidence base, providing a foundation for timely crisis response and longerterm resilience and development programmes;
6. Strengthened community resilience through (Disaster Risk Reduction) DRR, Community
Based Early Warning (CBEW) systems, and contingency planning.
In June 2013 SC has conducted a Household Economy Analysis (HEA) in Taiz and Lahj
governorates. The findings of the HEA and of previous cash transfer programme baseline
surveys have highlighted a high dependence of the vast majority of poor rural households on
local markets for accessing food and labour opportunities. Given the prominent role of markets
in this context, a key premise of this programme is that improvements in longer-term food
access and resilience – through activities that seek to strengthen households’ productive assets,
enhance livelihood opportunities, and provide training on key skills (see Output 2 above)- should
1
It is expected that implementation of project activities, including CFW, vocational training, basic business and skill training, Mother-to-Mother support
groups, will start in January 2014 in selected districts in Taiz and Lahj.
2
This is the UNDP “Phased Livelihoods Approach” to move from humanitarian crisis to early recovery (www.undp.org)
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be informed by a robust understanding of market dynamics, to ultimately ensure the livelihood
activities promoted can appropriately respond to existing market demand.
To this effect SC is currently seeking to determine which livelihood activities (agricultural and
non-agricultural) hold promise of better employment opportunities, product expansion, market
viability, value addition opportunities, quality improvement and input availability for small
producers. Depending on the items identified, cost and availability in local markets, SC will
provide beneficiaries with appropriate assets (in-kind or through cash). Agricultural and livestock
inputs may for instance include improved seeds, tools, materials for irrigation systems and
materials for beekeeping; additional inputs could include livestock, animal healthcare equipment,
or toolkits for carpentry or masonry.
SC will also provide key training to male and female beneficiaries to enhance traditional
livelihoods, reducing inputs and increasing profit (e.g. how to reduce wastage in milk processing
or to produce higher quality products, change livestock feeding practices or use waste water for
irrigation) and/or create alternative livelihood opportunities (e.g. brick-making, carpentry, sewing
or food processing). In addition, a small number of beneficiaries will be targeted with vocational
training (e.g. on carpentry, electrics, car mechanics, brick making, tile making, mobile phone
maintenance, food processing). These speciality trainings will be provided in addition to literacy,
numeracy, business skills and market training. Where feasible, SC will connect beneficiaries with
micro-finance institutions and will seek opportunities for private sector partnerships to pilot
apprenticeships for vocational training beneficiaries. SC is currently seeking to identify the exact
specialisations of key and vocational trainings, and to determine the feasibility of linking
beneficiaries with micro-finance institutions and private sector partnerships.
2. Objectives
The overall objective of this assignment is to carry out a Value Chain Analysis and Market
Assessment of agricultural and non-agricultural commodities and labour markets in Taiz and
Lahj governorates (and beyond as appropriate) to provide evidence-based information to
programme design. In particular, the Value Chain Analysis and Market Assessment should shed
light on the status and viability of existing and potential markets and determine which hold
promise of employment opportunities, product expansion, market viability, value addition
opportunities, quality improvement and input availability to small producers.
The specific objectives are:
(1) Review existing Value Chain Analyses and Market Assessments of agricultural and nonagricultural products and labour markets, SC’s recent Household Economy Analysis and
other relevant project documents.
(2) Draft an appropriate methodology for primary data collection and develop data collection
tools (e.g. market survey, interviews with market actors, key informant interviews) that
will be used to conduct the Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis (to be
reviewed by SC). The methodology should specifically consult, and identify opportunities
for, women, youth and teenagers (male and female).
(3) Plan and conduct a Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis focusing on:
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identification of major local, regional and, if applicable, distant markets
assessment of size of markets, volume of sales, market integration/segmentation
local market structure and enabling environment (e.g. security issues or policies
affecting market access)
- market actors (consumers, sellers, traders, middle-men, employers) behavior
- procurement mechanisms, market requirements (standards, conditions for delivery)
and prices, wage rates and employment conditions
- Other areas as identified by the methodology and data collection
(4) Draft a Market Analysis and Value Chain Analysis report, which includes an executive
summary and practical recommendations that can be used to inform SC’s food security
and livelihoods intervention in Taiz and Lahj and ensure viability, appropriateness, and
ultimately sustainability.
3. Process & Deliverables
Phase 1: Plan of Action
Based on this TOR the consultant will draw up a Plan of Action (3-5 pages). The Plan of Action
will be sent to the FSL Advisor and Director of Programme Development and Quality by the end
of the first week of the assignment. The Plan of Action will include the proposed approach of the
candidate, methodology, a broad time frame and budget. It will also explain how the involvement
of SC experts and stakeholders will be ensured. The Plan of Action will include a clear
description of the different enterprise groups to be analysed.
Phase 2: Desk Review
Based on the desk review a revised Plan of Action will be presented. This plan of action includes
an inception report presenting the initial results, information gaps and the proposed approach to
fill these information gaps.
Phase 3: Fieldwork and Draft report
The consult will deliver and present the draft report covering the key findings and results to SC
staff, and other relevant stakeholders. Feedback on the draft report will be incorporated into a
final version of the report.
Phase 4: Dissemination of final report
The final market assessment and VCA report will be circulated to key stakeholders as identified
by SC.
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Note
As stated above in the deliverables section the final document has to clearly and explicitly indicate:
a. The added values the SC FSL project could bring to these value chains
Define the challenges and the opportunities the selected value chain holds for small producers. This
includes, at least:
o Identification of the types of value chain(s) that offer better opportunities in the local and
distant markets and what requirements have to be met to exploit those opportunities
o Areas of improvement for better production and productivity to increase competitiveness of
the small producers engaged in the value chain
o Opportunities for better employment and income for the small producers
o Identification of sustainable development potentials in the value chain
b. Prepare a complete value chain map showing who is the chain actors, stakeholders, supporters and
influencers, how many they are, values and volumes handled, all units disaggregated by gender
including a detailed stakeholders analysis.
c. The potentials for integration of small producers in the value chain
d. Identification of possible improvements that can lead to significant increases in employment and
income for the small producers
e. Provision of analysis of potential risks that may hamper reaching SCI’s goals for the value chain.
The analysis should provide narratives if the bottlenecks are critical (i.e. the project would fail to
increase opportunities for small produces if the bottlenecks are not removed as planned and the
level of risk that the bottlenecks identified will not be removed on short-term , with in the project life
span
f. A recommendation on how the project shall pursue its interventions in the face of findings on the
ground.
4. Reporting
The final report submitted to SC will include separate recommendations and an implementation
plan, in a separate 2 to 3 pages document, which outlines where SC can contribute based on
the project activities to alleviate the bottlenecks identified in the value chain analysis within the
time span of the project (2 years to 31st August 2015).
The consultant will work closely and in coordination with the SC DFID FSL sector team,
specifically the Senior Programme Manager, FSL advisor and Director of Program Development
and Quality, as well as the SCUK FSL advisor.
5.
Ownership and Beneficiaries of the study
Any and all documents produced under this assignment shall be the sole property of SC and
may be used for any purpose whatsoever without the need to consult with the author.
The key beneficiaries of the study are the local communities within the project area, as the study
will support them in understanding the local market dynamics and also support those interested
in value chain of their agriculture and non-agriculture products. In addition the assessment
report will be aimed at a range of stakeholders such as donors, public policy makers and other
stakeholders including other INGOs working on FSL in Yemen. The findings of this study will
also be used to raise the awareness level of the policy makers at the strategic, tactical and
operational levels and propose alternative mechanisms for small producers for better livelihood
options.
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6. Competencies
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Strong analytical skills
Ability to work under pressure in challenging environments
Capacity to dialogue with different sectors
Excellent communication skills
Arabic language skills will be a plus
Determination and focus on goals and results
Sound management and effective facilitation skills
7. Skill and knowledge base requirements:
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Excellent knowledge of value chain analysis in Yemen, the Middle East or East
Africa
Strong analytical, research and presentation skills
8. Application Process
Interested applicants should send a CV, with a covering letter explaining how their experience
addresses the requirements of the TOR to Lucille Tapfumaneyi, Senior HR Manager:
Lucille.Tapfumaneyi@savethechildren.org by 14th November.
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