The purpose of the assignment is to:

Assess the status of existing VSLAs for establishing community agribusiness centers;

Assess the accessibility of financial institutions to offer financial linkages for VSLAs to establish community agribusiness centers.

Build a database of VSLAs that will qualify to form the nexus for the establishment of community agribusiness centers.

Specific Functions and Activities

The specific activities to be undertaken under this assignment are:

To develop tools for the validation of existing VSLAs;

To validate the functionality of existing VSLAs in 50 selected communities in line with the tools developed;

To assess the willingness of VSLAs to open bank accounts and access financial linkages services;

To assess the willingness of existing financial institutions in VSLAs districts (or nearby  financial institutions in other districts) to extend financial linkage services to VSLAs;

To assess the willingness of VSLAs to host and supervise community agribusiness centers;

To assess VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would offer agricultural mechanization services to smallholder farmers;

To assess VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would purchase and aggregate maize, soybean, groundnut, cowpea and/or shea kernel on per kilogram basis for off-takers;

To assess VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would sell agricultural inputs that are environmentally friendly and approved by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA);

To assess VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would offer information to farmers on good agricultural practices, agricultural meteorology and commodity prices as provided by MOFA and MFA;

To provide demographic data at the community and district levels in selected 50 communities in 17 districts in the Northern, North East, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

To assess VSLAs willingness to provide performance data for MFA monitoring.

Deliverables

A soft copy of a report that contains the introduction, assessment methodology, findings, analysis, conclusion, and recommendations with the following contents in situ:

A copy of a set of tools for the validation of existing VSLAs;

Data on the functionality of existing VSLAs in 50 selected communities in line with the tools developed;

Data on the willingness of VSLAs to open bank accounts and access financial linkages services;

Data on the willingness of existing financial institutions in VSLAs’ districts (or nearer) to extend financial linkages services to VSLAs;

Data on the willingness of VSLAs to host and supervise community agribusiness centers;

Data on VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would offer agricultural mechanization services to smallholder farmers;

Data on VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would purchase and aggregate maize, soy, groundnut, cowpea and/or shea kernel on per kilogram basis for off-takers;

Data on VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would sell agricultural inputs that are environmentally friendly and approved by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA);

Data on VSLAs willingness to undergo training to set up agribusiness centers that would offer information to farmers on good agricultural practices, agricultural meteorology and commodity prices as provided by MOFA and MFA;

Demographic data at the community and district level in selected 100 communities in 17 districts in the Northern, North East, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

Data on VSLAs willingness to provide performance data for MFA monitoring.

Required Qualifications:

Qualifications

A minimum of a master’s degree in agribusiness, agricultural economics, business administration, banking, development studies or other relevant area.

At least 10 years proven experience in VSLA formation, facilitation, monitoring and evaluation;

At least five  years proven experience in VSLA financial linkages with financial institutions

Demonstrated experience in business development services and entrepreneurship acumen will be added advantages.