Background
Kiribati is an island republic in the Central Pacific with 811 square kilometres of land area largely in atolls and islets. The population of the country as per 2015 census is 110,136 and the nominal GDP is US$167 million. Over 50% of the population live in the capital, South Tarawa. The country is position 134 of 189 in the 2018 UNDP global human development index.
It is a “Small Island Developing State” and a “Least Developed Country” according to the UN Classification. A GDP growth in 2015 was 7.5 %, compared to 25% in 2014 and 5.8% in 2013 and 5.2% in 2012. The higher GDP growth rate of 7.5% was attributed to increase in construction, wholesale & retail trade industries, transport, storage, and financial intermediation activities. Sustaining the GDP growth rate will however depend on the diversification of the domestic industries in those sectors where Kiribati has comparative advantage.
The public sector accounts for two-thirds of formal employment and about half of GDP. The outer islands remain economically underdeveloped, with limited economic activities. While crop farming is limited in Kiribati, coconut remains the dominant cash crop especially for livelihood of the community living on the outer Islands.
Coconut production is reflecting a 46.3 percentage contribution to Kiribati’s National Export Earnings. Total production is recorded at 54.6 million nuts equivalent and 9,134 (MT) as copra equivalent. Coconut export value for Kiribati now stands at US$4,516,000 and showing revenue earnings as US$9,764,000. Export volumes comprising of coconut oil at 2,939 (MT), copra at 1,332(MT) and copra meal at 216 (MT)[1]
Despite the contribution of coconut to export earnings and income for the country, the sector is constrained by limited variety of products, with low-income revenue to farmers due to overdependence on primary coconut products. The development of coconut sector development is further constrained by limited participation by the private sector especially the SMEs at the community level on the outer Islands in the potential value added products.
Government has embarked on a 20-year vision Development Plan (KV20) anchored on the vision of creating a wealthy, healthy and peaceful economy. The opportunity to create a wealthy economy depends on the level of development of the key sectors where Kiribati has comparative advantage.
The government through the KV20 seeks to implement policy measures in order to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth. As a result, the government seeks to strengthen the implementation of income generating programmes on the outer Islands with the view of fostering economic empowerment of the community. The inclusive development strategy is further affirmed in the recently launched Trade Policy Framework (TPF) .The TPF seeks to ensure the benefits of trade spreads of to all I-Kiribati. The government through its Trade Policy seeks to ensure that economic empowerment programmes positively impacts on the marginalised groups like the youth, women and disabled persons.
The coconut sector provides opportunities for income generation and wealth distribution mechanism through which the government can achieve its inclusive and sustainable growth development agenda. This is given that over 80 % of the rural community especially those living on the outer Islands rely on the coconut sector as their main source of livelihood and income generation. There is need to foster value addition strategies and increase productivity in order to stimulate inclusive and sustainable economic development.
While significant percentage of the population relies on coconut sector, there is limited value chain linkages that provides wider economic opportunities for other key actors like women given that women have limited direct engagement in the Copra cutting activities as compared to men. Maximising the development benefits from the coconut sector with the view of fostering income generation and livelihood for the youth, women and other marginalised groups remains to be a key challenge to unlocking the country’s inclusive economic growth and development agenda.
Government has identified and intends to foster the production of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) at the community level as one of the product diversification strategies. Developing VCOs and related downstream product at the community level is an opportunity to reduce rural –urban drift in line with the KV20 targets .The strategy will also provide an avenue to maximize economic returns and profitability from the sector. Government also sees a potential opportunity in maximising the Profitability of VCO production and related downstream products such as hand-made bath soaps, massage oils, moisturising body oil among others;
Government is implementing initiatives to foster Local Economic Development (LED) targeting the outer islands. In this context, there is need to stimulate the development of VCO and downstream products in one of the selected Islands. To achieve this objective, government through this consultancy seeks to undertake an in-depth assessment to understand the technical and economic viability of this initiative.
This consultancy comes under the “Enhancing Inclusive Sustainable Economic Development through Coconut Sector Development project” funded by India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Facility. The project commenced in March 2018 with the aim to support the development of the Coconut Sector Strategy, build the capacity of the relevant stakeholders and to undertake feasibility study informing the implementation of viable community driven coconut projects.
As part of the project, UNDP, as the Main Implementing Entity, is seeking the services a coconut expert with expertise in coconut processing, Value chain Analysis of VCO Processing and downstream products, VCO processing technologies and proven experience in undertaking feasibility studies to inform the technical design of the project.
[1] Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, November 2017 Update www.apccsec.org/apccsec/country-profile
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant will be responsible for undertaking desk based research and fieldwork in one of the selected Outer Islands. He/She will be expected to perform the following key tasks;
Closely work with the Coconut Sector Development Committee in considering and finalising the selection of an Outer Island for implementing the project initiative, based on a defined and agreed selection criteria. The selected outer Island needs to be agreed and documented in the Inception Report.
Collect and review relevant documents and reports related to value chain analysis, VCO production and related products in the broader context of the existing policies and the KV20.
In collaboration with Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MCIC), identify key stakeholders including donors involved in the activities of relevance to this assignment.
Undertake value chain analysis on the production, processing ,transport, pricing ,domestic and exportmarket demandof VCO and downstream products;
Undertake a cost benefit analysis of Virgin Coconut Oil production and downstream products; assess and identify various processing technologies’, suitability and cost effectiveness for micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs) at the community level in Kiribati. The analysis should also consider and draw lessons from selected case studies in the pacific region.
Ensure the active participation of the local authority and community to enhance buy in and interest in the project.
Explore and mainstream cross-cutting issues related to environmental sustainability including the recommendations on specific aspects related to implementation of green businessin the feasibility study and project design.
Explore and include the social aspects related to gender and other social aspects including the level of women and youth participation.
Identify and recommend the technologyand skills training requiredto implement the identified feasible project on the Island;
Develop feasibility study report and costed project document based on the key findings and recommendations, raised by stakeholders during the consultation process.
Present the findings of the feasibility study and the costed project document to relevant stakeholders (public sectors, private sector development partners) at the validation workshop and based on the feedback received, make any further revisions necessary to improve and finalise the key outputs.
Expected Outputs and Deliverables
Inception Report
Feasibility Study Report with key recommendations to inform a project design;
Costed Project Document with Implementation Plan based on the key findings and recommendations from the feasibility study
Competencies
Demonstrated experience and understanding of coconut processing technologiesand coconut value added products and value chain analysis;
Demonstrated ability to facilitate consultative meetingswith community groups ,producers, processors and to make presentations of technical findings to a wide audience;
Expertise in conducting value chain analysis, feasibility studiesand needs assessments related to VCO processing technologies and coconut value added products;
At least 10 years of relevant working experience in the field of coconut processing, Coconut Value chain Analysis, coconut processing technologies ;
Experience in economic analysis of value chain, processing technologies., feasibility study and cost benefit analysis;
Experience in designing technical and costed funding proposals /project documents;
Experience in implementingVCO and
Experience in the Pacific Islands Countries or Small Island developing States would be advantageous.
Language requirements
Fluency in written and spoken English is essential
Required Skills and Experience
A minimum of a Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, agro-industry or related field
Proposal Submission
Offerors must send the following documents.
1.Technical Proposal (Consisting of the following)
Signed CV including names of at least 3 referees
Cover letter setting out:
How the proposer meets the qualifications and experience required.
2.Financial Proposal
Completed template for confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal
Interested Candidates must accept UNDP General Terms and Conditions for Individual Consultants
Consultancy Proposal should be sent via email to etenderbox.pacific@undp.org no later than 28th November , 2018 (Fiji Time) clearly stating the title of consultancy applied for. Any proposals received after this date/time will not be accepted. Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to procurement.fj@undp.org. UNDP will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants. Incomplete, late and joint proposals will not be considered and only offers for which there is further interest will be contacted. Failure to submit your application as stated as per the application submission guide (Procurement Notice) on the above link will be considered incomplete and therefore application will not be considered
To access the terms of reference and other supporting documents please visist UNDP Pacific Website - http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=51464