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Developing Cocoa Village Centers in Cote D’Ivoire

5:44:00 PM

REPORTS TO: Côte d’Ivoire Country Director
POSITION LOCATION: Côte d’Ivoire
START DATE: ASAP
DURATION: 6 weeks

GENERAL COMPANY INFORMATION

TechnoServe is an international, non-profit economic development organization founded in 1968 out of a conviction that a vibrant private sector is an essential foundation for economic growth and poverty reduction. TechnoServe undertakes targeted, catalytic technical assistance and other programming to increase the competitiveness of entrepreneurs, businesses and industries that in-turn provide sustainable employment, inclusion of the poor and increased incomes. TechnoServe operates in 25 developing countries with over 1000 employees. A substantial portion of our work is in agriculture, enhancing farm productivity and commodity quality and addressing gaps in processing and other agribusiness capacities. Our programs increase smallholder access to new technologies, aggregation and storage mechanisms, markets, critical information and finance. TechnoServe also undertakes structured programs to identify and support high potential entrepreneurs in various sectors through leadership mentoring networks, formalization support, access to capital and development of sustainable business services such as accounting, finance, marketing and human resource management.

I. BACKGROUND

A Private Corporation is leading the establishment of Cocoa Village Centers (CVC) in Côte d’Ivoire. A CVC is a for-profit business run by an entrepreneur that provides agricultural products and services to their local farming communities. The program seeks to stimulate the production of cocoa in the country by having the CVCs promote greater use of improved seedlings, agri-inputs and best agronomic practices amongst smallholder cocoa farmers. The Corporation has implemented CVCs in Asia with some demonstrable success and now wishes to expand the model into Côte d’Ivoire.

II. OBJECTIVE

The Corporation has requested that TechnoServe conduct a feasibility study of the CVC business model in Côte d’Ivoire. The study will assess the types of products and services an enterprising farmer or business person could profitably sell in local communities in order to improve agronomic practices across farmer groups and individual farms. This is an opportunity to work in partnership with TNS and our client to develop an innovative business model with the potential to increase cocoa yields across Côte d’Ivoire. Successful completion of this first phase could yield additional consulting opportunities on future phases.

III. TASKS/ACTIVITIES

  • Benchmark comparable business models and interview stakeholders
  • Identify products and services CVC could sell.
  • Evaluate economics of CVC products and services (cost/benefit analysis)
  • Define selection and success criteria for where the CVC model will work
  • Identify criteria for successful CVC entrepreneur
  • Define enabling functions necessary to support CVC development
  • Evaluate financing options for CVCs
  • Develop CVC business plan around profitable bundles of products and services
  • Develop implementation plan for 2 year pilot that will test a few CVC business models and track the rate of business growth, challenges faced and how they were addressed.
  • Develop impact assessment model
  • Develop plan for long term sustainability of CVC business model

IV. DELIVERABLES

Produce draft presentations for discussion and comments with the Steering Committee, and then final reports. All final reports will be submitted in three hard copies and one electronic version.

  • All presentation slides will be delivered in electronic format.
  • All reports to committees will be written in Microsoft PowerPoint.
  • Final product to be:
  • A report that outlines 1-3 business models for the CVCs. The business models will be tailored to suit the approximate skill sets of an emerging to established entrepreneur. The report will also define (i) the characteristics of strong CVC entrepreneur candidates and how to source them and (ii) an implementation program for the two-year pilot.
  • An Annex in Microsoft Word containing the following:
    • 1-3 business plans
    • Impact assessment
    • Design of pilot
    • Details of enabling factors necessary for CVC model to be successful, including role of IT/SMS/etc. services.

All documents, including the final report will be prepared in French.

V. SKILLS REQUIRED

  • Understanding of market-based approach to development
  • Demonstrated knowledge of agricultural value chains in West Africa
  • Ability to influence senior stakeholders on program team
  • Ability to structure and manage complex tasks
  • Excellent networking and relationship-building skills
  • Excellent analytical skills
  • Ability to work independently – and take initiative
  • Superior writing skills
  • French fluency required

VII. FEES & EXPENSES

Daily rate to be negotiated on an individual basis.

Please include resume and writing sample when applying

APPLY NOW

Technoserve, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.

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