RFP IRQ DIY Capacity Building a Technical Support Market System Development

Job Description

Terms of ReferenceCapacity Building and Technical Support Market System DevelopmentOrganizationDanish Refugee CouncilCountryIraqProject TitleEnhanced economic and social inclusion of vulnerable Iraqi people through equitable and sustainable agriculture and food market systems? growthPosition typeConsultancy ServicesConsultancy typeCapacity building of DRC?s Iraq Economic Recovery staff on ?Market Systems Development?DurationTBD as per training course requirementWorking withEconomic Recovery Coordinator Application deadlineCONTEXTAs major military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq concluded in late 2017, the situation in Iraq entered a new stage. National and regional authorities, as well as humanitarian agencies began focusing on rebuilding the economy and destroyed infrastructure to facilitate returns of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their areas of origin. Although over 4.8 million Iraqis have returned home as of July 2021, 1.19 million Iraqis are still internally displaced (IOM, 2021) and significant challenges remain. Rebuilding infrastructure and supporting livelihoods are key priorities for both national and international actors. This is particularly true in the most conflict-affected governorates and districts, many of which were core agricultural areas before the conflict. The agricultural sector in Iraq is the second largest contributor to the GDP, bested only by the oil. In 2017, agriculture contributed 4.8 percent to Iraq?s GDP and employed 19 percent of the workforce (WB, 2020). Thus, agriculture development is critical to allow Iraq to achieve their vision of a more diversified economy, in addition to generating employment and boosting private sector engagement. Small-scale farming systems dominate the sector and are typically characterized by traditional methods and minimal capital investments, resulting in low productivity. There is also limited social capital and positive outcomes from group interactions, causing poor integration along the supply chain. Approximately 30 percent of Iraq?s population lives in rural areas. These populations are usually more vulnerable to food insecurity than urban households. According to the 2016 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) (WFP, 2012), 80 percent of the poorest quintile in rural areas were classified as either food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity compared to 67 percent of those in the poorest quintile in urban areas. According to FAO, agriculture is the largest source of employment for those living in rural areas (FAO, 2017). Agriculture is also an important sector for female employment; 23 percent of women working in Iraq are employed in the sector (WB, 2020). DRC recently conducted labor market assessment shows high level of unemployment among the returnee?s population in their areas of return. In one of the districts, Al-Khalis of Diyala Governorate, unemployment rate was recorded up to 48%, among which 81% are women (DRC LMA Al-Khalis, July 2021). The reasons for this high unemployment are attributed to lack of jobs in local markets, lack of access to finance to re/start any income generating activities and low level of technical skills. Lack of access to employment and financial hardships are compelling people to adopt harmful coping strategies which puts them into greater risks in longer term.INTRODUCTIONDRC is a longstanding INGO in Iraq, with an extensive program providing consumption and economic recovery support to conflict affected populations across the country. The beneficiary profile of the economic recovery program includes all categories of population, i.e., IDPs, refugees, returnees, and host communities. The program portfolio on economic recovery is divided into two major areas, i.e., relief and recovery. - Relief: Under this, DRC provides consumption support to extremely vulnerable displacement and conflict affected population. The assistance is provided through multi-purpose cash grants to households who are selected based on the criteria measured using proxy means text methodology (PMT)- Recovery: Through its economic recovery interventions, DRC uses multiple programming approaches which are further divided into two areas: i. self-employment, and ii. wage employment. DRC?s program is designed to serve as a bridge between humanitarian assistance and longer-term recovery and development strategies by identifying entry-points to assistance for households at different vulnerability stages: addressing basic needs and reducing reliance on negative coping strategies for extremely vulnerable households, and job creation and income generation for vulnerable households for sustainable livelihoods. DRC?s Iraq economic recovery program strategy is transitioning toward longer term recovery and development with application of market systems development approaches. Agriculture is one priority sector identified for recovery and longer-term development which has potential to create employment and provide sustainable income opportunities for poor and vulnerable people.DRC ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAM OVERVIEWDRC has implemented major economic recovery project in Iraq which were focused on economic relief and recovery activities with response modalities includes are emergency cash transfers, Cash for Work (CfW), business grants to MSMEs, vocational trainings, and facilitating access to job placement opportunities for vulnerable individuals through private sector engagement. Through these projects, DRC has been able to reach thousands of vulnerable communities including IDPs, host communities, Syrian Refugees, and returnees. These interventions have contributed to building the resilience of target communities as they rebuild their homes, recover livelihoods, restore public infrastructure, and restart local economies. Guided by its economic recovery program country strategy for Iraq, DRC is building its future programming with strong focus on market systems development (MSD) approaches for longer term economic empowerment. DRC has recently launched a pilot program with MSD approach which defines its objective as, ??inclusive agriculture and food market systems? growth contributes to strengthen economic and social wellbeing and resilience of vulnerable Iraqi men, women, and youths through increased access to income and employment opportunities??The MSD program on agriculture market systems has following core areas:- Establishing system actors? partnership for shared resources, responsibilities, and risks to create synergies and contribute toward improving the market enabling environment.- Increased farm level productivity in selected agriculture value chains through market led initiatives which ultimately is expected to contribute toward increased income by small holder farmers in these value chains.- Applying MSD approaches to selected value chains with potential in creating increased employment opportunities for vulnerable and poor households who are supported through activities like, skill development, financial support, and linkages for their increased capacities to benefit from market development activities.- Improve functioning and performance of micro-finance services through formal mechanisms by working closely with MFIs to increase their capacities, coverage, and expanded product, services.- Build private sector partnership with lead market actors in selected value chains with the purpose to develop and introduce improved business models which are inclusive of small-scale producers and vulnerable households.- Create spaces for women, youths, person with disabilities within the market systems with their improved functioning and active participation.- Increased market level activity which has the capacity to create opportunities and ease the entry for new micro-small enterprises and create potential of growth of exis

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