Agribusiness Consultant – Caribbean

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Agribusiness Consultant – Caribbean

Winrock is seeking an individual consultant with experience in developing commercial interests and managing sustainability issues related to the export-oriented agriculture sector in the Caribbean. The consultant will support Winrock International in assessing the potential for investment in private climate adaptation and resilience projects related to agroforestry-type farming models and identifying suitable partners for implementing related activities. This work is part of the US Department of State funded PIER project (Private Investment for Enhanced Resilience).

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT: Up to 40 days, estimated between 10/1/20 and 1/20/20, with a possible extension.

LOCATION: TBD within the Caribbean, preferably Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, or the Dominican Republic

GENERAL:

Winrock International is a recognized leader in U.S. and international development with a focus on social and environmental issues. As a mission driven, field-based organization, we believe that sustainable development is inclusive and that complex challenges require integrated solutions. Winrock embraces continuous quality improvement and a culture of impact, accountability and entrepreneurship.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State/OES, PIER works to increase private sector investment in resilience to climate change in developing countries. Since 2017, PIER has been supporting both public and private entities in Ghana, Indonesia, Peru, and Vietnam to recognize and take advantage of opportunities to develop financing and advance efforts to build resilience and adaptation capacity.

Building on experience to date, PIER is beginning an effort in the Caribbean, to work with public and private stakeholders to reduce deforestation pressure and enhance carbon stocks through intercropping, cover crops, and agroforestry. Technical assistance through workshops and trainings will result in farm-level business models and/or farm-level agroforestry models for planting climate-resilient cocoa, coffee, and bananas.

Within this context, the PIER project work in the Caribbean will be implemented in three stages: Stage One, Assessments; Stage Two, Implementation; and Stage Three, Communications.

POSITION Description

Position Title: Agribusiness Consultant

GROUP: Environment and Energy

UNIT: Forestry and Natural Resource Management

Reports to: Project Director

Position Summary:

Winrock is seeking an individual consultant with experience in facilitating commercial deals and investments in the agricultural sector in the Caribbean. The consultant will support Winrock International in identifying opportunities to catalyze private sector investment in climate adaptation and resilience projects across three export value chains: coffee, cocoa, and bananas (Target Crops), and four countries: Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Grenada (Target Countries). The types of opportunities include co-designing investment models that support intercropping, cover crops, and/or agroforestry.

The individual should have demonstrable understanding or ability to rapidly provide information on the following issues for at least two of the Target Crops and in at least two of the Target Countries:

1. Major value chain actors (producers-producer associations, traders-processors, brands-manufacturers)
2. Prevalence of agroforestry, intercropping and cover crop techniques, especially for small-to-medium scale farmers
3. Deforestation and other environmental concerns of private sector stakeholders
4. Barriers faced by farmers, especially small-to-medium scale farmers, in efforts to increase productivity, become more sustainable and modernize operations
5. Public policy drivers that incentivize or disincentivize agriculture-induced deforestation
6. Existing programs and success stories of private sector-led climate adaptation activities and investments.

The individual will be required to perform the following tasks related to the Target Crops and Target Countries in the Stage One – Assessment Phase:

1. Set up and facilitate meetings (in order of priority) with

2. value chain actors, such as producers-producer associations, traders-processors, and brands-manufacturers

3. relevant public sector entities

4. local or regional private, public or development financial institutions.

5. Assist in data collection and writing of assessment reports

6. Assistance in preparation for Stage Two activities by

   • Designing a commercially driven and privately financed farm rehabilitation model
   • Capacity-building workshops to raise awareness of climate risks, prioritize adaptation actions and encourage private investment in resilience
   • Structuring a finance product, investment vehicle or financial service to increase access to capital or mitigate climate impact for value chain actors

7. Helping in selection of specific activities related to farm-level business models and/or farm-level agroforestry models for catalyzing private investment in climate resilience such as

8. Establishing relationships, designing and developing partnership models and shepherding signing of collaboration agreements with private sector actors for above-described joint implementation of Stage Two activities

Qualifications and Background:

Educational requirement:

Undergraduate degree; MBA is preferred but not required.

Experience, Skills, and Knowledge:

Must have experience working in business development or partnership development in at least one of the Target Crops and in at least one of the Target Countries in one of the following types of organizations:

1. A large producer or an association of small-to-medium producers (e.g. cooperatives);
2. A trader-processor
3. A brand or manufacturer

It is also desirable that the candidate has knowledge pertaining to the Target Crops and Target Countries:

• Private sector concerns related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues
• A knowledge of national-level plans, strategies, and responses to climate change risks in the Caribbean, particularly in adaptation and resilience in the agriculture and forestry sectors.

Other

• Candidates must be fluent in English (spoken and written). Spanish speaking is a plus.
• Candidate must be based within the Caribbean, preferably Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, or the Dominican Republic

Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to perceived or actual race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.