About Società Italiana di Monitoraggio S.p.A.

Job Summary

Consulting Services for Economic Development Package, EDP-2B Development of the Cotton Value Chain in Balkh District, Balkh Province, Afghanistan.

CARD-F selected Balkh District as the district for the second EDP (or EDP2) intervention, as a district with high potential for rural growth and reduction of opium poppy cultivation or for reducing the risk of resurgence of opium poppy cultivation.
Balkh District, with an estimated 17,000 households and approximate population of 150,000, is an important part of Balkh province’s agricultural hinterland. It is very close to the major and ever expanding market centre in Mazar-i-Sharif and just 8 hours by road from Kabul. It is also very close to a major border crossing into Uzbekistan. Security conditions in the area are reportedly good and there have been no reports of significant poppy cultivation for some years. Land within Balkh that is immediately adjacent to the main highway between Mazar city and Shabarghan is becoming urbanised, and yet, many of the District’s residents derive their livelihoods from farming. As the main Mazar to Shabarghan road traverses Balkh District, in the longer term there may be potential opportunities for agro-processing enterprises and light industrial development along this transport corridor. Nonetheless, presently 70 per cent of families still rely on farm-based incomes and agriculture is a dominant feature of Balkh District’s economy.
Given its proximity and ease of access to major population areas, the District potentially offers significant opportunities for economic growth based on competitive supply of agricultural produce to target urban markets. These opportunities are premised on the diversification of on-farm, off-farm and non-farm activities. This potentially includes the realisation of prospects for formal enterprise development and evolution of value generating agro-economic clusters.
Balkh’s economic base is primarily agricultural, with approximately 38,448 hectares of arable, irrigated land at present. Its economy is focused on crops such as wheat, grain, oil seed, vegetables and fruits. Balkh has a mature agro-economic sector which has the potential for increased capacity through enterprise-led diversification into cash cropping leading to growth in economic activity, employment and farm incomes. Value-added cotton and dairy production provides a reliable source of income that is an attractive legal alternative to opium-poppy cultivation.
Helping Balkh District to achieve its potential through the EDP will materially benefit the lives and incomes of many of the estimated 150,000 residents of this District and a larger number indirectly along the value chain.

Duties & Responsibilities

The Purpose of the project is to develop a commercially viable and sustainable system for the production, processing and marketing of cotton and cotton derived products in Balkh District.
The Consultant, working together with cotton processors, farmers and market intermediaries, will achieve this purpose.

Job Requirements

International or National cotton production (farming) specialist, with a minimum of 7 years experience in dealing with community-based organisations and cotton production improvements in environments similar to Afghanistan, in Central and South Asia and experience of working in challenging environments

Submission Guideline

Please send your application to the following email addresses:
flaminia.sferracarini@sim-spa.it and patrizia.giacchetti@sim-spa.it

Functional Area

Agriculture

Countries

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