Agriculture and Agribusiness
Central and South Asia
We illustrate our wide capabilities by our most relevant and recent projects. A full project list may be provided on request
2016 -'17 - Pakistan. Feasibility Study for Manufacturing Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine, USAID via Chemonics and Dexis/Agland. The work established Foodworks Bioscience Division with a comprehensive study of the impact of the disease on farmers and the economy of Punjab, an assessment of the diagnostic, surveillance and reporting system, an assessment of local vaccine production and distribution, a review of the FAO's FMD Progressive Control Pathway and detailed modelling of a viable FMD process to produce ~50 million doses of vaccine. In addition to the bioscience, the FoodWorks team undertook a financial analysis to calculate rates of return and net present value of an investment around $40 million. Also considered was a public-private partnership (PPP) approach to encouraging the private sector to take up the challenge of the project. This effort has now moved into a purely private commercial venture.
Key disciplines: Bioscience, design, process engineering, epidemiology, livestock economics, financial analysis, PPP, bio-safety regulations, market research
2015 - India, Madhya Pradesh Water Supply and Rehabilitation Project (MPWSRP), The World Bank and UN FAO. Undertook the evaluation of a 10-year project closed covering 650,000 hectares of irrigation control command area (CCA) undertaken with a $400 million World Bank loan and involving the agricultural development of main dry season crops of wheat and mustard. Services provided included a comprehensive cost-benefit (financial and economic) analysis of the investment including production and value chain of these commodities in order to compare the original Project Appraisal Design (PAD) with post-project results. Calculations of post-project rates of return (FIRR, ERR and NPV) as well as numbers of households benefiting and raised above the poverty line, poverty impact ratios and job creation estimates along the value chain (on-farm and non-farm rural).
Key disciplines: Project Evaluation, Economics and Financial Analysis, Irrigation Systems, Environmental Impact, Poverty Impact Assessment
2014 - Pakistan Agriculture Cold Chain Project (PACCD) undertaken for USDA via Winrock and Experience International. Designed an appropriate methodology for assessing the impact of intermediate outcome. This work in October/November 2013 suggested the approaches to measure sector-level impact and intermediate project results (outcomes) on the project. Continued to implement a sector impact and intermediate outcomes assessment that was delivered in 2014.
Key disciplines: Project Evaluation, Temperature Management, Economics, Marketing
2012 - Pakistan - Preparation of the Fisheries Chapter of the Balochistan Economic Report, The World Bank. Visits to Islamabad, Quetta and Karachi to interview stakeholders and key actors. A complete assessment of the coastal fishery from Karachi to Gwadar was undertaken. From a technical perspective this work followed on from work undertaken for CSF on inland fisheries in the Punjab and on the re-development of Karachi Fish Harbour in 2008. It continued to build a comprehensive knowledge base of the coastal fisheries of Pakistan that was initiated under an ADB loan design project in the Sindh in 2005.
Key disciplines: Capacity building, Coastal infrastructure, Fisheries, Logistics
Note: the Balochistan project was undertaken by Mr. Robert Lindley on an individual basis, the CSF works was under FoodWorks, while the work in Sindh for ADB was via ANZDEC
2012 - Afghanistan - Market Study and Assessment of Saffron Industry, USAID with Agland Investments Inc. Comprehensive analysis of the saffron value chain from Afghanistan through the Middle East, Spain and to end markets in North America and Europe. Discussions were held with producers in Herat and then the value chain was traced and quantified through the main supply channels to Western Europe. An assessment of the major producer, Iran, was linked to supplies via the UAE (Dubai), Turkey (Istanbul) and Spain (Alicante). Produced a 50-page advisory report on market development opportunities fro saffron in Afghanistan.
Key disciplines: Agriculture, Economics, Value Chain Analysis, Marketing
2009-11 - Afghanistan - "AVIPA+" Project. USAID. Agriculture and agribusiness advisory services to this major ($360 million) rural stabilization project undertaken with a focus on the distribution of wheat seed vouchers in the North and development of various crops and agricultural commodities in the South (Helmand and Kandahar. Particular sub-projects included the assessment of interventions in the pomegranate orchards of the Arghandab Valley. Also an in-depth study and supply plan for the irrigated command area around Tarnak Farm growing mainly melons and grapes. The latter was part of the "Afghan First" program aimed at supplying ISAF-NATO and US armed forces with locally produced fruits and vegetables. The work also considered the supply of food products from Kandahar tby air to Dubai and Pakistan by road. Other programs included farm mechanization and the supply of fertilizer.
Key disciplines: Agriculture, Agribusiness, Economics, Farm Mechanization, Horticulture, Input Supply, Logistics, Quality Control and Assurance, Food and Bio-safety, Temperature Management, Wheat Industry,
2008- 2010 - Afghanistan - Perennial Horticulture Development Project. EU. Provided technical assistance and leadership for the development of the fruit tree nursery industry. Delivered technical training; establishing nursery growers’ associations at district and national levels and assisting their development in cooperation with NGO partners; managing the establishment and maintenance of registered mother stock nurseries; and development of a fruit tree certification scheme to raise quality standards; production and marketing planning. Achievements included the establishment of the Afghanistan National Nursery Growers Organisation (ANNGO), 28 local nursery growers’ associations, establishment of 26 Mother Stock Nurseries for stone fruits, publication of 3 nursery training manuals, and the development of a national fruit tree certification scheme.
Key disciplines: Capacity building, Horticulture, Tree crops. Training
Note: this work was undertaken by Mr. Eddie Vernon on an individual contract basis.
2006-07 - Uzbekistan - Furthering Reforms in the Grain Sector, ADB. Value chain and market analysis, sector policy reform in agribusiness (staple grains, especially wheat). Outputs included policy papers and a critical assessment of a scheme lending to farmers for the purchase of combine harvesters. Undertook on-the-ground training of 3 focal points for extension pilot projects. Included aspects of accounts management, logistics and food security systems (production and post-harvest). This was a continuation of work first begun in 2000 by Experience International Inc.
Key disciplines: Agriculture, Agribusiness, Accounting, Capacity building, Farm Credit, Food grains, Food security, Logistics, Policy, Processing, Grain Processing, Rural Mechanization, Wheat Industry