TERMS OF REFERENCE CASHEW AND PEPPER ANALYSTS

21/03/2011

Agricultural enterprises (mostly small and medium-sized ones) do not get full access to all market information, especially predictive and analytical information. This is a major difficulty facing agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises while the economy is deeply integrating into the regional and world economies.

 

Workplace
Information Center – No. 16 Thụy Khuê - Hà Nội; and surveys in some provinces upon request
Duration
From Jan to Dec 2011
Supervision
The expert will directly report to Director of the Center and work under direct technical supervision of Head of the Agricultural Market Reseach Division – Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development.

 
I.                   INTRODUCTION
Agricultural enterprises (mostly small and medium-sized ones) do not get full access to all market information, especially predictive and analytical information. This is a major difficulty facing agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises while the economy is deeply integrating into the regional and world economies.
Via most mass media, agricultural and rural policy-related information is being disseminated to relevant subjects under different forms, both at central and local levels. However, this information mainly focuses on informing new policies, introducing policy beneficiaries, when and where the policy will be implemented in a top-to-bottom manner. Feedback from beneficiaries on the implementation of policies is less paid attention to and it mostly takes the form of opinions from single individuals or a few organizations.
 Meanwhile, in several current policy advisory units like the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development, policy staff have been carrying out many studies concerning supports to agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises in a systematic and effective manner. These studies have not widely been publicized to all subjects yet.
In order to support the development of agricultural small and medium-sized enterprisesin Vietnam, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved a project "Study on policy recommendations to support for development of small and medium enterprises in agricultural sector and rural areas – phase 2 & 3" which is financed by Spainish governement and assigned to the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural Development Rural to perform. One of the goals set for current phase is to enhance capacity of communications to assist such businesses
Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development is supported by the Project Management Unitto work as a hub which connects and gathers all information about the market and supporting policies for agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises inside and outside of IPSARD and which is connected with communications agencies to promote information dissemination in a quick and effective manner to relevant subjects.
            To fulfil these tasks, the Center is promoting the establishment of an expert team who are responsible for providing market information with specific content and requirements as follows.
II.                MAJOR DUTIES
Making analytical reports on the cashew and pepper market which provide needed information for agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises.
Directly reporting to Director of the Center and working under direct technical supervision of Head of  the Agricultural Market Reseach Division. 
Proactively and regularly coordinating the information collection network of the Center; collaborating with members of the Research and Development Division in making reports and then introducing them on the Center’s website; participating in market research and surveys carried out by the Center.
III.              MAJOR TASKS
1.      Collecting, updating, processing data and information related to the cashew/pepper sectors.
+  Working on the market information network built by the Center: studying focal points, prices, information sending frequency, tracking and monitoring mechanism, etc.
 Following and supervising information provision from network collaborators and comparing these data with those provided by the Customs Department, local agricultural departments in order to monitor and ensure accuracy of such information.
2.      Writing monthly reports on the cashew/pepper market.
 Making an outline for reports on the cashew/pepper market.
 Syntherizing market situtation of cashew products in localities where the Center’s information network is set up, writing monthly reports which are then posted on the Center’s website.
IV.             EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND TIMELINE
Submitting complete documents to the Center as follows:
   Writing a detailed action plan for the entire consulting period one week after signing the contract.
 Entering all data on cashew/pepper prices sent to the Center by network collaborators to the Center’s database.
 Reporting situation of the cashew/pepper sector in markets named in the Center’s information collection network monthly.
V.                DURATION AND WORKPLACE
Working days from Jan to Dec 2011 at the agricultural market research division - Information Center – No. 16 Thụy Khuê - Hà Nội; and carrying out surveys in some provinces upon the Center’s request. Two experts (one specialised in cashew sector, other specialised in pepper sector) will enjoy the salary based on the EU-UN cost norm, with income tax included.
VI.             EXPERTISE REQUREMENTS
 Having a bachelor degree inside or outside of Vietnam; majoring in: Economics, Trading, Foreign Trade, Financing, Marketing, Development economics, Agricultural economics. Preference for foreign graduation.
 Having a good knowledge of social-economic situation, corporate financing (domestic or abroad)  
 Understanding the market and policies for the cashew/pepper sector. 
 Being capable of analyzing data using basis tools: Excel, SPSS, Stata  

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