Uzbeskistan_Horticulture Value Chain Development Project

The objective of the Project is to support improving financial access and strengthening horticulture value chain by supplying funds to horticulture crop growers and agro-related companies (End-users) through the accredited Participated financing institutions (PFIs), and providing assistance for improving the implementing capacity of the PIU, PFIs and farm-management skills and horticulture value chain techniques of End-users, thereby contributing to the development of the agriculture sector together with employment promotion through strengthening export capacity of horticulture crops.

The objective of the consulting services is to ensure the effective implementation of the Two-step loan Project and to expand the project beneficiaries not only to the target End-users of the Two-step loan but also to surrounding potential End-users through the following works:

• Smooth implementation of the Two-step loan operation, monitoring and reporting Implementation of Projects in the Field of Agroindustry and Food Security (UZAIFSA) in terms of Two-step loan implementation including environmental and social consideration duties and smooth coordination with PFIs;
• Increasing capacity of PFIs in terms of Two-step loan implementation including credit appraisal for the sub-loans, process the loan applications, manage and monitor the disbursed sub-loans and report to PIU appropriately, development of farm management knowledge, environmental and social consideration and gender mainstreaming;
• Increasing capacity of Horticulture crop growers to both the Two-step loan End-users and the potential End-users in terms of Two-step loan knowledge, provision of local technical resource information and provision of horticultural production technique advices through setting demonstration plots and conducting in-country training tours/study tours;
• Increasing capacity of Agro-related companies (Two-step loan End-users) in terms of Two-step loan knowledge, provision of business matching opportunities with the suppliers of the relevant machinery/equipment and conducting study tour(s) to Japan, Europe and other foreign countries, with a view to adopting the advanced skills and technologies.

Tasks of the teamleader / banking expert

Overall Management and Control of the Team;

• To carry out overall management of the consulting work for the project;
• To supervise and control the performance of each expert;
• To communicate and coordinate with the EA, PFI, end-users and JICA; and 
• To prepare or assist the experts in preparation of various reports and documents necessary for the implementation of the project and submit them to the EA and JICA as required.

Capacity building to PIU and PFIs for the implementation and management of the Twostep loan operation:

• To make PIU and PFIs understand clearly the concept and procedures of the Two-Step loan (TSL) through workshops;
• To assist PIU in modifying the OG whenever deemed necessary;
• To assist and advise PIU in its overall monitoring and management of Two-step loan fund; Capacity building to PFIs for credit risk management;
• To diagnose the analytical framework at each selected PFI to identify the assistance needs appropriately as well as how to coordinate with IFC implementing CLARA, an analytical tool for the agricultural sector clients, with a view to avoiding redundancy in the assistances.
• To prepare the Inception Report containing the outline of project plan, implementation method, schedule and so on;
• To issue the monthly, quarterly and annual reports containing the present status of the project such as physical and financial progress and loan use, performance and problem within the reporting period, work schedule for coming reporting period and other necessary information;