DAI Global
Position: Policy LINK – Agricultural Lending Expert
Location: Accra, Ghana (with travel to Tamale as needed)
Contract Name: USAID/Feed the Future Policy LINK
Status: Short Term Technical Assistance (Independent Consultant)
Period of Performance: June 13, 2022 – September 5, 2022
Supervisor: Ghana Country Lead
Level of Effort: 30 days
ACTIVITY BACKGROUND
The Policy LINK/Ghana seeks a consultant to assist in the Assessment of Policy Interventions on Agricultural Lending in Ghana. This assessment will examine the practice and performance of agricultural lending and examine long-term interventions to improve agricultural lending terms. Special attention will be given to macroeconomic and structural factors that affect the policy rate, with recommendations on how to lower the policy rate (or to provide sustainable incentives) to spur greater agricultural lending while limiting inflation.
METHODOLOGY: This assessment will identify challenges and solutions that affect policy interventions on agricultural lending rates in Ghana through a comprehensive literature review of reports from USAID/Ghana implementing partners, GOG documents and any other relevant sources on agricultural lending, and from key informant interviews. Consultants will initially carry-out desk study research to produce an inception report. The inception report will include an agenda for on-site meetings with local stakeholders (banks, other financial institutions, investors, agri-businesses, and other operators in the agri-business space). This initial phase will be followed by an on-site visit of two-weeks to meet with the stakeholders identified in the inception report. Outputs from the visit will be used to prepare a draft report to be submitted to USAID/Ghana staff for approval.
POSITION OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this assessment are:
- Conduct a review of agricultural lending products and terms, including interest rates, maturity, and agricultural lending rates. Also review opportunities provided by venture capital, equity, and investment from high net-worth individuals.
- Explore the agricultural lending ecosystem; i.e., the macroeconomic and microeconomic policies, laws, regulations, and rules that increase the costs of agricultural lending and draw out linkages/effects between current policies and lending rates.
- Identify macroeconomic or microeconomic policy constraints limiting competitive lending rates in agricultural credit markets.
- Identify behavioral approaches that can facilitate improved lending rates through policy, and present best practices that can inform approaches for mission support.
- Examine the legal framework governing the financial sector in Ghana and identify portions of it that affect agricultural lending rates negatively and positively.
- Make recommendations for short, medium, and long-term actions to address identified challenges limiting the reduction of leading rates through policy interventions. Short-term recommendations could be implemented within one year, while long-term recommendations would be implemented within five years.
POSITION TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The local consultant will assist the international consultants in the following tasks:
- Identifying key documents to be consulted during the inception phase;
- Identifying local stakeholders (i.e., banks, other financial institutions, investors, agri-businesses, and other operators in the agri-business space) to meet during the on-site visit.
- Supporting the team in the preparation of the agenda for the on-site work (including arranging meetings);
- Supporting the team during the on-site mission (participate in meetings as per needed) and for follow up remote meetings (as needed);
- Following up with stakeholders after the on-site visit (as needed).
- Provide targeted (written) inputs/ideas for the assessment
ANTICIPATED TIMELINE
This consulting assignment will take a total of 30 working days spread over a period of performance from June 13 to September 5. Below is a proposed schedule for this assignment:
Phase 1
Action: Identify and engage relevant, key public and private stakeholders and schedule remote meetings and in-person meetings for the DAI team’s July in-country trip. Conduct research as requested by the DAI team.
Estimated Level of Effort: Up to 7 days
Phase 2
Action: Facilitate and participate in in-person meetings with DAI team and contribute to notetaking and information gathering
Estimated Level of Effort: Up to 12 days
Phase 3
Action: Provide post-trip support with follow-up meetings (remote) and provide written inputs and review of the lending assessment, as required.
Estimated Level of Effort: Up to 11 days
DELIVERABLES
The local consultant will be directly responsible for the following deliverables:
- List of stakeholder and contacts for the on-site visit and remote meetings to be included in inception report
- Proposed agenda and contacts ahead of the on-site visit and for remote meetings, when necessary
- Logistical support during on-site visit
- Schedule meetings with relevant stakeholders
How to apply
Please submit applications electronically via this website by June 10, 2022.
Applications will be considered in the order received.
Candidates will be required to answer certain qualifying questions before uploading their CVs and cover letters to the application form for consideration.
Only candidates who are shortlisted for interviews will be contacted. No email inquiries please.