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  • With support from IICA, Antigua and its neighbours mobilize to strengthen food security

With support from IICA, Antigua and its neighbours mobilize to strengthen food security

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With support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Caribbean countries are working to develop projects aimed at strengthening food security and risk management in the agriculture sector, which represent key issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Projects currently being implemented include the renovation of an abattoir in Grenada, the sowing of drought-resistant forage for livestock in Antigua and Barbuda, and the provision of training in the use of drones for agricultural disaster risk management in Suriname.

IICA’s food security initiatives in Grenada are focused on the Mirabeau abattoir, where activities are currently underway. In collaboration with the ministries of Agriculture and Finance, respectively, IICA obtained grants from the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) last year to assist in renovating and procuring equipment, as well as providing training in and improving procedures in the facilities.

The staff at the Mirabeau Abattoir are safer in their workplace thanks to personal protective equipment, first aid materials and disinfectants donated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands by the IICA Delegation in Grenada.

National Specialist for IICA in Grenada, Derek Charles, stated that the equipment and materials donated were part of IICA’s Agricultural Health and Food Safety Hemispheric Program that was implemented in Grenada in 2019.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, IICA received external funds from the Australian High Commission Direct Aid Program to establish four demonstration plots in Antigua and Barbuda to produce a variety of drought tolerant grasses and legumes, such as mulberry, vetiver and dwarf elephant grass.

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In light of the pandemic and mill feed shortages that could result from shipment delays, this project will enable famers to rapidly multiply forage material for livestock to replace feed manufactured in mills.

Planting material is currently being prepared as part of the project, which was launched in February 2020. The initiative will provide 250 mulberry plants, 150 glyceria plants and 200 dwarf elephant grass plants. Other high protein forages will be propagated and planted in each of the four plots, which will be watered using only drip irrigation.

The project will benefit more than 35 livestock farmers who form part of the National Livestock Association, and the Ministry of Agriculture will establish a demonstration plot at a government station.

In Suriname, IICA held a workshop on geospatial 3D-modeling tools and drone usage aimed at improving technical and institutional capacities for agricultural disaster risk management (ADRM) and sustainable agriculture.

In addition to agricultural and environmental planning, these same knowledge and skills sets can be utilized in socioeconomic development planning, particularly in the many remote rural communities in Suriname.

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REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION)

 

OECS MSME Guarantee Facility Project

Loan No.: IDA-62670, IDA-62660, IDA-62640, IBRD-88830, IDA-62650

Assignment Title: Senior Operating Officer (SOO)

Reference No. KN-ECPCGC-207852-CS-INDV

 

The Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have received financing in the amount of US$10 million equivalent from the World Bank towards the cost of establishing a partial credit guarantee scheme, and they intend to apply part of the proceeds to payments for goods, and consulting services to be procured under this project. 

The consultant will serve as the “Senior Operating Officer (SOO)” for the ECPCGC and should possess extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to Micro, small and medium-sized businesses, knowledge of the internal control processes necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate should possess an Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Accounting, Banking or related field, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in lending, inclusive of MSME lending. The initial employment period will be for two years on a contractual basis. Renewal of the contract will be subject to a performance evaluation at the end of the contractual period. The assignment is expected to begin on September 30th, 2021.  The consultant will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the ECPCGC.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be viewed by following the attached link below. 

 

https://bit.ly/3iVannm

 

The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have:

  • An Undergraduate Degree from a reputable college or university, preferably in Business, Finance, Banking or related field; and
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in MSME lending. Applicants should also have:
  • The ability to design and implement risk management procedures 
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME lending with some direct experience lending to small and medium-sized businesses
  • Extensive knowledge of MSME banking operations
  • Knowledge of the internal controls necessary for a lending operation and the ability to design and implement risk management procedures
  • Experience developing and presenting information in public, including responding to questions in real-time
  • Experience lending to MSMEs located in the ECCU
  • Knowledge of marketing and communicating with the MSME sector
  • Ability to draft procedures to be used in a lending operation
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a loan guarantee program
  • Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and
  • Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite.

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to Section III, Paragraphs 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers July 2016, [revised November 2017] (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Approved Selection Method for Individual Consultants set out in the clause 7.34 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. 

 

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0800 to 1700 hours:

Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation

Brid Rock, Basseterre,

St. Kitts.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form by e-mail by August 11th, 2021, to [email protected]

 

For further information, please contact:

Carmen Gomez-Trigg                                                            Bernard Thomas

Chief Executive Officer                                                          Chief Financial Officer

Tel: 868-620-8144                                                                  Tel: 869-765-2385

Email: [email protected]                                          [email protected]