Value Chains and Markets Specialist (Consultancy) at Blue Ventures

Summary project description:

• We are currently recruiting a consultant to support our partners in developing and implementing improved valueaddition measures for key fisheries. Reporting to the Regional Partner Support Coordinator, this is a remote consultancy based in Kenya, with regular travel to field sites.
• This work will focus on identifying potential marine resource value chains (e.g., mangrove products, octopus, shellfish, lobster, and sardines) that are relevant and offer opportunities to the communities our partners work with. This work will involve the viability assessment, mapping, and selection of value chains, the identification of stakeholders, the implementation of value chain roadmaps, with a particular focus on the role and empowerment of women in these value chains, the identification of revenue collection opportunities for management linked to the identified value chains, and training and monitoring on correct and regular documentation of income and expenditure.
• The primary means to achieve better returns on fishing within the strategy is reducing postharvest losses. These losses could be physical, quality, nutritional, or market, and achieving improvements for smallscale fishers across these categories implies developing communitysupported fisheries, maintaining product quality, and increasing value chain transparency through datadriven livelihood upgrades. By reducing postharvest losses, aquatic foods harvested by smallscale fishers will continue to produce accessible, affordable, and nutritious foods.

Responsibilities

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following activities:

• Assess coastal products market systems
• Map selected coastal products to diversify community value chains
• Engage with national buyers, processors and exporters of the prioritised value chains
• Define value chain roadmaps via Participatory Market Systems Development workshops gathering valuechain actors and locally relevant authorities
• Implement value chain roadmaps at the community level
• Document the situation of women and their main constraints in the key value chains prioritised
• Develop and deliver womenspecific economic empowerment training sessions
• In close collaboration with the Technical Knowledge team, document employed methodologies and case studies for future replication

In Lamu and Kwale counties in Kenya:

• Conduct study on value addition, markets, equipment and infrastructure needs for selected communities for identified fish species (i.e. sardines and octopus)
• Conduct training for selected communities on value addition, processing, packaging and marketing
• Procure equipment and improve processing and packaging infrastructure for selected communities

Skills and Experience
Required

• Graduate level qualification in fisheries science, marine ecology/biology,conservation or a relevant business related field
• Substantive experience working in a field relating to fisheries value chains and markets
• Substantive experience working with communities in East Africa
• Experience in developing partnerships with businesses, government agencies, and nongovernmental organisations
• Excellent research, analytical and technical writing skills
• Experience in value chain analysis and market research
• Highly organised with an eye for detail
• Ability to take initiative and solve problems quickly
• Experience providing coaching or mentoring in technical areas
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Good communication and diplomacy skills
• Willingness to travel and spend time in remote and challenging environments for work

We would also love to see

• Experience of traceability in smallscale fisheries / working with fisheries supply chain actors to drive more equitable and sustainable practice/ developing storied seafood and gaining better prices for fishers
• Experience in Monitoring & Evaluation for value chain projects, and/or gender sensitive data analysis and research skills
• Experience in developing training materials
• Previous NGO experience