Agrifood Consulting International

Better Decisions to Improve Living Standards around the World

ACI BULLETIN APRIL 2013

Our quarterly update on Agrifood Consulting International (ACI) activities is ready for your information. We thank you for your cooperation and for helping us address the development challenges in the countries we are working with. Below please find summary information about our ongoing activities. For more information please contact us at aci_us@agrifoodconsulting.com.

ACTIVITIES 2013.
In 2013, ACI completed 5 projects! Completed projects in 2013:
Region Vietnam Project Consulting Services Studies on Master Plan for Provincial Livestock Slaughtering Capacity Improvement Under Livestock Competitiveness and Food Safety November 2012 to April 2013
The project development objectives are to increase the competitiveness of household-based livestock producers by improving productivity and quality of livestock production, enhance the value of product through slaughter and distribution, and reduce the environmental pollution in livestock product supply chains from farm to table.

Client MARD/World Bank

Vietnam

Market-oriented agro-forestry project in Quang Nam province November 2012 to January 2013
Under this Project in Quang Nam Province, six communes have been supported to improve home and forest gardens. The objective is to support the improved marketing and post-harvest practices of selected agro-forestry produce in the six communes of the extension phase of the project, and to design a work-plan for direct marketing activities for the remaining 4 months of the projects.

Food and Agriculture Organization

Main thematic focus is on agriculture and rural development policy, food security, disaster risk management, and agribusiness development.

Cambodia

Financing of Agriculture in Cambodia August 2012 to March 2013

Preparation of a study on agribusiness value chain financing based on an in-depth survey of 1030 enterprises in Cambodia.

World Bank

India

Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction Institutional Development for a Value Chain Approach to Agribusiness in Bihar (Package 1) March 2012 to April 2013
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Asian Development Bank

ACI Bulletin: 2013-Q1

The objective is to provide capacity building in agricultural value chains and to support the development of a State Agribusiness and Marketing Policy that will guide the development of horticulture sector and to conduct a policy strategic planning process and draft a policy statement to be submitted to the State Government.

Main regional focus is Asia and the Pacific.

India

Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction Institutional Development for a Value Chain Approach to Agribusiness in Maharashtra (Package 2) March 2012 to April 2013
(see package 1)

Asian Development Bank

Ongoing projects in Q1 of 2013:

Nepal Agricultural Development Strategy April 2011 to June 2013
To help the government to prepare a comprehensive development strategy for agriculture based on an analysis of the policy sector situation and wide stakeholder consultation.

Asian Development Bank

Viet Nam

Agricultural Competitiveness Project January 2011 to December 2013

The project development objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of smallholder farmers, with a focus on 8 provinces in central Vietnam, in collaboration with the agribusiness sector.

MARD/World Bank

Viet Nam

LIFSAP Socioeconomic Baseline Survey November 2010 to December 2014

The purpose is to conduct a detailed baseline survey of the livestock sector in Viet Nam for 17 provinces for the Livestock competitiveness and Food Safety Project.

MARD/World Bank

Nepal

High Mountain Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement (HIMALI) Assignment: Package 1 PMU Management Consultant and NGO Management February 2012 to April 2017
This entails project management and capacity building to increase the income and employment of high mountain people through the value chain development of their agricultural, livestock and Non Timber Forest (NTF) products and improve the rural household livelihoods in high mountain districts of Nepal.

MOAC/Asian Development Bank

Nepal

High Mountain Agribusiness and Livelihood Improvement (HIMALI) Assignment: Package 2 Agribusiness Capacity Development February 2012 to November 2013
(See package 1)

MOAC/Asian Development Bank

ACI Bulletin: 2013-Q1

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Asia and Pacific

Research and Enhancement of Knowledge Products August 2012 to May 2013

The purpose of this project is to evaluate ADB's Operational Plan for Sustainable Food Security in Asia and the Pacific and to prepare a new draft plan for 2013-2020.

Asian Development Bank

Nepal/ Bangladesh

Lentil Export Market Study January 2013 to May 2013

The objectives are to identify alternative rapidly growing export markets and attract major buyers to source lentils from Nepal, and to secure and stabilize the present main export market for Nepalese lentils to Bangladesh.

Chemonics/USAID

The highlights of ACI's work in Q1 of 2013

PAPER ON MYANMAR POLICY ISSUES A first draft of a paper on Agriculture and Rural Development in Myanmar: Policy Issues and Challenges was prepared by Richard Vokes and Francesco Goletti. The draft was sent out for comments in January. Summary The ongoing reforms in Myanmar have set in motion a process of change that will have a profound effect on Myanmars economy including the agricultural and rural economy. The scope and potential for the growth and development of agriculture and the rural sector is great indeed. While the potential for significant production and productivity gains in agriculture and the natural resources sector more widely, including fisheries and forestry, is immense, Myanmar also faces some formidable challenges in realizing this potential. This paper examines the substantial potential for agriculture development along with the constraints and policy issues that will need to be addressed if the country is to be able to realize this potential. Equally importantly, it identifies policy options that we consider most relevant to Myanmar, drawing on lessons from the successful rural transformations in neighboring countries in South East Asia (Malaysia and Thailand) and other transition economies (Vietnam). WORKSHOPS IN BIHAR AND MAHARASHTRA On February 21 in Patna, Bihar, Francesco gave a presentation on a New Agricultural Marketing Strategy for the State of Bihar. On February 27 he gave a similar presentation in Pune, Maharashtra. Both events are part of the TA Project on Institutional Development for a Value Chain Approach in Bihar and Maharashtra. STUDY TOUR TO NEW ZEALAND Background A delegation of high officials from Nepal visited New Zealand between February 25 and March 5, 2013 to learn about the successful experiences in the agricultural development of New Zealand. The delegation included high officials from the Ministry of Agricultural Development, Ministry of Finance, Farmer Organizations, and other agencies. During their visit, the Delegation met various New Zealand organizations including the Ministry of Primary Industries, farmers groups, research organizations, corporate entities, and cooperatives. They also met for a third time with former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jim Bolger, who is lending his support to the ADS project. The study tour was organized by Agrifood Consulting International of the United States in consortium with ANZDEC Ltd of New Zealand. Objectives and outcomes The study tour was part of an ongoing process of formulation of a 20-year strategy and 10-year plan for the agricultural sector in Nepal. The process is referred to as the Agricultural Development Strategy (ADS). The formulation of this long-term strategy will benefit from the experiences to countries such as New Zealand which has been extremely successful in developing a vibrant and competitive agricultural sector.
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The Delegation left with a better understanding of the success of the New Zealand agricultural system, and in particular how to transfer some of the lessons learned to the formulation of the ADS. A closer relationship is developing between New Zealand and Nepal in the field of agriculture with increased scientific, commercial, and cultural exchange.

Pictured: Cocktail party including Jim Bolger, lessons at Kiwi360, on the beach in Hamilton.

STUDY TOUR TO VIETNAM Background Similar to New Zealand, a study tour to Vietnam was held between March 5th and March 13th. The participants included representatives from MOAD and Departments and two representatives from the National Farmers coalition. The participants visited different agricultural stations, private farms, extension service providers, marketing institutions, agri-industries, co-operatives, universities etc. in order to get exposure and share cross country experiences. Objectives and Outcome The main objective of the study tour was to share cross country experiences on ongoing agricultural activities, particularly on commercialization, functional linkages of value chain actors, agricultural extension models and research components. The participants learned some basic fundamental ideas and approaches based on Vietnams extension model. The successful agribusiness model, production technologies, service delivery mechanisms in different levels, existing institutional framework, use of information and communication technology in agriculture, and marketing systems of Vietnam will help to make an operational plan and business model for small and medium farmers.

ACI Bulletin: 2013-Q1

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Pictured: The tour group in Vietnam

AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, AND FOOD SECURITY COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE On March 8, Francesco made a presentation at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Security Community of Practice (ARDFS COP) Retreat to present a zero draft of the new Operational Plan for Sustainable Food Security 2013-2020. The CoP retreat discusses strategic directions for ADB's future food security engagement for the remaining duration of Strategy 2020. ACTION PLAN AND ROADMAP WORKSHOP On March 24, 2013, the national workshop on ADS Action Plan and Roadmap was held at the Radisson Hotel in Kathmandu. The workshops objective was to share the detailed activities, institutional framework, and logical framework of the Agricultural Development Strategy (ADS) that is being prepared on behalf of Government of Nepal with funding from 13 development partners. The workshop was opened by the Minister of Agriculture and presided by the Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, the Secretary of Ministry of Agricultural Development, the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, the Honorable Mr. Jim Bolger, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of Asian Development Bank Resident Mission in Nepal, the Chair of the National Federation of Cooperatives, and the Chairman of the Farmers Coalition. In order to achieve its vision of A self-reliant, sustainable, competitive, and inclusive agricultural sector that drives economic growth and contributes to improved livelihoods and food and nutrition security the ADS will accelerate agricultural sector growth through four strategic components related to governance, productivity, profitable commercialization, and competitiveness while promoting inclusiveness (both social and geographic), sustainability (both natural resources and economic), development of private sector and cooperative sector, and connectivity to market infrastructure (eg. agricultural roads, collection centers, packing houses, market centers), information infrastructure and ICT, and power infrastructure (eg. rural electrification, renewable and alternative energy sources). The acceleration of inclusive, sustainable, multi-sector, and connectivity-based growth is expected to result in

ACI Bulletin: 2013-Q1

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increased food and nutrition security, poverty reduction, agricultural trade surplus, higher and more equitable income of rural households, and strengthened farmers rights.

Summary of ADS Action Plan and Roadmap

ACI ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACI now has a presence on social media. See our Facebook (Agrifood Consulting International), Twitter (ACI_inc), and Pinterest (Agrifood Consulting) for news updates and collections of photos from our work around the world.

THANK YOU
We value your referrals Dont forget to send this newsletter to your colleagues, or send us their e-mail addresses and well do it for you. Also, were always interested in consultants who are good at what they do please contact us with your details or ask your colleagues and friends to get in touch and well take it from there. Keep us up-to-date E-mail us your latest CV and availability details at acijobs@agrifoodconsulting.com. Share what you are doing and let us explore opportunities for exciting joint collaboration opportunities. Francesco Goletti ACI President

ACI Bulletin April 2013

ACI Bulletin: 2013-Q1

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