PROJECT BACKGROUND:

Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project (ERAS) is an eight-year USAID-funded activity, supported by the U.S. government’s Feed the Future initiative. The project aims improve the competitiveness of Egypt’s horticulture producers and related down-stream businesses and food processors. The project promotes a more competitive and inclusive Egyptian economy through growth in selected horticultural sectors with special focus on securing employment and increasing agriculture-related incomes of smallholder farmers. The project works in greater Cairo, Upper Egypt, and the Nile Delta, through three strategic regional offices in Luxor, Minya and Gharbia, in addition to the main office in Giza. 

ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND

The training consultancy assignment is critical toward the overall success of the Project. The consultant will work alongside key project staff, including the Service Provider Linkages Lead, Marketing Lead, Finance Lead and other component staff to develop several Access to Finance training curriculums that will address critical issues to smallholder farmers, association staff, university and agricultural technical school graduates, buyers, and input suppliers. The consultant will develop the training material and conduct training programs according to target groups.

ASSIGNMENT DURATION: Maximum of 115 days during 2025.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

In close collaboration with the Access to Finance Lead, the consultant will,

• Develop highly participatory training material for each topic of the Access to Finance topics including but not limited to financial literacy and agricultural finance and insurance principles. The trainer may prepare one or more of the training topics including training agenda, training power point presentation, handouts, trainee's manual, and trainer's manual.
• Provide training to Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project participants' target groups in one or more of the topics according to the approved training plan.
• Provide technical assistance and training to partner Financial Institutions (FIs) in different functional areas such as loan officer’s classroom and on-the-job training, product design, portfolio management, audit, enhance policies and procedures. etc.
• Provide technical assistance and training to insurance companies and related entities institutions as per the signed cooperative agreement with the project such as Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), Ministry of Agricultural and Land Reclamation, insurance companies, financial institutions, and farmers and Productions Organizations (Pos).
• Update training material as needed, provide recommendations for improving the training programs, and follow up on the implementation of training recommendations.
• Contribute to the Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project training plan improvement.
• Keep Feed the Future Egypt Rural Agribusiness Strengthening Project Business, Market, and Finance Development Specialist updated with the status training programs.
• Provide training/technical assistance to the Project Grantees, when needed.

DELIVERABLES:

• Hard and soft copy of the Training power point presentations.
• Hard and soft copy of the Trainees' manual and handouts.
• Hard and soft copy of the Trainers’ manual.
• Conduct Pre and post training test and submit analysis report.
• Submit reports on the results of each training, technical assistance and field visits.

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUTION AND HANDOUT:

• The consultant will deliver the training in Arabic.
• Handouts and training material, presentations and exercises will be in Arabic.

The ideal candidate must meet the following minimum qualifications:Proven experience/ knowledge of the agribusiness environment in Egypt.Proven experience in providing training programs in different disciplines related to access to finance, financial analysis, internal control, loan portfolio management, marketing and customer services for MFIs, product costing, on-the-job, financial planning, loan tracking system, cash management, agricultural insurance ... etc. Demonstrate experience in public-private engagement and engagement with financial institutions is desirable. Knowledge of agriculture finance is required. At least 5 years of work experience as access to finance consultant and trainer.Very good professional verbal and written communication skills in English are required; oral and written fluency in Arabic is required.Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills.Previous work experience in development projects with small farmers is preferable.Experience developing training programs/curriculums.Successful candidates may also have the following desired qualifications:Master’s level education in agricultural development, finance, business, marketing, or other relevant equivalent field Experience in organizing and conducting training is highly desirable.