Rice Market Development Consultant

Result of Service Work assignments and ouputs:

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer in the Asia Pacific Regional Office Climate Smart Rice projects and in close coordination with the Sustainable Rice Platform, national partners and stakeholders and international technical partners, the Consultant will work with downstream actors in Asia and globally to establish new market linkages. Specifically, the Consultant will focus on the following activities: I. Build awareness of the SRP Standard and Assurance Programme among domestic and export buyers and facilitate business development linkages and meetings with exporters and international buyers for SRP-Verified rice from Myanmar in key markets. II. Secure partnerships with commercial organizations to facilitate availability and sale of SRP-Verified rice from Myanmar (and other origins if and where possible) III. Additional tasks in delivery of SRP outcomes under the Myanmar project and in support of SRP’s global remit, including sharing of lessons learned in Myanmar and globally.

Outputss and deliverables:

Output 1. Strategic planning of sustainable rice value chain entry points in Myanmar

Deliverables: a. Consultation with project partners and submission of a detailed workplan/methodology to carry out the activities. b. Mapping of potential partners in the domestic and export rice value chain, to be shared and discussed with project partners. c. Participate in regular market strategy meetings with CSR project partners.

Output 2. Offtake partnerships established between both domestic and international value chain actors to supply rice produced under the SRP Standard.

Deliverables: a. Continue dialogue and facilitate technical and business negotiations with at least 4 key potential offtake partners, with the goal of establishing contracts and facilitate meetings between potential offtakers and CSR project partners b. Raise awareness of SRP verified rice and assurance programme with at least two new domestic and export buyers. c. Briefly summarise progress made regarding partnerships and facilitation of meetings/ dialogue monthly basis

Output 3. Strategic partnerships offering potential for commercial growth and de-risking established.

Deliverables: a. Facilitate strategic partnerships with two new relevant national and international institutions for the CSR project. b. Continue to facilitate discussions among all project partners to ensure linkages of market demands with SRP rice production. Participate in monthly meetings with the CSR project staff and give constructive feedback

Output 4. Further tasks as needed relating to delivery of SRP outcomes under the Myanmar project, and sharing of lessons learned and outcomes with UNEP partners, the SRP Global Secretariat, and other countries

Deliverables: a. Input to UNEP and SRP forums such as workshops or side events. b. Contribute to 2-3 reports and communication materials on lessons learned from the Myanmar Climate Smart Rice project with respect to market development. Specifically, share best practices for establishing rice offtake relationship for SRP verified rice in the form of a memorandum and slide deck. c. Contribute to 2-3 reports and communication materials to support knowledge-sharing and visibility among key targets and broader SRP efforts on global scale.

Performance indicators for evaluation of outputs:

1. Satisfactory completion of deliverables and receipt of quality outputs 2. Timely delivery and approvals of submitted deliverables

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 7 months, from 1 December 2021 to 30 June 2022

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP’s Asia and the Pacific Office geographically serves 41 countries across the region to promote and implement sustainable development solutions. It assists countries of the region pursue sustainability, particularly in their implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including technical expertise, facilitating access to finance, undertaking cutting-edge science-policy assessments, offering advisory services and strengthening laws, policies, management and governance.

UNEP works with national and local authorities, civil society, other UN organizations, research institutions and the private sector to catalyze the efficient use of the region’s natural assets and reduce the degradation of the environment.

The SRP is a global multi‐stakeholder alliance comprising over 100 institutional members from public, private, research, civil society and the financial sector. Originally co‐convened by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and private sector partners, SRP is now an independent member association, working with its members and strategic partners to transform the global rice sector by improving smallholder livelihoods, reducing the social, environmental and climate footprint of rice production, and by offering the global rice market an assured supply of sustainably produced rice.

SRP’s vision is to “Feed the world. Sustainably”, transforming the global rice sector through an alliance that links research, production, policy making, trade and consumption. The vision articulates a new norm in rice, where the sector delivers healthy, high-quality, nutritious rice to consumers, helps farmers achieve better lives, and protects the environment.

In September 2020, SRP launched a new SRP Assurance Scheme and SRP-Verified on-pack label, offering a cost-effective tool to de-risk supply chains and enhance social and environmental performance. Farmers also benefit. Switching to SRP practices can boost net incomes by 10-20%, while saving up to 20% in water use, at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions from flooded rice fields by up to 50%.

Myanmar’s rice sector has major unrealized potential for growth and differentiation in global markets. However, the country’s rice sector is highly vulnerable to a wide range of climate-change impacts. A 3-year collaborative project launched in 2019 and funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) addresses these challenges. The Myanmar Climate-Smart Rice Project is managed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and implemented by Helvetas Swiss InterCooperation, Prime Agri and the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP). The project works to enhance the resilience of smallholder rice farmers through adoption of the SRP Standard for Sustainable Rice Cultivation and boosts smallholder livelihoods through facilitating development of sustainable rice value chains targeting both domestic and export markets. The project is also building new partnerships to promote climate-smart and resource-efficient best practices in Myanmar’s rice sector.

Despite major challenges over the past years, the project has continued to deliver through its direct and exclusive engagement with farmers, millers and private sector value chain actors. The current assignment supports Outcome B of the project: “Certified export and sustainable domestic rice value chains established and functioning.”

UNEP is seeking a specialist Consultant to contribute substantively to the delivery of offtake agreements with international downstream rice value chain actors, to support and advocate procurement of sustainable rice produced by farmers managed and supported by the above-mentioned project. This consultancy will work with market actors to build demand for sustainably produced rice from Myanmar, as a means of driving uptake of innovative tools developed by the SRP and establishment of viable sustainable value chains for rice in Myanmar’s domestic and export markets. Focusing on rice-inclusive farming systems, the Consultant will work closely with the SRP Executive Director and project partners to prioritize ‘crowding-in’ through creating new offtake agreements for SRP-compliant sustainable rice in domestic and export markets. The Consultancy will provide the project with an understanding of market needs among key offtake partners (volumes, varieties, timing, quality attributes and technical specifications) together with relevant compliance requirements including the SRP Standard for Sustainable Rice Cultivation. The Consultant will work with project partners to secure alignment with these identified market needs and will also explore linkages with relevant ongoing projects in Myanmar that can collaborate to drive scale and boost Myanmar’s rice output and exports in line with government policy and the project’s primary goals (enhancing livelihoods of rice smallholders through private sector development and partnerships promoting climate smart and resource-efficient best practices).

Objective:

Under the auspices of the SRP, the Consultant will lead establishment of new market linkages for sustainable rice produced under the Climate-Smart Rice Project in Myanmar

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree in Economics, Agriculture or related field, preferably with an international focus.

Experience: - Deep understanding of the global rice trade required. - Extensive experience (minimum 10 years) working on market development in Asia required- - - Experience working in rice value chains required. - Impeccable communication and networking skills required. - Working experience in a multicultural environment including United Nations desirable.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage. Knowledge of a major Asian language desired.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.