Feasibility for the establishment of a cold store in SDP command Area, Skardu, Baltistan Agha Khan Foundation Aga Khan Foundation Job Location: Skardu, Baltistan Country: Pakistan Positions: 1 Job Type: Full Time Department / Job Category: Consultancy Last Date: 04 January, 2015 The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is a private, non-denominational, international development agency established in 1967. It seeks sustainable solutions to long-term problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill-health with special emphasis on the needs of rural communities in mountainous and other resource poor regions, primarily in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Its main areas of focus are education, health, rural development, environment and strengthening civil society. The Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan) [AKF(P)] is seeking high caliber professional for the following consultancy services The location of the consultancy will be Satpara Development Project (SDP) Skardu, Baltistan: “Feasibility for the establishment of a cold store in SDP command Area, Skardu, Baltistan” Introduction: Background: USAID has provided $26 million funding to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for construction of the Satpara Dam (storage capacity of 93,310 acre feet) to augment water supply for irrigation and drinking round the year in the command area of Satpara Dam. It will ultimately generate 17 MW power and the annual energy output is estimated to be 106 GWh. The major components of the project are an earth fills dam, four Power houses and two irrigation canals. It will provide 30 cusecs of water for drinking purpose, which is now available only for half of the population. On the average water availability for irrigation would increase by about 50,000 AF. USAID also contributed $7 million to help construct two main water canals, i.e. Left Bank Canal (LBC) and Right Bank Canal (RBC) with a capacity of irrigating approximately 15,500 acres of land. RBC will irrigate approximately 5,000 acres of land whereas LBC will irrigate 10,500 acres of land. Satpara Development Project (SDP): The Cooperative Agreement for US$ 19.75 million Satpara Development Project (SDP) was signed between USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation on March 12, 2012. The project aims to boost productivity and bring in value addition to agriculture in the command area of Satpara Dam. Specifically, the project seeks to establish a private/community managed on-farm irrigation system that ensures efficient use of water, introduces modern practices to boost farm productivity, encourages private sector to enhance processing and marketing of value added agricultural products, and creates an overall enabling environment to support the functioning of water infrastructure and agriculture enterprises. These efforts will ultimately lead to increases in income and employment of the people living in the command area. In line with the project goal, relevant objectives have been framed for each of the four proposed project components, contributing to USAID Pakistan‘s overall Agriculture Sector Strategy goal of increasing agricultural GDP growth by two-thirds (assuming a baseline annual growth rate of 3 per cent), increasing employment and reducing rural poverty by 20 per cent over the next 5 years. The project is being implemented within the command area of Left Bank Canal (LBC) and Right Bank Canal (RBC) of the Satpara Dam in Skardu town in between the villages of Hoto in the West and Thorgo Bala in the East with Skardu town in the middle. SDP has four components, namely: (1) Increasing Efficient Use of On-Farm Water; (2) Enhancing Productivity of High - Value Horticulture and Dairy Products; (3) Enhancing Processing and Marketing Capacity of the Area; and (4) Creating an Enabling Environment for the Agriculture Sector to Grow. A. Scope of Work The main objective of the pre-feasibility study is to identify the need for establishing cold store facility for fresh fruits and vegetables to improve the local supplies especially during off seasons and explore the possibility of marketing in down country. The ToR of the study are as following: Calculate the volumes of fresh fruits and vegetables produced, consumed and marketed in Skardu. Identify the marketable surpluses of fruits and vegetables (product-wise volumes) that can be stored, period of storage and intended markets. Discuss the impact on quality of stored produce with financial implications. Identify the nature of cold storage facility including size, location and type of technology feasible for Skardu area considering available volumes and need for compliances on food quality and safety. Identify the need for other marketing infrastructure/ systems which are required at back and forward ends for sustainable operation of cold storage facility. Determine need for financial and physical inputs including machinery and equipment, human resource, potential sources of procurements to establish the proposed cold store. This should include: Conceptual design & cost estimation including land, infrastructure, utilities, drainage and other support & allied facilities (i.e. testing labs, etc.). The specifications of materials used in the infrastructure in detail with cost estimates. Level of investment including both capital and operating of the proposed facilities. Organizational and management structure for the operations and management of the proposed facility Meet potential stakeholders and evaluate their need and capacity in undertaking a cold storage project. Indicate financial & economic benefits of the proposed project, projected over the period of 10 years, with necessary support wherever possible. Conduct risk analysis identifying the type and magnitude of risks and measures to overcome. B. Deliverables: The consultant will submit the report which should include but not limited to following; A comprehensive feasibility of establishing cold store at Skardu. An operational and financial plan for the cold store. C. Duration The duration of the consultancy will be three (3) months starting from January 2015. E. Qualification and Experience Master Degree in Business Administration or related fields with at least fifteen (15) year experience of Enterprise Development/ Market Development with Business Planning and value chain development/ Business Plan Development/ Pre-feasibility study of Cold storage facilities. Note: AKF(P) offers a competitive remuneration package and conducive working environment. We are an equal opportunity employer - females are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for assessment/interview. Interested candidate/firms should forward their applications by January 04, 2015. Please note that only online applications will be entertained. For more information about AKDN, please visit akdn.org
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 17:42:55 +0000