Agricultural Economics Researcher

Job title: ADB’s consultant: The Agricultural Economics Researcher
Organization: Asian Development Bank
Project: TA-6521 REG: Accelerating the Implementation of the Core Agriculture Support Program - Evaluation of Agriculture Productivity Growth in Greater Mekong Subregion (39542-012)

A.Background

The regional capacity development technical assistance (R-CDTA) aims for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to be recognized as the leading producer of safe food, using climate-friendly agricultural practices, integrated into global markets through regional economic corridors. This will be achieved through (i) strengthening regional policy and capacity for agri-food quality management; (ii) establishing electronic trade of environmentally friendly agri-food production of smallholders; (iii) increased adoption of gender responsive and climate friendly agriculture; (iv) facilitated knowledge management and dissemination; and (v) strengthened regional cooperation on agriculture in GMS. The TA is expected to expand market access and to increase market demand for environmentally friendly agricultural products produced by smallholders in the GMS by strengthening the food-safety assurance system.

B.    Objective

The objective of this consultancy engagement is to conduct a study to assess agricultural productivity of the GMS country to provide a basis for policy makers to design appropriate policies to boost agricultural productivity and for CASP II to use this study as a result-based monitoring instrument. The specialist is expected to conduct research, compile relevant data and analyze the data to inform policy makers of the current state of agricultural productivity growth in each GMS country and in the region as a whole, identify types and sources of productivity growth and make policy recommendations to effectively raise agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner.     

C.     Scope of Work

The proposed research is a desk-based study. The researcher is expected to construct Environmentally-Adjusted Total Factor Productivity (E-TFP) of aggregate agricultural products and of selected economically significant agricultural commodities. The results should be compared with the TFP of selected countries/regions, as well as the conventional TFP of the GMS countries to evaluate the sustainability of the existing agricultural practices. The proposed work does not entail travel to GMS counties although it is likely that contact may be required with local personnel for the purpose of data clarification. The expert is also expected to compile agricultural trade statistics including international and intra-regional trade.
The consultant will work under the guidance of the ADB Project Officer and the Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) Secretariat Manager, and collaborate with other consultants under the TA.

D. Responsibilities

The Agricultural Economics Researcher (International, 66 person-days to be implemented intermittently in four (04) calendar months) is tasked to do the followings:

• Review relevant GMS and international research into factors contributing to productivity growth in agriculture, with a particular focus of the role of development policies. Literature review of relevant researches are expected to be limited to recent research over the last 10 years, rather than a comprehensive one;
• Provide inter and intra GMS trade statistics for agriculture products and a brief analysis of trade patterns;
• Compare rates of growth of the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) for the agricultural sector as a whole and for commonly traded agricultural commodities using production function, cost function and/or profit function approach as appropriate. Preferably, the measurements of the TFP will incorporate environmental costs associating with agricultural extensification and intensification using conventional farming practices;
• Analyze sources and types of agricultural productivity growth;
• Analyze externalities of current conventional agricultural practices and assess the overall costs to the economy;
• Conduct an analysis of the potential factors that may contribute to differing rates of productivity growth within the GMS;
• Conduct scenarios assessment of the extension of climate-friendly agriculture on environment, long-term productivity and food security situation in the GMS counties;
• Analyze potential implications of the observed productivity growth rate differences especially in terms of the future international competitiveness of the relevant farm commodity sector;
• Analyze the existing agricultural investment policies and other productivity-related agricultural policies in GMS countries and provide policy recommendations on investment needs and ways to effectively and sustainably improve productivity and competitiveness of the agricultural sector;
• The main output of the study will be a project report and compilation of data relating to productivity growth analysis and agricultural trade statistics. The report should at least cover the contents outlined above.
• The report will be written in plain English, suitable for an informed but non-technical audience. The primary audience will be policy makers such as politicians, bureaucrats, consultants and business/farm leaders who are regularly involved in policy decision-making process;
• The report writing style should conform with ADB’s publication guidelines;
• As part of the project output, the author(s) of the report may be required to present the findings and conclusions of the report to a regional forum convened by ADB or the WGA Secretariat.

E.Required competence:

• Postgraduate degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, development economics, international economics, social science or related disciplines;?(ii) Proven experience in research especially on agriculture production, productivity analysis and trade in GMS countries with at least 7 years of general experiences and 3 years of specific experience. Preferences will be given to candidates who have worked in the GMS countries;
• Extensive and up-to-date knowledge of agriculture issues and policies in the GMS;
• Fluency in written and spoken English;?
• Strong analytical and report writing skills;?
• Competent in using data analysis applications.
• Minimum General Experience 7 Years
• Minimum Specific Experience (relevant 3 Years

Interested candidates should follow application submission instructions. Only short listed candidates shall be contacted.

• Register as an individual consultant at the following link: https://uxdmz06.adb.org/OA_HTML/adb/adbpos/jsp/ADBCMSLogin.jsp [1]. If already registered, pls update profile and other documents;
• Go to Consulting Services Recruitment Notice (CSRN) at: https://uxdmz06.adb.org/OA_HTML/OA.jsp?OAFunc=XXCRS_CSRN_HOME_PAGE; [2]
• Select Agricultural and Natural Resources and click Search;
• Look for the following TOR title: TA-6521 REG: Accelerating the Implementation of the Core Agriculture Support Program - Evaluation of Agriculture Productivity Growth in Greater Mekong Subregion (39542-012), Date Published: 10-Dec-2013    Deadline of Submitting EOI: 06-Jan-2014 11:59 PM Manila local time;
• Click a small icon on the far right under the “View CSRN” column to see TOR and other info;
• Click submit expression of interest (EOI) button;
• Fill in all required information;
• Make sure to check carefully all the way to the end of the web page to click required buttons. Many applicants failed to do so and the EOIs were not successfully submitted.