TA Programme supporting EIB intermediated lending operations for small and medium agri-food sector investments integrating smallholders

The beneficiary countries of the Technical Assistance Programme supporting EIB intermediated lending operations for small and medium agri-food sector investments integrating smallholders (“TA Programme”) are Malawi and Zambia.

The EIB is putting in place in Malawi and Zambia a number of intermediated lending and guarantee operations (“Credit Facilities”) to support the longer-term investment-oriented funding needs of private sector entities (mostly small and medium enterprises -SMEs) integrating smallholder producers into agri-food value chains. The beneficiary institutions of the TA Programme are financial intermediaries (“FIs”) based in these countries and include commercial banks and potentially leasing companies engaged in providing finance to private sector entities. In addition, initially in Malawi only and potentially to be extended to Zambia, the TA Programme also targets the SMEs active in the agri-food value chains as Final Beneficiaries.

The Rural Environmental Expert will work as consultant-trainer, to diagnose capacity building/development needs among the FIs, FBs and associated women and men smallholder groups and coordinate long-term environmental country-based experts and draft TOR to mobilise short-term experts and quality control their deliverables. Key expert 3 will be in close contact with the FIs and other project stakeholders.

In coordination with the other Key Experts, he/she will primarily be in charge of designing, coordinating, implementing and monitoring environmental aspects of all activities. KE 3 will be in charge of identifying gaps in FI environmental screening and monitoring procedures, in relation to the requirements of the Credit Facilities and EIB E&S standards and developing procedures and capacity building to address identified gaps.

Responsibilities also include working with FBs and smallholder groups to establish good practises in mutually-beneficial interaction in the exchange of goods and services and establishing written contracts embodying such practises. He/she will also support development of gender responsive FB/smallholder group business planning/ credit application and investment implementation/operation, enhancing positive and ensuring minimal negative environmental and social impacts. Climate adaptation and mitigation as well as nutrition and gender/youth engagement will also be important considerations in his/her work.