UNCDF has been present in Uganda since 1982, supporting the Government to create a functional planning and financial system for sustainable and inclusive local development. With the support of the Sweden Development Agency (SIDA) - is implementing the “Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era” programme that aims to empower rural community members to lead productive and healthy lives, by expanding access and usage of digital services.
This assignment is commissioned by UNCDF Uganda in partnership with the Uganda Bankers’ Association (UBA) and Financial Technology Association of Uganda (FITSPA). We are looking for a consultant to undertake a study on the feasibility of establishing an Agritech Database in Uganda.
Rationale for the Assignment:
The Agricultural sector is critical to Uganda’s economic development. It contributed 23.7% to the overall GDP (2019/20), accounts for 20% of total value of exports and employs about 72% of the total workforce in Uganda. Uganda’s National Development Plan III identifies the agriculture sector as a key catalytic sector for the development of Uganda’s economy and has focused initiatives to develop and industrialize agriculture.
Access to finance remains a key bottleneck to the growth of the agricultural sector. In Uganda, lending to the agricultural sector accounted for 12.7% of total bank lending by the end of February 2021, from 6.7% in the period December 2020. The share of this financing that goes to small businesses in agriculture and small holder farmers is even much lower. Financial institutions decry the risks prevalent in the sector plus limited and unreliable data on which to base their lending decisions. This is a long-standing challenge.
The growing availability of alternative data thanks to digitalization efforts in Agriculture could hold a potential solution to alleviating the challenge of access to finance. Various fintech's and agritechs collect a lot of data from customers through farmer profiling, production and sales data, digital payments, etc. This data which currently lies in independent databases could be aggregated and made accessible to financial service providers to enable farmer credit scoring and thus unlock financing to the agricultural sector.
UNCDF, in partnership with UBA and FITSPA, seek to deeply investigate this potential – by undertaking a feasibility study for the establishment of an aggregated Agritech Database.
UNDP will hire an National Individual Consultant (Home Based) to undertake Feasibility Study for the Establishment of an Agritech Database in Uganda
Application Process
Applicants are requested to apply online at http://jobs.undp.org not later than Sunday 16th October 2022.
The detailed application forms and documents attached can be downloaded.
Candidates are invited to submit applications together with their CV for these positions. UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will consider the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply. Interested applicants should send an email to: ug.procurement@undp.org for any inquiries.
Note: UNDP is an equal opportunity Organization, Women, Youth and People with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
PLEASE NOTE THAT – UNDP DOES NOT CHARGE ANY FEES AT ANY STAGE OF ITS PROCUREMENT PROCESSES. UNDP HAS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, MEANING THAT UNDP STAFF MEMBERS, NON-STAFF PERSONNEL, VENDORS, IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS AND RESPONSIBLE PARTIES ARE NOT TO ENGAGE IN FRAUD OR CORRUPTION