Value-chain development
SUB-SAHARIAN AFRICA x
Operational monitoring of migration-related development projects
Role: Monitor
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa (Senegal, Ethiopia, Sudan)
Year: 2018-2019
Client: invitalia
Operational monitoring on different projects financed by the Italian Government in migration -origin or -transit countries aimed at enhancing livelihood through entrepreneurship or employment generation, strengthening of civil status and registry systems, establishment or strengthening of protection systems for unaccompanied minors.
Agribusiness Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center feasibility study
Role: Stakeholder facilitator and PSD expert
Region: Western Africa (Senegal)
Year: 2011
Client: World Bank (Finland)
The feasibility study for a national Agribusiness Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (AIEC) focused on business modelling, services, critical factors, location, target clients and stakeholders, governance, business plan and involvement of different stakeholders including MSME, private sector, national R&D centers and public specialized agencies. Services provided included stakeholder facilitation and design and analysis of a quantitative survey on agri-processing SME and licensed micro- entrepreneurs.
PLateforme d’Appui au développement du SEcteur PRIvé (PLASEPRI) project formulation
Role: PSD Expert
Region: West Africa (Senegal)
Year 2008-2009-2010
Client: MAECI
Aimed at stimulating investment, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the Senegalese diaspora in Italy and the entrepreneurs of Senegal, the designed project (Plateforme d’Appui au Développement du Secteur Privé et à la Valorisation de la diaspora Sénégalaise en Italie -PLASEPRI, in short-) provided an array of services conceived together with three Ministries: access to finance with different products capable to serve micro- enterprises by re-financing microfinance network portfolios and SME by on-lending to commercial banks and leasing companies through based on an inter-governmental soft-loan, which would re-lend to individual SME at facilitated conditions; technical assistance to beneficiary firms; and, calls for proposal for grants aimed at entrepreneurship and local development.
Value-chain portfolio analysis for the formulation of the Programa de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Rural
Role: Team Leader And Value-Chain Development Expert
Region: Southern Africa (Mozambique)
Year: 2009
Client: MAECI
Team Leader of a Team of 12 international Agricultural Engineers, Forestry Engineers, Economists and Survey Enumerators, delivered a value-chain study of 6 aggregate agro-value-chains with a panel of 25 products (horticulture, oilseeds, dairy, poultry, timber). The study included the creation of a value-chain database including enterprise investment and dimensional data gathered through a questionnaire survey administered to 224 formal agricultural SMEs in three Provinces. The study provided the input for the formulation of a three-year rural development project.
Feasibility study for the universalization of internet access in rural environments
Role: Team Leader and Feasibility Study Expert
Region: Southern Africa (Malawi)
Year: 2006
Client: ICS UNIDO
The coordination of a 9-member team led to a complete feasibility study on a national ICT telecentre infrastructure for rural communities, relying on an innovative gender- and age- sensitive quantitative methodology triangulated with participatory approaches that involved 700 community stakeholders and was published. The study included an investment business plan and was structured to be suitable for technical, informative and fundraising purposes. In 10 years, the Country established a network of more 50 telecentres nation-wise providing broadband service access to thousands in rural areas as well as small business development services.