Afghanistan: Consultant for Development of Afghanistan Cashmere Policy Framework

1 CONTEXT

• PUR Projet is a social enterprise dedicated to the engagement of small-holder farmers/herders in ecosystem regeneration and conservation, the strengthening of supply chains and the diversification of livelihoods.
• Oxfam Novib is a Dutch NGO within an international confederation of charitable organizations aiming to achieve a just world without poverty.
• PUR Projet and Oxfam Novib have been engaged by an international business to implement a positive impact project within the cashmere supply chain in Afghanistan, focused on natural resource sustainability, cashmere quality and socio-economic development for local herding communities. PUR Projet and Oxfam Novib are working with PRB (Partners in Revitalization and Building) and DCA (Dutch Committee for Afghanistan) to implement the project in two Afghan provinces: Herat and Balkh.
• Among other activities, the project will develop a Cashmere Policy Framework to guide and inform the government norms and standards for the cashmere value chain. The consultant will be responsible for guiding and informing the relevant government members for the strengthening and development of these norms and standards, in close partnership with the Afghanistan Cashmere forum[1].

2 OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

• The consultant will work with PUR Projet and Oxfam Novib to develop a Policy framework for the cashmere sector in Afghanistan, including a comprehensive set of norms and standards that will be used to govern best practice in the cashmere fibre supply chain. This improved set of norms and regulations should create a favorable framework to both improve Afghan cashmere’s attractivity and price on the international market, and guarantee its social and environmental sustainability at all levels of the supply chain, including animal rearing, production, processing and trading.

The successful candidate will, in particular:

• Develop an understanding of the cashmere fibre supply chain in Afghanistan, its dynamics, challenges and actors including producers, processers and traders. This will be performed through a desk review of existing literature on the Afghan cashmere supply chain as well as the results of the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies conducted by Oxfam and PUR Projet, interviews with the project operators (including PUR Projet, Oxfam, DCA and PRB staff), discussions with the Afghanistan Cashmere Forum participants and with government officials, and interviews of additional stakeholders.
• Benchmark current laws and regulations regarding cashmere production in Afghanistan as well as in other cashmere producing countries:
• Benchmark the current set of national laws and regulations relevant to production, processing and export of cashmere fibre, or similar products (wool,…).
• Benchmark the current set of laws and regulations at the provincial level, especially in Herat and Balkh provinces.
• Benchmark the relevant set of norms and regulations in other countries, especially Mongolia and China.
• Develop a set of recommendations for norms and regulations in the Cashmere industry in Afghanistan, including recommendations to improve or update existing laws and regulations and recommendations to set up standards for export (country of origin, fibre content, care instructions, etc.)
• Collect feedback from public authorities and relevant stakeholders on the norms and regulations developed in order to ensure their alignment

3 DELIVERABLES

• The consultant will provide the following deliverables upon completion of the mission:
• A formal summary report of consultancy activities, data and findings, sources and any additional relevant information regarding the mission conducted (5 to 10 pages)
• A list of interviews performed including interviewees’ details and interview notes
• A comprehensive set of recommendations for norms and regulations regarding the Cashmere Industry in Afghanistan that can be ready-to-use by relevant government bodies.
• All deliverables will be provided in English.

4 SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE

• A first introduction training will be provided by PUR Projet and Oxfam Novib before the start of the mission, to explain in detail the objectives and expected outcomes, and answer any question
• Oxfam Novib’s cashmere project manager will be responsible for the day-to-day guidance of the consultant, including providing additional information and contacts in Afghanistan if needed.
• Weekly calls will be organized with PUR Projet Project Coordinator.
• A conclusion meeting will be organized in Afghanistan at the end of the mission.

5 TIMELINE

• The mission is expected to last 3 months full time, between November 1st, 2018 and January 31st, 2019. The Consultant will be based in Afghanistan for this period. It is expected that the consultant will work with the following indicative timeline:
• Understanding the cashmere supply chain in Afghanistan and benchmarking existing norms and regulations – by mid-December 2018
• Objective 2: Writing a comprehensive set of recommendations for the policy framework and norms and standards - by January 15th, 2019
• Objective 3: Providing all deliverables in English (see above) – by January 31st, 2019

6 AGREEMENTS

• The consultant will be asked to commit to two agreements: an exclusivity and Non-Disclosure Agreement and an Anti-Corruption and Sanctions Agreement.

7 CANDIDATE PROFILE

• Relevant experience in the field of Public Policy, Poverty Reduction &/or Development;
• Knowledge of the specific context of Afghanistan and experience working with the Afghan government;
• Fluency in Dari/Pashto is a significant asset;
• Experience in the cashmere value chain is seen as a significant asset;
• Experience working with supply chain certification systems is seen as an asset.

• Candidates are asked to submit their resume, a proposal of work plan including the proposed tasks described above and a budget inclusive of taxes and breakdown of all estimated travel expenses that will be paid at the end of the mission based on actual incurred costs). It is asked that this budget is based on the provision of deliverables.
• Submit application to Jobs.Afghanistan@oxfam.org no later than 5th of November 2018

[1] AFGHANISTAN CASHMERE FORUM: is a formal working group composed of government officials, collective action organization representatives, and cashmere industry stakeholders, gathered to discuss key performance standards to be applied to and opportunities to support the industry.