AGriculture & Food security
We are passionate about contributing to global food security, whether for clients in the private sector or via development assistance programmes
We believe in the power of agricultural production to put money in people's pockets and keep food moving within local, regional and global supply chains.
A number of our consultants are qualified in agriculture with significant experience in rural extension and technical advisory roles.
We have proven expertise in project and programme management, including in Afghanistan, Zambia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Fiji and the Caribbean.
We have extensive knowledge of the agricultural, agri-food, primary industry and technology sectors – from livestock production and farm management through to rural infrastructure development and food processing and marketing.
Our specialities include overseeing the design, construction, upgrade/refurbishment and operation of:
♦ Meat, dairy and seafood processing plants
♦ Horticulture pack houses
♦ Grain processing plants
♦ Post-harvest storage facilities
♦ Honey extraction and packing plants
♦ Food manufacturing operations
We are skilled at establishing and utilising co-financing facilities to provide agribusinesses with technical assistance and funding to catalyse commercial initiatives in a development context.
Follow the links below to learn about our services:
Our past work includes:
♦ Designing and delivering the Afghanistan Agricultural Support Programme (ASP) in Bamyan Province between 2011 and 2017, which improved agricultural practices to achieve sustainable economic returns for farmers/communities in four districts of Bamyan.
♦ Managing the ongoing delivery of the US$54 million Afghanistan Value Chains – Livestock (AVC-L) programme in conjunction with Development Alternatives Inc between 2018 and 2021, which is working to address longstanding growth challenges in the country’s poultry, small ruminant, dairy and other livestock sectors by empowering promising Afghan enterprises to stimulate demand and catalyse growth.
♦ Providing technical assistance to the United Kingdom-funded Comprehensive Agricultural and Rural Development – Facility (CARD-F) in Afghanistan between 2014 and 2018.
♦ Designing and delivering the New Zealand-funded Zambia Dairy Transformation Programme between 2016 and 2021, which is working with smallholder farmers and their dairy cooperative associations to increase milk supply, improve farm profitability and increase household incomes.
♦ Developing a market development strategy on behalf of the New Zealand Aid Programme, to identify pathways for the commercialisation of the smallholder dairy industry in Ethiopia, where only 3% of milk produced currently enters the formal milk supply chain.
♦ A feasibility study to determine the business model and implementation plan for an integrated beef and goat farm-to-market operation in Rwanda, to be operated as a public-private partnership on a 6000-hectare block of land owned by the Government.
♦ Designing and implementing five-year donor-funded programme focused on improving the sustainability of dairy value chains in Fiji.
♦ Supporting the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute with technical assistance to develop a networked advisory and training structure using mobile phone apps and website technology as part of the two-year Caribbean Small Ruminants Advisory Programme.
♦ Completing feasibility studies and developing design blueprints, including engineering specifications, for 10 national Agricultural Industrial Parks (AIPs) in Afghanistan in 2015. The aim was to increase agricultural production and value addition, facilitate trade and contribute to economic growth within rural communities. This work also included a fully-costed feasibility study on a 60-hectare pilot AIP for Balkh province, with industrial clusters comprising dairy processing, fresh fruit and vegetable aggregation and processing, grain storage, flour milling, baked goods manufacturing, slaughterhouse/meat processing facilities, cold storage and a transport/logistic hub, along with related service and support businesses.
♦ Reviewing the business model and location of an existing sheep farm in the United Arab Emirates and completing the financial analysis and design for a new site and business model, to house and farm up to 48,000 heads of sheep, including a water supply, energy requirements, access roading and all farm infrastructure.
♦ Assessing various sectors of Malaysia’s livestock industry from 2014 to 2016, on behalf of the Malaysian Government, and developing strategies to address barriers to their development.
♦ Developing a slaughterhouse business model suitable for conditions in Mongolia and providing technical assistance on good management practices for livestock slaughter.
