Building Investment Readiness for small and Medium Business in the Agri-food Sector- Basatine

Berytech Background  

Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Eco-system in Lebanon, that aims to provide a conducive environment for the creation and development of startups, through incubation, business support, counseling, funding, networking, and the company hosting, hence taking part in the economic revival of the country, participating in wealth and job creation, and retaining graduates and high-level skills in Lebanon.  

Program Background

Bolstering Agriculture Systems’ Ability to Invest, Nourish, and Employ (BASATINE) is a four-year program that aims to support farmers and other value chain and associated sector actors in areas of Beqaa and Akkar focused on the production of Cereals, legumes, and vegetables, seeking a territorial approach, and promoting linkages with other value chains. Through complementary interventions designed in alignment with the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, the program will immediately address food insecurity and provide needed income and technical support to farmers to survive this tumultuous time, as well improve the capacity of food systems to maintain employment and growth in the longer term via stronger domestic production and system linkages. This will ultimately contribute to greater economic stability – particularly for women, improved rural development, and more positive social cohesion between host/refugee communities at a local level.

For this purpose, Berytech, through the BASATINE Program, will hire consultants who will be able to deliver the consultancies requested below to SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) operating in the agri-food sector. Companies' profiles can be checked here. The Consortium is facilitating linkages between market actors in the agriculture sector and related sectors, supporting 156 SMEs to increase trade and create and maintain around  2,500 jobs (including for women and youth) particularly in post-harvesting and in agri-food processing. The purpose of this consultancy is to bring together SMEs and larger businesses to work on increasing the competitiveness of the sector through knowledge sharing, competitiveness, and innovation management. It is anticipated that the consultant will provide resources through coaching and business trainings, equipment and sharing of experiences between supported farmers and at least 156 SMEs to incentivise linkages Ultimately, bring all the supported SMEs into Berytech’s community of agri-businesses that work together to build their own organisations and improve the efficiencies in their sector.

 This additional strengthening to help SMEs fit into a business cluster is in addition to the support to the 156 SMEs that Mercy Corps and Berytech are providing.

The consultant will be primarily working with Small, and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) most of which are faced by technical, financial, and other resources related challenges to conduct and expand their business. Many of these enterprises are characterized by their small-scale operations, which necessitate substantial growth and expansion for sustainable profitability. However, due to their limited capacities and resources, they face significant challenges in achieving this objective. This consultancy project aims to address these specific challenges and provide tailored solutions to enable these small enterprises to develop and operate profitably. Furthermore, some of these SMEs are situated in remote underserved areas, which may pose additional challenges to their operations. It is important to note that a number of these enterprises might not have well-defined governance structures or fully developed teams. The consultant's role will be crucial in supporting these SMEs by providing guidance, expertise, and assistance in enhancing their operational capabilities, fostering growth, and establishing sustainable business practices based on the three axes of intervention defined in this TOR (Terms of Reference).

Consultant might in some cases and based on the clients’ location, travel in-country to rural areas. Online sessions might be allowed if approved by the program team.

Scope of work 

Berytech and Mercy Corps are facilitating connections between 156 SMEs (Small Medium Enterprise) and a local Agrifood Cluster which serves as an innovation hub for the agri-food sector, where SMEs and larger businesses collaborate to boost competitiveness through knowledge sharing and innovation. The selected consultant must demonstrate they work in an agri-food cluster and are able to connect and must demonstrate a robust history of effectively bolstering the sustainable growth of a minimum of fifty Small and Medium Businesses within the Agri-food Sector through a collaborative and synergistic approach. Collaborating with agri-food cluster offers the SMEs in the agri-food industry a host of benefits that they might struggle to attain individually.

Through the collaboration with a cluster, it is anticipated that SMEs will be able to overcome resource constraints, improve their competitiveness, and access a range of support services that ultimately contribute to their growth and profitability. The agri-food cluster can play a pivotal role in enhancing the export and investment readiness of the businesses participating in the BASATINE program. The selected consultant is anticipated to provide diversified support encompassing activities such as facilitating partnerships, delivering business and innovation support via workshops, forging strategic alliances, enhancing market entry opportunities, and fostering investment preparedness. This collaborative endeavour is geared toward empowering the designated businesses while also catalysing innovation for the advancement and expansion of both the agriculture and Agri-Food sectors.

The selected consultant is expected to implement the support for a total of 156 SMEs, 52 SMEs/Batch on three phases basis for each Batch of the Program based on the Attached TOR.