Office/Unit/Project Description

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic

level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: inclusive digital economies, connecting individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyse participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; local development finance, that capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and investment finance, that provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization.

By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to Sustainable Development Goal-SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a broad diversity of SDGs. UNCDF strategy

‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ is based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind.

Travel

• UNCDF will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station or related country and excludes working from home arrangements.
• Consultants already residing at the duty station will not be compensated for living expenses.
•  Expected travel: Travel to the field and other relevant locations within duty station country may be required and will be compensated according to UN polices.

Institutional Arrangement
S/He will work under direct supervision of the Regional Manager for Inclusive Digital Economies (IDE)

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of either UNCDF Digital Country Lead / Regional Digital Hub Manager, these Two Digital Agriculture Specialists will complete the following activities and deliverables. One Specialist will be based in Bangladesh and shall undertake the following activities and deliverables for the duration of 12 months:

Output 1: Conduct pre-investment work including

1. assessment of digital agriculture transformation potential, E-agriculture strategies and digital inclusive finance strategies;
2. Digitization strategies of sub-sectors such as livestock and fisheries (neglected at the moment in terms of digital transformation as compared to crops);
3. establishing building blocks for digital agriculture transformation (farmers’ registries anddigital literacy, rural connectivity and policy and regulatory framework); and
4. knowledge products for use by governments, international organizations, value chain actors and private sector.