The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint cooperation agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN) for trade-related technical assistance. Its primary objective is to assist developing countries and economies in transition to enhance their international competitiveness while taking advantage of market opportunities and increasing their exports.
ITC is implementing the Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP), a regional initiative aiming at improving market access to European Union (EU) and the East African region for five East Africa Community (EAC) partner countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – for agro-industrial crop and horticultural sectors. MARKUP is funded by the EU 11th European Development Fund over the period 2018-2022. The intervention of ITC entails the implementation of activities to improve product quality compliance, value addition, access to finance and business promotion as well as business advocacy to facilitate trade in the EAC region.
As part of the Access to Finance component, the project will assist financial institutions to develop more appropriate products for SMEs and especially agribusinesses. SMEs and agribusinesses will also be assisted to improve their credit profiles and access appropriate financial sources. In that respect, the project will map finance providers and their respective products and services for SMEs active in the following value chains:
– Burundi: coffee, tea, horticulture
– Kenya: coffee, tea, avocado
– Rwanda: coffee, horticulture
– Tanzania: coffee, tea, avocado, spices
– Uganda: coffee, cocoa
The results the mapping exercise will be consolidated in a guide and shared with partner local SME development organizations, government agencies, trade and investment support institutions, etc. to benefit a wide audience of stakeholders. The information will also be uploaded on the web portal of those institutions, when available.
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is looking for a local consultant who will assist in developing Guide on financial resources for SMEs/Agribusiness in Tanzania, herein find an attachment of the ToR.
