Environmental and Social Expert for Consulting Services for the “Promoting Employment Value Chains in the Fisheries Sector” in Mauritania

Background:

Sea fishing is an important economic sector in Mauritania, employing about 66,000 people directly and contributing  about 3% to GDP.  The sector's value chains  are poorly developed, focus on exporting minimally processed fish to Europe and Asia, and are partly under Chinese influence, and have so far offered only a small number of jobs. There is virtually no possibility of training relevant to Mauritanians for these professions. Most (80%) of employment in the sector is offered in small-scale fishing, which therefore plays a crucial role in terms of job  creation, while jobs in fish processing and trade remain at about 12,000.

In the current context, the BMZ plans to grant a EUR 19 million grant to the Government of Mauritania to support the fish processing industry to increase the added value of its activities and promote the creation of decent jobs. The project is funded in the context of the special initiative "A World Without Hunger" ("SEWOH").  This initiative aims to promote people's livelihoods and nutrition  through sustainable use of natural resources,   local added value and  improved education.  The German  government wants to support the implementation of the national fisheries strategy which aims to develop local and regional value chains with a focus on promoting catch processing to promote economic development and sustainable jobs, adhering to environmental and social standards.  Measures to strengthen state and private structures include improving labor market-oriented training and supporting structural change in the fish processing industry. The long-term objective is an environmentally sustainable production, focused on the quality of fishery  products, with higher added value, marketable at national, regional and international level and intended for direct human consumption.

The Project has two main components: 1) Access to finance component: establishment of a credit line for selected Partner Banks and a financing instrument dedicated to very small companies in the value chain; and 2) Training component: establishment of a Challenge Fund for short-term training, qualification, and certification for employees and entrepreneurs in the value chain.