Altai Consulting has developed winning strategies for numerous large-scale Private Sector Development (PSD) programs in Africa, the Middle East, and Central & South Asia. Our teams have been involved in most aspects of PSD: value chain analyses, business plan development, capacity building & skills development, and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)
In 2014, the French Development Agency (AFD) contracted Altai Consulting to assess the Agri-Business sector to identify capacity-building opportunities. More specifically, the mission aimed at:
In 2012, Altai was commissioned by the World Bank and the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to support the development of Afghan mineral, oil and gas extraction sites. The assessment identified areas of maximum impact for Afghan firms and potential employees to participate in the extractive sector, and develop the soft infrastructure necessary to realise the opportunities available in this sector.
The study resulted in a comprehensive assessment of the local capacities and capabilities available to develop the extraction sector in Afghanistan, including:
Altai Consulting was tasked by DFID to conduct a market diagnostic of the energy sector in Somaliland to inform the inception of its Energy Security and Resource Efficiency in Somalia program (ESRES). For this assessment, Altai collaborated with technical experts and economists specialised in the energy sector and led a month-long field research in urban and rural areas of Somaliland. Objective and subjective data were collected through two waves of qualitative and quantitative surveys.
Data gathered were used to provide DFID with a detailed analysis of:
The resulting market diagnostic was used to design feasible options for the pilot of the inception phase of the programs and inform DFID’s business case on how to best promote the usage of renewable energies to support the provision of public services and market dynamics. In addition, information compiled will serve to develop an evidence generation and dissemination mechanism that should support DFID’s engagement in the renewable energy sector of Fragile and Conflict Affected States worldwide.
Altai Consulting was commissioned by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to conduct an in-depth market assessment across key markets in Lakes State. In addition, Altai was responsible for evaluating the commercial potential of agricultural commodities to determine 4 crops of high value for value chain analysis. The objective of the value chain analyses was to assist UNIDO in defining small scale industrial interventions to upgrade the value chains.
The methodology was structured around defining the selection criteria for value chains before conducting market assessments to identify 4 value chains to be mapped and analysed in-depth. Altai’s criteria were wrapped around two axles: growth potential and benefit to the poorest. Multiple criteria were analysed using matrices and refined based on preliminary data to identify the most promising value chains.
The research led to the identification of an upgrading strategy for each value chain. Altai’s output ultimately led to recommendations to increase the competitive advantage of markets and crops in Lakes State to improve food security and the economic situation of residents.
As part of its Agriculture Sector Review (ASR) in Afghanistan, the World Bank mandated Altai Consulting to perform a horticulture sector review. Leveraging a large amount of secondary data and reports, complemented by spot-checks and key informant interviews (KIIs) throughout Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Dubai, this review provided an analysis of the sector and its economy (including a prospective analysis), nine detailed value-chain assessments and suggestions of policy reforms and action plans.
Main objectives of this assessment were to:
Field Work was conducted in Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad, Delhi, Peshawar, Lahore and Dubai. KIIs were conducted with farmers, wholesalers, middlemen, processors, exporters, importers, transporters, retailers as well as officials, implementers of agricultural programs and representatives of donors and Government of Islamic State of Afghanistan (GIRoA).
In May 2013, Altai was commissioned by the World Bank’s Lighting Africa programme to carry out a study on solar power supply chains in South Sudan. The general objective was to conduct an assessment of supply chains for Lighting Africa-approved products, other portable lighting products, and comparable consumer goods such as mobile phones in South Sudan. The study was to inform the World Bank’s strategy on increasing access to Lighting Africa approved products in South Sudan.
Altai carried out a complete end-to-end assessment of the supply chain, both inside and outside of South Sudan through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with end consumers, in combination with Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with experts and actors at each of the key points along the supply chain. FGDs and KIIs were conducted in both rural and urban areas. To select interviewees, the research team ‘followed the supply chain’, to ensure that solar power users form part of the sample group. Solar power retailers were used as a starting point: from these retailers, the supply chain was retraced backwards and forwards, to identify other key actors and consumers.
In 2013, Altai Consulting was commissioned by UNHCR and UNDP in Sudan to conduct a Value Chains assessment as part of the Transitional Solutions Initiative (TSI) programme. The assessment aimed to identify value chains to be developed to support the longer-term integration of refugee and IDP populations into the host communities in eastern Sudan. The research involved a comprehensive mapping of the development efforts in eastern Sudan with the World Bank, USAID, DFID, JICA, EU, etc., and hereafter a deep assessment of four selected value chains – interviewing cultivators, collectors, transporters, processors, and retailers. The research led to the development of an intervention action plan for UNHCR, UNDP and the Sudanese Government in eastern Sudan.
Altai Consulting has developed a promotional strategy for a government of a large North African country to boost exports in Western Africa. Six priority sectors and value chains have been covered including agro-industry, textile and leather, automobile, electricity, ICT & off-shoring, and pharmaceuticals with a focus on countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
Altai Consulting has been contracted by the World Bank to analyse the supply and demand for skills needed by large upcoming mining and oil & gas investments in Afghanistan and design a strategy to build local capacity and boost local employment in the medium and in the longer term.
Altai Consulting has partnered with Coffee International and ASI for the design and kick-off phase of the Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility, an initiative funded by DFID and USAID. The AICF was designed to identify, support and fund initiatives addressing roadblocks to private sector development, in a variety of fields including access to finance, policies & regulations, infrastructures, skills, and corruption.
For a large USAID-funded SME development program, Altai Consulting has conducted value chain analyses in the Central Asia region (Ex-CIS, Turkey, Iran, Mongolia) and has designed strategies for Afghan and foreign investors in 13 sectors of the Afghan economy, targeting both exports and the domestic market. Following this project, numerous investments have taken place and projects have been launched by Afghan entrepreneurs as well as foreign players.