Call for External Collaborator to Conduct a Diagnostic Study on Informality, Formalization of the Rural Economy, and Extension of Social Protection in Malawi’s Agriculture Sector

Dear Bidder, The International Labour Office (ILO) is looking for an individual to undertake work as an External Collaborator. Below is a summary of the work to be performed: The consultant will conduct a diagnostic study using an integrated approach aligned with ILO methodology. The study will: -Assess Malawi’s socio-economic and labour market context, with a focus on rural areas and the agriculture sector, where the majority of employment is concentrated. -Develop a comprehensive profile of informality, including its scale, characteristics, and working conditions, with disaggregation by sector, gender, age, and employment status, and identification of the most affected groups. -Analyse key drivers of informality, including structural constraints, regulatory barriers, weak institutions, limited access to resources, socio-cultural norms, gender inequality, poverty, and climate change. -Review legal and institutional frameworks to identify gaps, enforcement challenges, and barriers to formalisation. -Assess social protection systems, focusing on coverage, adequacy, and access barriers—particularly for informal and rural workers—and identify innovative delivery mechanisms. -Explore pathways to formalisation, including incentives, value chain approaches, and financing options. -Apply a participatory approach to ensure stakeholder input informs findings and recommendations. If you are interested, please express interest and follow the instructions attached to consult the detailed terms of reference and other relevant information in the ILO e-sourcing platform. Please submit your proposal before the specified deadline. Thank you.