Henry Sichembe

Development and private sector specialist with 20+ years of experience across government and World Bank Group operations, supporting high impact reforms in agribusiness, SME development, investment climate, and competitiveness in Zambia. I bring 11+ years of hands on experience with the World Bank Group, contributing to lending operations, advisory services, and analytical work across agriculture, business regulation, investment policy and promotion, and quality infrastructure. I have a strong track record of coordinating complex, multi stakeholder programs and translating policy and analytical insights into practical, scalable solutions that deliver measurable results. My work includes coordinating the Zambia Agribusiness & Trade Project (ZATP I & II), where I supported project preparation and implementation, achieved high disbursement performance, mobilized significant private capital, strengthened market linkages for hundreds of SMEs, and enabled benefits to over 100,000 producer households. I have also supported investment climate reforms, including risk based regulation, licensing reforms, investor aftercare, and capacity building for public institutions. Earlier in my career, I served in senior technical and management roles within the Government of Zambia, providing deep insight into public sector systems, policy processes, and institutional reform. I have also managed IFC advisory programs supporting emergent farmers, access to finance, and business enabling reforms. I am recognized for: • Strong client engagement and coordination skills • Ability to manage complex portfolios under pressure • Clear communication with technical and non technical stakeholders • Delivering results oriented programs that unlock private sector growth I am passionate about inclusive growth, job creation, and market driven solutions that strengthen SMEs, producer organizations, and public institutions.

Collaborated with the Task Team Leader to deliver development objectives on a range of operations that on analytical advisory work and a lending project (Zambia Agribusiness & Trade Project, the Investment Enabling Environment -ACP Zambia program, Women Enterprise Finance Initiative, and the Partnership for Economic Inclusion). The work is focused on implementation and overall monitoring and review of progress with specific attention on client needs. Review of allocations and disbursements progress across a variety of activities on a lending project and audited strategies to align operational procedures, including technical assistance needs, and selection criteria for project beneficiaries and grants. Provided COVID-19 related assistance to clients and private sector businesses, informing on various operational strategies including technical assistance. Highlights on my accomplishments include: ● Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project (ZATP, a $40M lending operation), achieving 50 % disbursements and mobilizing 60% of private-sector capital out of US$ 5 M target and increasing market linkages in agribusiness benefiting 32,753 (SMEs and farmers) out of a target of 33,000 SMEs and farmers. Out of a total of 4,814 producer households benefiting from alliances, 63% fulfilled commercial obligations with buyers. ●Enriched the design and launch of the three-year Investment Enabling Environment ACP Zambia Project in partnership with the Zambian government to reform business regulations, investment policy and promotion and Quality Infrastructure. ● Initializing a pilot on best practices to enhance market linkages for the Partnership of Economic Inclusion program, to positively impact Women beneficiaries in the Sustainable Women Livelihood component of the Girls Education and Women’s Livelihood project. ●Collected data on Women-led businesses on access to finance and capacity building to support analytic work for We-Fi in Zambia

Within this role, I finalized project appraisal for the Zambia Agribusiness & Trade Project (ZATP), identifying political economy challenges and areas of improvement. Recorded and distributed outcomes of project meetings to ensure accurate records were kept for decision-making purposes, and communicate results to stakeholders. Organized outreach activities to better understand the needs of the client and partners, addressing all concerns promptly. Gathered and presented research to improve dialogue with the private sector. Developed a stakeholder engagement plan to secure the support of both public and private sector representatives and build opportunity pipelines. ● Partnered with the Task Team Leader to successfully launch the ZATP, which was attended by over 300 participants representing government officials, development partners, members of civil society organizations, the private sector including agribusiness firms, logistic firms, farmers, and academia. ● Provided data used in the digital economy for Zambia diagnostic and supported the analysis work through coordination of meetings with Government Ministries and non-state actors

Project Coordinator, Cross-Cutting Solutions Area- Jobs Group Spearheaded the coordination of the Let’s Work Partnership program, which delivered a policy framework to job growth and labour productivity constraints in Zambia. Regularly consulted with program stakeholders to create role-specific job strategies. Conducted value chain analysis to identify areas of opportunity and current constraints in the stock feed sector of agribusiness. Perpetually analyzed changing market opportunities, value chain obstacles and binding constraints. Facilitated consultations with program stakeholders in both government and private sector positions, to align sector-specific job strategies. ● Provided regular feedback and advice on analytical work and collected data used in the Zambia Jobs Diagnostic and Zambia Job Value Chain reports.

Supervised and coordinated the IFC Zambia Emergent Farmers Program (US$ 5 Million), which supported emergent farmers through commercial loans through the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) and non-financial services (extension, market information and input supply) implemented in collaboration with Zambia Farmers Union (ZNFU). The program was based on the concept of value chain development and value chain financing. I provided advisory services to ZANACO and ZNFU and reviewed the potential for associated business enabling environment initiatives. ● Conducted stakeholder information workshops ● Developed strict farmer identification and selection criteria ● Built partnerships in the value chains with local service providers ● Established a baseline for successful monitoring: Agri-finance products, Agri-portfolio-farmer membership by region and category, and status of farmer extension services ● Established a dashboard for regular monitoring: Loan product application per category of farmer and region, Bank and Union staff receiving training, farmers trained (disaggregated by gender) loan performance, and supply turn around period. ● At end of the program, I handed over IFC management responsibilities to program stakeholders ● Developed a “how-to” manual for program replication.

• Led an inter-disciplinary team of Agriculture Engineers, Water/Irrigation Engineers, Land Use and Environmental Management Specialists, Training and Extension Specialists, Farm Management Specialists and Agribusiness and Extension Marketing Specialists. • Provide strategic planning and implementation support in accordance with organizational initiatives/objectives. Thoroughly reviewed policies/procedures to ensure compliance initiatives. • Provision of technical backstopping, analysis and policy advise to all projects under the TSB from initial inception through execution. • Strategic oversight to internal processes and external development aimed at establishing linkages with the private sector. • Chaired Technical Committees for the Small Irrigation Project (SIP supported by AfDB) and Irrigation Development Support Project (IDSP supported by IDA)

• Team leader responsible for coordination of agricultural engineering programs in areas of mechanization, farm structures and agro- processing and storage. • Coordinated and created strong links with institutions outside government directly or indirectly related to agro- engineering activities for policy framework alignment and development. • Oversight on budget administration and operational support in three main business lines: Farm Mechanization, Farm structures, Agro-processing and storage and irrigation development. • Developed content and design for the IDA/UNDP/Netherlands funded Rural Investment Fund project under the Agricultural Sector Investment Program. • Initiated the transformation and establishment of the Smallholder Agricultural Mechanization Program (SAMeP) under Africare; financed through a grant from the Netherlands to deal with private and public sector agro- processing concerns. • Managed the Kennedy Round II (KRII) Japanese Grant Aid project (US$3M) for machinery and irrigation equipment • Coordinated the Irrigation and Policy and Strategy formulation (TCP/ZAM/167) – Policy and Strategy for Irrigation Development in Zambia. • Key group member of the formulation of the National Irrigation Plan and Irrigation Development Fund. • Coordinated the Agriculture Operations Technology for Eastern and Central Africa GROTEC (Zambia Chapter) • Coordinator of the Agriculture Sector Investment Program (ASIP) for the Farm Power & Mechanization Sub – program • Recommended on strategy and coordination of the national draft animal power program and prepared terms of reference and work plan for training and extension, curriculum development and equipment testing.

• Responsible for promotion and support of wide use of farm power mechanization technologies, rural structures and on-farm processing technologies and identification of training needs for agro-engineering staff • Supported the delivery of agriculture production and agribusiness development through direct support to farmers, Out grower Schemes and Cooperatives for improved supply chain management. • Identified lead farmers to provide ToT and introduce new production techniques and delivery of extension/ education materials • Outreach extension programs: Developed training and extension materials including leaflets and videos on best practices and crop fact sheets. • Set up and chaired the joint Technical Committee with the private sector for the development agricultural engineering based research program on tillage systems • Coordinated the SIDA- Agriculture Sector Support Program (ASSP) program for the engineering unit

•Primary role in identification of mechanization gaps and potential solutions for promotion and development