Rice Husk Utilisation Consultant
Position Circumstances
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant, Engineering, Agriculture, Resources & Environment
- Schedule:Full-time
- Salary: Negotiable
Objective of the Assignment
The consultant will assess whether rice husk generated from the partner’s planned rice mill can be converted into profitable products, such as biochar or husk pellets. The assessment will identify which option offers the strongest business opportunity, what investment and operational requirements are needed, and what risks need to be addressed. This feasibility assessment will help identify the promising opportunities and inform decisions on whether further investment and detailed analysis should proceed.
Scope of Work
The Consultant will carry out activities across the following areas:
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Understanding the Opportunity
- Review available information on the rice mill, its operations, expected rice husk volumes, and any relevant studies or plans.
- Meet with the partner and other relevant stakeholders to understand the business, its objectives, and how rice husk is currently managed.
- Visit the rice mill to understand how rice husk is generated, handled and stored.
- Exploring Rice Husk Business Opportunities
- Identify practical options for using rice husk, including biochar, rice husk pellets, biofertiliser ingredients or other suitable products.
- Assess what equipment, facilities and operational arrangements would be required for each option.
- Assess potential demand, customers and market opportunities for the products.
- Assess the potential for generating carbon credits or other environmental attributes from selected rice husk utilisation options, including indicative eligibility, revenue potential, certification requirements, and key implementation considerations.
- Compare the different options and identify those with the greatest potential for the partner.
- Findings and Recommendations
- Prepare indicative estimates of costs, potential revenues and key risks for the options assessed.
- Identify any major assumptions, constraints and information gaps.
- Recommend the most promising option(s) for further consideration.
- Provide advice on whether further assessment or investment should be undertaken.
- This assignment is intended to provide an initial assessment of selected rice husk utilisation opportunities. The consultant is not expected to prepare detailed engineering designs, detailed financial models, permit assessments or investment-ready business plans.
Expected Profile of Candidates
Languages:
- English - Fluent
Qualifications:
- Master's Degree
Skills & Knowledge:
General & Technical Skills
- Advanced degree in environmental science, engineering, agriculture, climate change, economics, finance, or another field relevant to biomass feedstock conversion and feasibility assessment.
- Demonstrated experience in conducting feasibility studies for biomass, renewable energy, agricultural, industrial, climate or circular economy investments.
- Strong technical understanding of biochar production, biomass conversion technologies, or relevant agricultural residue value chains.
- Ability to assess technical options, commercial viability, environmental impacts, operational risks and implementation requirements in a practical investment context.
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Experience working on agricultural residue value chains in Cambodia or the Mekong region.
- Knowledge of feedstock-related carbon credit project development.
Soft Skills
- Strong analytical, consultation, report-writing and presentation skills.
