Farmer moving sheep to grazing land in Lalish, Sheikhan District, March 2021 Rapid Market Assessment Sheikhan District April 2021 ACTED IRAQ | 4 Towers, Apt # 25, Fifth Floor, Ashty Quarter, Ainkawa, Erbil, KRI | Tel: +964 774 0850 369 | [email protected] ACTED HQ | 33, rue Godot de Mauroy 75009 Paris, France | Tel: +33 1 42 65 33 33 | CONTENTS Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Executive summary ....................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Main Findings and recommendations ......................................................................................................... 5 2. Context ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 3. Research questions ....................................................................................................................................... 9 4. Approach and methodology ......................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 Approach .............................................................................................................................................. 10 4.2 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 10 4.2.1 Key Informant Interviews ................................................................................................................ 10 4.2.2 Market observation survey ............................................................................................................... 10 4.2.3 Enterprise survey ............................................................................................................................ 12 4.2.4 Household survey ........................................................................................................................... 12 4.2.5 Focus groups .................................................................................................................................. 13 4.3 Limitations ............................................................................................................................................ 14 5. Findings ..................................................................................................................................................... 15 5.1 Labor demand ....................................................................................................................................... 15 5.1.1 Overall ........................................................................................................................................... 15 5.1.2 Construction ................................................................................................................................... 19 5.1.3 Manufacturing/Production ................................................................................................................ 20 5.1.4 Service Activities ............................................................................................................................. 21 5.1.5 Electronics ..................................................................................................................................... 22 5.1.6 Food service ................................................................................................................................... 23 5.1.7 Wholesale and motor repair ............................................................................................................. 24 5.1.8 Retail ............................................................................................................................................. 25 5.1.9 Agriculture ..................................................................................................................................... 26 5.1.10 Oil and Gas ................................................................................................................................... 28 5.2 Labor supply ......................................................................................................................................... 29 5.2.1 Household characteristics ................................................................................................................ 29 5.2.2 Income, employment, and livelihoods ............................................................................................... 31 5.2.3 Unemployment ............................................................................................................................... 35 5.2.4 Employability .................................................................................................................................. 37 5.2.5 Livlihoods support and preferences ................................................................................................... 38 5.2.6 Attitudes towards training and training needs .................................................................................... 40 5.3 Support in the labor market ................................................................................................................... 41 5.3.1 Access to credit .............................................................................................................................. 41 5.3.2 training Institutions ......................................................................................................................... 41 5.3.3 Regulatory framework ..................................................................................................................... 42 5.3.4 Culture and diversity ....................................................................................................................... 42 5.4 Market system constraints ...................................................................................................................... 43 6 Conclusions and reccomendations ................................................................................................................. 44 6.1 Sector Summary.................................................................................................................................... 47 Annexes ........................................................................................................................................................ 51 annex 1. List of consulted stakeholders ......................................................................................................... 51 Figure 1- Breakdown of the businesses in Sheikhan urban centers by sector ........................................................ 11 Figure 2: Map of businesses recorded in Qasrok, Mahad, and Chyr ..................................................................... 11 Figure 3: Map of businesses recorded in Sheikhan Town (Ain Sifne), Essian Camp, and Baadre ............................. 11 Figure 4: The number of business surveys planned and conducted, by sector ...................................................... 12 Figure 5: The breakdown of individuals in/out of camp with the number included in the household survey ............. 13 Figure 6: Open street map of surveyed points in household survey ..................................................................... 13 Figure 7: Aerial map of surveyed points in household survey .............................................................................. 13 Figure 8: Description of the focus group discussions conducted in Sheikhan. ....................................................... 14 Figure 9- Distribution of businesses by size ....................................................................................................... 15 Figure 10: The average number of employees per business size of business ........................................................ 16 Figure 11: Reported profitability of businesses .................................................................................................. 16 Figure 12: Qualities business owners look for when hiring .................................................................................. 17 Figure 13: Main challenges faced by business owners ........................................................................................ 18 Figure 14: Sources of loans taken by business owners ....................................................................................... 19 Figure 15: Types of construction businesses ..................................................................................................... 19 Figure 16: Types of businesses in manufacturing/production .............................................................................. 20 Figure 17: Types of businesses in service activities ............................................................................................ 21 Figure 18: Types of businesses in electronics .................................................................................................... 22 Figure 19: Types of businesses in food service .................................................................................................