Terms of Reference for consultancy services: Identification and profiling of entrepreneurial farmer groups in fruits and vegetables production in Kenya
Task: To identify and profile entrepreneurial farmer groups in fruits and vegetables production in Kenya
Position/Level: Short consultancy assignment
Location: High potential production areas for fruits and vegetables in Kenya
Duration: 30 working days (starting as soon as possible)
About SNV
SNV, the Netherlands development organisation, is an international development organisation supporting pro-poor economic development through the sectors of agriculture, renewable energy and sanitation and health. In Kenya, SNV’s agriculture programme is focused on enhanced market systems of agricultural products through stimulating commercialisation and market access of small and medium sized farmers. In addition SNV supports the adaptation of good and climate smart agricultural practices. Programs aim to improve access to markets through improved quality and yield of agricultural products with enhanced food security. SNV has developed food, income and climate solutions that maximise the benefits of agriculture while minimising its negative impacts.
Program background
The Kenya Market-led Horticulture Programme (KMHP), also known as HortIMPACT, is a 5-year program, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Kenya. HortIMPACT is being implemented across Kenya by a SNV-led consortium[1] and aims to stimulate increased food security and the development of a dynamic and sustainable horticulture sector, focussing on vegetables, fruits and potato supply chains. The program supports business cases and innovations that can have a ‘game changing’ and lasting effect and benefit 75,000 small and medium sized commercial farmers.
The programme will focus on three thematic areas:
The Netherlands has an innovative horticulture sector, with experience in operating internationally. HortIMPACT supports the transfer of knowledge and (innovative) practices from the Dutch to the Kenyan horticulture sector, through business cases and the application of innovative technologies.
Objectives of the Assignment
Identification and profiling of entrepreneurial farmer groups that are motivated to be involved in projects that stimulate the uptake of improved farming and marketing technologies and methods in fruit and vegetable value chains.[2]
Scope of Work
HortIMPACT is developing business cases together with mostly Kenyan and Dutch companies that benefit horticulture sector development in Kenya in general and small and medium size commercial farmers in particular. Benefits for these farmers can be both directly and indirectly. For several of these business cases individual farmers will have the best chance of accessing the promoted technologies and methods if they operate in farmer groups.
In 2015, a survey of 526 farmer groups in nine counties in Kenya was conducted as an assignment for HortIMPACT. From these farmer groups, HortIMPACT would now like to identify those that are best suited to be involved in the uptake of farming technologies that are promoted through HortIMPACT business cases. That is why this study seeks to identify farmer groups that:
Part of the assignment is also to describe why farmer groups are identified as meeting the above criteria to a large extent. In addition there should also be a description of the following:
The 2015 study of HortIMPACT already provides data that can answer some of these questions. The study should therefor build and make use of that 2015 study.
Geographical focus
HortIMPACT works in nine focus counties:
Most or all of the farmer groups that are to be identified should be from these counties. However, should there be farmer groups from other neighbouring counties that are considered to have a high potential and that meet the criteria described in this document, than they can also be included.
Approach
Deliverables
The following will be outputs expected in the course of the assignment;
Available working days
To be able to perform the assignment, the following allocation of working days is projected:
a) Meeting with HortIMPACT to kick-off assignment and work session with handover long list of farmer groups: 1 day
b) Developing shortlist and profiling farmer groups: 24 days
c) Brief intermediary status report (This task is optional: If assignment cannot be finished before May 8 2017): 1 day
d) Report writing and debriefing with SNV: 4 days
TOTAL Deployment days are 30
The allocation of the days in the table above is indicatory and can be adjusted in accordance with the preference of the consultant/organisation that will conduct the assignment.
Qualified candidates:
Requirements of the Proposal:
The proposal, to be submitted in English, shall include:
Application
Interested candidates should send proposals no later than 27 March 2017 (16:00), via email to mgikonyo@snvworld.org cc hmugane@snvworld.org
Proposals will be rated according to the technical quality (maximum 35 points), the budget (maximum 25 points), the expertise and experience of the consultant(s) that will conduct the assignment (maximum 20 points), and the expertise and experience of the organisation that will conduct the assignment (maximum 20 points).
Next steps
The HortIMPACT team intends to review all proposals by March 30. SNV may award the assignment directly to the candidate that provided the best proposal. However, SNV may also chose to draft a shortlist of a few candidates that delivered good proposals. In the latter case, shortlisted candidates will be provided with an opportunity to explain their proposal in a meeting or call with one or more members of the HortIMPACT team. Proposals that are unsuccessful or that will not be shortlisted will be notified via email.
Questions
Questions about this ToR can be directed to Klaas de Vries (kdevries@snvworld.org; +254 703673196)
[1] Other core partners in the consortium are HIVOS, Solidaridad & Delphy, while Wageningen University, and AgriProFocus are associate partners.
[2] For this study, vegetable value chains also include potato