Background
AGRA is a not-for-profit organization working with African governments donors, NGOs, the private sector, and farmers to improve the productivity and incomes of resource-poor smallholder farmers in Africa. AGRA aims to catalyse an inclusive agricultural transformation in Africa by increasing incomes and improving food security for millions of smallholder farmers in Africa. AGRA Tanzania is implementing a 5-year program, Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA), which aims to catalyze dignified and fulfilling work for young people, especially young women and disadvantaged groups, through the growth of inclusive food systems and agriculture value chains. YEFFA puts youth employment and a gender transformative approach at the heart of AGRA’s focus on achieving Inclusive Agriculture Transformation in Africa and particularly in Tanzania. This aligns with agricultural transformation and inclusiveness agenda in the country.
The agriculture sector contributes almost 30% of Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP, slightly above the industrial sector (29.3%) and less than the service sector (34.3%) (NBS, 2021). The sector employs 65.6% of the workforce and contributes 30% of the total export earnings and 65% of raw materials used by the industrial sector. It employs 67% of youth and women and almost 80% of the population. The sector is dominated by small-scale farmers accounting for 70% of the agricultural population with big potential to create jobs especially for the growing youth population . Accordingly, the national policy framework recognizes the need to integrate the youth in agriculture and agri-food systems, by providing enabling ecosystem for youth participation in the sector (URT 2022). The government of Tanzania has also adopted policies that enhance gender equality and youth inclusion in a supportive enabling environment. Similarly, the National Strategy for Youth Involvement in Agriculture (2016-2021) and Building Better Tomorrow (BBT) Youth Initiative for Agribusiness (2022-2030) envision supporting youth and youth-based organizations to participate more effectively in the agricultural value chains. This is in line with the Third Five Year Development Plan (2020/21-2025/26) which also recognizes the need to develop a strong entrepreneurship and agricultural ecosystems that will integrate a growing youth population into agriculture. However, notwithstanding the potential of agriculture and food systems to provide business and youth employment, there is a limited participation of the youth in agricultural value chains (World Bank, 2019). Yet, most of the youth are unemployed, underemployed, or working in precarious conditions. The importance of promoting youth employment has equally prompted massive investment in Sub-Saharan Africa in the past decade, but few programs have emphasized the importance of targeting young women. Despite evidence showing that young women’s employment promotes development not only through economic growth but also by increasing women’s voice and agency, in Africa, young women are further disadvantaged than young men in the labor market due to norms, institutions, and differences in resource endowments necessary for accessing income-generating opportunities and thus constraining their employment.
Recognizing the national agenda to integrate youth in agriculture and agri-food systems, and the urgent need for intentional inclusivity of youth in agricultural value chains, the AGRA strategy (2023-2027) envisions to contribute to tackling structural, policy and institutional barriers across the food system. The strategy adopts intentional interventions to minimize the barriers to participation of youth, as well as to contribute to and benefit from agricultural transformation. It provides a framework to work alongside key actors and champions to catalyze and drive an inclusive agricultural transformation. The actors include youth organizations/networks and champions across key value chains most of which are structured and organized in different ways. Such organizations include youth-based associations, groups, cooperative societies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), youth networks etc.
AGRA has worked with several consultants to do various assignments for enhancement of the youth participation in the agribusiness sector.
It is against the above backdrop; AGRA invites qualified consultants to submit proposals to undertake a graphic designer work for YEFFA consultancies in Tanzania. Key deliverables, required competencies, and other essential details are provided below.
Objectives
The Objective of this work is to complement the in-house capabilities and capacity to deliver a world class communication function. This work is aimed at designing and branding the consultancies under YEFFA. The reports that needs to be designed are mentioned below:
a) Gender and safeguarding analysis to create an understanding of gender and safeguarding issues affecting young people especially those financially disadvantaged in accessing work opportunities in Tanzania
b) Mapping of internally displaced youth and youth living with disabilities to identify opportunities to engage them in the program
c) Consultancy to undertake mapping of existing youth organizations/networks and identify youth champions
d) Conduct assessments to identify the needs and opportunities for provision of mechanization services and renewable energy generation for youth especially young women
e) Market Analysis and Value Chain Business Case Analysis for Selected Crops in Tanzania
f) Consultancy to conduct assessment on opportunities to leverage government infrastructural investments for youth inclusion in markets and trade, especially in the BBT-YIA
g) Undertaking a study on youths’ participation in policy process and advocacy platforms at National and LGAs level, and development and support implementation of youth specific policy incentives to enable youths in Agri - entrepreneurship
h) Reviewing and updating the Tanzania National Strategy for Youth Involvement in Agriculture (NSYIA) of 2016 and incorporating the Youth Agenda into the country’s NAIP – ASDP II
i) Carry out the Youth Ecosystem Development analysis to determine the partners, priorities, investments, and gaps within the ecosystem in relation to work opportunities for the financially disadvantaged youth
j) Political Economy Analysis on Youth Participation in Cross Border Trade (worth and merit of removing tariffs barriers)
k) Consultancy for youth profiling and segmentation for YEFFA program
l) Consultancy for Operationalization of an Approach and Methodology for Tracking Public and Private Sector Investments in Agriculture Flagship Programmes in Tanzania
Qualifications and Experience
The successful individual is required to meet the following criteria:
I. Individual must be a reputable graphic designer with at least 5 years’ experience in designing and layout of information and communication materials.
II. Should posse at least a degree in graphic design or related field.
III. Strong practical background in graphic design, including the use of design software such as Adobe Design Premium, In-Design, etc.
IV. Show a clear and mature style of design, demonstrating an understanding of the communication requirements of AGRA
V. Proven experience of graphic production from start to published/printed product with knowledge of printing processes (offset and digital) and colour management.
VI. Good understanding of new and evolving technologies and digital platforms.
VII. Working experience in development space is desirable.
