Call for Consultant: Food Environment Analysis & Mapping of Commodity Platforms

Terms of Reference for a consultancy on

Food environment context Analysis and Mapping of Commodity sector Platforms and technical support to SMEs and Sector platforms in Ethiopia

Rikolto is an international NGO with more than 50 years’ experience in partnering with farmer organizations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Our work is structured around three global programs, such as Rice Programme, Cocoa & Coffee programme and Good Food for Cities programme. Our mission is to promote sustainable income for farmers and nutritious, affordable food for everyone through trust and trade among the food industry, governments, research institutions, financial bodies, and farmers' organizations, focusing on the pivotal question: ‘What will we eat tomorrow?’ Rikolto’ s global strategy is directed towards structural changes in the agri-food system and upscaling of well-functioning practices and policies that unlock the farming potential of a critical mass of small holder farmers. Clear structural change/up-scaling agendas are agreed upon for which specific strategies and actions are developed. This is followed by design of concrete interventions in pilot chains to experiment, learn and build evidence to influence the agreed changes. The potential of technology to address financial needs along the value chain has yet to be fully realized.  

Among of Rikolto global Programmes Good Food for Cities programme which catalyse collective action among local food system actors to make urban food environments and food supply chains more conducive to healthy, sustainable and nutritious diets for all citizens as part of resilient and inclusive city region food systems. Under this programme, Rikolto in East Africa has secured a five-year (2024-2028) funding from Norad funded through IDH namely Grow Together programme Leveraging markets and data for food security and thriving communities in Tanzania and Ethiopia. The program vision is to contribute to transforming local food markets and improving food security and local economies by increasing the incomes of small-scale food producers and scaling operations of food SMEs to become large and reliable food companies in Africa with Ethiopia and Tanzania being target countries.

The assignment:

We are seeking a consultant to support us in conducting a food environment context analysis, mapping sector platforms, and providing technical support to SMEs and sector platforms in our target regions and cities in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa).The objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the urban food environment, including various food distribution models and food commodity platforms, to inform the structuring of interventions for the Growing Together program. The findings from the context analysis and commodity platform mapping will also guide the provision of technical support to selected SMEs and sector platforms. The food environment context analysis and commodity platform mapping must be completed within 30 working days (May-June 2025), while the technical support phase will extend over six months, starting in June 2025.

1. Ethiopia food Environment and Rationale of Food environment Context analysis (18 days)

The food environment encompasses the physical, economic, political, and socio-cultural factors that influence the availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of food. In Ethiopia, this environment is shaped by various elements, including urbanization and population growth, agricultural practices, infrastructure development, and government policies. Understanding the food environment and food chains in both urban and rural areas such is essential for enhancing food security and nutrition in Ethiopia. We therefore plan to conduct food context analysis for a better understanding of food flows and its challenges.  

Rikolto is currently implementing a growing program from 2024-2028. The programme is at the design stage, and we want to better design intervention based on environmental context analysis. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the operating environment and we are seeking a consultant for a short-term assignment spanning from May to June 2025 (30 working days) tasked with conducting a comprehensive food environment context analysis.    

The primary objective of this assignment is to gain a deeper understanding of the urban food environment in targeted cities and municipalities of Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa specifically focusing on key issues, market inefficiencies, Food distribution models and other food innovations, farmer Linkages and identifying potential partners. This analysis aims to support our program in achieving the goal of providing healthy, sustainable, and nutritious food to mainstream consumers in target cities.

Specific Tasks (Food Context Analysis)

1. Conduct an extensive review of existing literature on the food environment and rural/urban food chains in Addis Ababa and Dera Dawa  

2. Conduct comprehensive assessment on availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability of food in the target cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa  

3. Perform a comparative analysis of other cities that share links with the target cities  

4. Map and profile key potential partners from target cities focusing on large food companies, SMEs and MSMEs that offer markets and services to smallholder farmers.

5. Understand and present different food business models by food companies in target cities

6. Conduct an analysis of food flow from production, transportation, marketing and final distribution points in the target cities.  

7. Analyze the food related policies and highlight policy priorities that influence food systems transformation in the targeted areas

8. Present a draft report for the context analysis for review by Rikolto programme team which includes key recommendations focusing on how to ensure food availability, accessibility, affordability and food distribution models to be used and  

9. Present a final report and to be approved by Rikolto programme team.

B) Conducting Mapping and analysis of existing Commodity Platforms (12 days)

To achieve this shared vision and understanding, it is essential to have a Commodity platform where sector stakeholders can meet, discuss, and make joint decisions to address specific sector challenges. Through the Growing Together project, we aim to build and strengthen these sector commodity platforms to improve sector governance to have influence in the sector. Therefore, the consultant needs to do the following:  

Specific Task: Mapping Commodity sector Platforms

1. Identify existing commodity platforms in the country with a focus on maize, sunflower, cocoa, coffee and soya beans to improve sector Governance and coordination and share the new opportunities with anchor SMEs that will be supported by the project.

2. Prepare a profile of all commodity platforms, conduct an assessment using the Rikolto MSP Toolbox to evaluate the status of the platforms and highlight their functionality and relevance in transforming the food system and value chain.  

3. Use the designated Rikolto MSP tool to conduct mapping and stakeholder analysis for maize, sunflower, cocoa, coffee and soya beans linked to consumers in target cities and regions.

4. Using the Rikolto designated MSP toolbox, conduct a screening of commodity platforms and provide recommendations on how they can be strengthened.

C): Provision of technical assistance to SME and Sector platforms (60 days)

Based on the findings from the context analysis and Commodity platform mapping, we plan to provide targeted technical assistance to selected SMEs and sector platforms to enhance SME Food business models (Better Food distribution models), improve Commodity platform governance structures and influence capacity and strengthen SME competitiveness within the food system.  The following are details of technical assistance to be provided

1. Coaching and training SMEs and their partner MSMEs to optimize their businesses models for product diversification and distribution of nutritious and affordable food to urban consumers.

2. Convene MSP stakeholder meetings with local partners in Ethiopia and develop programme and action plans to strengthen sector platforms

3. Support sector platforms in convening on agendas that promote nutritious and affordable foods for urban markets in the cities

4. Provide tailored coaching, mentoring and training on market access and innovation in efficient food distribution in target cities

5. Provide Training and coaching with the management of sector platforms to strengthen their convening and sector influence.

6. Facilitate partnerships with retailers, and urban markets to enhance SME access to markets, ensuring the efficient food distribution of nutritious and affordable food.​

7. Support development vision of change and roles of stakeholders in addressing food system challenges (working groups).​

8. Support sector platforms in organizing its Quarterly, semi-annual platform meetings to discuss and develop actions to improve the sectors

9. Through sector platforms, support organization of B2B and B2C meetings between anchor SMEs, MSMEs, and farmer organizations and consumers for diversification to ensure efficient supply of nutritious foods to urban markets.

10. Support regular multi-stakeholder dialogues to influence changes by public and stakeholders.

11. To conduct validation workshop to inform a wider range of partners on the status of the food environment in these two selected cities.

Qualifications and Experience:

We seek a qualified consultant, preferably an expert in Food Systems or related fields, with extensive experience in Africa’s food systems, particularly in Ethiopia. The consultant should possess strong analytical and writing skills, capable of delivering high-quality outputs in English.

Mode of Application

Qualified firms/candidates are invited to submit their Technical and Financial proposal which describe the methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment, Steps to be followed in conducting the assignment, the quality of the team to be used in conducting the assignment and the proposed budget to complete the assignment. Submit your complete application via email eastafrica.recruitment@rikolto.org by May 11, 2025.

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