Consultancy Opportunity – Capacity Development for Farmer Business Organizations

Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) Project

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Capacity Development for Farmer Business Organizations and Cooperatives in Njombe, Mbeya, Rukwa, and Katavi Regions

Background

Rikolto supports actors in food systems to unlock their potential to feed the world sustainably. We focus on enhancing the capacities of our partners to leverage the dynamics of various food chains, targeting both formal and informal markets. Our beneficiaries include farmers, traders, consumers, youth, women, and men. We collaborate with smallholder farmer organizations, private sector businesses, and cities to drive positive changes in food systems.

One of our key strategies is to strengthen farmer business organizations and cooperatives into strong, viable business partners that actively participate in value chains. To design effective capacity development plans, we first assess the capacities and gaps of these organizations. This approach supports their professionalization and sustainable growth.

Rikolto in Tanzania has secured funding from AGRA to implement the Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) project, aimed at empowering youth and women through integrated and resilient market-led sunflower value chain development. Funded by the Mastercard Foundation, the project aims to reach 100,000 smallholder sunflower farmers, including youth and women, and empower over 12,068 youth to secure dignified work in the sunflower value chain across Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Rukwa, and Katavi regions.

Professionalization of Farmer Business Organizations

Rikolto is working with Farmer Business Organizations (FBOs) across the five regions to strengthen their role as reliable business partners. Our goal is to enable them to support their members' businesses, making them more profitable, sustainable, and better connected to markets.

Below is the number of farmer organizations targeted for professionalization in each region:

Scope of Work

The assignment involves:

1. Internal Management and Governance:
   • Support recruitment and training of competent managers (including young graduate volunteers) for organizational management.
   • Build the capacity of existing staff to undertake managerial functions.
   • Provide leadership and management training to cooperative and association leaders.
   • Offer coaching and mentorship to management teams for effective implementation of personnel guidelines.
   • Support the establishment of strong management systems and attract more members through effective incentives.
2. Financial Management:
   • Coach managers and finance officers on sourcing and utilizing various financial resources.
   • Guide budget preparation and use of financial tools like cash handling and reconciliation.
   • Facilitate access to agro-input loans by negotiating with financial institutions.
   • Promote financial sustainability and reduce dependency on external partners.
   • Support internal and external financial audits.
3. Marketing:
   • Assist organizations in securing contracts with local buyers for quality, safe food supply.
   • Explore export market channels and develop new contracts.
   • Develop and implement marketing strategies tailored to each organization.
4. Production and Operations:
   • Enhance production capacity and yield per unit area.
   • Facilitate agreements with input companies for collective input purchases.
   • Mentor management committees on supply chain management and quality control.

Deliverables

• Monthly Progress Reports and a Final Report summarizing the assignment’s outcomes.
• Recruited managers assuming leadership and management roles.
• Improved governance systems and leadership capacities.
• Established financial systems for effective resource management.
• Strengthened production base and increased membership supplying through cooperatives.
• New contracts with at least two buying companies.
• Internal and external financial audits conducted for better financial management.
• Marketing strategies and business plans tailored to each organization.
• Enhanced relationships between organizations and their partners.

Duration of the Assignment

The assignment will span 180 working days, with an average of 9 days per group. The final report is due by October 30, 2025.

Application Procedure

Qualified firms or individuals are invited to submit:

• Technical and Financial Proposals
• Methodology/Approach
• Legal Status and Experience
• CVs of Key Personnel

Applications should be submitted via email to eastafrica.recruitment@rikolto.org by March 4, 2025, clearly indicating the title and source of this advertisement.

Three consultants will be hired, each covering the following regions:

• Njombe (1 consultant)
• Mbeya and Songwe (1 consultant)
• Rukwa and Katavi (1 consultant)

Applicants should specify their preferred region of operation.

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