Job Description

The consultant will advise TSURO on implementing sub-objective 3: expand value creation, market access, and income generation. This assignment is rooted in the background that the Government of Zimbabwe and its partners invested in constructing 18 medium to large-scale irrigation schemes in Chimanimani district's Central, Nhedziwa, and Lowveld clusters. This intervention was crucial to reducing farming communities' dependence on rain-fed agriculture. In one of the project areas, the Nhedziwa cluster/Cashel Valley, a total of 800 hectares is currently irrigated, and most farmers utilize this irrigation infrastructure to grow various vegetables. On the other hand, an International Organisation, World Vision, also invested in constructing and renovating the Nhedziwa Agriculture Market facility in 2019-23 to provide smallholder farmers with a conducive marketing space. The marketing facility has spacious warehouses, cold rooms, offices, and stalls, all surrounded by a paved access road and fenced off. However, smallholder farmers in Nhedziwa still need to achieve what they always wanted: a secure and resilient livelihood from marketing their farm produce.
It is against this background that TSURO, under sub-objective 3 of this current WFD-funded project, seeks the services of a local consultant to advise on the implementation of intervention/s that aim to provide a sustainable business solution to the profitable marketing of agricultural produce from the Nhedziwa cluster (more specifically Cashel valley irrigation schemes), Chimanimani district, and surrounding areas.

Duties and Responsibilities

3.1 Duties and responsibilities
The specific duties and responsibilities of the consultant will be:

A. Advising the TSURO in the tasks of:
I. Conducting assessments as the basis for an evaluation of the potential of establishing a sustainable business model to market smallholder farmers' agricultural produce from the Nhedziwa cluster and smallholder farmers from surrounding areas (through a step-by-step approach)
II. Developing a sustainable and inclusive business model that clearly defines how the current challenges of marketing agricultural produce could be tackled in the Nhedziwa cluster and surrounding areas
III. Developing a roadmap of interventions that captures the implementation of the inclusive agricultural marketing business model based on the understanding of the current context and recommendations
IV. Developing an advisory and capacity-building plan that dovetails with the implementation of the inclusive business model
V. Collaborating with the stakeholders (local authority, government agencies, farmers, and MSMEs) to ensure the marketing business model plans meet their format and eligibility criteria.
VI. Support stakeholders in implementing an inclusive marketing business model and providing mentorship for at least a two-year period while mainstreaming topical issues of climate change, gender, youth, and nutrition.
VII. Collaborate with TSURO in undertaking yearly reviews to determine the impact of implementing and operationalizing the agriculture marketing Business Model.
3.2 Activities
The key activities may include but might not be limited to the following:
• Conduct a market assessment or research to understand the current context and challenges and to make recommendations for an appropriate inclusive business model
• Based on the market research, develop an appropriate business model to address issues raised in the market assessment
• Develop a step-by-step implementation strategy to operationalise a profitable inclusive business model while addressing the challenges in marketing agricultural produce
• Develop some capacity-building materials that support the capacity development of key stakeholders to the inclusive business model
• From time to time, advise TSURO on the appropriate actions to take and monitoring during the implementation of the inclusive business model
• Conduct regular meetings with the TSURO to update & discuss progress, recommend, and agree on the implementation of the inclusive business model
3.3 Key deliverables
The critical deliverables for the consultancy assignment include:

• Support/backstopping of the TSURO and any other organisation supporting the development of the inclusive business model:
o Brief inception report
o Marketing report including general recommendations and recommended follow-up
o Consolidated database of market players and their requirements
o Detailed step-by-step approach
o Three separate reports for different activities and minutes of regular meetings
o New or adapted capacity-building materials for farmers and stakeholders
• Support in reviewing, commenting, and recommending the various processes and documents/agreements during the operationalizing of the inclusive business model

Qualifications and Experience

Profile of the consultant
This assignment will be undertaken by firms/organizations with proven experience and track record in facilitating the implementation of market systems development projects focusing on smallholder agriculture production systems and promoting the role of the private sector in structured value chains in Zimbabwe. The consulting firms/organizations to be contracted will be expected to have or be able to build teams of experts. The firms/organizations will be responsible for providing overall technical guidance and support to develop an inclusive business model that supports the profitable marketing of agricultural produce from Nhedziwa, Chimanimani district, and surrounding areas.
The consulting team is required to meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Preferably, it will be an institution/firm/organization with at least ten years of experience implementing value chain upgrading projects and professional capacity in agribusiness development, financial literacy, and climate-smart agriculture within smallholder market-oriented agriculture production systems.
• Team members must hold qualifications in Economics/Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness/ Agricultural Development/Agronomy or related fields.
• The Team Leader must have at least eight years’ experience in agribusiness, smallholder and inclusive value chain development, and designing agricultural marketing business models.
• The Team leader must have demonstrable experience in leadership and organization, and a strong understanding of working with smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe would be an added advantage.
• Have experience developing training modules/ manuals specifically for smallholder farmer groups and agribusiness micro-enterprises.
• Have a Specialist in Rural Finance with a minimum of five years' experience in capacity building, emphasizing farming as a family business and financial literacy for smallholder farmers.
• Demonstrated experience in undertaking similar assignments with NGOs/Civil society organizations within the last ten years in Zimbabwe.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, presentation, and reporting skills

How to Apply

Qualified firms or consortia should submit technical and financial proposals guided by the following:
• A narrative/technical proposal (maximum 15 pages excluding annexes).
• CVs of consultant(s) to work on the assignment.
• Contacts of at least two referees who can vouch for the quality of the service provider’s work.
• A financial proposal indicating all costs associated with the consultancy, including cost by province per activity and VAT.
• Copies of company registration and tax clearance certificates should be included in the application.

Applications/bids to be sent via email to [email protected] and copied to [email protected] , [email protected] and [email protected]

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