Job Terms of Reference to conduct a Systemic Market Analysis in the Sunflower Value Chain in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Introduction

SNVNetherlands Development Organisation is an international not-for-profit development organisation, working in 36 of the poorest countries worldwide, including 17 countries in Sub Saharan Africa. We focus on achieving impact in Agriculture, Energy, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. By sharing our specialist expertise in Agriculture, Energy, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, we contribute to solving some of the leading problems facing the world today – helping to find local solutions to challenges regarding food, energy and water and sowing the seeds of lasting change.

In Tanzania, SNV country headquarters are located in Dar es Salaam, with field offices in Arusha, Mwanza and Iringa and a small project office in Mbeya. Within the agriculture sector, SNV Tanzania is currently implementing a number of projects aiming at: i) increased production (productivity), income & employment for smallholder farmers and youth by widening market access & employment opportunities for smallholder farmers and processors, and ii) national and regional food security through increased income for poor and promotion of staple food value chain alongside non-staple chains. What we do to meet these impact aims includes: value chain development, impact investment, inclusive business, inclusive public policy development and climate responsive agriculture.

Project Background

SNV Tanzania and partners Jackson Group, WOPATA, APF, received funding from Agricultural Markets Development Trust (AMDT) to implement the Inclusive Business in the Sunflower Value Chain project in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The project uses an M4P approach in order to increase the sustainable income of smallholder sunflower farmers through increased access to services, markets and inputs enabled by structural and behavioural change triggered among the actors in the sunflower market system.

The outcomes of the project will be increased production and sale of sunflower that is produced using climate smart inputs and services by small holder farmers – men, women and youth – who are able to operate their farms as businesses, guaranteed by secure market access through producer groups who can negotiate better input and output deals for their members. Small and medium processors will increase sales of crude oil and improve capacity utilisation, and be able to invest in business development. Large, small and medium processors and smallholders will operate in an inclusive sunflower market system.

The project will work simultaneously to incentivise smallholders and small and medium processors to adopt sustainable and inclusive business practices through increased income generation from guaranteed markets. At the same time, smallholders, and small and medium processors will be enabled to increase their income through increased access to targeted advisory and extension services; input supplies and finance. Advisory and extension service providers and input suppliers will be encouraged into the market by producer groups that will be enabled for commercial production and engagement with market players.

The behavioural and structural changes needed for this sustainable market development will be catalysed by SNV and its partners.

To achieve the outputs, outcomes and impact, interventions in Year One of this project start with development of the value chain and market linkages that support the nascent business relationships between already-registered Producer Groups, Mbeya Sunflower Oil Processors Association (MBESOPA) members and ECOF. Simultaneously, we will conduct a Systemic Market Analysis to identify structures, behaviours and business operating modalities across the designated area of Rukwa, Katavi, Mbeya and Songwe to pin point the actors, gaps and business modalities that will lead to change.

That Analysis will shape the next steps asit will inform exactly which actors should be involved, where and how, in order to leverage maximum structural and behavioural change in the market.

It is for this Market Analysis that SNV is issuing this call for applications from lead consultants.

The selected applicant will work with the local SNV and partner staff in order to conduct the assessment in-country. Initial research into the overall sunflower market system has been done, and a copy of that report is included as an attachment to this ToR.

Geographic focus

While looking at the Sunflower Market System in Tanzania, SNV’s area of operations focuses around linking small holders in four regions of Rukwa, Mbeya, Katavi and Songe into the market. So the primary thrust of this assignment will be carried out in these four areas with support from SNV and partner staff out of our Iringa and Mbeya offices.

Objectives of the Assignment

The objective for this particular assignment is to undertake systemic market analysis of the sunflower market system specifically looking at those elements that are impacting SHF in the target areas, and identify the actors, relationships, behavioural changes, gaps, proposed interventions and important considerations to be undertaken by the project team. SNV will already be working with the elements of the market system that function around MBESOPA (Mbeya Sunflower Processors Association), the Producer Organisations and small holders from which they source; the input suppliers and extension services that support them, the markets to whom they sell and the overall framework.

The purpose of this commissioned research is to supplement SNV’s initial work with MBESOPA by identifying the other actors and elements in the system, that SNV and its team, can build into the programme as we move forward.

Specifically the service provider undertaking this market system analysis will:

·          Review background materials and interview SNV and its partners in order to understand what is already being done and what is proposed.

·          Conduct assessment of the market system’s capacityand performance (capacity and demand size of the sunflower processor associations, other SMEs in the region and sunflower producers supply capacity per season/year)

·          Assess the existing market situation and nature of bargaining taking place between different market players in the study area (attitudes,relationships and behaviours).

·          Identify and interviewkey market actors (including producers, input suppliers, technology providers,sunflower oil processors, storage providers, retail outlets, agricultural research institutions, seed breeders and companies, etc.), and indirect market actors, suchas microfinance institutions/banks, insurance companies (including National Insurance Company), Local Government Authorities, etc.

·          Map the sunflower market system in Mbeya, Songwe, Rukwa and Katavi in detail including main actors, flows of products, money and information, and supporting organizations

·          Identify the roles, functions , attitudes and business connections of these players, highlighting what is working and identifying where there are gaps or relationship issues  or business behaviours that are not supporting market growth

·          Identify the winners and losers in the sunflower value chain in the project area – who is making most money in the value chain and how can the project help in enhancing equity in the value chain

·          Analyze availability and the principal supply and/or demand problems in the market system that are specific to the geographic area under consideration.

·          Detail the constraints at each value chain step to competitively service the demand identified in the geographic area

·          Analyze the capacity of farmers and their organizations (POs) to access services (training, advisory services etc.), credit, information and resources, making specific analysis of the manner in which gender affects this access

·          Analyse the capacity of private sector to meet those input and extension needs in the geographic target area

·          Develop detailed recommendations, specific systemic interventions, on how to “upgrade” sunflower value chain and improve market access for the poor SHF in the four regions.

Timing

The project contract has just been signed and the Market Analysis Report is required to be completed before the end of May 2017 in order to inform timely ongoing programming.

Deliverables

1.     Inception Report – outlining the approach that will be taken, detailed activity plan and schedule of works

2.     Draft final report. Report to include, at a minimum:

a.     Map of the market system

b.     Practical and informed analysis of the current and potential future players in the system, outlining their roles , behaviours and relationships and providing clarity on their incentives to engage in the sunflower market system

c.     Capacity indications for the identified actors in the system – what are they currently providing, to whom and where and to what extent could that be increased or expanded. What would be needed in ruder to make that change?

d.     Clear recommendations as to future steps and interventions in order to facilitate market growth that benefits the poor SHF

3.     Final report. Including all the sections outlined above

Qualifications and Experience

The Candidate/ Team must demonstrate the following:

1.     Post-graduate qualifications in Agriculture Economics, Development, or similar;

2.     At least ten years working in Market systems development,  preferably in Agricultural markets, a significant portion of which must have been using M4P methodologies and approaches

3.     Demonstrated experience in conducting Market Systems analysis

4.     Knowledge and familiarity of working in East Africa

Fees

The consultant/ team will prepare a fee structure for this engagement in the entire assignment, clearly showing days/ level of effort and price breakdown for each member of the team if a team is being proposed.

A percentage of the fee will be paid on submission and acceptance of the inception report, and the remainder paid on completion and acceptance of the final report by the SNV technical team.

Costs related to logistics such as DSA, flights, accommodation, in country travel shall be listed under separate budget lines and may be dealt with directly by SNV instead of leaving the consultant to procure these services.  Please note that DSA will not be reimbursed at higher than SNV’s rates (40% of published UN rates).

Please be aware that SNV is subject to the laws of Tanzania and thereby withholds 5% tax on national consultant fees and 10% on international consultant fees

Proposals

The consultant/team should submit the following documents as their submission:

1.     Technical proposal outlining the approach and methods,

2.     CVs for all proposed team members, clearly showing past relevant experience to this assignment, and including any other relevant documents you wish to bring to our attention, such a market studies you have completed in the past (including copies of certificates for any listed qualifications)

3.     Your financial proposal

4.     Completed copy of the attached Biodata form for all proposed team members if appropriate, clearly indicating your past consultancy fee history with references that can be checked

Evaluation of Proposals

Your proposal will be evaluated based on:

1.     The demonstrated experience relevant to the assignment

2.     Qualifications

3.     The proposed technical approach

4.     The proposed fees and costs

Proposal Submission

Proposals must be submitted in full to tanzania@snvworld.orgby 1630 on April 3^rd2017. The subject line should read:Market System Analysis Sunflower.

SNV’s partner APF will be conducting a Gender Value Chain Analysis in parallel to this Market Study, so the selected consultant should liaise with that team to start discussing results and ensuring that their findings are helping to shape the market study.

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