Background

World Vision is implementing Livelihoods interventions in 4 wards (8,9,10 and 17) under Mbire District. (8,9,10 and 17). The livelihoods and self-reliance activities will directly target schools and producer groups focusing on interventions that support improved agricultural productivity and diversification of on- and off-farm activities, including crop and livestock production. World Vision Mbire AP’s objective of engaging a market research consultant is a key pre-condition for establishment of viable income generating projects.

The engagement of Market Research consultant is aimed at:

  1.  Improving and sustaining the productive potential of income generating projects for schools, households and producer groups as well as off-farm income generating activities while simultaneously enhancing incomes and livelihood options;
  2. (ii) strengthening administrative capacity of schools, households and producer groups to manage project financial resources and effectively implement viable income generating activities in the context of climate change and natural resource management, and to sustain viable income generating activities beyond the duration of the Area Program; and,
  3.  Improving and linking  income generating projects for households, schools and producer groups to viable markets.

 NB: Producer groups, household and school-based income generating projects in Mbire District remain at the fringes of the market as the project participants are not included in the value chain for their commodities.

Purpose

To build capacity and guide Producer groups, households and Schools to acquire market skills and become market ready before they manoeuvre and benefit from what the market offers. And with these skills treat farming as a business

Deliverables

  • Profile the existing value chains both crops and livestock with the intended outcome to identify feasible and most effective agricultural products.
  • Generate a list of profitable and technically feasible crops and livestock using the following criteria (potential growth, potential pro-poor, gender balance)
  • Assessment and provision of a detailed analysis of at least 3 high value crops and livestock value chains
  • Assessment of a selected market system supporting environment (services, policies regulations, infrastructure)
  • A description of training skills needs related to potential roles in value chain and off-farm income generating activities based on feasibility and opportunities.
  • Identify areas of intervention in the value chain for youth, schools, person living with disability, the elderly and specific skills training needs.
  • A gendered conflict analysis that will inform targeting of beneficiaries which will include exploring and understanding the different roles and distribution of power between men and women

Scope of work

In carrying out the assessment the consultant will should therefore analyse the following;

Agronomic production of key crops and livestock

Identify the currently dominant agronomic production practices (specification of agricultural practices of soil and water management, pest and pesticide management, quality of crops produced and farming techniques required to achieve market standards.

Products

  • Characterise the marketing of various products within the respective value chains
  • Supply of the products
  • Volumes of each product availed in the market
  • Value addition, packaging and pricing along the supply chain
  • Consumer perception
  • Estimate the market potential and actors at the end market
  • Characteristics of supply chain actors
  • Relationship among supply chain
  • Linkage between producers, traders and processors and transporters

Market Potential

  • Establish market size (local and external) and market penetration by local producers
  • Conduct a value chain analysis to identify the different actors in the chain
  • Identify constraints that limit market expansion
  • Estimate market potential of prioritised products within the value chains

Identify local/external markets for the identified products

Collective marketing and Value Chains Efficiency

  • Assess the utility and potential for improving market efficiency through collective marketing purpose (propose ways of achieving this and minimum standards required)
  • Determine the level of market orientation and integration by producers
  • Recommend process for institutional formation to facilitate collective marketing perceptive for the prioritised products
  • Suggests improvements in the value chain system to ensure direct linkages of the farmers with the major markets and increased incomes from their products

Skills gap

  • What are the key skills required in the agriculture and livestock projects
  • Are there skills available in the market if not what are the reasons
  • How can the gap

Crop inputs

  • How does the crop inputs market function?
  • How do actors working in crop inputs respond to risks and shocks in their environmental?
  • Who are the key market actors? What are their capacities, constraints and incentives?

Animal health

  • How does the animal healthcare market function/ what is the performance and quality?
  • How do animal health workers, and the actors they work with, respond to risks and shocks?
  • Who are the market actors?

Rules and Norms

  • What are the government regulations and laws affecting the target market systems?
  • What are the government programmes affecting the target market systems, how are they affecting them?
  • Who are the key market actors? What are their capacities, constraints and incentives?
  • What are the key development agency programmes affecting the target market systems? How are they affecting them?
  • What actors have more power or control over the target market systems and why
  • What social dynamics/norms affect the target market systems
  • Does activity in the target market system create the risk of conflict? How?
  • What other informal norms affect the target market system, value of government visibility and engagement.

SWOT analysis

 Summary of SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis of the identified key crop and livestock value chains derived from the different aspects analysed

Action Plan

Propose and draw recommendations and suggest strategies and action plans for supporting upgrading the livestock and crop value chains, with specific interventions, indicative timeframe, and agents to address constraints identified. To inform how the programme should be implemented to strengthen the value chain and based on what the programme is expected to accomplish, provide recommendations of potential future areas of programming

Key outputs

The market assessment and value chain analysis report for on and off-farm livelihood options and opportunities and to also include:

  1.  Market sizing and growth projections

     ii)         Competitive landscape

  1. Market requirements and barriers to entry

QUALIFICATIONS

The consultant must have:

• An extensive and proven experience in business support service for agribusiness

and agricultural cooperatives or producer groups.

• Proven knowledge of the Livelihoods Interventions, preferably with experience in agriculture and off-farm income generating activities.

 Preference will also be given to the contractor with the following qualifications:

• Proven association with NGOs which have experience in development of business plan, work with farmer associations or producer groups and agribusiness entrepreneurs, and familiar with the agricultural context in Mbire District.

• Proven experience in value chain infrastructure and access to viable markets.