Call for Consultant at Rikolto

Call for Consultant at Rikolto

Call for Consultant to Train Young Women and Men on Standards and Quality in the Sunflower Value Chain

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Call for Consultant to Train Youth on Standards and Quality in the Sunflower Value Chain Rikolto in Tanzania seeks a qualified consultant to design and implement a comprehensive training programme for young women and men in Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Rukwa, and Katavi. The training will focus on food standards and quality, good manufacturing practices (GMP), good hygiene practices (GHP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), and edible oil processing skills. The consultant will be responsible for developing training materials, conducting technical training, linking youth processors to suppliers of post-harvest technologies and food-grade packaging materials, facilitating market linkage support, and establishing Youth Regional Sunflower Platforms. They will also be required to submit a quality report within four days after the training. Interested consultants should submit their proposals, including a technical and financial proposal along with a CV, to [email protected] by February 25, 2025.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT TRAINING TO YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN ON STANDARDS AND QUALITY TO IMPROVE COMPLIANCE WITH REGIONAL AND CONTINENTAL FOOD TRADE AND STRENGTHERNING REGIONAL SUNFLOWER SECTOR PLATFORMS

PROJECT NAME: YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR THE FUTURE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (YEFFA) PROJECT

Background

Rikolto is an international NGO with over 40 years of experience partnering with farmer organizations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Operating in 17 countries through seven regional offices, Rikolto addresses critical food system challenges globally. In Tanzania, Rikolto implements food systems projects in eight regions, focusing on urban food systems, sustainable rice production, and livelihoods through cocoa and coffee programs.

Rikolto in Tanzania has recently secured funding from Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to implement a Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) project by Empowering Youth and Women Through Integrated and Resilient Market-Led Sunflower Value Chain Development which is implemented from 2024-2026. The project is being executed through various partners across Tanzania and is funded by the Mastercard Foundation.  The project has a goal of 100,000 smallholder sunflower farmers reached including youth and women, empower over 12,068 youth to secure dignified and fulfilling work from the agriculture along sunflower value chain in Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Rukwa and Katavi.

Description of the assignment:  

Rikolto is seeking to engage a consultant or a team of consultants to conduct specialized training for young women and men in the regions of Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Rukwa, and Katavi. The focus of the training will be on enhancing participants’ knowledge and skills in food standards and quality, with the aim of improving compliance with both regional and continental food trade regulations. The training will not only address the technical aspects of quality standards but will also cover the broader context of how these standards impact market access and trade within the agriculture sector. Also, the consultants(s) will support the establishment of Youth Regional Sunflower Platforms. These platforms will serve as key spaces for young people to engage in decision-making processes, share knowledge, and influence strategies related to the sunflower value chain.

Objectives of the Assignment

The consultants(s) will plan and implement this assignment in close collaboration with Rikolto, with the primary objective of improving business compliance among sunflower processors to meet the standards and requirements of regional and continental trade. This will involve assessing existing compliance gaps, providing tailored training, and facilitating the adoption of industry best practices to enhance competitiveness in the market. Also, the assignment will focus on strengthening regional platforms to ensure greater youth participation and engagement in the sunflower value chain. This includes creating opportunities for capacity building, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, and facilitating networking and mentorship programs. The overall goal is to create an inclusive and enabling environment where young people can actively contribute to and benefit from the growth of the sunflower sector.

 Scope of work

The consultant/firm with the support of Rikolto and their partners will lead in the whole course of undertaking the assignment.  The scope of work includes and is not limited to the following:

Output 1.2: Strengthened capacity of youth led SMES to participate in markets and trade

1.2.1 Training youth Agri-SMEs on quality and standards; support access to post-harvest technologies (linking Agro-dealers, SMEs to suppliers of post-harvest technologies); train on post-harvest management to youth-led Agri-SMEs

1.2.1.1 Provide Capacity building training on GMP, GHP, HACCP and edible oil processing skills and support to Youth and Women processors

1.2.1.2 Develop tailored training manuals, programs and collection of   for quality control and industry standards  

1.2.1.3 Link youth and women processors (participation in Agriculture fair, machinery fairs and experts) appropriately with suppliers of efficient processing technologies and food grade packaging materials

1.2.1.4 Provision of laboratory services to young and women sunflower processors to improve sunflower processing efficiency and quality

1.2.1.5 Market linkage support for Youth and Women Sunflower processor MSMEs participating / organising local and international B2B networking events, matchmaking services, and industry-specific partnerships

Output 1.3: Improved enabling environment and compliance to quality and standards for regional and continental food trade

1.3.3.1 Advocate and Educate young women and men processors on improvement of enabling environment made by THE BLUEPRINT in the sunflower sector. (I.e. changes in standards and agencies responsible for standards) through regional sector platforms

1.3.3.4 Support establishment of Youth Regional sunflower platforms to enhance decision making and engagement in the sector

1.3.3.5 Advocate through local government in Utilization of 10% loan to facilitate access to finance among youth and women and conduct annual inventory survey to establish annual sunflower processing capacity, annual sunflower demand, capacity utilization and national’s edible oil demand.

1.3.3.6 Convene and engage youth in public private dialogue to advocate for non-tariff barriers in cross-border traders

Summary Deliverables for the assignment

• A complete report outlining the current compliance gaps among sunflower processors and actionable recommendations to meet regional and continental trade standards
• Tailored training materials and sessions on regulatory requirements, quality assurance, and certification processes.
• Conduct workshops and training sessions for sunflower processors on improving business operations and achieving compliance targeting 200 processors
• Develop and share business compliance toolkits, including templates, guidelines, and resources to support processors in meeting trade requirements.
• Organize and facilitate stakeholder forums (Regional Sunflower/Platform Meetings) bringing together processors, traders, youth, and policymakers to discuss opportunities and challenges in the sector targeting 5 regional platforms
• Policy briefs with recommendations on enhancing the utilization of the 10% loan allocation to improve access to finance for youth and women.
• A summary of engagements with local governments and stakeholders, including minutes from advocacy meetings, agreements reached, and next steps.

Implementation Timelines

This assignment is scheduled for implementation from February 2025 to December 2025. Throughout the project period, the consultant will be required to provide quarterly, semi-annual, and final reports, detailing progress, challenges, and outcomes achieved in line with the project objectives. These reports will serve as key milestones for tracking the project’s performance and informing necessary adjustments to ensure successful completion

Qualifications and Professional Experience:

• Nationality: Tanzanian national.

• Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in relevant fields (e.g., Business Administration, Agribusiness, Development Studies, or related disciplines).

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in business consultancy and facilitation, with a proven track record of managing donor-funded programs. Also, at least 7 years of experience in the private sector is required, demonstrating the ability to navigate both public and private sector dynamics effectively

• Language Proficiency: Fluency in both Swahili and English.

• The consultant or firm must demonstrate significant experience working with youth in agribusiness programs, with a focus on fostering youth engagement and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.

• Proven expertise in managing multi-stakeholder platform initiatives is essential. Also, the candidate must possess deep knowledge of the sunflower sub-sector, with a track record of successful collaboration with government bodies and other relevant stakeholders to drive sector growth and policy alignment.

Call for Consultant at Rikolto

Application  

Interested consultant/firm should send an application letter, 3-page proposal max and Budget for the proposed assignment.  They should attach a detailed CV, and copies of relevant certificates before 25th Feb 2025 to 

[email protected]