About SNV

SNV is a global development partner rooted in the African and Asian countries where we operate. With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, it is our mission to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems to enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all.

1.1. Introduction

SNV is implementing and supporting systems change in the agriculture, water, and energy sectors, with several ongoing projects and partners focusing specifically on Regenerative Agriculture and Productive use of Renewable Energy applications. These efforts have centred on improving agricultural livelihoods and empowering renewable energy solutions. Starting from these in-country collaborations and engagements at national, regional, and global events – islands of change. We are exploring the potential to build on our experience and bring about seas of change, working jointly with partners to achieve impact at scale in Eastern Africa. The Seas of Change Strategic Partnership is therefore focused on the nexus of regenerative agriculture (RA) and PURE within agri-food and energy systems.

1.2. Background

Seas of Change-Rwanda is a project aimed to transform agri-food systems, through creating the conditions to scale up Regenerative Agriculture (RA) and Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) via bottom-up stream approach, advocacy, and fostering a lasting impact at both farm and landscape levels. The project is focused to influencing mindset shifts, restoring natural ecosystems, and driving market demand. Leveraging on the private sector participation, collaboration with research institutions and policy makers, the project will impact successful adoption of transformative practices for regenerative farming to stimulate a commercially viable market environment for regenerative agriculture

1.3. Target Area

Seas of Change project will be implemented in 6 districts of Rwanda which include; Nyagatare, Kayonza, Kamonyi  Bugesera, Rwamagana and Gicumbi. This supports the PURE integration and scaling deep ambitions in these selected geographies. However, these districts will not be ring fenced but rather have additions over time depending on the need an and availability of funds.

1.4. Goal and objectives

This project aims to demonstrate how energy-driven, resilient food systems in Rwanda can be enabled   and scaled, by empowering smallholder farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt regenerative agricultural practices that trigger transformation into renewable energy production. This will be achieved through catalytic partnerships, capacity strengthening, and the implementation of the project, underpinned by the Strategic Partnership with the IKEA Foundation, SNV, and other partners. The strategic foundation of the SoC-R project is the LEARN-LINK-LEVERAGE model, which continues to serve as the backbone of the whole SoC partnership portfolio. Building on outcomes and learnings from the previous projects impacts by deploying SNV’s unique technical offer, SoC-Rwanda seeks to use LEARN-LINK-LEVERAGE to further Systems Transformation at the RA-PURE Nexus.

Selected Value Chains

Seas of Change will focus on the following value chains: horticulture, livestock (dairy, goats, poultry), and agroforestry, including fruit trees. Horticultural production uses high amounts of fertilizers and pesticides, showing significant soil degradation in the selected project areas due to persistent tillage following short crop cycles, leading to loosening of the soils making it prone to erosion. These value chain can influence the entire farmer spectrum, making extra efforts to ensure inclusion of these groups.

Scope of work, Objectives and deliverables

The overall objective of the scoping study is to identify key opportunities and challenges regarding regenerative and circular agriculture in Rwanda and provide recommendations on priority interventions to inform to inform the decision-making of specific objectives are:

• Primary target group: provide an overview of present status of regenerative and circular practices in the target areas in targeted value chains and identify most feasible options for regenerative and circular practices.
• Secondary target group: map the key stakeholders as regards regenerative and circular agriculture for the different actor groups: national and sub-national governments, CSOs, farmer organisations, research organizations and multi-stakeholder platforms.
• Develop a profile on regenerative and circular agriculture for each stakeholder and identify main constraints and opportunities as regards regenerative and circular agriculture.
• Business cases: develop a list of potential business cases for regenerative and circular agriculture with business profiles (format for profiles to be developed by consultant).
• Policies: map and analyse relevant policies at national and district / county level as regards regenerative and circular agriculture and identify major gaps / issues to be addressed in advocacy.
• Recommendations:based on the analyses above, provide recommendations for priorities for each of the three key outcome areas of SoC     

Deliverables:

The key deliverables for this assignment are:

• Inception report: detailed methodology, work plan, and data collection tools.
• A report (with a maximum of 30 pages), addressing the objectives above in a coherent and consistent way
• A list of possible business cases with business profiles (to be develop by consultant and agreed upon beforehand by SNV)
• A power point presentation with the main results of the assignment which will be presented at the inception meeting

Methodology

The consultant will conduct the following activities towards completing this assignment:

• Develop a reporting format and business profile at the start of the assignment as well as a more detailed planning to be agreed upon by SNV.
• Secondary data: review of relevant reports, publications and policies.
• Interviews with major stakeholders, list to be finalized in consultation with SNV.
• Develop 1^stdraft of the report by mid-March 2025, present 2^nd draft of the report during the inception workshop and submit final report by the first week of April 2025.
• Develop a power point presentation to be shared during the inception workshop.

Reporting, Level of effort, Duration of Assignment and Timeline

The contracted   firm or consultant will report to the Project Manager of SoC programme. The level of effort for this assignment is expected to be 3 weeks. The assignment is going to start in the last week of February and will last until the mid-March 2025.

Required Skills/ Experience

The assignment is open to Firms and individual Consultants with the following credentials:

• Master’s degree in; Regenerative Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Agriculture economics, Rural development, Agribusiness, Business Development or related field.
• Strong understanding of the Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE) toward transformation of agri-food systems and agriculture ecosystem         
• A solid understanding of Agro-ecology or regenerative and circular agriculture principles and practices.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in delivery of consultancy services in Rwanda
• Experience or track record in agriculture development, agribusiness development, market facilitation.
• Capable of producing high-quality reports, presentations, and knowledge products tailored to different audiences
• Solid and analytical writing and reporting skills.

7. Evaluation criteria and submission

This assignment is limited to local firms and individual consultants.  Interested applicants are   requested to submit the following:

Applications should be submitted to rwandaprocurement@snv.org no later than February 10, 2025.

8. Key compliance issues

Consultant must comply with SNV’s environmental and Social Safeguarding policies and procedures as well as take into consideration donor-specific requirements.

9. Data Protection assurance

SNV will not retain your Personal Data for longer than is allowed by law or is necessary for the Purposes.

If you are selected and offered employment, the Personal Data you have provided will be used by SNV for the purpose of this bidding administration. If you are unsuccessful on this occasion to secure tender with SNV, SNV will retain your Personal Data for required period for the purpose of any future internal or external audit.