Summary
Date Posted: Monday, August 12 2024, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
We are an international development organization putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We work with communities to develop ingenious, lasting, and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.
We’re a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

OUR AIMS
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:
• Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living.
• Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
• Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
• Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.

PRACTICAL ACTION IN EAST AFRICA
In East Africa, Practical Action has a long history of addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing energy that transforms their lives, helping communities and government make cities healthier and safer, making agriculture and markets work better for small holder farmers and supporting communities and government to become more resilient.
In Rwanda, we are recognized leaders in clean cooking and sustainable energy solutions. This includes ground-breaking work in solar, wind and water powered electricity generation, often delivered through independent mini grids. We bring rural communities, people in refugee camps, energy providers and decision makers together to put sustainable, clean energy solutions to work for the people who need them most.
In our strategic business plan 2021-2025, we propose to extend our current reach and scope in Rwanda by deepening our energy work and stretching our portfolio to work with small holder farmers to make agriculture work better for them.
Practical Action is implementing the Farm to Market for Refugee Youth (F2MARY) project, funded by AGRA, from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027, as part of our agricultural initiatives. The project aims to increase the production and productivity of chili and poultry among young, vulnerable producers. Additionally, it seeks to ensure inclusive access to chili and poultry markets for young farmers and producers living with disabilities in refugee camps and host communities. The project is being implemented in Gisagara district, Mugombwa Sector.
The main goal is to create employment opportunities for youth and women within the agricultural value chain. By transforming the agricultural sector and fostering the growth of private sector companies, the project aims to generate more jobs, work, and entrepreneurship opportunities, enabling young people to gain meaningful (self) employment. Ultimately, the project seeks to create fulfilling and dignified jobs for youth and women through investment and the strengthening of work pathways that benefit them.

JOB PURPOSE
The overall objective of this assignment is to conduct a Value Chain Analysis and Market Assessment for chili and poultry to identify opportunities for youth job creation in the agricultural sector, specifically within these two value chains. In particular, the Value Chain Analysis and Market Assessment should shed light on the status and viability of existing and potential markets for the chili and poultry in question and determine which hold promise of product expansion, market viability, value addition opportunities, quality improvement, and input availability to smallholder farmers.

More specifically, this will include:
• Plan and conduct a Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis focusing on:
• Identifying priority areas for job creation in agriculture – value chains, market functions. Assessment of size of markets, volumes of sale, market integration/segmentation.
• Assessing the gender roles and responsibilities along the value chains.
• Identifying type and number of employment opportunities with existing businesses
• Identifying type and number of new micro and small enterprise opportunities
• Identifying key challenges associated with the development of the selected value chains including technical, economic, social, and environmental considerations.
• Identification of the enabling environment and improved ecosystems incl. mapping of relevant local stakeholders (governments institutions, service providers) and their roles in activating and enhancing investments for Chili and Poultry.
• Providing actionable recommendations aiming at improving job creation in agriculture for youth.
Final report. Write a Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis report, which should include practical recommendations. The set of recommendations should include actions, partnerships, and investments that are necessary to ensure the sustainable production and offtake of Chili and Poultry.

SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT
1. Areas for investigation
2. Potential for growth
Assess the growth potential of each value chain.
• What are projections for future demand and growth for named agricultural value chains?
• What constraints hold back development of each value chain – and the likelihood of these changing?

Potential for job creation
For each value chain, conduct a value chain analysis that.
• Identifies micro and small enterprise development opportunities which may be suitable for youth. This needs to include an assessment of how realistic the opportunity is (e.g., is it based on real market demand) and potential multiplier effects (i.e., enterprises that may create further opportunities up or downstream). Enterprises that could support the expansion of regenerative agriculture should be given particular attention.
• Identifies the constraints that could hold back the development of such enterprises.
• Identifies existing businesses with potential to expand and increase youth employees.
• Provide an estimate for the number of jobs that could be created in all of the above.
For the inputs sector
• Map distribution models and last mile distribution challenges experienced in the agricultural inputs sector.
• Identify businesses with interests in testing youth centred last mile distribution models (e.g., agents’ model) and identify potential models (e.g., youth agents)
• Identify other businesses (e.g., finance, insurance) with potential interests in a youth agent model.
• Provide an estimate for the number of jobs that could be created in the inputs sector.
Apprenticeship / internship potential
With a small number of identified businesses
• Assess attitudes to apprenticeships and internships – levels of experience with these approaches, perception of constraints and benefits.

Market for job creation
• Local market structure and key risks/barriers in the enabling environment affecting market access.
• Market requirements (quality and other standards, conditions for delivery) and prices
• Identification of existing service delivery actors active in these two value chains, and other potential crops if relevant
• Identification of local businesses (processors, manufacturers) relevant for producers to connect with and what they can offer to the companies.
• Identification of possible new links that can be created and existing links that can be improved.
• Analysis of the supporting functions that are required to make the value chain work, including both existing and missing support functions (e.g. infrastructure, information, related services)
Geographical scope
Southern Province: Gisagara district.
• Timeline
The study is anticipated to commence on 12th August 2024 and conclude by 30th August 2024. The timeline will be structured to ensure timely completion of all study activities, including data collection, analysis, and reporting, adhering to specific milestones and deadlines outlined in the work plan.

METHODOLOGY
The study will employ a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
• Desk research: a comprehensive review of relevant documents on market systems analysis/value chains analysis in Rwanda or another similar context. This will include relevant policies and guidelines.
• Data collection: gather primary data through In-depth interviews (IDIs), key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and direct consultation with relevant stakeholders and different community groups including various observations.
• The analysis will also focus on key aspects such as market size, trends, drivers, constraints, opportunities, as well as technical and financial feasibility.
• Comparative analysis: compare, and contrast findings from similar studies in Rwanda or best practices in other regions.
• Stakeholder findings validation workshop: this will bring various stakeholders together to share their views about the study findings in the context of/during market mapping exercise.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
The deliverables of the study will include but not limited to:
• Inception report: detailing the proposed methodology, work plan, and timeline.
• Market feasibility study report: presenting findings from the market analysis, feasibility assessment, and recommendations for youth job creation in agriculture sector.
• Presentation of findings: a comprehensive presentation of study findings to project stakeholders for feedback and validation.

No Deliverables Completion Date
1. Inception report with detailed workplan, and the proposed methodology : 4th day after the start of the contract
2. Market feasibility study report: 3rd week after the start of the contract
3. Presentation of findings:4th week after the start of the contract
PAYMENT MODALITIES
Payments will be done according to deliverables as follow:
• The 1stinstallment will be paid after submission and presentation of inception report: 30% of the total budget.
• The 2ndinstallment after submission of market feasibility study report: 40% of the total budget
• The last installment will be paid after the presentation of findings (a comprehensive presentation of study findings to project stakeholders for feedback, addressing comments, inputs, and validation): 30% of the total budget.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
Eligible Consultants should submit their competitive offers comprising the technical and financial proposals of not more than 10 pages in respect of the following:
• Methodology (reflecting clear understanding of the terms of references and guidelines,
• planning, reviews, field visits, etc.).
• Reference of similar services performed in the past with evidence.
• Comprehensive CV
• The detailed financial offer must include all taxes.
• Ability to think strategically and analytically.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, negotiation, organizational management, and business
• possesses strong writing skills and good communication abilities.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Practical Action is requesting the consultant to hand in a proposal of maximum 10 pages (excluding company biographies, CV, sample work and references). The proposal must be handed in a MS Word or PowerPoint version next to a PDF submission to facilitate any copy-and-pasting of content that we may need during evaluation.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Eligibility: This position is open to Rwandan National only and all candidates are required to send online applications

Education Requirement: No Requirements

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months:

Level of Education:

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