Terms of Reference

Market Analysis and Value Chain Analysis Consultant   

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Introduction and background 

UN WOMEN, along with three UN Agencies namely FAO, IFAD, and WFP, is implementing a joint program ‘Accelerating Progress Towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment’ (JP RWEE) in six countries (Nepal, Niger, Pacific Islands, Rwanda, Tunisia, and Tanzania).

The goal of the five-year programme is to secure rural women’s livelihoods, rights and resilience to advance sustainable development, Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. The four programme outcome areas are: (i) Improved food security and nutrition for rural women and their households that contribute to equitable and sustainable food systems; (ii) Rural women's income, decent work and economic autonomy increased to secure their livelihoods and build resilience; (iii) Rural women's voice and agency increased for full and equal participation and leadership in their households, communities, organizations and governance systems; and (iv) Gender-responsive legal frameworks, policies and institutions strengthened to create an enabling environment for rural women to secure their livelihoods, rights and resilience.

In Rwanda, the programme is implemented as a collaboration between the Government of Rwanda, local cooperating partners and other stakeholders, UN Agencies, and rural women across five districts namely Ngoma & Kirehe (Eastern Province), Gisagara & Nyaruguru (Southern Province), and Nyamasheke (Western Province) between 2022 and 2027.

The program seeks to tackle systemic barriers preventing women's socioeconomic empowerment, equal access, and meaningful participation and in five years the programme will reach 32,000 beneficiaries (8,000 direct and 24,000 indirect) composed of 70% women and 30% men.  Through UN Women, the programme is hiring a strong and competent individual consultant to conduct a Market Analysis and Value Chain Analysis across the five districts and establish relevant information that will guide program interventions.

Objective

The overall objective of this assignment is to carry out a gender-sensitive Market Analysis     and a Value Chain Analysis of four main crops - beans, maize, potatoes, soybean, and diary and bee products (taking into consideration other potential crops not listed here that might be relevant such as vegetables) - grown in the five districts covered by the joint program (Kirehe, Ngoma, Nyaruguru, Gisagara and Nyamasheke Districts).

This will mainly inform the joint programme which varieties will be the focus for increasing livelihoods and improving nutrition and increasing climate-resilience, and which ones will be prioritized for income, supporting, and linking to the market strategy. In particular, the Market Analysis must consider both the supply and the demand, and it will contribute to:

Value chain analysis will be conducted on beans, maize, potatoes, soybeans, and bee products to understand which varieties will be the focus for nutrition and which will be prioritized for income, supporting, and linking to the market strategy. These will build on the two value chain analyses conducted during Phase 1 on “Gender based value chain analysis for beans in Rwanda” and “Analysis of Limiting Factors for Women’s Participation in the lucrative parts of the Milk Value Chain”. 

The specific objectives are: 

1. Plan and conduct a Market Analysis focusing on:

1. Analysis of the demand for the considered crops
2. Mapping and description of key markets of the selected crops including composition, key players, characteristics, distribution and sales channels (e.g. local or state markets).
   • Identification of major local (district, provincial, national), regional and international market actors (consumers, sellers, traders, middlemen, ). Identify if there is overlap of regions and/or farmer groups targeted by those market actors for potential bundled service delivery.
3. Description and analysis of current market positioning including product gaps, supply and demand considerations (i.e. values and volumes, quality standards), expected size, trends and values for each (including derivatives)
4. Identification of producer groups/production areas for the crops in question. Run a light assessment of the identified producer groups by collecting data on type of organization, level of formalization, number of farmers, financial health and if any services are provided to farmers/rural women.
5. Assessment of size of markets, volumes of sale, market integration/segmentation
6. Identification of the enabling environment and improved ecosystems including mapping of relevant local stakeholders (governments institutions, extension services, service providers) and their roles in activating and enhancing quality and quantity production, handling, and sell of the crops in question.
7. Local market structure and key risks/barriers in the enabling environment (e.g., issues affecting women’s access and participation, security issues or policies affecting market access).
8. Procurement mechanisms, market requirements (quality and other standards, conditions for delivery) and prices.
9. Identify opportunities for value addition, product expansion, market viability, quality improvement, input availability to women smallholder farmers, supply chain and distribution synergies and gender-specific development opportunities.
10. Identification and characterization of production areas. A quantitative assessment (volumes, prices, quality) of supply will be made for each product and whether production covers local market demand.
11. Characteristics of the supply and marketing methods of producers. 

2. Plan and conduct a Value Chain Analysis focusing on:

1. The centrality of each considered value chain in the country's agricultural policies.
2. The qualitative and quantitative importance of the value chain (organization, target markets, volume of flows and financial transactions, ability to meet demand, etc.) in the target districts. This will include identification and characterization (qualitative and quantitative) of flows and actors (producers, traders, intermediaries, transporters), collection points, markets, also providing a cartographic representation of the structuring of each value chain considered.
3. Analysis of the governance of the chosen supply chains.
4. Analysis of prices and volumes traded upstream, downstream and at each stage of the supply chain.
5. The role of small farmer and especially women’s cooperatives/organizations at each stage of the considered supply chains.
6. Identification of the strengths and weaknesses, potentials, and risks of each supply chain, and of opportunities to interlink with different value chains.
7. The possibility of developing synergies with other programmes and interventions.
8. Analysis of the impact of each value chain on food security and food security parameters (such as availability, stability of supply, access).
9. Identification of weakest linkages and bottlenecks in the supply chains and opportunities to make it more productive (e.g., through improved flow of knowledge, access to markets etc.).
   • Identification of existing service delivery actors active in these four value chains, and other potential crops if relevant.
   • Identification of specific opportunities for rural women to be involved in these value chains.
   • Identification of local businesses (processors, manufacturers) relevant for producers to connect with and what they can offer to smallholder farmers and specifically to women.
   • 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)
   • Identification of the available or potential channels through which rural smallholder farmers especially women access weather and climate information.

These aspects will be complemented by considerations of national agricultural policy orientations, nutritional interest of products, sustainability and economic potential related to each chain investigated. 

3. Write a Market Analysis report and a Value Chain Analysis report (two separate reports) both including an executive summary and practical recommendations that can be used to inform the development of viable, sustainable, and locally appropriate strategies aimed at creating viable agricultural value chains. The set of recommendations should include actions, partnerships, and investments that are necessary to ensure the sustainable production and offtake of beans, maize, potatoes, soybean, and bee products as well as other crops that will be identified during the study. 

Deliverables 

1. Submission of an inception report detailing but not limited to the following: Plan of action containing the framework of proposed assignment, methodology for data collection, cleaning, and analysis (including additional studies and surveys), a workplan and a 
2. Draft reports to incorporate and reflect feedback from the four UN Agencies (FAO, IFAD, UNWOMEN & WFP) 
3. Final The Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis reports should include at least:

• Executive summary
• Background
• Methodology and documentation of the process
• Limitations and challenges
• Findings of market analysis (SWOT analysis, potential for growth and profitability for each of the analyzed value chains)
• Chapter for each selected value chain with findings (market players, rules, policies, and regulations, supporting functions in addition to sourcing, production, and marketing mechanisms)
• Conclusion of market assessment and recommendations including opportunities and challenges for each value chain indicating responsible and potential actors/partners.

   Table 1: Deliverables

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The assignment will be remunerated upon delivery of the agreed deliverables in table 1, at the agreed fee rate and the agreed number of days of professional fees chargeable, as per the normal procedures of the hiring Agency (UN Women).  

• Payment 1: Validation of deliverable 1 (20%) 
• Payment 2: Validation of deliverables 2 (35%)
• Payment 3: Validation of deliverables 3 (45%) 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Consultants based in Rwanda or abroad can apply for this service. Consultants based abroad shall have experience working in the East Africa Region, preferably in Rwanda. The consultant applying must meet the following minimum requirements: 

• Hold at least a master’s level qualification in a quantitative area of study such as Economics/Agriculture Economics, Business Management, or other related fields (A combination of the above with gender studies is an added advantage).
• Minimum 5 years of experience in survey design, survey piloting, survey implementation and survey data cleaning and analysis.
• Experience in Market Assessment and/or Value Chains analysis studies. (Proof in the form of copies of contracts, purchase orders or reference letters must be provided).
• Demonstrated solid experience and knowledge of gender dynamics, women’s economic empowerment, rural development, the cooperative sector.
• Experience in the East Africa Region (preferably in Rwanda). 
• Working experience with the United Nations and/or other international organizations is an advantage.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and to meet deadlines.
• Must not be politically affiliated. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:

All information pertaining to this project (datasets, analysis syntaxes, reports, PowerPoint presentation files, multimedia files, etc.) belong to the JP RWEE Implementing Agencies (UN Women, WFP, FAO and IFAD) and all assignment shall remain exclusively the property of the mentioned Agencies. Except for purposes of this assignment, such information shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in any way without written permission of the four UN Agencies in line with the national and International Copyright Laws applicable.

COMMUNICATION AND REPORTING OBLIGATIONS:

The service provider will report directly to the JP RWEE MEAL Coordinator, under UN Women Rwanda who will be working in close collaboration with national JP RWEE Coordinator and support from JP RWEE country team. The service provider will work on a day-to-day basis, in close coordination with the JP RWEE Rwanda Team which includes Focal persons from the four UN Agencies, and the Joint Programme Management Unit. All communication/Report and language of command will be English. The SP will be responsible to present the report in different platforms for validation. 

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION:

Submission package includes:

1. A copy of consultant’s updated CV with demonstrable experience in carrying out market and value chain analyses.
2. A technical proposal including the following:

• Appropriate methodology for primary data collection and data collection tools (e.g., market survey, interviews with market actors, key informant interviews) that will be used to conduct the Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis
• Proposed sampling strategy for primary data collection.
• Proposed timetable indicating the implementation of the assignment with the activities to be carried out with respective timelines.
• Evidence of previous experience in providing services to similar requirements as the specification in the form of a copy of a contract, purchase order, reference letter, etc.
• Any other relevant information, which may support the consultant’s technical proposal satisfying the requirements under these TORs.

3. A Financial proposal:

• Quotation with an itemized budget lines as per required deliverables.
• The quotation must specify a lump sum amount breaking down the professional fee for each deliverable and travel related costs.

4. At least two reference checks
5. Two samples of previous (similar or relevant) work undertaken

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity.
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues.
• Creative Problem Solving.
• Effective Communication.
• Inclusive Collaboration.
• Stakeholder Engagement.
• Leading by Example.

All interested and qualified candidates should submit their application files to the hiring agency (UN Women) via rwanda.offers@unwomen.org not later than 11^th December 2023. Proposals submitted beyond the set deadline will not be considered.

UN WOMEN is committed to achieving workforce diversity and inclusion in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.