Terms of Reference for consultant to Upgrade and Translate Farming as a Business (FaaB) Module into Kinyarwanda for the Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Project Phase Two

1. About Cordaid

Cordaid is an internationally operating value-based emergency relief and development organization. We stand with those who are hit hardest by poverty and conflict by supporting them in their struggle to move beyond survival and to fully participate in equitable and resilient societies. Cordaid Rwanda works in the fields of food and income, private sector development, and climate resilience. We pioneer in establishing pro-poor growth through the market system and value chain development, agri-business development services for SMEs and cooperatives, and improving access to financial services. 

2. Project Background

The Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Management Project (KIIWP) is a Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources initiative in Rwanda, implemented through the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board. The project aims to alleviate poverty in the drought-prone Eastern Province of Rwanda by enhancing food security and income for 40,000 rural households and building their climate resilience. The targeted sectors, representing 72% of the district's population, include 51.5% women and 31% households led by women. The project focuses on nine vulnerable sectors in Kayonza District with untapped water resources potential.

Cordaid's role in the KIIWP 2 project involves fostering an entrepreneurial farming mindset among project beneficiaries. The specific objectives include providing Farming-as-a-Business training to 8,000 smallholder farmers, offering business development coaching to 500 farmers and 50 cooperatives, and facilitating bankable business plans. Cordaid will assist farmers in understanding market demand and gross margin calculations, promoting cooperative development, and facilitating access to financial services and agricultural insurance. Additionally, Cordaid will support the adoption of farm mechanization, post-harvest, and climate-smart technologies, benefiting at least 480 individual smallholders and 25 cooperatives. The project aims to create joint ventures between cooperatives and private sector companies for larger storage and processing facilities. Cordaid will also focus on linking farmers and cooperatives to markets through agribusiness linkages and public-private partnerships, with expected outcomes including improved market access, financial services, and agricultural insurance utilization.

Moreover, Cordaid will enhance financial services for target groups through capacity building for local financial institutions and promoting financial literacy and digitalization of financial services for smallholders and cooperatives.

3. Objectives

The primary objectives of this consultancy are to:

• Upgrade the existing FaaB module to cater to the needs and goals of the Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Project Phase Two.
• Translate the FaaB module into Kinyarwanda, making it culturally relevant and understandable for the local farming community.

4. Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current FaaB module to identify necessary upgrades.
• Collaborate with project stakeholders to understand specific requirements related to the Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Project Phase Two.
• Upgrade the FaaB module, incorporating any additional features or functionalities deemed necessary for the project's success.
• Translate all relevant content of the FaaB module into Kinyarwanda, ensuring cultural sensitivity and easy comprehension by the local farming community.
• Test the upgraded and translated module for functionality, security, and usability.
• Provide training to project staff and community members on the use of the upgraded and translated FaaB module.
• Document the upgraded and translated FaaB module, including user manuals and technical documentation.

5. Qualifications and Experience

The ideal consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Proven experience in agriculture and rural development sectors and proven experience in developing and upgrading modules, particularly in the context of agricultural development projects.
• Proficiency in Kinyarwanda and English, with demonstrated translation skills.
• Familiarity with the agricultural sector, particularly in the context of irrigation and watershed, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work within agreed timelines.

6. Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

• Comprehensive assessment report of the current FaaB module.
• Upgraded and translated FaaB module in Kinyarwanda.
• User manuals and technical documentation in both English and Kinyarwanda.
• Training materials and conducted training sessions for project staff and community members.

7. Submission of Proposals

Interested consultants are invited to submit their technical proposal outlining their approach to the upgrade and translation and financial proposal. The submitted documents should include detailed CVs of the team and a cover letter, by 30/11/2023 to apollinaire.nshimiyimana@cordaid.org and copy: private.dukundimana@cordaid.org.

The email subject should be “Interest in Faab Module upgrading and translation”.

8. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Technical expertise and experience.
• Financial proposal
• Language proficiency and translation skills.
• Proposed methodology and approach.