CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST AND TORS FOR CONSULTANCY TO PROVIDE SERVICES OF CO-SHAPING DEMAND DRIVEN & FAIR VALUE PROPOSITIONS FOR AGROECOLOGICAL FOOD PRODUCTS FOR CANALLS PROJECT.

1. BACKGROUND:

African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) is a Continental body that brings National Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) providers in Africa under one umbrella. The African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) has received grant funding from the European Union funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under Grant Number: 2000002981 towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme ex-pillar IV (CAADP XP4) Project under the initiative “Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA)”.

In response, AFAAS, together with 21 partner organizations are, implementing a European Research Executive Agency (EREA) funded project; ‘”Driving agroecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa through transdisciplinary Agroecology Living LabS” (CANALLS). CANALLS is a 4-years, EU-funded project supported under the prestigious European H2020 Research Innovation Action program, coordinated by CIRAD, the French agricultural research and international cooperation organization working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions.

CANALLS project seeks to drive agroecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa via multi-actor transdisciplinary Agroecology Living Labs (ALLs). The humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa hold much promise for enhancing food and nutritional security within and beyond Africa. With a wide variety of agroecological zones and diverse farming systems, they are home to a great part of the rural population and a large diversity of living organisms, offering vital ecosystem services and potential for sustainable development. Still, if we are to tap into this potential, we need to address the complex environmental, social, and economic challenges they face, which in some cases are exacerbated by conflict and high vulnerability. In response, the CANALLS project seeks to drive agroecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa via multi-actor transdisciplinary Agroecology Living Labs (ALLs).  

The CANALLS will foster solid multi-actor collaboration with rural communities, advisory services, and governments to develop a holistic assessment framework and evaluate the socio-economic and environmental performance of the co-created practices (accounting for trade-offs and synergies). The vision of CANALLS is to create a growing network of ALLs that leverages EU-AU cooperation to conduct transdisciplinary research, offer scientific support, and drive coordinated action for delivering holistic solutions that help shape enabling conditions for agroecological transitions in Central and Eastern Africa.

Task 5.2: Co-shaping demand-driven and fair value-propositions for agroecological food products (M12-M18) (Lead: AFAAS, main support: Q-PLAN, RIK, UCB, APDIK, ΙΙΤΑ, RAB, AATF, NATUR) This task, leverages multi-actor engagement, to co-shape value propositions that fit the needs of the market segments identified in Task 5.1 and establish fairness for value chain actors involved to enhance commitment to change. Key stakeholders of our ALLs (farmers, value chain actors, women groups, experts, policy makers, NGOs, advisors, etc.) will be engaged in Value Proposition Workshops (1 per ALL, 6 – 10 participants each) to sketch out alternative sustainable and inclusive value propositions, before evaluating their viability and fairness so as to select the most promising ones (e.g. via brainstorming, pitches or dotmocracy). These workshops will be organised by APDIK and RIK (in DRC), RAB (in RW), IITA and NATUR (in BR) and IITA (in CR). AFAAS will share methods and tools for co-creation, multi-actor engagement and value proposition design which local organisers can utilise in practice. The value propositions selected will serve as basis for the activities of Tasks 2.4 and

To meet this vision, CANALLS will leverage multi-actor engagement to co-shape value propositions that fit the needs of the market segments identified (farmers, transporters, consumers, processing companies, governments, local authorities, the local and international NGOs, policymakers

• OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY:

The overall objective of this consultancy shall be to contribute to co-designing demand-driven and fair value propositions for agroecological food products developed by the CANALLS project.

• DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The consultancy is expected to take 30 working days spread through the months of May – August 2024.

• QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE OF THE CONSULTANT

The following set of competencies and qualifications will form the basis for the selection of the consultant;

1. Minimum of a Master’s Degree in agricultural sciences, agricultural economics, rural development, or any other closely related field.
2. Experience of at least five years in providing communities with diverse options for taking up bio-based / agroecology innovations using sustainable business models; deployment of participatory activities to co-design, test, and validate models alongside farmers and developing business plans;
3. Demonstrated experience in contextualizing and operationalizing ideas, models, and frameworks.
4. Demonstrated experience in developing product value propositions and sustainable business models using the Triple layered approach in Sub-Saharan Africa.
5. Knowledge of agroecology, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, innovation systems, and the global paradigms in extension and advisory services.
6. A track record of writing reports as evidenced by publication records, such as study reports, policy briefs, books, chapters in books, conference papers, and journal articles.
7. Demonstrated understanding of the role of innovation and new markets, value creation processes, and feedstock collection systems.
8. Evidence-based knowledge and practical skills about product value propositions and the ability to stimulate stakeholders’ thinking in a participatory manner in order to sketch out alternative product value propositions customized to different contexts as per the pilot cases.

• EVALUATION AND SLECTION CRITERIA

The Consultant will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria stated in the Terms of Reference (TORs). The minimum technical score required to pass the technical evaluation shall be 70 points.

Interested qualified and experienced individual consultants should send their expression of interest (via e-mail) and comprehensive curriculum vitae detailing proof of similar experience, together with the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three referees. The technical and financial proposals must be delivered to the address below not later than May 14, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the address below or electronically on email: secretariat@afaas-africa.org.

Address for Submission of Proposals:

Attention: Dr. Silim M. Nahdy

Executive Director, AFAAS,

Kigobe Road; House No. 26; Minister’s Village;

P.O BOX 34624 Kampala, Uganda

Telephone: +256-312313400.

Email: secretariat@afaas-africa.org; 

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