Expression of Interest (EOI): Private Sector for Partnership in Developing Sustainable Food System in Nepal

Expression of Interest (EOI) from Responsible Private Sector for Partnership in Developing

Sustainable Food System in Nepal 

Background

Heifer International Nepal is a non-profit and humanitarian organization dedicated towards ending hunger and poverty among smallholder farming communities while caring for the earth during course of project implementation and in subsequent outcome. Heifer has been supporting over 300 women-led cooperatives in 53 districts, empowering 400,000 households through agriculture and livestock-based enterprise development in production, processing, and marketing. These cooperatives, serving as business hubs, drive women’s empowerment, agricultural transformation, with sustainable practices. It fosters economic and environmental resilience by enhancing productivity, optimizing supply chains, and scaling businesses in partnership with governments, civil society, and the private sector. Since 2020, Heifer has been partnering with more than 90 local governments to support their agriculture and livestock sectoral growth objective, extending effective service delivery to the smallholder farmers.

Globally, the share of smallholder farmers as primary food producer is pivotal and same exists in Nepal where the dominance of smallholder farmers (<0.5ha) is high (>53%).  In Nepal, agriculture contributes almost 25% of the GDP and two-third of the population with over 70% of labor force is women but women land ownership is only 19%. Input supplies, marketing agents, traders, big enterprises and processors are also important actors in the food system. Public policies and institutional regimes that shape the food system can help provide protection and support for small-holder producers and other actors of the system. The Nepalese agriculture system is being impacted by increasing imports despite the huge opportunity to optimize the available resources for increased production and productivity. The current agriculture production system is not competitive enough with the import-driven food chain due to multiple factors including insufficient collaboration between actors within the chain.

By aligning with Nepal government’s ten-year (2024/25-2034/35) campaign in mobilizing investment in Agriculture through partnership with private sector, cooperatives and development partners, this new initiative Heifer will be instrumental in propelling the nation’s economic transformation, supporting its ambitious goal of graduating from a least developed country to a middle-income economy by 2026.

Heifer International Nepal has already been considering the significance of private sector engagement and investment in transforming the food system for the fair and shared benefits of smallholder farmers and the entire actors of the food system. Through this initiative, farmers have gained access to multiple buyers, deriving fair pricing and local economic growth whereas different private sector entities have assured supply of quality products, increased demand for their services, increased the transaction, lower the cost of handling and increased efficiency in the chain. However, agribusinesses still face multiple barriers in accessing quality, consistency, reliable raw material, smooth supply chain operations and investment for scaling up. These challenges are primarily due to, not limited to, a lack of collateral, high transaction costs, and limited expertise, poor sense of trust and insufficient policy environment.

Heifer in Nepal has been supporting the farming community, value chain actors and service providers in goat, dairy, vegetables, spices, fruits, sugarcane and other staple food value chain where different private sectors are formally and informally engaged. However, we foresee the opportunity of stronger partnership with private sector entities to strengthen different value chains across the Heifer project area and beyond. The area of partnership could be, not limited to, different nodes of the above-mentioned commodity value chain and the nature of partnership could be co-investment, co-branding, co-design, buy-back guarantee, pay per service, seeking different kinds of financing instruments (equity, debt, guarantee, trade finance, impact investment) and others based on shared interest and mutual benefits.

Heifer International Nepal is inviting expression of interest (EOI) from private firms or companies for partnership in developing sustainable food system development in Nepal. Interested consulting firms are requested to submit EOI. Shortlisted companies will be invited to pitch their idea, and selected business will be gone through further due diligence process.

Qualifications and experience of the private firm or company:

• Fit with Heifer’s mission and impact driven i.e. small farmer led food system transformation to end hunger and poverty while caring for earth.
• Responsible company or firm willingness to offer fair price to the smallholder farmers, women, youth and cooperatives while doing business.
• Reliable, good public image, sensitive towards social and environmental concerns
• Have a clear long-term vision with customized business plan
• History of selling products and having a strong relationship with buyers or having contract or standing demand.
• Seeking technical assistance and investment (equity, debt, angel, guarantee, etc.)
• Growth mind set business planning, financial analysis, and market facilitation.
• Familiarity and dedicated towards climate-smart agricultural, sustainable business models and understanding of farmers, cooperatives, local economic context and their role in economic transformation.

Interested companies or firms are invited to submit an EOI that includes the following:

• EOI letter contains a list of agricultural and non-timber-based forest commodities, annual turnover, type of business (trading, processing, manufacturing, exporting, wholesale or retailing).
• Firm Profile
• Firm Registration certificate
• PAN/VAT Registration certificate
• Audited financial report for the last three fiscal years
• Tax Clearance Certificate FY 2080/81

Interested company, firm and social enterprises should submit their expression of interest including above mentioned documents to  Procurement-NP@heifer.org with the subject line mentioning “EOI - Private Sector for Partnership in Developing Sustainable Food System in Nepal” by 25th of May 2025, 5: 00 PM.

Any telephone inquiries or other inquiries would not be entertained. However, after selection of the consulting firm a kick-off meeting will be organized with the service provider.