Operational Research Consultancy for Evaluating and Enhancing Market-Based Approaches to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses in Western Nepal (Re-Advertised)

Operational Research Consultancy for Evaluating and Enhancing Market-Based Approaches to Reduce Post-Harvest Losses in Western Nepal

(Re-Advertised)

Position Title: Operational Research Consultant

Required Number: One

Duty Station: Kathmandu

Organization Background:

iDE is an international NGO with over 40 years of experience in designing and delivering market-based anti-poverty programs in 10 countries. We are a world leader in making markets work for the poor as well as the longest-established market development specialist NGO in Nepal. iDE believes that markets can be a powerful force for improving smallholder prosperity by creating income and livelihood opportunities for poor rural households. iDE has worked in Nepal since 1992. From micro-irrigation and good-quality seeds to, more recently, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and rural collection centers where farmers can sell their produce. iDE provides simple innovations that help rural communities to prosper and adapt to climate change.

Project Background:

iDE is implementing RePlant with local NGO partners Social Development Forum (SDF) in Banke District and Rural Women Development Center (RWDC) in Dang District and with private sector partners Muktinath Bikas Bank Limited (MNBBL), Siddhartha Insurance Limited (SIL), and NAF Seed Pvt. Ltd.. RePlant is a 20-month program to address post-harvest losses affecting smallholder cereal production in western Nepal. The consortium is deploying an innovative model to scale the adoption of hermetic storage technologies (HSTs) and improve smallholder resilience. Adopting a last-mile supply chain approach, the alliance is strengthening the capacity of private-sector actors to reach smallholders in weak rural markets to improve access to these post-harvest storage solutions while also increasing smallholders’ access to private extension services and capital to invest in improved technologies and reducing their exposure to climate shocks and stressors.

RePLANT was conceived following a successful joint pilot project to bundle improved access to insurance and loan finance for agricultural technologies by smallholders in Nepal with MNBBL. The partners and local communities worked together to develop the activity, emphasizing sustainability and private-sector investment to ensure the longevity of the interventions.

The consortium identified key gaps in the supply chain and delivery of post-harvest technologies and services, as well as barriers to adoption for smallholders. Through this activity, new capital and risk-mitigating insurance are being introduced at critical points during production, harvest, and post harvest to enable farmers’ adoption of the technologies while also ensuring economic viability for the private-sector partners. The interventions consist of proven strategies for marketing new technologies in high-risk environments, utilizing a market systems approach that aligns the priorities of all project stakeholders.

The RePLANT approach centers on non-collateral agricultural loans from MNBBL, marketed and sold by Community Business Facilitators (CBFs), that will enable smallholder farmers to finance hermetic storage technologies for seed and grain storage. CBFs in Nepal are independent entrepreneurs who sell agricultural products on commission and provide private-sector extension services to rural smallholder farmers within a local community, assisting their customers to improve, intensify, and expand market-oriented agricultural production. Hermetic post-harvest technologies will be promoted and sold to smallholders by NAF Seeds through its distribution network of dealers, including CBFs, who will also ensure overall crop technical support and offer access to complementary agricultural inputs.

This package of interventions is expected to achieve the overall goal of reducing post-harvest losses through access to new technologies and related training. RePlant is designed to reach at least 4,500 farmers, cultivating 2,250 hectares, directly adopting HSTs as a result of project activities. These farmers will see an 80% reduction in post-harvest crop loss from HSTs storage, a 10% increase in gross margin for their marketed crops, and their net incomes will increase by at least $225 annually. Most importantly, by following a market systems approach that expands the reach and capacity of trusted private sector partners, we expect to see these outcomes scale over time, resulting in meaningful, sustainable impact long past the life of the project.

Objectives of the study:

The main objective of the operational research is to provide a scientific basis to decision makers to assess and improve RePLANT project activities to enable the private sector to reach small and marginal farmers with HST storage solutions and associated services. The specific objectives include:

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current post-harvest storage market ecosystem (specially hermetic storage technologies focusing on the PICs bag and alternative products) and its supply chain in Lumbini Province (mainly in Banke and Dang Districts), prior to and after the project interventions.
• Document the journey of RePLANT to capture key learnings, findings, and failures given Nepal’s backdrop of high food loss and waste in post-harvest management. Assess the impact of the banking sector liquidity crises in constraining access to finance for HST.
• Understand and articulate ways in which the interventions have been adopted and reimagined to address the real issues in the field including use of HST for food storage and other uses.
• Identify key gaps and barriers in the adoption of hermetic storage technologies/PICs bag by smallholder farmers. Integrating a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) approach to understand constraints and approaches to enable women and disadvantaged ethnic groups to benefit from HST solutions.
• Analyze the impact of the RePLANT program on smallholders' adoption of HSTs and the impact of HST on their post-harvest losses, income, and smoothing of income.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the last-mile supply chain approach and the role of Community
• Business Facilitators (CBFs) in promoting HSTs/PICs bags and providing improved agricultural technical support. Assess capacity of CBFs and CFB Plant Doctors to provide technical support for agronomic recommendations, accessing appropriate mechanization services, IPM based plant protection services, post-harvest storage and grain marketing. Assess and make recommendations to improve CBF approach to market HST and provide associated services and technical support.
• Assess access to agricultural loans and crop insurance in facilitation of wider adoption of HST and improving smallholder resilience. Assess if early adopting farmers are now primed to use agricultural credit to scale use of HST. Assess the interest and ability of local partners (coops, collection centers, grain buyers) to facilitate access to finance and crop insurance to support adoption of HST.

Scope of Work:

The operational research consultants will:

• Review existing data, reports, and project documents related to RePLANT and the agricultural sector in Nepal focusing on Banke and Dang districts.
• Conduct research with project implementing partners on the implementation of project interventions and their ability to extend HST technologies and supporting services to smallholder farmers.
• Conduct qualitative field research, including phone surveys and interviews with local agro-input dealers, CBFs, associated farmer organizations (coops, collection centers), smallholder farmers, local government, and other stakeholders.
• Analyze data on the adoption of hermetic storage technologies, post-harvest losses, and the economic impact on smallholders to understand constraints and opportunities for extending HST solutions for smallholder farmers.
• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the supply chain for HSTs.
• Assess the role of loans and crop insurance in enabling smallholders to invest in post-harvest storage technologies/PICs bags.
• Provide recommendations for program improvement and scaling.

Methodology:

The consultants should employ qualitative methods. This may include surveys, interviews, key informant interviews, and data analysis. Details on sampling strategy and quality assurance measures should be included in the inception report. In addition, it should elaborate on data collection methods, tools and timetables for the study.

Data Management:

Data management will be a crucial part of this study. The selected consultant will be asked to submit their plan that includes a plan for data collection, data analysis, quality assurance, analysis, ethical review and research permit, preparation of field personnel (supervisors and interviewers), and report writing.

Deliverables

1. Inception Report:

Analysis of existing situation and plan of work for the assignment. The inception report will include timeline, research questions, methodologies (study design, and suggested instruments and tools) to be applied, and a detailed outline of the report (within the first week of assignment).

2. Data collection tools: This will be developed together with the iDE MERL team.

3. Draft Report: Description of findings based on the research questions given, and including problems encountered and recommendations for further program.

4. Final Presentation: Present findings to project stakeholders to verify and receive feedback on research findings.

5. Final Report: expected to be ready on February 29, 2024 – the report will be approved by iDE.

Duration: Start date and completion date

It is estimated that the task will require at least 20 person-days. The non-negotiable deadline for this task is February 29, 20 24.

It is expected that the consultant will conduct a 5-7 day field visit to Banke and Dang districts to conduct key informant and focus group interviews with farmers, CBFs including Plant Doctor CBFs, agrovets, local government and relevant stakeholders.

Qualification and skills:

Education:

Advanced degree (Master) in economics or any relevant field.

Experience:

• At least five years of professional expertise in agricultural economic research is required.
• Proven practical experience performing operational research in Nepal's development sector is required.
• It is necessary to be familiar with Nepal's government, policy structure, and institutions in the agricultural sector.
• Proven practical expertise in establishing change theories, outcome chains, and key performance indicators in the field of market system development.
• Experience working with important actors and enablers of the agriculture value chain, such as extension, research, education, and development agencies, is preferred.
• Experience with major donor projects is required, experience with USAID, UKAID, and UN agency projects is preferred. project
• Experience with studies on hermetic storage technologies / PICs bags would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of GESI, Youth, ICT, and market system development is advantageous.
• Excellent grasp of both English and Nepali in both speaking and writing.
• Experiments in conducting comparable types of studies independently.

Competencies

• Capability to collaborate closely with a group of national and international experts, fulfill rigorous deadlines, and handle competing agendas
• Excellent analytical abilities and the capacity to build plans based on a systematic study of obstacles, potential risks, and opportunities, connecting the vision to feasible solutions.
• Strong awareness of the national (and regional) agriculture economy, market system development, governance concerns, ability to form multi-stakeholder partnerships and work to overcome them,
• Ability to create successful strategies and prioritized plans while working under pressure and managing competing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities, as well as interpersonal communication skills, are required to establish relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to utilize information and communication technology as resources and tools.

Budget and payment schedule

The fee charged for consulting is determined by expertise and experience. The interested consultant or firm should propose all expenditures for consultants' fees, DSA (for food and lodging while on assignment), transportation expenses, and other recurring expenses that may arise during the assignment.

Such transportation costs must be stated in the financial proposal by the firm/consultant. It shall be the consultant's or firm's obligation to ensure the full insurance coverage of the consultants/enumerators during the assignment time.

All applicable taxes will be deducted at source. Payment will be made in the following installments upon completion of work and project approval of deliverables.

Evaluation process

All applicants will be screened against educational qualifications, experience, and competencies set above and the financial quote in the proposal. The contract will be awarded to the candidate evaluated and determined as technically competent to the requirements of the ToR and receiving the highest cumulative (technical and financial) score.

Technical Criteria- 70% of total evaluation- max. 70 points

Financial Criteria- 30% of total evaluation- max. 30 points.

Intellectual property, Copyright, and Ownership of all prepared information

All arising intellectual property, ideas, materials, processes, or processes formed in contemplation, course of, or as result of this study shall be passed to iDE Nepal without restriction and shall not be used by the Consultant for any other purpose without express written permission of iDE Nepal.

Copyright of all arising documents, data, information or reports produced by the Consultant under this agreement shall belong to iDE Nepal and will be passed to iDE Nepal without restriction. Such documents, data, information and reports shall not be used by the Consultant for any other purpose other than in conjunction with this assignment, without the express written permission of iDE Nepal.

Application Procedure:

Interested and eligible candidates are requested to submit application via email at iDE nepal@ideglobal.org with following documents no later than 15th January 2024.

• Updated CV highlighting the relevant competency and experience as deemed by this TOR. The CV shall include education/qualification, professional certification, employment/assignment record and contact information of minimum three relevant referees,
• A brief technical proposal including understanding of TOR and proposed methodology to accomplish the deliverable and tentative workplan with timelines,
• Detailed financial proposal for the assignment outlining all of the costs as mentioned above in Budget and payment schedule section.
• Recent tax clearance certificate or tax filing extension certificate in case of in process of tax clearance.
• Technical and Financial Proposal must be provided separately.

Failure to provide above documents or incomplete applications will not be considered.