TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) TO ASSESS CONTRIBUTION ON INCOME AND LIVELIHOOD OF YOUTH AND RETURNEE MIGRANTS THROUGH VCDP INTERVENTIONS

Value Chain Development of Fruit and Vegetables Project (VCDP)

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly implementing the Value Chain Development of Fruit and Vegetables Project (VCDP), along the three major corridors (BP highway, Prithvi highway and Hetauda-Dumkibas segment of East-West Highway) in Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces. The project aims to increase the income of 10,000 smallholder farmers through increased production, reduced postharvest losses, and better market linkage for selected fruit and vegetables.

Details / requirements:

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) TO ASSESS CONTRIBUTION ON INCOME AND LIVELIHOOD OF YOUTH AND RETURNEE MIGRANTS THROUGH VCDP INTERVENTIONS

1. Background of the assignment

Value Chain Development of Fruit and Vegetables Project (VCDP) is the joint initiative of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) with the support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed to increase income of 10,000 smallholder farmers of 37 rural/municipalities aside BP highway and Prithvi highway extending to Syangja and Hetauda - Dumkibas section of the East-West highway. The project has three major outcome areas (i) improve agricultural productivity through increased capacity of government agencies and better access to production technologies by farmers, (ii) reduce postharvest losses of selected fruit and vegetables by postharvest technology development, and (iii) better market linkages at local level. 

Among the small holder farmers, VCDP has been emphasizing to engage youth and returnee migrants in agribusiness. Retaining of youth in country especially in rural areas is a big challenge in Nepal. According to MoLESS (2020), every year, thousands of youths (male and female) leave the country in search of employment opportunity. Moreover, the returnee migrants with some skill, job experience and saving have been looking employment options in country. Furthermore, economic slowdown and job cuts globally and restricted movement due to Covid-19 pandemic resulted return of the youth from foreign countries during Covid-19 pandemic. Such returnee migrants exerted pressure to federal, province and local governments to create employment opportunities specially in the agriculture sector locally for youth and returnee migrants. In such context, VCDP supported 69 youth/returnee migrants from 7 Palika (Phedikhola and Putalibazar from Syngja, Sunkoshi and Kamalamai from Sindhuli, Dhunibeshi and Thakre from Dhading and Namobuddha from Kavrepalanchok) through co-investment for agribusiness development and promotion during 2020-2022. Moreover, VCDP facilitate and support local governments and other actors such as cooperatives, collection centers, market management committees and Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) from the project working areas to provide extension services, postharvest management, and market linkages as per the need of the returnee migrants. In this context, VCDP has planned to assess the impact of such support and promotion of agribusiness on the employment, income and livelihood of the returnee migrants from the project working areas.

2. Objective of the assignment

With the aim to assess the impacts of VCDP supported interventions on the income and livelihood of the youth and returnee migrants, VCDP is hiring firm or individual consultant for the following specific objectives.

  • Analyze the on-farm employment and gross/net income generated from different agribusiness adopted by youth and returnee migrants with VCDP support
  • Assess the contribution of interventions on livelihood (access to livelihood capitals e.g. financial, physical, social, natural and human) due to such agribusiness,
  • Identify the suitable agribusiness to the youth and returnee migrants for upscaling,
  • Identify policy gap at each tier of the government and recommend possible solutions for addressing the agribusiness need of returnee migrants in Nepalese context.

3. Methodology and location of the study

The selected consultant/firm will prepare/propose and finalise detailed methodology in consultation with project team. The location of the assessment will be in the selected Palika of the VCDP working areas as mentioned above in the background (Point 1).

4. Scope of the assignment

The following tasks to be completed during this assignment.

  • Review adoption of agricultural production technologies by youth and returnee migrants in VCDP working areas and in Nepalese context,
  • Assess the income generation of youth and returnee migrants through agribusiness in selected fruit and vegetable in diverse socio-economic context,
  • Analyze the factors affecting adoption of agribusiness in different socioeconomic context,
  • Assess/compare the major agribusiness that youth and returnee migrants have adopted and financial incentives (income) from different agribusiness,
  • Review agriculture related policies and provisions initiated by three tiers of the government (federal, province and local) to address the agribusiness need of youth and returnee migrants (both men and women) in Nepalese context,
  • Assess the major issues and challenges to engage youth and returnee migrants (together with specific issue to women) in agribusiness,
  • Assess the comparatively more profitable agribusiness based on the context (e.g. market access, farming context, access to other services, agroclimatic condition, socioeconomic context),
  • Recommend the most suitable agribusiness options based on the assessment,
  • Summarize and present the major findings during workshop/meeting organized by project.

5. Duration of the assignment

The duration of the consultancy will be 20 working days spread over 14 October to 15 November 2022. The firm/consultant will start working from 9thOctoberuntil 15th November 2022. Final report of this assignment is to be submitted no later than 15 November 2022. Any delay in meeting the deadline may be applicable to delay penalty. The proposed tasks to be accomplished within the time frame as presented below: 

Activities

Working day

Time frame

Preparation of inception report

2

By 18th October

Comment incorporation

0.5

By 20th October

Desk study

2

By 20th October

Field study – Project working area

9

By 7th November

Analysis and Report writing and draft submission to the team

5

By 10th November

Comment incorporation

0.5

By 12th November

Final report submission upon incorporating the inputs

1

By 15th November

6. Deliverables and milestones

The consultant will submit final deliverable of the assignment. It will be 1 hard copy (printed version) and 1 soft copy (electronic copy) of the collected information. The language of the document shall be in English.

Deliverables

Milestone

An inception report with detailed methodology and work plan

18 October 2022

Submission of the draft report

10 November 2022

Submission of the final report together with original photos and raw data sheet

15 November 2022

7. Required professional competences and qualification of the consultant

The consultant should have following qualifications and competencies:

  • At least Master’s degree in Development studies, Economics, Agriculture Economics, or related fields with basic degree in agriculture (BSc Agriculture), 
  • Proven experiences of study related to returnee migrants e.g. use of remittance, economic analysis of agribusiness and agribusiness adoption by youth and returnee migrants,
  • Sound knowledge of local government, province government and federal governments policies and programme related to youth and returnee migrants in agriculture sector in Nepal,
  • Have excellent command in computer, and very good command on both English and Nepali language in speaking and writing, 
  • Priority will be given to women, Dalit, Janajati and ethnic communities.  
  • Documents to be presented will be;A copy of the updated CV of the consultant or lead consultant in the case of a firm, update legal tax clearance and renewal in the case of a firm and, technical and financial proposals.

8. Institutional arrangement and reporting

The incumbent will report to the Technology Extension Specialist for day-to-day activities and to the National Project Manager in every deadline via email on the progress of the work, any challenges being encountered, or risks foreseen, proposed, or taken mitigation measures, and where project support may be required. The consultant will hand over all primary data and the report provided to project at the end of the service.

9. Budget and payment schedule of this assignment

The consultancy fee is based on expertise and experience. Interested candidate should propose all costs in the financial proposal covering consultant(s) fee, DSA (food and accommodation during field work), transportation expenses, communication, and other recurrent expenses occur during the assessment. Project will organize sharing meeting on its own expense. About 9 days of field workdays (including travel) has been estimated. The consultant is eligible to claim DSA at a rate of Rs 2500/day during field workdays. There should be clear and specific field travel plan duly approved by concerned focal person of the project (Technology Extension Specialist). The consultant/firm should be PAN/VAT registered so far as applicable. In case of VAT registered, recent tax clearance certificate should be submitted. All applicable taxes will be deducted at source. It will be the consultant/firm’s responsibility to ensure consultant (s) full insurance coverage during the assignment period.

Upon submission of inception report and approved work plan, 40% of the consultancy fee will be paid and remaining 60% will be paid after completion of the assignment and acceptance of final report by the project.

How to apply

Interested and eligible candidates are requested to submit updated CV highlighting the relevant competency and experience along with technical and financial proposal, and an application letter mentioning the total financial quote of the assessment. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The application can be submitted via email to info@vcdp.org.np no later than 14th October 2022.

Overview

Category Development and Project, Expression of Interests, Tender Notice, Bid
Openings 1
Position Type Contract
Experience Please check details below.
Education Please check details below.
Posted Date 28 Sep, 2022
Apply Before 14 Oct, 2022
City Lalitpur