Description

Name of Signature Program:

Naija Unlock

Agresso Work order:

NG1001

Country:

Nigeria

RFP No.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Funded by:

Heifer International

RFP Release Date:

January 10th 2024

Question/ Inquiry Submission Deadline:

January 19th 2024

Proposal Submission Deadline:

January 29th 2024

Performance Period:

February 26th – May 31st 2024

Electronic submission to the attention of:

[email protected]

Contact information for inquiries about this RFP:

[email protected]

Terms of Reference

I. General Information

This document is being issued to solicit applications from either an individual consultant or a consulting firm with key technical staff who have substantial experience in the implementation of youth development programs. More specifically, the consultant or lead consultant should have a proven track record in the implementation of innovative youth-focused tech programs. The bidder is free to seek any clarification on the expected deliverables prior to the preparation and submission of the proposal. While Heifer understands that completing this assignment will require the experience of an individual or a single firm with all the requisite expertise, the successful candidate can sub-contract components of the assignment to appropriate qualified firms. However, Heifer Nigeria should be duly informed of the plan from the onset, and this should be clearly stated in the bid as appropriate. It should also be noted that Heifer will make payments to each of the contractors based on submission and Heifer’s approval of deliverables. The award agreement will include a payment schedule with specific deliverables; all payments require 15 business days for processing after approval of deliverables.

II. Background

About Heifer International

Heifer International is a global non-profit organization on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. Since 1944, Heifer International through its work in 21 countries (in Africa, Asia, and the Americas) has supported more than 39 million people around the world to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way, and millions more now on a pathway to living incomes. Working with rural communities across Africa for 48 years, Heifer International supports farmers and local food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income. Heifer’s foundation was built on the belief that ending hunger begins with giving people the means to feed themselves, generate income and achieve sustainable livelihoods for their households. Heifer’s global vision for 2020 - 2030 is to close the living income gap for additional 10 million families. This vision is a focused approach for the African continent to support at least 6 million smallholder farmers in Africa reach sustainable living income. As a part of this commitment, Heifer has expanded its presence in Africa to include Nigeria, with a goal of supporting at least two million households to achieve sustainable living income, through (a) strategic private and public sector partnerships, (b) unlocking demand and market opportunities, (c) investing in priority value chains, and (d) leveraging innovation and emerging agricultural technologies to reach transformational scale. More information about Heifer is available at: www.heifer.org

Heifer Nigeria Country Program

Heifer International established its Nigeria Country Program in 2021, and its Signature Program for Nigeria, named “Naija Unlock”, was designed and launched. Naija Unlock program’s aim is to support the unlocking of the potential in Nigeria’s agricultural sector to achieve food self-sufficiency by working with smallholder farmers and local value chain actors to increase their productivity to meet local demand for food and raw material while closing the living income gap for families in the rice, tomato, and poultry value chains, with plans to add cattle, and small ruminant value chains. Naija Unlock is an evidence-based Signature Program designed to close the living income gap of smallholder farmers at scale with permanence of impact. The goal is to assist more than one million households to achieve sustainable living income by 2025, and scale to two million households by 2030, through strategic private and public sector partnerships to (a) build the social capital of smallholder farmers, (b) unlock farmers’ access to innovative financing, (c) unlock demand and market opportunities, (d) increase farmers access to mechanization and emerging agricultural innovations, and (e) increase farmers knowledge and adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. Naija Unlock program activities are being implemented currently in five (5) states in Nigeria (Ogun, Edo, Nasarawa, Benue, and Lagos States) with plans to scale to other states with the potential to make an impact at a transformational scale.

AYuTe (Agriculture Youth and Technology) Africa Challenge Nigeria

There is a transformation going on in the agricultural sector in Africa, Nigeria inclusive. Youth and Technology have been at the heart of these transformations, causing a radical change in the sector. Heifer’s recent survey on The Future of Africa’s Agriculture; An Assessment of the Role of Youth and Technology reveals that youth-led agricultural technology innovations are emerging, capable of transforming the productivity and competitiveness of agriculture in Nigeria. However, poor access to finance and technical assistance is one of the major constraints making it difficult to get them to the scale that would bring about these transformational impacts.

The AYuTe (Agriculture Youth and Technology) Africa Challenge serves as a springboard for identifying outstanding young agritech innovators in various Heifer countries, as well as assisting in the formation of strong partnerships. As a result, the competition will increase visibility for growth and improve smallholder farmers' productivity.

Through a regional competition, Heifer International awards up to US$1.5 million each year to leading agritech innovators across Africa. National competitions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda also award up to $20,000 in each country.

Like the Regional Champions competition, the AYuTe National Champions competition offers prize money and mentorship, helping translate the energy and ideas of young Nigerian agritech innovators into meaningful impact for smallholder farmers across the country, and supporting winners to grow their businesses and profile.

The AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria is an opportunity to identify young, creative entrepreneurs who have launched promising new tech solutions to transform African agriculture for smallholder farmers.

Following the successful execution of the 2022 and 2023 editions of AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria, Heifer Nigeria seeks the services of a consultant to design and implement the 2024 edition of AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria.

III. Description of Expected Professional Services

a. Purpose

The purpose is to identify a consultant to design and implement the 2024 (Fiscal Year 2024) edition of AYuTe Africa Challenge Nigeria.

1. Objectives: this assignment is designed to enable Heifer Nigeria:
   • Develop and design the project implementation strategy
   • Develop and fully implement a work plan for the competition
   • Design and implement a communications strategy for the project
   • Generate data and reports to inform decision making
     1. Deliverables: The expected deliverables of this