Consultancy for Survey Firm Implementer to Collect Quantitative Data on Digital Agricultural Advisory Services in Northern Nigeria
BACKGROUND
IFPRI, in partnership with UK FCDO, GSMA, and 3ie, is leading an impact evaluation study and supporting the learning agenda of three AgTech B2B platformโs digital and AI-enabled agricultural advisory services. One of the case studies is Crop2Cash, Nigeria.
The study components are:
Impact evaluation of the digital ag extension by the Agri Tech provider (private-sector-led extension).
Evaluation of relative effect of the different services (or combination of services) offered to farmers, where feasible
Assessment of the commercial sustainability of the platforms, as well as the policy, regulatory, and enabling environment and relative roles of private and public sectors in promoting commercial sustainability and amplifying their development impacts.
The identification strategy is finding a comparable group of those not exposed and not users of the platform services as the counterfactual (via matching techniques in a natural experiment context).
SCOPE OF WORK
We are looking for a survey firm, research center, or university department to implement the survey and other data collection activities in northern Nigeria. Tentative focus states are Niger, Kaduna & Jigawa. Tentative focus LGAs are Niger (Bida, Borgu, Lavun, Chanchaga); Kaduna (Soba, Kubau-Anchau, Makarfi); Jigawa (Dutse, Gumel, Gwaram, Miga).
The selected firm will lead the survey data collection and qualitative interviews. IFPRI will be solely responsible for the design of the quantitative survey and qualitative interview instruments and selection of exact study locations, in consultation with Crop2Cash and selected survey firm.
The three major data collection activities are:
Face-to-face, computer-assisted interviews, with each session lasting 60 minutes with about 1,400 to 1,800 individuals. All data should be collected by December 20, 2025. The list of Crops2Cash users (treatment group) will be provided by Crop2Cash team; the selected survey firm will conduct a household listing and randomization for the non-users (control group) in focus villages.
A series of key informant interviews:
o Crop2Cash key leadership โ history of Crop2Cash, factors enabling and constraining start-up and success, details of operation, flow of income, business model, commercial sustainability; mgt practices promoted; processes involved in selecting and validating mgt practices promoted; key performance indicators for the study; their perspective on what is working well with Crop2Cash and areas for improvement; prospects for expansion
o Extension agents and other extension service providers (~10 sample) โ their role in or link with Crop2Cash digital ag advisory services; their perspective on the value addition, comparative advantage, impact of Crop2Cash; their feedback on what is working well with Crop2Cash and areas for improvement
o Businesses and financial institutions linked to Crop2Cash marketplace and digital finance (~20 sample) - their role in or link with Crop2Cash digital ag advisory services and other services; their perspective on the value addition, comparative advantage, impact of Crop2Cash; their feedback on what is working well with Crop2Cash and areas for improvement; ask about payments, commissions, and other data useful for measuring commercial sustainability of Crop2Cash
o Farmers who signed up but did not continue with Crop2Cash services (~20) โ to understand bottlenecks and areas of improvement.
o Value chain actors (traders, seed companies, processors, key businesses) (~30 sample) (maize, rice, cowpea) โ to understand market opportunities where to expand/improve Crop2Cash services; SWOT analysis for Crop2Cash; understand real value addition / contribution / comparative advantage / niches for Crop2Cash services.
Focus group discussions (FGD) with farmers or leaders in selected villages (~10 FGDs) - to understand constraints of farmers (old/traditional practice), and how does Crop2Cash solve these; to understand bottlenecks and areas of improvement in Crop2Cash services; insights on spillover/expansion of Crop2Cash services.
SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
The activities of the survey implementation are detailed as follows:
Translate the survey instrument, interview guide, and FGD protocols into local languages (as needed).
Obtain ethics clearance, research permits, and/or other local approvals.
Obtain enough tablets for CAPI data collection
Develop, test, and finalize the CAPI data entry program
With assistance from the IFPRI team, prepare the field implementation manual prior to enumerator training. This manual will also include instructions for implementing FGDs and addressing participant well-being during the debriefing phase.
Mobilize and train experienced survey enumerators
Organize the selection, hiring, and payment of enumerators and FGD facilitators. This will include hiring both male and female staff with relevant language and facilitation skills to ensure respondents are matched by sex and feel comfortable during discussions.
Develop a field schedule for the quantitative data collection teams and provide regular status updates during fieldwork.
Co-develop with IFPRI a plan for a rapid household listing for the control group household in focus villages
Develop spot- and back-check protocols and share these with IFPRI for feedback prior to the start of data collection.
Participate in weekly meetings with IFPRI throughout data collection.
Share the data generated from the spot and back-checks and additional data collection concerns with IFPRI in a timely manner so that issues can be promptly resolved.
Share the data generated from CAPI (in Stata format) with IFPRI during data collection, as and when the data is uploaded to the servers. These should be raw data files, including variable and value labels, but before full cleaning.
Conduct data cleaning to ensure consistency and range-checks; share the error check do-files with IFPRI.
Provide responses to queries from IFPRI related to data cleaning and any anomalies in the data.
Deliver cleaned data sets (in Stata format). The dataset should include translation of any open-ended survey responses.
Organize and facilitate focus group discussions (FGDs). This includes recruiting a gender-balanced sample of FGD participants, obtaining informed consent, and ensuring a private and safe discussion setting.
Record and transcribe FGD discussions and translate them into English as needed.
Deliver anonymized FGD transcripts.
Provide a final report covering both the experimental fieldwork and the qualitative debriefing component, including any data management issues encountered.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: October 1, 2025 to February 15, 2026
October 2025
Familiarity with study design and survey instruments
Local IRB approvals
First round of interviews (KII) and FGDsSurvey
November-December 2025
Enumeratorsโ training, pretesting
Survey implementation
February 2026
Second round of interviews (KIIs) and FGDs
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Demonstrated experience conducting quantitative and qualitative survey fieldwork in Nigeria within the past 5 years. Experience with implementation of impact evaluation studies and surveys is preferred.
Demonstrated experience conducting survey-related trainings.
Expert knowledge of local context and languages in the target areas.
Experience in building trust and good relations with village leaders, interviewees, and communities.
Strong program management skills.
Demonstrated experience in successfully coordinating large field teams and managing deliverables.
Excellent computer skills and experience using CAPI and statistical software packages.
Demonstrated experience with obtaining appropriate local ethics review and permits
Application: Please upload a proposal outlining the approach, human resources, timing, and costs (including details of staff time, training of trainers, field data collection, overhead, etc.), along with CV/resume (including details of previous related experience) for individual(s) leading the work. We expect that the applicant will be a local survey firm or research center able to handle a contract with IFPRI and source the required human resources to fulfil the scope of work themselves.
**This requisition is only open to firms. Interested firms must submit/upload a cost-proposal with the application. **
**We are unable to respond to every applicant individually; only selected applicants will be contacted. **