Consultancy Services for the Value Chain and Market Analysis for the Women Economic Empowerment Project

  • Consultancy
  • Zambia
  • TBA / Month
  • Applications have closed

Website WeEffectSA We Effect Zambia Country Office

Equality First

Terms of Reference for conducting a Value Chain and Market Analysis for the Women Economic Empowerment Project

Introduction

We Effect is a Swedish development organisation with a Regional office in Southern Africa and country offices in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It supports development powered by people who themselves live in poverty and works with local organisations. We Effect’s vision is a sustainable and just world free of poverty. To succeed, it has to start by changing the situation for the most vulnerable – women and girls, who constitute 70% of those living in poverty. To achieve gender equality, We Effect has global and regional strategies, whose main focus is Equality First and prescribes gender equality as the core of all We Effect work.

Project Background

We Effect Zambia and partners (Heifer International and Women for Change), with support from Sida through the Swedish Embassy in Zambia, began implementing the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Project in December 2019. The project will end in July 2023. It is being implemented in eight districts namely Chipata, Lundazi and Chadiza in Eastern Province, Choma/Kalomo, Zimba/Kazungulu and Pemba/Monze/Gwembe in Southern Province, Kaoma/Nkeyema/Luampa in Western Province and Mumbwa in Central Province.

The overall objective of the project is to advance women’s economic empowerment to ensure the capacity of women to participate in, contribute to and benefit from agricultural value chains and processes in ways that affirm the value of their contributions, respect their dignity, promote equality in Eastern, Western, Southern and Central Provinces.

The project specific objectives are:

  1. To increase women’s agency and decision-making power at household and community levels to address barriers to women’s economic empowerment.
  2. To reduce institutional barriers that limit women’s economic advancement in agricultural value and market chains.
  3. To strengthen women’s voice and collective power at community level to increase access to, control of and ownership of productive (e.g. physical assets, land) and financial assets among women through women-led cooperatives, land tenure and financial inclusion.

Market and Value Chain Analysis Objectives

Due to the nature of the WEE Project, there is need to understand the market status and the value chains that women engage in. It is also important to understand the potential opportunities available for women entrepreneurs. This market and value chain analysis with a gender lens will therefore review, revise and align the existing report with the following initial main objectives of the study:

  1. To map and profile the existing value chains, both on farm and off farm, in the target districts to identify feasible and most effective value chains for women entrepreneurs;
  2. Recommend the most profitable, adaptable and technically feasible value chains for women in each target district;
  3. Assess the recommended value chains and provide detailed analysis on how the target group can be engaged in the value chain in different roles (supplier of input, producer, processor, transporter and traders, among others);
  4. Assess selected market system supporting environment (services, policies and rules regulations, infrastructure), and market constraints for women in the target districts;
  5. Assess the training gaps of the women that can hinder their participation in the value chains at different levels roles (supplier of input, producer, processor, transporter and traders, among others);
  6. Describe skills training needs related to potential roles in the value chain.

Methodology, Data Collection and Analysis

The methodology applied should include the following activities:

  1. Desk review of the secondary data.
  2. If possible, follow up with relevant key stakeholders in the value chain or others including small, medium and large-scale businesses, government ministries/departments and local government on any identified gaps/missing information.

Deliverables

  1. Process Report – The report shall give details of the process plan for the report, a detailed plan of how the consultant intends to review and align the draft report with the terms of reference and a detailed plan with clear time frames on how the report will be developed.
  2. Letter of expression of interest with proof of similar previous work experience.
  3. Review, revise and align the existing report and provide detailed analysis from the desk review on the current status of women’s participation in the value chains – with a specific Gender Focus as it relates to women’s access to and control over productive resources (Especially Land rights)
  4. Draft Report – To be submitted and presented to We Effect and partners highlighting main preliminary findings, key issues identified in line with Market and value Chain Analysis from a women’s perspective.
  5. Proposed Conclusions and recommendations for the training gaps, selected market systems (services, policies and infrastructure)
  6. Final Report – To be submitted to We Effect;
  7. Cleaned data set (e.g. Excel, SPSS), transcripts of qualitative data, syntax/ code books.

Duration and Timing

The whole duration of the assignment will be for 15 days. The Consultant will be required to commence work by 1st February 2021 and complete the market and value chain report analysis by 15th of February 2021.

Qualifications and Experience of the Consultant(s)

  1. An advanced degree in social sciences, business, economics, statistics, gender, development studies, agricultural economics, or any other relevant qualification;
  2. At least 7 years’ experience in conducting complex country programme evaluations/gender evaluations in the field of development or other international organisations with experience in leading evaluations;
  3. Expertise and knowledge of the thematic areas relevant to the WEE Project. The consultancy team should preferably be conducted by a team comprised of expertise in agricultural extension, women economic empowerment, gender-based violence, governance/women leadership, agricultural value chains, business development/cooperative development/women led organisations, among others;
  4. Experience in value chain analysis or labour market studies is required
  5. Technical expertise in assessing issues of labour market demand and supply
  6. Excellent analytical, writing and communication skills;
  7. Excellent written and spoken English.

Remuneration, logistics and duration of the contract.

The consultants will be paid an agreed daily rate based on qualification and experience. Workdays will be distributed between the date of contract signature and end date of the study.

Payment fees will be based on the delivery of outputs, as follows:

  • 30% upon submission of the first draft
  • Remaining amount on the assignment upon submission of the final report.

Application Procedures

Applications consisting of:

  • A cover letter summarising suitability and qualifications for this assignment;
  • List of relevant similar assignments or actual outputs from these assignments;
  • CVs of the team members;
  • Technical and financial proposal with indicative work plan showing consultant’s planned approach to the assignment;
  • Company profile and compliance to the Laws of the Republic of Zambia, if registered as a company;
  • Any other support documents.

Documents indicating “WEE Project Market and value chain analysis” should be sent before close of business on 22nd January 2021 to [email protected] or physically submitted to:

The Country Representative;
We Effect Zambia,
Plot No. 93 Kudu Road Kabulonga,
Lusaka


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