MESPT-AGRIFI-01-2024 – Consultant to review the Agrifi Programme

1. Background Information about MESPT

Micro-Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT) is a Kenyan development organization established in 2002. MESPT’s overall objective is to promote economic growth, employment creation and poverty alleviation through enterprise development. This is achieved predominantly through support to the development of agricultural value chains whilst embracing and promoting the green growth and climate change agenda. Through its vision of building a more Prosperous Society, MESPT facilitates increased commercialization, decent employment, and green transformation through targeted interventions in the selected value chains. The Trust is a multi-donor entity jointly founded by the Government of Kenya and the European Union who later relinquished their position to the Royal Danish Embassy in Kenya, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (DANIDA). To learn more about MESPT, please visit www.mespt.org.

2. About AgriFI Programme

AGRIFI programme is an EU-Danida funded Programme whose objective is to support production initiatives for smallholder farmers that are adaptive to the changing climate and market requirements. In this 7-year programme running from 2018 to 2024, MESPT is an Implementing Partner of results area two and three of the overall four Results Areas of the programme.

Result area two of the project is aimed at strengthening the capacities of actors along selected value chains through the Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training (ATVET) system approach. To achieve this, the programme has set up a series of initiatives around review of the training curricula to incorporate food safety, strengthening ATVET Centres, strengthening of value chain actors on sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS), capacity building of farmer cooperatives/associations, linkages to competitive markets and capacity building of the private lead firms and industry associations to strengthen compliance on SPS.

Under result area three the programme has undertaken several capacity building interventions of the private sector and the selected counties to implement and enforce standards on animal health, food safety and plant health. Activities under the result area three include strengthening County Food and Feed Safety Coordination Committee, support to policy framework (Food safety, ATVET and Wet Market policy and bills), strengthening monitoring, testing, and surveillance in Counties, capacity building of Competent Authorities and support to selected wet markets.

Broadly the programme envisages sustainable Agricultural Technical Vocational Education Training and Food Safety system with proper investment from the County Government (CG) and private sector which in turn will bolster competitiveness of value chains of focus.

3. Rationale for review of AgriFI Phase One outcomes and development of phase Two proposal

Under AgriFI programme 2018 -2024 , it was envisaged that all the 13 counties (Kiambu, Nyandarua, Nakuru, Kirinyaga, Embu, Meru, Machakos, Makueni, Kilifi, Kakamega, Migori, Kisii and Bungoma) of focus will set up a sustainable Agricultural Technical Vocational Education Training and Food Safety system with proper investment from the County Government (CG) and private sector which in turn will bolster competitiveness of value chains of focus (Dairy, Aquaculture, Mango, Avocado and Beans in Pods). In addition, the programme was expected to strengthen weak coordination between the two levels of government (Counties and National Government) as well as advocate for a strong private sector led approach including the management, regulation to address the weak food safety implementation and enforcement concerns at county level including the wet markets.

Mid Term Review of AgriFi programme was undertaken in 2021 and the programme demonstrated high potential for impact. At its 6th year of implementation, there is a clear indication that all the set targets will be realized. Considering that the investments have demonstrated the opportunities that exist in the envisaged programme assumptions and there is emerging evidence that the ATVETs assumptions, Food and Feed Control system and Wet Market concepts are not farfetched concepts but indeed sustainable ideas that can be scaled. MESPT, in collaboration with its partners, are exploring the possibilities of extending this engagement to not only provide an opportunity for scaling, but also a platform to make necessary adjustments drawing from the lessons learnt this far. In summary, the key lessons learnt during implementation include: The buy-in and commitment of the public and private sector experts in participating in the food safety conversation and processes with minimal incentives which enabled accomplishment of the key envisaged outcomes.

3. The main objective of the assignment

The overall aim will be to undertake a comprehensive review of phase one outcomes and gaps and develop an extensive concept and proposal for use in our fundraising efforts to potential donors.

MESPT is therefore seeking an experienced and dynamic consultant to conduct a donor and stakeholder mapping and develop a Comprehensive Concept Note for engagement with an aim of scaling up the learnings derived from AgriFI 2018-2024 whilst addressing gaps that existed in the current programme and scale the interventions based on the lessons learnt with possibilities of forging effective partnerships beyond Kenya and East African region.

4. Scope of the assignment

Specific tasks to be undertaken will include: –

1. Conducting a thorough review of existing MESPT / EU /Danida programmes, existing donor landscape including other relevant institutional documents (specifically with SCC Food programme) to help guide and identify key areas of possible engagement/support.
2. Read and understand all relevant and necessary documents related to the solicitation of funds for possible further engagement including and not limited to;

• Call for Food Safety and Green growth Proposals.
• Donor Strategies on Food Safety and Green growth (Particularly for Danida, EU, GIZ etc)
• Research/ Intelligence on current partners and competitors.

1. Design and organize for engagement with key stakeholders, including MESPT management, Board of Trustee, programme staff and grant partners, to gather input and insights.
2. In Collaboration with the Programme manager AgriFI, coordinate the development of An Extensive/ Comprehensive Concept Note whilst ensuring effective communication with all relevant parties throughout the proposal development process.
3. Work with MESPT CEO, Grants team and all key proposal development actors to ensure that the Comprehensive Concept Note narrative clearly conveys Concept Note win themes and food safety/ green technical solutions and is compliant with donor instructions and requirements.
4. Draft the Extensive/ Comprehensive Concept Note in collaboration with set up proposal team to ensure that suggestions of reviewers are incorporated and ensure that the final document is well edited and is of high quality.
5. Ensure that prior to submission the Extensive/ Comprehensive Concept Note is adequately reviewed and approved by relevant parties as appropriate.
6. In consultation with MESPT, the consultant will be free to interact with as many useful stakeholders as s/he can. Nonetheless, where applicable, MESPT will determine additional sets of stakeholders as and when it will be deemed appropriate.

5. Approach and Methodology

The consultant is expected to utilize highly consultative and participatory approaches in identification of gaps and development of an Extensive/ Comprehensive Concept Note. A combination of various methods will be adopted including desk review, interviews and targeted discussions with relevant stakeholders including representation of MESPT management, programme staff, and where possible seek the views of external partners/ grantees. The consultant is expected to develop a detailed approach clearly outlining the criteria that will be used.

6. Expected Deliverables

The Consultant will work on the following deliverables: –

1. Inception report including the methodology, detailed workplan and budget.
2. Draft an Extensive/ Comprehensive Concept Note. The draft will be subjected to rigorous internal review for approval before the full proposal design is commenced. (Key content in the concept note will include the programme partnership framework, Theory of Change, the Logical framework, and the Geographical Scope).
3. Present a list of possible donors with clear guidelines and procedures for engagement and proposal submission.

Caution: MESPT institutional intelligence and the traditional donors must resonate with the intentions and have the Board Buy in before going public.

7. Duration of the Assignment

The assignment will begin with an inception meeting at MESPT Head Office and conclude with a debriefing meeting with Danida, MESPT Chief Executive Officer, Grants /Resource mobilization team and Programme Manager – AgriFI. The assignment shall be undertaken for not more than 6 months from the time of inception.

8. Intellectual Property

All information produced pertaining to this assignment, existing information that the Consultant may have access to under this consultancy shall remain the property of MESPT. Furthermore, MESPT shall have exclusive rights over their use for a period of not less than 20 years. Except for the purposes of this assignment, the information gathered shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever form without written permission of MESPT.

9. Administration and logistical arrangements

The Consultant will report to the Programme Manager – AgriFI and will work closely with MESPT grants and the resource mobilization team and Finance team.

10. Qualifications and competencies of the proposed team

The proposed team should have the necessary qualifications and a track record of developing and writing successful funding proposals above $1M(attach evidence). In specific the lead consultant should possess:

1. Experience working with institutional Donors such as Danida, EU, USAID, DFID, GIZ among others
2. Excellent writing skills and be able to communicate technical ideas in a clear and compelling way responsive to priorities and interest of the donors.
3. Ability to synthesis input from multiple sources into a cohesive document with a unified theme
4. Talent for writing concisely and conceptualizing ideas for graphics that convey key information.
5. Demonstrate competence in proposal writing and report writing.
6. A good understanding of international development, BDS and livelihoods programming including terminologies and language.
7. Ability to work well under pressure and work to deadlines.
8. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
9. Capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating working with different situations and personalities.

11. Key Qualifications

1. Advanced Degree in relevant subjects including but limited to project planning and management, development studies , Agricultural sciences and environmental sciences
2. At least 10 years relevant field experience
3. Significant experience leading development of proposals for relevant Donors
4. Experience in Budget making, management, and monitoring**.**