VSLAs Selection Consultant

Consultancy Opportunity

1. CASA PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

CASA is an FCDO-International Climate Finance (ICF) funded programme driving global investment for inclusive climate-resilient agri-food systems that increase smallholder incomes. CASA makes the case to impact and return-oriented investors for increased investment in agribusinesses that work with smallholder supply chains. The programme achieves this goal by:

• Demonstrating the commercial viability and investment-readiness of small and medium-sized (SME) agribusinesses with significant smallholder supply chains
• Helping investors to increase the impact of their investments through the provision of inclusive technical assistance.
• Strengthening the socio-legal empowerment of smallholders within value chains
• Tackling the information and evidence gaps holding back investment

For demonstrating the commercial and development potential of smallholder sourcing models, CASA focuses on catalytic interventions in the agriculture sectors of Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal and Rwanda that support agri-SMEs prepare for and secure investment while connecting smallholders to commercial markets.

CASA’s work on research and communications is structured around identifying constraints, opportunities and addressing evidence gaps through research; shaping the debate on smallholder agriculture to influence actions of investors, governments and donors; and creating networking opportunities through events and stakeholder engagement.

2. ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND

2.1 Partnership with Yalokolo

As part of its work in Malawi, CASA has partnered with Yalokolo – a local business that operates a poultry enterprise – with the aim of providing technical support to the SME to put in place a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in collaboration with smallholder village savings and lending associations VSLAs. Through the partnership with Yalokolo, CASA seeks to facilitate the development of a climate-resilient and mutually beneficial investment partnership between the enterprise and 1,500 smallholder farmers (including women, the youth, and people with disabilities, comprising at least 80%) organised into 50 VSLAs (of 30 people), that are not currently involved in poultry production at any meaningful scale. The proposed SPV will serve Yalokolo and the smallholder farmers in the VSLAs to increase their productive capacity, building around a business model that includes a hatchery, an abattoir, and the production of organic manure from chicken droppings, a product line which will correspondingly help to build an integrated climate-resilient business model. This expansion will be achieved via a new model of co-financing of investments by both Yalokolo and the VSLAs to expand production and processing. Yalokolo will enter into contract farming agreements with the VSLAs which will include training the smallholder members in poultry production and in aggregation, processing, and selling of the poultry products produced.

2.2 Partner Background

Yalokolo is a local/village chicken and eggs production company based in Lilongwe and Rumphi district. Established in 2021, Yalokolo is committed to producing high-quality, fresh and natural eggs and chickens using sustainable farming practices. With a production capacity of 6,400 birds per year, the company barely meets demand among a few restaurant establishments. Yalokolo’s vision is to be the leading catalyst for positive change in Malawi’s local chicken production industry. The company plans to establish a model of sustainable organic chicken farming that empowers smallholder farmers, fosters community resilience against the negative impacts of climate change, and sets the standard for ethical and high-quality organic chicken products in Malawi through a joint investment with smallholder producers.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The main objective of this assignment is to select 50 VSLAs from a pool of 150 existing VSLAs that were set up for the purposes of mobilising savings and lending each other money but are now interested and willing to refocus part of their savings in commercial poultry production and related enterprises and partner with Yalokolo through a joint investment vehicle. In liaison with Yalokolo, the STTA will develop criteria of desired attributes that will qualify a VSLA to be part of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), a joint investment towards a hatchery, poultry processing (abattoir) and organic manure production business. This includes but is not limited to capacity of a VSLA to contribute MK400,000 (MK13,000 per member in a group of 30) into the SPV, willingness to engage in poultry farming, etc. The STTA is expected to acquaint him/herself with how the SPV will operate, i.e. understand how the co-investment between Yalokolo and the VSLAs will be done and is expected to function, and the roles of each party in the SPV. Following the development of the selection criteria, the STTA is expected to engage the VSLAs, explain the proposed working arrangement, the SPV, its ownership and partnership with Yalokolo as co-investors. The STTA is expected to register at least 50 VSLAs that meets the set criteria for the purposes of developing the SPV. The STTA is expected to work closely with Yalokolo field staff and CASA programme team to ensure that s/he understands the assignment and is able to recruit the right VSLAs for the SPV.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall management of the CASA Market Manager for Poultry, the STTA will support Yalokolo to identify 50 VSLAs that will form part of the initial set-up of an SPV and are willing to invest in the SPV and commercial poultry production.

The specific duties of the STTA under this assignment include the following:

• Discuss with Yalokolo management to understand their business idea and proposed working relations with VSLAs through the SPV
• In collaboration with Yalokolo, draft criteria of attributes of VSLAs that meet the need of the planned SPV.
• In conjunction with Yalokolo, engage existing VSLAs in the area and discuss the proposed business idea to stimulate interest in VSLAs to participate in the SPV.
• Select and register VSLAs (including their membership, disaggregating names by gender, age and location), that are willing to work with Yalokolo through the SPV and engage in poultry farming.
• Discuss and agree on how funds towards the SPV will be managed (consolidated & safeguarded) in readiness for the SPV set-up and appointed uses.
• Complying with CASA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual and other relevant requirements of NIRAS Malawi.

4. DELIVERABLES

All the deliverables shall be reviewed and approved by CASA and Yalokolo before they are deemed as having been satisfactorily completed. The required deliverables under this assignment will include the following:

1. Submission of the inception report outlining the assignment delivery methodology and approach and detailing the delivery schedule for all tasks planned under the
2. Draft selection criteria for VSLAs that will qualify to be part of the SPV.
3. Revised final selection criteria following input from Yalokolo and CASA
4. Lists of 50 VSLAs (including names of members of each VSLA their gender, age, location and contact numbers where available) that are willing to be part of the SPV and partner with Yalokolo.
5. A proposal of how funds towards the SPV will be consolidated towards the purpose and safeguarded from abuse by both parties.
6. Monthly timesheet after completion of every month, within 10 days of the following month.
7. Other deliverables as per the needs of the project partners as determined by CASA Country Team.

The indicative delivery timelines are summarised in the table below. The final allocation of days will be agreed between the consultant and CASA team, in liaison with the client.

Deliverable Timelines

5. DURATION

The assignment is expected to take 15 workdays between June 2024 and July 2024.

6. QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Consultant will be responsible for assuring the quality of the data is reliable, registered VSLAs traceable and can easily be engaged and contacted, and that any potential limitations of data or calculations used are clearly highlighted.The CASA Country team and Yalokolo will discuss and agree with you on the expected criteria for quality and will subsequently ensure that every deliverable fully adheres to the prescribed quality standards.

7. REQUIREMENTS and EXPERTISE

• Demonstrated track-record in farmer engagement, mobilisation for development activities.
• Experience in community development or extension service provision, especially in agro-based businesses.
• Sound understanding of investment and company partnership principles (ideally with an understanding and some experience of setting up or assessing SPVs or joint ventures)
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Adeptness and practical application of CASA’s crosscutting themes of gender equality and social inclusion; climate change and environment; and food and nutrition security in contract farming arrangements.
• Excellent written and oral communication, listening and interpersonal skills with the ability to deal tactfully and diplomatically with a wide range of people combined with an appreciation of the importance of confidentiality.
• Willingness to take on new assignments at short notice and to travel frequently to remote areas.
• Ability to make decisions regarding own work, often in ambiguous situations and suggest recommendations regarding own function/discipline.
• Ability to function with minimum guidance and under pre-set procedures with attention to detail.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment within defined policies and practices.

8. MODE OF APPLICATION

Interested candidates should send an Expression of Interest no more than 6 pages long (in one document) broken down as follows;

1. A maximum of 1 page EOI submission letter providing an overview of the candidate’s suitability for the role and their preferred daily rate expressed in
2. A maximum of 2 pages outlining a proposed methodology according to their understanding of the assignment and its requirements.
3. A maximum of 3 pages Curriculum Vitae/Resume outlining only the relevant qualifications, experience and attributes for the role. Emphasis should be placed on similar consultancy assignments carried out by the candidate in the past 7 years.

Applications to be sent to rhch@niras.com with title of the position being applied for in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will accept the first viable ones received by 7^th June 2024.