Aquaculture Messages Development Expert

1. CASA PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

As a programme funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – International Climate Finance (ICF), CASA demonstrates the business case for global and national investment in climate-resilient agri-food systems that increase smallholder farmer incomes. The programme facilitates increased investment in agribusinesses by demonstrating the commercial and development potential of inclusive business models with smallholder farmer supply chains. CASA achieves this by:

• Demonstrating the commercial viability – and building the investment-readiness – of small and medium-sized (SME) agribusinesses with smallholder farmer supply chains
• Helping impact and return-oriented investors to increase the impact of their investments through the provision of inclusive technical assistance
• Strengthening the voices of smallholder producers (especially of women in agribusiness decision-making) and their positions within supply chains (through improved offtaking or aggregation arrangements), and
• Filling the information, evidence and learning gaps holding back investment.

To demonstrate the commercial and development potential of business models with smallholder farmer supply chains, CASA Component A (Market Systems Development), implemented by NIRAS and Swisscontact, pilots catalytic interventions within agricultural value chains in Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal and Rwanda (and formerly Uganda) that support agri-SMEs to prepare for and secure investment while connecting smallholder farmers to commercial markets and building their resilience in the face of climate change.

CASA works in the Aquaculture and Poultry value chains in Malawi and has a joint partnership with Teren Agro/MlimiPay to which this TOR applies.

2. ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND

The aquaculture sector in Malawi faces several challenges that hinder its overall productivity. One of the most persistent issues is the limited access to high-quality fish feed and technical advisory services. Despite efforts by the government and other stakeholders to provide technical support to smallholder farmers, there remains a significant knowledge gap in Aquaculture Best Management Practices (BMP) among these farmers.

To address these challenges, CASA has facilitated a tripartite partnership between TEREN Agro, a local producer of floating fish feed, and MlimiPay, an innovative payment solutions company. This partnership aims to tackle the issues of inaccessibility to affordable, quality fish feed and technical advisory services. Through this collaboration, TEREN Agro and MlimiPay will provide smallholder fish farmers with quality inputs and extension services on favourable terms. These efforts will be guided by legally binding contractual arrangements, with the partnership focusing on farmers in Lilongwe, Mchinji, and Dowa districts, areas conveniently accessible to the two Lilongwe-based companies.

To further support smallholder farmers, MlimiPay will lead the implementation of a robust mobile phone-based extension system. CASA plans to engage an Aquaculture Expert to provide technical expertise in developing aquaculture-specific messages that will be disseminated through this system. This initiative is expected to enhance farmers’ access to timely, relevant, and practical knowledge, improving their productivity and overall sector outcomes.

About MlimiPay

MlimiPay Limited, established in 2021 by Stanislaus Sakwiya, is a Malawian fintech company that is transforming the agricultural sector through the provision of digital financial solutions. Mr Sakwiya, the company’s sole shareholder, is supported by a team of four. MlimiPay’s core product offerings include the Mlimi Digital Wallet, which enables smallholder farmers to purchase farming inputs in instalments via mobile money, thereby ensuring price stability and bulk savings. MlimiPay currently has 1,000 active users and plans to add a further 5,000 dairy farmers to its customer base. During the 2022/23 financial year, the company facilitated payments for over 240 tonnes of inputs, with a total value of £184,359. Furthermore, the company provides the Mlimi Digital Advisor, which offers agronomic guidance and weather updates to farmers.

About TEREN Agro

TEREN Agro Limited, a subsidiary of TEREN Investments, was established by Temwanani Phiri and Taziona Chigwe. The company initially focused on trading soya beans but diversified into livestock feeds in 2023, including floating fish feeds for tilapia. It was incorporated in 2022. With grant support, TEREN Agro invested in machinery to increase production capacity by 900% to 1 tonne per hour. In 2023, the company is projected to have a turnover of MK361 million (£270,482) and employ seven people. The company is positioned for growth in the aquaculture sector and is seeking to collaborate with motivated partners.

3. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT

Under Activity 4.2.3 (i) (and budget line 7) in the project business plan, the primary objective of this assignment is to provide technical support to MlimiPay by developing targeted aquaculture Best Management Practice (BMP) messages which will be shared to targeted smallholder farmers through a mobile phone-based extension platform. This initiative will ensure the contracted smallholder farmers get timely messages in best aquaculture management practices. Specifically, this will involve conducting an information needs assessment among target smallholder fish farmers to identify common misconceptions and misinformation prior to developing (potentially corrective) messages based on accepted best practice according to published literature. The messages should target, but not be limited to the following areas:

Pond and Water Management

• Site selection and pond design ensuring suitable soil and water quality to minimize environmental impact (dyking, pond depth, water intake and outlet management)
• Pond designing
• Regularly monitor and maintain appropriate levels of dissolved oxygen, ammonia and temperature.
• Waste pond water management – water recycling and other environmentally friendly practices

Stocking Practices

• Best practices for transporting, handling, grading and stocking fingerlings
• Use of appropriate stocking densities to reduce stress, ensure growth and prevent disease outbreaks.

Feed and Nutrition

• Proper fish feeding regimes at consistent times and proper amounts to reduce feed wastage and water contamination.
• Best feed storage practices
• Fish sampling and feeding calculations.

Potential effects of climate change on aquaculture

• Water management in the event of flood or drought
• Impacts of extremes of water temperature on fish growth
• Disease vectors in a warming climate

 Health and Disease Management

• How to observe fish for signs of disease, stress, etc.
• Practical information on disease management and treatment for fish
• Proper hygienic use of fish farm tools and implements

 Harvesting

• Best practices of harvesting fish
• Post-harvest handling and quality management for fresh of fish
• Best practices in fish transportation and marketing.

Record Keeping

• Proper maintenance of detailed records i.e. stocking rates, water quality parameters, feeding regimes and costs, growth rates, harvest yields and sales, etc.

4. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall management of the CASA Market Manager for aquaculture, Aquaculture Messages Development expert will support MlimiPay in developing messages to be used on MlimiPay´s mobile phone-based extension system, enabling the firm to effectively and innovatively reach smallholder farmers with timely extension services.

The specific duties of the Expert will include the preparation of the following:

• Assignment Inception, which will include an inception meeting with MlimiPay, TEREN Agro and CASA, and an inception report outlining a detailed methodology for the assignment.
• Messaging Needs Assessment, which will include a thorough desk review of existing literature and primary data collection from the intended message recipients and their current understanding. An Information Needs Assessment Report will be submitted at the end of the TNA.
• Development of Structured and Concise messages, comprehensively covering all crucial aspects of best aquaculture management practices. The messages will have to be easily understood by a typical smallholder farmer in a rural setting. The consultant should design a proper categorization of the messages to guide MlimiPay’s deployment plan. This will include general messages for all fish farmers and specific messages for specific fish growth stages (starter, grower and finisher).
• Message Validation and Feedback, which will include soliciting feedback from relevant stakeholders and testing the messages on a sample of intended recipients.
• An assignment reporting, which will include periodic progress check-ins with MlimiPay, TEREN Agro and CASA, and an assignment completion report outlining the activities carried out as part of the assignment with recommendations for improvement among others

5. ASSIGNMENT MANAGEMENT and DURATION

 Duration

Expected Start Date: 1^st February 2025.

Expected End Date: 31^st March 2025

 Assignment Days

Up to 20 Workdays.

 Deliverable Timelines

 Reporting Lines

The consultant will report to MlimiPay and TEREN Agro Management teams with oversight from the CASA´s Aquaculture Market Manager.

6. REQUIREMENTS and EXPERTISE

Key qualification and field of expertise for the ideal expert are:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Aquaculture or in other closely relevant fields. Those with a master’s degree will have an added advantage.
• Demonstrated track-record of offering extension services to aquaculture farmers in the rural areas.
• Practical knowledge and ability to innovate and adapt production systems to be environmentally friendly and incorporate climate smart production technologies.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Practical application of integrating crosscutting themes: gender equality and social inclusion; climate change and environment; and food and nutrition security
• 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.
• 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 and
• Able to exercise independent judgment within defined policies and practices.

7. MODE OF APPLICATION

Applicants should send an EOI comprising the following:

1. An EOI submission letter outlining your suitability for the role and stating your preferred daily rate in GBP (maximum two pages)
2. A proposed methodology for the assignment (Maximum 4 pages)
3. Up to date CV suitably tailored to the TORs concentrating only on relevant experience. Emphasis will be placed on consultancy experience in the last 10 years (Maximum 3 pages)

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis and we will settle for the first suitable candidate we get even before the deadline.

Applications should be received by 19^th January 2025. Send applications to RHCH@niras.com. Indicate the position being applied for in the subject line.