Consultancy Terms of Reference

December 8, 2025 Tanzania

Organizational Capacity Building of Apex Organizations and Farmer Business Organizations (FBOs)

Organization: Rikolto
Assignment: Consultancy for Organizational Capacity Building and Strengthening Primary Producer Groups
Implementation Model: ICRA Agribusiness Cluster (ABC) Coaching Model
Application Deadline: 17th December 2025
Contract Duration: December 2025 – December 2026
Location: Tanzania (Two Lots Available)

1. Background and Context

Rikolto is an international network organization with over 50 years of experience collaborating with food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. We build bridges of trust and trade between the food industry, governments, research institutions, financial institutions, and farmers’ organizations around one central question: “What will we eat tomorrow?”

Our mission is to ensure sustainable incomes for farmers and to make nutritious, affordable food accessible to everyone. Rikolto’s global strategy focuses on driving structural changes in the agri-food system and scaling up proven practices and policies that unlock the potential of smallholder farmers.

Rikolto Tanzania, with funding from Norad through IDH, is implementing the Growing Together programme: Leveraging markets and data for food security and thriving communities in Tanzania and Ethiopia (2024–2028). The programme vision is to contribute to transforming local food markets and improving food security and local economies by increasing the incomes of small-scale food producers and scaling operations of food SMEs to become large and reliable food companies in Africa.

A core strategy of the programme is to professionalise Farmer Business Organizations (FBOs), cooperatives, and apex organisations so that they operate as strong, market-oriented, and reliable business partners contributing to efficiency in the food systems. This includes improving governance, management, service delivery to primary producer groups, and their capacity to engage in inclusive value chains.

Therefore, Rikolto seeks to engage two consultants to lead organisational capacity-building of farmer business organisations, cooperatives, and apply the Agribusiness Cluster (ABC) Coaching Model trajectories targeting anchor firms in:

  • Lot 1: Mbeya & Morogoro
  • Lot 2: Iringa & Dodoma

Consultants may apply for one lot. Rikolto reserves the right to award each lot to any consultant, depending on the quality of proposals.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to collaborate with Anchor Firms and Apex Associations to strengthen the organizational and business capacities of FBOs through the ICRA Agribusiness Cluster (ABC) Coaching Model, so that they become:

  • Professional, member-driven organisations
  • Providing sustainable services to their members
  • Effectively integrated into inclusive, climate-resilient short food chains supplying to urban markets in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam cities.

3. Specific Objectives

For each lot, the assignment will aim to:

  1. Strengthen organizational capacity of TASUPA and RCT apex organisations and FBOs across SCOPE dimensions (internal management, financial management, operations, production base, market, sustainability, external risk and enabling environment, including gender and climate resilience).
  2. Apply and embed the ABC Coaching Model to organize/strengthen agribusiness clusters around selected value chains (Maize, Sunflower, Rice) and support them through structured coaching cycles. These clusters will be strategically established and linked to:
    • AKM Glitters, Kibaigwa Flour Supply, GMT Super Kyela Rice
    • Stegraphet, KMC, Three Sisters, and Ruaha Milling Company
  3. Improve service delivery to primary producer groups, including aggregation, quality management, market access, and access to finance and ensure access to business development services by farmer groups.
  4. Support the development and implementation of practical action plans (per apex/FBO/cluster) based on SCOPE assessments and D&D workshops.
  5. Build the capacity of local coaches and FBO leaders to develop well-functioning agribusiness clusters that can continue facilitation, coaching and coordination beyond the consultancy period.
  6. Contribute to improved business results (volumes, contracts, market linkages, financial access and Scope Insight scores) for targeted apex organisations, FBOs and their primary producer groups linked to the anchor firms listed above.

4. Target Organisations and Geographical Coverage

The consultant will work with a portfolio of:

  • Apex organisations (e.g., regional/national associations or unions) relevant to the selected value chains. These FBOs are linked to AKM Glitters, Kibaigwa Flour Supply, GMT Super Kyela Rice, Stegraphet, KMC, Three Sisters, Ruaha Milling Company, and two apex organizations: TASUPA and RCT along sunflower and rice value chains.
  • Farmer Business Organizations (FBOs) / cooperatives affiliated with or linked to the apex organisations.
  • Primary producer groups (farmer groups/cooperatives at village/ward level) organised under the FBOs and/or ICRA ABCs.

NB: Exact lists of organisations and locations will be provided by Rikolto at inception. The indicative coverage is:

  • Lot 1: Mbeya & Morogoro – apex organisations, FBOs and primary producer groups in priority rice, sunflower, maize and soybean value chains.
  • Lot 2: Iringa & Dodoma – apex organisations, FBOs and primary producer groups in priority rice, sunflower, maize and soybean value chains.

5. Scope of Work and Key Tasks

Under the overall supervision of Rikolto’s Programme and Project Managers for Growing Together, the consultant will undertake the following tasks for the allocated lot:

5.1 Inception and Desk Review

  • Review key programme and background documents, including Growing Together programme documents and value chain selection, existing SCOPE Insight assessment reports and capacity development plans of targeted apex/FBOs.
  • Engage Rikolto, Anchor SMEs and local government staff to clarify expectations, target groups, existing partnerships and ongoing interventions.
  • Prepare an Inception Report detailing:
    • Understanding of the assignment and context
    • Refined methodology (combining organizational development and ABC coaching)
    • Detailed work plan and timeline per region and per organization/cluster
    • Proposed tools and templates (e.g., capacity gap matrices, coaching logs, action plan formats)

5.2 Conduct Diagnosis & Design (D&D) Workshops

  • Design and facilitate Diagnosis & Design (D&D) workshops with agribusiness actors in each target area, bringing together:
    • Apex organisations and FBOs
    • Primary producer groups
    • Anchor SMEs and off-takers
    • Input suppliers, financial institutions and relevant support actors
    • Local government and other ecosystem actors (e.g., chambers of commerce)
  • With D&D participants, co-develop cluster-level action plans addressing production, quality, aggregation, marketing, value addition, finance and business relations.

5.3 Formation and Strengthening of Agribusiness Clusters (ABCs)

  • In collaboration with Rikolto, local authorities and apex/FBO leaders, form or strengthen agribusiness clusters around priority value chains in each region (e.g., horticulture clusters, grains/oilseed clusters).
  • Support the selection and screening of Local Coaches (ABC coaches) from FBOs, SMEs, LGAs or other local actors based on criteria agreed with Rikolto (experience, networks, facilitation skills).
  • Provide intensive training and coaching to Local Coaches on:
    • ABC principles and facilitation methods
    • Organizational and business coaching
    • Use of tools for planning, monitoring, documentation and learning

5.4 Organizational Capacity Building for Apex Organisations & FBOs

  • Based on identified gaps and action plans, design and deliver a coaching-oriented capacity-building trajectory (not one-off training) for apex organisations and FBOs based on weakness identified (TASUPA and RCT).
  • Facilitate iterative coaching cycles with Local Coaches, cluster members and FBO leaders to implement action plans, monitor progress and adapt strategies.
  • Provide ongoing backstopping and mentoring to Local Coaches through joint field visits, reflection sessions and remote support.
  • Organize reflection and adaptation sessions (e.g., mid-term & end-of-cycle workshops) with key stakeholders (ABCs, Local Coaches, apex/FBOs, LGAs, Anchor SMEs) to review progress, share lessons and adjust action plans.

6. Expected Deliverables

For each lot, the consultant will produce at least the following:

  1. Inception Report – Detailed methodology, work plan, and tools
  2. D&D and Cluster Formation Report – Workshop outcomes and cluster action plans
  3. Organisational Capacity-Building Outputs – For each SCOPE dimension and gaps identified
  4. Periodic Progress Reports – Activities conducted (coaching sessions, workshops, visits)
  5. Final Completion Report (at the end of the assignment) presenting comprehensive outcomes, lessons learned, and sustainability plans

7. Duration of the Assignment

The consultancy is expected to run from 15 December 2025 to 15 December 2026, approximately, for each lot.

A detailed schedule will be agreed during the inception phase, aligned with the agricultural calendar and programme milestones.

8. Application Procedure

Interested consultants (individuals or firms) are invited to submit:

8.1 Technical Proposal (maximum 10 pages) including:

  • Understanding of the assignment and context
  • Proposed approach and methodology (showing how you will combine organizational development and ICRA ABC coaching)
  • Draft work plan and timeline
  • Team composition and roles (for firms/consortia)
  • At least three relevant references (similar assignments with FBOs/ABC/MSD)

8.2 Financial Proposal for the assignment detailing:

  • How the costs have been calculated
  • Breakdown of fees, expenses, and other relevant costs

8.3 Mode of Application:

Qualified candidates (either Individual Consultants or Consultant Firms) are invited to submit their Technical and Financial proposal with the following documents:

  1. Cover letter
  2. CV of proposed consultant/Expert including reference details of previous clients
  3. References with detailed contact address of at least 3 organizations in which the consulting firm/Individual provided similar services recently
  4. Samples of 2–3 similar previous work pieces

9. Submission Details

Interested applicants should submit their proposals via email to:
eastafrica.recruitment@rikolto.org

Deadline: No later than 17th December 2025

Email Subject Line: Clearly indicate the title of the assignment and the source of the advertisement

Important: In your proposal and cover letter, kindly specify the Lot you are applying for (Lot 1: Mbeya & Morogoro OR Lot 2: Iringa & Dodoma).

10. Selection Process

  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
  • If you do not receive a response within two weeks after the closing date, consider your application unsuccessful.
  • For more information about this consultancy opportunity, please visit the Rikolto website.

Rikolto is committed to equal opportunity and diversity in its recruitment processes. We encourage applications from qualified individuals regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or disability.

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