JOB VACANCY:Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy at Rikolto

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy
Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) Linked to Anchor SMEs in Tanzania

Background

Rikolto is an international NGO with more than 50 years of experience in partnering with farmer organizations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Our work is structured around three global programs: Rice, Cocoa & Coffee, and Good Food 4 Cities.

Our mission is: “A sustainable income for farmers and nutritious, affordable food for everyone.”

Rikolto’s global strategy focuses on fostering trust and collaboration among the food industry, governments, research institutions, financial bodies, and farmer organizations to drive structural changes in agri-food systems.

In East Africa, Rikolto is implementing a five-year (2024–2028) funding agreement from NORAD through IDH, under the Grow Together program. The program aims to leverage markets and data to enhance food security, increase incomes for small-scale food producers, and scale food SMEs into reliable companies in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Urban food systems in Tanzania are rapidly changing, especially in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, due to population growth, urbanization, and changing dietary patterns. SMEs and MSMEs are critical in food production, processing, distribution, and retail. However, their participation in structured platforms remains limited due to fragmented partnerships, capacity gaps, and minimal policy engagement.

Objectives of the Assignment

The consultancy has two key objectives:

Strengthen Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs):
- Develop strategic frameworks and practical facilitation guidelines for MSP conveners.
- Use Rikolto’s MSP Toolkit to support nutrition and urban food platforms (TASUPA and RCT) in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma.
Empower SMEs/MSMEs:
- Support SMEs/MSMEs to build strong partnerships and actively participate in nutrition and urban food platforms, with a focus on the Sunflower and Rice value chains.

Scope of Work & Specific Tasks

1. Strengthening MSPs Facilitation

Conduct a comprehensive review of Dodoma and Ilala nutrition and food MSPs.
Assess governance, inclusivity, coordination, and effectiveness of existing platforms.
Engage stakeholders to identify gaps and opportunities across rice, maize, sunflower, horticulture, beans, and livestock value chains.
Develop strategic frameworks to strengthen TASUPA (Sunflower) and RCT (Rice) platforms.
Draft facilitation guidelines covering agenda setting, inclusive dialogue, decision-making, and outcome monitoring.
Organize validation workshops with stakeholders to refine frameworks and track progress.
Support policy advocacy through evidence-based studies, policy briefs, and technical papers.

2. Effective Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

Establish/strengthen urban food councils bringing together SMEs/MSMEs, government, experts, NGOs, academia, and private sector actors.
Develop cluster-based models for SMEs/MSMEs to collaborate on logistics, branding, and market access.
Encourage public-private partnerships (PPPs) to co-invest in infrastructure (cold chains, storage, mobile markets).

3. Policy Advocacy and Enabling Environment

Support SMEs/MSMEs in engaging with policy dialogues.
Advocate for inclusive procurement policies that prioritize local SMEs/MSMEs.
Integrate SCOPE Insight findings to strengthen value-chain platforms.
Propose simplified regulatory frameworks to ease entry for fortified food supply.

4. Nutrition Awareness and Consumer Engagement

Support SMEs/MSMEs in nutrition education campaigns.
Promote branding and labeling of nutritious products.
Encourage community-based models such as urban gardens and farmers’ markets.

Expected Outcomes

Increased participation of SMEs/MSMEs in urban food and nutrition platforms.
Improved access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma.
Strengthened governance and resilience of nutrition and food platforms.
Enhanced livelihoods and economic empowerment of SMEs/MSMEs.
RCT and TASUPA presenting well-informed agendas in food platforms.
Policy reforms supported by credible evidence.
Improved governance and financial management systems for TASUPA and RCT.

Deliverables

Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) report for Dar es Salaam and Dodoma MSPs.
Strategic frameworks for sustainable multi-stakeholder engagement.
Practical facilitation manuals for MSP coordination.
Reports from validation workshops.
Monthly progress reports.
Final performance reports (separate for Dar es Salaam and Dodoma).
Strengthened business models for at least 3 anchor SMEs/MSMEs.

Duration & Timeline

The assignment will run for 90 days, with a detailed timeline finalized during the inception phase.

Required Qualifications & Experience

The consultant(s) or firm should demonstrate:

Proven experience in agricultural market systems development, policy and advocacy, MSP facilitation, and institutional strengthening.
Strong knowledge of food and nutrition SMEs/MSMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Facilitation, analytical, and communication skills.
Regional expertise and operational experience in Tanzania.
Fluency in English and Swahili.

Reporting & Supervision

The consultant will report to the Lead Program Coordinator and work closely with MSP secretariats and selected anchor SMEs.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants must submit:

Technical proposal (understanding of assignment, methodology, workplan).
Financial proposal (detailed cost breakdown).
Company/consultant profile and CVs of key personnel.
Evidence of similar assignments with references.

Mode of Application

Submit complete applications by email to:
📧 eastafrica.recruitment@rikolto.org

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Deadline: 12th October 2025