Terms of Reference for APF Synthesis Paper Uganda

APF 1-9211-090721

I. Background (Why are we doing this?)

General Agri-ProFocus (APF), founded in 2005, is a partnership of 26 Dutch donor agencies, credit institutions, training and knowledge institutions and companies. Their shared mission is to provide coherent and demand driven support to enhance the capacity of producer organizations (PO’s) in developing farmer entrepreneurship within the context of poverty reduction. In the APF-network, individual member organizations move beyond traditional boundaries to cooperate with others in new ventures and new dynamics of organizing development cooperation more effectively.

One of the main goals is to build solid, transparent and action-oriented support programmes to promote farmer entrepreneurship. In the coming years the APF network will develop a country programme for 7 African countries, including Uganda. Strategically the country programmes will need to add up to:

 Coordinating and harmonising existing efforts;  Identification and formulation of new joint activities;  Linking country programmes with learning and innovation.

Within the country focus the link shall be made towards the main choices within the Agri- ProFocus strategy, with the main drivers being:  Focus on farmer entrepreneurship;  Enhancement of PO capacity  Embedding of country programmes within national priority setting (processes);  Thematic emphasis on value chain development / market access, access to financial services and sustainable food production.  Respect for gender balance;  Strengthening of enabling environment and private sector involvement.

Five APF-members, notably Cordaid, HIVOS, ICCO, Oxfam Novib and SNV have accepted to play a leading role in the realisation of the country focus approach. SNV is the lead organisation for Uganda.

Uganda The Uganda country focus process will link up to these choices. The country focus process adopts a Evaluation programmatic approach starting with inception, programming, identification and so on (see for more info Programming attachment I). Ownership is a key element in this approach, APF members and their Ugandan partners which specifically include agricultural producer organisations will have the opportunity to get involved Implementation Identification from an early stage onwards.

For Uganda the process is now in the programming phase. The general objective thereof is to develop “an overall strategic framework for collaboration between Uganda stakeholders and a support coalition from the Formulation APF network”. Financing

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Four products feed into this strategy: a. An Affiliation Matrix (attachment II): APF-members (and others) have shared information to this purpose on their current practice / activities with regard to farmer entrepreneurship in Uganda. Some observations as regards current practice are:

 Common focus on organizational development, access to markets and to some extent financial services;  Range of local actors: diverse for each member, few organizations work with same local actors;  Few members working directly with producer organizations;  Oilseeds, horticulture, food crops, dairy and apiculture stand out as the major value chains with high APF member presence;  Presence in geographical coverage by APF members similar but little or no synergies;  Addressing policy issues doesn’t come out in emphasis;  Overlap appears in interventions/services provided, while it remains rather unclear what exactly is provided under these services;  It is unclear whether gender is consciously integrated in interventions. b. A Discussion on Key Entry Points and Issues: APF-members, their partners and other relevant stakeholders will be asked for their views on ‘the future of farmer entrepreneurship in Uganda’. This discussion is facilitated through the internet (http://apf-uganda.ning.com). Tentatively the following entry points have surfaced in various meetings with members and partners:

 Having a mixed approach some value chains plus a number of general – cross cutting - topics in order to create ‘deep analysis’ and action;  The choice for commodities would depend on:  number of farmers depending on it for their livelihood;  marketability, i.e. the economic perspective;  relevance for (food production for) local rather than international markets;  actor dynamics, i.e. need for strong lead firm active in the chain;  Clear perspective on strengthening local famers organizations;  Availability of a mix of competencies among the stakeholders (members and partners) involved;  Specific business dynamics to focus on: i.e. due diligence, transparency, negotiating skills;  Possibility to use / develop innovative tools  Geographical focus may be difficult, although northern Uganda offers a lot of opportunities, also with a cross border perspective; c. Seperately (yet building on a and b) a Synthesis Paper is to be developed on both the state of affairs and future regarding farmer entrepreneurship in Uganda. d. The paper will serve to prepare the agenda for a Multi-stakeholder programming workshop to be held in Uganda from 18-20 November 2009.

II. Goal (What do we want to achieve with the synthesis paper?)

The synthesis paper:  Identifies and analyses trends, cross-cutting issues and bottlenecks for Uganda with regard to agriculture in general and farmer entrepreneurship in particular;  Distinguishes scenarios / options for promoting farmer entrepreneurship based on what important stakeholders are aiming for, while avoiding to come with recommendations or prescribed solutions;

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 Serves to level the playing field among the various participants in this process, as well as - eventually - help to position the Agri-ProFocus country focus strategy within the wider arena of agricultural development in Uganda.

III. Specific objectives and leading questions (What do we want to find out?)

For the analysis the APF main drivers - mentioned on page 1 of this ToR - will be guiding. Also the analysis of the affiliation matrix and tentative strategic entry points inform the analysis. In sum the paper will look at:

1) Facts: Identify regarding Ugandan agriculture and farmer entrepreneurship: the key actors (farmers organisations, national and international private sector, government, national NGOs and research institutes); related support structures; their policies, focus and priorities.

2) Enabling environment: Based on (1) identify overarching trends and issues in the enabling environment that play a (crucial) role in the development (or the lack of it) of the agricultural sector in Uganda (look specifically for bottlenecks / constraints / gaps

3) Organised farmers. Identify how farmers are currently organized and describe relevant support trends with regards to organised / organising farmers.

4) Opportunities. Compose a comparative overview of what the available sources consider positive examples and current and future opportunities in the Ugandan context of developing farmer entrepreneurship.

5) Interventions APF coalition. Based on the affiliation matrix identify the policies, focus, constraints and gaps regarding Ugandan agriculture and farmer entrepreneurship of organizations participating in the APF Country Focus.

6) Cross cutting issues: Include information - when answering each (!!) of the leading questions above - on a number of cross cutting issues a.o. gender and sustainability.

IV. Methodology and work plan (How to develop the synthesis paper?)

On the basis of these ToR and the proposed time schedule the consultant proposes a work plan. The work plan should set out the consultants approach and methodology. The plan is be included in the consultants offer. The consultant will use the documents from sources as mentioned below and/or as provided by the Agri-ProFocus support team, SNV and other coalition partners.

Due to time constraints the use of face to face interviews should be limited to key issues. If possible a meeting with stakeholders can be held in Uganda as part of the consultancy (to validate and / or explore certain issues). As limited written information is available on position and views of private sector players interviews are to be arranged to clarify issues as mentioned under III.

V. Required skills and experience (What should be the consultants profiles?)

The consultant should have a MSc degree in agricultural development economics or related field. He/she is familiar with the Ugandan social, political and economic context. He/she should have at least 10 years relevant working experience and a track record of a minimum of 3 years.

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VI. Sources (Which sources are to be consulted?)

As mentioned under V. interviews are to be limited to a few key resource persons. Sources should mainly consist of relevant, available and accessible documents. Relevant refers to: (i) the strategic choices and priority themes for the APF-partnership; (ii) standing policies as well as policy reviews/evaluations. In sum sources include:

1) Enabling environment: Government level: Priorities in policies of the Ugandan Government on agriculture and poverty reduction; Bilateral donor level: DANIDA, EKN, … Multilateral donor level: EU, World Bank, FAO, IFAD, … Position papers of civil society organizations in Uganda focusing on enabling environment for farmer entrepreneurship/small scale agriculture: UNFFE, …

2) Major value chain support programs: Financial services for value chains Other existing major initiatives targeting small scale farmers from a value chain perspective

3) Existing support rendered by APF members in Uganda: Strategy documents on agriculture of the Dutch Agri-ProFocus members regarding farmers organizations and farmer entrepreneurship in Uganda that led to the current projects and (future) focus areas (current projects described in the Affiliation Matrix)

4) Private sector: Key players in the Ugandan private sector related to value chains

VII. Expected outputs/deliverables

1) Write up of findings on specific objectives in a synthesis paper (no more than 15- 20 pages), containing findings on research questions in terms of trends, issues for debate. Kewords as regards style: non scientific, readable and ‘down to earth’. 2) Links for further reading on the NING (http://apf-uganda.ning.com) 3) Debriefing meeting with APF-process facilitator, lead organization and workshop facilitator (face to face or teleconference)

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VIII. Responsibilities and Timeline

The consultancy is to be implemented during between half September and half October 2009. Responsibilities are divided as follows:

Activity Responsible Timing Collection documentation and Consultant preparation Supply relevant docs APF and SNV, APF-team and APF partners coalition partners Draft report layout Consultant half way the consultancy contract Preparation, creation of Consultant overview and analysis Submit Draft Synthesis Paper Consultant 3 weeks after signing of the Consultancy Contract

Collection of feedback SNV, WUR and APF- Directly following draft team paper, through: Online platform Validation meeting Providing feedback APF members, WUR, 10 days after receipt of partners draft

Completion Consultant 5 days after receipt of Feedback

IX. Quotation

To select a suitable consultant, quotes are asked from two to three candidates, to be interviewed by SNV Uganda. Quotes are to include:  All-inclusive hourly fee (incl. copy/communication costs);  Specify transport costs outside Kampala;  Estimate of required hours;  Provide draft work plan and description of methodology as described under IV;  Report outline.

X. Conflict of interest

All documentation handed to the consultant will be treated by him/her as confidential. The report and/or parts of it can not be distributed or shared by the consultant without prior agreement of SNV-Uganda and the APF-support office. For more information we refer to the standard SNV Consultancy Contract (attachment III).

XI. Contact details

Submit your proposed budget and CV, before September 1st, to: SNV Uganda, Robert Nyambaka, [email protected]