Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy at Rikolto

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy at Rikolto

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

1. Background.

Rikolto is an international NGO with more than 50 years’ 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: our international Rice, Cocoa & Coffee and Good Food 4 Cities programs. Our mission is “A sustainable income for farmers and nutritious, affordable food for everyone”. 

Rikolto’s global strategy centers on fostering trust and collaboration among the food industry, governments, research institutions, financial bodies, and farmer organizations—addressing the critical question: “What will we eat tomorrow?” The strategy aims to drive structural changes in the agri-food system by upscaling proven practices and policies that unlock the farming potential of a critical mass of smallholder farmers. Clear agendas for structural change and scaling are established, followed by the design and implementation of targeted interventions in pilot value chains. These pilots serve as learning platforms to build evidence and influence broader systemic change. While technology holds significant promise for addressing financial challenges along the value chain, its full potential remains underutilized.

Rikolto East Africa is implementing a five-year funding agreement (2024–2028) from NORAD, channeled through IDH. The Grow Together program focuses on leveraging markets and data to enhance food security and support thriving communities in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Its vision is to transform local food markets and improve food security by increasing incomes of small-scale food producers and scaling food SMEs into large, reliable companies across Africa, with Ethiopia and Tanzania as primary focus countries.

On the other hand, Urban food systems in Tanzania are rapidly evolving due to population growth, urbanization, and changing dietary patterns. Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, as major urban centers, face increasing pressure to ensure food security, nutrition, and sustainability. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a critical role in food production, processing, distribution, and retail. However, their participation in structured urban food platforms remains limited due to fragmented partnerships, lack of capacity, and minimal policy engagement.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The consultancy has two interlinked objectives:

• • Develop strategic frameworks and practical facilitation guidelines for MSP conveners to enhance coordination and drive transformative changes within nutrition and urban food platforms. Utilize Rikolto’s MSP Toolkit to effectively support nutrition and urban food platforms, TASUPA and RCT convenings and stakeholder engagement for Dares Salaam and Dodoma cities.

• Assist SMEs/MSMEs in designing and building strong partnerships to participate fully in nutrition and urban food platforms, in Sunflower and Rice Value chains.

2.1. Strengthening sector platforms /Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) Facilitation 

A recent study by Rikolto East Africa revealed that many Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) operate informally and lack strategic frameworks essential for effective policy influence and securing long-term investments, especially at sub-national levels. Key challenges identified include weak facilitation capacity, limited resources, and inadequate inclusion of youth and women, all of which hinder platform effectiveness. 

In response, Rikolto is seeking a consultant to strengthen these nutrition and urban food platforms (MSPs), with a particular focus on Dares Salaam and Dodoma nutrition and urban food platforms to enhance their convening power, governance, coordination, and wider stakeholder engagement. 

Specific Tasks

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Review of Dodoma and Ilala Nutrition and urban food Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs). Assess the structure, roles, operational effectiveness, and engagement practices. The review will provide actionable insights into their governance models, inclusivity, coordination mechanisms, and overall impact in nutrition and urban food systems.
2. Support the wider food sector or nutrition and urban food system platforms through stakeholder consultations. Engage with stakeholders and key informants to identify gaps, challenges, and success factors across the nutrition and urban food system, by considering rice, maize, sunflower, horticulture, common beans and livestock value chains. These consultations will inform the design of responsive interventions and capacity support strategies for Dodoma and Dares Salaam cities.
3. Develop Strategic Frameworks for Strengthening MSPs Functionality for TASUPA-sunflower, RCT-Rice, food and nutritional platforms for Dodoma and Ilala-Dares Salaam. 
4. Design strategic documents to guide platform visioning, institutional governance, stakeholder engagement, and influence strategies. These frameworks will serve as blueprints for sustainable and impactful Nutrition and Urban Food MSPs operations by ensuring linkages to value chain specific platforms (Rice and Sunflower).
5. Draft Practical Facilitation Guidelines for Platform Coordination. Prepare user-friendly facilitation manuals that cover essential aspects of MSPs operations, including agenda setting, stakeholder coordination, inclusive dialogue, decision-making processes, and outcome monitoring to ensure effective engagement.
6. Organize Validation Workshops to Refine Strategic Tools and Monitor Progress. Facilitate validation sessions with MSPs stakeholders to review and refine strategic frameworks and facilitation guidelines. These workshops will also be used to assess four (04) platforms (2 nutrition-urban food, RCT and TASUPA) progress and identify emerging opportunities.
7. Facilitate Food and Nutrition Sector Platform Studies and Support Evidence-Based Policy Engagement. Lead the design and implementation of sector-specific studies, development of policy briefs and technical papers, and support the convening of MSP meetings to enhance dialogue and inform consumers and policy advocacy efforts at city level.
8. Effective Facilitation of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships

8.1 Establish urban food councils or platforms that bring together SMEs/MSMEs, local governments, food and nutritional experts, NGOs, academia, and private sector actors.

8.2 Develop and promote cluster-based models where SMEs/MSMEs collaborate on logistics, branding, and market access.

8.3 Design and foster initiative that will encourage public-private partnerships (PPPs) to co-invest in infrastructure such as cold chains, storage facilities, and mobile markets.

1. Policy Advocacy and Enabling Environment

9.1 Support SMEs/MSMEs to engage in policy dialogues on urban food systems and nutrition.

9.2 Design models and advocate for inclusive procurement policies that prioritize local anchor SMEs/MSMEs in school feeding programs, and public institutions.

9.3 Integrating the SCOPE Insight assessment findings for TASUPA and RCT to strengthen these value chain specific platforms and ensure linkages to urban nutrition and food platforms.

9.4 To design simplified regulatory frameworks to reduce barriers to fortified food supply entry and formalization.

1. Nutrition Awareness and Consumer Engagement

10.1 Support partners and anchor SMEs/MSMEs to run nutrition education campaigns in urban communities.

10.2 To support and promote branding and labeling of nutritious products to increase

consumer trust and demand to anchor SMEs and value chain specific platforms members.

10.3 To co-design and encourage community-based models such as urban gardens and farmers’ markets led by SMEs/MSMEs.

2.2. Empowering RCT, TASUPA, SMEs/MSMEs for Inclusive Urban Nutrition and Food Systems in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. 

Strategic Objective

To support anchor SMEs/MSMEs in designing and building strong partnerships that enable them to participate fully in nutrition-sensitive urban food platforms in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma.

Key Strategies

• Capacity Building and Technical Support

• To support RCT and TASUPA in preparation of important agendas to be presented in urban food system platforms
• Supporting evidence-based advocacy for policy reforms and facilitating structured dialogue between policymakers and grassroots actors and feed to the urban food system platform
• Supporting data collection, research, and analysis on sector performance and challenges, and developing knowledge products (policy briefs, case studies, reports) to inform sector stakeholders and to food system platforms.
• To strengthen TASUPA and RCT governance and financial management structures in place. 

Expected Outcomes

• Increased participation of anchor SMEs/MSMEs in nutrition and urban food platforms.
• Improved access to nutritious, safe, and affordable food in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma.
• Strengthened nutrition and urban food governance and resilience.
• Enhanced livelihoods and economic empowerment of local entrepreneurs.

RCT and TASUPA can prepare and present well-informed agendas in urban food system platforms, increasing their visibility and influence in shaping policies and priorities

Policy reforms and structured dialogue between policymakers and grassroots actors are supported by credible evidence, strengthening advocacy efforts within urban food system platforms.

Reliable data, research outputs, and knowledge products (policy briefs, case studies, reports) are produced and disseminated, enabling sector stakeholders to make informed decisions and strategies.

TASUPA and RCT have improved governance and financial management systems, enhancing organizational accountability, sustainability, and ability to serve their members effectively.

3. Deliverables

• Provide report after conducting Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) for Dares Salaam and Dodoma Nutrition and Urban Food Platform MSPs.
• Improved Functionality of Dodoma and Dares Salaam Nutrition and Urban Food Platforms
• Strengthened Dares Salaam and Dodoma Nutrition and Urban Food Platforms through Stakeholder-Driven Interventions. 
• Development of Strategic Frameworks for Sustainable Multi-Stakeholder Engagement
• Practical Tools for Effective MSP Facilitation
• Enhanced Platform Ownership and Accountability through Validation Workshops
• Increased Institutional Capacity and Leadership to have convening power
• Enhanced Access to Markets for selected six (06) anchor SMEs/MSMEs
• Strengthened and Sustainable Business Models for 3 anchor SMEs/MSMEs
• Submission of Monthly progress Report and Final two separate reports for Dodoma and Dares Salaam Platforms performance reports).

4. Duration and Timeline

The assignment will span 90 days with a detailed timeline that will be finalized during the inception phase.

5. Required Qualifications and Experience

The consultant(s) or firm should demonstrate:

• Proven experience in agricultural market systems development, policy and advocacy, MSP facilitation, and institutional strengthening.
• In-depth understanding of food and nutrition SMEs/MSMEs enterprise dynamics and Business Models design in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, and communication skills.
• Regional expertise and operational experience in Tanzania.
• Fluency in English and Swahili.

6. Reporting and Supervisor

The consultant will report to the Lead Program Coordinator and collaborate closely with MSPs secretariats and six (06) anchor SMEs.

7. Application Requirements

Interested applicants must submit:

• Technical proposal outlining understanding of the assignment, methodology, and workplan.
• Financial proposal with detailed cost breakdown.
• Company/consultant profile and CVs of key personnel.
• Evidence of similar assignments completed and contactable references.

8. Mode of Application 

Qualified firms/candidates are invited to submit their Technical and Financial proposal, which describes the methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment. The steps to be followed in conducting the assignment by deploying Rikolto MSP Toolbox, the quality of the team to be used in conducting the assignment and the proposed Budget to complete the assignment. Submit your complete application via email eastafrica.recruitment@rikolto.org by 12th October, 2025.

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