TOR For A Consultancy to Provide Business Development Services to Youth at Rikolto

TOR For A Consultancy to Provide Business Development Services to Youth at Rikolto

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR A CONSULTANCY TO PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (BDS) TO YOUTH LED ENTERPRISES IN SUNFLOWER AND SORGHUM VALUE CHAIN

1.0 Background

Rikolto is an international NGO with over 50 years of experience partnering with farmer organizations and food chain stakeholders across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Operating in 19 countries through seven regional offices, Rikolto addresses critical food system challenges globally. In Tanzania, Rikolto implements food systems projects in eight regions, focusing on urban food systems, sustainable rice production, and livelihoods through cocoa and coffee programs. Rikolto in Tanzania has recently secured funding from the World Food Programme (WFP) to implement two projects aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing economic empowerment. The first project, Vijana Kilimo Biashara (VKB), focuses on increasing food productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, and developing a high-value market system. This initiative targets youth engagement in agriculture and seeks to strengthen food security by creating better linkages between producers and markets in Tanzania. The second project, A Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress Towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE), is designed to advance economic opportunities for rural women. It will focus on value chains for sorghum and sunflower production, with particular emphasis on the regions of Singida and Dodoma.

2.0 The Assignment

Rikolto is looking to engage a consultant(s) to manage an agri-food incubator program that inspires and supports 400 new and emerging horti-preneurs. The assignment will be completed within five months, with phases one and two spanning 60 days starting March 2024 and ending by July 2026. This incubation program strives for innovative and sustainable solutions that enable youth and in particular, women to significantly access the horticulture, Sorghum and Sunflower sector and contribute to local, inclusive, resilient and healthy food systems in the regions of Singida and Dodoma. The target regions are Dodoma and Singida, covering 154 villages across 8 districts, including: Dodoma Region: Chamwino, Kongwa, Mpwapwa, Bahi, and Kondoa. Singida Region: Singida, Manyoni, Itigi and Ikungi. The program targets Tanzanian young entrepreneurs (ages 18-35) in rural and urban areas of Dodoma and Singida, with a focus on female-owned businesses. Beneficiaries will engage in various aspects of agribusiness, including production, Agro-processing, input supply, advisory services, and market aggregation.

3.0 Objectives of the Assignment

The consultant (s) will plan and implement the incubation program according to the description provided above. The consultants will run the program fitting to achieve the larger objectives of the VKB and JP RWEE program and to improve financial literacy and business development for youth and women and to stimulate the establishment and professionalisation of (female) youth-led businesses that contribute to more inclusive and sustainable food systems in Singida and Dodoma. There is a need to come up with actions to link promising agribusinesses to financial markets and stimulate businesses to achieve a level of professionalism that makes them ready for such investments. Simple but bankable business plans should be developed and linked to access LGAs funds or loans from financial institution for matching grants. Some high-potential agribusiness plans should come out of the coaching sessions for youth agripreneurs. If some young Agri-entrepreneurs cannot realize their ambitions via traditional finance channels, there is a need for the consultant to come up with actions that will develop their potential by providing co-investment opportunities.

4.0 Scope of work

The consultant(s), with the support of Rikolto and their partners will lead in the whole course of undertaking the assignment. The scope of work includes and is not limited to the following:

• Capacity Building and Training Delivery

Facilitate and coordinate local coaches to deliver structured business management and entrepreneurship training to designated youth, equipping them with core skills prior to participation in business plan competitions, to enable them to participate into business plan competition.

• Youth MSME Selection and Acceleration Support

In collaboration with Rikolto, design and implement a transparent youth selection framework and assessment process, and select up to 400 youth-led MSMEs for advanced project support focused on business growth, acceleration, and inclusivity of young women.

• Incubation Model Design and Establishment

In Collaboration with Rikolto Support the development and operationalization of a tailored incubation model targeting youth enterprises within the horticulture, sunflower, and sorghum value chains, aligned with local m market realities and growth potential.

• Business Development and Technical Support

Support youth in Dodoma and Singida regions to develop business plans and business model canvases, and strengthen competencies in financial and administrative management, accounting, quality control, sustainable resource management, strategic planning, and market linkages.

• Coaching, Mentorship, and Feedback Mechanism

Implement a structured coaching and mentorship model that supports youth in starting and scaling their businesses, including continuous feedback on business ideas and plans, while ensuring equal opportunities for young women and men.

• Access to Resources, Compliance, and Market Linkages

Facilitate youth access to critical business resources, including business registration and licensing, financial capital, technical and legal support, market access, and professional networks necessary for enterprise formalization and growth.

• Soft Skills Development and Exposure to Best Practices

Create a stimulating entrepreneurial environment that builds youth soft skills such as leadership, resilience, and collaboration, and facilitate exposure to successful agribusinesses and entrepreneurs through peer learning, exchange visits, and engagement of relevant external experts.

• Investment Readiness, Matching Grants, and Due Diligence

Tailor and implement the incubation program to strengthen financial literacy, business development, and investment readiness of selected youth-led businesses, including leading due diligence, assessment of business plans and budgets, and ensuring transparent disbursement and accountability of matching grants from public and private sources.

4.1. Specific Activities for the assignment

The consultant will collaborate with the Rikolto Program Coordinator and Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Dodoma and Singida, proceeding through the following phases:

1. Phase One: Inception phase (Milestone: 15%; Duration: 15 Days). The inception phase will establish a strong operational and strategic foundation for the project through detailed planning and stakeholder alignment. Key activities will include the development of a comprehensive inception report outlining project objectives, implementation approach, timelines, roles, and key milestones. The phase will also include the organization of eight district-level information and sensitization sessions to introduce the project and engage potential beneficiaries. In addition, clear youth selection criteria and standardized assessment tools will be developed to ensure a transparent, inclusive, and merit-based recruitment process, with a specific focus on the horticulture, sunflower, and sorghum value chains.
2. Phase two: Local coach training: (milestone 154 coaches). Facilitate local coaches to deliver structured business management and entrepreneurship training to selected youth Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) before they participate in business plan competitions. In collaboration with key partners, the project will select and support 400 youth-led MSMEs to progress to the next level of project support aimed at business growth and acceleration. This will be complemented by an intensive youth training boot camp designed to strengthen business models, refine growth strategies, and enhance overall business development readiness.
3. Phase Three: Mentorship and coaching (Milestone: 30%; Duration: 75 Days). The project will implement a structured mentorship and coaching program for selected youth with high-potential agribusiness ventures, providing tailored guidance to support business growth and scalability. An inclusive coaching approach will be applied to ensure equitable access to opportunities for both young women and men. The program will strengthen investor readiness by supporting youth-led enterprises to refine business strategies, financial projections, and pitch presentations. In addition, a comprehensive incubation component will be delivered, focusing on financial literacy and sound resource management, and will facilitate access to matching grants to accelerate business growth and sustainability.
4. Phase Four: Strategic Linkages and Funding (Milestone: 20%; Duration: 45 Days):
   The project will facilitate strategic linkages between youth-led start-ups, key buyers, and financial institutions to enable access to markets and sustainable financing opportunities. This will include supporting enterprises to access diverse financing options such as grants, loans, and private investment. Strategic partnerships will be established with anchor firms in priority markets to create stable, long-term commercial relationships. In addition, the project will strengthen investment readiness of selected businesses through comprehensive due diligence, budgeting support, and compliance with investor requirements, enabling scalable and sustainable growth.

Deliverable for the consultant

As part of completing the assignment, the consultant should be able to deliver the following 

Phase One: Project Inception (Milestone: 25%; Duration: 45 Days) 

• Develop project inception report concerning the execution plan and key deliverables
• Facilitate info-cessions to all 8 districts in Dodoma and Singida region to sensitize applicants, this include identify, recruiting and training business coaches who will train project participants on business management and business plan competition to equip them with skill which will help them to participants 
• Develop and implement a set of easy tools (including a simple business plan template), consistent selection criteria and transparent assessment throughout the proposed incubation process of youth in agribusiness.
• Recruitment and selection of youth and women in agribusiness in the main value chains of sunflower and sorghum, with minimal involvement in horticulture, poultry, beekeeping, and livestock (goat/sheep/cattle) and income-generating activities in the agri-space that attract youth to create employment opportunities in Dodoma and Singida regions.
• Identify, inform and coordinate any necessary deemed external experts and other key stakeholders for successful fulfilment of this pursuit as part of the consultancy assignment. 

Phase Two: Bootcamp Training (Milestone: 40%; Duration: 60 Days) 

• Prepare training materials for the enterprise creation and development, facilitate entrepreneurship training, business formalization, access to finance and market linkage.
• Facilitate and conduct entrepreneurship training, business formalization, financial literacy and business model development through hackathons and bootcamps to youth-led enterprises. 
• Facilitate youth to access critical resources for their businesses and legal business compliances
• To support youth in developing business plans and financial management strategies.

Support and promote soft skills development and exposure to successful agribusinesses. 

Phase Three: Mentorship and Coaching (Milestone: 20%; Duration: 30 Days) 

• To facilitate mentorship and coaching for selected youth with promising agribusiness ventures.
• To implement coaching, mentorship and feedback model on the youth’s business plans, whereby it is key to provide equal business opportunities for youth to stimulate and ensure inclusive business development and access to resources.
• To facilitate investor readiness for youth-led enterprises with potential for scalability
• To facilitate and implement the incubation program to provide financial literacy, business development and matching grants for women and youth to become successful agripreneurs.

Phase Four: Strategic Linkage and Funding (Milestone: 15%; Duration: 30 Days)

• Facilitate strategic linkages for the start-ups with potential buyers, key stakeholders and access to finance through various financing schemes, i.e. grants, loans, microfinance, and investors.
• Facilitate partnerships and market linkages with anchor firms and other investors in key market areas to create sustainable and long-term business opportunities.
• Maximize the impact of matching grants by ensuring investment-readiness of businesses by taking the lead in proper due diligence and assessment process of business planning and budgeting of selected promising youth-led business enterprises to be supported by the project. 

5.0 Qualifications and Professional Experience:

• The firm must be a legally registered Tanzanian company with qualified personnel holding relevant degrees in fields such as Business Administration, Agribusiness, or Development Studies. It should have at least five years of experience in business consultancy, facilitation, and managing donor-funded programs, with proven collaboration with government and stakeholders, and at least seven years of experience in the private sector. The firm must provide staff fluent in Swahili and English and demonstrate experience in youth-focused agribusiness or community development initiatives. Additionally, it should have the capacity, technical expertise, and resources to deliver advisory, facilitation, and capacity-building services to farmer organizations, agribusiness clusters, or community groups.

6.0 Application

Interested candidates should send an application letter, 3-page proposal max and Budget for the proposed assignment. They should attach a detailed CV and copies of relevant certificates before March 2nd 2026, to eastafrica.recruitment@rikolto.org