HarvestPlus improves nutrition and public health by developing and promoting biofortified food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and by providing global leadership on biofortification evidence and technology. Biofortified crops help address micronutrient malnutrition, also known as “hidden hunger,” which currently affects more than 2 billion people, mostly living in low- and middle-income countries. HarvestPlus works with hundreds of partners worldwide to sustainably scale up production and consumption of biofortified crops and foods, to ensure that they are readily accessible and affordable for low-income farming households and consumers.

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HarvestPlus is part of One CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by its 14 research centers in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations both in developed and developing countries. HarvestPlus is based at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and collaborates with multiple CGIAR centers and partner organizations.

HarvestPlus seeks to roll out Innovative Finance to Village Savings & Lending Groups (VSLGs) and Agri-SMEs such as aggregators, food processors, and other value chain actors in Zambia as part of HarvestPlus’s project in coordination with Global Affairs Canada, “An Integrated Food Systems Approach to Build Nutrition Security,” specifically the innovative finance component.

We realize that we cannot achieve this without creating key partnerships with Financial Service Providers (FSPs). In this partnership, FSPs shall provide financial inclusion and capacity building financial support to VSLGs and Agri-SMEs, while HarvestPlus will provide technical support and facilitation of financial linkages for targeted VSLGs and Agri-SMEs.

Details of Savings Pilot & Timeline

HarvestPlus seeks to accelerate access to biofortified agriculture inputs in Zambia through collaboration with various stakeholders.

HarvestPlus has developed product concepts ot be piloted before scaling the initiative. This pilot will entail mapping of Village Savings & Lending Groups (VSLGs), providing them with orientation training on biofortification and layaway savings, facilitating linkages to relevant FSPs for financial inclusion and savings purposes, and connecting them to the agro-dealers/stockists of biofortified seed products.

This pilot will focus on VSLGs from three provinces, Eastern, Central, and Southern Provinces and up to 10 districts, namely Lundazi, Chipata, Petauke, Katete, Kapiri Mposhi, Mumbwa, Namwala, Monze, Mazabuka, and Gwembe districts of Zambia. We are projecting to work with 200 VSLGs with an estimated total membership of 5,000. Each VSLG has an average size of 25 members, about two-thirds of which are women. Members are projected to save on average ZMW 400 monthly.

The VSLG savings cycle begins in January and runs for 11 months to November each year. Share-out is done in November in preparation for the planting season. Share-out funds are used to purchase inputs (seed/fertilizer)–a 2kg bag of seed (for one acre) costs about ZMW 200, on average. Apart from saving for seed, members may use part of the share-out for living expenses. The pilot is expected to run for about 4 months.

Objectives of the Pilot

The overall objective is to improve the lives of people through improved nutrition and public health by increasing access to biofortified foods, and thereby reducing the presence of hidden hunger. Through this initiative we seek to:

• Increase access to affordable, biofortified inputs for rural farmers
• Increase levels of financial inclusion among rural populations, particularly women small holder farmers
• Increase access to knowledge on biofortified foods and financial literacy among rural populations
• Enhance linkages between rural farmers, FSPs, and agro-dealers

Agri-SME Training

We aim to provide agri-SME training on business planning, financial literacy, and book-keeping, and link the agri-SMEs to finance through our FSP partner.

Essential Duties

• Action financial inclusion of VSLGs through transformation of the cashbox savings system to a formalized savings system
• Provide a digital savings transactional platform for VSLGs
• Adapt the digital platform for ‘Save for Biofortified Seed’ to accommodate VSLG individual member and agro-dealer accounts
• Enable accounts with SMS alerts
• Link VSLG group and individual accounts to mobile money platforms
• In collaboration with HarvestPlus, support the execution of an SME business planning competition
• Provide financing to agri-SMEs where possible

Required Qualifications

• Licensed and regulated in Zambia, in accordance with the provisions of the Banking and Financial Services Act of 1994 (BFSA) and the Regulations and Prudential Guidelines issued thereafter
• Deposit-taking FSP
• Able to provide loans
• In business in Zambia for 5 years or more

Terms and Conditions of this Request for Proposals

Upon selection of a consultant, a detailed contract will be agreed upon by both parties.

Notice of Non-Binding Solicitation

HarvestPlus reserves the right to reject any and all bids received in response to this solicitation and is in no way bound to accept any proposal. HarvestPlus additionally reserves the right to negotiate the substance of the successful applicants’ proposals, as well as the option of accepting partial components of a proposal if deemed appropriate.

Confidentiality

All information provided as part of this solicitation is considered confidential. In the event that any information is inappropriately released, HarvestPlus will seek appropriate remedies as allowed. Proposals, discussions, and all information received in response to this solicitation will be held as strictly confidential.

Right to Final Negotiations on the Proposal

HarvestPlus reserves the right to negotiate on the final costs and the final scope of work of the proposal. HarvestPlus reserves the right to limit or include third parties at HarvestPlus’ sole and full discretion.

Intellectual Property

Subject to the terms of the contract to be concluded between HarvestPlus and the applicant, the ownership of the intellectual property related to the scope of work of the contract, including technical information, know-how, processes, copyrights, models, drawings, source code, and specifications developed by the applicant in performance of the contract shall vest entirely with HarvestPlus.