RMS of Reference Establishment of Vegetable Gardens and Supply of Vegetable Seeds/seedlings in Ethiopia 8 views0 applications

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Solidaridad Network is an international solution-oriented civil society organization working through seven regional expertise centres to transform markets to make them more sustainable and inclusive. Our Sevenseven regional expertise centres include Asia, Eastern and Central Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, Southern Africa, West Africa, and our global Secretariat office in the Netherlands. Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, one of the regional centres is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with country offices and programmes in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

We bring together supply chain players and engage them with innovative solutions to improve production, ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefit for all. We facilitate the strengthening of local capacity in developing countries, support the creation of enabling environments for economies to thrive, and improve market access. Solidaridad supports Ethiopia’s transition toward a more inclusive and resilient agricultural sector, addressing key challenges such as climate change, the environment, food security, and economic instability, while focusing on coffee, dairy, fruits and vegetables, leather, cotton, and textile value chains.

2.0 Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to procure and supply 10 kg of vegetable seeds, 6,250 kale cabbage seedlings and provide vegetable production training to five farmer groups in Mareko Special District and Meskan district.

2.1 Background

Solidaridad is currently implementing the Acting Now for Food Security and Resilient Production Systems Project in Mareko Special District and Meskan district. The project aims to improve resilience, yields, income and service access for small scale food producers with a focus on women and youth, by helping them adopt climate smart agriculture (CSA) and strengthening market connections, emphasizing gender and social inclusion and promoting crop and income diversification.

Under this project, Solidaridad is looking to support establishment of 5 vegetable gardens through supporting access to selective vegetable seeds/seedlings supply, training and establishment of vegetable gardens. Vegetable Production has been identified as a viable complementary livelihood activity due to its income-generation potential, supporting household nutrition and contributing to crop diversification initiatives.

2.2 Expected Project Outcomes.

• Increased income for farmers by supporting production of vegetable gardens as an alternative source of income.
• Improved household food and nutrition security as a result of vegetable consumption.
• Promoted inclusive participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups in agriculture and livelihood diversification, contributing to improved rural economic resilience.

2.3 Objectives (of the service)

The assignment specifically seeks to:

• Procure and supply 10kg vegetable seeds (carrot, spinach, lettuce, beetroot, cabbage).
• Procure and supply 6,250 kale cabbage seedlings.
• Build capacity of beneficiaries on improved vegetable production practices.

2.4 Methodology

The successful consultant/firm shall undertake the following tasks:

2.4.1 Procurement and Supply Procure and supply 10kg vegetable seeds and 6,250 seedlings of kale cabbage. The consultant will firstly collect the preferred seeds (carrot, spinach, lettuce, beetroot and/or cabbage) from farmers.

Before supply, the consultant shall,

• Collaborate with Solidaridad team to identify farmers’ preferred and suitable vegetable seeds

2.4.2 Training and Capacity Building

The consultant/firm shall conduct a 3-day practical training for four (4) Trainer of Trainers (ToTs) from each of the five (5) groups. The training will cover the following areas:

• Land preparation
• Fertilizers application
• Seeds and seedlings selection
• Nursery propagation
• Transplanting
• Plant protection (weeds, pests and diseases identification and control)
• Integrated pest management

Training materials and attendance registers shall be submitted as part of the assignment documentation.

2.5 Responsibilities of Consultants.

The consultant/firm shall:

1. Provide all materials, labour, transport, and tools required for implementation.
2. Ensure timely completion of activities within agreed timelines.
3. Ensure that distributed seeds/seedlings are viable and are registered/quality assured
4. Provide technical support during planting of vegetables

2.6 Deliverables

The consultant/firm shall deliver the following:

1. Inception report and implementation work plan.
2. Site assessment report for all sites (indicating seed types)
3. Procurement and distribution of 10kg vegetable seeds and 6,250 kale cabbage seedlings.
4. Training of trainers (ToT) on improved vegetable production practices.
5. ToT and beneficiary training reports including attendance lists and training materials.
6. Final assignment completion report in both Word and PDF formats.

2.7 Expert/Consultant’s Profile:

The opportunity is open to qualified Ethiopian consultants. The selection will be based on established assessment criteria to identify the most suitable candidate. The requirements for the consultant include:

• Proven experience in similar activities
• Experience working with community livelihood or agricultural projects.
• Technical expertise in vegetable production.
• At least three (3) references for similar assignments completed within the last five years.
• Relevant business registration and statutory compliance documents.
• Availability of qualified technical personnel
• Verified Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and VAT registration certificate.

2.8 Consultancy Period:

Activities and Timelines

1. Contract signing and kickoff meeting – Day 1-2
2. Submission of inception report and work plan – Day 5
3. Site assessments and verification – Day 6 – Day 7
4. Approval of implementation schedule – Day 10 –11
5. Procurement and distribution of vegetable seeds and seedlings. – Day 12 – Day 14
6. Garden establishment and Beneficiary (ToTs) training sessions – Day 15– Day 22
7. Inspection and commissioning – Day 22
8. Submission of draft final report – Day 25
9. Submission of final report – Day 30

*The dates can be adjusted as needs arise. However, the timelines will not exceed the indicated 30 days.

How to apply

Application process:

The consultants are required to submit their applications, containing Technical and financial proposals, separately (in the same email but as different files) by 20/07/2026. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above; those unable to meet the requirements will not be considered.

Each application submission should not exceed 8 pages for the technical proposal (physical plan) and 1–2 pages for the financial proposal. The document should be prepared using Arial, size 12, 1.5-line spacing, and standard A4 margins. The following documents are annexed for reference:

• A sample/samples of a minimum of three previous related works.
• Updated CVs for the team leader and team members (each CV not more than 3 pages)
• Contact details of 3 references with complete contact information (i.e., name, organization, title, position, address, email, telephone).

Subject reference: “AN Project: Vegetable Production-Ethiopia.”

Submissions are by email to [email protected]

The financial proposal must be in Ethiopian Birr (ETB). Any application in other currencies will not be considered.

Note: Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification. If you do not receive any feedback from us one month after the submission deadline, consider your application unsuccessful.