Consultancy: Business Development Services and Business Related Information to Young Agripreneurs

Transforming Rural Economies and Youth Livelihoods (TREYL) Project is being implemented in Kenya by Practical Action to establish vibrant and inclusive rural economies in East Africa by promoting agricultural livelihoods for the youth underpinned by agro-ecological principles and practices. The project aims to break the cycles of low productivity and increasing rural poverty, through a holistic and gendered approach which will enable young men and women to increase their income through agri-business.
The project is based on the market systems development (MSD) approach to ensure the agricultural activities the targeted youth will work on are responsive to prevailing market opportunities, constraints and their needs. Within the MSD approach, Practical Action has developed and refined participatory market systems development (PMSD) tool.

Overall Objective

To achieve a vibrant & inclusive rural economy for young women and men that doesn’t degrade the environment.

Specific Objectives

To increase income of young men and women at individual and HH level
To increase the number of young men and women engaged in environmentally sustainable agribusinesses.
To this end, the project has identified three results in different target areas and these are:

• Result 1: At least 600 youth in 2 counties in Kenya (Kisumu and Homabay) engaged in Agri-business (off farm/on farm) as a viable livelihood option.
• Result 2: Increased farm productivity from agro-ecological practices amongst the youth.
• Result 3: A strengthened policy environment for youth in agribusiness.

TREYL project would like to hire a business development services consultant who will provide services that improve the performance of their enterprises/businesses, access to markets and their ability to compete by supporting youth mentors to access Information, skills, networks and support on input/output, production, marketing, policy level (subsidies, import & export regulations etc.) and international market level (markets, import regulations, tariffs, competing countries etc.) and provide referrals to relevant institutions.
The consultant will act as a One-stop-shop for Business training, consultancy, linking, networking, mentoring, coaching and advisory services to small and medium sized enterprises and individual businesses within Homabay and Kisumu counties to improve their businesses on skills listed and not limited as below:

• Business management skills
• Business planning
• Public and customer relations skills
• Keeping proper business records
• Market Research Techniques
• Marketing business products/services
• Taxation issues in business
• Costing and pricing of business products and services
• Business financing
• Management of cash stock, and credit
• Management of human resources
• Risk management
• Finance proposal development
• Quality management and improvement of products and services
• Financial analysis

Information

• On technology advancement in that sector
• New regulations or legal requirements
• Emerging and new markets

Networks and linkages to:

• Financial institutions,
• Technology providers/developers
• Other businesses to increase productivity through sharing information or collective business activities,
• Business promotion services,
• Market assistance,
• Other service providers

Support

• To identify skills training that might assist in improving business productivity and/or competitive advantage
•  With bookkeeping,
• To access training

Referrals to:

• legal and regulatory bodies to obtain relevant certifications,
• financial institutions,
• education and training institutions,
  The project is requesting Business Development Service providers to submit a proposal to develop a precise and detailed framework for the proposed service delivery.

Objectives and scope of service provision

As per the Terms of Reference the objective is to

• develop a precise framework for the BDS provision.
• Plan of Operation describing all activities including a time schedule, reporting structure and responsibilities
•  Ascertain mentors’ information and capacity development needs,
• Support businesses to expand their business by providing tailored advice, information, training, referrals and support.
• Provide small group/individualized training and advice
• Assist the developmental processes of the establishment of enterprises, including: Act as a sounding board and referral agent for income generation/enterprise/employment ideas, Monitor the progress of initiatives and referrals,
• Build capacity and provide guidance to mentors to undertake various business tasks which will be achieved by mentoring clients in business skills, advice, connections to local networks, resources, opportunities and more lucrative markets.
• Support the Youth Economic Empowerment Committee to take action to improve the business environment based on the good business environment strategy, by providing support, information, networks, information
• Link/refer individual mentors to local service providers such as banks and training organizations
• Create linkages/networks with financial institutions and/or other advisory organizations or bodies that can assist in stimulating or advancing business development in the target areas.
• Encourage commercial and industrial businesses in the area to provide their expertise and facilities to micro business providers (e.g. mentoring programs)
• Set up an effective monitoring, learning and evaluation plan and tool to monitor business progress of all young business owners in Kisumu and Homabay counties
• Identification and description of methods and skills required to monitor the present and potential information demands of mentors

Consultant profile/eligibility criteria

For the purposes of this assessment, the Consultant should have at least a Bachelors Degree in Agribusiness /Agricultural economics/ Marketing/ Economics/ Commerce/Business management or related field background and extensive experience and knowledge in business mentoring and coaching in Kenya, including for youth and women initiatives. The desirable qualifications for the lead consultant include:

• Knowledge of ILO start and improve your business (SIYB), and grow and expand your business (GEYB) and mentoring approaches.
• Practical business knowledge with emphasis on marketing and Financial management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in Market Research, monitoring and evaluation and product development.
• A good command of the English, Swahili and Luo language.
• Demonstrated experience in small business development and management (own business or by providing business development services), experience with small business financing, market analysis and market research.
• Demonstrated experience in community economic development, community empowerment, working with community based organizations.
• Strong experience in networking.
• Highly developed interpersonal and oral communication skills.
• Motivated and goal orientated.
• Comfortable working autonomously.
• Creative and strong problem solving skills.
• Strategic/big picture view – goal orientated.
• Report writing experience.
• Experience directly working with young people in research
• Good understanding and proven track record in safeguarding / do not harm principle.
• Experience working in the lake Basin, highly recommended.

How to apply