Call for Expression of Interest (EoI) for Conducting the Kilimo Trust 20-Year Impact Study

1. Background Information

Kilimo Trust is a not-for-profit organization focused on agricultural development across East Africa. It operates in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, working as a key partner in sustainable, market-led agricultural value chain development. Kilimo Trust’s headquarters is located in Uganda, with subsidiaries in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, while maintaining a lean operational team that works through local and regional partnerships for maximum efficiency.

Founded in 2005, Kilimo Trust began as a research entity funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation (GCF) to support research connecting science to farming. With over US$13 million in funding between 2005 and 2010, the organization worked with farmer institutions, government research bodies, processors, civil society organizations (CSOs), and financial institutions to implement projects across the East African Community (EAC). By 2011, Kilimo Trust shifted its focus from grants to implementing direct projects along commodity value chains to better serve smallholder farmers and agricultural actors in the region. The Consortium Approach to Value Chain Development was piloted in Uganda in 2012 and later expanded to Tanzania with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Kilimo Trust’s operations grew between 2014 and 2017, establishing subsidiaries in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya, and expanding into Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with plans to expand into Ethiopia. As part of celebrating its 20-year anniversary, Kilimo Trust seeks to evaluate the impact of its interventions aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and agricultural value chain actors across East Africa. The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive impact report detailing socioeconomic achievements of Kilimo Trust’s projects, with a focus on metrics such as ROI, increased income for beneficiaries, job creation, and other relevant indicators.

2. Objectives of the Consultancy

The primary objective is to assess and document the overall impact of Kilimo Trust’s projects from 2005 to 2025. Specifically, the consultant will:

• Analyze and quantify the direct and indirect impact of Kilimo Trust’s interventions on smallholder farmers and value chain actors.
• Develop metrics to measure returns on investment (e.g., income generated per dollar spent).
• Provide qualitative and quantitative analysis of social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
• Synthesize lessons learned and provide recommendations for future programmatic improvements.

3. Scope of Work

The scope of the assignment includes but is not limited to:

• Desk Review: Review relevant Kilimo Trust documents, including project reports, financial records, and monitoring and evaluation reports.
• Data Collection: Gather qualitative and quantitative data from beneficiaries and stakeholders through interviews, surveys, and focus group discussions.
• Data Analysis: Analyze data to quantify Kilimo Trust’s contributions in economic and social terms.
• Impact Metrics: Identify and apply suitable metrics such as ROI, job creation, market access, food security, and trade facilitation.
• Beneficiary Success Stories: Document success stories and key drivers of change.
• Report Development: Develop a comprehensive 20-year impact report, summarizing key achievements, outcomes, and lessons learned.
• Report Summary: Prepare a brochure summarizing the key achievements and impact metrics.
• Presentation: Present findings to Kilimo Trust’s management and provide recommendations for future interventions.

4. Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Inception Report: Detailing methodology, work plan, and timeline.
• Data Collection Tools: Instruments and frameworks for data gathering.
• Draft Impact Report: A preliminary version of the report outlining major findings and key metrics.
• Final Impact Report: A polished report incorporating feedback, complete with visualizations, case studies, and recommendations.
• PowerPoint Presentation: A summary presentation for Kilimo Trust management.

5. Role of Kilimo Trust

Kilimo Trust will:

• Provide necessary documents, including annual reports, project evaluation reports, and other required materials.
• Support the consultant in obtaining approval to work in the identified areas.
• Collaborate with the consultant to clearly define research questions prior to fieldwork.

6. Duration of Consultancy

The consultancy will last for 6 weeks, from February 1st to March 15th, 2025, with the following phases:

• Inception Phase: 1 week
• Data Collection Phase: 2 weeks
• Data Analysis and Draft Report: 2 weeks
• Final Report Submission: 1 week

7. Qualifications and Experience

The consultant or firm must have:

• A Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience in conducting impact evaluations, preferably in the agricultural or development sectors.
• Strong data analysis skills and familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Proven experience in producing high-quality impact reports for NGOs or similar organizations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

8. Application Procedure

Interested consultants or firms should submit:

• An expression of interest or cover letter addressed to the HR Manager.
• A detailed technical proposal, including a work plan and methodology.
• A financial proposal with a cost breakdown.
• CV(s) of the leading technical personnel with qualifications and experience.
• Three work references from past clients/organizations for whom similar assignments have been completed.
• Samples of similar impact evaluation reports.
• Company registration certificate and tax clearance certificate.

9. Mode of Application

Submit all documents electronically in one folder to recruitment@kilimotrust.org by 11:59 PM EAT on Friday, January 31st, 2025. Late submissions will be rejected. The subject line must read: “Call for Expression of Interest (EoI) for conducting the Kilimo Trust 20-Year Impact Study.”

10. Contact Information

For inquiries, contact Kilimo Trust Admin team at admin@kilimotrust.org.