Company Information: About HarvestPlus

At HarvestPlus, we believe that hidden hunger should not be inevitable for the people most at risk. We work at the intersection of agriculture and nutrition to develop creative solutions to combat hidden hunger. Our food-based approach targets some of the most vulnerable populations around the world. We use a process called biofortification, which adopts conventional, non-GM breeding to improve crops. This approach complements other nutrition interventions, and is evidence-based, cost-effective, and sustainable. We work across the entire value chain to develop and deliver nutrient-enriched seeds, grains, and foods to the people who need it most, via a large collection of innovative and traditional supply chain activities. HarvestPlus is a program of the International Food Policy Research Institute, a research center of the CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by its 15 research centers in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. To learn more about HarvestPlus, visit our home page here.

Biofortification Program in Malawi

HarvestPlus has partnered with AGRA to work on a project that aims to integrate biofortified foods into Home Grown School Feeding Programs (HGSFP) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Biofortified foods are a cost-effective solution to guarantee micronutrient content in school meals from crops that are sourced locally from smallholder farmers. The selected countries have multiple varieties of biofortified crops released and in the market.

The project will strengthen the demand for nutritious foods in schools while providing the pillars to support implementation. The activities will build local capacity and ownership for biofortified crop production, working with smallholder farmers, seed companies, agro-dealers, aggregators, millers, and school food suppliers. In tandem, the activities will address school administrators, ministries of education, county/district government, and other critical decision makers to secure supportive environments for mainstreaming biofortified foods in school meals.

This 3-year program will complement institutional efforts in Malawi, thereby strengthening the ecosystem for sustainable delivery of vitamin A maize and Iron- and Zinc-rich beans. Increased demand creation is expected to translate into increased consumption as well as production, availability, and accessibility.

HarvestPlus is committed to scaling and reaching more people with biofortified vitamin A maize and high iron bean seeds, grains, and foods, using a tried and tested delivery model and scaling strategy. An essential part of this work is to understand the drivers of demand from schools, school procurement committees, teachers, pupils, and parents.

Details of this Request for Proposals: Statement of Purpose & Scope of Work

Scope of Work

The successful candidate of this request for proposals will, among other activities, conduct awareness raising activities which include community sensitization, establishment of demonstration plots for biofortified vitamin A maize and high iron beans, and conducting field days. The awareness raising activities are to focus on existing school feeding programs, and as such include demonstrations and trainings of farmers, suppliers, and schools (teachers, pupils, procurement committees). Beyond awareness creation, the candidate will conduct activities to create demand and social behavioral change, in cooperation with the HarvestPlus program strategy.

The objectives of the project are as follows:

Objective 1

1. Create awareness among HGSFP stakeholders on the potential of biofortified foods as a nutritious option for HGSFP
2. Establish demonstration plots of biofortified crops as a tool to create awareness and demand
3. Conduct demand creation campaigns including field days, in schools and community childcare centers
4. Train farmers and school suppliers on market potential/demand for biofortified foods

Objective 2

1. Create demand for biofortified foods through sensitization of their health among various groups supporting HGSFP
2. Social Behavioral Change Campaigns (SBCC): Design and implement awareness campaigns as applicable at school and community level

The specific objectives of the selected candidates scope of work are as follows:

Field Work

1. Sensitize communities about the project and its intended objectives
2. Establish demonstration plots for vitamin A maize and high iron beans in schools
3. Conduct field days on demonstration plots on the benefits of biofortified crops
4. Showcase the nutritional and health benefits of biofortified crops

Awareness raising, capacity building, and SBCC

1. Work in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and HarvestPlus to implement activities on awareness raising, capacity building, and social behavioral change in communities and schools using the established demonstration plots as an entry point
2. Provide feedback to HarvestPlus on the reception of biofortified crops, perceived challenges, and opportunities
3. Contribute to the refinement of the HarvestPlus awareness raising strategy
4. Liaise with the line Ministry in planning for activity implementation

All activities will be conducted under the guidance and in cooperation with HarvestPlus.

Regions of Interest

The plan is specifically tailored for 2 districts – Machinga and Mzimba North – selected from 5 districts in total, where the biofortification program has good prospects (Machinga, Lilongwe East, Mzimba North, Mzimba South, and Rumphi).

Specific Deliverables

• Implementation of an agreed number of demonstration plots
• Implementation of awareness raising activities
• Trained number of farmers, suppliers, and school representatives
• Sensitized number of schools (pupils, teachers)
• Articulated demand from schools
• Report on the deliverables (including a summary presentation of activities and their impact, risks, challenges, and opportunities, highlighting recommendations)
• Shared materials and outcome summary with HarvestPlus for future use

To support the selected candidate, HarvestPlus will provide:

• Guidance, information, and materials on biofortification
• List of schools
• Strategy for the awareness raising, capacity building, and social behavioral change campaign
• Other partners to collaborate

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in demand creation and awareness raising for agricultural seed and crop innovations, ideally related to nutritional and health improvements
• Experience in stakeholder-oriented communication, particularly stakeholders in the education and health sector as well as ideally smallholder farming communities
• Understanding stakeholder priorities, and generally accepted best practices related to agricultural production and post-harvest handling by consumers (such as consumers in schools)
• Experience in communications
• Knowledge of specific challenges in creating local supply chains involving institutional off-takers in Malawi

Timeline

Instructions to Apply

The following information should be submitted as part of the proposal:

• Understanding of the scope of work, the target audience, and potential cultural and literacy requirements and sensitivities
• Understanding of the project objective and how the planned activities meet the objectives
• Evidence of past experience developing and delivering a project of this type
• Methodological approaches required to implement each of the parts of the scope of work
• Comprehensive work plan
• Identification of possible challenges and creative approaches to addressing them
• Management and personnel plan, showcasing relevant qualifications and overall experience required to successfully implement the project; define clearly the roles and responsibilities of each team meber
• Detailed budget, with attention to cost-effectiveness, number of person hours, activities, overhead, and other expenses

Kindly submit technical and financial proposals on the IFPRI website. In the event of any questions, please contact Katie Foley at k.foley@cgiar.org.