About the Project: Strengthening the Competitiveness of the Cassava Value Chain in Kenya.
The European Union has funded Self Help Africa to implement a five years’ program dubbed Strengthening the competitiveness of cassava value chain in Kenya. the program is being implemented in 6 counties namely, Kilifi, Migori, Kisumu, Homabay, Busia and Siaya. The program has four main outputs to be achieved:
(1) Increased capacity of 20,000 smallholder households for sustained production of high-quality cassava. The farmers are distributed as Kisumu (2,000), Kilifi (5,000), Busia (4,000), Siaya (2,000), Homabay (3,500) and Migori (3,500).
(2) Increased market and business linkages for at least 85% (17,000) of farmers for enhanced smallholder farmer productivity and MSME profitability: these output is meant to increase both the volume and value of cassava processed at farm and MSME levels and the value of incremental sales derived at farm and MSMEs levels with expected increases of 100% (value) and 30% (volume).
(3) Increased access to credit for at least 60% of farmers in cassava value chain and business development
(4) Increased number of platforms of engagement across different levels of the cassava value chain.
In 2019, the Program undertook a cassava yield survey after 2 years of program implementation through a point to plant method. The results were below expectations (averagely 5.8 tons per acre) as the program had envisaged to improve productivity for Pre-commercial farmers from 5MT to 7 MT per Acre. A study done by some researchers and published by the European Journal of Agronomy 2017, Vol. 89 portends that Pest and disease plays a limited role in yield loss of cassava, rather the main causes are sub-optimal agronomic management and poor soil fertility, and therefore the need to manage the dominant constraint. Many farmers believe that cassava performs well in soils of poor fertility, however, some trials have shown that with improved soil fertility, cassava yields are significantly increased.
Justification
For the last 3 years the program has been addressing some of the constraints within the cassava value chain, including; increasing access to quality, clean planting materials/ seeds of improved, early maturing and high yielding cassava varieties, ensuring vibrant and operational plant clinics to assist farmers in managing pests and disease and training of farmers and seed entrepreneurs on good agricultural practices (GAP). Despite these efforts, there have been less significant increase in the cassava yields realized by the farmers planting quality seeds of improved varieties and practicing GAP.
The programme focus has turned to soil fertility management which is now hypothesized to be the hidden constraint holding back cassava productivity. The programme feels that there is a need to deliberately look at strategies to improve soil management in the program implementation areas, as a treatment that will be monitored for the next 1 year and check the results in those farms.
Soil management should, ideally, begin by understanding the soil condition through soil testing. Discussions from the SHA Agriculture Learning Event in Blantyre, Malawi, in 2019, resolved that regular soil testing should be integrated into the regular operations of smallholder farmers. This is because most soil handling practices such as ploughing, planting various crops, application of fertilizers and manures and the use of pesticides, have capacity to greatly alter soil condition by introducing compounds that raise or lower soil PH hence affecting availability of soil nutrients. Soil testing enables the making of appropriate soil management recommendations that may sustainably improve crop yield.
Objective of the Assignment
The objective of this assignment is to provide appropriate recommendations to cassava farmers for soil fertility improvement in order to increase the yield of cassava among the smallholder farmers within the project.
Scope of Work
The assignment is calling upon public or private organizations, companies or agencies that offer soil testing services for farmers in Kenya to sample, test/analyze soils and give recommendations for 50 farmers in each of the following six counties; Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori and Kilifi. This will bring the total number of farms to be sampled to 300. The analysis is to check for full nutrient profile, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil Texture and the resultant recommendations are only with respect to the productivity of cassava.
Soil Sampling.
SHA is cognizant that some of the soil testing service providers offer only laboratory-based testing services hence soil sampling and collection of samples from the fields may be outside the scope of their mandates. Such service providers are advised to plan for soil sampling and collection from the field as an extra service and to cost it separately as their additional service or as an outsourced service which they will manage on their own to ensure that all the samples reach the testing laboratory as required.
SHA is also cognizant that other soil testing service providers have field-based soil testing services hence will not require to transport samples to a testing laboratory but may, rather, require logistical support to have their staff or agents travel to the targeted farms and carry out both sampling and testing services and produce recommendation in the farms. Such service providers are advised to cost all the logistical requirement and quote them as part of this assignment.
In either of the cases above, the consultant will share their sampling frame and procedure for review by SHA and will only use the ones agreed upon by both parties.
The number of samples per farm will largely depend on the size of the farm and other factors and the applicant will need to state their recommended number of samples per acre of land.
Soil testing and analysis
The applicants are required to describe in detail the testing method they intend to use whether it is laboratory-based or field-based and the accuracy with which the results will provide complete soil nutrient profile for each of the farms.
Recommendations for soil improvement.
Each of the farms whose soils are tested will be required to be issued with detailed printed recommendations with copies for SHA. The recommendations will focus on required soil amendments or soil nutrition interventions with respect to improving the productivity of cassava both in the short and long term.
Methodology
The applicant will identify a suitable methodology that best fits the description of this assignment. This should be precisely explained in the technical proposal.
Key Deliverables
The following are the key Outputs for this assignment;
· Inception report – should be a maximum of 10 pages, detailing the methodology/ approach to be used; soil sampling, analysis methods, itinerary for the assignment with timelines and the budget. This should be produced within 3 working days, after signing of the contract, and will be delivered through a zoom presentation
· Field work/ Farm Visits; – Soil testing and analysis reports for all 300 farms equally spread across the 6 counites, to be shared within 2 months after signing of the contract. The report should contain specific location of sample source (with GPS coordinates), testing methodology, complete nutrient profile with pH and EC, complete recommendations for both short and long-term intervention required for improved cassava productivity. This draft report will be presented in a virtual plenary for discussion before being finalize.
· Final analysis report with key general recommendations and inputs from SHA team after the presentation of draft report, to be shared 7 days after the virtual presentation.
Key Qualification, Experience and Skills
The applicant (s) must demonstrate knowledge in soil sampling, testing and analysis and ability to carry out the assignment in totality either in its entirety or ability to outsource parts of it without compromising the quality of the outcomes, the efficiency of the processes or time required to complete it.
He/she must have a demonstrated ability to manage the logistical requirement for sample collection and either possession of fully equipped testing laboratory facility, reliable and efficient field-based soil testing kit or the ability to acquire by hiring, renting or outsourcing the same. The applicant(s) must show proven experience in conducting at least one of such similar assignments.
Languages
All communications, tools and final report must be in English language
Duration of the Assignment
The process will begin with a meeting with SHA team and conclude with a debriefing meeting with SHA. The assignment will take a total of 3 months covering the inception Phase, field visit to collect samples, soil testing and analysis, presentation of the recommendations for individual farms with copies to SHA and submission of the Final Report.
Administration and logistical arrangements
The applicant will report to the Head of Programmes and will work closely with the Programme Manager and Programme Coordinator- ANRM. All necessary logistical arrangements to the field including transport and accommodation shall be facilitated by SHA.
Apply via :
selfhelpafrica.org
