RFPs: Women and Nutrition – Women in Nutritious Foods Value Chains

Objectives

• The Consultant shall work with GAIN to analyse women’s roles and impact within nutritious value chains (e.g., dairy, fruits and vegetables, aquaculture, poultry, and fortified flours) in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia, focusing on two value chains per region.
• The study should evaluate gender impact, how investing in these value chains impacts women as actors in the value chain and aligns with the 2X Challenge. The study should furthermore showcase one or two case studies of investable SMEs within these value chains with high gender impact.

Deliverables

The consultant will work with GAIN to:

• Conduct preliminary consultations with GAIN’s involved team members and understand how this work fits within their activities under the NFP programme.
• Perform a desk review and/or key informant interviews to identify which value chains (e.g., dairy, fruits and vegetables, aquaculture, poultry, and fortified flours) should be prioritized as the most impactful on women in the three regions.
• Provide detailed recommendations on prioritized value chains, emphasizing gender inclusivity, and DFI investment potential. The study should employ well-defined criteria for selecting value chains in the regions where sizeable SMEs operate within nutritious value chains, with potential for being invested by DFIs.
• Perform a gender impact analysis highlighting the involvement and empowerment of women at various stages of the value chain, in line with the 2X Challenge.
• The identified viable SMEs operating within nutritious value chains should have a substantial scale to attract investment from DFIs.
• Produce a draft report outlining –
  • Nutritious value chains with significant impact on women as actors throughout the value chain, highlighted in terms of 2X criteria;
  • Roles of women in different stages of value chains; and
  • Case studies of one to two investable SMEs in each of the value chain per region.
• Present main findings to GAIN and revise the draft report to a final report based on feedback

Timeline: The engagement is expected to commence by December 2023 and is anticipated to be completed by April 2024.

Eligibility Requirements

The consultant shall be an individual consultant or institution with the following expertise:

• Proven experience in conducting similar consultancy assignments
• Strong understanding and working knowledge of gender-lens investing and the 2X Challenge
• Technical experience in gender impact analysis
• Working knowledge of food systems
• Excellent communication skills in English, both oral and written.

For more information, visit GAIN.