| Overview : The overall purpose of this consultancy is to undertake a study to assist the GoR to improve the cost-effectiveness and ecological sustainability of inorganic fertilizer use from both the farm and national perspective. Within the context of the overall purpose, the study will achieve the following objectives: 1) Estimate the production (ie technical) use efficiency of inorganic fertilizer using available data for crops, fertilizer use by type, and agro-ecological zones. In addition, provide recommendations for improving such analysis in the future. 2) Determine the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of current inorganic fertilizer use from a farm and national perspective. Summarise the future economic and agricultural productivity implications of this based on current trends, policies and markets. Provide recommendations for improving such analysis in the future. 3) Identify institutional (agriculture sector institutions, policies, laws, strategies, programmes, capacity, decision-making processes including co-ordination mechanisms and methodologies, extension services, marketing, co-operatives, financial resourcing etc) opportunities and constraints to improving efficiency and effectiveness at national and farmer level. Assessment of effectiveness is to include economic, social (ie distributional) and environmental factors. 4) Identify and outline future research priorities on fertilizer use in the context of Rwandan national development priorities and agricultural strategies. This should include economic, social and environmental research elements of fertilizer use. Issues and Tasks: In order to achieve the stated objectives, the consulting company will examine the following issues: - Compile an up to date overview of inorganic fertilizer use in Rwanda since 2004, including any trends in farm level use.
- Describe and analyse the state of knowledge in Rwanda on production use efficiency of fertilizers for the main crops, identify and document data gaps (including environmental variables). Recommend a detailed research programme for enabling such analysis to be undertaken in the future and to address identified gaps.
- Determine the benefit-cost ratio for main crops using existing data and making assumptions for missing data or establishing proxies, including fertilizer uptake and loss.
- Describe and analyse the distributional impacts (positive and negative) of current fertilizer policies and practices at farm level. In particular, describe and analyse the implications for household incomes and poverty reduction. Poverty should be interpreted in the multi-dimensional sense. E.g. increased farm household income may improve health status and school attendance.
- Identify current and future opportunities and constraints on improving fertilizer use effectiveness at national and farm decision-making levels. (This includes improvements to general agricultural practices (e.g. are conservation agriculture techniques used widely), the combination of organic and inorganic fertiliser used, adoption of agro-forestry, private sector engagement, and agriculture policy and extension strategies.
- National level decision-making includes institutional factors (institutions, policies, laws, strategies, programmes, capacity, decision-making processes including co-ordination mechanisms and methodologies, extension services, marketing, co-operatives, financial resourcing etc)
- Farm level decision-making includes choice of crops, livestock, agricultural practices, types and mix of fertilisers etc
- Describe and analyse policies and policy co-ordination mechanisms relevant to the use and importation of inorganic fertiliser and if necessary, recommend enhancements to improve policy consistency with cost-effective and ecologically sustainable fertiliser use, within the broader aim of achieving pro-poor sustainable agriculture outcomes.
- Assess capacity in the agriculture sector relevant to improving fertiliser use and broader agricultural physical and economic efficiencies. Include a substantive focus on agricultural extension services.
- Provide recommendations for strengthening the effectiveness of the use of inorganic fertilizers in Rwanda, in the context of broader agricultural practices, policies and national agricultural and EDPRS II priorities.
The recommendations should seek to: - Maximise the crop nutrient uptake and economic efficiency of inorganic fertilizer use.
- Maintain or enhance soil nutrient levels using organic and inorganic fertilisers in the contact of integrated small-holder agriculture methods to enhance agricultural productivity.
- Minimise environment degradation, including from run-off or leaching into water resources.
- Minimise potential negative human health impacts.
- Improve institutional capacity for the implementation of the study recommendations through policy reforms, programmes, and research.
- Prepare a policy brief of no more than six pages designed to persuade relevant decision-makers in the agriculture sector, Financial sector, Environmental sector, Parliament, Cabinet and the donor community that the study recommendations should be implemented.
Proposals comprising of technical proposal and financial proposal, in separate sealed envelopes, or separate emails, must be submitted on or before Thursday, July 16, 2015, Time: 12h00 PM Kigali local time to the address below: United Nations Development Programme - Rwanda P.O. Box 445, 12 Avenue de l'Armée, Kigali, Rwanda, Attn: Head of Procurement Unit. Email: offers.rw@undp.org |
