1.0 INTRODUCTION

Solidaridad Network is an international, solution-oriented civil society organization working through eight regional expertise centers to transform markets to make them more sustainable and inclusive. Our eight regional expertise centers include Asia, Eastern and Central Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, Southern Africa, South America, West Africa, and our global Secretariat in the Netherlands. Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa, one of the regional centers, is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with country offices and programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. We bring together supply chain players and engage them with innovative solutions to improve production, ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefit for all. We facilitate the strengthening of local capacity in developing countries, support the creation of enabling environments for economies to thrive, and improve market access. Solidaridad envisions a world in which all we produce and all we consume can sustain us while respecting the planet, each other, and the next generations. Solidaridad embraces the public-private and people partnership(PPPP) to test innovations, speed up change, and take success to scale. Globally, Solidaridad works around fruits and vegetables and the other 12 commodities/sectors (http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org)

1.1 The Synnefa - Solidaridad: Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2023 (P4G) project

The Synnefa Solidaridad - Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2023 (P4G) project is an 18-month initiative targeting smallholder horticulture farmers in Makueni County, Kenya. The goal of the action is to enhance climate resilience, food security, income, and social and economic empowerment among 800 small-scale fruits (Mangoes), vegetables, grains, and spices farmers organized in farmer groups/cooperatives in Makueni County by 2028. This will be achieved by enhancing farmers’ knowledge in post-harvest handling and climate-smart agriculture, improving gender and social inclusivity, increasing access to inputs and services, and fostering an enabling policy environment for sustainable post-harvest solutions such as Solar dryers.

The project's overall objective is to contribute to climate resilience, improved livelihoods, and economic empowerment among 800 small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers in Makueni County, Kenya, by 2027 through a 45% reduction in food loss and an increase in the shelf life of produce. This will be achieved by enhancing farmers’ knowledge in post-harvest handling and climate-smart agriculture, improving gender and social inclusivity (including youth enterprises), increasing access to inputs and services, and fostering an enabling policy environment for sustainable post-harvest solutions by scaling up access to IoT-enabled smart solar dryers.

2.0 Purpose

The primary purpose of this baseline study is to establish a comprehensive reference point of the current socio-economic conditions, agricultural practices, and policy environment for 800 small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers in the target area. This study will gather critical, evidence-based data on post-harvest handling, climate-smart agriculture adoption, youth inclusion, the uptake of drying technologies, and enabling policy environment for the adoption of solar dryer technology. The findings will provide the essential foundation for refining project interventions, setting realistic targets, and creating a robust framework for monitoring progress and evaluating the project's ultimate impact.

The study will also help establish a quantitative and qualitative reference point against which all future progress, change, and impact resulting from the project intervention can be measured.

2.1 Background

Post-harvest losses are a key contributor to food insecurity in Kenya. The losses mainly include spillages during handling, transportation, processing, and marketing; rotting and contamination due to improper handling and inadequate/inappropriate storage technologies; losses to pests such as birds, insects, rodents; and mechanical damages during farm level elementary processing and off-farm value addition. It is estimated that 30% of fruits and vegetables produced are graded as unfit for consumption due to spoilage after harvesting. There is limited knowledge/awareness on postharvest losses management, as well as low uptake of innovative value addition processes such as sun/solar drying of perishables for future consumption and cold storage facilities in local markets, and this leads to farmers facing difficulties while managing harvested perishable food crops.

The Synnefa Solidaridad partnership seeks to address post-harvest losses and food waste in Kenya’s agricultural sector, particularly in fruit and vegetable value chains linked to traditional sun-drying and biomass-based methods. The climate-smart greenhouse solar dryers cut food waste by up to 45%, eliminate the need for firewood or diesel, and extend shelf life. It operates off-grid, offering a clean, low-emission alternative. With hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers in Kenya dependent on post-harvest drying, the environmental footprint is significant, and so is the opportunity for a scalable, climate-positive impact.

2.2 Expected Project Outcomes:

The project seeks to achieve the following Results/Outcomes;

1. Increased Knowledge and awareness on post-harvest handling and climate-smart agriculture practices for small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers.

2. Improved knowledge and skills in financial and entrepreneurship for youth farmers.

3. Increased access to climate smart solar dryers among small-scale farmers organized in farmer cooperatives,

4. Improved enabling policy environment supporting the adoption and scale-up of solar dryer technology.

2.3 Baseline Study Objectives:

The baseline study seeks to answer the following key questions;

• Questions on Technology Adoption and Impact – Assess current uptake of solar dryers, compare with traditional methods, identify barriers, highlight benefits, and evaluate potential to reduce post-harvest losses at scale.

• Questions on Knowledge and practices -Assess the economic impact of post-harvest losses and climate vulnerabilities on the average small-scale farmer's livelihood

• Questions on Financing and Investment Readiness – Review existing financing options, identify gaps, explore blended finance, and propose incentives to boost investment in solar dryer adoption in Makueni County.

• Questions on Policy and Institutional Environment – Analyze supportive and hindering policies, assess institutional roles and gaps, and recommend policy shifts to mainstream solar dryers.

• Questions on Market and Value Chains – Examine demand for dried products, required standards, barriers to market access, and opportunities to strengthen linkages through policy and finance.

• Questions on Climate Resilience and Sustainability – Explore how solar dryers reduce climate risks, support low-carbon agriculture, align with national climate goals, and assess potential environmental impacts.

• Questions on Equity and Inclusion – Evaluate opportunities for women and youth, barriers to access, and participation in solar dryer enterprises.

2.4 Survey Methodology:

The methodology for this study will include both direct and indirect data collection, analysis and cross-referencing, and formulating recommendations thematically and as area/site-specific. The Consultant will finalize the methodology to undertake this study in line with the scope of the assessment, presented and refined with the management during the inception meeting.

2.5 Responsibilities of Consultants/Scope of Work:

The composition of the survey team is left up to the consultant/ organization based on their internal system, ideas, and logic. However, Solidaridad recommends that the team comprise one Team Leader (TL) to coordinate/conduct the overall study and liaise with Solidaridad. To collect information from the field using an adequate number of Field Enumerators (FEs). Supervision of the fieldwork and quality (reliability and validity) of the data/information collected from the field is the primary responsibility of the TL. The TL will work closely with the Solidaridad team. In each step and process, consultation with the Project Manager and the M&E Officer is vital. The survey will be conducted in Makueni County in Kenya.

The consultancy/consultant team will be primarily responsible for:

• Development/design survey tools using Kobo linked to Solidaridad Kobo servers.

• Share the study design, including process, methods, and questionnaires/checklist with the programme team, collect feedback, and finalize the study design.

• Develop and submit an inception report, draft report, and final report.

2.6 Deliverables:

1. Work plan and expression of interest (EOI) for the endline survey, outlining;

• A detailed methodology for the implementation of the survey, including proposed sample sizes.

• Draft data collection tools (The Consultant shall refine proposed standard indicators in reference to the proposed programme indicators and other guidelines provided by Solidaridad)

• A detailed work plan for the survey

1. Presentation of survey methodology to the Solidaridad team in an inception meeting, and later incorporating suggestions in the final inception report.

2. A draft report of the study for feedback and comments from Solidaridad and the partners involved.

3. Presentation on the main findings of the study for validation involving project teams, partners, and other stakeholders, as agreed with the project team.

4. Final Report: in English, incorporating all the comments received from the Solidaridad team

5. Raw Data and Study Resources: The consultant should annex any relevant documents related to the assessment. He/she will also submit raw data of the assessment to Solidaridad. The consultant should respect the property rights of all primary data/information generated as a result of this survey. Any relevant documents related to the assignment should be annexed, and the raw data of the assessment should also be submitted to Solidaridad.

2.7 Expert/Consultant’s Profile:

Consultancy firms/companies with verifiable research work in the horticulture, cereals, and spices value chains, and who fulfill the following requirements, are encouraged to express their interests.

• Proven experience for the last 3 years in conducting baseline study surveys, impact studies, and evaluations, preferably in the horticulture sector in Kenya.

• Firm/Consultant's statement on the understanding and interpretation of the TOR

• Experience in designing and conducting studies using experimental or quasi-experimental techniques. Experience with longitudinal study designs is desired.

• Company registration and KRA PIN certificates

2.8 Consultancy Period:

The overall time frame of the survey will be 30 days (including Saturdays and Sundays), which will include inception meetings, finalizing the survey methodology, training of enumerators, data collection, data analysis, report writing, and presenting findings of the survey.

Activities and Deadlines

1. Interested parties should submit a Technical and Financial proposal - 2nd November 2025, 5:00 pm (EAT)

2. Decision on selected consultant - only selected candidates will be contacted - 5th November 2025

3. Contracting inception meeting and inception report (virtual) - 6-7th November 2025, 5:00 pm (EAT)

4. Draft report submitted - 1st December 2025, 5:00 pm (EAT)

5. Validation meeting and final report (virtual ) - 8th December 2025 5:00 PM EAT

How to apply

Application process:

The consultancy firms/companies are required to submit an EOI containing a statement on the candidate’s experience with similar assignments, curriculum vitae, financial proposal in Kenya Shillings(KES), and work plan by 2nd November 2025 at 5:00 (EAT). All applicants must meet the minimum requirements described above; those unable to meet the requirements will not be considered.

Subject reference: Baseline Study for the Synnefa Solidaridad, Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2023 (P4G) Project.

Submissions are by email to procurement.eca@solidaridadnetwork.org, while addressed to:

Attn: Managing Director

Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa

Europa Towers, Lantana Road, Westlands

P.O. Box 42234, 00100, GPO

Nairobi, Kenya

Note: Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification, and only the successful candidate will be contacted.