1.0 Background/Introduction

Somalia’s agriculture sector is the main driver of the country’s economy. More than two-thirds of the country’s labor force is employed in agriculture, and the sector accounts for over 60 percent of the country’s output. However, decades of civil war, neglect, administrative mismanagement, and a series of environmental disasters have seriously damaged Somalia’s agricultural productivity over the years (Mikael Pyrtel – 2012). Specifically, the recurrent drought/erratic rains, use of unimproved inputs like seeds, poor soil fertility, lack of access to improved farm inputs, use of poor agricultural practices due to lack of extension services and poor markets are some of the factors accounting for poor performance of the agriculture sector. Above all, absence of policies for farmer cooperatives and/or farmer organization has left farmers unorganized and vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen and farmers are unable to fully exploit the benefits from their efforts. This is because farmers lack or have weak price bargaining power, cannot access larger markets, are unable to use product quality standards to meet market requirements, do not have the right physical infrastructure to help with product aggregation and cannot or have limited access to financing to improve their services and products. Where Agriculture Cooperatives exist, at times they are just cooperatives on paper with no clear goals/objectives and governance structure.

Therefore, there is need to have a policy to provide a framework that would guide the formation/organization, operations, management of Agriculture Cooperatives in South West State if farmers are to increase agriculture productivity, aggregate them and access larger markets for increased income and food security.

2.0 Project Overview

The Somalia Resilience Programme, (SomReP) is an ambitious approach to tackle the challenge of recurrent droughts and the chronic vulnerability that results among pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and peri-urban households across Somalia. Eight INGOs with deep experience in Somalia have joined as a long-term consortium to build and field test a resilience model based on the latest global resilience thinking, innovative livelihood approaches for the Somalia context, and bridging the relief to development continuum.

To achieve this, SomReP supports communities with multi-sector and multi-year interventions that includes agriculture which are implemented in close collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation at Federal and State levels among other ministries. One area of support is on institutional capacity strengthening which includes technical trainings and policy development

3.0 Need for Agriculture Cooperative Policy Development in South West State

Although Producer cooperatives exist in South West State, there is lack of regulatory and policy framework to guide their operations. Consequently, most are individual led, have unclear financial management practices, they lack recognition, power and influence to drive the agricultural production and marketing agenda. For the farmers to reap benefits of agriculture interventions, they have to work through cooperatives as this becomes a pathway for improving access to advice, information, markets and advocacy through collective voice. This works where the agriculture cooperative policy is in place which guides and safeguards the organization, operations and management of the cooperative which MoAI Irrigation – South West State does not have. This has left farmers vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous buyers/middle men. Therefore, there is need to have Farmer Cooperative Policy that would help in strengthening institutional framework to provide comprehensive support and guide cooperatives/farmers organization farmers in agricultural production and marketing for increased income and food security if they are to become key players in agriculture sector. In addition, this would improve access to markets, facilitate trade expansion besides attracting investments, creating jobs and improving livelihoods.

4.0 Objective and Scope of Work

One of the core functions of the Ministry of Agriculture is to prepare and develop policies, legislation, regulations, standards, plans, strategies, programs and projects. Following the consultation with Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation – South West State, one area identified requiring attention for policy/regulatory framework was on Farmer Cooperatives. Therefore, SomReP plans to support the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation – South West State in developing an Agriculture Cooperative Policy to support organizing farmers in agriculture production and marketing their products besides enhancing the effectiveness of these cooperatives.

The objective of the assignment is to develop the Agriculture Cooperative Policy that would provide the framework and guidelines that govern/guide development, formation/organization, operation, management/governance and regulation of farmer cooperatives in South West State. The policy aims to promote the cooperative model as a means of enhancing the contribution of agriculture to economic development, social equity, and community development.

Therefore, the following is expected to be done under this assignment:

a. Assessment

• Conduct assessment/review of existing cooperatives status in South West State by visiting districts that are accessible looking at their strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). This includes cooperative members and non-members and leadership and operations.

• Establish what agriculture sectors are cooperatives working in with impact

• Consult stakeholders working with agriculture cooperatives in South West State and Somalia – Ministry of Agriculture (South West State/Federal), FAO, L/INGOs, Private Sector in agriculture, Civil Society Organizations, Cooperatives, donors etc to gather their perspectives of Agriculture cooperatives in South West State/Somalia

• Review secondary data/information on Agriculture cooperative policies/operations in Somalia/Neighboring countries to identify best practices on cooperative development, and management/governance for adaptation to South West State context (considering social/economic/cultural etc factors)

b. Policy Development

• Based on the assessment results develop MoAI South West State Agriculture/Farmer Cooperative policy aligning with international best practices adaptable to South West State /Somalia context

• Develop the framework that would guide farmer cooperatives establishment, registration, certification and regulation.

• Provide implementation institutional framework and the monitoring and evaluation processes including assignment of roles and responsibilities to various process actors.

• Policy to be in line with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Cooperative Policy (Customizing) to ensure consistence.

• The policy should consider the following:

  • Have clear Vision and Mission statements

  • Have clear strategy, objectives and action plans to guide cooperative development

  • Governance (coperative/district/State/Federal), management and accountability framework that aligns with cooperative principles and values (

  • Inclusion of gender, people with disability and minority guide

  • Measures needed to support capacity building of the cooperative (financial, human, physical and technical etc)

  • Strategies to guide accessing inputs, technology, technical assistance, capacity building, finances/capital for investment, marketing and market linkages including clarity on priority crop enterprises that cooperatives can work on.

  • Framework for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of cooperative productive and governance activities

  • Clear indicators for effective/functional cooperatives

  • Ensure alignment/harmonization of South West State Farmer Cooperative policy to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Agriculture Cooperative Policy and broader Federal Government of Somalia’s Transformational Plan

  • Linkage to legal and regulatory framework

5.0 Expected Output

• A detailed analysis of agriculture Cooperatives using SWOT analysis done

• Secondary data on cooperative practices (local and international) done

• Validation workshop (virtual/Physical) done

• Incorporation of comments from validation workshop/feedback

6.0 Expected Deliverables

• An inception report (maximum five pages) outlining the approach/methodology and execution program/timetable. This report shall be submitted for review and approval by MoAI/WV-SomReP.

• Data collection tools shall be submitted with the inception report, for review and approval by South West State MoAI/World Vision - SomReP;

• Draft Agriculture/Farmer Cooperative with clear vision, mission and principles/steps will be submitted within five days after completion of the field presentation of the key findings to the stakeholders

• Oral presentation of the draft policy to stakeholders for comments

• The final copy of the Agriculture/Cooperative Policy incorporating comments / feedback from MoAI, World/SomReP and other Stakeholders submitted with 3 days after comments are received

7.0 Time Frame

The consultancy is planned for 25 days, (1 – 25 August 2025).

https://wvi.box.com/s/qabuv4svnukydechtjhjcl3yynat8lrn

Consultants Teams/Expectations

The Consultancy team must be multidisciplinary (one of the key skills a consultant should have is on developing policies, legislation particularly in areas of Cooperative development and economic development). At the minimum, the consultant(s) must possess the following:

1. At least Master’s Degree in Law, Public Policy or related field with a minimum of five (5) years demonstrated experience in developing and implementation of policies and legislation

   1. Strong experience in Agriculture Cooperative or related Cooperative development

2. Demonstrate a good understanding of Somalia with practical working experience or research/surveys in such environments.

3. Qualified in business development and/or economics with experience in cooperative development- governance, management and capacity building

4. Experience in developing Cooperative sector policies

5. Familiarity with South West State

9.0 Instructions to bidders and selection criteria

The Selection of the consultancy firm will be made based on cumulative analysis (i.e., mandatory requirement and technical qualifications as follows:

1. Mandatory Requirements

• Provide a certified copy of business registration(company/organization) in Somalia – South West State.

• Provide a certified copy of tax registration in Somalia – South West State.

• Successful bidder will be required to sign World Vision Supplier Code of Conduct form and World Vision International guidelines of Ethical Principles

2. Technical Evaluation

Applicants need to clearly articulate on the following, but not limited to: –

• A cover letter outlining the suitability of the consultant in undertaking the assessment, motivation and summarizing relevant experience (Not exceeding one page).

• Consulting firm profile (Not exceeding one page).

• Valid Business registration certificate and copy of certified tax registration in South West State to undertake data collection or related services in the project implementation regions.

• Provide information on ownership structure – name of directors/owners of the company(company/organization)

• Precise permaculture assessment, design, establishment and management technical proposal that should include proposed methodology (Not exceeding 5 pages).

• Clear work plan including outputs/deliverables and time frames (One page)

• Detailed CVs of key personnel (including any formal qualifications) to be involved in the assignment with clear roles/responsibilities should be provided.

• Three Samples of previous similar pieces of work undertaken within the last 3 years

• Provide references including names and contact information from previous clients who can be contacted regarding relevant experience (At least three similar assignments in a similar context)

• Contact of references and 3 referee letters for similar work completed within the last 3 years

3. Financial Evaluation

• Financial proposal: A detailed budget indicating total costs in USD as per man day rates, work plan and any other logistical costs anticipated, with a clear budget justification, in undertaking the assignment and production of the final report. Applicable tax amount must be clearly stipulated and separated from the base costs. Please note that the successful consultant will be responsible for their own logistics including insurance, and security preparedness.

• Payment Terms

• Credit Period

How to apply

Please note that proposals should be submitted in three distinct/separate attachments, namely Mandatory Requirements, Technical Proposal and Financial Proposal (Bidders who will combine both technical and financial proposals shall be disqualified).

Financial proposal should not be part of the technical proposal; it should be a separate document. Submit your bid via email to [email protected] by 5th August 2025.

Bids received after the deadline shall not be considered.