STTA Terms of Reference Biogas Digester Consultant Introduction The Livelihoods and Food Security Programme (LFSP) is a DFID-funded initiative which seeks to improve rural household incomes and their food and nutrition security. The program is implemented in Zimbabwe in ten districts  drawn from three provinces, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland and Midlands. The LFSP program has two main components as indicated below: Agricultural Productivity and Nutrition (APN) Component The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) manages the implementation of interventions under this component. The interventions under this component seek to raise smallholder farmers productivity by promoting improved and climate smart agricultural practices, access to finance as well as the production and consumption of safe and more nutritious food. FAO are also responsible for farmer group formation. These farmer groups are important for the MD component in aggregation of produce and establishment of Farmer Group Enterprises. Market Development Component:    Palladium manages the implementation of the LFSP Market Development component (LFSP MD). The interventions under this component seek to strengthen smallholder farmers participation in agribusiness through improved linkages to various market services such as inputs and output markets.  Following the Market Systems Development approach (MSD), Palladium works closely with local partners, the Agricultural Partnerships Trust (APT) and GRM Zimbabwe to facilitate implementation of inclusive business models which have potential for pro-poor economic impact in their respective communities. In this respect, various value chains and agribusiness models are continually assessed for pro-poor impact and commercial viability. The LFSP MD component provides targeted support to market actors designed to contribute towards reducing market constraints which limit potential for scale, inclusiveness and long-term sustainability.  Market actors are supported under this component through a range of interventions including cost-sharing arrangements  and / or provision of technical assistance (TA) to enhance the depth, scale and commercial sustainability of supported interventions. LFSP MD is now in Phase II running up to March 2021 with activities building upon the work that was initiated from 2014 - 2018 during the project’s Phase I. Purpose and Statement of Work LFSP MD develops and supports innovative local level business models that provide services to farmers throughout the ten operational districts. The models are categorised into input, output and mechanisation services: ·       Input models include indigenous egg incubation, local feed formulation and goat breeding ·       Output models include aggregation and value addition models such as maputi production ·       Mechanisation models include maize and groundnut shelling and tractor-based services. After developing the business models, the programme co-creates business proposals with local market actors (LMAs)  and cost-shares in the procurement of necessary technologies where required. LMAs are then further supported with technical and business assistance. LMAs provide services to smallholder farmers at a fee. Benefits of access to local level services include labour savings, increased farming efficiency, viability and profitability. Inorganic fertilizers are not readily available in many communal farming areas; if they are available, they are usually expensive. The prevailing hyperinflationary environment exacerbates this situation. The local commercial production of fertilizer materials would have potential to reduce this challenge. LFSP MD has identified biogas digestor technology as a way of producing enriched fertilizer slurry at local level. The primary product of this technology is methane gas which may be used for cooking and lighting. Firewood is also becoming difficult to access in many areas and this alternative solution would be very welcome. Pursuant to addressing these challenges, LFSP MD seeks to engage a Biogas digester consultant who will design and oversee construction and initial utilization of three LMA biogas digesters to produce fertilizer slurry and biogas. The LMAs are expected to sell surplus slurry to other local farmers for gardening, fruit tree and some field crops production, providing a cheap source of fertilizer at local level.  Biogas will be used for own consumption. MD proposes that the biogas digester has the following features, but will also be guided by expert consultant advice: 1.         A 9m3 or 13m3 modified ‘Camatec’ Design 2.         Ability to use cow dung and vegetative waste 3.         An accessible slurry collection chamber where an LMA can load slurry into containers for marketing 4.         Piped gas supply to LMA homestead for household use 5.         Strong enough to last over 20 years without major repairs   Specific activities include: 1.         Provision of recommendations for improvements to the business model. 2.         Advice on the suitability of the pre-selected site including sufficiency of quality raw materials for optimal operation of the unit 3.         Design of the biogas digester providing a detailed and priced bill of quantities per site. The design should specify and clarify the following a.         Number of days required to complete construction of a site b.         Number of days it will take to start harvesting biogas and slurry c.         Quantity of cow dung/ raw material to be fed into the digester daily d.         Quantity of usable slurry to be harvested daily e.         Amount of biogas to be produced daily f.          Projected annual income from slurry sales 4.         Provision of stakeholder training a.         Theoretical and practical training of LMAs during construction and at commissioning b.         Theoretical and practical training of at least one entrepreneur in each LFSP operational province who will provide biogas construction services to other farmers at a fee c.         Demonstration of slurry field application including information on mixing ratios, quantities and frequency of application for common crops at each target site. 5.         Oversee construction and quality control of all units 6.         Support initial slurry marketing initiatives providing technical advice on ideal packaging and facilitating initial product awareness initiatives to local farmers. 7.         Explore and advise on potential packaging of biogas for resale to other farmers. This includes designing the required compression system in relation to the size of bio digester.   Consultancy deliverables: The deliverables of this assignment are: ·       Inception presentation and report providing critique on this TOR, recommending changes that need to be considered. Detailed and priced bill of quantities, design sketch indicating all the stated design specifications. The presentation to also detail how training of end users and local entrepreneurs will be conducted and a slurry marketing plan. ·       Three constructed and fully functional biogas digesters. Consultant will present implementation report after construction of the first biogas digester to allow analysis and comments feeding into subsequent construction. ·       At least three local entrepreneurs capacitated to provide biogas digester construction services to farmers. The consultant will design a test and administer it to the entrepreneurs who will achieve a satisfactory performance. ·       Draft narrative report presented to the LFSP team for comments with the following structure o   Cover page o   Table of contents o   Acronyms o   Executive Summary o   Introduction o   Objectives & ToRs o   Methodology o   Results, findings and analysis o   Conclusions & Recommendations ·       PowerPoint presentation ·       Final narrative report which includes responses to comments. Assignment Timeline The assignment is expected to last for 60 days, as detailed below: ·       Preliminary Meeting with LFSP team to understand the scope of work and ToRs (0.5 days) ·       Report and presentation on design and recommendations  (2.5 days) ·       Implementation of field activities for first site eg construction, training, marketing (18 days) ·       Report and presentation on results of first site (1 day) ·       Implementation of field activities for second and third sites (36 days) ·       Draft Final Report and presentation (1 day) ·       Final Report (1 day)   Skills, Experience and Qualifications ·       A qualified institutison, company or individual ·       At least 5 years direct experience in designing, constructing and quality control of biogas digester technology ·       Demonstrated experience and work conducted on similar projects ·       Relevant Engineering Degree ·       Strong analytical and critical thinking skills ·       Excellent communication and facilitation skills ·       Willingness to travel and oversee daily construction at target sites ·       Management ·       During the implementation of this assignment – the Consultant will be managed by the Markets Innovation Advisor with support from National Markets Coordinator and Provincial Market Leads. ·       All the outputs from this assignment will have to be approved by the LFSP MD Team Leader