Request for proposals: Filipino Farmer Typology and Productivity Barrier Analysis

Background

The 4.5-year national-level Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE) project will support 13,700 coffee farmers to triple their production of conventional and specialty coffee, boost national coffee production by >50%, and result in a ten-fold increase in coffee exports. This will create inclusive economic opportunities for marginalized rural poor including Muslims and indigenous people, reduce security issues, and spur investment and trade with U.S. businesses.

The objectives of this project are: (1) improve public-private coordination to promote the coffee industry, (2) expand extension services to increase adoption of good agricultural practices and improved technologies, (3) support the establishment of nurseries and strengthen retail input agents, (4) increase the capacity of producer organizations as a critical link in value chain, (5) improve post-harvest handling and processing to maintain quality characteristics, (6) facilitate agricultural lending to close the financing gap across the value chain, (7) leverage public and private investment scale and sustain results, and (8) facilitate linkages to specialty coffee buyers and market Filipino coffee origins.

This project is led by ACDI/VOCA in partnership with World Coffee Research.

As part of the startup activities, World Coffee Research is proposing an assessment of production constraints for farmers. This work should identify different typologies of farmers and detail the basis of this classification, and for each group, identify their specific constraints to becoming profitable farmers. World Coffee research is seeking a consultant to help with this research.

Specific Tasks

The goal of this analysis is to create a typology of coffee farmers using a cluster analysis in order to identify the specific profitability barriers to each cluster. The report should identify the general characteristics of farmers, their labor needs, an estimate of cost of production, their productivity, varieties grown, price received for their crop by quality. Several of these elements will be available from the baseline survey.

Specifically, the consultant will conduct key informant interviews and/or survey of producers, their current practices, the varieties being used, availability of credit, management practices, the results of agronomic interventions on productivity, profit and, and other information pertinent to coffee production. The consultant will work with PhilCAFE staff to identify strategic areas to conduct interviews and surveys based on the project’s area of influence.

Ideally, the consultant will use a clustering (or other appropriate method) to identify different typologies of farmers, who share characteristics that define a cluster.

The consultant will then write up a report on the methods used and which identifies the major constraints for each cluster’s profitability and productivity. Any constraint identified should be backed with evidence and analysis to demonstrate a causal link to productivity and profitability.

An analysis of these constraints would then lead into providing recommendations for each of these clusters on how to improve their profitability and productivity.

Logistics

The consultant will pay all of their own logistical arrangements including flights, local car rental and hotels. ACDI/VOCA can provide a limited amount of logistical support.

Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to prepare a report and any accompanying documents of support that adequately addresses the following:

• General characterization of coffee farmers in the Philippines, highlighting the different production areas and coffee varieties and access to markets
• The creation of a typology of coffee farmers in the Philippines, using data to create clusters of farmers based on socioeconomic (PPI) or agronomic data (farm size, productivity)
• Identification of barriers for each of the specific clusters with data and analysis that demonstrate/evidence these

The final report should come with all of the raw data collected as an Annex and a description of the methods used for analysis, including a description of how the baseline survey data was utilized.

Timeline

The consultant is expected to finish these activities in 3 months from signing the contract.

Bids

Bids should contain:

• A technical proposal and timeline
• The consultant or firm’s previous experiences and qualifications
• A detailed budget with justification

Please submit your bid to Maud@worldcoffeeresearch.org by December 17^th, 2019.