Promoting the Development and Growth of Inclusive and Sustainable Agribusiness Value Chains
- Project Background
With funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Community Technology Development Organisation (CTDO) in partnership with Niras/AS and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), is implementing the second phase of the Markets and Seeds Access Project (MASAP) in Zimbabwe and Zambia. The first phase ran from December 2021 to June 2025 and focused on launching project activities in five districts – Tsholotsho and Mudzi in Zimbabwe, and Sioma, Sesheke and Chipata in Zambia. The second phase, from July 2025 to June 2029, aims to consolidate and scale up the results from the first phase and increase the number of smallholder farmers (SHF) benefitting from the project. As part of scaling up, MASAP will continue working with seed and commodity (aggregators, processors) companies in Mudzi and Tsholotsho but also expand into Bubi and Buhera districts. In addition, MASAP will collaborate with seed companies in districts where they already have an established presence. The key requirement is that the collaboration with MASAP should enable seed companies and commodity aggregators and processors to significantly scale up activities and on-board many smallholder farmers as outgrowers. The value chains supported by MASAP are traditional grains (sorghum and millets) and legumes (groundnuts and cowpeas).
- MASAP Vision
The overall goal of the programme is to improve resilience in food security of smallholder farmer (SHF) households (especially women) by increasing adoption and utilisation of improved open and self-pollinated varieties of traditional grains (sorghum and millets) and legumes (cowpeas and groundnuts). This will be achieved through strengthening the seed and commodity value chains in Zambia and Zimbabwe. MASAP’s long-term vision is the creation of a vibrant and community-driven seed and commodity market system, creating income opportunities and resilience for SHF, supported by strong institutions, national and regional policies, and dynamic and innovative private sector actors. As MASAP scales its activities, there is a need to engage more companies that are interested in working with smallholder farmers as out-growers of seed and commodities (aggregators, processors) of the crops supported by MASAP.
- Intention of MASAP call
MASAP seeks to achieve its vision by facilitating market systems interventions that address the bottlenecks (underlying causes of market failure) in the commodity and seed value chains. Working in partnership with private sector companies, smallholder farmers contracted as out-growers are expected to increase productivity and output through increased access to extension services, input and output markets (inclusive of quality seed), finance and insurance services.
- Call for EoIs and MASAP Offer
In pursuit of the project expansion plan, MASAP invites eligible private sector enterprises operating in Zimbabwe to submit EoIs to partner in this market system development initiative aimed at developing viable and sustainable sorghum, millets, groundnuts and cowpeas seed and commodity value chains. The partnership is expected to strengthen market linkages between smallholder farmers and the companies through contract farming schemes to improve farm productivity and output, crop aggregation and post-harvest processing.
The MASAP offer to private companies under this partnership consists of:
- Catalytic funding to de-risk innovations and encourage companies to test and scale up successful innovations and business models.
- Facilitating companies to access affordable and sustainable finance from financial institutions for opex and capex to expand and grow businesses.
- Facilitating companies to access affordable and sustainable insurance to climate proof inputs supplied to out-growers.
- Technical assistance in developing inclusive business models, new products and markets, improvement of food quality and safety, contract farming schemes design and management, implementation of climate smart agriculture practices and organizing farmers into strong, functional and sustainable groups, associations and cooperatives.
- Eligibility to Apply
MASAP is calling for EoIs from companies (large firms and SMEs) registered and operating in Zimbabwe which are interested in working with smallholder farmers as seed and commodity out-growers. Specifically, MASAP is calling for EoIs from seed and commodity (aggregators and processors) companies which:
- are working with smallholder farmers (as seed and commodity out-growers) in the MASAP targeted value chains.
- are working on an existing or proposed product concept aligned with the MASAP’s goal and value chains.
- have a proven track record of operating for at least 2 years in targeted value chains.
- are willing and able to co-finance activities.
- are willing and able to work with smallholder farmers (as seed and commodity outgrowers) in Bubi, Buhera, Mudzi and Tsholotsho districts. Seed companies working outside the four project districts but can demonstrate the value (business growth, out-grower scheme expansion and deepening) they would createbecause of collaborating with MASAP are also eligible to submit EoIs.
- Particular interest will be given to private companies that have identified business opportunities in the provinces of Matabeleland and Midlands.
- Submission Requirements
Companies interested in submitting EoIs must ensure the following are covered in the EoI:
- brief company background, registration and statutory and legal compliance status, location, performance in the last three years, etc.
- experience working with smallholder farmers as raw materials suppliers (seed and/or commodity).
- experience working in the targeted MASAP districts (or similar districts) and value chains.
- current and projected raw material (seed and/or commodity) requirements, supply gaps and plans to close the gaps.
- willingness and ability to co-finance activities.
- assistance required from MASAP and how such support would help to improve business operations, growth, profitability and sustainability.
The EoI must be ten pages maximum. The following documents should also be submitted with the EoI:
- Company Registration Certificate
- VAT Registration/Valid Tax Clearance Certificate
- Company profile and link to company website if available.
- Any evidence to confirm ability to engage in such partnership and working with smallholder farmers.
- Evaluation of EoIs
EoIs will be assessed and evaluated using the criteria summarised in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Evaluation Criteria and Weighting
| Criteria | Possible Maximum Score |
| Company profile, statutory and legal compliance status, performance in the last three years, alignment with MASAP goal and value chains, etc. | 30 |
| Experience working with smallholder farmers as seed and commodity outgrowers and raw material suppliers in the targeted districts or other districts in Zimbabwe | 30 |
| Current products, markets and growth plans | 20 |
| Evidence on willingness and ability to co-finance activities and the additionality (added value to the business and smallholder farmers) to be created because of collaboration with MASAP | 20 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
- How to apply
Interested companies should submit their EoIs and the required documents to ALMUG@niras.com and copy to LLMU@niras.com, THMO@niras.com by 11:59hrs CAT on 31 July 2026. Submissions made after the deadlines will not be considered.
