Review of Market-based Seed Sector Interventions

The PRO-WASH and SCALE Award is a four-year (2023-2027) USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA)-funded activity which aims to strengthen the design, implementation, and overall effectiveness of food and nutrition security activities in emergency, early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience settings. Mercy Corps leads the agriculture, market systems, natural resource management and livelihoods components of the program, in collaboration with colleagues at Save the Children. Seed system interventions are a core element of many USAID/BHA-funded programs, throughout its emergency and early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience (ER4) programming; the learning gathered through ISSD Africa is thus of great interest to the BHA implementer community. 

Purpose  Project Description:

Market-based approaches to seed security have grown in recent years among humanitarian practitioners because of their potential to inject significant funds into local economies in times of stress, and their ability to support multiple sources of planting material over the longer term – supporting both conventional and more sustainable production systems. However, there is still limited uptake and usage of these approaches by humanitarians, especially in fragile contexts. As result, many humanitarian interventions achieve short term positive effects but lack the elements necessary to foster longer-term market engagement and strengthening.

Under ALP3, Mercy Corps and partners aim to more fully understand what market-based approaches are effective in fragile contexts and how the humanitarian, development and private sector community can collectively adopt good market-based practices for building seed sector performance and resilience in fragile contexts in both the short and longer-term. 

Consultant Objectives: 

The objective of this consultancy is to gather, document and share current best practice and examples of market-based seed sector interventions in fragile contexts, including those that build resilience of seed sectors to shocks and stresses. This work will contribute to answering a key question: What market-based interventions are most effective in building seed sector performance and resilience in fragile contexts?

Sub questions which will be addressed in this review include:

• What market-based seed sector interventions have been successful in contributing to seed security in fragile contexts? What are the long-term impacts/potential impacts of market-based seed interventions on the local seed system and agricultural production as a whole, when compared with more direct seed system interventions?
• What role do different actors play in the success or failure of market-based seed interventions? How can aspects of these roles be more complementary?
• What barriers do humanitarian and development actors face in supporting market-based seed sector interventions in fragile contexts?
• What specific conflict factors need to be considered by HDP actors when facilitating market- based seed sector interventions in fragile contexts, and what are the promising ways these factors can be addressed?
• What promising market-based approaches can potentially increase the resilience of seed sectors in fragile contexts? Analysis may include features linked to responses as well as those which enable better preparedness.

The Consultant will:

• Conduct a desk review of market-based seed sector interventions and guidance relevant to humanitarian and development activities in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS): (est. 8 days)
• Draft workplan for carrying out this work (tasks, timelines, intermediate and final outputs)
• Draft methodology for the literature review, including defining search terms to use; types of guidance and interventions to include; sources of evidence; and databases consult.
• Confirm and finalize plan with Mercy Corps and ISSD.
• Carry out literature review.
• Facilitate online discussion(s) with stakeholders from seed, market and conflict sectors (est. 3 days)
• Develop list of stakeholders and consultation plan, with Mercy Corps and ISSD input.
• Develop interview questions and related materials, such as facilitator guide, slide deck, etc.
• Carry out consultations (via KIIs and/or small group discussions).
• Develop learning document(s) (est. 6 days)
• Draft broad outline of report. Gather and incorporate feedback from Mercy Corps and ISSD.
• Write first draft of the report, incorporating findings from literature review and consultations. Report should include identification of gaps in tools and guidance for implementing market-based seed sector interventions in FCS.
• Liaise with Mercy Corps to identify report reviewers and gather feedback. Incorporate feedback, share with reviewers for 2nd round comments and finalize report.
• Liaise with Mercy Corps and communications team on final formatting and design of report.
• Disseminate learning document (est. 2 days)
• Develop dissemination plan, including initial websites/newsletters where document should be posted (with assistance from MC communications); stakeholders who should be informed; events and other fora relevant for sharing document
• Develop slide deck presentation with speaker notes/script to share key findings of the review with external audience.
• Represent ALP3 in select fora
• Misc participation in PRO-WASH & SCALE and ISSD ALP3 activities, as requested and agreed upon (est. 1 day)
• Attendance at online ISSD and PRO-WASH & SCALE partner meetings/gatherings online
• Inputs to presentations, briefs, etc., for public presentation
• Other activities to be identified and agreed to by consultant and Mercy Corps

Required Experience & Skills:

• Experience in seed systems development and market systems development/market-based programming, spanning both emergency and development programs (7+ years)
• Strong research background, with proven experience conducting desk reviews and consultations, synthesizing evidence and analyzing data, and producing reports (preferably including for iNGOs)
• Awareness of key research, tools and guidance related to seed systems and MSD/MBP
• Well networked with donors, implementers and research institutions and other stakeholders engaged in seed systems development.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (French a plus)
• Experience working with ISSD Africa a plus
• Demonstrated organizational skills, time management and attention to detail; ability to work independently and with team members to meet deadlines and adhere to high-quality standards

Source: https://jobs.jobvite.com/mercycorps/job/oK0EufwC