Zambia remains one of the countries most affected by food insecurity, poverty and climate vulnerability in Southern Africa. With over 60% of the population living below the poverty line, and 41% in extreme poverty, the rural population particularly women smallholder farmers face deep structural barriers to socio-economic inclusion. This is further compounded by the effects of climate change, unsustainable farming practices, and gender-based disparities in access to land, inputs, extension services and markets. Agricultural practices remain largely rain-fed, dominated by monoculture maize production and outdated subsidy schemes, further contributing to soil degradation, low productivity, and poor dietary diversity.

To address these issues, the Government of Zambia has launched the Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Support Programme (CATSP) under the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP), focusing on climate resilience, diversification, and inclusive rural development. However, the operationalisation of these reforms is hampered by weak institutional capacity and limited implementation tools at local level. At sub-national level, there is a shortage of resources as well as basic and specific know-how in public administrations for the operationalisation of strategies and innovation-led technical advice. There is no institutionalisation of vertical knowledge transfer and horizontal exchange of experience in multi-stakeholder formats. There is a great need to strengthen process and technical expertise.

The project aims to advice key actors and decision makers as well as technical experts from agricultural authorities at national and sub-national level, who are involved in the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, programmes and action plans to better implement evidence-based inclusive measures with regard to climate resilience, food security and business development. The project"s intermediaries are agricultural extension advisors from governmental and non-governmental service providers, including private sector, who are trained in innovation-led and evidence-based approaches to climate-adapted, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive agriculture for them to then train the target group.

The target group is the rural population in three intervention regions (Luapula, Southern and Eastern Province), with a focus on smallholder farmers, who mainly produce food for home-consumption and sell any surplus harvest.

Output 1 of the CREATE project aims to strengthen human and institutional capacities in agricultural administrations at national and sub-national level for evidence-based policy-making processes. The results hypothesis is that improved knowledge on the part of managers and technical focal persons and the ongoing introduction of scalable implementation experiences and solutions (output 2) into participatory policy-making formats will strengthen the evidence-based design of inclusive agricultural programmes, as well as their operationalisation and implementation with regards to climate resilience, food security and business development. Where possible, policy-making formats are designed to be gen-der-responsive and local best practices on empowerment aspects and changing gender roles in agriculture are presented by subnational representatives at the political level. Output 2 aims to improve the dissemination of location-sensitive solutions for climate resilience and food security in agriculture in the three intervention areas. Smallholder farmers are more likely to invest in long-term measures for climate adaptation, food security and business development if these represent locally tried-and-tested solutions and innovations. These solutions should include gender aspects and integrate Gender Transformative Action (GTA) in agriculture in the training modules (ToT) of the participants (multipliers - selected public, private (MSMEs, lead firms), co-operative advisors and lead farmers).

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) - lead partner and key stakeholders, seeks a qualified service provider to support the implementation of the CREATE project, focusing on two core work packages:

Work package 1: Development of District Agricultural Plans
Develop improved, participatory and evidence-based District Agricultural Plans (DAP) for climate resilient and nutrition-sensitive agriculture for two focal districts each in Southern, Luapula and Eastern Provinces (six DAPs in total) - including action plans with financing and monitoring plans. Participatory and evidence-based refers to plans developed under the leadership of the subnational agricultural administrations together with representatives of local organizations and lead farmers considering existing best practices and data from studies, this work package directly contributes to Indicator 1.2. The DAPs will incorporate solutions for fostering climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Solutions refer to new or improved locally adapted practices, technologies, instruments, but also specialized knowledge on the measures related to climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive smallholder farming systems. These solutions must be gender-responsive and include empowerment aspects such as joint decision making.

Key activities within Work Package 1 include:

1. Familiarization with the CREATE project and the operations of MoA and other partners (e.g. MFL, MGEE, MSME and Local Governments).

2. Review of existing agricultural planning documents at district and national level. Assess the extent to which existing plans, studies and/or best practices incorporate climate resilient and nutrition-sensitive agriculture approaches and how the DAP could fit/link existing formats (e.g. Integrated District Development Plans at Local Government level).

3. Deliver technical and process advisory services to district agricultural administrations in the intervention regions in consultation with those administrations to address climate adaptation needs and nutrition-sensitive agriculture potentials. This will involve conducting comprehensive climate risk screenings and utilizing existing climate risk analyses, such as the AGRICA study conducted by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Adaptation Roadmaps for the Agricultural Sector of the Eastern and Southern Provinces?developed by UNU EHS, to guide decisions on investments that enhance climate resilience and food security.

4. Participatory and inclusive development of the six DAPs with MoA and other District stakeholders. The structure/format of the plan will be agreed upon with agricultural District administrations, MoA and GIZ. The DAPs should at least include a (i) situation analysis including agricultural potential, (ii) identified challenges and (iii) an action plan with recommended adaptation solutions (suggested best practices) including financing and monitoring plans.

Work Package 2: Support Towards Implementation of DAPs - Outputs 2.1 and 2.2

Objective:
To develop capacity in the new or improved and locally adapted solutions via a training of trainer approach and Dissemination of solutions, established under work package 1 within the target districts of the project. Dissemination refers to the demonstration and advice by the agricultural administrations on new or improved and locally adapted solutions for investments in climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive smallholder agriculture. Dissemination also includes implementation of solutions at target group level. Work package 2 will only be implemented in Luapula and Eastern Province (four Districts). GIZ can exercise the option for implementation of DAPs in the two Districts of Southern Province if it wishes to expand the tendered services.

Key activities include:

- Support the development of training needs assessment based on appropriate solutions mentioned in DAPs. For each of the recommended best practices, assess the extent to which capacity building needs to be undertaken i.e. master trainer level, trainer of trainer level, farmer level.

- Select at least five of the best practices (solutions) for each of the four districts (without Southern Province) stipulated in the respective DAPs developed under work package 1 (should reflect individual needs of the four districts).

- Expert advice for sub-national agricultural administrations to develop and disseminate innovative solutions via demonstration sites, e-advice, networking, etc.

- Facilitate and support the Training of Trainers (ToT) for multipliers (public and private, cooperative advisors and lead farmers) on the selected best practices based on the training needs assessment (Refer to Training Budget). The input and content of trainings could be provided by the service provider team (e.g. short-term expert pool) or public sector matter specialists and needs to be agreed upon with respective agricultural administrations and, if required, by national level.

- Coach and accompany the public/private trainers in training smallholder farmers in five best practices that have been selected for each of the districts including Gender Transformative Action (GTA) approaches and lead to a joint decision making.

- Thorough monitoring including regular reporting as well as baselines, midlines and endlines.

Zambia

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