Terms of Reference (ToR)

Consultancy to Facilitate Food Systems Platform Asset Mapping and Resource Mobilization Workshops for Food Systems Platform Members in Rubavu and Rusizi Districts

1. Background

Food systems are inherently multisectoral, bringing together agriculture, health, nutrition, trade, education, environment, finance, local governance, and others to improve and sustain affordability, availability, and access to healthy diets. In Rwanda, the NICE Project has supported the establishment and strengthening of Food Systems Platforms (FSPs) in Rubavu and Rusizi as district-level coordination mechanisms that convene public institutions, civil society, academia, private sector and development partners around common food systems priorities. FSPs are positioned as a coordination and facilitation platform to support food system transformation in the district.

Over the past years, FSP members have strengthened their understanding of the local food system, food systems governance, and respective monitoring and evaluation . However, to further advocate for the need and sustainability of an FSP and efficient food system transformation, further advocacy work is needed. -A proper inventory of existing food system resources (finances, human resources, technical expertise, infrastructure, equipment, partnerships, community networks etc.) that already exist in their cities and communities, both in cash and in kind, is key for better leveraging collective action.

This workshop will accompany FSP members in generating such an inventory of existing assets and capacities in the local food system to inform sustainable implementation of district food systems action plans and identify partnership opportunities.

2. Purpose of the Consultancy

Naturally, many people begin their projects by looking at what they lack; usually money. This is called a "Needs-Based" approach. Through Asset mapping, this mindset should be flipped into Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD).

The core idea is simple: Every institutions (department, CBO, CSO, business etc.) already sits on a "gold mine" of resources that aren't being used. These are not just cash; they are assets like land, trust, knowledge, or equipment. By mapping these first, synergies can be leveraged and partnerships agreed where useful.

3. Overall Objective

To facilitate the FSP members in generating an inventory of existing assets and capacities in the local food system to inform sustainable food system transformation at the district level as well as further FSP advocacy efforts.

Specific Objectives

• To facilitate the development and systematic documentation of comprehensive inventories of financial (cash) and non-financial (in-kind) resources available among FSP institutions.
• Physical and comprehensive inventories of the available financing (cash) and non-financial (in-kind) resources among FSP institutions are available and documented.
• To facilitate exchange of FSP members have on potential synergies and partnerships based on the available resources.
• To Strengthen mutual understanding and trust among Food Systems Platform members through comprehension of institutional capacities, complementary roles and partnership opportunities for advancing district food systems priorities.
• To define next steps of improving the available FSP activity plans to better acknowledge existing synergies

4. Scope of Work

The consultant will be engaged for a period of six (6) working days to plan, facilitate and document two one-day Asset Mapping and Resource Mobilization Workshops for Food Systems Platform members in Rubavu and Rusizi Districts.

The consultant will coordinate with the NICE Project team and develop the facilitation methodology, workshop agenda, practical exercises and asset mapping tools.

The consultant will then facilitate the two workshops using participatory approaches, focusing on group exercises and moderated plenary discussions.

Upon completion of the workshops, the consultant will prepare and submit physical, comprehensive maps / inventories / visualizations of the available financing (cash) and non-financial (in-kind) resources available within the platform itself and, where applicable, the district. Furthermore, the consultant also prepares and submits öa comprehensive workshop report summarizing the participants, discussion topics, identified synergies and partnership opportunities incl. next steps discussed and agreed (with timelines) the identified priorities as well for food system transformation and how the platforms are looking to address them, and participant feedback.

It is suggested that the workshop will adopt a participatory and practice-oriented approach guided by Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and the Five Capitals Framework, focusing on existing strengths, capacities, relationships, and resources rather than gaps, in the five buckets A) Human Capital “The People, The Brains, The Hands”, B) Social Capital “The Trust”, C) Physical Capital “The Stuff”, D) Natural Capital “The Land, The Water”, and E) financial capital “the Cash”.

We suggest the workshop is mainly steered through a practical Treasure Hunt exercise in working groups, where participants are foreseen to think about what they already possess, i.e., what is already available in the FSP through FSP member institutions, not only in term of money, but in terms of the five capitals of the Five Capital Framework. This will help clarify the FSP's collective strengths and how these can be leveraged for food systems coordination and investment facilitation. This shall be followed by the same exercise expanded to look at the whole political district level, not only members institutions, mapping key institutions, infrastructure, private sector actors, community resources, ongoing initiatives, partnerships, and other food systems assets that are available beyond the platforms themselves.

The generated asset maps shall support FSPs to identify and connect investment opportunities rather than to directly fundraise on behalf of the district. This said, the resulting FSP and district asset maps shall serve as practical resources for partnership development, concept-note development, resource mobilization, and coordinated implementation.

Moderated discussions in plenary sessions shall make sure synergies and partnership opportunities are effectively identified and followed up.

Facilitators are expected to accompany and support participants through the mapping process, ensuring that the workshop produces tangible outputs that can be maintained and used beyond the session. Facilitators will also visualize the inventory as well as document the discussions and resources identified in a comprehensive report.

5. Level of Effort (6 Working Days)

6. Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

1. An inception package comprising the facilitation methodology, detailed workshop agenda, and practical exercises incl. respective tools and any supporting workshop materials, submitted for review prior to the workshops

2. Two successfully facilitated one-dayAsset mapping workshops for FSP members in Rubavu and Rusizi districts.

3. Four physical, comprehensive FSP (2) and district (2) asset maps / inventories / visualizations presented in an adequate format (submitted within five working days after completion of the workshops)

4. A comprehensive workshop report (submitted within five working days after completion of the workshops) documenting:

• the participants (attendance sheets annexed)
• documentation of the discussion topics and streams
• documentation of the identified synergies and partnership opportunities incl. next steps discussed and agreed (with respective timelines, if any)
• documentation of the identified priorities for food system transformation and how the platforms are looking to address them
• pant evaluation and feedback
• recommendations and agreed follow-up actions.

7. Reporting

The consultant will report to the Public Health Project Manager at Swiss TPH.

8. Qualifications

• Strong previous experiences (with references shared) in facilitating asset mapping exercises in a multisectoral context.
• Strong and motivating facilitation skills
• Expertise in food systems (advanced degree in Public Health, Nutrition, Agriculture, Food Systems, Development Studies or a related field as an asset)
• Fluent in both Kinyarwanda and English
• Excellent asset visualization report-writing skills

I’d keep it concise while making the submission requirements explicit:

9. Application and Submission

Interested candidates should submit the following:

• A technical proposal and estimated budget, not exceeding five (5) pages in total, outlining the candidate’s understanding of the assignment and proposed methodological approach.
• A motivation letter.
• CV(s) of the consultant(s), highlighting relevant qualifications and experience.
• Evidence of previous experience in facilitating similar asset mapping, resource mobilization, or multisectoral workshops, including relevant references where available. Demonstrated completion of similar assignments will be considered an added advantage.

Applications should be submitted by 2 October 2026 to clementine.tumukunde@swisstph.ch, with cornelia.speich@swisstph.ch copied in the email.