Consultancy to Design and Facilitate a Radio Program Sustainability Workshop at Farm Radio



 Consultancy to Design and Facilitate a Radio Program Sustainability Workshop at Farm Radio

Consultancy to Design and Facilitate a Radio Program Sustainability Workshop

Farm Radio’s market research findings in Northern Tanzania suggests a strong foundation for the viability of market oriented radio programming. It confirms there is demand from an established market and a strong willingness to invest on the part of key actors, including farmers and agricultural businesses. 

Research shows that farmers are clearly committed to agricultural radio. Farmers indicate that agricultural radio helps increase their incomes, and are willing to contribute to the cost of making the agricultural radio program through phone credit deduction. Agricultural radio programming is seen to have strategic benefits for businesses. Market actors such as inputs suppliers, aggregators and agribusinesses are ready to invest and partner with FRI in various ways in a market-oriented agricultural radio program that targets farmers and delivers measurable results.

The viability of agricultural radio programming could be structured around three main interrelated pillars (social, institutional and financial sustainability) and three main stakeholder groups (farmers, radio stations and for-profit and nonprofit market actors). Social investment by program users is essential, i.e. farmers and other actors in agricultural value chains need to trust program content on the basis of service and results. Institutional investment is also critical, from radio stations as organizations and businesses and from key stakeholder groups, including market actors, development intermediaries and government, both in financial investment and in-kind contributions.

A sustainability model should aim to balance key dimensions of social sustainability, institutional sustainability and financial sustainability to drive investment based on a combination of livelihood and market outcomes at the intermediate level. FRI has established a framework for sustainability and is running programming in Tanzania based on this framework.

This workshop is intended to mobilize key stakeholder groups and explore this model more concretely, based on the work Farm Radio is doing in the Uniterra program. It will enable the key stakeholder groups in the Uniterra Sub-sector or value chain to assess the opportunities and value of interactive radio services vis-a-vis their information and communication needs. It will bring together the demand and supply of interactive radio services and leverage existing opportunities and resources towards continued radio services delivery that add value to the activities and businesses of actors and overall efficiency of the value chains and subsectors.

Farm Radio and Uniterra require a suitable consultant to design and carry out a sustainability workshop (involving key Uniterra stakeholders) with the following objectives and expected results:
Objective

Strengthen long term interactive radio services in Uniterra radio programming and other programs in Farm Radio.

Specific objectives
Scope and analyze the information and communication needs of the Uniterra sub sector stakeholders.
Review and adapt the FRI business model to respond effectively to the needs of stakeholders such that they can value and support long term interactive radio services.
Organize and facilitate workshops with key stakeholders to get buy-in and investment in long term radio programming that directly serve them.

Example of key activities

  • Conduct consultation with at least five stakeholders on their activities, business goals and information and communication needs. 
  • Review and understand FRI interactive radio services and sustainability model.
  • Review and propose a business model and investment plan (with ROI analysis) for a sustainable interactive radio service that is attractive to stakeholders/potential investors. 
  • Mobilize key stakeholders/investors to participate in a sustainability workshop
  • Develop a sustainability workshop plan, share and approve with FRI
  • Facilitate sustainability workshop (one to two days)
  • Complete workshop report


Expected results

  • Information and communication needs of at least ten stakeholders (relevant businesses, government and development organizations) groups identified.
  • Business model and investment plan for sustainable interactive radio services drafted, shared and finalized with stakeholders.
  • At least ten key stakeholders participate in sustainability workshop
  • Approved sustainability workshop plan 
  • Sustainability workshop and report, action plan and partners commitment ensured.
  • Workshop report

Time frame of activity completion
September 5th, 2019 submission of the sustainability workshop to FRI

Qualification and competences

  • University degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Communication or relevant discipline.
  • Excellent networking, facilitation, design and business and service development skills
  • Good understanding on business modelling, planning and partnership development
  • Good understanding of communication for development and radio market or sector.
  • Experience in innovation and ability to mobilize diverse stakeholders
  • Proven ability to engage with private sector actors


Application requirements

  • A technical proposal which includes your understanding of the assignment and a brief description on how you will accomplish the assignment (maximum 3 pages) 
  • CV of consultant highlighting experiences relevant to the assignment
  • Financial proposal (fees only) using the format:
  • No. of days x daily rate

NB:
This task will not cover travel costs met by applicants therefore applicants within Arusha are more encouraged.


The workshop cost will be handled directly by Farm Radio.

Complete application should be submitted to tanzania@farmradio.org, deadline for submission is by 5th, September 2019 deadline.