Call for Proposals – Producer Organisations

The project will provide the following assistance:

1. Market Brokerage: Linkages to new and high-value markets to enable farmers to get better prices and earn assured incomes.
2. Matching Grants: For the acquisition of productive inputs and small infrastructure investments that will enhance the productivity and market position such as irrigation equipment, transportation, packing facilities, or storage facilities
3. Complementary Infrastructure Investments to enhance the productivity of Producer Organisations (POs’) and unlock more local areas that have economic potential and therefore facilitate the creation of more Productive Alliances. As such, the project will fund small scale basic access or rehabilitate market infrastructure.
4. Technical assistance including Mentoring and Coaching

The Project supports smallholder producers (emerging and poor farmers) from selected districts of Zambia, who meet the following requirements:

• Must be Zambians and domiciled in the subproject areas mentioned above;
• Legally registered Cooperatives and groups able to do business in Zambia and possibly beyond;
• Should be tax compliant with a valid tax clearance certificate;
• Should have proof of land ownership;
• Have at least two years of experience in the productive activity proposed for the Alliance;
• Be market-oriented and willing to be assisted to be linked to specific markets, with specific agreements, having established (or potential) demand from the private sector or public sector for the types of products and services they are offering;
• Attach Letters of Intent from prospective/existing Buyers and Off takers, where applicable;
• Have a track record of success in group enterprises and good governance practices;
• Develop a viable business/sub-project proposal and financing plan, based on a sound organisational profile that includes evidence of:
  • a cohesive group which is in good standing with registration authorities and having no less than TEN (1o) paid-up members willing to participate;
  • No history of fraud or illegal activity;
  • No current or active grants from donors or government (except FISP), to ensure that assistance goes to those who actually need it; and
  • Financial stability and capacity to match the competitively allocated grant financing as per grant financing guidelines of 30%: 70% match.
• Active bank account showing at least 3 months’ statement;
• Be smallholder farmers, whose land holding is less than 5 hectares (ha) for small scale and between 6 and 20 hectares (ha) for emerging farmers. Their major source of income should be from production/harvesting and sale of commodities produced from this land;
• Be producers of the crop, livestock, aquaculture, or non-timber forestry commodities, working together in the production of one (or one set of) commodities to an agreed set of market requirements as determined and should be in active discussion with a buyer or buyers;
• Be a non-public servant

Application forms for Proposals should be obtained and submitted in hardcopy to the Regional Facilitators who are situated at the following addresses: