DUH aranira AM ajyambere y’ Icyaro is a local non-profit organization based in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Kicukiro District, Niboyi Sector.
Website: http://www.duhamic.org.rw
CALL FOR BUSINESS PLANS (IDEAS)/ ITANGAZO RIHAMAGARIRA URUBYIRUKO RURI MU BUHINZI GUTANGA IBITEKEREZO BY’IMISHINGA
Supporting and enhancing resilient and viable employment opportunities (SERVE) project
(ENGLISH VERSION)
A – OVERVIEW
DUHAMIC-ADRI in partnership with CARE Rwanda and its implementing partners are implementing the five year Supporting and Enhancing Resilient and Viable Employment Opportunities (SERVE) Project. This project is funded by MasterCard Foundation through the partnership with CARE and focuses on building a resilient, sustainable, gender equitable, and inclusive entrepreneurial environment that increases dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for predominantly female youth in agricultural value chains in 10 districts across Rwanda, namely Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Kirehe, Ngoma, and Huye.
The project supports MSE owners and high-potential entrepreneurs to start and/ grow their businesses sustainably to create employment opportunities for more youth. It strengthens market-oriented agricultural skills that increase productivity and diversity in response to market needs and opportunities, all using market systems approaches, good agronomy practices and sustainable climate-smart principles.
The project targets youth aged between 18 and 35 years and 70% of them must be women, 3% persons with disabilities and 3% refugees engaged in or with the potential to engage in micro and small agricultural enterprises (SMEs) .
In order to boost innovation among the supported program participants and promote a culture of local/home grown solutions to the most pressing issues that affect women and youth in agriculture; the project is looking for innovative and profitable predominantly female youth led projects with the growth potential that, if well supported by key actors in their respective eco-systems, can create more dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young people and contribute to economic transformation in the project areas.
B – WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
The competitive financial support to youth led agriculture enterprises, farmers groups, individuals and youth cooperatives in the ten project’s districts namely Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Nyamagabe, Kirehe, Ngoma, and Huye.
The following table indicates the list of businesses that are eligible for the competition and support:
|
Project/Business |
Scope |
Size of financial support and own contribution. |
Who can apply |
|
Lot 1: Support youth to invest in vermi compost production/Compost making. |
Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Huye, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe. |
The ceiling amount available under this call for business plan will be the equivalent of: ü Ceiling for cooperatives/farmers groups: 8,000,000Rwf ü Ceiling for corporate companies: 8,000,000Rwf ; ü Ceiling for individuals: 4,000,000. Grants will be awarded according to the criteria specified in point C bellow. ü In the above-mentioned categories, the business owner will provide a contribution of 30% of the total project cost (in-kind or cash) |
Participants eligible and targeted in this call for business plans/ideas include companies/enterprises, co-operatives, farmers groups and individual SMEs active in Poultry, tomatoes, chili, and fresh beans value chains. Innovative businesses will be given high priority. Applicants must be active in one of the 10 target districts of the project. Priority will be given to women/Youth participation; farmers who have successfully adopted new farming techniques or completed training on financial literacy, business/marketing skills etc.; and enterprises which will have developed a high-quality business plans evaluated by the local evaluation committee. |
|
Lot 2: Support youth agripreneurs to invest and run animal feed processing unit |
Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Huye, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe. |
The ceiling for this proposal is 10,000,000 Rwandan francs for each wining plan/idea. Grants will be awarded according to the criteria specified in point C below. In this category, the business owner will provide a contribution of 20% of the total project cost (in-kind or cash) One project per province will be selected |
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Lot 3: Establish and run a small factory unit for environmentally friendly package materials related to SERVE supported value chains (Chili, tomatoes, poultry and fresh beans). |
Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Huye, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe. |
The ceiling for this proposal is 2,000,000 Rwandan francs for each wining plan/idea. Grants will be awarded according to the criteria specified in point C below. In this category, the business owner will provide a contribution of 20% of the total project cost (in-kind or cash) |
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Lot 4: Any other Innovative businesses that address the issues affecting youth engaged in the project supported value chains (chili, tomatoes, fresh beans and poultry) e.g cold rooms, hatcheries, extending agro-dealership or agro-inputs supplies networks through technology, processing) |
Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Huye, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe. |
The ceiling amount available under this call for business plan will be the equivalent of: ü Ceiling for cooperatives/farmers groups: 1,000,000Rwf ü Ceiling for corporate companies: 1,500,000Rwf ü Ceiling for individuals: 1,000,000Rwf The proposed innovation must have been proven/tested to work before entering the competition. Grants will be awarded according to the criteria specified in point C bellow In this category, the business owner will provide a contribution of 20% of the total project cost (in-kind or cash) |
Business plans/ideas will have to prove the ownership of the proposed activities by showing a contribution of at least 30% for vermi compost production, 20% for animal feed processing unit, 20% for environmentally friendly package materials and 20% for other innovative agriculture business ideas.
C – BUSINESS SELECTION CRITERIA
The best business will have to meet the following key criteria to be selected to enter the competition:
- Enterprises/cooperatives/farmers groups owned by at least 70% female youth (between 18-35years old) will be given a priority;
- Female youth, people with disabilities and refugees led projects in the project targeted districts are strongly encouraged to apply;
- Companies/enterprises, co-operatives, farmers groups and individual SMEs to be considered should be active in the project targeted value chains (Poultry, tomatoes, chili and French beans);
- Existing businesses and Start-ups with sounding innovations (Climate Smart Agriculture related innovations) in the sector of vermicompost production/Compost making, Animal feed processing units, environmentally friendly packaging materials in project’s locations (Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Huye, Nyamagabe, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma and Kirehe districts) will be given priority;
- Business plans should demonstrate the social-economic impact on the livelihoods of youth farmers in a clear and realistic manner;
- Business plans will have to prove the ownership of the proposed activities by showing a co-financing contribution of at least 30% for vermicompost/Compost making, 20% for animal feed processing unit, 20% for environmentally friendly package materials and 20% for other innovative agriculture business ideas for the total requested amount.
- Business plans will have to show evidence that the entrepreneur has a solid knowledge of the challenges and gaps within the field applied for;
- Business plans should demonstrate potential for business growth and creation of dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for fellow youth in the sector;
- Business plans should include evidence of profitability before the grants and sustainability mechanisms after the grant;
- The proposal should demonstrate managerial capabilities and accountability mechanisms of the enterprises;
- Details on the methodology used to measure the progress of the activities and results over time to be clearly described.
- Details of the financial management of the grant which is being applied for to be clearly presented in the business plan. The support shall be provided in cash that will be transferred to the owner’s bank account. In instances where the required support is related to equipment, the amount will be transferred to the vendor’s account after running a compliant procurement process. The own contribution will be used together with the first installment (At the initial stage).
- The fund disbursement for the activities outlined in the business plan shall be implemented until the end of 2024 without possibility of extension of the implementation period. However, Activities implementation period may even continue beyond 2024.
- For all businesses, the applications should indicate how businesses will comply with national environment policies and guidelines and standards guiding the sector.
- Environmental sustainability guidelines (ESG)/criteria will be referred to during the selection process.
D– HOW TO APPLY
Interested applicants must submit a full application. The application file shall be comprised of the following:
- Application letter addressed to DUHAMIC-ADRI executive secretary.
- Detailed business plan meeting key criteria mentioned under point C above (see annex II for the template to be used)
- Detail budget (see annex III for the template)
- Any document that shows business ownership (for formally registered MSEs) and copy of ID for individual applicants
- Evidence of the financial capacity to provide the matching (own contribution in kind or cash)
DUHAMIC-ADRI and its partners reserve the right to terminate the contract and/or withhold any amount from the final payment and, if applicable ask for a reimbursement of the amount received under this grant, in the case that participants do not comply with their contractual obligations and/or DUHAMIC-ADRI’s partner ethic clauses and code of conduct that will be annexed to the contract of winners as Annex I.
Applicants will be allowed to apply for all lots but they will only be awarded for one lot.
Application forms must be sent to DUHAMIC-ADRI on e-mail procurement@duhamic.org.rw not later than the June 25th, 2024. Applications must be written in Kinyarwanda and/or English.
Requests for clarification or questions can be sent to the following email addresses procurement@duhamic.org.rw or phone 0788648421.
Done at Kigali on June 3rd , 2024
MUHIGIRWA Benjamin
Executive secretary
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