BACKGROUND:
 

Smallholder farmers in ASEAN countries face significant challenges such as low competitiveness, productivity issues, and food security concerns despite the dynamic economic environment. Factors contributing to these challenges include low productivity rates, small farm sizes, limited market access, lack of innovations and technologies, vulnerability to weather changes, and volatile commodity prices. These farmers also struggle due to the remoteness of farming communities, poor infrastructure, and limited access to services and education.

 

Digital solutions hold great promise in addressing these challenges by improving productivity, reducing transaction costs, and enhancing market access and financing for smallholder farmers. These solutions encompass various tools such as financing platforms, pest and disease detection systems, farmer training programs, satellite monitoring, weather information, product traceability, and logistics planning. By adopting digital technologies, farmers can increase their agricultural output, improve their incomes, and become more integrated into the value chain, leading to economic growth, job creation, and market opportunities.

 

Acknowledging the gap and struggles in adopting digital solutions in agriculture, Grow Asia’s regional program, GrowVentures, aims to accelerate the adoption of climate-smart innovations and digital solutions across Southeast Asia by building partnerships, fostering innovation, driving adoption and strengthening the policy environment.  

 

Aligned with the vision and goals of GrowVentures, the SEEDS Project is designed to enhance economic opportunities for smallholder farmers and will be executed in three Southeast Asian countries —specifically, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cambodia, targeting at least 12,000 small holder farmers; 30 start-ups; and 150 government officials in the three countries. The project will be implemented over a period of three years (2023-2025) and will be implemented by: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Grow Asia, and Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (AsiaDHRRA). The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) of the Republic of Korea will provide the project funds.

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PROBLEM STATEMENT:

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While agricultural innovations exist across value chain phases in the Philippines, their adoption remains uneven, limiting transformation potential for smallholders. Persistent barriers include digital illiteracy, poor infrastructure, fragmented value chains, and misalignment between innovations and traditional practices

 

This report seeks to:

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• Examine the saturation and gaps of agricultural innovations mapped along key value chain phases in the Philippine context.

• Identify where bottlenecks exist in technology deployment.

• Provide policy and programmatic recommendations to create more balanced, inclusive, and phase-specific innovation ecosystems that bridge these gaps.

 

Case Study on Cacao Agri-Innovations in Davao

The cacao sector, especially in the Davao region, illustrates the mix of opportunities and challenges that smallholder-driven agricultural value chains commonly encounter in the Philippines. 

 

A case study could narrow down and explore the digital and technological innovations emerging or needed along the cacao value chain in Davao, focusing on:
 

• Adoption patterns and barriers among smallholder cacao farmers for digital advisory services, farm management platforms, postharvest technologies, and e-commerce market linkages.

• The role of multi-stakeholder collaborations involving government agencies, local government units, private sector innovators, research institutions, and farmer cooperatives in driving or inhibiting innovation diffusion.

• How innovations can be tailored to integrate with traditional cacao farming practices to enhance productivity, sustainability, and income diversification.

• Potential pathways for scaling successful cacao agri-innovations while ensuring social inclusiveness and climate resilience.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

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The objective of the consultancy assignment is to provide technical expertise to the project’s country partner coordinator, the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA) in the implementation of the project, specifically, leading the data gathering activities for mapping of the Philippine Innovation Ecosystem and the production of the Philippine Digital Report, giving a glimpse into the challenges and opportunities in strengthening the adoption of digital solutions at a smallholder farmer level as well as capturing insights at the cacao industry through a case study. 

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SCOPE OF WORK

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In close coordination with the PPSA, the Consultant will perform the following:

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Part A: Map of the Philippine Agriculture Innovation Ecosystem

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• Design and implement a comprehensive survey instrument focusing on the presence, saturation and barriers of agricultural innovations across key value chain phases (input supply, production, postharvest, processing and marketing)
   

• Conduct four (4) key informant interviews (KIIs) with representatives of innovation ecosystem actors (research institutions, funders, technology providers, policy makers) to contextualize survey findings and deepen understanding of innovation pathways to elicit qualitative insights regarding policy gaps, funding mechanisms, and institutional roles in encouraging or hindering innovation saturation.
   

• Conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and in-person Workshop/s to validate survey and interview findings as well as co-create recommendations for phase-specific innovation strategies and policy interventions tailored to the Philippine Context.

 

​Part B: Cacao Case Study in Davao

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• Conduct KIIs with cacao farmers, local government units (LGUs), extension officers, agribusiness players, and technology innovators involved in cacao production and marketing.
   

• Conduct field visits to cacao farms to document technology use, traditional practices, and infrastructural realities.
   

• Facilitate workshops and co-creation sessions to identify innovative technology solutions or service delivery models culturally and economically aligned with cacao farmers’ needs.

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All activities should produce both qualitative and quantitative outputs, which will be consolidated into the final report.

For data collection and analysis, which would include focus group discussions and key informant interviews, the use of gender protocols and processes, as well as data privacy is required. All activities shall be undertaken in observance of the Data Management Plan, and Ethics Management Plan of the Project.

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Production of the Philippine Digital Report
 

• Develop a work plan in carrying out the report including, but not limited to: desk review of policies, practices, mechanisms, innovations, etc.

• Identification of policy influencing targets, and key stakeholders

• Conduct of in-person activity to validate survey results

• Conduct of meetings and/or consultation sessions

• Writing the report that synthesizes the insights from the survey results, key informant interviews, workshops/engagements, and research undertaken over the Project, with recommendations to strengthen the adoption of digital solutions in the Philippines. The reports will highlight challenges, structural barriers, opportunities, and actionable recommendations to promote technology adoption

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The consultant is expected to undergo the following fundamental activities: 

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• Coordination and alignment meetings with the PPSA Team

• Level-off scope, outcomes, and process in carrying out the delivery of the outputs, obtain initial data from the SEEDS Project Team, including, but not limited to critical learnings in the analysis, and stakeholders involved

• Design and facilitate consultation workshops

• Field visit and incidental monitoring and engagement of the pilot activities

• Stakeholder engagement meetings

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KEY DELIVERABLES

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Work is expected to commence by not later than September 2025 and must be completed not later than October 2025, inclusive of the workshops or other activities necessary in the production of the Philippine Digital Report.

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• Outline Key Deliverables:

  • Inception report & workplan (by Sept 15)

  • Survey tool and methodology design (by Sept 20)

  • Draft Philippine Digital Report (by Oct 20)

  • Final Philippine Digital Report (by Oct 31)

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QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

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• This TOR is open to individual consultants or firms.

• A firm or individual consultant of good standing with a relevant portfolio of works on research, and policy development; Thematic focus on agriculture, climate adaptation and resilience, and gender is a plus; 

• Preferably, composed of at least 1 expert, and support staff

• Experience in private sector engagement and multi-stakeholder approach

• Strong knowledge and network on institutions engaged in agriculture innovation, specifically digital solutions, is a plus

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SUBMISSION AND ASSESSMENT OF TENDERS:

 

• Interested entities/consultants shall submit his/her/their proposal containing relevant information about his/her/their organization, portfolio of works (at least 2 samples of works) and the following essential components, not later than August 31, 2025. 

  • Technical Workplan containing detailed workplan with activities, timeline, and methodology of execution

  • Budget Proposal containing required expert days by deliverable 

• Tenders will be reviewed within the week, reckoned on the deadline of acceptance of tenders. PPSA may request additional materials from potential suppliers/partners, as may be needed, and shall assessment may also include interviews

• Proposals must not exceed 10 pages, excluding annexes.

• Final selection shall be made not later than September 5, 2025.

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Submissions can be sent to secretariat@ppsa-ph.org no later than August 31, 2025 at 5:00 PM GMT+8.

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As a multi-stakeholder platform, we believe all voices matter, and we actively seek to bring them to the table. Aligned with this ethos, the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or gender identity.

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