Role: Consultant-Assessment, Research, and Documentation
Geography to be covered: Maharashtra
Commodities: 5 commodities (Tomato, Potato + 3 Prime commodities to be selected based on value chain assessment as a part of this study.)
Duration: 5 months
SELCO Foundation (SF) seeks to inspire and implement socially, financially, and environmentally inclusive solutions by improving access to sustainable energy. SELCO Foundation’s key objectives are
SELCO Foundation focuses on the nexus of energy for development, including well-being, healthcare, livelihoods, disasters, and so on.
Indian farmers incur loss of INR 92,651 (1) crore per year in post-harvest losses alone, the primary cause of which are poor storage and transportation facilities. Other issues include limited technical know-how on good agricultural practices, lack of market knowledge and inadequate market access. In the absence of proper storage facilities, farmers of perishable commodities such as fruits and vegetables have been rendered devoid of their livelihoods in both the immediate and the long term.
Within the agriculture vertical, Agri cooling has emerged as one of the primary priorities for the organization in terms of building replicable and scalable models across different geographies
The project seeks to identify the potential for technology interventions with more relevance to Agri cooling that will help in minimizing the post-harvest losses in 5 commodities (Tomato, Potato + 3 Prime commodities which have high cooling demand). It intends to understand the present infrastructures, gaps and present operation cum business models to derive the scope for technology innovation in order to enable access to more sustainable, reliable, and affordable local infrastructure to the community's needs.
1. Value chain Analysis
Detailed demand estimation for DRE-powered cold room on the selected commodity. District-wise Maharashtra.
Need to identify the long list of 10 commodities that love cooling across all types of commodities (cereals/pulses/commercial crops/Fruits vegetables) etc. Out of 3 will be shortlisted in consultation with SF. Further, the same needs to be studied for detailed value chain assessment in the relevance of cooling.
Apart from the above, brief Post-processing technology established in the value chain for installation of DRE-powered cold rooms, on-farm primary processing technologies (Sorting, Grading, Drying, Processing, etc, for Tomato+Potato including cooling in the, mentioned Maharashtra
Identification of existing grid-powered cold storage (OR) and other traditional technologies to preserve/store the selected commodity, availability of primary processing technologies, and to map the stakeholders involved for each of the current practices identified to develop into a fully functioning value chain.
Assesses the existing Solar-Powered Cold Storages Implemented by SELCO Foundation, in partnership with various other organizations to study their existing operational and business models, utilization, market linkages, and gaps.
Minimum 50 End user identification
Feasibility study & User profile of a minimum of 20 eligible end users for technology interventions - Focusing on all PHL interventions such as Cold storage, Sorting/Grading machines, Dryers, Technologies used for value addition, etc,. The study should include the business models and impact of the proposed DRE intervention.
A combination of primary and secondary research, Surveys/ questionnaires, key informant interviews, consultation & analysis.
1. Project roadmap and detailed Work Plan
2. Outline of Training Curriculum + Lesson Plan
3. Awareness training modules for Tomato and Potato other 3 Commodities which require cooling selected agricultural commodities for the respective state.
4. Demand Estimation for cold storage by identifying the top 10 commodities across all types of Agri commodities and selecting 3 out of them for deep diving in VCA. Using multiple sources to estimate demand for cold storage across the Maharashtra state.
1. Demand Projection for Cold storage for two and supply estimates in Maharashtra
2. One presentation or document with supporting calculations
3. Identifying the End user and profiling.
5. Value Chain Assessment:
1. Primary research & data collection related to Post Harvest Loss (PHL) management of prime commodities in Maharashtra state. This survey should include Gaps & opportunities, technology identification (Throughout the Post-Harvest value chain), Geography selection, identification of scope for solar integration in existing technology, etc.,
2. Comprehensive value chain assessment including commodity-wise assessments, market readiness, institutional structures for storage and trade (service v/s trader models), and logistics for Agri cooling looking at both centralized and de-centralized options. Also, the type of cooling needed and suitable technology to be assessed for the selected commodities (Environmentally controlled/ Atmospheric controlled /Temperature controlled).
Note; This study for 3 identified commodities and Tomato Potato
6.Grid connected cold storage assessments to assess the current state of cold storage (small/ medium/ large)
1. Visits to grid-connected cold storage in entrenched cold storage markets to assess the likely trajectory of grid-connected cold storage as well as the estimation of power demand.
2. Logistics aspects of cold storage
3. Feasibility of integrating solar power
7. Evaluation report and summary of learnings report across Maharashtra
8. Support in organizing regional Level seminars/webinars/ round tables
9. Case Studies, Media Stories, Photo Stories
Interested consultants/organizations are requested to send their proposals with a note on previous experience relevant to this project (maximum of 1 page on last experience). Send the details to apply@selcofoundation.org and cc to Procurement@selcofoundation.org with the Subject line: “TOR for Value chain assessment - in Maharashtra Region.”