Consultancy services to support small and medium-sized farming enterprises
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR SME FARMERS SUPPORT – AGRI HUBS
CONTEXT
SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) farmers in frontline regions face a range of complex operational challenges, dependent on their location, skills, experience and pre-war financial status. Plus, these regions are now drought susceptible and farming practices need to change. In Ukraine, SME farmers are the foundation of the rural economy, as pre-war they provided 39% key crops, 80% horticulture produce and were a significant employer in rural communities. The challenge is to enable these farmers to go from frontline farming in survival mode to farmers, who are commercially skilled, financially resilient, are future proofed against climate change, so they can drive rural economic growth though the creation of strong agribusiness networks and employment.
As part of its efforts to support early recovery and the food system resilience, UN WFP aims to establish Agri Hubs to engage with small-scale farmers (<500 ha) in front-line areas. UN WFP Agri Hubs are a multi-agency, private sector and farmer partnership with four focus areas: business consultancy, agricultural extension services, grain marketing, and localized projects and grants. The Agri Hub will also function as an aggregation point to facilitate additional access to market opportunities. The first Agri Hub is in Bereznehuvate Mykolaiv oblast and will cover all Bashtanka raion. Some activities will be conducted in 3 or 4 of the neighbouring hromada in Bashtanka raion as well. In 2025, the Agri Hub aims to reach and work with <400 farmers, including ‘odnoosibniki’. Over the next two years, UN WFP intends to extend the Agri Hubs along the frontline to Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovska and Kharkiv regions.
Interested service providers are kindly requested to confirm their interest by sending an email to maksym.dovgyi@wfp.org and suhaib.ayyat@wfp.org no later than 17 July 2025. Upon confirmation, WFP will provide further instructions.
WFP invites organizations to express their interest in one or more of the following consultancy services. A detailed description of each service area is provided below.
BUSINESS CONSULTANCY SERVICES
The tender for business consultancy services covers 5 areas.
- Legal services
- Tax and accounting
- Finance and business planning
- ESG
- Grant applications.
Applicants can submit documents to provide one or more of these services. Materials and training to be in Ukrainian language. All programmes should include work in the region – not just online – as the aim is to earn trust and communication in some villages is very poor. We would consider multiple sessions of the same training in different hromada.
CONTRACTUAL FORMAT
Business consultancy services cover five domains: Legal Services, Tax and Accounting, Finance & Business Planning, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), and Grant Applications.
Service providers may apply for one or more domains. Training and materials must be delivered in Ukrainian. Preference is given to services delivered in-person in frontline regions.
Legal Services
- Develop and implement a legal support programme for SME farmers including land, civil, debt, contract, export, and commercial law.
- Include: Needs identification, monthly seminars, sales contract training, individual consultations, hotline/drop-in options.
- Provide rate card and sample materials.
Criteria:
• Broad legal experience in land/agriculture
• References in agriculture sector
• Work with SME farmers (<500 ha)
• Training/webinar experience
• Fieldwork willingness
• 5+ years practice
Tax and Accounting
- Create support programme including: bi-monthly webinars, consultations, hotline/drop-in options.
- Address ongoing changes in Ukraine’s tax/accounting laws.
- Provide rate card and sample materials.
Criteria:
• Tax/accounting expertise incl. agriculture
• Work with SME farmers (<500 ha)
• 5+ years practice
• Willingness to travel
Finance & Business Planning
- Topics: cashflow, P&L, business case, access to finance.
- Monthly webinars, consultations, support preparing credit applications.
- Provide rate card and sample materials.
Criteria:
• Agricultural finance experience
• SME farmers experience (<500 ha)
• Field and online delivery
• Practical business knowledge
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance)
- ESG and certification training for grants/credit.
- Topics: carbon, export certification.
- Group and individual consultations.
Criteria:
• Knowledge of ESG & certification in Ukraine
• Agriculture references, especially SMEs
• At least 2 years in practice
Grant Applications
- Maintain weekly-updated grant database.
- Deliver grant application training.
- Provide consultation & differentiated support approach.
- Provide rate card and materials.
Criteria:
• Grant writing and agriculture knowledge
• SME-focused support (<500 ha)
• Experience delivering trainings/webinars
Grain trading support will help SME farmers understand optimal sales strategies and market dynamics.
Services include:
- Monthly “Intro to markets” webinars
- Monthly price/market updates
- Hotline and consultations
Criteria:
• Ability to consult online and face-to-face
• SME/agriculture sector experience
• Interactive and accessible training format
GRAIN TRADING
Context & aim: SME farmers know where to sell and understand the logistics. The challenge is whether they understand the best way to sell and how to maximise the opportunities provided by the market.
- Develop and implement a grain trading support programme for SME farmers, considering that most of these farmers are not exporters, including:
- Introduction to markets series - one per month, maximum one hour long.
- Monthly price and market update – one per month, maximum one hour long.
- Hotline for support & individual consultations.
- Individual or group consultations (in face and / or online). Outline in detail proposed approach.
Selected service providers will enter into a 12-month Framework Agreement with WFP. Detailed scopes and service rate annexes will be defined quarterly.