PURPOSE

The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen the strategic direction and operational efficiency of Trees for the Future’s (TREES) Central Tree Nurseries (CTNs). The consultant will deliver technical and operational guidance to identify and resolve current constraints, optimize seedling production systems, and design a sustainable, cost-effective model for large-scale propagation and distribution. This model will emphasize high-quality fruit seedlings—particularly grafted varieties and other species that are difficult to produce at scale. The consultancy will also provide recommendations to ensure that nursery sites, capacity, staffing, and processes are fully aligned with the needs of smallholder farmers and the wider regional projects they support.

BACKGROUND & PROBLEM

Trees for the Future (TREES) is an international non-profit organization with a central office in the United States and five field offices in West and East Africa. As a global leader in agroforestry training for over 30 years, TREES works with small-holder farmers to implement restorative land management practices and agroforestry on their farms to revitalize degraded lands, increase food production, reduce the impacts of climate change, enhance technical skills, and the adaptive capacities of farmers. Our signature methodology, the Forest Garden Approach, helps farmers transform their land with thousands of trees and dozens of crops, improving livelihoods and food security for themselves and their communities.

Central Tree Nurseries (CTNs) are a foundational component of TREES Forest Garden projects, tasked with supplying high-quality grafted fruit tree seedlings to tens of thousands of farmers in the program areas. These seedlings are vital for establishing fruit orchards within forest gardens that serve multiple objectives: enhancing household income, improving nutritional outcomes, and contributing to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration and storage.

However, critical operational and structural issues have undermined the CTNs' ability to meet their tree production and distribution targets. This shortfall has delayed fruit production and resulted in delayed achievements and impact. Because tree planting is seasonal and rain-dependent, issues during one cycle result in a year-long delay, compressing the program’s timeline and threatening its ability to meet its objectives according to schedule.

Root causes of challenges faced by CTNs include unreliable water access (e.g., drying boreholes, lack of water tanks), inadequate nursery infrastructure (e.g. shade nets, quality tools, and specifications of tree sacks), ), seed sourcing challenges (seed quality, quantity, and timing, which affects germination rates and seedling targets), challenges with input sourcing (e.g. soil, seeds, scions), and seedling growth challenges (e.g. soil health, seedling vitality, pest and disease). Grafting success rates are low due to poor timing, delay in procurement processes, improper techniques, lack of environmental control, inadequate aftercare, and insufficient operator training. CTNs struggle to meet production demands, largely due to limited technical capacity, poor pest and disease management, and challenges with distribution systems. To realign with its strategic goals, the program urgently requires targeted support to assess and address these issues.

SCOPE OF WORK

TREES currently works in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Mali. This consultancy will focus on project areas in East Africa only, though the findings and deliverables are expected to inform CTN operations in West Africa as well. Specifically, the areas of focus for this consultancy are Eastern Uganda (Mbale/Mt Elgon and Busoga areas), Western Kenya (Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Migori counties), and Northern Tanzania (Mwanza and Simiyu regions).

The consultancy will be carried out in the following phases:

Phase 1: Research

• Conduct a literature review on best practices for large-scale, low-cost production of high-quality fruit seedlings.
• Identify fruit tree species/varieties with good market potential by agro-ecological zone (AEZ). Map AEZs in the project areas within the study area described above, and determine species suitability by zone.
• Identify and conduct key informant interviews with experts from successful seedling production operations as well as TREES’ CTN managers in the study area.
• Review and assess alternative nursery models, including those run by youth, women’s groups, CBOs, or NGOs.

Phase 2: Technical and Operational Analysis of CTNs

• Visit and analyze current CTN setups, staffing, and operational successes and challenges within TREES projects.
• Identify the expertise and staffing requirements for efficient nursery operations and meeting set targets.
• Recommend appropriate nursery site locations, seedling capacities, and species to balance economies of scale and accessibility.
• Review and assess input sources including scions, seeds, suitable soil amendments (e.g. compost, bagasse, etc).
• Assess and recommend tree sack composition/specifications, options, and suppliers, emphasizing biodegradable materials.
• Review and recommend practical and effective pest management and phytosanitary protocols, with a focus on low-cost, organic solutions.

Phase 3: Strategic Planning and Documentation

• Develop a species-specific production plan and schedule aligned with the agricultural calendar for each country in the study area.
• Outline operational procedures for siting and establishing CTNs.
• Outline operational procedures for seedling production from input sourcing, to propagation, to distribution for outplanting.
• Recommend a staffing structure and training needs to sustain quality production.
• Propose a monitoring and evaluation framework for nursery performance.
• Propose a production timeline that ensures grafted fruit tree seedlings are available at the start of the long rains for farmer outplanting.
• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all key processes in CTN operations.

DELIVERABLES

1. Inception report detailing the study’s plan, approach, timeline, and budget.
2. Literature review report on best practices in high-quality fruit tree seedling production.
3. Key informant interview summary and insights from Kenya and Uganda.
4. Breakdown of AEZs within the project area with suitable species projections and market opportunities.
5. Analytical report on:
6. 1. Challenges and constraints in current CTNs.
   2. Cost and savings comparison of in-house vs private nursery seedlings.
   3. Staffing and expertise needs.
7. Nursery site selection recommendations, including rationale and capacity estimates.
8. Input sourcing plan and supply chain recommendations.
9. Technical specifications for appropriate biodegradable tree sacks.
10. Species-specific production plan and schedule aligned with the agricultural calendar.
11. Draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for CTNs (relevant to CTNs in all country programs).
12. Final report synthesizing findings and recommendations, with an actionable roadmap for CTN optimization.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in agricultural science, biology, horticulture, forestry, or a related field or equivalent experience in high-quality fruit tree nusery operations and production.
• Significant experience with fruit tree nursery management, seedling production, grafting, especially for grafted fruit trees and high-value timber species.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct in-depth research and analyses, and strategic planning for agricultural production/agroforestry-based systems.
• Hands-on experience with fruit tree management (and experience working with smallholder farmers.
• Experience working in East Africa.
• Strong analytical, communication, and report writing skills.
• Experience developing actionable SOPs and technical documentation.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Interested individuals or firms must submit the following documents and information to demonstrate their interest, qualifications, and capacity. Please upload the documents listed above using the links for the resume and cover letter below. Submit your application by EOD 12th September, 2025.

• CV(s) of consultant(s) or staff who will support the project.
• Cover letter demonstrating the individual or organization's competencies and experience with similar projects.
• Following the scope of work and deliverables, prepare a proposal that details the work plan, methodologies, and timeline (including a table breaking down the activities and number of days it will take to compete each of them) for completing the project.
• Prepare a budget and budget narrative based on the consultancy’s proposed workplan to complete the scope of work and deliverables.

Proposals and budgets will be evaluated against the following criteria:

• Personal qualifications (30 points)
• Methodology (20 points)
• Experience with similar assignments (20 points)
• Cost (30 points)

Any resulting contract will be subject to the terms and conditions of Trees for the Future. This is a request for proposal only and does not obligate Trees for the Future to execute a contract, nor does it commit Trees for the Future to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of the proposals.