Assessment of Potential Products to Alleviate Time Intensive Domestic Care and Childcare Tasks in Northern Uganda (NU)

Overview of CSJ Programme
Climate Smart Jobs (CSJ) is a 4-year programme funded by the UK's International Climate Fund. It consists of 3 major components, 1A being Market Systems Development, 1B-Climate Innovation funds and 1C-Ecosystems Services. The market systems development component of the programme aims to sustainably increase agricultural productivity levels and ultimately the incomes of smallholder farmers (particularly women, refugees, and host communities). CSJ understands that smallholder farmers are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change (particularly extreme weather events) and face numerous constraints, mitigating these effects is central to the program’s approach.

The CSJ's technical proposal and recent assessments identified several challenges that farmers face such as unpredictable and spatial distribution of rainfall, prolonged dry spells, high level of pests and disease infestations, floods, hailstorms etc. all of which are caused by the change in climate. To help smallholder farmers have greater access to reasonably priced, high-quality goods and services, CSJ will work with market players to strengthen the system through 9 work packages or streams: Soil restoration and Management, Climate Smart Inputs and Services, Post Harvest Handling and Aggregation at Small Holder Farmer Level, Linking Small Holder Farmers to Local, Regional and International Markets, Scaling Commercial Agent Model, Increasing Women’s Productivity and Performance through access to targeted products, services and business opportunities, Strengthening Agricultural Market Performance by Addressing Unequal Gender Norms, Innovations for refugees and refugee hosting communities, innovations for media. This ToR focuses specifically on , Increasing Women’s Productivity and Performance through access to targeted products and services that will help free their time through re-distribution of tasks in the household and reducing the time taken to perform certain tasks in their households.

Background
The productivity and performance of women in Northern Uganda are significantly hindered by the dual responsibilities they bear. Despite women assuming leading income-generating roles, entrenched patriarchal norms persist, obligating them with the primary responsibility of domestic care and childcare, with minimal involvement from men. This burden diminishes women's time availability and mobility, impeding their effective engagement in income-generating activities, both on and off the farm.

Objective of assignment
Undertake a consumer demand study on domestic and childcare products, looking at products related to cooking, cleaning, water collection, childcare and other relevant unpaid care tasks.

Scope of work
To identify the most time-intensive domestic care and childcare tasks negatively impacting women’s productivity. Specifically exploring time taken to move distances to access certain products and services as well as time taken to perform tasks at home. Explore the methodologies and practices employed in performing these tasks, considering cultural, environmental, and socioeconomic factors as needed.
Investigate potential products, technologies, or interventions to reduce time and effort required for identified domestic care and childcare tasks, including facilitating the redistribution of such tasks within the household, specifically from adult women to adult men.
Identify who in the market is selling these desired products that SHFs are interested in. Identify relevant products, as well as gaps in the market.

Perform small, controlled trial runs of these products to determine practical demand. Conduct consumer market tests of the domestic and childcare products. Understand demand based on different regions and target groups (Lango, Acholi, host, non-host and refugee women). Understand from potential consumers what are the products, technologies, or interventions to reduce time and effort required for identified domestic care and childcare tasks.
Write a report detailing what products CSJ should support last mile distribution for, and in what geographic location, and with what target groups.

Deliverables
A concise and comprehensive consumer report presenting a thorough analysis of identified time-intensive domestic care and childcare tasks and their multifaceted impact on women’s productivity, observation notes from the trial runs. Report should not exceed 20 pages. The report will include actionable recommendations for potential innovations and interventions for CSJ consideration.
A PowerPoint presentation summarising the above report.
An executive summary and pitch to encourage suitable businesses’ interest in partnering with CSJ, following the report approval.
Final report of not more than 20 pages
Final PowerPoint.

Expertise and experience
Minimum of 8 years relevant experience with educational background in business administration, marketing, or related field with a track record of conducting similar tasks including analysing market trends, consumer preferences and competitor landscapes.
Effective communication and analytical skills to present insights and recommendations from the market test.
Demonstrated experience in conducting market research, understanding of consumer behaviour especially in remote and rural areas.
Ability to identify product demand and preferences within the target demographics. Proven track record in designing and executing product testing methodologies.
In-depth knowledge of childcare and domestic care products and its distributors in the market, and ability to develop product placement strategies in different cultural and environmental contexts.
The consultant should have experience in evaluating and identifying domestic care tasks to identify areas with high drudgery and recommend products to alleviate the drudgery in childcare and household chores.

Level of effort
We expect the level of effort for this TOR to be approximately 20 days of time for a National Senior Expert. However, this LOE could be distributed amongst different levels of experience, approximating the value of the days of senior level expertise.

Submission instructions
Submit a technical proposal that is no longer than 2 pages and includes an overview of the consultant/organisation’s experience related to the TOR, and the makeup of the team. Also submit a 1-page budget. Proposals should be submitted electronically to info@csj.co.ug.