Request For Proposal For an SMS Based Weather Forcast and Farming Extension Servics Delivery at Nuru Nigeria

Background:
Nuru Nigeria is a local Nigerian NGO with affiliates in the US, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Our mission is to build resilience corridors of strong, locally owned farmer cooperatives driving profitable livelihoods in vulnerable communities of the Northeast. Nuru Nigeria prioritizes the smallholder farmers it serves and works to cultivate lasting meaningful choices through community-led, community-driven
and community-sustained livelihood projects across the agriculture value chain.
Most small-scale farms in Africa including North eastern Nigeria are rain-fed; in other words, the farmers have no access to irrigation, and the water available for crop growth is determined by natural rainfall patterns. This means that these farmers’ yields are highly dependent on local weather conditions. Knowledge about current and upcoming weather is thus crucial for successful
farm management. Small-scale farmers usually receive their weather forecasts via radio or television. This information is currently provided for large areas or provinces and is not location-
specific. Farmers often complain that forecasts are too regional and, partly for that reason, unreliable. Climate change poses even more challenges. The impact of climate change on
agriculture can already be seen today.
Africa is experiencing significant increases in temperature, while rainfall patterns are highly variable and are influenced by various large-scale processes. As further climate change is expected over the coming decades, the associated risks of extreme weather will increase. This, in turn, will inevitably impact on agricultural production.
Farmers often complain that their traditional ways of managing their farms no longer work because rainfall patterns of the past have been disrupted or changed. Whereas sowing could previously start
in early June, farmers now find their seeds germinating poorly due to delayed rains. Whether the cause of these delays is deforestation, climate change or natural climate variability is of no
importance to the farmer. The fact is that the resultant waste of energy and inputs could be avoided, particularly if farmers had more information about local weather and forecasts.
Objective:
In addition to forecasts, knowledge on fields’ current status and the weather in the upcoming season is highly valuable to small-scale farmers. Seasonal weather forecasts can be of added value for the
agricultural sector, providing they are sufficiently reliable. Based on seasonal outlooks, farmers can decide to use a drought-resistant crop in dry seasons, or a short-cycle crop when rains are delayed.
Forecasting the weather on seasonal timescales is more sensitive to uncertainties than forecasting for the next few days. One of the reasons for this is that seasonal patterns depend on the status of
the global climate system, including the oceans. As these processes are slow and depend on very large-scale connections, they are more difficult to model. Seasonal forecasts are more reliable in
tropical regions than in the mid-latitudes. As models are improving, we expect an increase in seasonal forecasting information and services benefiting the agricultural sector. However, the
benefits for small-scale farmers may be limited. The first problem is that seasonal forecasts are often impossible to summarize in a single, unambiguous message. Estimating the usefulness of a
seasonal forecast requires expert knowledge about the forecasting uncertainties, and more advanced communication methods than a simple text message. The second problem is that the risks
for small-scale farmers of following an incorrect forecast are relatively high. Caution is therefore needed to ensure farmers do not make crucial decisions based on incorrect seasonal forecasts.
Nuru Nigeria is seeking for proposals from organizations/firm to provide services in targeted weather forecasting and digital agricultural extension for rural, smallholder farmers in northern
Adamawa state in Nigeria for the 2022 cropping season – specifically Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Scope of Work:
The provided services will ensure SMS-delivered support to approximately 2,000 farmers. Information services should include daily and weekly weather forecasting and tailored extension
information regarding agricultural best practice recommendations at critical points in the cropping season, such as short-term weather forecast-informed planting date recommendations,
recommendations on timing of fertilizer application, weeding, etc.
Nuru Nigeria will provide mobile phone data for the provision of said services, with consent of the users. The provider shall follow all applicable laws and best practices related to data privacy of users,
and how the provider intends to protect user privacy should be included in submitted proposals.
Services will be expected to commence by March 1, 2022, and shall conclude at the end of December 31, 2022. With Possibility of extension depending of the service performance.
Expected Output:
SMS-based weather forecast and agric extension and advisory delivered to 2,000 smallholder farmers within the months of March – December 2022