Tenders are invited for Feasibility Study for Climate-Smart Investment in Production and Logistics of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Uganda ABOUT GGGI: The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) was established as an intergovernmental organization with the objective of promoting a model of economic growth known as green growth. The green growth model integrates economic growth, environmental sustainability, poverty reduction, and social inclusion. GGGI envisions a resilient world achieved through strong, inclusive, and sustainable green growth and is dedicated to supporting its member countries in transitioning toward this model. To achieve these goals, GGGI designs and delivers programs and services that enable new pathways for pro-poor economic growth. GGGI supports stakeholders through two complementary and integrated workstreams Green Growth Planning & Implementation and Investment & Policy Solutions which deliver comprehensive products and services designed to assist in developing, financing, and mainstreaming green growth in national economic development plans. Headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea, GGGI also has representation in several partner countries. While currently recognized as a trusted government advisor, GGGI is also expanding its role as a trusted project implementation partner. This involves greater engagement in helping members achieve project implementation goals. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND: Agriculture contributes 25% of national GDP and employs 70% of the population. The sector provides great avenues for economic growth and economic inclusion, particularly from women and youth. Women make up 55% of the economically active population, contribute more than 75% of the total farm labor and over 90% to farm-level primary processing operations. Almost half (45%) of the small holder farming households are under the age of 40 About 7 million households in Uganda cultivated land or reared livestock in 2019. The average holdings size of the agricultural household was 1.3 ha. However, 67% of the agricultural households had holdings of less than 1 ha and only 13% had more than 2 ha, emphasizing the small-scale nature of Ugandas agriculture, and hence the limitations and challenges that go along with it. Uganda is the second biggest producer of fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) in Sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria. Yet it lags behind Kenya and Tanzania in terms of exports (USD 1.5 Bn and 1.2 Bn p.a respectively). In terms of foreign exchange, horticulture is one of the top five export earners for Uganda even though the country only exports 20% of total production. These export flows are crucial for rural employment and economic development and it is critical that key challenges facing the sector be addressed so that the country can effectively respond to the Presidential target of USD 1bn by the year 2030. Satellite Centers of Excellence The private sector apex association for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (FFV) in Uganda, together with its partners, are establishing a $5 million Centre of Excellence at the Entebbe Airport Free Zone. This flagship facility, strategically located at Ugandas key export exit point, will provide the cold chain infrastructure required to access high-end global markets. However, while this exit facility is critical, it alone cannot unlock Ugandas full export potential. To maximize its utility, Uganda must invest in different regional satellite packhousesfacilities that currently do not exist. Government of Uganda (GoU) proposes to build regional packhouses closer to farmers designed as common user facilities to achieve economies of scale across different regions. Designed with clean cooling technologies, these facilities will function reliably even in off-grid or environmentally sensitive areas, aligning with global climate-smart standards. Clean cooling not only supports Ugandas sustainability commitments but also improves produce quality, reduces post-harvest losses, and extends shelf-life. Furthermore, these packhouses will support on-site self-monitoring, inspection, and traceabilityessential prerequisites for compliance with high-value certification schemes like Fairtrade. Such schemes guarantee premium market access, which in turn justifies premium investments in safe agrochemical use and other climate-smart production practices. When these regional packhouses are integrated with the national central packhouse at Entebbe gazette by the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotion Authority (UFZEPA), facilities will complete the cold chain custody necessary for high-value exports. The apex association will run these packhouses on a service fee model, ensuring financial sustainability while allowing farmers and exporters to realize greater value from each shipment. These regional centers will feed directly into the exit facility at Entebbe forming a complete, integrated cold chain system from farm to export. The logistics between farms, satellite centers, and the Entebbe hub will all rely on clean cooling solutions. This end-to-end infrastructure will not only preserve freshness but will also lower the carbon footprint across the entire FFV value chain. Each regional packhouse is projected to generate over $40 million in export revenue within five years, while also catalyzing climate-smart investment in both production and logistics. However, despite their promise, the full impact on the value chain and the conditions under which these centers thrive remain under-studied. Without this evidence, it is difficult to attract sustained private or public investment at scale. To move forward, Uganda must quantify these impacts and identify the enabling conditions that will make these investments bankable, scalable, and sustainable. Doing so will strengthen the business case for a climate-smart, high-value horticulture export sector, anchored in efficiency, quality, and global competitiveness. Objective of the project and objective of the assignment The project objective is to assess the feasibility of climate-smart investments in production and logistics of fresh fruits and vegetables in Uganda, aiming to enhance the countrys agricultural sector resilience to climate change, improve productivity, and increase exports. To move forward, Uganda must quantify these impacts and identify the enabling conditions that will make these investments bankable, scalable, and sustainable. This consultancy aims to carry out a thorough feasibility study that assesses the technical, economic, financial, operational, and environmental viability of climate-smart investments in Ugandas fresh produce sector. Tender Link : https://www.developmentaid.org/#!/tenders/search
