National Consultant – Baseline and endline surveys for shrimp aquaculture, rice and coffee sectors

Location: Vietnam (Ca Mau, Dong Thap and Dak Lak provinces)
Expected start date: Upon contract signing
Contract type: National consultancy
Application deadline: 15 July 2026

Background

Rikolto International (hereinafter “Rikolto”) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to transforming food systems to be more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Active in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, Rikolto collaborates with farmer organizations, businesses, governments, and civil society actors to co-develop actionable and scalable solutions that ensure access to affordable, nutritious food while strengthening local livelihoods and ecosystems.

In Vietnam, in collaboration with the Vietnam Sustainable Shrimp Alliance and Tay Nguyen University, Rikolto is implementing a project, namely “Driving Inter-Sector Circular Economy for Sustainable Shrimp, Rice and Coffee Farming in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta and Central Highlands,” funded by the European Union (EU), reference number: EuropeAid/183533/DD/ACT/VN. The project aligns with the EU’s Priority 1: to support micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in reducing the environmental impact, improving resource efficiency in their production, and adopting responsible and circular economy practices.

The Project’s overall objective is to contribute to developing a carbon-neutral, responsible and circular economy in Vietnam’s agriculture sector by empowering sustainable MSMEs. To achieve this, the Project has two specific and interconnected objectives. Specific objective 1 – to improve the participation of Non-State Actors (NSAs) in the decision-making process on gender-sensitive, responsible and circular economy practices in Vietnam’s agriculture sector. Specific objective 2 – to increase the adoption of circular economy practices by MSMEs in the shrimp, rice and coffee sectors, promoting interconnected resource efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and sustaining production across integrated supply chains in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands of Vietnam. 

The Project will work with four groups of key stakeholders as follows: (1) Private sector, including MSMEs/cooperatives and farmers engaged in shrimp aquaculture, coffee production and rice cultivation; (2) Business Development Service (BDS) providers, Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) and industry associations; (3) Public sector; (4) Academic institutions and NGOs.

The Project will deliver interventions through four key interlinked activity clusters, including: 

1. Promoting awareness and engagement of NSAs and relevant stakeholders in circular economy policies and practices;
2. Demonstrating circular economy practices in the aquaculture and horticulture commodity sectors through piloting and capacity building for MSMEs/cooperatives and producers; 
3. Dissemination and replicating knowledge on circular economy practices; 
4. Promoting an enabling environment and market access for circular economy practices and products in agriculture. 

Rikolto seeks consultant(s) to conduct a baseline survey (2026) and endline survey (2030), measure GHG emissions, carbon footprint, and waste management practices, and assess needs and gaps for promoting and scaling up circular economy practices among NSAs in the shrimp, rice, and coffee sectors in Ca Mau, Dong Thap, and Dak Lak provinces. 

Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a baseline survey (2026) and endline survey (2030), and to measure GHG emissions, carbon footprint, and waste management practices for intensive/super intensive shrimp aquaculture (Ca Mau), rice (Dong Thap) and coffee (Dak Lak). The assignment will provide a comprehensive overview of the three targeted sectors at both the start and end of the project, focusing on key indicators outlined in the project logframe, including production and circular economy practices, GHG emissions, waste management, gender integration, and access to finance and technology. The assessment will serve as evidence for monitoring and evaluation purposes and to identify and measure the impact of the project’s interventions.

Objectives of the assignment

Main objectives of the assignment are as follows:

1. To establish baseline and endline data and profiles of key agriculture commodities in Ca Mau (intensive/super intensive shrimp aquaculture), Dong Thap (rice) and Dak Lak (coffee), with a focus on circular economy practices, waste and waste management, GHG emissions, and carbon footprint;
2. To assess needs and gaps for promoting and scaling up circular economy practices among NSAs in the three target sectors and provinces;  
3. To identify and map out overall GHG emission hotspots and carbon footprint of the three target commodities and provinces at both the baseline and endline points of the project.

Scope of work and methodology

The consultant(s) will work in close coordination with Rikolto Vietnam staff and the project partners in Ca Mau, Dong Thap and Dak Lak across all stages of the assignment, including planning, fieldwork, analysis, and reporting. The assignment will adopt a mixed-methods approach, combining desk review, participatory research, and field-based data collection to ensure both analytical depth and contextual relevance. The assignment is comprised of two work packages:

Work Package 1 – Baseline survey:

• Quantify average waste volumes and waste management practices per production unit (MSME/cooperative and producer) in the shrimp, rice, and coffee sectors, disaggregated by waste type, treatment method, and sector;
• Measure baseline GHG emissions, CO₂ equivalent per unit of value added, and material footprint of shrimp, rice, and coffee production using appropriate tools, disaggregated by sector;
• Establish a baseline percentage of coffee, shrimp, and rice waste currently recycled or reused through circular models in the targeted provinces;
• Identify and map key NSAs engaged in the value chains of the three target sectors, and assess their current involvement in CE-related policy decision-making at local level;
• Identify good practices and gender-responsive approaches in circular economy development across the three target sectors, including key challenges, opportunities, and potentials;
• Conduct training needs assessments for NSAs on circular economy development, covering technology adoption, capacity building, awareness raising, and access to finance;
• Identify demand for multi-stakeholder platforms for knowledge sharing, learning, and promotion of circular economy practices across the three target sectors.

Work Package 2 – Endline survey:

• Quantify and compare average waste volumes and waste management practices per production unit (MSME/cooperative and producer) against baseline figures, disaggregated by waste type, treatment method, and sector;
• Measure and compare GHG emissions, CO₂ equivalent per unit of value added, and material footprint reduction of shrimp, rice, and coffee production against baseline figures, disaggregated by sector;
• Measure the endline percentage of coffee, shrimp, and rice waste recycled or reused through circular models in the targeted provinces, and assess changes against the baseline;
• Assess changes in the number and capacity of NSAs actively contributing to circular economy -related policy decision-making processes across the three target sectors;
• Document the number and quality of good practices, circular economy models, and gender-responsive approaches adopted in the three target sectors compared to baseline;
• Assess the extent to which NSAs have integrated circular economy and gender-responsive approaches into their operations.

Key tasks 

Desk review: Conduct a thorough review of national and sub-national sources, including policy documents, programme/project evaluations, academic literature, food system datasets, and sector reports, with a focus on production and circular economy practices. The review should highlight key challenges, opportunities, and potentials for promoting circular economy practices in the three target sectors and provinces.

Stakeholder and supply chain mapping: Identify and categorise relevant actors along the supply chains and at regional and national levels, including public authorities, farmer organisations, MSMEs/cooperatives, BDS providers, BMOs, CSOs, and market actors. Analyse their roles, interests, relationships, and influence on circular economy policy decision-making processes.

Fieldwork: Carry out field visits and/or remote engagements in Ca Mau, Dong Thap and Dak Lak for primary data collection. Methods include key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and direct observations involving farmers, processors, traders, local officials, and relevant stakeholders. 

Data analysis and synthesis: Analyse collected data to cover key sector indicators, including waste and by-product volumes and management practices, emission factors, energy and input material use, production scale, area, and yield, for calculating environmental emissions, material footprints, and impact measurements.

Validation and reporting: Present preliminary findings to key stakeholders, Rikolto and partners in a participatory session (virtual or in-person). Gather feedback to verify accuracy, test assumptions, and refine recommendations before finalising the reports. Produce reports for each work package in accordance with the deliverables specified in Section 5.

Deliverables and timeline

The consultancy will commence immediately after contract signing and must be completed by 31 December 2026 (phase 1 – work package 1) and 30 April 2030 (phase 2 – work package 2).

Work package 1: Baseline survey 

Deliverable	Description	Deadline
Inception report	Methodology, tools, work plan, and stakeholder engagement plan.	15/8/2026
Desk review	A concise synthesis of key findings from national and sub-national policies, datasets, literature, and existing food system assessments.	03/9/2026
Stakeholder and supply chain mapping	Overview of key supply chain actors and stakeholders for shrimp, rice, and coffee, including their roles and involvement in circular economy policy decision-making.	10/9/2026
Fieldwork summary	Summary of key insights gathered from field visits, interviews and focus group discussions.	15/10/2026
Draft baseline report	A full, structured draft covering GHG emission hotspots, waste management findings, NSA mapping, good practices, gender-responsive approaches, training needs, and recommendations.	15/11/2026
Validation meeting	Stakeholder presentation and feedback session.	25/11/2026
Final baseline report and dataset	Finalised and validated report in English with supporting annexes and a full dataset collected under the baseline survey.	15/12/2026

Work package 2: Endline survey 

Deliverable	Description	Deadline
Inception report	Methodology, tools, work plan, and stakeholder engagement plan.	15/1/2030
Fieldwork summary	Summary of key insights gathered from field visits, interviews, and focus group discussions.	15/2/2030
Draft report	A full, structured draft with findings, updated GHG emissions and carbon footprint, waste management changes, NSA capacity and policy engagement, adoption of circular economy and gender-responsive approaches, and recommendations for scaling.	28/2/2030
Validation meeting	Stakeholder presentation and feedback session.	15/3/2030
Final endline report and dataset	Finalised and validated report in English with supporting annexes and a full dataset collected under the endline survey.	15/4/2030

Qualifications and experience

Consultant(s) should demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:

• Have relevant academic qualifications at master’s level or above in environmental science, agriculture, food systems, rural development, public policy, or related fields; 
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in food system research, carbon footprint and GHG emissions measurement, circular economy, and policy analysis in Vietnam or the Southeast Asia region;
• Proven track record in conducting field-based, participatory research and engaging with multi-stakeholder processes, including smallholder farmers, MSMEs/cooperatives, local authorities, and civil society actors;
• Strong understanding of circular economy frameworks, GHG accounting methodologies, waste and by-product management, and environmental sustainability;
• Demonstrated experience in low-carbon agriculture, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), circular economy projects, preferably in the shrimp, rice and coffee sectors in Vietnam; 
• Familiarity with Vietnam’s policy frameworks relevant to circular economy and sustainable agriculture;
• Excellent analytical, synthesis, and academic writing skills in English; proficiency in Vietnamese is required for fieldwork and stakeholder engagement;
• Familiarity with Rikolto’s thematic priorities and strategic approach is a strong advantage.

Application procedure

Interested consulting organisations or teams should submit the following documents to Rikolto Vietnam by 15 July 2026:

• A technical proposal (max 5 pages) outlining the applicant’s understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, team composition (if applicable), and work plan;
• Curriculum Vitae (s) highlighting relevant academic qualifications and professional experience;
• Financial proposal specifying the daily consultancy rate (including tax) per team member and total cost for each package; 
• Evidence of relevant previous work, such as baseline/endline survey report, GHG emissions or carbon footprint study, circular economy assessment, and food system policy analysis.

Submissions should be sent to [email protected]. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further assessment.

Subject line: Application – Baseline and endline surveys for shrimp aquaculture, rice and coffee sectors