RFPs: Green Value Chain Study on Bamboo, Pottery and Safe Farming (Nepal)

Deadline: 08-Jun-2026

UNDP Nepal and Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City (DSMC) are inviting proposals to conduct a multi-product value chain study focused on inclusive green growth and circular economy opportunities in Nepal. The study covers bamboo products, banana fiber products, pottery and clay products, safe farming produce, and glass waste recovery.

The purpose is to identify practical ways to transform local resources and waste streams into sustainable livelihoods, green enterprises, and market-ready products. The work builds on UNDP Nepal’s Green Transition Portfolio and DSMC’s ongoing efforts to promote resilience, sustainability, and circular systems.

Key facts

• Funder/Client: UNDP Nepal in partnership with DSMC.

• Location: Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City, Nepal.

• Assignment type: Technical and financial proposal for a value chain study.

• Focus areas: bamboo, banana fiber, pottery/clay, safe farming produce, and glass waste recovery.

• Main goals: green jobs, circular economy, waste transformation, sustainable livelihoods, youth and women empowerment, and local enterprise development.

• Implementation context: UNDP Nepal has worked in Nepal since 1963 and has supported DSMC green transition work since April 2025.

What the study is about

The assignment is designed to map how each selected sector works from raw material availability to production, market access, and consumption. It also examines where value can be added, what constraints limit growth, and what investments or policy changes could unlock better outcomes.

The study is not just about production. It is about connecting environment, livelihoods, enterprise development, and local economic resilience into one practical framework.

Study areas

Bamboo products

The bamboo value chain study will examine cultivation, harvesting, processing, marketing, and end use. It will also assess product competitiveness, eco-certification opportunities, market demand, investment needs, and policy support.

Banana fiber products

This component will review banana waste availability, fiber extraction systems, processing technologies, and business opportunities. Potential products include textiles, handicrafts, ropes, composites, and eco-friendly packaging materials.

Pottery and clay products

This study will identify opportunities to replace single-use plastic items with clay alternatives such as cups, plates, bowls, containers, and decorative goods. It will also assess consumer demand, production capacity, infrastructure gaps, and commercialization pathways.

Safe farming produce

This part will explore safe and sustainable farming practices as a livelihood pathway. It may include training opportunities, production systems, market linkages, and ways to support regenerative agriculture and risk reduction.

Glass waste recovery

The assignment will assess glass waste generation, collection, disposal, and recycling in DSMC. It will look for feasible recovery models and evaluate their environmental and economic benefits.

Why it matters

The project addresses two urgent needs at once: environmental management and livelihood creation. Dhangadhi already has a Material Recovery Facility for plastic waste, and this assignment expands the circular economy lens to other underused or problematic materials.

It also supports local enterprise development, especially for women, youth, and marginalized groups. That makes it relevant not only to waste management, but also to inclusive economic transformation.

What UNDP and DSMC likely want

A strong proposal should show:

• Understanding of local context in Dhangadhi.

• Expertise in value chain analysis, enterprise development, or green economy work.

• Ability to study both technical and market-side issues.

• Practical recommendations that can be implemented.

• Strong attention to inclusion, sustainability, and local institutional capacity.

• Experience with circular economy, environmental systems, or livelihood programming.

What the study should cover

A good study would typically include:

• Supply mapping and resource availability.

• Stakeholder mapping.

• Market demand analysis.

• Production and processing review.

• Cost, value addition, and profitability analysis.

• Infrastructure and policy gap analysis.

• Gender, youth, and inclusion assessment.

• Training and capacity-building opportunities.

• Investment recommendations.

• Implementation roadmap.

Suggested approach

1. Define each value chain clearly.

   • Separate the five study areas while showing how they connect to circular economy goals.

2. Collect field and market data.

   • Use interviews, site visits, producer surveys, and market scans.

3. Assess constraints and opportunities.

   • Identify bottlenecks in raw material supply, skills, finance, technology, logistics, and policy.

4. Evaluate livelihoods and inclusion.

   • Examine how women, youth, cooperatives, and marginalized groups can participate.

5. Recommend interventions.

   • Include training, pilot production, partnerships, financing models, and policy actions.

6. Present an implementation roadmap.

   • Show what DSMC and partners can do next.

Why these sectors matter together

Bamboo, banana fiber, pottery, and safe farming all offer biodegradable or low-impact alternatives to high-waste or resource-intensive products. Glass waste recovery adds another circular economy pathway by turning waste into value rather than disposal costs.

Taken together, these sectors can reduce reliance on single-use plastics and timber products, support local manufacturing, and create green employment. That is the larger development logic behind the assignment.

Common mistakes and tips

• Mistake: Treating the sectors as unrelated.

  • Tip: Show the shared circular economy strategy connecting them.

• Mistake: Focusing only on production.

  • Tip: Include markets, demand, pricing, and commercialization.

• Mistake: Ignoring inclusion.

  • Tip: Explicitly show how women, youth, and marginalized groups will benefit.

• Mistake: Offering vague recommendations.

  • Tip: Make them actionable, budget-aware, and linked to institutions.

• Mistake: Underestimating policy and infrastructure issues.

  • Tip: Address regulation, certification, logistics, and local support systems.

FAQ

1. What is UNDP Nepal looking for?

   • Technical and financial proposals to conduct a value chain study in Dhangadhi on bamboo, banana fiber, pottery/clay, safe farming produce, and glass waste recovery.

2. Why is this study important?

   • It supports green jobs, circular economy development, waste transformation, and sustainable livelihoods.

3. Which sectors are included?

   • Bamboo products, banana fiber products, pottery/clay products, safe farming produce, and glass waste recovery.

4. Who can apply?

   • Interested institutions, NGOs, firms, and private companies with relevant expertise.

5. What should the study analyze?

   • Resource availability, market demand, stakeholder participation, investment opportunities, policy frameworks, and value-addition pathways.

6. Who should benefit from the study?

   • Local enterprises, cooperatives, women, youth, marginalized groups, and the wider DSMC community.

7. What is the broader aim?

   • To strengthen local economies and promote environmentally responsible production and consumption systems.

Conclusion

This UNDP Nepal assignment is a practical green-transition opportunity focused on turning local materials and waste streams into viable livelihoods and enterprise pathways. The strongest proposals will combine value chain expertise, market analysis, inclusion strategies, and clear recommendations that DSMC can act on.

For more information, visit UNDP.