Consultant for Mid term Review of Food Security Governance(FSG) project

Oxfam in Nepal

Oxfam has been working in Nepal since the early 1980s undertaking various development initiatives addressing the poverty and injustice faced by women and other socially and economically excluded groups. The level of Oxfam's engagement increased substantially after restoration of democracy in 1990 as it became easier for civil society to work in the new political environment. Over the years, Oxfam has worked in partnership with local civil society organisations and the government to promote rural livelihoods, and vulnerable communities' resilience to climatic shocks and disasters. It has also significantly contributed to empowering community people, especially women, to; negotiate with people in power, influence decision making processes, claim rights and essential services to which they are entitled, demand accountability on the part of duty bearers and engage larger masses in advocacy efforts. Oxfam also worked closely with UNHCR in providing assistance to Bhutanese refugees during the 1990s. Oxfam and its long term programme partners believe that the underlying structural causes and drivers of poverty must be addressed if improvements in peoples's lives are to be broad and lasting. Poverty is not one-dimensional; nor is it purely local in its causes and solutions. Therefore, Oxfam's work addresses not only material and technical change, but also the related economic, social, institutional and policy changes which are necessary to end poverty and achieve development and wellbeing. The Oxfam Nepal Vision is: The people of Nepal are empowered and work together to attain a life of dignity with justice and equal rights for all. The Overall Nepal Programme Goal is: to improve the well being of vulnerable people through strengthening their participation in development and governance processes and reducing poverty and suffering.

Details / requirements:

Terms of Reference for

Mid term Review

Strengthening participation and influence of poor and vulnerable farmers and fisher folk in decision-making processes related to food security Project 

 

1. BACKGROUND

 European Union funded Food Security Governance (FSG) project is a regional level programme implemented by Oxfam in 3 countries of South Asia viz. Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan to enhance the capacity of poor and vulnerable farmers and fisher folks for their participation in decision making processes that effect their food security situation. This project envisions active participation of farmers and fisher folks in decision making roles for their problems and need to be addressed. Through this process, the right holders would become able to claim their rights and the duty bearers would be accountable towards them.

 

Oxfam Nepal has been implementing the project “Strengthening participation and influence of poor and vulnerable farmers and fisher folk in decision-making processes related to food security” (FSG) since January 2013. The project is being implemented by three partner NGOs viz. IDeS, SuDECC and WAM at 9 VDCs in 3 districts namely Dadeldhura, Dailekh and Surkhet respectively. As the project is half way through Oxfam is going to commission a mid-term review the progress of the project based on log frame indicators, to document the learning processes and recommend changes in approach for more  effective implementation of the project, hence this ToR.

 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 Overall objective: To increase the participation and influence of poor and vulnerable farmers and fishermen in decision making processes related to food security in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

Specific objective: To strengthen the capacities of poor and vulnerable women and men farmers and fishermen and their organisations, empowering them to network and hold Governments to account on their right to food security

 Expected results

 Result 1: Increased awareness and understanding among farmers of existing legislative and institutional arrangements concerning food security, and their right to participate in food security governance.

 Result 2: Women and men farmers organised in community and district level groups and networks with strengthened advocacy and monitoring capacities and linkages to district and national level advocacy networks.

 Result 3: Increased participation of women and men farmers’ groups and networks in decision-making processes advocating for favourable policy provisions for protection of their right to food.

 Result 4: Linkages between farmers’ and fishermen’s groups and networks at South Asia regional level strengthened and joint advocacy to operationalize SAARC food and seed banks for food security in the region.

  

3. The specific purposes of the mid-term review

§  Provide an independent assessment of the progress and performance of the project to date against targets.

§  Measure and report on achievements and early signs of change and impact with adequate focus on Knowledge Attitude and Practice.

§  Indicate adjustments and changes that need to be made to ensure success.

§  Analyse the cost effectiveness of the different approaches taken.

§  Review the programme’s risk analysis

 

4. PROJECT LOCATION

 Table 1: Targeted beneficiaries of working VDCs and Districts of the project

 

Target District & VDC 

 

# of Wards

# of HHs

# of Male

# of Female

Total Population

Dadeldhura District

27

3,999

11,478

9,989

21,467

Alital

9

650

1,815

1,573

3,388

Asigram

9

2,379

7,015

6,446

13,461

Manilekh

9

970

2,348

1,970

4,618

Dailekh District

27

2,781

9,319

9,301

18,620

Singaudi

9

1,020

2,782

2,738

5,520

LayetiBindraseni

9

1,200

3,606

3,432

7,038

Pipalkot

9

561

2,931

3,131

6,062

Surkhet District

27

3,824

9,027

10,098

19,125

Satakhani

9

1,906

4,355

4,896

9,251

Kalyan

9

1,271

2,892

3,415

6,307

Neta

9

747

1,780

1,787

3,567

Total

81

10,604

29,824

29,388

59,212

 

 

 

 

 

21,467

Source: CBS Nepal, Report of National Census 2068

 

4. SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant(s) will take overall responsibility of the midterm review and ensure that the project beneficiaries, project’s partner organizations, allies organizations and networks, government stakeholders are consulted and involved in the review process.This could include participation in the review planning; information gathering and analysing the data; analyzing review findings, drawing conclusions and recommendations and disseminating results.The Consultant(s) will conduct but not limit themselves to the following activities:

 

  •  Assess the effectiveness, timeliness and relevancy of the activities completed by the project till date.
  • Document and analyze the intended and unintended achievements made by the project align with the project’s log frame.
  • Assess the effectiveness of capacity building activities to the project beneficiaries organised by the project.
  • Assess changes in Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of the project beneficiaries (disaggregated by gender) on legislative and institutional issues, threats to food security compare to the baseline study.

·      Find out the number and level of women's representation and participation in village level decision making structures such as Ward Citizen Forums, Integrated Planning Committee of VDC council Community Forest Users Groups, agriculture cooperative, and Disaster Risk reduction committee and others as a result of project interventions.

  • Document views and opinions of the project stakeholders, particularly government line agencies and the project beneficiaries towards the project and its achievements.
  • Identify the gaps in project’s implementation and towards achieving the projects outputs and outcomes.

·         Recommendation on the processes to achieve the goal and/or modification on the log frame indicator (if any)

 

5. METHODOLOGY

The Consultant(s) may use a variety of methods, including collection and analysis of primary and secondary data, both quantitative and qualitative, to draw findings and conclusions. Data to be collected include gender disaggregated data of the project beneficiaries and KAP survey of the project beneficiaries on legislative and institutional arrangement concerning food security, threats to food security. The task also demands field visits and interactions with related stakeholders. Basically, the study will involve following approach to gather information and analysis (a guide and not limited to):

  • Review of the project proposal, log frame, baseline study reports and documentary as well as annual progress reports
  • Prepare and share the outline of the report and timeframe to conduct field visit
  • Prepare the list of completed activities and beneficiaries of those activities.

·      Development of appropriate tools and checklist suitable to both community and national level respondents for collection of data during the survey, and triangulation and analysis of the data.

  • Organize orientation sessions for the survey team members, especially the enumerators, to enable them to properly use appropriate tools and checklists for collecting information. Field visit to all three project district and VDCs.
  • Prepare the sample by using standard sampling technique.
  • Personal interviews with sample project beneficiaries (at least 80% women)
  • Organize focus group discussion (FGDs) with the project beneficiaries, separately with male and female beneficiaries.
  • Organize key informant survey with officials of local government bodies and related line agencies in project districts and VDCs and members of Right to Food network and other networks in the districts.
  • Compile and analyze the data and the findings from the survey
  • Share draft report and obtain comments/inputs and incorporate the same into final report
  • Sharing the final report to Oxfam and the project partners organisation in one day event
  • Production of final mid-term review report

 

6. OUTPUT

The Consultant(s) will submit a report after incorporating comments and feedback from implementing partners and Oxfam in Nepal. The report will not be more than 40 pages excluding annexes. The format of the report should be proposed by the consultant, which will be finalized by the consultant together with Oxfam team.

 §  A review plan.

§  A presentation of initial review findings/first draft for face to face discussion with the Oxfam team.

§  Full mid-term review report, approx 40 pages, of publishable quality

 

The report will include:

·        An executive summary, the method followed for evaluation, tools used to obtain different types of data, immediate achievements for each result (qualitative and quantitative), and the KAP specific findings on how much has been built in the baseline data (information)

·     Result wise achievements against the indicators set in the log frame (in table)

  • Recommendations and/or adjustments in the project log-frame or in the process of achieving project objectives
  • Case studies, testimonies and pictures/photos to support the analysis

 

7. TIME FRAME

The duration of the assignment will be of 165 person days, starting from August 2nd week and the final report would be submitted by the end of October. It includes an estimated 24 days of fieldwork.

    

 

S.N.

Key activities involve

Estimated Time  (person days)

Day related with budget

Remarks

      1.    

Submission of proposals by the consultant

 

 

To be submitted by 31stJuly, 2014

 

     2.     

Review of proposal, discussion and finalization

 

 

Oxfam GEM-W team will finalize the selection process by 8th  August,2014

 

     3.  

Review of documents (project proposal, log frame, annual report, baseline study doc and documentary)

5

3 days  for TL, 2 days for AR

 

Team members to closely work on it.

By third week of Aug 2014

 

 

     4.   

Prepare the list of completed activities

1

1 day for AR

     5.      

Prepare the checklist and questionnaires for each indicator and activities

10

5 days for  TL, 5 days for  AR

By 21st Aug 2014

     6.      

Orientation to enumerators and field testing

10

2 days for TL, 2 days  for AR, 2 days for  3 FSs

By 24th Aug 2014

     7.  

Field survey and consultation meetings in project VDCs

108

6 days for TL, 12 days for AR, 18 days for FS, 72 for FE

By 18th  Sep 2014

     8.    

Data entry & compilation of data

15

10 days for DO, 5 days for AR

By last of Sep 2014

    9.      

Analysis and production of final report draft

10

6 days for TL, 4 days for AR

By 15 Oct 2014

    10.

Sharing of the final report with Oxfam and partner (in a day event)

1

1 day for TL

     11. 

Incorporation of the comments from Oxfam and partner organisations and finalisation of the report.

5

3 days for TL, 2 days for AR

By 28 Oct 2014

 

TOTAL   (man days)

165

 

 

 

Total days for Team leader ( TL)

 

26 days

 

 

Total days for Assistant researcher ( AR)

 

33 days

 

 

Total days for Field supervisor

 

24 days

3 persons for 8 days 

 

Total days for Data operator ( DO)

 

10 days

 

 

Field enumerators ( FE)

1*8*9

72 days

1 person for 8 days in 9 VDC

 

Total days

 

165

 

 

 

8. PROPOSAL FROM CONSULTANT(S)

The Consultant(s) will submit a brief technical and financial proposal to Oxfam. The technical proposal should include methodology, work and process plan and an updated CV of the proposed Consultant(s).

 

The technical proposal will be scrutinized based on the following criteria:

§  Adequate grasp of concepts and issues related to the project

§  Soundness of methodology

§  Past experience from similar assignment

 

9. PAYMENT PROCEDURE

·         Payment will be released after submitting outcomes as described in article 6 above. Government of Nepal's tax regulation will apply and tax will be deducted at source.

 

10.  TEAM COMPOSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

The survey team will include one Team Leader, one statistician and maximum of three field supervisors—one each for three districts. Oxfam and partner organisations staffs will be mobilised for the coordination support as necessary.

 

Responsibilities of the consultant:

  • Share the overall study design including process, methods and questionnaires with project team in Oxfam, collect feedback and finalize the study design
  • Ensure the adequate methodology so as to produce a valid document.

·         Finalize survey tools and methodology, questionnaire etc.

·         Coordinate/arrange to orient survey team on survey methods and survey tools

·         Mobilize team for supervising data collection, data tabulation and coding process

  • Ensure the quality of information collected from fields, cross check with the validity of information collected and verify/revise where needed

·         Collect other necessary information, synthesize/analyze data

·         Prepare and present draft review report with district-disaggregated results

·         Finalize and submit the final report as per the requirements of Oxfam after incorporating the suggestion and feedback of the project team

 

 

11.  QUALIFICATION/SKILLS REQUIRED

  • Proven experience of leading review studies, analytical skill and high quality report writing
  • Proven experience ofconducting community level research and data gathering using participatory technique
  • Good understanding and knowledge of agricultural, livelihood, food security and small holder farmer’s rights in Nepal. 
  • Sound knowledge of existing legislative and institutional arrangements and service/subsidies/insurance regarding food security and agriculture services.
  • Good knowledge of local/national level NGOs, social movements and the role of civil society in realization of right to food
  • Good verbal and written skills in English and Nepali
  • Good understanding of gender and social inclusion
  • Good facilitation skills at the community level
  • Skills to interact with government and civil society stakeholders.
  • PAN and VAT registration certificate

 

12.  Confidentiality

During the performance of the assignment or at any time after expiry or termination of this Agreement, the Consultant shall not disclose to any person or otherwise make use of any confidential information which s/he has obtained or may in the course of this agreement relating to partner organization/Oxfam, the respondents or otherwise.

 

13.  Copyright

Copyright of the documents produced by the Consultant under this agreement belongs to Oxfam.

 

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Please send your proposal to recruitment_nepal@oxfam.org.uk mentioning the assignment title in the subject line or via G.P.O. Box 2500, Kathmandu by July 31, 2014 

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Overview

Category Development and Project
Openings 1
Experience Please check details below.
Education Please check details below.
Posted Date 22 Jul, 2014
Apply Before 31 Jul, 2014
City Kathmandu