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Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security Resilience of Disadvantaged Population Groups in Mugu and Bajura Districts (SAMPURNA)

End line Study – Terms of reference

Welthungerhilfe, 12 January 2022

INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT

Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V. is one of the largest Non-Governmental Organizations in Germany operating in the field of Humanitarian Assistance and Development. It was established in 1962, as the German section of the “Freedom from Hunger Campaign”, one of the world’s first initiatives aimed at the eradication of hunger. Welthungerhilfe’s work is still dedicated to the following vision: all people have the right to a self-determined life in dignity and justice, free from hunger and poverty.

Welthungerhilfe (WHH) has been operational in Nepal since 2012, and currently managing different projects in nine districts under four thematic areas (sectors): food and nutrition security, WASH and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR); and right to food and empowerment. WHH works hand in hand with civil society in Nepal to empower socially marginalized and economically poor citizens to reinforce their resilience and to ensure their right to adequate food and nutrition.

The project entitled “Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security Resilience of Disadvantaged Population Groups in Mugu and Bajura Districts” (herein, SAMPURNA) is implemented in Nepal by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) in partnership with two local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): PeaceWin in Bajura district (3,000 beneficiary households) and Reconstruction and Research Development Centre (RRDC) in Mugu district (2,000 beneficiary households). The project directly benefits 5,000 households (3,000 in Bajura and 2,000 in Mugu, for a total of 27,503 individuals) by improving their food and nutrition security situation through integrated farming, agriculture market development, good governance, and nutrition behaviour change. The project targets the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in the project region, including socio-economically vulnerable population groups such as Dalit and small-holder farmers. The project further works with local government institutions, lead farmers, female community health volunteers (FCHV), local resource persons (LRPs), agriculture extension workers, agriculture producer groups, and forward/backward market actors (such as agro-vets, traders, and processors) to strengthen the overall food and nutrition security situation in the target area.

END-LINE STUDY OBJECTIVES

The study will focus on the collection and analysis of end-line data for a set of indicators outlined in the log-frame, assessing the status of progress and achievement against baseline values of project indicators and targets. In addition, the study will:

• assess the achievement and impact of the intervention in developing resiliency of livelihood of marginalized and excluded beneficiary.
• assess the achievement and impact of the interventions in sustaining the nutritional security of the right holders.

Project impact:

Strengthened resilience of disadvantaged population groups in Mugu and Bajura districts, Western Nepal.

Project Objective (Outcome): 

Food and nutrition security has demonstrably improved in the project area, the target group is strengthened to participate in local planning processes, as well as to claim a transparent and accountable provision of basic services and their rights from the newly established local government structures.

Target indicators: 

• The Minimum Dietary Diversity Score for Women (MDDW) in the project area has increased by 2 score points at End of Project (EoP) (with reference to baseline MDDW).
• 60% of citizens have better access to and improved quality of government services until the end of the project (verified by bottom-up accountability mechanisms).
• At least 70 % of the target group know their rights to food and information by the end of the project. Target households know about state services at the local level.

Results 1: Improved services provided by the newly elected local government structures (state authorities, including line ministry service providers) in Mugu and Bajura as well as evidence-based advocacy work at all levels of the government on the human right to food and information.

Target indicators:

• The newly elected local government (including health and agricultural services) will comply with government standards regarding access and quality (confirmed by the corresponding community score cards) (up to EoP).
• At least 70% of the governmental structures (RM/MC & Ward) have established annual participatory local development plans (3 on RM/MC and 28 on Ward level) at the end of the project.
• Civil society monitoring systems to improve government services and accountability have been introduced in at least 75% of the project region after the second year.
• 75% of 10 CSO groups/networks have reached the intermediate level after the POCAP (Participatory Organizational Capacity Assessment) test programme (until the end of the project).

Results 2: Improved agricultural production and income opportunities for smallholder farmers in target area.

Target indicators: 

• 40% HHs income increased by 20% by EoP.
• 70% farmers increase agricultural production by at least 20% by EoP (3500 HHs).
• 70% of the 5000 target households have improved their access to food by at least 2 months (3500 HH) (Months of Adequate Household Food Provisioning (MAHFP).

Results 3: Knowledge about nutritional aspects in target area is increased, diets diversified and home gardening at household level improved.

Target indicators: 

• By EoP 70% of the direct target population have basic knowledge in the area of healthy nutrition and hygiene.
• The food diversity of the target group rose by an average of 20% in the household’s Food Consumption Score (FCS) by EoP.

Key Activities

Governance

• Empowering citizens and strengthening community groups and local governments
• Participatory annual planning & budgeting at Ward and Rural/ Municipality level
• Information campaigns (right to food, right to information)
• Social accountability

Agriculture

• Capacity building of Local Resource Persons (LRPs) and development/establishment of integrated multi-purpose nurseries
• Promotion of Agro-Vet development: mobile and static shops
• Promotion of integrated farming practices
• Development of collection points, entrepreneurial capacity building, processing and post-harvest management (Value addition)
• Digital agricultural services and market access

Nutrition

• Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) for nutrition, agriculture, natural resource management and water, hygiene and sanitation.
• Promoting appropriate breastfeeding practices: early initiation, exclusive and continuous breastfeeding
• Nutrition awareness raising through training and mobilization of FCHVs (Female Community Health Workers)
• Provide training, follow-up, and input on kitchen gardening.

SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The scope of the assignment is to carry out the end-line data collection and evaluate the overall results and achievements at the end of the implementation period.  The benchmark of comparison will be the baseline of the project carried out earlier. The comparison should be done against each indicator of the baseline findings and the log-frame. The endline study will cover two palikas in Bajura district (Himali rural municipality and Budinanda municipality) and one palika in Mugu district (Khatyad rural municipality). The project targets 5,000 households directly in total through different components; among them, the total target households for Sustainable Integrated Farming System (SIFS) component are 4,500 and for Linking Agriculture and Natural Resources towards Nutrition Security (LANN+) component are 990, and 1,000 families are targeted with kitchen gardening activities. Based on this, the consultant/ consulting firm should apply sample size calculation considering 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error as per Welthungerhilfe’s sampling framework.

ENDLINE DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Together with its implementing partners, Welthungerhilfe shall steer and oversee the overall implementation of the study. The assignment will provide quantitative and qualitative data through the following methodology:

a) Preparatory phase 

The preparatory phase includes;

• Start-up meeting amongst the study team and WHH Nepal staff, PeaceWin and RRDC Nepal;
• Desk review of documents like project document and periodic progress reports;
• Identification of sampling strategy including sample size;
• Design and finalization of questionnaires, qualitative tools, field work plan and methodology
• Meeting with the WHH, Peace Win Nepal and  RRDC to finalize the study framework and tools.
• Submission of inception report and finalized study tools.

b) Fieldwork

The fieldwork includes the collection of relevant quantitative data for the log-frame indicators and any relevant primary data from different sources using tools and techniques as agreed during the preparatory phase. The team will visit project areas:

• To observe project sites.
• To carry out household survey and focused group discussions with beneficiary groups.
• To interact with key stakeholders within the methodology developed above (KII, in-depth interviews, etc).

c) Data analysis and write-up

The end-line assessment team will compile and consolidate relevant primary and secondary information/data (qualitative and quantitative) and draft the report of the end-line as follows:

• Carry out data analysis in line with the project log-frame.
• Share the findings to project staff and management. The consultant/consulting firm will present the preliminary findings during a meeting with WHH/PeaceWin/RRDC Nepal team.
• Prepare the draft report as per the agreed reporting structure.
• Share the draft report for comments.
• Address the comments/suggestions from project team and produce final report.

Please note that the consultant/consulting firm should adhere to WHH SOPs for development project in context of COVID-19 and government protocols regarding COVID-19 prevention.

DELIVERABLES 

The consultant/consulting firm shall submit the following deliverables:

• Inception report with methodology and tools finalized in consultation with WHH/PeaceWin/RRDC Nepal team
• Draft end-line study report based on the findings of the comprehensive field work. The project team will review the draft reports and the consultant/consulting firm shall incorporate the inputs in the final report.
• End-line report incorporating all inputs. The assignment will only be close once the end-line report is formally accepted by Welthungerhilfe.

TIME FRAME / SCHEDULE

The End-line has to be completed and the first draft report has to be submitted within 30 days of signing of the contract. The final report needs to be submitted within fifteen days of inputs received in the draft report

EXPERTISE OF THE CONSULTANT/CONSULTING FIRM

The end-line team will be leaded by a senior professional with specific expertise and more than seven-year working experience in research, preferably in livelihood, governance, agriculture and nutrition. The study team should include members with expertise in socio-economic survey, nutrition and other social research, with relevant previous experience in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and end-line surveys.

The consultant/consulting firm are required to have the following expertise and qualifications:

• The team leader must have at least Master’s degree in development studies or equivalent degree.
• The team leader must have knowledge of end-line study methods and techniques, including a thorough understanding of data collection, methodologies and design, and strong qualitative and quantitative research skills, with +7 years of working experience in development project monitoring, baseline/endline study, evaluations.
• The team leader must have prior work experience with or working for international development organizations and familiarity with development and humanitarian programmes/issues.
• The team should include experts with knowledge and experience in agriculture, sustainable food security, nutrition and governance.
• The composition of the team of experts should be balanced to enable complete coverage of the different aspects of consultancy as set out in these terms of reference.
• The consultant(s)/consulting firm must have good command in both writing and speaking in English languages.

TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL OFFER

Applicants must provide technical and financial offers, including:

• Technical offer including a brief description of the overall design, methodology of the end-line, target population, tool, etc. The technical offer cannot exceed 10 pages and must comply with the Term of Reference.
• Detailed workplan/timetable
• Financial offer detailing the proposed budget for the end-line study. It should state the fees per working day (plus the respective Tax/VAT, if applicable), the number of working days proposed and any other costs.
• CVs of team leader and team members.
• Legal documents (registration & tax clearance in case of consulting firm and PAN/Vat registration card for individual).

Following are the key consideration while preparing the budget:

• All insurances are the responsibility of the evaluator(s).
• Soft copies of relevant documents will be provided by Welthungerhilfe.
• Welthungerhilfe staff will facilitate community entry.
• The budget should include all costs (i.e., anything needed to accomplish the assignment including, for example, refreshment and transportation costs for participants at FGDs if deemed necessary).

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSAL

The interested and qualified consultant(s)/ consulting firm must submit their technical and financial proposal, including Supplier Declaration form (link given below), legal documents (registration & tax clearance in case of consulting firm and PAN/ Vat registration card for individual) and CVs of key personals by 17:00 hours (COB) dated 25 January 2022 via email address [email protected] with subject line: SAMPURNA end-line study.  Applicants are also invited to submit example/s of end-line report/s already prepared in the past. Application received with incomplete documents and later than above date will be disqualified.

Please go through the link below to download the Supplier Declaration form:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18UMaELYzM7fsywOJvNlGmTxfaduuyoHy/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106755148129806025610&rtpof=true&sd=true

Please note that the selected consultant(s)/consulting firm should adhere with WHH SOPs for development project in context of COVID-19 and government protocols regarding COVID-19 prevention. The field plan may differ considering the current COVID-19 scenario.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for further evaluation process. Welthungerhilfe Nepal reserves all the rights to reject any or all application without providing any reasons.