Organization:
MADERACountry: Afghanistan
Closing date:
19 Aug 2013Terms of Reference
- PRESENTATION
Mission d’Aide au Développement des Economies Rurales - Afghanistan (MADERA) is a French non-profit, nongovernmental organization, funded in 1988, which operates only in Afghanistan. Its actions are oriented towards empowering rural communities by building their capacities and supporting their initiatives, with the aim of giving them greater control over their own development.
MADERA is mainly a field organization with long in-country experience, exclusive access to some areas and enduring relations with local communities. It implements both short-term emergency humanitarian aid and longer-term development projects, in collaboration with rural populations.
- BACKGROUND
MADERA has been present in Wardak province since 1998 and has been implementing a two-track strategy focused on the longer-term development of livelihoods and incomes generation through implementing specialized technical activities: introduction of improved and adapted varieties of vegetables and fruit trees; provision of good practices training in animal husbandry, agriculture and arboriculture.
Purpose: These final evaluations are scheduled in the project proposals signed between MADERA and a) the EU delegation and b) the Agence Française de Développement. By the contractual end of the implementation of a project, it is a requirement to conduct a third-party end of project evaluation in order to assess the achievements of the project against the specific objectives, results and outcomes and to document lessons learnt, best practices and the gaps.
Accordingly, these Terms of Reference are intended to establish the framework of the final external evaluations of 2 projects with similar technical characteristics, implemented in 2 districts of the same province.
• "LRRD Strengthening Food Security and Recovery of the Livestock sector in Wardak Province” funded by the European Commission.
• "Appui au développement rural dans les districts de Behsud I & II, Province du Wardak " funded by Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Respectively started in July 2010 and May 2010, they are due to end by July 2013 and October 2013. Both were planned in recognition of the need to provide support to the development of livestock production and agriculture productivity, so as to facilitate rural development and contribute to the overall socio-economic recovery in Afghanistan.
These evaluations will enable the contracting agencies (EU, AFD) and the implementing partner (MADERA) to know whether good practices in development programming were applied and guided the project cycle management.3. OBJECTS OF THE EVALUATIONS
Project title 1 LRRD Strengthening food security and recovery of the livestock sector.Location Wardak province, AfghanistanFunded by European Community Total duration 36 months + extensions
Overall objective To improve food security in Hessa-e-Awal Behsud and Markaz-e-Behsud districts of Wardak
Specific objective To recover the livestock sector and to increase food production and sources of income.
Expected resultsER1: Livestock production and management have been strengthened.ER2: Farming practices have improved and the capacity to increase yields has increased. ER3: Transport to and within the districts has improved.ER4: Women have more opportunities for income generation.ER5: Rangelands are being regenerated and protected.
Project title 2 Appui au développement rural en districts de Behsud I & IILocation Wardak province, AfghanistanFunded by Agence Française de DevelopmentTotal duration 33 months + extensions
Overall objective To contribute to reduce poverty within the rural population of Wardak Province
Specific objective To improve the food security of vulnerable groups in the districts of Behsud 1 & 2
Expected resultsRA1 : The nutrition patterns of the target population have diversifiedRA2 : The management methods of cattle herds sustainably improved RA3 : Pastures areas have been regenerated and protected
- THE CONSULTANCY ASSIGNMENT a. Key Evaluation QuestionsThe specific review questions and relevant evaluation instruments will be determined during the contract negotiation phase between the Consultant and the client (MADERA). However, broadly - the following questions shall guide the inquiry under the different aspects of the analytical framework.
Project design and coherence: • Was the project designed and made aligned to its goals and mandate? • Was the project design based on any poverty and political power structure vulnerability assessment done by MADERA? • Did MADERA conduct a gender analysis and inequality assessment before or during the implementation of the project? • Has the project team planed the most appropriate strategies? • Did stakeholders cared about the project and believed it made sense?• Were the planned programme outputs and results relevant and realistic for the situation on the ground? To what extent did each project responded to priority issues? • Was the intervention logic coherent and realistic? Were adjustments done? • What were the main strategic components of the project? How did they contribute to and had logical links with the planned outcomes? • To what extent were the indicators described in the project document and logframe useful and appropriate for realistic assessment of the project’s progress • Was the logframe modified, and how? Were verification means appropriately linked to each indicator? • To what extent was the contracting agency flexible to understand ground situation, and allowed modification and changes in the indicators? • To what extent are the objectives of each project still relevant for future replication?
Efficiency: • Have the resources been used efficiently? Have activities supporting the strategy been cost-effective? • Have the activities been delivered in a timely fashion? • Have the resources (men, money, and material) been allocated to the project in an efficient and timely manner? • To what extent gender and disaster risk reduction was integrated in the project? • What were the constraints (e.g. political, religious, and security) that hindered the project? • What mitigation measures were adopted to overcome the challenges faced by the project and what were their success rates? • Is the overall project action plan used and up to date? • Is financial spend in line with plan? • Assess other program management factors important for delivery, such as:• Capacity gaps. • Working relationship with partners, stakeholders and donors. • Learning processes such as self-evaluation, coordination and exchange with related projects.• Internal and external communication.
Effectiveness: • Did the project achieved its results and to what extent (e.g. partial achievement, fully achieved, not achieved)? • Have the quantity and quality of the project outputs produced so far been satisfactory? Did they benefit both men and women? • Did the project contribute to the capacity building of project staff, stakeholders, beneficiaries organizations etc? • What was the level of collaboration between MADERA and local authorities? • Describe any unforeseen impacts (whether positive or negative). Identify any exceptional experience that should be highlighted.
Sustainability: • Did the intervention design included an appropriate sustainability and exit strategy? • What strategy was adopted to ensure national/local ownership, use of national capacity, etc. to support positive changes in the project area? • Were the stakeholders and project beneficiaries involved in the preparation of the sustainability/exit strategy? If yes, to what extent • To what degree were policies or practices changed to improve the performance and long-term sustainability of the project • How was the equality fulfilment (e.g. new services, greater responsiveness, resource re-allocation, improved quality etc.)?
Management and Coordination: • How well were responsibilities delineated and implemented in a complementary fashion? • What mechanism was adopted for coordination functions and how did this work? • How effectively were the programme performance and results monitored? • Have appropriate means of verification for tracking progress, performance and achievement of indicators been put in place? • Have the relevant information and data systematically been collected and collated? • Was the information collected from the field regularly analyzed and fed into management decisions?
Impact: Identify all the effects generated by the intervention, whether positive or negative expected or otherwise, direct or indirect.
Sustainability, replication and magnification. Assess key factors affecting sustainability of the project, such as:• What is the social and political acceptance of the project?• Are the public institutions interested to continue/replicate the implemented project• Is there evidence of organization/partner/communities that have copied, up scaled or replicated project activities beyond the immediate project area? • Is such replication or magnification likely? • Make recommendations in addition.
b. Analytical FrameworkThe following Table of Content is suggested for both final reports:
• Title page (1 page) • Table of Contents (1 page) • Executive Summary (2 pages) • Acronyms (1 page) • Background and Programme Description (1-2 pages) • Purpose of the evaluation (1 page) • Methodology and review process (1 page) • Findings, Analysis, Conclusions, and Recommendations (20-25 pages) organized around the TOR questions, and including the findings, conclusions and recommendations for each subject area evaluated • Lessons learned (1-2 pages) • Annexes: including the terms of reference, evaluation workplan and any other relevant documents.
c. Methodology: The selected consultant (and assistant if relevant) will be required:• to develop a detailed methodology including methods and checklists that will be used in this assignment. • to make active use of results chain – a series of cause and effect relationships linking input to intended outcomes and impacts - which will enable to fill the gaps identified and improve the future interventions. The Evaluation Methodology should include:
• Review of relevant published and unpublished literature, and secondary data pertaining to the operational context – e.g. EC/ AFD country strategy paper and food security strategy, Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS). • Review of documents including proposals, LFA, work plans, donor reports, EC/ AFD monitoring and evaluation reports, baseline report, mid-term review reports and case studies. • Meet and/or interview MADERA’s key staff at Kabul CO, province and district levels. • Use of appropriate tools and interview/focus groups discussions. The process should be participatory to the extent possible and should involve all stakeholders in the response. • Field visits to target areas and collection of primary information. Also look at the quality of the available data (baseline, end-line, progress reports). • Debriefing and / or presentation to key staff on key findings and recommendations. • Submission of the draft evaluation report to MADERA for feedback, to be incorporated in the draft report. • Submission of the final report
d. Core values / guiding principles: • Integrity: Demonstrating consistency in upholding and promoting the values of MADERA and EC/AFD in line with the MADERA Code of Conduct. • Cultural Sensitivity/Valuing diversity: Demonstrating an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrating an international outlook, appreciating differences in values and learning from cultural diversity. • Listening and respecting: views and opinions of women, landless farmers and other stakeholders of the project on the project’s implementation and its outputs and outcomes. • Commitment to the humanitarian principles humanity, independence, neutrality, and impartiality.
e. Assignment Timeframe and Duration: The 35-days consultancy will be organized over the period 01 September – 31 October 2013 - as tentatively pre-detailed below.
DAYS ACTIVITIES04 Travel time (actual) – international and local03 Review of documents (literature and data from secondary sources and project related documents)03 Development of evaluation methodology and planning (survey, formats, meetings, workshops)04 Meeting with MADERA and Project staff
13 Field visits (visiting farmers, CDCs, women saving groups, data collection), briefing, debriefing), meeting/workshops/debriefings with the projects teams in district offices, and meetings with local government representatives and other stakeholders; possibly Provincial and district level stakeholders workshop.3 Developing and presenting debriefing note to MADERA5 Preparation and Submission of Final Evaluation Reports
Total 35 days (in and out country). Non residents in Afghanistan must not exceed their 30 days visa in-country – counted from arrival to departure dates.
f. DeliverablesIn accordance with agreed standards and as per the analytical framework above, the consultant will produce two high quality “End of Project (EoP) Evaluation Report” – one for each Project. The final reports should be well structured documents in English (EC) and French (AFD) and submitted in both hard and soft formats within 2 weeks following the end of the in-country evaluation phase.
g. Reporting Line: The Consultant will report directly to: Country Director Afghanistan.5. Consultant Expertise and Skills
• Postgraduate degree in Agriculture Science, Food Security or Development Studies. • Hands on track record of at least 10 years experience of managing/implementing similar Programs, and conducting socio-economic analytical research studies including local power mapping and analysis, impact assessments, exit strategy development and evaluations of large multi-year development projects in the sectoral areas of livelihoods security, markets access and linkages, rural savings and enterprise development, and local governance projects • Work experience in Afghanistan, particularly in remote areas, and directly relevant to this assignment • Well developed knowledge and practical experience of financial and economic analysis and the relevant methodological tools • Experience in developing and applying gender sensitive participatory research, evaluation and review methodologies in traditional Muslim cultural contexts • Good knowledge and experience of using and interpretation of statistical data. • Working knowledge of both French and English languages.
How to apply:- How to apply:
Consultants/Firms that meet the requirements should submit an electronic version of their application (Technical and Financial Offers) latest by August 19, 2013 to contact@madera-afgha.org and countrydirector@madera-afgha.org. The application should include the following:
a. Technical Offer• Cover letter including the consultant’s/firm’s suitability for the assignment and current contact information • CV, including detailed work experience, education; if more than one consultant (field assistant) will be involved, clearly indicate the overall lead consultant and responsible persons & include CVs • Brief research and methodology for these ‘End of Project Evaluation’ – including timeframe, team composition and roles (where applicable), reporting structure and schedule.
b. Financial Offer• Fees to be received (detailed budget), indicating the estimated number of days and form payment. • Travel and accommodation costs under the responsibilities of the evaluator
