Consultant Services for Food Security & Livelihoods Baseline Survey for an EuropeAid-funded PEARL Project
South Sudan
(Juba & Northern Bahr el Ghazal)
Overall objective
DRC is seeking an experienced consultant to carry out a baseline study for a three-year project, Program Economic Reintegration and Livelihood Enhancement (PEARL) funded by the EuropeAid. The Food Security & Livelihoods Project will be implemented in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and the baseline will be conducted in Aweil Centre and Aweil North Counties.
Background
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Danish Demining Group (DDG) have been providing relief and development services in South Sudan since 2005. Using a protection of human rights framework, DRC focuses primarily on South Sudanese displaced by conflict working in programme sectors: Emergency Response; Protection & Advocacy; Livelihoods & Food Security and Community Driven Development, Conflict Mitigation & Armed Violence Reduction and Mine Action. Currently, DRC’s main programmatic areas of operation are in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile states.
The baseline is being conducted to guide project planning and provide information about target beneficiaries to guide programmatic implementation. In addition, the survey should be formulated with the input of key stakeholders to measure the performance indicators, ascertain appropriate entry points and identify where there is potential for DRC DDG interventions to add value. The baseline is also expected to provide high quality information, analysis and recommendations on food security and livelihoods of vulnerable socio-economic groups and sub-groups, for example women, to support informed decision-making on project planning. The baseline survey is also expected to ensure that the project contributes to the DRC DDG overall strategic direction for 2013 -2015 and assists in identifying potential challenges, obstacles to project performance along with potential gaps and opportunities.
The baseline will be conducted in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, in Aweil Centre and Aweil North. The consultant is expected to travel to each location.
Duties and Responsibilities
The aim of the study is to generate baseline information for the “Program for Economic Reintegration And Livelihood Enhancement,” a food security and livelihoods project funded under PEARL. The results of the baseline study should assist DRC in learning more about:
a. The level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of the key stakeholders and duty bearers involved in food security and livelihoods (and environmental issues, where appropriate).
b. The willingness and capacity of current partners, including beneficiaries, in order to identify specific needs for capacity building and other interventions that should be prioritised. In addition, the study should ascertain the level of awareness, interest in and ability to adopt alternative techniques (including agro-friendly practices in crop production) of beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
c. Previously indentified IGA activities and entry points for additional IGA and micro-credit activities.
d. Where to set targets, reference benchmarks or progress markers necessary to measure project progress, including for future monitoring and evaluation.
Importantly, the results from the study will measure current conditions and document any drastic changes that may have occurred in the recent past, for the purpose of critical review and amendment of activity schedules and logframe, as necessary (note: it is not anticipated that an inception rider will be required at this stage).
Specific objectives of the consultancy
• Production of a high quality, relevant and reliable baseline survey data from current and future areas of operation in Aweil Centre and Aweil North. Data collection tools should be developed and refined as appropriate to provide disaggregated data (ie. for age, gender, income levels, etc).
• To establish a system of benchmarks or progress markers that will support project implementation, monitoring and evaluation system for the new project.
• To analyze barriers, obstacles, challenges, gaps and opportunities that could hamper or support the rights of beneficiaries and realization of sustainable livelihoods and food security in NBeG.
Scope of work
The consultancy will be undertaken mainly in North Bar el Ghazal, specifically, in Aweil Centre, Aweil North and Aweil Town. The assignment entails extensive travel to remote locations in these areas, which are current operational areas for DRC DDG. Prior to the fieldwork, the consultant will meet with Juba-based DRC DDG staff and other relevant institutions, such as, humanitarian or UN agencies working in the Food Security and livelihoods sector. The consultancy should be carried out during February and/ or March 2013, and the final report should be submitted to DRC no later than the agreed contract date.
Working closely with DRC staff and within the agreed timeline and geographical scope, the consultant is expected to perform the following tasks
• Propose methodology for baseline survey for DRC review and approval.
• Arrange and carry out meetings with relevant Juba-based stakeholders, for example Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, INGOs and other relevant partners.
• State- level stakeholders meetings, for example Ministry of Agriculture, FAO, INGOs and other relevant partners.
• Data collection and field work.
• Verification or validation of data if required.
• Analyze data and make recommendations based on this analysis.
• Develop a draft survey report and share with the DRC.
• Presentation of preliminary data.
• Finalization of draft report.
• Presentation of final survey findings.
• Incorporation of feedback received during final presentation.
• Finalization and submission of final report.
In addition to the task above the consultant will address the following during the baseline process:
• Identify livelihood gaps of different target groups, in relation to agriculture production; assess the capacities and willingness of people and recommend realistic, practical measures to address such gaps.
• Identify and analyze existing obstacles, need and constraints, gaps and priorities of vulnerable households to realize their right to Food Security in current and future areas of operation.
• Explore the need and extent of access to quality Food Security of the most vulnerable people such as returnees, IDP’s, refugees, and members of host communities.
• Map out the status of risks/opportunities for the project, and how it can contribute to the creation of economic reintegration in the area.
• Identify potential problems with targeting and recommend methods of mitigation.
Deliverables
• Scope of work to includes a detailed work plan, methodology and tools tailored for the baseline study.
• A preliminary report/presentation of the initial findings will be made available to key actors involved in assessment process. Feedback to the preliminary report/presentation will be incorporated in the final report.
• Final baseline report/presentation assessment report detailing the methodology, findings capturing all coverage indicators and recommendations, with a suggested framework for monitoring and evaluating of the project.
• An inception report detailing any adjustment in the proposal document based on the findings from the assessment, as required.
• Accurately entered, categorized and processed data sets.
Use of the assessment results
The Program and Management staff of DRC DDG will use the results of the base line assessment as a basis for informed strategic and programmatic decisions for on-going project and program planning and project design relating to DRC DDG programming in South Sudan. The Baseline survey reports and data may be shared with DRC DDG partners.
Methodology
The Consultant will agree with DRC DDG on the precise assessment methodology; the baseline may include a combination of desk study/preparation of assessment tools, field work/data collection, analysis of data, presentation and report writing.
Qualifications Required
• Academic degree in relevant technical field (preferably in Food Security, Livelihood, agricultural economics or agribusiness).
• 5 years of field experience in conducting assessments.
• Experience or knowledge of micro enterprise and micro finance development in remote and rural post-conflict settings.
• Strong data collection, management and data analysis skills and experience with quantitative and qualitative means of analysis, including software such as SPSS or equivalent.
• Strong presentation and communication skills and established track record in professional report writing.
•Excellent proficiency with spoken and written English. Dinka and Arabic a plus.
Preferable
• Working experience in South Sudan context, preferably in Greater Bahr el Ghazal.
• Good interpersonal skills and team-oriented work style.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision.
• Professionalism, commitment and punctuality are important qualities for this position
The consultant is expected to work in close collaboration with DRC DDG Food Security and Livelihoods staff, and have periodic meetings/communication with the assigned DRC contact person to discuss the progress of the assessment.
We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, irrespective of nationality, race, gender or age.
Conditions
Availability: March 2013, as agreed Duty station: Juba and Aweil, South Sudan Contract: 18-21 working days in total, based on agreement Salary: USD 6,000
Further information
For more information, you are welcome to contact (one of) the following: DRC Programme Manager, Lisa Biblio on e-mail: programme.manager.nbeg@drc.dk DRC Livelihoods & Food Security Project Manager, Cristiano Scramella on e-mail: fsa@drc-ssudan.org DRC Head of Programme, Chris Young on e-mail:head.programme@drc-ssudan.org
Please note that application are not to be sent to the above contacts; we only accept applications sent to the e-mail address specified below. Applications sent directly to the above persons will not be considered.
For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.
Commitments
DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html).
How to apply:
Application process
Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered
The application should contain:
• An application letter addressing the selection criteria including how the candidate’s previous experience matches the consultancy objectives as well as his/her interest for the position. It should also indicate the candidate’s availability. The letter should be no longer than one page.
• A recent resume or CV including relevant work experience and qualifications.
• A proposal for the outlined work, to include a draft timeline, resources required, proposed methodologies, survey tools, cost, team composition (if a team is proposed) and any other relevant documents, based on a delivery period of not more than 30 days. These should all be in English.
• Optional, but desirable: a recent similar report or writing sample.
CV-only applications will not be considered. Please provide references, but do not attach any written recommendations.
Please submit your application by email to ec_baseline_consultant_SS@drc.dk in English and marked “Baseline consultant PEARL project – NbeG SSudan”, no later than 1 March 2013