VSF Suisse Baseline Survey for the Project Consultancy: Integrated and Environmentally Sound Livestock Crops Production and Marketing (LCPM)

Terms of Reference

Baseline Survey for the Project“Integrated and Environmentally Sound Livestock Crops Production and Marketing(LCPM)”Funded by: European Commission Delegation in SudanAugust 2009

1. IntroductionVSF Suisse is an International NGO, supporting humanitarian and development interventions in the Greater Horn of Africa since 1995.

The organization’s main activities focus on improving animal health, livestock production and marketing, supporting alternative/diversified livelihoods, for example the resettlement of IDPs and refugees as well as rehabilitation and development of public health related infrastructure.

Capacity building activities cut across a large spectrum of target groups and thematic areas.VSF Suisse has received funding from the European Commission (EC) to implement the LCPM project in Aweil West County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, Southern Sudan.

The project will be implemented for a period of four years starting from 1st August 2009 and will be co-funded by the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC).

The overall objective of the action is to improve livelihoods of agro-pastoralist communities in Aweil West County by generating income from livestock-crops based interventions.

The specific objective is to promote technologically appropriate, environmentally sound and economically feasible livestock and crop production and marketing opportunities for increased food self sufficiency of the agro-pastoralist communities in Aweil West CountyAbout 13,000 persons will benefit directly from the project.

They include school children organised in environmental clubs; farmer groups; women and youth natural resources management groups; vulnerable resident, returnee, IDP, refugee households; Milk marketing associations/groups, Agro-pastoralist livestock keepers and vendors; butchers; Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) Ministry Representatives at County (and State) levels; Suppliers of agro-veterinary inputs (seeds, tools, feeds, pest control, livestock drugs).

In the long term, about 33,250 persons will benefit from the project at the level of the society or sector at large.

The planned results and main activities of the action are as follows:

Result 1: Self-reliance of households is encouraged through improved crops-livestockproduction practices and livestock assets re-distribution and training.

Main Activities:

1.1 Support re-integration of up to 500 vulnerable resident, returnee and IDP households, especially women led households into agro-pastoral livelihoods through community-based livestock asset redistribution (restocking with small ruminants) and training.

1.2 Promote integrated crops-livestock production.

Result

2: Appropriate crops, livestock and livestock products marketing are further developed.Main Activities:

2.1 Facilitate milk marketing and value addition.

2.2 Encourage hygienic meat handling and marketing.

2.3 Promote marketing of locally produced crops, crops by-products and vegetables.

Result

3: Institution and capacity building support is availed to relevant GoSS Ministries and the private sector

Main Activities:

3.1 Provide institution and capacity building for Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Forestry at State and County level.

3.2 Enhance private livestock and agricultural services delivery.

2. Objectives of the Evaluation

The baseline survey at the inception of the project aims to optimise the project design.

It should allow VSF Suisse to reassess the needs, collect baseline information (that allows for sensible detailed planning and for comparison in later impact evaluation), suggest best approach to achieve targets and propose adjustments of the project document with regard to activities, indicators etc all with a view towards achieving the highest possible impact with available resources.

Specifically, the survey should

i) Provide concrete socio-economic data on local communities and specifically the target beneficiaries (income, assets, production, marketing, consumption patterns).

These data will be utilized to evaluate the impact of the project on the beneficiaries.

ii) Include a precise stakeholder analysis.

iii) Recommend changes to the project proposal to increase potential impact of the project, specifically:

Assess the feasibility of each results and main proposed activities and indicators in the light of collected baseline information,

Propose activities to increase synergies with other organisations/actors’ activities to the advantage of the beneficiaries,

Propose approaches compliant with major cross-cutting issues influencing the success of the project (environment, gender equity, participation and ownership, sustainability).

The baseline survey should provide concrete recommendations for project readjustment. In particular, it should propose a revised logframe with indicators that are SMART-er, greener, gender specific and activities that will achieve highest impact in relation to resources input.

3. Proposed Methodology

Literature review (ANLA’s, FEWSNET reports, nutrition assessments, proposals, reports on existing similar projects, evaluations, feasibility studies, concepts and any other relevant existing documents).

Interviews with key informants

- e.g. project manager, project staff, local authorities, partner NGOs/FBOs/CBOs, beneficiaries and other stakeholders; field observations, case studies.

Visits to field locations and markets
- Aweil Town, Aweil West County and Juba (MARF, MAF, MAARF, FAO, GTZ, Traders in livestock and livestock products, Vulnerable hh, IDPs,

Statistical analysis of collected data

A draft report of the assignment to be submitted within 7 days after the field work for comments by the client.

The final report is expected within 7 days after the submission of the draft report.


4. Expected Outputsi) Baseline Survey Report with concrete and feasible recommendations for project proposal readjustment and information on status at the beginning of the project to allow for “before and after comparison”. a revised Logframe and indicators that are SMART-er, greener and gender specific.

ii) Reviewed narrative proposal, suggest how to make it coherent with revised logframe and budget.

Proposed components of the report:
1) Background;
2) Methodology;
3) Main findings;
4) Conclusion and recommendations;
5) Annexes.

One of the annexes should be the revised logframe.
5. Work PlanThe baseline survey will last not more than 30 days (desk review, field work, reporting)
6. Budget and Responsibilities VSF-Suisse will cover costs related to travel, food and accommodation throughout the period of the assignment, including the cost for travel permit.
The selected consultant will provide his/her passport and 2 passport photographs for processing the travel permit as well as ensure all necessary vaccinations are done (especially yellow fever and meningitis).

The consultant shall also arrange for all the necessary insurance covers during the assignment.Interested consultants should prepare and submit to VSF-Suisse both technical and financial proposal for the assignment by 31st August 2009.

The client is not bound to accept any of the proposals submitted.

Only short listed consultants shall be contacted.