CONSULTANT MONITORING AND EVALUATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANT POSITION TO SUPPORT DMDP PROGRAMME IN TAVETA (Eligible -National Individual Consultants Only)

Programme Overview

DMDP Programme seeks to contribute to increased and sustainable incomes and decent jobs within the banana subsector in Taita Taveta County with emphasis on women and youth. The programme is rolling out interventions geared to enhancing the competitiveness of the banana value chain and hence improved market access for the targeted farmers. The programme is designed to give an opportunity to enterprises that are keen on delivering towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme brings commercial and non-commercial actors together to promote sustainable business development and employment creation contributing to SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 17 (Partnerships for Sustainable Development). Through additional funding the programme is expected to further green the programme interventions by embedding sustainability and green growth practices in the banana value chain in Taita Taveta County leading to increased income and employment opportunities. Specifically, farmers will be expected to integrate nature-based farming solutions and adopt eco-friendly post-harvest management practices, while the commercial partners will be expected to embrace circular solutions leading to competitiveness of the banana value chain enhanced, commercial businesses long-term viability assured, incomes and decent jobs improved and sustained.

Programme Goal: – The overall objective of the proposed activities is to contribute to poverty reduction, climate adaptation and mitigation by embedding sustainability and green growth practices in the banana value chain in Taita Taveta County leading to increased income and employment opportunities.

Programme Outcomes: –

1. Improved competitiveness and Market access of the Banana value chain.
2. Enhanced biodiversity, climate resilience and reduced emissions in the banana Value chain.
3. Sustainable business case and partnerships for socially & environmental responsible enterprises and investments

Rationale

The DMDP needs additional technical support to drive implementation of MEAL related processes. Due to lack of a staff directly undertaking MEAL activities, the programme is experiencing significant gaps related to data quality audits and verification, digitization/ consolidation of programme databases; indicators performance tracking through continuous data analysis and reporting, as well as documentation of impact/ case/ impact stories. The MEAL technical assistant will be engaged for a period of 6 months as a stopgap measure to fast-track key MEAL results aligned with programme data and reporting requirements.

Key roles and responsibilities of this position

1. Undertake data audit and verification exercise on reported programme results to ascertain quality and compliance with programme data requirements.
2. Develop and maintain an up-to-date programme beneficiaries’ datasets into an integrated/ centralized programme level database for analysis and reporting on monthly basis.
3. Undertake field monitoring mission to assess quality of programme results and implementation strategies/ approaches. These include documentation of good practices, gaps, and recommendation on corrective measures.
4. Undertake rapid surveys and document outcome of various planting technologies and productivity levels at both demo plots and individual farms level.
5. Work with the programme team in review and digitization of programme field monitoring tools in line with programme data and reporting requirements.
6. Undertake further analysis and reporting on GIS and beneficiaries mapping data.
7. Develop and up-to-date programme recommendation tracker on a monthly basis.
8. Assist in documentation of case studies, impact, and success stories.
9. Train, mentor, and coach staff, BSP and partners organization staff on data collection tools, and quality check and M&E processes
10. Support the Programme Manager in planning and execution of MEAL activities including review of periodic programme reports.

Monthly milestones and deliverables

• At least 2 data audits/ verification exercise undertaken.
• Up-to-date programme database collated on monthly basis.
• 6 monthly reports developed and submitted with data analytics.
• 2 rapid surveys reports developed and finding disseminated.
• 4 monitoring missions reports prepared and disseminated.
• All data collection tools reviewed, digitized and rolled-out.
• Programme recommendation tracker developed and up to date.
• 1 Advanced GIS Mapping report submitted.
• 4 Training done and reports submitted.
• At least 4 case studies/ impact stories documented and submitted.

Core qualifications and Requirements:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Project Management, Agricultural Economics, Applied Statistics, Development studies and Social sciences or Related Field.
• At least 3 years of experience in the design and implementation of MEAL process and tools in development projects.
• Professional Certification in Monitoring and Evaluation qualification will be an added advantage.
• Background knowledge in agriculture/agribusiness programs will be added advantage.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access).
• Demonstrated expertise and experience in mobile data collection applications, statistical packages and database management.
• In depth understanding of principles and current approaches and changes into MEAL systems and standards.
• Good critical thinking skills, with a proven capability to provide gainful insight, practical and pragmatic solutions to programme challenges with a bias towards action and resolving issues quickly.

Contract Duration

The proposed contract period will be 6 months working for an average of 20 working days per month. It is projected that this period will be adequate to execute and deliver the above milestones, develop data analytics and reporting dashboards as well as reliable M&E mechanism are in place. This will also ensure that the programme team will be sufficiently equipped to drive programme MEAL processes. The consultant will be required to work from the MESPT office in Taveta. The contract period is expected to run from February to July 2024.

Remuneration and Payment Schedule

The Consultant MEAL TA will be paid at the end of every month upon submission and approval of a monthly report. Applicable tax withholding of 5% payable to KRA will apply and other statutory deductions. The consultant shall not be entitled to any other benefits other than logistical support to undertake data collection and field monitoring missions.