CARE
I. Background
CARE International in Kenya (CIK)
CARE is an international NGO with working local staff and community partners in over 100 countries. We create local solutions to poverty and inequality, and we seek dignity for everyone every day and during times of crisis. These solutions have a broad range, from disaster response to food and nutrition to education and work for women and girls to healthy mothers and children. CARE puts women and girls at the center of everything we do because when they have equal access to resources, they lift their families and communities out of poverty. Our staff live where they work, which makes us effective at understanding the challenges they face. We have been doing this for 75 years, since World War II. It started with the world’s first CARE Package® of food for the post-war hungry in Europe. Our work today is as important as ever, we believe that poverty and inequality are historic injustices that we can end within a generation, for good.
CARE International has been working in Kenya since 1968, and currently implements major programs in 20 out of the country’s 47 counties, reaching and assisting approximately 2 million people per year. CIK’s programs align with national and county level priorities, focusing on health & equity justice, water and sanitation, financial inclusion, adaptation to climate change, disaster risk reduction (DRR), food & water systems – agricultural value chains as well as humanitarian and emergency response.
About the project
CARE Denmark, Chr. Hansen and CARE Kenya, CGA and Nairobi University are implementing a project to advance sustainable and resilient agriculture in Kenya, by introducing the biological plant protection and inoculant3 product, NEMIX® C4 on sugarcane, potatoes maize and flowers. The goal is to support farmers, especially smallholders, with safe technologies that enable them to increase their profit and strengthen their development opportunities. The project will develop local competencies by working with Kenyan partners to conduct efficacy trials, local distributors, farmers and their organisations to implement activities. Value will be generated for farmers by increasing their yield, for the distributer through increased sales, for the science and local communities through capacity support and for the environment by decreasing the use of harmful chemicals. More dignified and sustainable jobs as a result of safer working environments are anticipated.
The project is designed with five outputs:
Output 1: The science community in Kenya has increased awareness of biological plant protection products leading to the registration for distribution and uses in Kenya of a new such product with a novel ‘mode of action’;
Output 2: Access to biological plant protection products for both smallholder and larger farmers in target areas is ensured via the establishment of commercially viable distribution networks.
Output 3: Targeted maize, sugar and potato farmers are empowered to engage effectively in them respectively in their respective value chains.
Output 4: End, indirect and secondary beneficiaries have increased awareness of and capacity to benefit from the use of biological plant protection products and improved farming practices; and
Output 5: Best practices, lessons learned, and project results have been documented and communicated in the East African Sub-region and in Denmark.
About the task.
CARE international in Kenya intends to conduct a scoping study in Nyandarua county to establish the acceptability of use of biological plant protection products among small holder farmers their knowledge on their availability, use, storage, efficacy and other other experiences. The study intends to establish the awareness, perception of the products amongst the various actors, and ultimately make recommendations on best plug in for the project in popularizing and triggering adoption of the products with a specific focus on NEMIX® C4 as a nematicide.
Specific Objectives
§ To design data collection methodologies for all project indicators including setting criteria, defining key aspects and developing data collection tools.
§ To collect, analyze and present baseline data for all project outcome and output indicators.
§ Integrate consensual measurement approach and Gender MEAL i.e. gender disaggregation as well as age disaggregation if possible (identify youth); and
§ To propose any needed adjustments to the results framework of the project.
§ Update the project logic model, and ToC assumptions and inform the PMF.
Scope of work
1. Establish the farmer knowledge on the pests and diseases that negatively impact their crop productivity.
2. Establish farmer knowledge on nematodes and there causes and its impact on yield.
3. Establish the level of knowledge on pests and diseases, nematodes as an important pest and magnitude of infestation amongst the Ministry of Agriculture staff and agrodealers in Nyandarua county.
4. Evaluate the level and rate of use of chemical and biological products amongst small holder farmers in Nyandarua county.
5. Find out factors affecting farmer decision on the use of chemical or biological products.
6. Establish farmer, ministry and agrodealer perception on the use of biological products in pest and disease control.
7. Establish the current productivity of potatoes and other key crops in Nyandarua county,
8. Highlight the current biological plant protection products currently available in Nyandarua county.
9. Establish the level of awareness by the value chain actors (farmers, agrodealers, ministry, traders etc) on the effects of pesticides on the environment.
10. Establish the willingness of the producers to try out new biological products in their farming systems, and their willingness to pay for such products. Highlight what factors they would consider trying out such products.
11. Find out their experiences in use of pesticides and biological crop protection options including availability, cost and knowledge of use
12. Evaluate the market response to crops grown using biological products
13. Rapid analysis of the current potato market supply chain in Nyandarua and who are the key actors.
14. Identify available infrastructure, connections, opportunities etc in the county the project can bank on to jumpstart its activities based on the current project design.
15. Make recommendations on the best entry approach for the project to ensure guaranteed uptake of the product by the farmers
II. Deliverables/Outputs & Timeline:
Deliverable
Output
Number of days
Develop an assessment concept proposal
Technical proposal
2
Design of data collection tools and methodology
Data tools developed, and scoping methodology well defined
2
Presentation of tools and methods in inception meeting
Methodology and tools signed off
1
Data collection tools pretesting and data collection
Data collected and cleaned
5
Data analysis and triangulation of results
Data analysis plan and draft report
3
Results Validation
Results Validation
2
Report presentation
Draft report reviewed and comments incorporated
1
Final report
Final report and data submitted
1
Total number of days
17
1 Consultant’s Qualifications
- A master’s degree in statistics, econometrics, or equivalence from a recognized university with experience of at least 5 years in a similar discipline.
- Demonstrable experience in conducting evaluations including KAP surveys.
- Strong background in statistics and data analysis of qualitative and quantitative methodology and use of mobile data collection tools.
- Good communication and inter-personal skills.
- Previous work experience with Agricultural Projects, especially in testing new approaches, technologies and methods. Experience and knowledge of the use of gender lever in delivery of agricutural projects will be an added advantage.
- Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
III. Key Internal and External support Contacts:
These contacts primarily include:
CARE Kenya Program Teams lead by the Project Manager- DMDP/ PQAL manager with support from Assistant country director- Programs
Externally working specific contracted consultants.
IV. Reporting Lines:
The consultant will report directly to the Project manager- DMDP/PQAL manager also working closely with assistant country director- programs and PQLA Manager .
V. Working Conditions
Consultant will be provided with all the necessary background information relevant for the technical backstopping support. Any logistical facilitation support that is project based required will be facilitated in a case need basis.
VI. Duration.
Due to the tight timelines to deliver the assignment, the consultant support will be running for a period of 17 days from 1st June 2022 to 17th June 2022, inclusive of weekends.
VII. Application process.
Prospective individual consultant or consulting firm are expected to submit technical and financial proposals in English, including the following:
- Profile of consultant/consulting firm, a clear demonstration of previous experience in organization capacity building.
- Expression of Interest (EOI) outlining how the consultant meets the selection criteria and their understanding of the TORs. Proposed activities of schedule/ work plan with timelines
- Financial proposals including consultant fees and field costs
- Short cover letter stating interest and availability
- Professional CV / Resume of the consultant(s) who will undertake the evaluation
- Three Professional References
- Two recent examples of similar consultancy undertaken by the applicant.
- Submission of at least one (1) previous report from one of these consultancies should be included in the submission
- Statutory compliance documents.
Please email your application to [email protected] by 24-June 2022 by 1700hrs EAT. Please use “DMDP SCOPING CONSULTANCY” as the subject title of your email. Incomplete applications will not be considered, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
How to apply
VII. Application process.
Prospective individual consultant or consulting firm are expected to submit technical and financial proposals in English, including the following:
- Profile of consultant/consulting firm, a clear demonstration of previous experience in organization capacity building.
- Expression of Interest (EOI) outlining how the consultant meets the selection criteria and their understanding of the TORs. Proposed activities of schedule/ work plan with timelines
- Financial proposals including consultant fees and field costs
- Short cover letter stating interest and availability
- Professional CV / Resume of the consultant(s) who will undertake the evaluation
- Three Professional References
- Two recent examples of similar consultancy undertaken by the applicant.
- Submission of at least one (1) previous report from one of these consultancies should be included in the submission
- Statutory compliance documents.
Please email your application to [email protected] by 24-June 2022 by 1700hrs EAT. Please use “DMDP SCOPING CONSULTANCY” as the subject title of your email. Incomplete applications will not be considered, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.