MESPT-DMDP-03-2022: Consultancy to undertake a Baseline Survey (Eligible to Individual Consultants)

A. Background Information about MESPT

Micro-Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT) is a Kenyan development organization established in 2002. MESPT’s overall objective is to promote economic growth, employment creation and poverty alleviation through enterprise development. This is achieved predominantly through support to the development of agricultural value chains whilst embracing and promoting the green growth and climate change agenda. Through its vision of building a more Prosperous Society, MESPT facilitates increased commercialization, decent employment, and green transformation through targeted interventions in the selected value chains. The Trust is a multi-donor entity jointly founded by the Government of Kenya and the European Union who later relinquished their position to the Royal Danish Embassy in Kenya, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (DANIDA). To learn more about MESPT, please visit www.mespt.org.

B. Project Description and Results

Danida Market Development Partnership (DMDP) 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 in partnerships to promote sustainable business, development and employment opportunities 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. In specific 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

Programme Outputs

1. Increased adoption of climate smart and regenerative agricultural practices in banana production amongst the smallholder farmers.
2. Increased adoption of eco-friendly practices in harvesting, storage, and aggregation of banana through linkages to BDS, market and financial service providers.
3. Increased adoption of circular options/ solutions in banana processing and value addition by commercial partners.
4. Increased socially and environmentally responsible investments through inclusive green growth, adoption of circular solutions and responsible business conduct by commercial partners and other key partners in the banana sector.

Direct beneficiary

2000 smallholder banana farmers in Taveta sub-county

Value chain

• Banana
• Complementary crops (potential for inter cropping)

Key partners

• Wanda Agriculture Group Limited- commercial partner
• Orana A/S- commercial partner
• County Government of Taveta County

Target Location

• County- Taita Taveta

Specific location- Taveta Sub-county

Programme lifespan

years: (2020 – 2025)

C. Objective of Baseline Study

The objective of the baseline survey is to obtain baseline value of programme indicators related to the greening component that will form the basis upon which performance of programme related indicators will be progressively tracked and benchmarked against set targets. In addition, it will provide the team with an opportunity to gather context information with regards to greening of the banana value chain that need to be considered/ addressed during the Project implementation phase and where applicable lead to improvement of the Project design, implementation strategies and indicators or/and set targets.

Scope of Work

Specific activities to be undertaken include: –

• Review of the relevant documents related to the programme design and Implementation.
• Prepare an inception report which will include a detailed methodology, sampling approach, data collection tools and a work schedule with clear timelines.
• Prepare/ review of the data collection tools with Programme team
• Prepare sampling frame, respondent selection and distribution lists
• Recruitment of data collectors and consensus/ rapport building with the community
• Training project staff/ data collectors on the data collection process and tools including use of mobile devices in areas where they will be used.
• Coordinate actual data collection process including conducting spot checks to ensure the enumerators are adequately capturing the right data/info needed.
• Review and upload all verified data to a MESPT managed server. All data collected must be disaggregated by geographical location, age, gender and any other category of interest.
• Review the analyzed data sets to ensure it adequately responds to the needs of each indicator.
• Data Analysis, presentation and Report writing
• Review of draft report by programme management team.
• Presenting the key findings and recommendations to staff and partners organizations
• Share/ submit the finalized report
• Update the programmes result framework

The baseline study will seek to assess the following programme parameters: –

• Current income level per farmer per annum obtained from banana orchards.
• Current level of income obtained by farmers from sale of complementary crops integrated in banana orchard.
• Number of smallholder farmers currently integrating at least two complementary crops in banana orchards.
• Percentage contribution to the total smallholder farmer incomes as a result of integrating complementary crops in the banana orchards.
• Current production per unit area (acre) obtained from banana orchards for both banana and other complementary crops grown on same piece of land.
• Volume in MT of bananas produced by the targeted farmers been sold to commercial partners annually.
• Average quality of soil in organic farm including percentage of farms with improved soil quality.
• Current level of soil organic matter content in organic banana orchards
• Existing Climate Smart and Regenerative Practices for banana faming which farmers are currently adopting.
• Quality inputs and/ or services farmers are currently accessing and existing platform(s).
• Number of farmers accessing quality inputs and/ or services.
• Current eco-friendly practices in harvesting, storage, and aggregation of banana farmers are currently adopting.
• Number of smallholder farmers adopting such eco-friendly practices in harvesting, storage, and aggregation of banana produce.
• Number of smallholder farmers a linked are currently accessing financial services (Include percentage of women & youth currently benefitting).
• Number of financial service providers providing appropriate green financial products
• Current number of private service providers with income opportunities in banana value chain
• Number of financial service providers providing appropriate green financial products

In addition: –

• Assess internal and external factors that would affect the success implementation of greening intervention in the programme.
• Opportunities for adoption of responsible business conduct, circular solutions, and greening initiatives by stakeholders in the banana sector
• Assess the extent of county government buy-in, support and participation in the greening initiative, creating the basis for sustainability of the programme’s interventions

D. Baseline Survey design and Approach

The baseline survey will mainly adopt a cross-sectional study design with a blend of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The key data collection methods will include: – Document/ existing literature reviews Household Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, Key Informant Interviews with target beneficiaries and stakeholders. A detailed methodology, sampling approach and work schedule will be designed by the consultant and reviewed in consultation with the programme management team i.e. MEAL & Programme Manager. Additionally, the consultant will be expected to use mobile data collection application especially for the household data collection tools. The data will be hosted in MESPT Servers.

E. Duration of the assignment

The assignment will begin with an inception meeting at MESPT Head Office and conclude with a debriefing meeting with the programme management team. In overall the exercise is expected to take a maximum 20 working days from the date of signing the contract. The breakdown is stipulated in the table below.

F. Expected Deliverables

The Evaluator will provide the following deliverables:

• Inception Report:

An inception report outlining the approach and work plan to be used in the survey. This report will be 10 to 15 pages in length and will propose the methods, sources, and procedures to be used for data collection. It will also include a proposed timeline of activities and submission of deliverables. The desk study report will propose initial lines of inquiry about the joint programme this report will be used as an initial point of agreement and understanding between the Evaluator and the survey manager.

• Draft Final Report

The draft final report will follow the same format as the final report (described in the next paragraph) and will be 40 pages in length.

• Final baseline Report

The final report should be produced according to the DMDP/MESPT evaluation guidelines and reflecting the key evaluation questions. The maximum length of the final report should not be more than 40 pages in length. The evaluator is required to append the following items: – Terms of Reference, Data collection instruments, List of meetings/consultations attended, List of persons or organizations interviewed, List of documents/publications reviewed and cited, Updated result framework.

• Datasets/ data analysis framework/ field reports

G. Qualifications and competencies

The lead consultant should have at least the following qualifications:

• An advanced university degree (preferably master’s degree) in natural resources management, environmental science and management, climate change, development studies and other related social sciences/ disciplines.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience specifically in assessing programmes in Market Systems Development, integrated NRM and Sustainable Agriculture for international development initiatives preferably in Kenya.
• Demonstrated expertise and capability in assessment of projects on green / climate smart interventions.
• Proven experience with logical framework approaches and other strategic planning approaches, M&E methods, and approaches (including quantitative, qualitative, and participatory), information analysis and report writing.
• Knowledge and experience of the DANIDA/ DMDP System will be an added advantage
• Excellent communication and interview skills.
• Excellent English report writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver quality results within strict deadlines.

Associate consultant(s) should have the following qualifications:

• University degree (preferably master’s degree) in natural resources management, agriculture, development studies and other related disciplines.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience specifically in evaluating development projects/programmes in the employment area, small-medium scale enterprise development or related areas of work, preferably in Africa.
• A track record of conducting various types of evaluations, including process, outcome and impact evaluations in Kenya.
• Demonstrated experience/engagement in agriculture Value Chain development projects working with farmer groups
• Demonstrated experience in assessing green technology/ climate smart projects.
• Demonstrated experience in measuring projects promoting access to micro credit among the MSMEs
• Knowledge and experience of the Danida/ DMDP System
• Excellent communication, interview and report writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver quality results within strict deadlines.

H. Schedule of Payments:

I. Administration and logistical arrangements

The consultant will report to MEAL Manager and will work closely with the Programme Manager. The baseline survey will be carried out with logistical support and services of the Programme

J. Selection criteria.

a) Technical Proposal (80 Marks)
The following criteria shall be used in evaluation of the bidders.

K. Budget

The maximum available budget for this assignment is KES 450,0000/= inclusive of all applicable taxes and
the suitable candidate will be selected based on their technical proposal. MESPT will meet travel costs for the consultant from Nairobi to the site and while on the site as well as logistical costs such as meeting costs with interviewees and payment of enumerators.