| Descrition of the proposal | |
| Project title: |
| Lot 1/ Final Evaluation of Support to the Food Security Information System Project | |
| Project categories: |
| Food security | |
| Job position: |
| TL:Agricultural Statistician; KE2:Remote Sensing; KE3: Database/Information Sys. KE4:Food Security KE5:Information Sys. | |
| Project period: | January 2010 - April 2010 |
| Duration of assignment: | TL:40 KE2:15 KE3:30 KE4:20 KE5:20 | |
| Project description: |
The final evaluation, which has been foreseen in the Technical and Administrative Provisions of the project’s Financing Agreement and Contribution Agreement, will provide the decision-makers in the Government of Ethiopia, the relevant external co-operation services of the European Commission, the relevant managers in FAO and the wider public with an overall independent assessment of:
a. the performance of the project, paying particularly attention to the impact of the project actions against their intended objectives(this includes a closer study of the project’s activities, outputs and outcomes achieved ever since the project inception);
b. expected and achieved results of the project based on a ‘reality check’/verifications to be made in the beneficiary institutions(namely CSA, MoARD and NMA) and their branches/ a field visit to four woredas in the four bigger regions should be carried out
c. key lessons to be identified and practical recommendations to be made to the Government of Ethiopia, the EC and FAO for follow-up actions. | |
| Job description: |
The evaluation study responds to the requirements of the last phase of the project cycle. The consultants shall verify, analyse and assess in detail the issues outlined below. The list of issues is not intended to be exhaustive. The issues refer to the five evaluation criteria endorsed by the OECD-DAC (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact), and to the EC-specific evaluation criteria (EC added value and coherence).
The consultants are requested to verify, analyse and assess the integration and impact of cross cutting issue in the project. The consultants are required to use their professional judgement and experience to review all relevant factors and to bring these to the attention of the Government and European Commission.
The evaluation team should refer to the project’s logical framework (original and the revised logical framework) and the MTR report. The team should carry out the evaluation based on a review of documentation and discussion with FAO, WFP, CSA, MoARD, NMA, the EC Delegation and other key stakeholders at Federal, Regional and Woreda levels. This will be complemented with a ‘reality check’ field visits to four woredas in the four major regions (Amahra, Oromiya, SNNP and Tigray).While reviewing the documents the consultants should take stock of the relevant programming documents, documents shaping the wider strategy/policy framework, principal project studies, the project MTR and implementation progress, monitoring and review reports thus far issued by the project. The team leader shall travel and visit all the four regions for at least 5 days in each region, conducting meetings with concerned regional/woreda officials involved in the implementation of the project and supervise the activities of other experts. In addition the Team leader will spend at least 10 days meeting relevant officials and experts at Federal level stakeholders, project steering committee members and key personnels in the key implementing agencies of the project: FAO and WFP. The Senior Database Information System and Senior Remote Sensing experts should also visit the selected four regions to closely supervise and monitor the activities of the Food security and Information System experts who will undertake the ‘reality check’ exercise in the selected four woredas of the four big regions.
The main evaluation tools will include, but are not limited to:
• desk reviews, data gathering and desk studies; key informant interviews to gather expert views on the system and the quality of the outputs it produces; semi-structured interviews / focus group discussions with project stakeholders; field observations.
• Triangulation between different sources of information will be applied to verify and validate findings.
• Comparison of the project’s logical framework and work-plan(original and the revised ones) and statement on expected situation at the end of the project with the actual outputs and outcomes achieved.
• The evaluation will be implemented in three phases; Desk Review phase, Field phase in Ethiopia and Report preparation phase (this includes presentation of the draft evaluation report to stakeholders). | |
| Qualifications: |
The consultancy team will consist of one team leader Senior Category , an Agricultural Statistician with strong background in evaluation of projects/programmes in agriculture, marketing and food security related information systems; one Remote Sensing Expert Senior Category, with thorough knowledge of Remote Sensing data collection and processing and evaluation of projects/programmes having the same nature; one Database/Information System Senior Expert Senior Category, with practical knowledge of evaluation and development of agricultural and food security database management systems especially for crop extent, market and meteorological information; one expert Junior Category with deep knowledge of evaluation of Food Security issues and one expert of Junior Category with through knowledge of Agriculture, marketing and food security information systems. The profiles of the required experts are as follows:
Team Leader (Agricultural Statistician), Senior Category
- He/she shall have the following qualifications:
- Minimum of Masters degree in agricultural statistics or related subject and training in food security,
- Minimum of 10 years professional experience in developing countries, preferably with working knowledge in Ethiopia, with experience of working for donors;
- Minimum of 10 years experience in Agriculture and food security information systems monitoring and management;
- Proven experience in information systems of agriculture /food security
- Demonstrated experience in conducting evaluations in the Agriculture, marketing and food security areas, and fully conversant with the principles and working methods of project cycle management and EC aid delivery methods
- Ability to lead a team with time constraint
- Fluency and impeccable report writing ability in English are required with a good working knowledge of use of standard computer software (word processing, spreadsheets etc).
Remote Sensing Expert, Senior Category
- Minimum of Masters degree in information technology, natural science or other related disciplines,
- Minimum of 10 years professional experience in developing countries, preferably with working knowledge in Ethiopia, with experience of working for donors
- Minimum of 10 years proven experience in the implementation and monitoring of Remote Sensing and image processing and good understanding of rational and realistic uses of GIS and database management
- Demonstrated experience in conducting evaluations in the Agriculture, marketing and food security areas, and fully conversant with the principles and working methods of project cycle management and EC aid delivery methods
- Fluency in spoken and impeccable report writing ability in English are required.
Database/Information System Expert, Senior Category
- Minimum of Masters degree or equivalent in information technology, natural science or other related disciplines, with
- Minimum of 10 years professional experience in developing countries, preferably with working knowledge in Ethiopia, with experience of working for donors
- Minimum of 10 years proven experience in the implementation and monitoring of GIS and database development and management and good understanding of rational and realistic uses of GIS and database management systems
- Demonstrated experience in conducting evaluations in the Agriculture, marketing and food security areas, and fully conversant with the principles and working methods of project cycle management and EC aid delivery methods
- Fluency in spoken and impeccable report writing ability in English are required.
Food Security Expert, Junior Category
- Minimum of Masters degree in agricultural economics, rural development, food security or closely related field
- Long term experience in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of food security/rural development projects/programmes, early warning, vulnerability analysis or a closely related field;
- Minimum of 3 years of professional experience, preferably with working knowledge in Ethiopia, working for donors and/or NGOs in food security information system projects/programmes.
- Fluency in English both written and oral and a good working knowledge and use of standard computer software (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.)
Information System Expert, Junior Category
- Minimum of Masters degree or equivalent in information technology, natural science or other related disciplines, with
- Long term experience in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of GIS and database development and management for food security/rural development projects/programmes
- Minimum of 3 years of professional experience, preferably with working knowledge in Ethiopia, working for donors and/or NGOs in GIS and database system development, management and evaluation.
- Fluency in English both written and oral and a good working knowledge and use of standard computer software (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.) | |
| Other important information: |
English is the working language.
Working days are calculated considering 6 working days per week.
ToR attached | |
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