Livelihoods Market Assessment Consultant at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

Introduction

• The purpose of the livelihoods and labor market assessment is to identify employable vocational skills trade, profitable small-scale businesses to support, considering target population and local community dynamics, cultural preferences and market demand.
• The overall objective is to define, develop and provide COOPI with tailor-made and market driven information and findings on viable livelihood interventions based on quality verifiable data, in order to ensure that COOPI’s support is informed by the availability of opportunities within the consumer and job market. The assessment should aim to inform on self-employment opportunities to enhance livelihoods opportunities and self-reliance for youth and women headed households.
• The assessment will cover the 2 LGA’s where COOPI is currently implementing the WFP funded project, response, recovery and resilience action. The LGAs are Damaturu and Geidam LGA.

Duration

• These assessment data collection, analysis and submission of the final report, is expected to be completed within a period of one month upon signing of the contract by the consultant.

Specific Objectives Of The Assessment
The Consultant is hired for one month to conduct a market assessment. He/she will be in charge of:

• Providing analysis of the different types of businesses available currently, identifying the maturity duration of each type of business.
• Mapping the market system and identify market opportunities for the IGA products, and then collect data on these opportunities, taking into account their growth potential
• Identifying constraints/challenges with small businesses and provide recommendations on how to overcome them.
• Identifying and mapping out both on-farm and off-farm livelihoods opportunities existing in the area of COOPI intervention coverage for support through business and vocational skills training and grant support.
• Assessing the vocational skills trade required, identifying both the existing skills and skill gaps to venture into livelihoods opportunities already identified by COOPI.
• Assessing the agriculture produce value chain and identify potential value addition business viable in the targeted area putting into consideration the target population and local community dynamics and cultural preferences and the market demand.
• Providing information to inform on vocational course to be offered and the training content based on the identified skill gaps and demand in the market. This should include post-training linkages and placement opportunities to broaden beneficiaries’ prospects for a sustainable self-employment and enhanced livelihood.

Methodology

• The Consultant will work with COOPI to expand upon the Tor as required. The methodology, which would be adopted by the Consultant is expected to be gender sensitive, and to cover all LGAs (Damaturu and Geidam LGA) where the project is being implemented.
• The assessment should include a mixed method approach comprising of both qualitative and quantitative methods. The methods suggested can include e.g.: document review, household surveys, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Triangulation shall be done in the analysis phase. The assessment should take place in three phases:

Inception report:

• The Consultant will develop an inception report, including an assessment matrix, work plan and data collection tools. These documents will be validated by the project manager prior to the data collection phase.

Data Collection and Analysis:

• The Consultant will coordinate with COOPI to employ enumerators to undertake relevant quantitative data collection, under the control and responsibility of the Consultant(s). FGDs, interviews and other qualitative methods should be carried out by the assessment team. The assessment team is fully responsible for data cleaning, as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Assessment Report and Validation workshop:

• The Assessment team will draft the report, present and share with the programme team. The final assessment report shall be validated by the project manager.

Expected Deliverables By The Consultant
The Consultant is responsible for the timely delivery of the following:

• An inception meeting report, assessment matrix (maximum 5 pages), data collection tools, methodology and timelines for all the deliverables.
• Databases in excel or other software for qualitative and qualitative data and corresponding analysis;
• A feedback workshop/ presentation meeting with COOPI team to highlight on the major findings and recommendations of the assessment.
• A draft report (maximum 50 pages with an executive summary of no more than 3-4 pages) including findings, conclusions, and recommendations for concrete actions to be taken in the implementation of the business and vocational skills support in the selected LGA’s in Borno state.
• A final report that incorporates comments from COOPI’s livelihoods and food security team, alongside a response matrix detailing how each comment was handled in the revising of the draft report.
• Databases with quantitative and qualitative evaluation data

COOPI Obligations

• The WFP Project Manager will be the key contact person for the Consultant to ensure that the assessment takes place as planned. The Project Coordinator- Business and Vocational skills training will coordinate the process and schedule all the logistic arrangement including field trips and respondent identification for the assessment. The Project Coordinator will be the key contact on logistic arrangement for the consultant to facilitate the assessment.

COOPI will support the Consultant through the following:

• Compilation of background documentation and relevant data;
• Scheduling and logistics support for initial interviews and inception work planning;
• Arranging accommodation requirements for the Consultant during the duration of the fieldwork;
• Rapid review and commenting on outputs and deliverables. COOPI Livelihoods and Food Security Manager will provide feedback and comment within 7 days of receiving the draft report;
• Scheduling and logistics support for the review/ validation workshop/meeting.

Ethical Considerations:

• The Consultant will make it clear to all those participating in the assessment as respondent that they are under no obligation to participate in the assessment if they don’t wish to. All participants will be assured that there will be no negative consequences if they choose not to participate. The Consultant will obtain informed consent from the participants to go ahead with interviews.
• Consultant will have to receive prior permission for taking and use of visual still/ moving images for specific purposes, i.e., ‘for assessment report and presentations. Consultant will assure the participants’ anonymity and confidentiality and will ensure the visual data is protected and used for agreed purpose only.

Consultant’S Qualifications, Skills And Experience
COOPI seeks expressions of interest from individual/ companies with the following skills/qualifications:

• An advanced university degree or equivalent in either Entrepreneurship, Business studies, Agric-Economics, Economics, statistic or other fields related to micro and small enterprise development and or vocational training;
• At least 5-10 years of relevant experience and proven expertise in conducting assessments and studies in relation to micro and small enterprise development and vocational skills training and placement;
• Demonstrated strong quantitative and qualitative research skills and writing skills;
• Knowledge of the Yobe state, small and micro enterprise sector and vocational training and placement.
• Ability to work independently and achieve quality results with limited supervision in a complex and security sensitive environment;
• Proficient knowledge and ability to understand and speak the following local language; Kanuri, Hausa.