Call for Expression of Interest - Baseline and Qualitative Research for Gender, Agriculture and Assets Project Phase2 for Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods Project at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Terms Of Reference

This Terms of Reference (TOR) provides the description and work to be done to conduct a baseline survey and qualitative research on the Gender, Agriculture and Assets Project (GAAP2) for Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index. The work required by this TOR includes the design of a baseline survey and conduct of a qualitative research based on predetermined protocols.

The “Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index” (WEAI), launched by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and USAID’s Feed the Future, is the first standardized measure to directly capture women’s empowerment and inclusion levels in the agricultural sector.

The WEAI is an innovative tool composed of two sub-indexes: one measures how empowered women are within five domains, and the other measures gender parity in empowerment within the household. It is currently being used in the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project phase 2(GAAP2), led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Working with a portfolio of agricultural development projects, GAAP2 will adapt and validate a measure of women’s empowerment for use by agricultural development agencies and project implementers to diagnose key areas of disempowerment, design appropriate strategies to address deficiencies, and monitor project outcomes related to women’s empowerment. GAAP2 will also develop evidence-based strategies to target, engage and empower women through agricultural development projects

CRS Nigeria Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods Project is piloting the Pro-WEAI as a part of its evaluation of the Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods Project, which matches vulnerable and market limited household members with the skills they need to engage effectively in the local economy and break free from poverty and malnutrition. Each household receives individualized support from a trained community liaison who helps families analyse their existing situation (re: assets, income vs. expenditure, and coping mechanisms); set goals; develop plans to reach said goals; and link to relevant services provided by the project and the community. Liaisons hold sessions with both the male and female household heads, and, to the extent possible, other key family members to ensure female members of the household are involved in developing their own plans. This process enables CRS to reach women and young girls who might otherwise not leave their homes or participate in community activities. The adapted WEAI (individual survey administered to primary male and primary female adults in each household), as part of a comprehensive household questionnaire, will be implemented along with qualitative field studies to understand and validate the pro-WEAI results.

CRS Nigeria requires the services of a qualified consultant to implement a quantitative and qualitative data collection, including descriptive statistics, analysis and reporting of empowerment index on the Pro-WEAI. This activity will focus household samples in Kebbi State.

Purpose of the Evaluation
The purpose of the research in GAAP2 is to:

•     gain a better understanding of the situation of poverty and empowerment of women in agriculture
•     validate the pro-WEAI domains, and
•     understand the linkages between project interventions and women’s empowerment outcomes.

Objective of the Consultancy
The overall objective of this consultancy is to conduct a baseline and administer the GAAP2 qualitative protocols to men and women beneficiaries of the Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods Project in Kebbi State.

Main Tasks/Deliverables

• Review project documents
• Training of the field team
• Post graduate degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, Demography, social science, development studies and other related disciplines and with formal research skills.
• Ability to conduct interview and discussions in English and local language (Hausa) desirable.
• Strong presentation, facilitating, communication and team working skills.

Please send

• Resume
• Technical Proposal (maximum two pages, to be elaborated into a work plan in the inception phase): Understanding of the assignment/objectives of the job
• A plan for analysis and sense making of the data
• Signed statement of independence from CRS Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods Project.
• Sample copies of three previous related work completed.

Equal Opportunity:

“CRS is an equal –opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, etc. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply”.

Statement of Commitment to Protection

‘’CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.