M&E Consultant at Discovery Cycle Professionals

Reports to: Senior Management

About the Project
This project is a 7month long project with the overall goal of using agricultural mechanization for shared prosperity and sustainable development through the advocacy and empowerment of farmers associations and cooperatives, communities and local governments in 2 specific states. The overall goal is supported by two specific objectives and three expected results, which will guide the consultants actions:

• Objective 1: To enable farmers and community leaders effectively use agricultural mechanization and its tools to improve economic situations of the specific communities as well as train new persons to participate.
• Result 1: Farmers, community leaders and local government level leaders have an increased knowledge of agricultural mechanization and how to effectively use the medium to enrich their communities.
• Objective 2: To mobilize farmer’s unions, cooperatives and community leaders to jointly work together to mobilize communities through advocacy and sensitization to the prospects in mechanized agriculture
• Result 2.1: Improved and positive collaboration among local governments, communities, farmer’s cooperatives and other stakeholders, in promoting learning, development and the greater understanding of agricultural mechanization and the whole value chain for communities
• Result 2.2: Increased community, local government and state-level use of agricultural mechanization for social and economic development platforms.

The project beneficiaries are community leaders, organizations such as farmers’ unions, cooperatives, leaders of farmers’ associations, policy makers and civil society across the 2 states in Nigeria. While the project is implemented in these 2 states, engagements with these stakeholders are at three levels – state, local government and community levels. These engagements include High Level Technical Meetings to provide guidance on agricultural mechanization engagements on a local government and state level and Zonal the purpose of guiding the development of small and medium scale enterprises geared towards agricultural mechanization.

Methodology

• The proposed methodology for each advocacy and sensitization visit is to be clearly stated in the technical offer, detailing why the methodologies are preferred and their relevance to the locations, beneficiaries and purpose of the studies. In addition, the technical offer should include details on logistics and roll-out of the studies: who the target communities will be and why, how they will be identified, how the sensitization and awareness will be carried out, as well as how data analysis will be done for each study.
• The studies will target select stakeholders across three levels - state, local government and community/town levels as listed above and as logistically feasible. For the advocacy, a minimum of two communities per local government will be selected by the consultants, with clear justification as to why these communities are selected for the sensitization. Tools for the studies will be developed by the consultant and/ or team in collaboration with DCP’s project staff. The inception and final reports for each study will also be developed by the consultant and/or team, and will be reviewed and approved by the DCP team and senior management.

Main Function
Context Analysis:
The objectives of the mission are to:

• Identification and mapping of stakeholders already involved in the agricultural mechanization process and those not involved (this is to create potential agricultural mechanization SMEs) but highly interested in using agricultural mechanization as a means of development in Niger and Kaduna state
• Identify what levels of collaboration exists among these stakeholders, policy makers, civil society, and citizens in promoting agricultural mechanization and agribusiness not just at the local government level but also at the community level;
• Train and supplement already existing knowledge of agricultural mechanization and agricultural mechanization techniques of the future SMEs and communities involved
• Identify community, local government platforms and media platforms available for sensitization and advocacy for SMEs that will take up agricultural mechanization
• Identify opportunities for program implementation, aimed at achieving the project outcomes and goals optimally
• Document lessons learnt from implementation so far that should be factored into future project implementations.
• Findings from this analysis will be used to inform future program planning and implementation. As such, clear and actionable recommendations are expected, in light of data collected through desk reviews and on site

Role Responsibilities
End Line Evaluation:
The objectives of the evaluation are to:

• Determine how much the project has enabled community leaders and members effectively use agribusiness and agricultural mechanization lawyers and how much more knowledge there is in the community on the use of implements and agricultural equipment
• Determine how much the project has contributed to collaboration among local government and community level stakeholders, policy makers, civil society, farmers’ associations/cooperative unions and citizens in both states as a whole
• Determine how much the project has supported community, local government, state- level platforms, and media platforms to engage in conversations that speak to the use of agricultural mechanization to improve the overall economic well-being of these specific communities
• Identify new/emerging opportunities for program design and implementation aimed at advancing the use of agricultural mechanization in communities
• Document lessons learnt from implementation that could be factored into future project design and implementation.

Deliverables
The context analysis assessment deliverables are:

• An inception report detailing the proposed method, study matrix, and work plan. It is to be approved by senior management before starting advocacy, sensitization and data collection.
• Research tools (developed by the candidate and/or team with the input of company staff)
• Draft report for review by senior management and other stakeholders
• Final Report (maximum 30 pages, excluding appendices), consisting of but not exclusive to: Executive Summary, Methodology, Findings and Analysis, Conclusions, Lessons Learned and Recommendations. The report should be structured according to the analysis objectives.
• All data collected for this research including audios and transcripts for all sessions and advocacy, and quantitative data will be entered in a template, based on the methodology used.
• Appendices, including data collection tools and list of interviewees
• A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the overall project outcome and implementation level.

Logistical Support:

• DCP will provide the following logistical support to the consultant;
• Access to participants and key stakeholders
• Availability of meeting rooms in Abuja, as required
• All logistic costs, including of transportation and lodging will NOT be borne by DCP and should be included in the proposed budget.

Time frame:

• The context analysis will take place between October and December 2019, with the final deliverables due latest December 20th, 2019
• The end line evaluation will take place between March and May 2020, with the final deliverables due latest May 31st, 2019.

Experience
Education:

• MSc in Social Work or any other relevant is an added advantage;

Experience:

• 5 years or more of experience in evaluations and qualitative and quantitative studies with international organizations;
• Demonstrated experience in leading research in the specific context of Northern and Central Nigeria, including ability to recruit a research team locally as needed;
• Experience in evaluating programs relating to agriculture and agribusiness as well as large scale mechanization and community development.

Knowledge and Competences
The Consultant is required to respect the following Ethical Principles:

• Comprehensive and systematic inquiry: Consultant should make the most of the full range of stakeholders available at the time of the review. Consultant should conduct systematic, sensitization and advocacy. He or she should communicate his or her methods and approaches accurately and in sufficient detail to allow others to understand, interpret and critique his or her work. He or she should make clear the limitations of the review and its results.
• Competence: Consultant should possess the abilities and skills and experience appropriate to undertake the tasks proposed and should practice within the limits of his or her professional training and competence.
• Honesty and integrity: Consultant should be transparent with the contractor/constituent about: any conflict of interest, any change made in the negotiated project plan and the reasons why those changes were made, any risk that certain procedures or activities produce misleading review information.
• Respect for people: Consultant respect the security, dignity and self-worth of the community and its denizens, local leaders and the local government officials and other program participants. The consultant has the responsibility to be sensitive to and respect differences amongst participants in culture, religion, gender, disability, age and ethnicity.

Other Relevant Requirements:

• Strong analytical skills;
• Excellent written communication and report writing skills in English;
• Knowledge of languages indigenous to Northern and Central Nigeria such as Hausa will be an added advantage;
• Ability to be flexible with time and work schedule.