Consultancy on Agriculture-Nutrition
PROJECT TITLE: LESSONS LEARNED CASE STUDY: THE INTEGRATION OF NUTRITION IN FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS
REGION: East Africa
RATIONALE:
Currently there is a global shift towards linking agricultural development and nutrition. While in recent decades strategies to combat malnutrition have tended to be largely healthbased strategies, there is growing recognition of the vital importance of expanding agriculture’s purview and capacity to enhance the nutritional outcomes of agricultural programes. The adoption of participatory approaches to agricultural extension, such as the Farmer Field School approach, provides additional opportunity to move agricultural development beyond a customary focus on productivity and yields to an approach that can more effectively contribute to improved nutrition outcomes.
The Farmer Field School approach allows farmers to engage in a process of experiential or active learning. These same processes of learning can complement nutrition strategies which aim to increase the diversity of food consumed, preparation standards and food storage in households. In Farmer Field School learning sessions, traditional extension topics such as cropping and pest management are now being used as an entry point to discuss related issues, including health and nutrition. For example, when learning about cropping, direct action is taken by facilitators to stimulate debate among beneficiaries about the nutritional
value of particular crops, preparation and cooking techniques to retain the nutrients. By continuously drawing this link between the agriculture and other human spheres, nutrition education gets interwoven and integrated into agricultural extension. In many countries across the developing world, governments have invested heavily in agricultural extension systems. The resulting physical and human capital holds great potential to address both agricultural development and nutrition through the same mechanism. By linking these two
aspects the potential for rural food and nutrition security can be greatly enhanced. Within East and Central Africa few studies, if any, have been done to assess the integration of nutrition into Farmer Field Schools (FFS). There isn’t any documented evidence to suggest that the inclusion of nutrition within Farmer Field School learning modules is actually increasing the level of knowledge and good nutrition practice amongst farmers. This lessons learnt case study provides examples of how this has been done by using participatory and interactive learning approaches developed in the context of Farmer Field School (FFS)
programs in East Africa. It will also provide recommendations on how to better improve nutrition integration into this approach in the future.
TERMS OF REFERENCE:
Under the overall supervision of Farmer Field School Promotion Services (FFS PS) and technical guidance of the FAO Subregional Emergency Office in Nairobi and in full collaboration with relevant partners, the consultant will carry out a desk review of six countries and a field assessment of the integration of nutrition into Farmer Field Schools in two countries.
The objectives of the study are as outlined:
- To document the processes that have been used by implementing partners and facilitators to mainstream nutrition in the farmer field schools
- To document changes in nutrition knowledge and practice amongst FFS beneficiaries, including constraints / enabling factors that prevent/encourage the uptake of improved nutrition practices.
- To identify good practices, as well as opportunities and gaps in terms of integrating nutrition in farmer field schools and propose recommendations (on methods, messages, materials…) for improving the effectiveness of nutrition education provided in FFS.
METHODOLOGY
The Case Study shall entail both deskwork, meetings with key stakeholders as well as field visits to a representative sample of FFS sites/beneficiaries. The consulting team will be expected to elaborate on an appropriate methodology as part of the offer to the request for services.
The following provisional methodology is proposed:
Briefing session with the FAO Sub-regional Emergencies Office, clarifying objectives of the assessment and agreeing on a timeframe and schedule
Desk review of relevant documents for 6 countries
Field data collection in project sites in two countries (Rwanda and Uganda)
Key informant interviews with key partner organizations’ undertaking PFS interventions in each country
Field level feedback/debriefing meeting to present and validate key findings and recommendations
ASSESSMENT DELIVERABLES
The anticipated outputs/deliverables are as follows:
- An inception report outlining in detail the results of the desk review, an appropriate design and methodology for the field assessment
- Field level feedback/debriefing meeting to present and validate key findings and recommendations
- Prepare draft final report incorporating comments received
- A final report documenting and describing the mission, findings, conclusions and recommendations
SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT
During the consultancy period, it is anticipated that the consultant will visit two sites in each of the countries (Rwanda and Uganda). The timing of field work will be aligned with relevant activities and plans in each country. The field mission is expected to start in August during which plans will be made for subsequent missions. It is anticipated that the consultancy will comprise up to 7 weeks of preparation, field work and reporting.
TIMEFRAME
The duration of this consultancy is expected to take 7 weeks (50 days) including preparation, field visits and reporting.
The consultancy period is expected to be spread between August to October 2013.
CONSULTANCY
The Consultant should be a Kenyan National with the following qualifications, skills and knowledge:
Education
- Master’s degree or equivalent in the field related to food security, public health and nutrition with strong emphasis on quantitative skills.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 (five) years of relevant post Master’s working experience.
- A substantial international track record of carrying out high quality nutrition, food security and livelihoods research using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including statistical analysis of data.
- Previous experience with the United Nations and/or other multilateral, bilateral organizations and international civil society development partners is considered an asset as is previous work on the nutrition field.
Language:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English with the ability to explain complex analysis and data in a clear and simple manner to non-native English speakers.
- Knowledge of French is highly desirable.
Note: The consultant will be contracted by FFS PS.
SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
Interested consultants are required to submit proposals that include:
- Expertise of the consultant submitting the proposal including his or her CV
- Estimated cost based on the preliminary work plan provided.
Interested parties should submit the above to the FAO Sub-regional Emergency Office,
Nairobi: Email to: Angela.Kimani@fao.org by Wednesday 24th July 2013 Close of Business.
REGION: East Africa
RATIONALE:
Currently there is a global shift towards linking agricultural development and nutrition. While in recent decades strategies to combat malnutrition have tended to be largely healthbased strategies, there is growing recognition of the vital importance of expanding agriculture’s purview and capacity to enhance the nutritional outcomes of agricultural programes. The adoption of participatory approaches to agricultural extension, such as the Farmer Field School approach, provides additional opportunity to move agricultural development beyond a customary focus on productivity and yields to an approach that can more effectively contribute to improved nutrition outcomes.
The Farmer Field School approach allows farmers to engage in a process of experiential or active learning. These same processes of learning can complement nutrition strategies which aim to increase the diversity of food consumed, preparation standards and food storage in households. In Farmer Field School learning sessions, traditional extension topics such as cropping and pest management are now being used as an entry point to discuss related issues, including health and nutrition. For example, when learning about cropping, direct action is taken by facilitators to stimulate debate among beneficiaries about the nutritional
value of particular crops, preparation and cooking techniques to retain the nutrients. By continuously drawing this link between the agriculture and other human spheres, nutrition education gets interwoven and integrated into agricultural extension. In many countries across the developing world, governments have invested heavily in agricultural extension systems. The resulting physical and human capital holds great potential to address both agricultural development and nutrition through the same mechanism. By linking these two
aspects the potential for rural food and nutrition security can be greatly enhanced. Within East and Central Africa few studies, if any, have been done to assess the integration of nutrition into Farmer Field Schools (FFS). There isn’t any documented evidence to suggest that the inclusion of nutrition within Farmer Field School learning modules is actually increasing the level of knowledge and good nutrition practice amongst farmers. This lessons learnt case study provides examples of how this has been done by using participatory and interactive learning approaches developed in the context of Farmer Field School (FFS)
programs in East Africa. It will also provide recommendations on how to better improve nutrition integration into this approach in the future.
TERMS OF REFERENCE:
Under the overall supervision of Farmer Field School Promotion Services (FFS PS) and technical guidance of the FAO Subregional Emergency Office in Nairobi and in full collaboration with relevant partners, the consultant will carry out a desk review of six countries and a field assessment of the integration of nutrition into Farmer Field Schools in two countries.
The objectives of the study are as outlined:
- To document the processes that have been used by implementing partners and facilitators to mainstream nutrition in the farmer field schools
- To document changes in nutrition knowledge and practice amongst FFS beneficiaries, including constraints / enabling factors that prevent/encourage the uptake of improved nutrition practices.
- To identify good practices, as well as opportunities and gaps in terms of integrating nutrition in farmer field schools and propose recommendations (on methods, messages, materials…) for improving the effectiveness of nutrition education provided in FFS.
METHODOLOGY
The Case Study shall entail both deskwork, meetings with key stakeholders as well as field visits to a representative sample of FFS sites/beneficiaries. The consulting team will be expected to elaborate on an appropriate methodology as part of the offer to the request for services.
The following provisional methodology is proposed:
Briefing session with the FAO Sub-regional Emergencies Office, clarifying objectives of the assessment and agreeing on a timeframe and schedule
Desk review of relevant documents for 6 countries
Field data collection in project sites in two countries (Rwanda and Uganda)
Key informant interviews with key partner organizations’ undertaking PFS interventions in each country
Field level feedback/debriefing meeting to present and validate key findings and recommendations
ASSESSMENT DELIVERABLES
The anticipated outputs/deliverables are as follows:
- An inception report outlining in detail the results of the desk review, an appropriate design and methodology for the field assessment
- Field level feedback/debriefing meeting to present and validate key findings and recommendations
- Prepare draft final report incorporating comments received
- A final report documenting and describing the mission, findings, conclusions and recommendations
SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT
During the consultancy period, it is anticipated that the consultant will visit two sites in each of the countries (Rwanda and Uganda). The timing of field work will be aligned with relevant activities and plans in each country. The field mission is expected to start in August during which plans will be made for subsequent missions. It is anticipated that the consultancy will comprise up to 7 weeks of preparation, field work and reporting.
TIMEFRAME
The duration of this consultancy is expected to take 7 weeks (50 days) including preparation, field visits and reporting.
The consultancy period is expected to be spread between August to October 2013.
CONSULTANCY
The Consultant should be a Kenyan National with the following qualifications, skills and knowledge:
Education
- Master’s degree or equivalent in the field related to food security, public health and nutrition with strong emphasis on quantitative skills.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 (five) years of relevant post Master’s working experience.
- A substantial international track record of carrying out high quality nutrition, food security and livelihoods research using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including statistical analysis of data.
- Previous experience with the United Nations and/or other multilateral, bilateral organizations and international civil society development partners is considered an asset as is previous work on the nutrition field.
Language:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English with the ability to explain complex analysis and data in a clear and simple manner to non-native English speakers.
- Knowledge of French is highly desirable.
Note: The consultant will be contracted by FFS PS.
SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
Interested consultants are required to submit proposals that include:
- Expertise of the consultant submitting the proposal including his or her CV
- Estimated cost based on the preliminary work plan provided.
Interested parties should submit the above to the FAO Sub-regional Emergency Office,
Nairobi: Email to: Angela.Kimani@fao.org by Wednesday 24th July 2013 Close of Business.
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