ActionAid Rwanda,ToR for Final Evaluation for the Big Lottery Fund Project in Muko Sector

and economic opportunities
for women farmers and their families in Muko, Rwanda. The project is funded
by the Big Lottery Fund and implemented by AAR in partnership with Faith
Victory Association (FVA). This Terms of Reference sets out the scope and
details of the work to be undertaken, expected methodology and deliverables of
the evaluation. The evaluation is expected to highlight the project results,
the impact and the processes which led to these results, key lessons learnt,
and the sustainability of the project benefits.

• Number
  of women who participate in advocacy activities
• Number
  of women who report increased access to agricultural services (e.g.
  veterinary and extension services)
• Number
  of women who report increased decision-making in the use of farm land
• Number
  of trained government workers and journalists who have an increased
  understanding of women smallholder farmers’ challenges

• Number
  of smallholder farmers that report increased knowledge of DRR
• Number
  of smallholder farmers that report increased knowledge, skills and
  confidence in sustainable farming methods
• Number
  of smallholder farmers that report increased food security during the food
  insecure seasons
• Number
  of Disaster Mitigation Strategies put in place
• Number
  of seed/grain banks functioning

• Number
  of smallholder farmers that report increased knowledge of business
  management and marketing, and that are using the cold room and milling
  machine
• Number
  of cooperatives that report an increase in income from cooperative
  activities
• Number
  of cooperatives using agricultural inputs (e.g. fertilizer, seeds,
  livestock)
• Number
  of cooperatives registered with RCA

• To
  assess to what extent the project has achieved its intended outcomes;
• To
  review to what extent the project has been implemented in line with
  ActionAid’s HRBA principles (particularly with regards to women’s rights
  and accountability to communities); and
• To
  identify and document effective strategies for bringing about change in
  the project context, lessons learned and recommendations for improvements
  for ActionAid’s on-going work on women’s rights and smallholder farmers.

• –
  have we done the right thing?
• –
  have we done the right thing well?
• (and
  value for money) – have we got the most (and best) results for our inputs?
• –
  what changes (positive or negative, intended or unintended) to
  beneficiaries’ lives has the project contributed to?
• –
  will what we have done remain after the project ends?

• What
  have been the most effective strategies for increasing women smallholder
  farmers’ ability and opportunity to advocate for agricultural services and
  rights to land, and why have they worked (or not) in different contexts?
• What
  have been the most effective strategies for increasing women smallholder
  farmers resilience to disasters and their impact on food security, and why
  have they worked (or not) in different contexts?
• What
  has enabled, or been a barrier, to women smallholder farmers’ income and
  opportunities for economic development?
• How
  has the ActionAid programme worked to support the organisation and
  strength of smallholder farmer cooperatives and has this translated into
  any improvements in women’s lives or their economic empowerment?

• Community
  voice and representation: It is essential that the
  evaluation reflects the voices of women and men involved in the project.
  People should be consulted as part of the evaluation, and their voices
  included in the evaluation report as direct quotes and case studies. In
  line with ActionAid’s mandate, the evaluation should prioritise people
  living in poverty and exclusion, especially women.
• :
  As a minimum the evaluators should commit to feeding key findings and
  recommendations back to the communities engaged in the evaluation.
• Transparency
  and ethical standards: The evaluators should explain
  clearly to communities engaged in the evaluation what the purpose of the
  exercise is, and how their information will be used. ActionAid’s ethical
  standards for research and data collection should be followed, including a
  risk assessment covering security risks to communities. As a minimum the
  evaluation should ‘do no harm’.
• Women’s
  rights:
  Women’s rights must be respected in all evaluations. All evaluations
  should seek to explore how women have been affected by an intervention and
  the effect on gender relations. It is essential that women’s voices are
  heard clearly in the evaluation. The timing and location of evaluation
  activities and the composition of the evaluation team should be designed
  to maximise women’s ability to participate in the evaluation.
• Transparency
  about methodology: The evaluation should include a
  detailed and transparent discussion of the methodology used and key
  decisions taken in designing and implementing the evaluation. This should
  include information about the sampling (approach to sampling, numbers of
  people/communities covered, how representative), what tools were used and
  why, methodological limitations and gaps.
• Disaggregated
  data:
  Data must be disaggregated in as much detail as possible. As a minimum
  this means disaggregation by age and sex. Where possible data should also
  be disaggregated by other relevant factors such as disability

• Develop
  an inception report and work plan

• Review
  of key project documents, including; needs assessment, market research
  report, project business case, proposal document, log-frame, annual survey
  data and findings, mid-term review and donor reports.
• Review
  of existing secondary information (literature review)
• Discussions
  with the stakeholders
• Develop
  and submit methodology, including the research design,sampling, data
  analysis, work plan, budget and additional questions for the annual Survey
  Questionnaire Tool, to AAR for approval
• Pre-test
  and finalize all the evaluation tools
• To
  collect data using the tools provided against agreed outcome indicators
  enabling project success and impact to be measured against the indicators
  and outcomes since the start of the project (June 2014)
• To
  assess the overall performance of the project with reference to its
  respective strategy, objectives and quantitative and qualitative
  indicators defined by the project document
• Lead
  field work, including interviews of the sampled project’s cooperatives and
  beneficiaries, chosen according to the agreed methodology
• To
  conduct the survey using the Annual Survey Questionnaire Tool
• Conduct
  data entry and cleaning process
• Analyse
  data and findings, and submit a draft report to AAR and AAUK for comments
• To
  incorporate comments and produce final report to submit to AAR and AAUK
  for approval
• Present
  the findings in a stakeholder workshop and during official handover
  meeting in Musanze

• Introductory
  briefings with the consultant(s)
• Security
  briefings in advance of travel and on arrival, and on-going security
  support
• Logistical
  support including providing contact details
• Assist
  in the identification of key stakeholders to be interviewed as part of the
  evaluation
• Mobilising
  community members to be involved in the evaluation, including informing
  the project beneficiaries,  local community structures, and other
  identified stakeholders that the survey is going to be conducted and
  completing the necessary paperwork and obtaining of consent
• If
  required, recommendations for research assistants, interpreters or other
  local human resources as needed
• Making
  available all relevant project documents
• Providing
  the consultant with the necessary support to ensure that the study is
  undertaken with reasonable efficiency

• Technical
  advice on research approaches and ensuring deliverables meet agreed
  quality standards and grant requirements
• Support
  with collation of key project documents as required
• Review
  and feedback on first and all subsequent drafts of the report

• Evaluation
  report of no more than 50 pages, (excluding annexes) as a Word document
  written in clear and concise English with minimal jargon.The report will
  include:
• Cover
  page (title of the evaluation report, date, name of consultants, photo)
• Contents
  table
• Executive
  summary of no more than four pages outlining the purpose of the
  evaluation, main points of analysis, key findings, conclusions and
  recommendations
• Introduction
  outlining the background to the intervention and the evaluation
• Purpose
  and objectives of the evaluation
• Methodology/approach,
  indicators used, and limitations of the evaluation
• Major
  findings (data analysis, including gender analysis)
• Lessons
  learned and recommendations
• Annexes:
  details of data collection tools; schedule of field visits and meetings;
  list of people interviewed; bibliography of key documents consulted; ToR
  for the evaluation
• The
  report must allow for a management response from ActionAid, outlining
  areas that we agree with and will take forward in future responses;
  responding to areas requiring improvement; outlining any findings that we
  disagree with which have not been resolved through comments on the draft
  report; and indicating how learning will be taken on board in this and
  future responses.
• The
  evaluation team are required to make a presentation of key findings and
  recommendations to AAR and partners in Kigali (remotely if not in person).
• A
  PowerPoint presentation summarising key findings and recommendations that
  can be used to disseminate findings within ActionAid and with external
  stakeholders.
• The
  raw data (all transcripts, quantitative data, and data collection tools)
  must be handed over to ActionAid together with the evaluation report.
• Where
  photos are included, these should be provided to ActionAid in high
  resolution JPEG format. The evaluation team must ensure photos are
  obtained in line with ActionAid guidelines on consent.
• Diagrams/flowcharts/infographics
  developed by the evaluation team can be included but the original artwork
  should also be submitted as separate files along with the evaluation.Note:
  ActionAid reserves the right to modify artwork as appropriate.

1. Demonstrable
   expertise onwomen’s rights, gender equality and on a human rights based
   approach
2. Geographic
   expertise in East Africa, preferably Rwanda
3. A
   financial proposal that offers good value for money and that maximises
   potential efficiencies to deliver the outputs within budget

1. Experience
   in quantitative methods and analysis
2. Experience
   in qualitative methods and analysis, participatory research, action
   research
3. Experience
   in project monitoring and evaluation systems
4. Experience
   in designing and conducting rigorous research
5. Evidence
   of strong downward accountability mechanisms used with project
   stakeholders/research participants to actively share results and learning
6. Evidence
   of use of ethical considerations and methodological measures for
   conducting research with girls, women, boys, men
7. Understanding
   of agriculture and rural livelihoods, market approaches, resilience and
   economic empowerment

1. Evidence
   of successful collaboration with NGOs.
2. Evidence
   of client responsiveness, creativity and flexibility of approaches towards
   clients’ needs and/or challenges in research implementation.
3. Evidence
   of producing clear, concise reports in English and high quality, published
   research and active dissemination of research findings
4. Experience
   in delivering agreed outputs on time and on budget

• CV
• Expression
  of interest addressing track record (at least three references to past
  experience)
• An
  example of previous similar work
• Proposed
  budget
• Proposed
  activity plan
• Certificate
  of business registration