External final evaluation At Instituto Marquês de Valle Flôr

1. Identification of the project

Name of coordinator of the grant contract: Instituto Marquês de Valle Flôr (IMVF)

Name of beneficiary(ies) and affiliated entity(ies)in the action

• ADWAC – Agency for Development of Women and Children
• United Purpose
• Alianza por la Solidariedad

Title of the action: Building a Future: Make it in The Gambia, aka TekkiFii

Dates of the intervention to be evaluated

• Start: 11/01/2019
• End: 10/10/2022

Target country: The Gambia

Funding Agency: European Union

Budget of the intervention to be evaluated: €5.000.000

2. Background

2.1.Country and sector

Gambian economy is primarily agrarian with agriculture accounting for about 30% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and 75% of the rural population’s employment. Traditionally, The Gambia’s rural economy has been based on rain-fed subsistence agriculture. Thus, it is highly vulnerable to external shocks as experienced in recent years (insufficient rainfall impacting on agriculture and food security, etc) and labour productivity is low with large segments of the population working in the informal sector. Only 50% of the national food requirements are met by national production and the country shows a high level of external dependency both at the economic and at the food security level. Rural households can hardly produce enough income and food from agricultural activities to maintain a decent standard of living.

With a population of only 1.8 million, the lack of viable economic opportunities is one of the main challenges for the country. More than half (about 63.55%) of the population of The Gambia is below 25 years of age, while the annual population growth rate is estimated at 3.2%. The poverty level is higher in rural areas than in urban ones (almost 70 % vs. 48.6 % in 2015). This leads to a significant rural-urban migration and to emigration, including irregular migration to Europe.

2.2. Programme

The programme BUILDING A FUTURE: MAKE IT IN THE GAMBIA – TEKKI FII – is implemented in The Gambia since 2018. It is financed by the European Union under the framework of the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa).[1]The programme was created to foster stability and to contribute to better migration management, including by addressing the root causes of destabilisation, forced displacement and irregular migration. The programme has been implemented byBelgian, Deutsch, Portuguese Cooperation as well as by an UN (United Nation) body – respectively, ENABEL -Belgian Development Agency, GIZ – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, IMVF and International Trade Centre.

2.3. Project

The Project allocated to Portuguese Cooperation is implemented by IMVF since January 2019. It started has a three-years intervention and was later granted a 9-month non-cost extension. The closing date is October 2022.

Its overall objective is to contribute to socio-economic development and to nurture positive prospects for local populations and returning migrants in The Gambia, namely in Central River, North Bank, Lower River and Upper River regions. The specific objectives are:

• to boost economic development with a focus on attractive employment and revenue generation in regions prone to migration;
• to promote a conducive socio-economic environment for an effective and sustainable reintegration of former migrants and to improve the attractiveness of rural areas.

The expected results (R) are[2]:

• R1: sustainable market-oriented agribusiness value chains are emerging and/or reinforced in rural Gambia through training (formal/unformal)
• R2: social cohesion has been strengthened by the activities of local organizations and the implementation of social/recreational facilities

Within each of the results, the following activities were implemented:

Macro-activities

Activities (non-comprehensive list)

Result 1: Sustainable market-oriented agribusiness value chains are emerging and/or reinforced in rural Gambia through training (formal/unformal)

A1.1 Assess the viability of various identified sites, market bottlenecks and opportunities and training needs

• Sites assessment.

A1.2. Support to rural agroenterprise development

• Facilitate access to finance with the provision of over 200 in-kind grants and start-up kits;
• Improve the capabilities to successfully run a business;
• Facilitate market linkages;
• Support to processing demonstration centres.

A1.3. Fostering agribusiness at farm level

• Support to nearly 40 vegetable gardens and other agro-producer groups, including provision of inputs, material, equipment, training and in some cases agro-infrastructures.

A1.4. Reinforcement and diversification of training offers

• Provision of skills training in horticulture, poultry, small ruminants, beekeeping, processing and small engines to rural youths;
• 5 training centres in rural areas involved and strengthened.

Result 2: Social cohesion has been strengthened by the activities of local organizations and the implementation of social/recreational facilities

A2.1. Support local community radios to boost their capacity as key information and mobilisation channels

• Provision of equipment and capacity building for 5 community radios, mobilised as channels for information dissemination.

A2.2 Implement innovation and social cohesion hubs

• Awareness raising activities, trainings and events in agribusiness, migration and sports;
• Capacity building of youth groups;
• Support to youth infra-structures.

A2.3 Schools for social cohesion programme

• Promotion of activities in agribusiness, migration and sports in 25 upper basic and senior secondary schools;
• Outreach activities on migration in koranic schools.

Activities are based on a close cooperation with relevant stakeholders (national, regional and local) in order to ensure an effective contribution to NDP 2018-2021 and the sustainability of results.

Consulted stakeholders during the identification and formulation of the project included:

• • Government institutions – Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education; National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority; GTTI – The Gambia Technical Training Institute; Ministry of Higher Education; Ministry of Trade, Regional Integration & Employment; GIEPA -Gambia investment and export promotion agency; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Youth and Sports; Department of Women’s Affairs; Regional Youth Committees; Local Governments; – Civil society – CBOs – Community Based Organizations; TANGO – The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Gambia; Primary and secondary schools (including koranic schools) – International organisations – FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization; OIM – International Organization for Migration.

It was consensually acknowledged the need for further initiatives related to youth employment and employability, market promotion and income generation, rural living resilience including the provision of recreational facilities and debate forums, as well as the key role of agriculture for the country’s development.

More information on activities shall be consulted athttps://www.imvf.org/project/building-a-future-make-it-in-the-gambia/. The full logic of intervention can be foundin the Annex I – Logframe Matrix, update for the Year 3 of the intervention.

The Project’s core target groups are youths and women, and final beneficiaries are potential migrant youth, returnees and women, specific in the agribusiness component: 1,300 people, and in the social cohesion component: 13,000 people.The Project is implemented in partnership with ADWAC , United Purpose and Alianzapor la Solidaridad.

As the project occurred during COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand that some activities were delayed,and as such, the project was extended for 9months. However, other activities were adapted to raise awareness for the health measures implemented, as well as to provide basic sanitary goods and protective equipment to schools and other beneficiaries.

During the project implementation, an internal quality control mechanism, based on the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (M&EF), annual narrative and financial reports, regular partners’ meetings, and alsoweeklyinternal meetingstook place. The reports mentioned above are available and will be shared with the evaluation team. However, no baseline or mid-term evaluation took place, during the implementation of the project.

3.Description of the Evaluation Assignment

3.1 Objectives of the final evaluation

Systematic and timely evaluation of its programmes and activities is an established priority[3] of the European Commission (EU)[4]. The focus of evaluations is on the assessment of achievements, the qualityand the **results[5]**of the intervention in the context ofan evolving cooperation policy withan increasing emphasis on result-oriented approaches and the contribution towards the implementation of the SDG – Sustainable Development Goals.[6]

From this perspective, evaluations should look for evidence of why, whether or how these results are linked to the EU intervention and seek to identify the factors driving or hindering progress.

Evaluations should provide an understanding of the cause and effect links between: inputs and activities, and outputs, outcomes and impacts. Evaluations should serve accountability, decision making, learning and management purposes.

In particular, this evaluation will serve to understand the performance of the intervention, its enabling factors and those hampering a proper delivery of results as to inform the planning of the future interventions.

The main users of this evaluation will be the project partners, the relevant EU services and the key stakeholdersthat are involved in the implementation of the intervention.

3.2 Evaluation criteria and issues to be addressed

The evaluation will assess the Intervention using the six standard DAC evaluation criteria, namely: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and early signs ofimpact. In addition, the evaluation will assess one EU specific evaluation criterion, which is:

• the EU added value (the extent to which the Interventionbrings additional benefits to whatwould have resulted from Member States’ interventions only).

The evaluation must focus on the aims and results of the project and include an analysis of the process to achieve the expected results. It shall furthermore consider whether the relevant SDGs and their interlinkages were identified; the principle of Leave No-One Behind and the rights-based approach methodology was followed in the identification/formulation documents and the extent to which they have been reflected in the implementation of the Intervention, its governance and monitoring.

The issues to be addressed as formulated below are indicative. Following initial consultations and document analysis, the evaluation team will discuss them with the Evaluation Manager[7] and propose in their Inception Note a complete and finalised set of Evaluation Questions with indication of specific Judgement Criteria and Indicators, as well as the relevant data collection sources and tools.

Once agreed through the approval of the Inception Note, the Evaluation Questions will become contractually binding.

A sample of issues and evaluation questions to be addressed are:

1. What were the main results of the intervention, and its early impact?
2. What were the main constrains and main success factors of the project implementation?
3. What was the project’s efficacy and efficiency, regarding activities execution and results achievement?
4. What changes on beneficiaries lives (grantees, small holder farmers, TVET trainees, school students) might be related to Project intervention?
5. How did the projects partnership and interdependency/cooperation with other TekkiFii projects affected its implementation?
6. How did the intervention promoted sustainability?

Besides these main issues addressed above, the contractors are required to gather and verify data on all the indicators of the logframe (for full logframe see Annex I), but specifically collect data on the following indicators[8]:

• For the Result 1.2. Market oriented production increased:
  • % increase in production (ton)
  • % increase in income generation of people benefitting from market linkage activities,breakdown by age, gender and migrant status and type, location of the site
• For the Result 2.2. Reinforced feelings of belonging among the youth and women
  • engaged youth perception that their opinions are listened, and interests addressed, breakdown by age, gender, location and migration status;
  • engaged women perception that their opinions are listened, and interests addressed, breakdown by age, location and migration status.

The methods of data collection, quantitative and qualitative, should be participatory-based, and included, among others: interviews, questionnaires, most significant change stories, focus groups.

3.3 Phases of the evaluation and required outputs

The evaluation will last a minimum of 25 working days, divided into the following phases:

1. Inception
2. Field
3. Synthesis
4. Dissemination

1st Phase: Inception Phase**

• Meetings with the Project Coordination team (Lisbon and Gambia);
• Initial document/data collection
• Document analysis[Project Action Document and Logical Framework, Interim Reports and other key documents of the Project and the Trust Fund];
• Stakeholder analysis
• Description of the Theory of Change (based upon available documentation and interviews)
• Methodological design of the evaluation (Evaluation Questions with judgement criteria, indicators and methods of data collection and analysis) and evaluation matrix
• Output. Inception note

2nd Phase: Field Phase

• Gathering of primary evidence with the use of the most appropriate techniques, as such:
  • Meetings with the Coordination team and Project partners, including restitution of the main evaluation results in a meeting at the end of the mission;
  • Meeting with the EU Delegation;
  • Visits and interviews to beneficiaries and other interested parties;
  • Collection of data from the beneficiaries of the Project’s activities;
• Output: Slide Presentation of key findings of the field phase; Photographic record.

3rd Phase: Synthesis phase

• Final analysis of findings
• Reporting
• Outputs: Draft final report; Final Reports.

The evaluation team will deliver to the Project Coordination team the Draft Final Reportand, after addressing the comments consolidated by the Evaluation Manager, will finalise the Final Report[9].

4nd Phase: Dissemination phase

• Presentation of the project results and good practices, in the project final event
• Output: Powerpoint presentation[10];Dynamic Mini-Report[11]

Logistics: the project will facilitate the contact between the expert(s) and the project’s stakeholders and beneficiaries. It will also provide a meeting room in the project offices in Banjul and Kerewan, based on a previously defined calendar. The availability of a vehicle for displacements in the country will be confirmed upon final calendar definition. Financial proposals shall include a discrimination of displacement costs and all other logistic requirements.

3.4 Management and Steering of the evaluation

The evaluation is managed by the Evaluation Manager; the progress of the evaluation will be followed closely with the assistance of Project Coordination team.

The main functions of the Reference Group are:

• To agree on the focus of the evaluation, including the evaluation questions at Inception Phase.
• To facilitate contacts between the evaluation team and the external stakeholders.
• To ensure that the evaluation team has access to and has consulted all relevant information sources and documents related to the project.
• To discuss and comment on notes and reports delivered by the evaluation team.
• To assist in feedback on the findings, conclusions, lessons and recommendations from the evaluation.
• To support the development of a proper follow-up plan after completion of the evaluation.
• To support the Dissemination Phase.
  1. Language of the Specific contract

The language of the specific contract is to be English.

4.Expertise Required

4.1 Number and role of evaluators and working days per category

The table below indicates the suggested minimum number of evaluators and the suggested minimum number of working days (overall and in the field), per category of experts to be foreseen by the tenderers.

See table on the ToR.

Senior expert / team leader role: overall responsible for the evaluation.The Team Leader shall be clearly identified in the offer; He/she shall provide at least 25 working days, out of which 15 in the field.

Medium expert role: responsible for design of tools for data collection on the logframe indicators; data analysis; report writing. He/she shall provide at least 20 working days, out of which 15 in the field.

Junior expert role: support tools design, data collection and analysis.He/she shall provide at least 20 working days, out of which 15 in the field.

All experts are expected to possess a demonstrable expertise coherent with the requirements described underneath.

4.2 Expertise required

The team of evaluators shall make proof of multidisciplinary skills, according with the following requirements:

Minimum requirements and skills for the Senior Expert:

• University degree (bachelor, master or doctorate) in economics, agronomy, social sciences, development studies or another relevant area;
• Experience (minimum 10 years) in Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Cooperation Projects, preferably in similar areas of intervention, specifically in agribusiness and agronomy;
• Work experience in the area of Development Cooperation (minimum 5 years), preferably in similar areas of intervention (agribusiness and agronomy);
• Consolidated knowledge of the west African context. Experience in The Gambia will be considered an added value;
• Proficiency in spoken and written English;
• Ability to critically analyse problems and present solid solutions;
• Autonomy and dynamism for the execution of the activities for which he/she is responsible;
• Ability to coordinate a team, with skills in human resources management;
• Ability to critically analyse problems;
• Work capacities in locations with limited conditions.

Minimum requirements and skills for Medium Expert:

• University degree (bachelor, master or doctorate) in economics, social sciences, development studies or another relevant area;
• Experience (minimum 5 years) in Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Cooperation Projects, preferably in data collection methodologies;
• Work experience in the area of Development Cooperation (minimum 5 years), preferably in similar areas of intervention (agribusiness and agronomy);
• Experience in data collection tools and dataanalysis;
• Proficiency in spoken and written English;
• Ability to critically analyse problems;
• Work capacities in locations with limited conditions.

Minimum requirements and skills for Junior Expert:

• Experience (minimum 2 years) in Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Cooperation Projects, preferably in similar areas of intervention;
• Experience in data collection;
• Proficiency in spoken and written English;
• Work capacities in locations with limited conditions.

Additional requirements of the team :

• Ability to hire and coordinate local inquirers for data collection;
• Ability to speak local languages or subcontract local translators;
• Graphic designer skills, or subcontract designer services.

Gender balance in the proposed team, at all levels, is highly recommended and should be striven for.

5. Location and Duration

5.1 Location(s) of mission assignment

The assignment will take place in The Gambia, with travels throughout the country.

5.2 Foreseen duration of the assignment in calendar months

Maximum duration of the assignment: 3 calendar months.

This overall duration includes working days, weekends, periods foreseen for comments, for review of draft versions, debriefing sessions, presentation in the project final event and distribution of outputs.

5.3 Starting period and planning

Provisional start of the assignment is end June 2022.

As part of the technical offer, the framework contractor must fill in the timetable in the Annex III (to be finalised in the Inception note). The ‘Indicative dates’ are not to be formulated as fixed dates but rather as days (or weeks, or months) from the beginning of the assignment (to be referenced as ‘0’).

For more information please consult the ToR.

[1]https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/regions/africa/eu-emergency-trust-fund-africa_en

[2] Please consult Annex I: Logframe , for more information[3]COM(2013) 686 final “Strengthening the foundations of Smart Regulation – improving evaluation”-http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/docs/com_2013_686_en.pdf; EU Financial regulation (art 27); Regulation (EC) No 1905/200; Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006; Regulation (EC) No 1638/2006; Regulation (EC) No 1717/2006; Council Regulation (EC) No 215/2008

[4] SEC (2007)213 “Responding to Strategic Needs: Reinforcing the use of evaluation”, http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/evaluation/docs/eval_comm_sec_2007_213_en.pdf ; SWD (2015)111 “Better Regulation Guidelines”, http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/guidelines/docs/swd_br_guidelines_en.pdf ; COM(2017) 651 final ‘Completing the Better Regulation Agenda: Better solutions for better results’, https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/completing-the-better-regulation-agenda-better-solutions-for-better-results_en.pdf

[5] Reference is made to the entire results chain, covering outputs, outcomes and impacts. Cfr. Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 “Laying down common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union’s instruments for financing external ” – https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/pdf/financial_assistance/ipa/2014/236-2014_cir.pdf.

[6] The New European Consensus on Development ‘Our World, Our Dignity, Our Future’, Official Journal 30th of June 2017. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C:2017:210:TOC

[7]The Evaluation Manager is the staff of the Contracting Authority managing the evaluation contract.

[8] These indicators are to be specifically collected on the final evaluation, thus were not targeted on the annual monitories. For more information, please see Annex I. Logframe Matrix.

[9]See Annex II – Structure of the Final Report and of the Executive Summary, for more information.

[10] With no more than 30 slides, highlighting the main conclusions and key recommendations targeted to the relevant stakeholders

[11]Document with main conclusions and key recomendations, as well as one pager Infographic, Have a look at the ESS/INTPA study on Dissemination of Evaluation Results for some examples of good knowledge products by different EU Delegations and other institutions from around the world: https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/evaluation_guidelines/wiki/disseminating-evaluations