Feasibility Study on Opportunity International’s Enhanced Climate Resilience Project in Mulanje District, Malawi At Opportunity International

I. Introduction
Opportunity International Malawi (OIM) intends to submit to BMZ[1] a project proposal for the Enhanced Climate Resilience Project in Mulanje District, in the Southern Region of Malawi. Through this project, Opportunity International Malawi (OIM) will support in building a sustainable eco-system to increase resilience to climatic shocks in one of the poorest and most climate vulnerable districts of Malawi by increasing extension services for Regenerative Agriculture and fostering financial inclusion for development. OIM will build off of activities from an existing Government of Malawi (GoM) & IFAD funded programme (FARMSE) and an existing Jersey Overseas Aid Commission (JOAC) programmes, which aim to extend financial services to poor, rural households at national scale. OIM will work in partnership to achieve lasting results in demonstrating proof points for improved land-use practices in Malawi’s rural landscape. The target area of Mulanje is one of the Districts worst affected by Cyclone Ana in 2022, and with poverty levels above the national average, Mulanje at 69.2%. Opportunity International Malawi, which is the recipient and the manager of this BMZ grant, is looking for experts to assess the feasibility of this project. The purpose of the study is to determine the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of this project. Furthermore, the study shall provide a sound basis for developing and perfecting the project concept, by identifying project prerequisites, opportunities, and risks.

II. Purpose
The feasibility study will analyse existing climate-related challenges facing smallholder farmers in Mulanje District and assess the likely efficacy of the proposed project activities and resulting outcomes and impacts.

Areas of Interest:

• Assess the local government’s current climate strategy and existing interventions and strategies.
• Determine if similar activities are already being conducted in the target district by other development organizations or government agencies.
• Engage the department of Community Development and Social Welfare at the district level to provide an overview of VSLAs outreach within the district.
• Assess the extent of formal financial linkages for informal savings groups within the Mulanje district.
• Engage the department of Agriculture to understand what is currently being implemented regarding regenerative agriculture and conservation agriculture in the Mulanje District.
• Assess the likely impact of implementing regenerative agricultural practices on household agricultural productivity.
• Engage the department of Agriculture to understand the scope for integrating livestock into existing agricultural livelihood strategies given the intensive land pressure in Mulanje District.

Furthermore, the project concept should be evaluated with regard to the OECD DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability.

III. Provision of preparatory documents to the consultant(s):

• Project concept note/draft proposal including draft budget and draft log frame.
• Reports of other OIM projects that have recently been implemented or that are currently being implemented in the district
• OIM organogram

IV. Outputs and Deliverables

• The expert/consultant (team) is expected to work in close cooperation with OIM.
• The following products are expected from the consultancy team:
• Feasibility Study report (max. 30 pages) in English plus info graphs providing an executive summary, description of the whole process of the feasibility study including data analysis, findings, results and recommendations for the project planning and implementation according to the above-mentioned purpose and the BMZ guideline on feasibility studies (see Annex 1).
• Please attach: List of abbreviations, list of institutions visited, and persons interviewed, consultants schedule during the field phase, list of used documents, data and literature, brief professional profile consultant.

V. Expert/ consultant (team) profile

• Independent team of consultants, experienced with DAC evaluation standards, working experience as consultants with sound experience and proven references in:
• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in livelihoods and economic
  research/quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• At least 2 similar assignments conducted in previous experiences
• Experience in conducting project evaluations according to DAC standards in the fields of climate resilience, regenerative agriculture and financial inclusion.
• Sound knowledge of Malawian local government structures
• Participatory research approaches
• Qualitative methods like focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, etc.
• Quantitative survey methods

Skills

• Strong data management skills (designing and submission of questionnaires, quantitative and qualitative data management, data analysis).
• Strong communication and writing skills: fluent English.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Promptness in deliveries and communication.

The experts will not act as representatives of any party and must remain independent and impartial.

VI. Timeframe

• Deadline Call for Proposals: 19th March 2023
• Main Research activities: 1st April – 10th May 2023
• Report Writing: 11th May 2023 – 18th May 2023
• Draft report due: 18th May 2023
• Final report due 30th May 2023

VII. Proposal Submission Requirements

• Proposal (Maximum 7 pages) Including:
  • Research Approach
  • Methodology
  • Research Schedule
• List or relevant prior assignments
• CVs of consultants involved
• Budget

VIII. Contracting Agency
Opportunity International Malawi

P.O. Box 464, Lilongwe, Malawi

IX. Contact
Please address your enquiries and proposals to:
OID: Andrea Zipprich (azipprich@oid.org)

OIM: Richard Chongo (rchongo@opportunity.org)

X. Short project description
Project : Enhanced Climate Resilience Project in Mulanje District, Malawi
Sector: Climate Resilience & Adaption
Project duration: Oct 2023 to Feb 2027 (41 Months)
Summary:

OIM intends to facilitate increased climate resilience among targeted households through a combination of activities designed to facilitate improved agricultural productivity, income diversification, and economic inclusion. To increase agricultural productivity in the face of increasing climate variability, participating households will be incentivized to implement regenerative agricultural principles designed to improve soil moisture holding capacity and soil fertility. OIM will focus on economic inclusion and income diversification by targeting the formation and strengthening of community-based financial organisations (CBFOs) and working through these structures to facilitate access to formal financial services for the targeted households. A range of capacity-building training designed to foster business and entrepreneurship skills will be delivered to participating households by the rural agents.

Implementation Strategy:

• OIM will engage 60 rural agents to provide capacity-building training to 100 households each, thereby targeting a total of 6,000 households in Mulanje District. These households will be members of new or existing CBFOs.
• The project will work closely with the local government to identify areas of high climate vulnerability in the district and to ensure the activities align with the broader government strategies.
• The rural agents will deliver a range of training (VSLA Methodology, Financial Literacy, Business & Entrepreneurship and Regenerative Agriculture) to the CBFOs with the objective of increasing net incomes and improving resilience to climate shocks over time.
• OIM will work with Financial Service Provider (FSP) partners to facilitate access to finance for CBFOs that have demonstrated the capacity to access formal financial services to provide additional liquidity for members to invest in alternative income-generating businesses.
• OIM will utilize strategically located demonstration plots to compare traditional and regenerative agriculture practices over time.
• The regenerative agricultural practices will focus on intercropping, incorporating green cover crops, composting, contour lines, reducing tillage and integrating livestock.
• OIM will work with FSP partners to develop tangible incentives for the targeted households to implement regenerative agricultural practices. This will be in the form of lower-cost access to financial services by either reducing the cash collateral contribution required to access financial services or by committing to buy down a portion of the interest in farmers that have demonstrated a commitment to implementing the minimum required level of regenerative agriculture. These incentives are designed to encourage household groups to commit to implementing regenerative agricultural practices for several seasons.

Outcomes:

• 60 rural agents engaged in delivering capacity-building training and monitoring services to targeted households.
• 30 regenerative agriculture demonstration plots set up for training purposes in the targeted areas.
• 400 CBFOs demonstrating an increase in annual savings by members.
• 400 CBFOs strengthened for utilisation of formal financial services.
• 60% of CBFOs accessing formal financial services
• 6,000 SHFs trained in Regenerative Agriculture principles.
• 6,000 SHFs trained in Financial Literacy and Business & Entrepreneurship.
• 75% of SHFs adopt at least two regenerative agriculture practices.
• 75% of SHFs demonstrate an increase in agricultural productivity.
• 50% of SHFs demonstrate a decreased reliance on inorganic inputs.

50% of SHFs demonstrate increased diversification of income sources.

Expected Impact:

• Strengthened ability for households economically recover from climate shocks.
• Increase in crop & income diversification.
• Increase in farm productivity and income.
• Increase in income from alternative income-generating activities.
• Improved household food security

Annex 1 to the TORs: BMZ Guideline for Feasibility Studies

https://bengo.engagement-global.de/dokumente.html?file=files/2_Mediathek/Mediathek_Microsites/bengo/Service/Dokumente/Handreichungen/en/Guideline_for_conducting_feasibility_studies.pdf&cid=159426

(please note that not all the questions are relevant to this particular study. A selection has to be made)

[1] German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)