TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)-PROGRAM IMPACT & LEARNING STUDY At

Improving Palestinian small-scale producers access to and power in olive, high value fruit, small ruminant value chains-Takamol Program

1. Program Background

Under the third phase of Australia’s Middle East NGO Cooperation Agreement (AMENCA 3) program and through a strategic partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), OXFAM launched the program “Improving Palestinian small-scale producers’ access to and power in high value fruit, and small ruminant value chains” in April 2016. The program is implemented in both West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The studies and analysis that have been produced during the inception phase have provided greater clarity on systematic constraints, geographical focus and target beneficiaries, and specific commodity value chains.

This program promotes, catalyzes, and supports measures that will systematically change the dynamics of the high-value fruits, and small ruminants value chains in the West Bank and Gaza. The program interventions, combined with the synergies will be built with other Consortia, will enable beneficiaries to capture benefits from value chain and market development support, including increased access to employment and income, and improved opportunities for women and youth to enhance their influencing power. **

The overall goal of the program is connecting Palestinian farmers to markets through the effective participation of farming communities in the course of three outcomes:

Outcome 1: Help equip women and men to become more market ready: Rehabilitation of agricultural roads, Water systems development, conservation practices and technologies and Improved and innovative agricultural practices.

Outcome 2: Women and men engage more sustainably and profitably in value chains: expansion of agro-processing capacity in the three value chains, leveraging local and international private sector investment, stimulating local consumer demand, stimulating export readiness, and facilitating local, regional, and international market linkages.

Outcome 3: Women and youth are more economically empowered: gender equity and inclusion strategy, promoting gender sensitive businesses and “Go-professional” skills development and business incubation for young entrepreneurs.

BENEFICIARIES

Oxfam range of interventions being developed by OXFAM consortium, is anticipated to have a direct impact on 40,000 small-scale producers (Women, Men and Youth) engaged in these value chains. The program geographic focus for high value fresh fruits capitalizing on OXFAM previous interventions i.e. SDC, SIDA and DANIDA program s and will thus focus on communities with high production potential per targeted value chain: **

• Grape: Gaza Middle Area (Sheikh Ejlien and Rafah); West Bank (Bethlehem, Hebron, Jordan Valley, Jenin and East Jerusalem)**
• Small Ruminants (meat and dairy): West Bank (Tubas, Jordan Valley)**
• High Value Fruit: Gaza-Guava (Khan Younis, Beit Lahia and Rafah); West Bank avocado (Qalqilia, Tulkarem, and Jordan Valley).**
• Women cooperatives and food processing units including the social inclusion pilots.**

2. Purpose of the Program Impact & learning Study

Oxfam is seeking the services of a consulting firm to undertake an impact assessment and learning study for the OXFAM- AMENCA 3 program. The purpose of study is to assess the performance of the project and capture project achievements quantitively and qualitatively . As well, the study is intended to assess program challenges and best practices to inform future similar programming. It will also review the recommendations of the project Mid Term Review (MTR), and assess the extent to which these were implemented. The evaluation should also identify key lessons learned, and the flexibility of the program to adapt and respond to the changes in the working environment across the selected value chains.

3. Objectives of the evaluation:

The study objectives are:

Objective 1: Identify key achievements and impacts of AMENCA 3. The study should identify what has been achieved by Oxfam Consortium over the period of AMENCA 3. The final report should provide an overview of the consortium’s work for the full program period, outlining what has been implemented, constraints faced in implementation and highlights of achievements. The report should include information on why these achievements and impacts were possible, and also, include information on key constraints in implementation and how Oxfam partners overcame these constraints. Moreover, the study should identify high level systematic changes in the selected value chains as defined in the AMENCA3 expected outcomes/outputs, DFAT definition note. The study should identify the real difference /changes that the program has made to the lives of the target group. For example “To what extent did the increase in AMENCA 3 beneficiaries’ income enabled them to invest in their families by providing better nutrition, better education, and better health?”

Objective 2: Identify and assess key lessons learned, challenges and draw recommendation for future Programming. The final report should provide conclusions, draw recommendation and identify key lessons for all program outcome indicators. The final report should include at least one lesson learned and recommendation per outcome indicator.

Objective 3: Identify program key sustainability factors. The study should state the current situation of the targeted businesses, CBOs, women and men farmers and others benefited from AMENCA 3 interventions. The study should explain why they will be able to continue to enjoy benefits in the future. It should address the systemic changes that have been made in markets or value chains.

Objective 4: Identify key changes on the situation of women, youth and people with disability. The study should give significant focus on the sustainable changes that have been facilitated for women and youth as a result of AMENCA 3 interventions. What was their situation before AMENCA 3 and what is it now at the conclusion of the program? The study should reflect on how their lives have changed, what they can now do that they could not before or what broad benefits they now have that they didn’t have before AMENCA 3. The study should also document what Oxfam and its partners have done to address the needs of people with disability within the agriculture sector. As well, what measures/ interventions were taken to address the structural barriers that hinder women empowerment and how effective those measures/interventions been?