Project/Consultancy Title: Terms of Reference (ToR) for Socio Economic Feasibility Study                                                   of Small to Medium-Scale Irrigation Schemes at Selected Sites in Liban and Afhder Zones

Somali Region, Ethiopia

Project Location(s): Dolo Ado and Dolo Bay Woredas of Somali region

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now and for the future.

Mercy Corps Ethiopia exists to alleviate suffering and poverty by helping people build secure, productive, and sustainable livelihoods. Since 2004, we have worked in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas in five regional states – Somali, Oromia, Afar, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples, Amahara, and the capital city, Addis Ababa. Our mission is to foster populations that are financially stable, healthy, and nourished, and educated and informed, within a context where natural resources are accessed, shared, and utilized sustainably, so people can lead productive livelihoods. Driven by local needs, our programs provide individuals, agencies and businesses with the tools and support they need to transform their lives, businesses, and communities. Our partners include government, academic institutions, development and private sector actors, civil societies, and participating public. We strive to strengthen all these institutions in the hopes that one day they become self-reliant.

Problem Statement

Ethiopia’s agriculture depends largely on rainfall, which results in low productivity. Achieving food self-sufficiency under this condition is a major challenge for the country’s agrarian economy. To meet the gap between local supply and demand, Ethiopia has to import large amounts of food from abroad every year. Furthermore, the frequent and severe droughts have negatively affected food production and worsened the food security situation.

Somali Region is one of the most impoverished and malnourished areas in Ethiopia, especially in the drought-prone parts with low agricultural potential. The area under study is one of these food-insecure districts. The main factors that contribute to the poor state of agriculture and food security in the region and the district are recurrent droughts that damage the ecosystem, low adoption of improved technologies and practices in crop and livestock production, and unfavorable socio-economic conditions that hinder development.

To address the food insecurity situation, Ethiopia needs to pursue a development strategy that makes effective and efficient use of its natural and human resources. One of the key elements of this strategy is to exploit the country’s water and land resources to develop various irrigation schemes (from small- to large-scale). This can not only help solve the current food insecurity problem, but also boost the country’s economic development by increasing its foreign currency earnings and creating more employment opportunities.

The main goal of the regional government and especially the study area is to ensure that everyone has enough food and access to quality socio-economic services. To achieve these goals, the government has set some strategies that include supporting the drought-prone areas with various interventions, such as expanding extension services, providing rural credit facilities, developing irrigation schemes, creating off-farm employment opportunities, and conserving natural resources.

Purpose / Project Description:

Mercy Corps is implementing “Climate-Proofing Food Security in Ethiopia’s Drought-Prone Lowland Areas in the Somali region, Ethiopia” locally named as IFTIIN meaning ‘light’ in Somali. This project is a collaboration between the World Food Programme (WFP) and Germany, through its ministry of cooperation and development (BMZ) and KFW. It aims to provide a scalable solution to the current and future impacts of climate change on the food security and livelihoods of vulnerable communities in Ethiopia’s drought-prone and drought-affected lowland areas. The project is based on the World Food Programmes approach that emphasizes climate risk solutions, local capacity strengthening, and early warning, surveillance, and feedback mechanisms.

The project will run for four years and will benefit about 50,000 people in Dollo Ado and Dollo Bay districts of the Somali region. The project has the following key components and overarching objectives:

•  To enhance the livelihoods, resilience, and food security of vulnerable communities by improving their access to productive assets, income opportunities, markets, and social services.

•  To strengthen the adaptive capacities of communities, ecosystems, and systems by promoting climate-smart practices, technologies, and innovations in agriculture, natural resource management, and disaster risk reduction.

General Objective of the Study

The main objective of the socioeconomic feasibility study is to provide IFTIN/the project with necessary baseline information on current social and economic situation in the study areas. The survey will also serve as a benchmark for decision making whether a potential irrigation scheme will be feasible in the targeted sites in Dolo Ado and Dolo Bay Woredas of Somali region.

Specific objectives

Considering the above general objective, the specific objectives of the socioeconomic feasibility study   are to:

●                 Estimate the magnitude and identify the profile of the target households in the kebele.

●                 Describe the prevailing demographic features in the project areas.

●                 Assess existing socioeconomic settings and deliveries of social services and economic supports in the project sites and their impact on proper implementation of the project.

●                  Identify existing social and economic organizations that will have a direct influence on the project implementation.

●                  Assess existing traditional Water user Associations (WUAs) or other community structures and propose a relevant and capable organization for future irrigation water use.

●                 Review existing secondary data for key irrigation agronomic data for future detail irrigation design (if already exists) if no secondary data available then Generate key irrigation agronomic data for future detail irrigation design.

●                 Investigate related problems and constraints and suggest actions and solutions for the smooth implementation and sustainable use of the project.

Scope of work and deliverables

Task 1. Socio-Economic Study

The Feasibility study and analysis will include but are unlikely to be limited to: –

A.               Review of the Population of the Project Area and Investigation of Population Dynamics: The number of population and households of the project areas classified into the number of male and female beneficiary households and population would be clearly identified. The population could be categorized into beneficiaries and those that could be affected by the project. The classification would be identified and analyzed by the study.

B.               Review the Availability of Accessibility of All Social Services and Possibility of the Contributions it has for a potential Future Development of the Irrigation Project: The availability and accessibility of social services such as health, education, water supply, Financial institutions, Energy supply/ Mineral source, Communication (road, transport, telephone, other ICT services…) veterinary and other infrastructure and social services are to be investigated in order to assess the potentials/ constraints and possibility of the contribution it has for future development of an  irrigation project.

To understand the impact of the present and future population growth on the resources and planned irrigation schemes, population dynamic will be investigated, and family planning practice will be examined. The proportion of the economically active population will also be analyzed to assess the labor availability of the area of or the intended project.  Population size, religion, ethnicity, age and sex composition (heterogeneity and/or homogeneity), Population spatial distribution, population projection, the respective demand for food, supporting capacity and other necessities in the project and the catchment area. Assess current settlement pattern, township, population movement or migration and Infant and child mortality situation in the area would also be investigated.

Economic Systems: In this line of study, the economic base of current target community household/beneficiary would be reviewed. The list of activities that would be included in the study includes but not limited to :  Economic source/ Major means of livelihoods/potential income generating activities; Farming System; Crop production (potential crops, area covered by potential crops , Current Irrigation Practices and Tradition, constraints of crop production) ;Livestock production (Major livestock type, size, major diseases  ; Other economic activities & potentials (Potentials of apiculture, fish, forest & forest product etc.) ;Land Use Pattern (area under different use, cultivated/ cultivable, pasture, forest, bushes & shrubs land, rivers & lakes…) and Land Tenure and Size of Holdings. The analysis would very much be supported with relevant data which can represent the study area under consideration.

A.               Identify Development Potentials, Constraints in Order to Involve All Stakeholders in the Project Area for Sustainability of the Project: The study shall Identify development potentials, constraints of the scheme in order to involve all stakeholders in the project area for sustainability of the project; Existing NGO’s and area of cooperation with the community, suggestions with regard to additional government and private institutions and services that may be required for effective implementation and operation of the scheme would be conducted.

B.               Undertake Public Consultation and Assessment of Attitudes: The study should conduct Clear consultation and communication with wereda officials & wereda administration council, PA officials, DA’s and Individual farmers in the project area as well as other up and down stream users of the water. Community awareness creation (Brief description about project idea, its plan, future direction & the objectives of the study crew shall be given to District officials, PA officials, DA’s, individual farmers and others in & around the project area).

General Meeting with the community: Understand the community perception, understanding and interest about previous and current irrigation scheme development focusing on challenges and benefits. Also discuss with the community openly about a potential Irrigation scheme development project in the area; understand what the duties, roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders shall be throughout the design, development and implementation.

Task 2: Irrigation Agronomic data

●                 Review crop selection criteria and cropping patterns; and check the selection of the most appropriate crops which will be suitable for the prevailing climate, soil, available water, and available labour in the new irrigation system.

●                 Review the report on land classification and soil physical of the command area as a basis for confirming crop selection,, agricultural input requirements. 

●                 Review the estimation of crop water requirement methods and procedures.

●                 Review the determination criteria and methods for cropping patterns, cropping calendar, irrigation intervals, and irrigation frequencies considering hydrology, soil, climatic and socioeconomic data.

●                 Selection of suitable and high value crops to be proposed and grown during the project implementation period.

●                 Compute irrigation water requirement, irrigation scheduling, irrigation efficiency, and irrigation intervals

●                 Review the computation methodologies and assumptions of labour, animal, and machinery requirements of the farm, their distributions, and scheduling.

●                 Review the determination of the projected agricultural development costs of the area and likely returns/ estimation of crop yields from the project during its early and later phases.

●                 Review soil reports and soil and land suitability maps.

●                 Finally, improve the feasibility reports as per standard guidelines.

●                 Propose recommendations as to the most appropriate type of inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and chemicals and their seasonal and annual requirements of the project.

●                 Review and calculates the labour, animal, and machinery requirements of the farm, their distributions, and scheduling.

Task 3: Conflict Sensitivity Analysis

The purpose of this activity is to enable the project partners to better understand, anticipate and react to  context dynamics and   the conflict sensitivity  in the  small  to medium irrigation schemes at  selected Sites in Dolo Ado and Dolo Bay Woredas.

Specific Objectives of this task

●                 ·To   improve our understanding on drivers of conflict, connectors and dividers   and conflict lines in and between local communities   in the context of promoting small and medium irrigation schemes in the selected sites

●                 to understand different perspectives of communities (agropastoralists, pastoralists, small holder farmers, community leaders, elders, water users, women youths) market actors, private businesses, development practitioners and humanitarian agencies considering the proposed interventions of the project

●                 To understand the community’s perception and attitude towards small and medium irrigation schemes itself in their context. How do they see the promotion of irrigation schemes as a challenge or as an opportunity?

●                  To analyze the potential impacts of the proposed interventions of the project and how they interact with the local context

Deliverables of the Assignment

The deliverables can be determined in detail once the assignment has started, but are likely to include:

●                 An inception report and presentation outlining the methodology, approach, study schedule based on document review and discussions with the relevant stakeholders and project teams.

●                 Fact finding visits to understand needs and practice, including reports and action plans.

●                 Socioeconomic of key variables and key irrigations agronomic data of the sites

●                  Internal validation and verification of finding before preparing a final report and sharing to external stakeholders.

●                 facilitation of validation and dissemination workshop for the wider stakeholders

●                 Final report at the conclusion of the assignment and recommendations for irrigation opportunities

Coordination and study modality: the potential consultant is expected to closely coordinate and work with another consulting firm who undertake detail irrigation engineering technical design and investigation.

Timeframe and Schedule The socioeconomic feasibility study is expected to be implemented November 1, 2023, to December 15, 2023 (1 month and 15 days). The consultancy will work with IFTIIN project teams and its partners in the Somali region and national teams.

Location: The location of the assessment will be Dollo Ado and Dolo Bay Woredas of Liban and Afder zone in seven selected kebeles namely Deriburis, Amino, Heloweyn ,Rama, Walday Gabare Hintoy, and Lakey

The Consultant will report to: Director, Inclusive Economic Growth and Gode and Dolo  Area Program Manager

The Consultant will work closely with: The   experts of the consulting firms will closely work with IFTIIN Team Lead and broader IFTIIN team in the field and in Addis Ababa and  will coordinate his/her activities with project partners. The lead expert will keep the parties informed on the progress of the feasibility study and discuss any challenges s/he is facing. During the consultancy period, the consultants coordinate and work closely with IFTIIN and its relevant stakeholders to share information and receive feedback. This could include organizing meetings and discussions among Officers of RRS, WFP, Somali Region relevant government line department, field project Team, community representatives, and Water User Associations (if any) , farming communities, market actors, private businesses, development practitioners and humanitarian agencies considering the proposed interventions of the project.

Administrative information: Mercycorps IFTIIN project will be providing necessary facilitation  like  linkage with partners and community structures, information sharing and consultation along the process of delivering the assignment. MCE will be providing all the necessary documents and promptly and timely response to the consulting teams.

Required Experience & Skills:

●                 Understanding of the low land livelihoods in the dryland areas of Somali regions

●                 Advanced degree in agricultural economics, rural development, irrigation engineering, or related fields.

●                  A minimum of five years of experience in conducting feasibility studies, socio-economic assessments, market analysis, and cost-benefit analysis for donor funded economic development focusing on infrastructure feasibility study.

●                  A good knowledge of the irrigation systems, water resources, crop production, and agro-climatic conditions of the project area.

●                   A strong understanding of the socio-economic studies and impacts of irrigation development on the livelihoods, food security, and resilience of the target communities.

●                 The consulting company needs to have composition of teams(Socio economist/pastoral development specialist ,, Irrigation agronomist,  conflict dynamics  Analyst and Gender Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion Specialist)

●                  A proficiency in data collection, analysis, and presentation using various methods and tools, such as surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, remote sensing, GIS, SPSS, Excel, etc.

●                 Experience in facilitating in undertaking qualitative data collection and analysis.

●                 Excellent presentation and representation skills in multicultural contexts.

●                 Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

●                 Ability to translate complex technical ideas to a non-technical audience in both verbally and in writing.

●                 Experience in facilitating in undertaking qualitative data collection and analysis.

●                 Knowledge and experience of embedding cross-cutting approaches as an aspect of organizational change.

●                 Fluent written and spoken English and team members fluent in Somali language is required.

Table 1: Scoring Sheet of the potential applicants

Evaluation Item	Expectation	Max Score	Remark
Understanding of TOR, Proposed Methodology and Product as well as Approach while presenting for the WFP and MC IFTIIN team	Interpretation of what the assignment entails, scientific elements included in the inception report, and the key considerations that should be made to conduct the research in the set time successfully.	30%
Work-plan	Clear sequencing of activities and realistic time planning	20%
Experience, Qualification, and capacity and team composition of the firm in terms of staff qualifications and experience	A brief of past relevant assignments (in similar research areas) and academic background and indicating scope, geographic coverage, staff involved, budget, and client (name and contacts) recommendations	20%
Total Technical		70%	Only those scored 50% and above out of 70% will be considered for financial evaluation
Financial Proposal	A breakdown of costs detailing proposed days, taxes, other direct costs and related to the assignment.	20%	Only three bidders scored the highest and stood 1 up to 3 out of 90% will be requested to present their proposal (presentation will be scored out of 10%)
Pitching(presentation)		10%
	TOTAL SCORE	100%	The winner will be the one scored the highest out of 100%

Evaluation Criteria

●                  70% technical competency (Understanding of ToR and Methodology 30 % and Work plan 20%, team experience and composition -20%).  Those applicants that scored below 50% of the technical evaluation will not be considered for further evaluation.

●                 20% financial feasibility (budget).

●                 Pitching/Presentation 10%

Instructions for the technical and financial proposal

Interested consulting confirms kindly to send a technical and financial proposal detailing the experience and qualification of your firm to execute the assignment. The potential consulting firm should prepare a budget based on the proposed methodology and resources required for the assignment. The financial proposal should include daily fees for the assigned personnel and the total cost to execute the assignment. Following the selection of competent applicants, the detailed terms and conditions of agreement will be outlined in the MC contract of agreement with the consulting firms.