Fair Trade Africa Jobs in Kenya

3. Fairtrade Africa External Evaluation of “Growing Women in Coffee” Project in Western Kenya

Terms of Reference: Fairtrade Africa (FTA) is currently seeking a qualified research team to undertake a qualitative annual review for ‘Growing Women in Coffee Project’ currently being implemented amongst two Fairtrade-certified Coffee smallholder producer organizations (Kabng’etuny FCS and Kapkiyai MCS) and a Coffee Union (Kipkelion) all located in western Kenya.

The data collected will be used to assess project implementation progress for Year 1 & 2 (March 2015 – February 2017) against existing baseline data and set MEL indicators per outcome area.

1. About Commissioning Organizations

Please refer to Fairtrade International (www.fairtrade.net) and Fairtrade Foundation (UK) at www.fairtrade.org.uk for more information on Fairtrade certification and respective markets.

Fairtrade Africa (FTA): Fairtrade Africa (www.fairtradeafrica.net) has it’s secretariat in Nairobi and is the independent non-profit producer network representing all Fairtrade certified producers in Africa.

2. Context and Background

In 2010, Kabng’etuny Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Kericho County commissioned a campaign to sensitize its members who were all male to support women and youth who provide most of the labour in coffee value chain but lack empowerment i.e. direct income, knowledge on coffee husbandry, marketing techniques, general farm practices, environmental conservation entrepreneurship skills etc. as part of compliance requirements in Fairtrade Standards and Certification.

This call extended to Kapkiyai Multi-purpose Cooperative Society and Kipkelion Union Mill in Nandi and Kericho Counties respectively.

The campaign saw transfer of at least 50 coffee bushes from men to women per household resulting to 410 women gaining cooperative membership as Kabng’etuny Women’s Coffee Association in 2013 (300 members) and Kapkiyai Women in Coffee Association in 2014 (110 members); generating an independent income from coffee farming for the first time; creating opportunities for leadership; training on coffee production & marketing and other skills for the women

Kipkelion Union brings together approximately 20,000 coffee farmers from 32 coffee cooperative societies in Western Kenya, with female membership averaging just 11% across these. 30 of these are not yet Fairtrade-certified.

The project aims at working with Kipkelion Union as the central learning unit to showcase impact of Fairtrade certification and possibly upscale pilot initiatives currently being implemented within Kabng’etuny and Kapkiyai Cooperative Societies.

With the support of Fairtrade Foundation UK, Fairtrade Africa and implementing partners received Year 1 and 2 funds (March 2015 – February 2017) to roll out activity implementation within four overall outcome areas as follows:

3. Project Outcomes

Improved livelihoods for 300 women farmers in Kabng’etuny FCS resulting from increased use of sustainable farming methods leading to improved quality and yields of coffee.

Improved use of and access to natural resources through the adoption of green energy production by 300 households of women farmers in Kabng’etuny FCS, also resulting in lower levels of deforestation and less generation of harmful gases, mitigating climate change.

Improved livelihoods for 150 women in Kapkiyai FCS through the transfer of coffee assets from men to women and improved representation and participation for women through the establishment of a Women’s Coffee Association

Improved livelihoods for 450 women farmers in Kipkelion Union through support for the sale of branded women’s coffee into domestic markets and through the creation of a learning platform at Union level to spread benefits to women farmers beyond Kabng’etuny and Kapkiyai cooperatives

4. Key Tasks

Methodology: The MEL plan for ‘Growing Women in Coffee’ project provided for a baseline study; annual qualitative reviews for years 1&2 and end of term evaluation.

While the annual review process is meant to be mostly qualitative it is expected that some of the data will be quantitative due to the nature of activities implemented and set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) per outcome area.

The selected research team is expected to use qualitative research methods e.g.

In-depth interviews with key informants i.e. selected leaders of project beneficiary groups and any stakeholder directly supporting the project

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with

beneficiary women, men and youth

Observation i.e. avail any supporting documentation, photographs, video recordings as captured and/or shared by project beneficiaries and any stakeholder directly supporting target beneficiaries

Deliverables

The research team should deliver the following:

Assess level of activity implementation of year 2 (March 2016 – February 2017) per project outcome area as against project baseline survey and year 1 review findings

Carry out two case studies featuring benefits, challenges and recommendations for activities implemented under Outcome 1 (GAPs training) and Outcome 2 (adoption of household biogas digesters)

Interpret, present and discuss results while comparing these against baseline data set/MEL indicators. Key questions to be answered should include:
o Have the problems facing target beneficiaries in relation to the project been solved?
o To what extent has the project objectives been achieved?
o What has been learned from the results?
o How can this knowledge be used?
o What are the shortcomings of the research or methodology used?

Quotes and testimonials to support findings – consider reliability and validity of each

Submit a maximum 30-page MS Word report capturing the above. The structure of the presentation should be based around the project’s four outcome areas. Attach any supporting documents including photographs, video, additional quotes/testimonials taken etc. as annexes

Present the findings to project beneficiaries and implementing partners at Kipkelion Union Mill at a date that shall be communicated by FTA within March/April 2017.

5. Consultant Qualifications

Fluency in English, Swahili and where possible local languages i.e. Nandi & Kipsigis

Experience of conducting impact assessments, annual/mid-term project reviews or other types of program evaluation or research

Research experience within a relevant thematic context (e.g. research into gender, coffee value chains, livelihoods, or ethical certification systems)

Prior experience in researching coffee and knowledge of the coffee sector in Kenya. Knowledge of gender and coffee highly advantageous

Existing research experience, research networks and partnerships in Kenya

Special focus on evaluation techniques and participatory research methods

Experience of using innovative data collection methodology, including mobile techniques

Ability to present data concisely and clearly

Demonstrable policy on research ethics

Understanding of Fairtrade principles, key tools and approaches

Understanding of Fairtrade’s Child Protection Policy

Disclosure of conflict of interest

The tender documents submitted should include:

A brief proposal based on the ToR provided that includes a clear description of the intended scope and methods to be used, work plan, potential risks, research policy and ethical standards to be followed and a detailed timeline (with reference to timelines provided in the ToR)

A detailed budget of costs required to complete the annual review

Description of the tendering party/parties highlighting relevant experience in undertaking impact assessments, annual/mid-term evaluations

Detailed CVs of all members the proposed research team highlighting research experience relevant to the study

Names and contact details of two organizations for whom similar work has been conducted in the last two years and submission of two examples of recent research work undertaken by the tendering party in a related field

Note: Fairtrade Africa shall separately meet logistics costs associated with validation of the draft annual review findings to be scheduled late March/early April 2017 at Kipkelion Union Mil.

How to Apply

Interested research firms are requested to submit their tender documents (technical & financial) proposals to Fairtrade Recruitments recruitments@fairtradeafrica.net by 10th March 2017.

Research teams should be available to conduct the assignment from 15th March 2017.

More Fair Trade Africa Jobs in Kenya at - Page | 1 | 2 |

Find jobs in Kenya. Jobs - Kenya jobs. Search our career portal & find the latest Kenyan job positions, career opportunities & jobs in Kenya.

Jobs in Kenya - banking jobs, IT jobs, accounting jobs, NGO jobs, business administration, ICT, UN jobs, procurement jobs, education jobs, hospital jobs, human resources jobs, engineering, teaching jobs, and other careers in Kenya.

Find your dream job from 1000s of vacancies in Kenya posted and updated daily - click here!