Democratic Republic of the Congo: PUNC III Studies International Consultant

ToR – PUNC III Studies International Consultant

BACKGROUND

Over the past 20 years in DRC, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) has been responding to immediate needs in terms of response to acute malnutrition through nutrition emergency activities related to treatment of severe acute malnutrition, sending emergency teams repeatedly to the same areas. These interventions are vital to saving lives and preventing terminal asset depletion. However, they do not address the underlying causes of malnutrition or prevent malnutrition from resurfacing, as experienced by the re-emergence of nutritional crisis in most areas. To better respond to this challenging situation and needs to address nutrition vulnerabilities, ACF will conduct an in-depth study in one of the areas where structural nutritional crisis have been experienced, and on the basis of this study, draw out the modalities of an intervention for a period of 3 to 4 years that would address the identified root causes of malnutrition, alongside strengthening the local resilience of the communities. In the particular context of DRC, and based on ACF experience, using nutrition as an entry point will allow addressing vulnerabilities at large, and identifying response options linking nutrition and resilience. The study will be conducted in the Kwango province, considering (i) the trends of malnutrition in this area in the last 10 years according to SNSAP and historical trends, (ii) the severity of the crisis - in 2016-2017, three quarters of the Kwango Province has been under confirmed nutritional crisis according to SMART surveys conducted in the province and (iii) the humanitarian interventions in the province during the year 2017 (5 emergency nutrition interventions).

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The overall purpose of the study is to (i) better understand the determinants of malnutrition as well as multiple barriers which prevent communities of the Kwango province from responding appropriately to their nutritional needs, and potential boosters, and (ii) propose context-specific response options and inform a multi-year programm which should allow addressing the root causes of malnutrition alongside strengthening the local resilience of the targeted communities.

METHODOLOGY

The study will place people and communities at the centre of analysis and planning, with a view to identify areas which deserve particular attention as well as most appropriate options based on people’s knowledge and capacities, as well as feasibility in the particular context. A step-by-step approach will be followed:

Step 1 – Scoping phase

Step 2 – Identification of critical issues at community level

Step 3 – In-depth analysis of critical issues (including quantitative & qualitative surveys) S

tep 4 – Identification of response options at community level

Step 5 – Design of a multi-year programm

POTENTIAL TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC PARTNERS AND THEIR ROLES

During the inception phase of the research project, a technical expert working group has been established, including experts involved in food security, nutrition and resilience policy and programs from Government, Donors (EU, DFID, WB), Academia, UN agencies, NGOs, etc. Specific attention will be paid at mobilizing national and international scientific partners which can add value to the overall process (i.e. Tufts University, ODI, CIRAD, IRAM, IRD, etc..) to ensure buy-in of the methodology, and potential, even though limited, replication in other areas. The technical/scientific working group will play a key role in terms of technical guidance and quality management of the overall process.

CURRENT STATE OF THE PROJECT

The project has started in June 2018 and the current Step 3 started early December. The report for the first two steps has been finalised.

More precisely, during the first phase, stakeholders were identified, the technical committee participants have been mobilised and the first meeting took place (please find composition of technical committee in the annexe). An exploratory mission in Kahemba was conducted and the research team was recruited, national and international scientific partners (UNI KIN and TUFTS University).

The step 2 has been successfully conducted with the initial community consultation that focused on the perception and the perceived causes of malnutrition in three territories. With inputs of the technical committee, HQ and scientific partners, the methodology has been re-aligned. The results of the community consultation constitute the base for the identification of themes for deeper analysis in step 3. With the input of the technical committee, 5 themes have been defined for the next phase: (i) Access to basic services and WaSH situation, (ii) governance, (iii) income and livelihood (iv) environmental management and food system and finally (v) gender and behaviour.

National consultants have been identified to conduct in depth-studies for those 5 themes, which will be combined with a household survey to complete the analysis with quantitative data.

Upon request, the following documents are available : Detailed methodology paper
Report of step 1 and 2
Literature review
ToRs for consultants, methodology and data collection tools in step 3

TASKS / DELIVERABLES

In close collaboration with ACF DRC office, ACF HQ and scientific partners (Tufts University and UNI KIN), the Consultant will lead the implementation of the remaining steps, from step 3 onward. He/she will be responsible for the technical quality and timely delivery of the different products, as well as the overall coordination of the activities and communication between stakeholders. Institutional and facilitation support from the 3rd step onwards, in particular:

1) Conduction of the studies (Step 3 and 4)

• Coordinate/Organize in-depth studies and household survey and including feasibility of response options
• Review reports of the 5 different in-depth-studies as well as the household survey
• Co-prepare with the program manager the presentation to be delivered at the technical working group with main findings from the community level assessment and in depth studies (step 3)
• Facilitate the technical working group meetings
• Coordinate/organize the presentation of response options and collection of inputs and feedback at community level through community consultation (step 4)

Deliverables: Step 3

• Quality review of the analysis and the results of the in-depth studies in collaboration with the HQ and scientific partners
• Co-preparation with the research program manager of the presentation to be delivered at the technical working group with main findings from the community level assessment and in depth studies

Step 4

• Participation in the discussion at community level for response options
• Quality review of proposed response options in collaboration with the HQ

2) Design of the multi-year program (step 5)

• Supervise the collaborative preparation and finalization of the stock-taking report
• Supervise the collaborative elaboration of the intervention framework and write the final product
• Co-prepare of the presentation to be delivered at the stakeholder workshop and to the ACF Research and Innovation working group with main findings / response options, and initial framework of intervention.
• Facilitate the stakeholder workshop taking and take stock of the main recommendations regarding the intervention framework
• Supervise the finalization of the intervention framework
• Contribute to the initial design of the multi-year program, based on the intervention framework Deliverables:
• Stock-taking report with main results of the different analysis
• Co-preparation of the presentation with main findings / response options
• Framework for intervention
• Initial Design of the multi-year programme

TIMEFRAME AND DEADLINE

The duration of this consultancy is of approximately 4 months (January – April), including 2 field trips of 20 days each.

Please send your references to the following adress:

Simone Ramones

ct-urg@cd-actioncontrelafaim.org

(+243) 817 086 249