Terms of Reference for a Baseline Study for the Gender and Climate Justice in Food System project to be implemented in Selected Communities of Nyimba and Mongu Districts.

Introduction

The Zambian food production system has come under threat in recent years due to a number of calamities taking place such as drought (including dry spells), floods (including flash floods and water logging) high temperatures and strong winds. The climate-induced risks have disrupted the livelihoods of many communities from negative impacts on the natural resource and on agricultural.

It is more than evident now that climate-induced risks have impacts on food security and nutrition among rural smallholder farming communities in Zambia.  Both smallholder women and men farmers are important to contributing to food security, nutrition and natural resource management. However, women’s contributions to sustainable food systems is frequently unrecognized. The added challenge of climate change and seasonal changes makes poor small holder women farmers more vulnerable than their male counterparts. Currently there are limited policies that support rural women and young people’s resilient livelihoods and to advance ecological justice.  Overlooking the needs of rural women and is unjust and counterproductive.

The climate challenge in food systems requires integrated approaches that increase productivity, enhancing adaptive capacity in addition to addressing nutrition levels in the communities. Building sustainable and inclusive food systems implementing tailored programmes that generate knowledge for strengthening policy provisions and reversing longstanding inequalities.

The agency of rural female farmers is essential for enhancing productivity and realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including ensuring food security (SDG 2) and addressing the threats of climate change (SDG 13). Despite significant strides made in Zambia in addressing gender inequalities over the years, rural women are still among the most marginalized groups in society and are particularly vulnerable to current and future climate change and food insecurity. Given these close relationships, the response to climate change vis-à-vis the agricultural and food systems should therefore consider gender dynamics and adopt a gender-responsive approach.

The Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN) in partnership We Effect with support from SIDA is implementing a project titled “Gender and Climate Justice in Food System” to be implemented in Nyimba and Mongu districts for 5 years targeting 7000 direct beneficiaries (70% female and 30% male). This project focuses on the We Effect broader project “Stronger Together Supporting Civil Society to Advance the Right to Food for All Individuals, Household and communities in Zambia” (CIVSAM).

The baseline will identify injustice issues that relate to women in the climate change space as well as how climate change has negatively impacted on women and girls with a focus on the social, economic, environmental and cultural norms agendas.

The ZCCN therefore has commissioned a baseline study with the objectives below and seeks the services of a Consultant to conduct the study to establish critical parameters before commencement of implementation. The study will be conducted within the confines of the specific project communities and districts (Nyimba and Mongu Districts).

Overall objective:

To conduct a study to determine the socio-economic current status communities in the project areas by setting indicators for project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning”.   Another key aspect of the baseline study is to identify key entry points for each of the projects interventions and to provide recommendations on actions that will advance rural women and young women’s livelihoods and the furtherance of climate justice in the two districts.

Specific objectives:

To enable the above understanding and consequently provide appropriate recommendations the following are expected:

1.       Assess targeted communities’ current agriculture production farming methods; impacts of climatic shocks on farming; current practices/support for building resilience in agriculture in order to recommend the best farming methods to cope with climatic shocks;

Assess targeted communities’ food consumption patterns as well as access to food and livelihood strategies including the prevalence (proportion of households) that belong to one of three groups: ‘poor’ food consumption, ‘borderline’ food consumption, and ‘acceptable’ food consumption with a focus on female headed households.
Assess targeted communities’ all year-round access to adequate food (nutritious) from-the households (including vulnerable groups) ability to access found all year round;
Assess targeted communities’ household income and assets and ways in which they are used for increasing security of livelihoods and building resilience to climate shocks;
Assess targeted communities to access to water, sanitation and hygiene to understand the WASH situation in order to recommend interventions in knowledge building and practices adoption.
To critically analyses actions that could advance and defend rural women’s and young people’s livelihoods and climate justice for all [and those that hinder) in the food production system;
Critically explore the role government, NGOs, private sector can play in the project areas to develop a just food production system that responds to climate change
Recommend specific areas of intervention/innovations by the project in partnership with government, private sector and NGOs.
Scope of work:

The consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks:

Carry out literature review including a review of the project documents and other statistics undertaken in the recent past within the project’s areas;

Design the methodology and tools for collection of both qualitative and quantitative data to be reviewed by ZCCN and We Effect.

Travel to the project areas with staff and collect data including information gathered on the project outputs, outcome and impact indicators as projected in the project framework;

Supervise data collection; and interpretation of that data with a sample size of 560 people.

Prepare the draft baseline report.

Present the baseline report to ZCCN and WE-EFFECT for validation;

Submit final report.

General Terms:

The consultant will be contracted for a fixed- price consultancy for a duration of 14 working days.

The selected consultant will work under the direct supervision of the A/Coordinator for the Zambia National Climate Change Network;

Qualifications, Experience and Skills:

Education:

Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Social Development, Gender Studies or related fields of study.

Background in other areas may be considered based on experience and performance in previous positions.

Experience:

A minimum of 5 years of experience in sustainable development with focus on gender and gender policy design, climate justice and the food systems in Zambia; (Knowledge of Zambian and project area food issues is an advantage);

Demonstrated experience in carrying out baseline studies;

Knowledge of environmental and social risks in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation in Zambia;

Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and operations in relation to gender, climate change and food systems in Zambia;

Language and Other skills:

Fluency in both spoken and written English;

Professionalism and technical skills:

Working and liaising with public administration, NGOs and communities;

Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.

Functional skills and abilities:

Experience and demonstrated ability in conducting research;

Strong analytical and reporting skills;

Excellent communication and organizational skills;Proactive, motivated and meticulous with an ability to be flexible and adaptive;

Strong exposure and knowledge of Microsoft office applications (mainly, Excel, Word, Power Point).

Interested Consultants are encouraged to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) and CV to zccnzambia@gmail.com including a technical proposal outlining methodology, workplan and financial proposal. The closing date for submission of EOI is Thursday 7th December, 2023 by close of business.

For any queries kindly get in touch with

Acting National Coordinator

Zambia Climate Change Network

Email: lydiachibambo@yahoo.co.uk

Cell: +260979940747