Assessment on the Economic Impact of Livelihood Transfer for Ultra-poor Households 54 views1 application

Job Description

About CRS: “Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partner’s people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.”

1. Background of the Assessment

CRS’ DFSA is a USAID Office of Food for Peace (FFP) supported initiative to sustain and build upon the food security improvements achieved under the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) framework of the PSNP. The goal of the CRS DFSA is Food, Nutrition and Livelihoods Security of Households and Communities Improved and Sustained. The DFSA project has three Purposes (PSNP Systems Strengthening, Economic Livelihoods, and Health and Nutrition) and one cross cutting Sub-Purpose (Gender and Youth).  CRS’ DFSA is an integrated approach in addressing the various causes of community and household shocks and food insecurity. The Activity uses a phased approach to create demand, improve resources, strengthen capacity levels of and linkages between interdependent community service providers, and transition necessary program elements over to a more fully capable network of local government, program participants and local partners. This Activity operates from September 30, 2016 through September 29, 2021.

The PSNP, which CRS’ DFSA supports and complements, provides technical assistance and training in livelihood activities (crop and livestock, off-farm, and employment) to clients to enable households to increase and diversify their incomes and build their assets. While many clients who participate in livelihoods activities are referred to credit providers, for the poorest households, the program provides livelihood transfers that do not need to be repaid, helping them build their assets more rapidly while avoiding a cycle of indebtedness. Together, these interventions aim to strengthen resilience, improve nutrition, and help households become food sufficient and, eventually, food secure.

CRS’ DFSA is implemented by CRS, Mercy Corps, Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), Meki Catholic Secretariat (MCS) and Hararghe Catholic Secretariat (HCS). The Activity operates in nine target Woredas from three Zones (East Hararghe, Arsi and West Arsi) of Oromia Regional State and Dire Dawa City Administrative Council. The target Woredas are Dire Dawa, Babile, Deder, Melka Belo, Midega Tola, Shalla, Negele Arsi, Heben Arsi and Ziway Dugda.

CRS’ DFSA provided a livelihood transfer (US$200 each) to the poorest PSNP households (10%), as targeted by the community and woreda food security taskforces based on a wealth ranking participatory rural appraisal tool, following their completion of  a livelihoods checklist and development of a business plan. Priority was given to permanent direct support clients, women-headed households, landless youth and clients who have no credit options. The transfer is designed to give clients a boost which will enable them to  build productive assets, develop their livelihoods, access credit by transitioning to microfinance and/or RUSACCO credit, and ultimately accelerate the process by which households move towards food security and self-sufficiency. A total of 4,906 clients were reached in two years (FY18 and FY19) by this intervention in nine DFSA Woredas.

CRS’ DFSA seeks to hire a consultant or consulting firm to carry out an economic impact of livelihood transfers in improving the economic well-being of the targeted ultra-poor households in all DFSA operating areas. The study will be led by an external consultant (or firm) and supported by DFSA’s Program Manager for Economic Livelihoods and Collaborating, Learning, Adapting (CLA) Officer. Detailed roles and responsibilities will be outlined to ensure independence of the consulting firm while conducting the study. CRS’ role will be to offer the enabling environment and provide information and contacts to the clients and other selected key informants

1. Objectives of the Assessment

The overall objective is to assess the effects of livelihood transfer in improving the lives of targeted ultra-poor households in DFSA implementing Woredas. This study contributes to the body of knowledge around effects/benefits/impacts of livelihood transfers.

The specific objectives are:

1)      To evaluate the extent to which livelihood transfer clients utilized transfers in accordance with their self-designed business plans.

2)      To establish whether clients developed confidence in managing their own businesses using the transfers and whether they successfully transitioned to RUSSACOOs/MFI for financial service support.

3)      To assess the effects (positive and negative) of the transfer on the changes in livelihoods (including asset building) of ultra-poor households.

4)      To examine the potential for sustainability of the livelihood transfers after the DFSA ends. This should assess whether the approach used to deliver the livelihood transfers supported sustained market linkages, as well as increasing motivation, resources and capacity of clients to sustain their businesses in the absence of DFSA resources.

1. Assessment Questions

The following key questions should be considered while doing the assessment.

Use of transfer for intended purpose

1.       How have the transfer clients managed the initial livelihood transfer? How did the individual business plans guide the use of transfer money? In what types of business are clients engaged, i.e. on- farm or off-farm?

2.       What profits or losses did clients make from their use of the transfer? If they made profits, what did they do with the proceeds? Did they use the transfer to pay off outstanding loans (if any)?

3.       What additional interventions has DFSA continued to provide to the clients in terms of growing their businesses? To what extent have the clients participated in other DFSA activities?

4.       Did transfer recipients look at linking access to SILC loans (to the transfer grants) as a supplement? To what extent have the clients integrated with the DFSA value chain and livelihood pathway selection? How the livelihood transfer integrate/layering/leveraging with other purposes?

5.       Did the clients who received the livelihoods transfer develop the confidence to get loans from financial service providers to expand their businesses?

6.       What types of decisions did women and men make with regards to livelihoods transfers? Did decisions differ by gender? Why? What influenced those decisions?

Potential for Impact and Sustainability

7.       How have the lives of the transfer clients changed over time as result of their participation in the livelihoods transfer activity?

8.       If a transfer recipient can compare average annual household income from previous year(s) and now – would they say it has changed? If yes, by approximately how much Birr?

9.       What are the changes in the asset values of the targeted ultra-poor households as a result of the transfer?

10.   To what extent have the transfers changed clients’ likelihood to remain engaged with markets, businesses and other opportunities?

11.   To what extent and how did the transfers help recipient households become economically self-sufficient as a result of the livelihoods transfer? What was the contribution of other program elements to this economic self-sufficiency?

12.   What contact did clients have with GoE extension services before and after developing business plans? Are those support services/structures still available and helpful? Which ones are most helpful? How could they be improved?’

13.   To what extent did the other program elements contribute to changes in livelihoods of ultra-poor households?

14.   How sustainable was the process and approach for delivering livelihood transfers to ultra-poor households? To what extent did the transfers support sustained market linkages, as well as increasing motivation, resources and capacity of clients to sustain their businesses in the absence of DFSA resource.

1. Assessment Methods and Tools

The assessment will be conducted in FY21 to identify the role of livelihood transfers in improving the lives the ultra-poor households.

Data Collection Methods

The Consultant will apply appropriate sampling procedures to identify respondents. Sampling will ensure representativeness and sufficiency while at the same time identifying contribution of other program elements to the economic wellbeing of the household. The Consultant will employ both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The consultant will review monitoring data and reports to identify and address questions that can be answered through the routine monitoring system. The quantitative techniques will be administered through a household survey questionnaire. For the qualitative techniques, this assessment will employ Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with groups of respondents, key informants and local project stakeholders. Case stories/studies will also be conducted to explore in detail the impact of transfer on the lives of the selected households. The Consultant will also use secondary data for literature review to identify gaps, to enrich and further validate the assessment needs.

Data Analysis Methods

The study will utilize quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. Quantitative analysis will help measure results associated with livelihoods transfer. The consultant will ensure any analysis identifies the role of other program elements using statistical methods. Qualitative analysis will help explain results noted from quantitative analysis. Thematical analysis and quasi statistics will help analyze qualitative data. The Consultant will work with DFSA’s team to identify any additional data analysis and use requirements to help build on the analysis plan. The consultant will select appropriate methods and software for quantitative and qualitative data analysis.

1. Deliverables/Expected Outputs

The deliverables and/or expected outputs:

• Scope of work development
• Inception report and tool development
• Training of enumerators on the assessment tools
• Sharing interim report to CRS DFSA project teams
• Presenting the livelihood transfer assessment to validation workshop participants
• Incorporating validation workshop comments
• Final report of the assessment
• Raw data quantitative techniques
• Summary of KII and FDGs, case narrations and voice recordings (where possible) for qualitative data as annexes
• Lessons learned document on implementing livelihoods transfer

1. Report Outline

The Consultant will submit the assessment report with raw data. The report should be submitted following this outline:

                        i.         Executive summary

                      ii.         Introduction and background

                    iii.         Assessment methods and tools

                    iv.         Assessment findings

                      v.         Conclusions and recommendations

                    vi.         References

                   vii.         Annexes

1. Timeline

Ideally this piece of work will be done in Q1, and Q2 FY21.