Baseline Survey for Transforming Lives Through Nutrition

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Terms of Reference

Baseline Survey for “Transforming Lives Through Nutrition” Project

Position : Consultancy

Department : Strategy and Innovation Unit

Location : Copperbelt Province (Masaiti, Mpongwe, Luanshya, Lufwanyama), Central Province (Kapiri-Mposhi, Mumbwa, Chibombo and Chisamba), Northwestern Province (Solwezi, Mushindamo and Kalumbila).

Reports to : Strategy and Innovation Director

1.    Introduction :

International Development Enterprises (iDE) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to combating poverty in the developing world.  iDE empowers rural households by providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to increase their income and improve their health and well-being. iDE’s vision is to catalyze the power of entrepreneurship, enabling millions of people to lift themselves out of poverty.

iDE Zambia’s Mission and Vision

iDE’s mission is to create income and livelihood opportunities for poor rural households. while its vision is to harness the power of entrepreneurship to create lasting change, allowing individuals to achieve self-sufficiency and prosperity.

The Back ground :

Globally, nutrition crises disproportionately affect women and children, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Inadequate nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood leads to poor health outcomes, diminished well-being, and increased risk of mortality. Poor nutrition also contributes to low economic performance and limits the productive potential of affected households. Despite the availability of effective nutrition interventions, weaknesses in health and food systems, coupled with knowledge gaps in feeding practices, constrain the achievement of nutrition security, especially among the rural poor. This systemic failure has placed women and children at the forefront of an unprecedented global undernutrition crisis, with far-reaching consequences for families, communities, and entire nations, potentially hindering human potential for future generations.

In response to this crisis, the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) program was created to help government partners build the capacity of local health and food systems to deliver evidence-based and lifesaving nutrition interventions to pregnant women and children during the critical 1,000-day window of opportunity (from conception to age 2). The program will operate in 12 countries in Africa and Asia over 5 years and aims to reach an estimated 2.6 million pregnant women and 12 million children. Specifically, in Zambia, the target is 10,000 women of reproductive age (WRA) and 20,000 children over the entire period. TLTN is a partnership between Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels, and iDE.

Problem in the Context of Zambia

Zambia faces significant challenges in nutrition and food security, with high rates of stunting, wasting, and anemia among children and women. Weaknesses in health and food systems, coupled with the promotion of unhealthy foods, exacerbate these issues. Additionally, poor knowledge of good feeding practices, limited resources, poor infrastructure, and market inefficiencies hinder rural households’ ability to produce and access nutritious foods.

According to the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS), 35% of children under five are stunted, indicating chronic malnutrition. Furthermore, 4% of children suffer from wasting, a sign of acute malnutrition. The prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age is 46%, affecting their health and the health of their children.

The food system in Zambia faces significant challenges, including limited access to diverse and nutritious foods, wastage during seasons of abundance, poor infrastructure, and market inefficiencies. Smallholder farmers, who make up the majority of the agricultural sector, often lack the resources and support needed to produce a variety of nutritious crops. This results in a reliance on staple foods that do not provide adequate nutrition. Furthermore, climate change and economic instability exacerbate food insecurity, making it difficult for families to maintain a healthy diet.

BASELINE STUDY :

A baseline study will be conducted in each of the participating countries to determine the state of nutrition and the systems that support and promote nutrition sensitive interventions. The baseline will serve to guide program activities and contribute to addressing global knowledge gaps on coverage and quality of food systems interventions.

Locations

In Zambia, the project will be implemented in the following Provinces and districts : Copperbelt Province (Masaiti, Mpongwe, Luanshya, Lufwanyama), Central Province (Kapiri -Mposhi, Mumbwa, Chibombo and Chisamba), Northwestern Province (Solwezi, Mushindamo and Kalumbila), focusing on areas within the districts that have high rates of malnutrition and food insecurity. To this effect, the baseline study will be conducted in selected districts of the provinces.

Targeted Number of Beneficiaries

The program aims to reach approximately 10,000 rural  women of reproductive age and their children aged 0-59 months (20,000).

The “Transforming Lives through Nutrition” (TLTN) program seeks to address these challenges by improving health and food systems. The program will acquire goods such as supplements and equipment and provide technical support to health system actors to enhance the quality and coverage of care through existing government healthcare mechanisms. Three approaches are envisioned :

• Food Systems : Support smallholder farmers to improve production practices, yields, and access to markets. Small and medium enterprises will also be supported to increase affordable access to nutritious foods.
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) : Facilitate greater access to improved WASH products and services while promoting positive behaviour change.

Proposed Solution or Approach :

iDE Zambia seeks to apply the Nutrition-sensitive Program approach, to address the nutrition crisis in Zambia by tackling the root causes of malnutrition and food insecurity. This will be achieved through strengthening Nutrition sensitive, enhancing agricultural productivity, improving food systems, promoting nutrition education, and ensuring robust monitoring and evaluation. This comprehensive strategy ensures that women and children, who are most affected by the crisis, and communities in general receive the knowledge and support they need to achieve better health and wellbeing, ultimately contributing to the nation’s development and prosperity.

Purpose of the Evaluation

The purpose of this baseline survey is to establish current status for nutrition and agriculture support program indicators. The findings of the survey will serve as benchmarks for measuring progress in enhancing nutritional security, wellbeing, and inclusive growth among smallholders, particularly women of reproductive age and their children aged 0-59 months in target areas.

3.1 Objectives and Deliverables :

The survey will identify milestones and indicators to measure the progress of project implementation and during the end-line evaluation of the project. The purpose of the baseline study is to generate adequate and quality baseline information (quantitative and qualitative) against a set of indicators as benchmarks under each specific outcome.

The primary objectives of the baseline study are to determine :

1.    Feeding and dietary practices among children 0 – 59 months and their mothers

Secondary objectives of the baseline are to determine :

1.    Exposure to counseling on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition among mothers of children 0 - 59mo of age

2.    Water and sanitation facilities and practices among household with children 0-59 months of age.

Study Objectives

The primary objectives of the baseline study are to determine :

1.    Assessment of Knowledge of Feeding and Dietary Practices : Evaluate the knowledge of feeding and dietary practices among mothers of children aged 0-59 months.

2.    Coverage of Preventive Nutrition Education and Services : Assess the coverage of preventive nutrition education and services among mothers of children aged 0-59 months.

3.    Coverage of Nutrition Training : Evaluate the coverage of nutrition training among mothers of children aged 0-59 months.

4.    Exposure to Knowledge and Practice of Nutritious Food Production and Processing : Assess the exposure to knowledge and practice of production and domestic processing of nutritious foods.

5.    Exposure to Nutrition Training and Information : Evaluate the exposure to nutrition training and information on maternal, infant, and young child nutrition among mothers of children aged 0-59 months.

6.    Assessment of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Facilities and Practices : Evaluate the WASH facilities and practices among households with children aged 0-59 months.

Proposal Budget :

The budget should include, but not be limited to, the following categories :

o    Salaries and wages for the consulting team, including the Lead Consultant and enumerators.

o    Training costs for enumerators and other staff involved in the baseline study.

o    Costs for survey tools, questionnaires, and other data collection materials.

o    Office supplies and printing costs.

o    Transportation costs for field visits, including fuel and vehicle hire.

o    Accommodation and per diem for field staff.

o    Costs for data entry, cleaning, and analysis software (e.g., SPSS, STATA).

o    Fees for data analysts and statisticians.

o    Communication costs, including phone and internet charges.

o    Logistics support for field operations.

o    Costs for preparing and printing the final report.

o    Expenses for dissemination workshops or presentations.

Timeline :

1.    Preparation Phase : Month of Oct / Nov,2024

o    Week 1 : Recruitment of enumerators and training sessions.

o    Week 2 : Finalization of survey tools and logistics planning.

2.    Data Collection Phase :

o    Weeks 3-4 : Field data collection in target areas.

3.    Data Analysis Phase :

o    Weeks 5-6 : Data cleaning, analysis, and preliminary report drafting.

4.    Reporting Phase :

o    Week 7 : Submission of the draft report to IDE Zambia for review.

o    Week 8 : Incorporation of feedback and finalization of the report.

o    Week 9 : Submission of the final report and presentation of findings.

Key Milestones and Deadlines :

Confidentiality

All outputs, including survey reports, databases, and data sets produced by this assignment, will be submitted to iDE Zambia. The consultant shall not produce these materials in any form (electronic, hard copies, etc.) for a third party without express permission from iDE Zambia.

Submission Checklist

Before submitting your proposal, please ensure that you have included the following :

1.    Description of the consultancy firm.

2.    Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the Lead Consultant and key team members.

3.    Technical proposal detailing the methodology, work plan, and timeline.

4.    Financial proposal with a breakdown of costs.

5.    Sample of previous work relevant to this assignment.

Submission Details

Interested companies should submit both technical and financial proposals by Friday, 4th October 2024 . The proposals subject matter should be marked  “IDE - Transforming Lives Through Nutrition Baseline Survey”  and addressed to :

The Human Resources Manager

International Development Enterprises Zambia

P.O. Box 323417,

Lusaka, Zambia

Requirements

4.3 Consultant Team qualifications

Expression of Interest

Qualified and interested consultants or firms are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and should be submitted by September 30th.2024 The expression of interest will include the following :

1.    Company Profile : Provide an overview of the firm, including its mission, vision, and relevant experience.

2.    Curriculum Vitae (CV) : Include CVs for the Lead Consultant and key team members, highlighting their qualifications and relevant experience.

3.    Technical Proposal :   Describing the survey methodology, work plan, and timeline for conducting the baseline study.

4.    Financial Proposal : Provide a breakdown of costs associated with the proposed solution.

5.    Sample of Previous Work : Include samples of previous work relevant to this assignment to demonstrate capability and experience.

Team Qualifications

The consulting team should possess a mix of relevant qualifications and experience to ensure the successful execution of the baseline study. The qualifications should include :

1.    Educational Background :

o    The Lead Consultant should have at least a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Nutrition, Public Health, Agriculture, Social Sciences, or International Development Studies.

o    Team members should have degrees in related fields, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the project’s scope.

2.    Professional Experience :

o    The Lead Consultant should have a minimum of 10 years of experience in conducting baseline studies, evaluations, and using participatory methods for assessment.

o    Proven experience in the Zambian context and familiarity with local challenges and opportunities is essential.

o    Experience in evaluating nutrition programs, agriculture, livestock and crop value chains, and economic empowerment models at the community level.

3.    Technical Skills :

o    Strong analytical, research, and report-writing skills.

o    Proficiency in statistical and data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, STATA, EPI).

o    Knowledge of qualitative research methods used in human-centered design, such as observations, analogous interviews, and focus group discussions.

4.    Additional Skills and Attributes :

o    Excellent communication and presentation skills.

o    Demonstrated commitment to the “do no harm” approach for program participants.

o    Ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural and inter-sectoral environment.

o    Proven team-leading and managerial experience.

o    Willingness to travel extensively and work under pressure to meet deadlines.

5.    Previous Work and Contextual Knowledge :

o    Previous work experience and knowledge of the context of the project area is a plus.

o    Qualified and experienced consultant with a Health and Nutrition background in surveys and assessments using Gender Analysis methodology.

o    Minimum experience of having led a similar survey in Zambia.