Terms of Reference for the Link Nutrition Causal Analysis

(Link NCA)

Introduction

Nutrition in Yobe and Borno States funded by DFID is looking for a NCA consultant to develop a NCA survey and implementation plan focusing on the causes of malnutrition based on and should be guided by nutrition causal framework developed by Unicef. The NCA will include the NCA report and strategy for possible solutions for the key areas. The selected consultant will also be responsible for developing, pre-testing materials and conducting the survey in Yobe State.

Project Background

Every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of Child bearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of morbidity and mortality of a large proportion of children under-5 in Nigeria. It accounts for more than 50 per cent of deaths of children in this age bracket.

Nutrition program in Borno and Yobe State is funded by DFID through three organizations. The program started in March 2016 and it will end on May 2019. The overall objective of the project is to reduce mortality through decreasing the incidence and prevalence of under nutrition in Nigeria focusing on Borno and Yobe States. The program implementation is jointly done through partnership of UNICEF, WFP and Action Against Hunger (AAH).

The overall objective of this program is to build the capacity of State to have strong coordinationsystems at State level and implement nutrition interventions as routine services through existingPHC structures in new LGA’s. The project aims to improve the maternal and child nutrition in Bornoand Yobe States through support to Primary Healthcare services providers for the implementationnutrition intervention as routine services through existing PHC facilities funded by the SMOH.

Behavior change communication (BCC), outreach and counselling are key activities for the project under the IYCF output through Care Group Model approach. IYCF intervention promotes early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for newborns and infants, continued breastfeeding for at least 2 years and optimal complementary feeding practices for young children. It targets the first1,000 days, from conception to two years of age, which provides a window ofopportunitytoprevent child deaths and ensure healthy growth and brain development.

Justification

Nutrition programs are implemented across 11 States in Nigeria by different organizations. In recent SMART done in 2015 the malnutrition rates have reduced for wasting and stunting but the reduction is still very low and it will important to investigate the causes of malnutrition in targetstates. As part of the Nutrition sector we are proposing to conduct Nutrition Causal Analysis (NCA)in Yobe to identify the causes based on Unicef causal framework to identify the key areas to modify our approach toward malnutrition treatments in Yobe State.

Guiding Principles for development

  • Leveraging existing resources
  • Identification of causes of Malnutrition in Yobe state based on Unicef framework (Nutrition)
  • Context specific solutions for causes of malnutrition (Yobe State)

Specific objectives:

1. Objective 1: Conduct a Nutrition Causal Analysis following the AAH – NCA guidelines.

  • Preparatory phase, desk analysis and review for planning
  • Explaining the methodology, Defining objectives, study population and appropriatemethodology and study plan of action to the coordination team of Partners (AAH, Unicefand WFP) along with Ministry of Health (Federal and State), as well as to the field teams
  • Identify causal hypothesis for Nutrition causal factors, secondary data review & analysis of existing data
  • Conducting Technical expert workshop at State level to share the findings
  • Qualitative enquiry, development and pre testing of field survey instruments
  • NCA team training and pilot test, data collection and analysing evidence of causes
  • Quantitative survey (risk factors survey/SMART)
  • Development of household survey instruments
  • Pre-Test of the household survey instruments
  • Ensure the participation of the AAH team to the NCA study.
  • Discuss and define with AAH team an action plan based on the findings andrecommendations of the NCA.
  • Descriptive analysis, Rating risk factors, Weighting the different sources of information,
  • Rating Risk Factors with communities

2. Objective 2: Team Management

  • Identify human resource requirements for the study
  • Participate in the recruitment of its team with the HR and Field Coordinator
  • Supervise and manage its direct employees
  • Train its team to NCA survey methodology

3. Objective 3: Communication on the NCA

  • Keep informed the NCA head of project/Senior Nutrition Advisor at HQ from the beginningof the study
  • Produce an executive summary of the final NCA report
  • Ensure the publication of the study.
  • Prepare and publish an article about the study for AAH.
  • Support the advocacy work of the mission.

4. Objective 4: Represent and liaise with the FMOH, SMOH, NBS, Unicef, WFP, NGOs andlocal partners

  • Facilitate coordination meetings in line with NCA
  • Work closely with Nutrition in Emergency Working Group for validation of the findings ofNCA.
  • Represent AAH at local, State or national level in collaboration with the Country Directorand/or the field coordinator and/or Nutrition Coordinator and liaise with UN agencies,national and international NGOs and governments

5. Objective 5: Contribute to AAH capitalization and contribute to the improvement of

the NCA methodology

  • Develop recommendations / advice for the implementation of the NCA methodologythrough a brief mission report and a debriefing with the NCA head of project at HQ.
  • Contribute to the capitalization of the field tools used for the NCA.

Tasks

1) Submit an action plan for conducting a Nutrition causal analysis and for developing the strategy

for possible solutions/recommendations, including the timeline, activities, methods/strategies

and logistics.

2) Conduct a situation analysis via desk review of Nutrition resources in Yobe and Borno states

using available bibliography, with focus on issues relevant to Nutrition situation. This situation

analysis should document the nutrition status in implementing state; and a critical assessment of

gaps, constraints and opportunities. This will be conducted through the following activities:

- A literature review of:

o Nutrition survey documents/studies (including KAP surveys, ORIE Studies, SQUEAC,

SLEAC and SMART) conducted in the implementing state, formative research, baseline

study related to the context.

o Available international experiences on Nutrition causal analysis in other

context/countries

- In-depth discussions with implementing partners and donor at federal and

state level.

3) Development of a draft Nutrition causal analysis report for nutrition program in Yobe,

Consultancy Deliverables

1) Action plan along with work plan prepared and approved

2) Draft NCA Report developed and submitted

6) NCA report disseminated at the workshop and shared program team

7) Final NCA report submitted to AAH, Nigeria

Estimated timeframe

Minimum of 5 months depending on proposed methodology and work plan

Products

• Provide a written report on the training

• provide hard copies of Link NCA surveys to Yannick Pouchalan , the Country director of

ACF-Nigeria and to the Nutrition expert

Products submission

The consultant should submit on a timely manner all the required products mentioned in section

Each of these products should be submitted under the following conditions:

• The final version of these products should be submitted in print copy (2 copies) and soft

copy (2 CD or DVD).

• The electronic quality of the soft copy of the required products should be in a format that

can be properly printed without any adjustments or additional configurations.

• The deadline for submission is Dec 31, 2016.

• General report of the whole process done in order to obtain all of the above mentioned

products.

Calendar

• Beginning date for the training: Aug 1 2016

• Ending date of the training: Dec 31 2016

• Maximum Duration (including travel days and preparation days): 150 days

How to apply

Interested parties must submit their applications by email referenced under title

Consultancy for Nutrition Causal Analysis Survey

Deadline for submission:Monday 31stAugust 2016 at 17:00 (GMT+3).

Action Against Hunger will consider applications from both individuals and teams. Applications shall clearly identify a team leader, who will be the sole responsible to deliver the outputs of the assignment.

Applications should include:

  • Up-to-date curriculum vitae,
  • One supporting document of max 3 pages outlining core competencies in line with the assignment, the proposed methodology of work including timeframe and location and the financial expectations,
  • Evidence of past experience in undertaking similar assignments (three most recent documents preferred) of similar works done (development of guidelines),
  • Three (3) references of previous assignments.

Only shortlisted applications will be contacted.

The final selection will be done by Action Against Hunger USA

For more information, prospective consultants may contact Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm

(GMT+3) at the following email address or by phone:

Email:r tel: +254 721 126 481.