Baseline Study on Economic Empowerment of Women in Agriculture at CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International)

Purpose of the study

In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of our work under goal three of CABI’s Medium-Term Strategy 2023-25, it is necessary to conduct a baseline study for women’s economic empowerment in agriculture. This will provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by women. It serves as a foundation for evidence-based policy-making, targeted interventions, and collaborative efforts aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable agriculture development. It allows us to gather vital information, establish a benchmark for progress, and design effective interventions that promote gender equality and enhance women’s economic empowerment. By investing in this study, we can take significant strides towards achieving gender equality, empowering women, and realizing the full potential of agricultural sectors. This baseline study will serve as a benchmark for PlantwisePlus implementing countries to increase its impact on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Scope of the study

The baseline study will be carried out at the country level in two PlantwisePlus countries: Ghana and Kenya. The study aims to collect information on the following:

1. Women’s economic empowerment levels: based on knowledge and awareness of the key gender issues and gendered power dynamics in the target countries, establish baseline data on current levels of women’s economic empowerment in agriculture at a local level, that can also be used at a more general (national) level. Specifically, the baseline will provide data on:
   1. women’s access to and control over farming inputs (land, labor, finance, advice, technologies, etc.)
   2. existing knowledge of women farmers and their capacity to access digital information
   3. women’s capacities and access to information on pest management, plant health
   4. existing gender disparities
   5. barriers women farmers encounter
   6. specific areas where intervention and support are most needed and propose targeted strategies to address their needs.
2. Income generation: the baseline will collect data on existing women’s empowerment levels, agricultural productivity, farming income, and market access. The study will also suggest new income and employment opportunities for women and youth as agricultural services providers.
3. Understand local challenges and context: the study will develop comprehensive case studies of localities where interventions have been fruitful, explaining key success factors that can potentially be replicated. Active engagement with the local stakeholders, such as women farmers community leaders, NGOs, and government officials, will be expected to gain first-hand insights and identify scalable solutions. This approach should deliver a robust understanding of local contexts while delivering broad insights useful for future interventions.

Methodology

The baseline study should employ a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. The selected consultant, consultancy team, or firm will be expected to adopt a multi-faceted approach in conducting the work including performing cross-content comparisons and thematic analysis across various local contexts to discern shared challenges and successful strategies.

The study should collect data through methods such as household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The consultant will apply Pro-WEAI and other suitable tools for the data collection on access to equitable extension advisory services and the use of agricultural technologies. Specific gender assessment tools should be suggested in the proposal documents. A tailored assessment framework should be developed that can be used across all countries.

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:

1. Inception report detailing the study design, methodology, and data collection tools
2. Raw data collected from the fieldwork
3. Draft baseline study report for review and feedback
4. Final baseline study report incorporating feedback received
5. Presenting the findings of the study

Reporting and coordination

The consultant will provide regular progress updates and reports to the PlantwisePlus management team and CABI’s Gender Coordinator.

Proposal

Consultants are requested to submit:

1. A full proposal detailing their interpretation of the TOR, proposed methodology including, sampling, sample size, work schedule, and detailed plan of activities. The proposal should ideally not exceed 10 pages
2. Proposed budget, including a breakdown of the budget and a justification of expenses. The budget should include only those costs that can be directly attributed to the activities proposed, with an explanation of budget line items. A technical and financial proposal must be submitted separately
3. Copies of all relevant certificates, curriculum vitae, and company profile, and submit the affidavit
4. A sample of a similar gender baseline report, completed within the last 18 months (this will be treated as confidential, and only used for assessing suitability for assignment)
5. Three referees (including, one from a most recent assignment). Upon a review of the submission, CABI may require additional documentation to fulfil due diligence requirements. Requests for this will be made on a case-by-case basis, and a timeframe for turnaround agreed.

In addition to the above, the selection process will also consider the submission of the following:

1. A copy of the Company Registration
2. A copy of the VAT certificate
3. A copy of the tax clearance for the last fiscal year from the Inland Revenue Office
4. All proposed professionals must sign the copy, clearly indicating their proposed position in this assignment

Timeline

The consultant is expected to commence the assignment by early September 2023 and complete the task by December 2023. Please refer to the CABI website for the schedule

Expertise and management:

The consultant selected for the study should possess the following expertise and qualifications:

• Extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative gender research methodologies.
• Clear understanding of similar studies, including baseline, midterm, and end-line assessments
• Minimum of 10 years of proven work experience in gender studies, socio-economic studies, and similar fields
• Proficiency in gender analysis, and gender-related assessments and research methodologies, Women Economic Empowerment Agriculture Index (WEAI) and economic empowerment tools
• Previous experience conducting assessments using the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture baselines
• Previous work experience in programme areas, particularly in conducting baseline studies related to agriculture, digital tools, access to agri-inputs, markets, and climate resilience
• Experience in integrating gender and promoting women's empowerment, preferably in agricultural projects would be desirable
• The consulting team should comprise at least three members, including a Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Expert
• The Gender Expert should have Master's degree in Humanities and Social Science/Social Work/Gender Studies
• The consulting firm should clearly specify their work experience in the Kenya and Ghana, when submitting a proposal.

Evaluation criteria

All received proposals will be evaluated based on various indicators, including but not limited to:

• Sound understanding of the assignment
• Competent methodology
• Consistency, coherence, and compliance with the TOR
• Experience of the team leader
• Composition of the team
• Efficient budget planning