Background
The project was designed to support the adaptation to climate change of poor rural communities in mountainous regions. Climate change has induced more frequent and more severe droughts that have impacted the livelihoods of rural communities of Djibouti. Recent droughts have devastated the livestock of the rural communities which is the backbone of their livelihoods. The project aims to reduce the vulnerability of the communities to climate change and increasing their resilience through the diversification of their livelihood basis.
The key expected outcomes of the project are:
- The rural communities and ecosystems are more resilient to climate change
- The institutions responsible for risk and catastrophe management are strengthened and can contribute to the country’s resilience to risks and disasters
- The most vulnerable populations benefit from improved food security
Although the rural communities of Djibouti have been equally impacted by the droughts and and in the needs for urgent adaptation measures, the project will focus on two targeted areas of Adaillou and Assamo. These two areas are host for many communities that are very poor and hit by droughts induced climate change. The project duration is years from 2014 to 2018. However, the project has started with delays and effective starting on 12 November 2014. The total budget of the project granted by the Adaptation Fund is 5,379,452 USD. The project is implemented by UNDP while the Ministry of Habitat, Urbanism and Environment is the executing agency. Other stakeholders include the following: Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, Livestock and Sea Resources, State Secretariat for Solidarity, Ministry of Budget, Ministry for the Promotion of Women and Family, EVA (Village Ecology of Adailou), Agricultural Cooperative of Assamo, Prefectures, Regional councils.
The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document, and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy, its risks to sustainability (more details for the assignment are found in Annex1)
Duties and Responsibilities
The MTR team will assess the following project progress.
Project design :
- Review the problem addressed by the project and the underlying assumptions. Review the effect of any incorrect assumptions or changes to the context to achieving the project results as outlined in the Project Document.
- Review the relevance of the project strategy and assess whether it provides the most effective route towards expected/intended results. Were lessons from other relevant projects properly incorporated into the project design?
- Review how the project addresses country priorities. Review country ownership. Was the project concept in line with the national sector development priorities and plans of the country (or of participating countries in the case of multi-country projects)?
- Review decision-making processes: were perspectives of those who would be affected by project decisions, those who could affect the outcomes, and those who could contribute information or other resources to the process, taken into account during project design processes?
- Review the extent to which relevant gender issues were raised in the project design.
- If there are major areas of concern, recommend areas for improvement.
Results Framework/Logframe:
- Are the project’s objectives and outcomes or components clear, practical, and feasible within its time frame?
- Examine if progress so far has led to, or could in the future catalyze beneficial development effects (i.e. income generation, gender equality and women’s empowerment, improved governance etc...) that should be included in the project results framework and monitored on an annual basis.
- Ensure broader development and gender aspects of the project are being monitored effectively.
In addition to the progress towards outcomes analysis:
- Compare and analyse the GEF Results Tracker within the PIR at the Baseline with the one completed right before the Midterm Review.
- Identify remaining barriers to achieving the project objective in the remainder of the project.
- By reviewing the aspects of the project that have already been successful, identify ways in which the project can further expand these benefits.
Management Arrangements:
- Review overall effectiveness of project management as outlined in the Project Document. Have changes been made and are they effective? Are responsibilities and reporting lines clear? Is decision-making transparent and undertaken in a timely manner? Recommend areas for improvement.
- Review the quality of execution of the Executing Agency/Implementing Partner(s) and recommend areas for improvement.
- Review the quality of support provided by the GEF Partner Agency (UNDP) and recommend areas for improvement.
Work Planning:
- Review any delays in project start-up and implementation, identify the causes and examine if they have been resolved.
- Are work-planning processes results-based? If not, suggest ways to re-orientate work planning to focus on results?
- Examine the use of the project’s results framework/ logframe as a management tool and review any changes made to it since project start.
Finance and co-finance:
- Consider the financial management of the project, with specific reference to the cost-effectiveness of interventions.
- Review the changes to fund allocations because of budget revisions and assess the appropriateness and relevance of such revisions.
- Does the project have the appropriate financial controls, including reporting and planning, that allow management to make informed decisions regarding the budget and allow for timely flow of funds?
- Informed by the co-financing monitoring table to be filled out, provide commentary on co-financing: is co-financing being used strategically to help the objectives of the project? Is the Project Team meeting with all co-financing partners regularly to align financing priorities and annual work plans?
Project-level Monitoring and Review Systems:
- Review the monitoring tools currently being used: Do they provide the necessary information? Do they involve key partners? Are they aligned or mainstreamed with national systems? Do they use existing information? Are they efficient? Are they cost-effective? Are additional tools required? How could they be made more participatory and inclusive?
- Examine the financial management of the project monitoring and review budget. Are sufficient resources being allocated to monitoring and review? Are these resources being allocated effectively?
Stakeholder Engagement:
- Project management: Has the project developed and leveraged the necessary and appropriate partnerships with direct and tangential stakeholders?
- Participation and country-driven processes: Do local and national government stakeholders support the objectives of the project? Do they continue to have an active role in project decision-making that supports efficient and effective project implementation?
- Participation and public awareness: To what extent has stakeholder involvement and public awareness contributed to the progress towards achievement of project objectives?
Reporting:
- Assess how adaptive management changes have been reported by the project management and shared with the Project Board.
Sustainability
- Validate whether the risks identified in the Project Document, PPRs, and the ATLAS Risk Management
Module are the most important and whether the risk ratings applied are appropriate and up to date. If not, explain why.
- In addition, assess the following risks to sustainability:
- Financial risks to sustainability:
- What is the likelihood of financial and economic resources not being available once the GEF assistance ends (consider potential resources can be from multiple sources, such as the public and private sectors, income generating activities, and other funding that will be adequate financial resources for sustaining project’s outcomes)?.
Competencies
A team of one international and one national consultant will conduct the MTR. The international consultant will the team leader and the responsible of this MTR. The consultants cannot have participated in the project preparation, formulation, and/or implementation (including the writing of the Project Document) and should not have a conflict of interest with project’s related activities.
The selection of consultants will be aimed at maximizing the overall “team” qualities in the following areas:
- Recent experience with result-based management review methodologies;
- Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
- Competence in adaptive management
- Experience working with the GEF, GEF or GEF reviews, GEF reviews;
- Experience working in Djibouti;
- Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 10 years;
- Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender;
- Excellent communication skills;
- Demonstrable analytical skills;
- Project review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
A Master’s degree in environment, agriculture, climate change or other closely related field
Required Skills and Experience
A team of one international and one national consultant will conduct the MTR. The international consultant will the team leader and the responsible of this MTR. The consultants cannot have participated in the project preparation, formulation, and/or implementation (including the writing of the Project Document) and should not have a conflict of interest with project’s related activities.
The selection of consultants will be aimed at maximizing the overall “team” qualities in the following areas:
- Recent experience with result-based management review methodologies;
- Experience applying SMART indicators and reconstructing or validating baseline scenarios;
- Competence in adaptive management
- Experience working with the GEF, GEF or GEF reviews, GEF reviews;
- Experience working in Djibouti;
- Work experience in relevant technical areas for at least 10 years;
- Demonstrated understanding of issues related to gender;
- Excellent communication skills;
- Demonstrable analytical skills;
- Project review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;
A Master’s degree in environment, agriculture, climate change or other closely related field