- Introduction
The Empowering Leaders through Nutrition-Smart Agriculture (ELNA) project, launched in July 2020,
is a collaborative initiative between Lift Up the Vulnerable (LUV) and Hope for South Sudan (HFSS),
with funding and strategic leadership provided by Rise Against Hunger. This multi-year project
addresses critical food security and nutrition challenges within the HFSS compound and its
surrounding community. At the ELNA project’s core is transforming HFSS into a sustainable, selfreliant model of food production and community development. The project seeks to increase
agricultural productivity, diversify crop production, and promote year-round farming practices by
introducing nutrition-smart and conservation agriculture techniques. These interventions aim to
reduce reliance on external aid while improving the quality and availability of nutritious foods for HFSS
staff, students, and the broader community.
In addition to agricultural improvements, the project incorporates Behavior Change Communication
(BCC) strategies to enhance awareness and adoption of good agriculture and nutrition practices. The
ELNA project equips beneficiaries with the knowledge and skills needed to sustain healthy dietary
behaviors over the long term through training, cooking demonstrations, and tailored education
programs. The initiative also emphasizes economic empowerment through income-generating
activities such as selling surplus crops, animal husbandry, and beekeeping. These activities provide
HFSS with additional resources to support its operational needs while contributing to the local
economy. Lift Up the Vulnerable (LUV), a key implementing partner, brings its deep experience in
helping vulnerable populations, including orphans and at-risk women, through holistic development
approaches. Hope for South Sudan (HFSS) plays a critical role in ensuring the successful
implementation of project activities on the ground, as it serves as the focal point for both agricultural
and community-based interventions.
The ELNA Project
The ELNA project addresses these critical issues through three interconnected components:
- Nutrition-Smart Agriculture: The project promotes crop diversification and conservation
agriculture techniques to improve yields, dietary diversity, and resilience against climate
variability. It also emphasizes year-round gardening to ensure access to leafy greens and
other nutritious crops. - Behavior Change Communication (BCC): Training sessions and cooking demonstrations
focus on increasing knowledge about nutrition and instilling sustainable dietary habits among
children, staff, and the community (farmer field school). - Economic Empowerment: Income generation through the sale of surplus crops, animal
husbandry, and other agricultural activities support HFSS’s operational sustainability.
- Purpose of the Endline Evaluation
The end-line evaluation will serve as a critical assessment of the Empowering Leaders through
Nutrition-Smart Agriculture (ELNA) project’s overall impact, achievements, and sustainability. As
the project concludes in December 2025, this evaluation will provide a comprehensive analysis of its
performance against intended objectives and outcomes. It will also highlight lessons learned and offer
actionable recommendations for scaling or replicating similar interventions in South Sudan and other
contexts facing comparable challenges.
Key Objectives of the Evaluation
The specific objectives of the end-line evaluation include: - Assessing the Project’s Effectiveness: Evaluate the extent to which the ELNA project has
achieved its intended outcomes, such as improved food production, dietary diversity, and nutrition
status among beneficiaries. - Measuring Project Impact: Examine the direct and indirect impacts of the project on
beneficiaries, including improved agricultural practices, enhanced nutritional knowledge, and
economic benefits for HFSS and the surrounding community. - Evaluating Sustainability: Assess the likelihood of sustaining key outcomes and practices
beyond the project’s conclusion, including HFSS’s capacity to maintain its agricultural and nutritional
initiatives independently. - Documenting Lessons Learned: The project’s successes, challenges, and innovations will be
reported to inform the design of future programming in South Sudan and similar contexts. - Providing Strategic Recommendations: Offer guidance on potential strategies for scaling or
replicating project components to maximize impact across other communities and regions.
Guiding Principles
The evaluation will be conducted with adherence to the following guiding principles:
● Inclusivity: The evaluation will ensure that the voices and perspectives of all key stakeholders,
including children, staff, community members, and implementing partners, are considered.
● Cultural Sensitivity: Evaluation methods and tools will be adapted to align with the cultural and
social context of South Sudan.
● Rigor and Objectivity: The evaluation will adopt robust methodologies to ensure credible,
evidence-based findings.
● Participatory Approach: Stakeholders will be actively engaged throughout the evaluation
process to validate findings and co-create recommendations.
Key Audiences for the Evaluation Findings
The findings of the end-line evaluation will be tailored to meet the needs of the following audiences:
● Implementing Organizations: To assess performance, validate achievements, and identify
areas for capacity strengthening.
● Donors: To demonstrate accountability and provide insights into funding future initiatives.
● Community Stakeholders: To enhance local ownership and engagement in sustaining project
outcomes.
● Policy and Decision-Makers: To inform policies and strategies for improving food security,
nutrition, and agricultural development in South Sudan.
● Global Development Community: To contribute to the body of evidence on nutrition-smart
agriculture and its role in achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
- Scope of Work
The scope of work for the end-line evaluation encompasses an in-depth examination of the
Empowering Leaders through Nutrition-Smart Agriculture (ELNA) project. The evaluation will
assess the project’s implementation, outcomes, and sustainability, using a comprehensive approach
to analyze its geographic, thematic, and operational dimensions.
Geographic Coverage
The evaluation will focus on all locations where the ELNA project has been implemented, particularly:
● The Hope for South Sudan (HFSS) compound in Torit, South Sudan.
● Surrounding community areas where the project has had direct or indirect impacts.
This geographic coverage will enable the evaluation to capture the project’s immediate and broader
effects on agricultural practices, nutrition, and community well-being.
Thematic Focus
The evaluation will address the following thematic areas: - Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability:
○ Adoption of conservation agriculture techniques.
○ Improvements in crop yields, crop diversification, and year-round gardening.
○ The effectiveness of animal husbandry and other income-generating activities. - Nutrition Outcomes:
○ Changes in dietary diversity and nutritional status among HFSS students, staff,
and community members.
○ Integration of nutrition-smart agriculture with Behavior Change Communication
(BCC) interventions. - Capacity Building:
○ The impact of training programs on agricultural and nutritional knowledge and
practices.
○ Strengthening the capacity of HFSS staff and the community to sustain project
outcomes.
- Economic Empowerment:
○ Income generated from surplus crops, livestock, and other project-supported
activities.
○ Contributions to local market systems and economic resilience. - Sustainability and Community Engagement:
○ The likelihood of continued adoption of project practices and principles after project
closure.
○ Engagement and ownership of the project by HFSS and the local community.
Methodology
Evaluation Design
The evaluation will adopt a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative
methodologies to provide a holistic understanding of project performance and outcomes.
Data Collection Methods - Document Review:
○ Analysis of project design documents, MEL frameworks, and progress reports.
○ Review of training materials, financial records, and partner reports. - Quantitative Data Collection:
○ Surveys with direct beneficiaries (students, staff, and farmer field school
participants) and secondary beneficiaries (other community members).
○ Analysis of performance indicators, such as crop yields, income levels, dietary
diversity scores, and malnutrition rates. - Qualitative Data Collection:
○ Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): Conducted with project staff, implementing
partners, community leaders, and other key stakeholders.
○ Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): These are held with beneficiaries, including
HFSS students, staff, and community members, to understand their experiences
and perceptions. - Field Observations:
○ Visits to the project site to observe farming practices, animal husbandry, nutrition
education sessions (optional), and other project activities. - Economic and Financial Analysis:
○ Evaluation of income-generation activities, market linkages, and the financial
sustainability of HFSS initiatives.
Sampling Strategy
A stratified random sampling approach will be employed to ensure representation across:
● Different beneficiary groups (students, staff, community members).
● Gender and age groups to capture diverse perspectives.
● Geographic locations within the project’s implementation areas.
Data Analysis
- Quantitative Analysis:
○ Statistical analysis of survey data to assess progress
○ Comparisons of key performance indicators, such as food production levels,
nutrition outcomes, and income generation. - Qualitative Analysis:
○ Thematic analysis of interview and focus group data to capture experiences,
challenges, and lessons learned.
Ethical Considerations
The evaluation will follow ethical guidelines, ensuring:
● Informed Consent: Participants will be fully informed about the evaluation’s
purpose and their rights.
● Confidentiality: Data will be anonymized, and privacy will be respected.
● Voluntary Participation: No participant will be coerced or penalized for nonparticipation.
Quality Assurance
To ensure reliability and validity, the evaluation team will implement quality assurance measures,
including:
● Triangulation of data sources and methods.
● Peer reviews of findings and recommendations. - Deliverables
The end-line evaluation of the Empowering Leaders through Nutrition-Smart Agriculture (ELNA)
project will produce a series of high-quality, actionable deliverables to ensure accountability,
transparency, and learning. These deliverables will provide evidence-based insights into the project’s
performance and sustainability, offering stakeholders comprehensive findings to guide future
programming.
Key Deliverables - Inception Report
○ A detailed evaluation plan outlining the objectives, scope, and methodology of the evaluation.
Key components of the inception report include:
○ Refined evaluation questions based on discussions with stakeholders.
○ Proposed data collection tools and methods.
○ Sampling strategy and justification.
○ Ethical considerations and quality assurance mechanisms.
○ A detailed timeline and work plan for completing the evaluation.
- Data Collection Tools
○ Finalized instruments for collecting quantitative and qualitative data, such as:
○ Structured and semi-structured survey questionnaires.
○ Interview guides for Key Informant Interviews (KIIs).
○ Discussion guides for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs).
○ Checklists for field observations and site visits.
Tools will be validated with stakeholders to ensure cultural relevance and appropriateness. - Preliminary Findings Brief
○ A concise summary of key findings and emerging insights from the evaluation
process.
○ Presented to the project team for validation and feedback before finalizing the
analysis.
○ Delivered in a format accessible to non-technical audiences, such as PowerPoint
or a short-written brief. - Draft Endline Evaluation Report
A comprehensive draft report summarizing the evaluation findings, conclusions, and
preliminary recommendations. Key sections of the report will include:
○ Executive summary.
○ Background and purpose of the evaluation.
○ Methodology and approach.
○ Findings (organized by thematic focus and evaluation questions).
○ Lessons learned and good practices.
○ Conclusions and recommendations
The draft will be shared with stakeholders for review and input before finalization. - Final Endline Evaluation Report
An updated, polished version of the draft report, incorporating feedback from stakeholders.
The final report will include:
○ Additional contextual analysis based on stakeholder input.
○ Refined recommendations with a focus on sustainability and scalability.
○ Visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and maps, enhance understanding.
○ Appendices, including raw data summaries, data collection tools, and lists of
participants.
- Data Sets and Documentation
○ Cleaned quantitative and qualitative data sets, along with coding and analysis
frameworks.
○ A final summary of key data points, providing stakeholders with access to raw and
processed data for future use. - Policy and Learning Brief
○ A concise document summarizing key findings and recommendations for broader
dissemination.
○ Tailored for policymakers, donors, and global stakeholders, highlighting the
project’s alignment with SDG 2: Zero Hunger and other global development
priorities.
Submission Format
● All deliverables will be submitted in English.
● Reports will be submitted in both Word and PDF formats.
● Data sets and tools will be provided in Excel or other appropriate formats.
Validation Process
Each deliverable will undergo a review and validation process to ensure accuracy and alignment with
stakeholder expectations. This process will include:
● Regular check-ins with the evaluation team during data collection and analysis.
● Feedback rounds for the draft report to incorporate stakeholder inputs into the final
version. - Timeframe
The evaluation will commence in June 2025 and should be completed within three months. Key
milestones include:
● Submission of Inception Report
● Data Collection
● Submission of Draft Report
● Submission of Final Report and Presentation - Evaluator Qualifications
The selected evaluator(s) or consultancy firm should possess the following qualifications and
expertise:
Required Qualifications: - Technical Expertise:
○ Advanced degree in Agriculture, Nutrition, Development Studies, Monitoring &
Evaluation, or a related field.
○ Proven experience in evaluating projects focused on agriculture, food security,
nutrition, or livelihoods.
○ Expertise in mixed-methods evaluations, including quantitative and qualitative
approaches. - Relevant Experience:
○ At least 5–7 years of experience conducting evaluations in humanitarian or
development contexts, with a preference for work in fragile states.
○ Familiarity with nutrition-sensitive and agriculture-based interventions, including
conservation agriculture and Behavior Change Communication (BCC).
○ Demonstrated ability to assess sustainability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of
projects.
○ Agriculture and Nutrition thematic experts must be part of the team. - Contextual Knowledge:
○ In-depth understanding of South Sudan’s socio-political and cultural context.
○ Experience working with vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.
○ Operational presence in South Sudan, as travel to Torit is mandatory. - Methodological Competence:
○ Strong skills in survey design, data collection, and statistical analysis.
○ Proficiency in qualitative data collection methods, including Key Informant
Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). - Soft Skills and Professionalism:
○ Excellent communication and facilitation skills to engage diverse stakeholders.
○ Strong analytical and report-writing skills, with the ability to present findings in a
clear, concise, and actionable format.
○ Fluency in English (required); knowledge of local languages (e.g., Juba Arabic) is
an added advantage.
Desired Qualifications:
● Prior experience in conducting evaluations for donors or implementing agencies,
particularly those aligned with SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
● Familiarity with global frameworks - Budget
The evaluator is expected to provide a detailed financial proposal (in USD) that includes:
Budget Categories: - Professional Fees
- Fieldwork Expenses
- Data Collection Costs
- Data Analysis and Reporting
- Miscellaneous Costs
- Others
- Application Process
Required Application Materials:
Interested consultants or firms should submit the following documents: - Technical Proposal:
○ Understanding of the Terms of Reference and the ELNA project.
○ Proposed evaluation methodology and approach, including tools, sampling
strategy, and ethical considerations.
○ Detailed work plan with timelines. - Financial Proposal:
○ Provide a comprehensive budget breakdown that is aligned with the scope of work.
○ Explanation of budget assumptions and any additional costs. - Curriculum Vitae (CV):
○ CVs of all team members, highlighting relevant experience and qualifications. - Previous Work Samples:
○ Examples of past evaluation reports or relevant assignments completed within the
last five years. - References:
○ Contact information for at least three professional references who can verify the
evaluator’s experience and quality of work.
Selection Process:
● The selection committee will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:
○ Relevance and quality of the proposed methodology.
○ Demonstrated experience and qualifications of the evaluator(s).
○ Cost-effectiveness and clarity of the financial proposal.
○ Quality of previous work samples.
● Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview or presentation of their approach.
Submission Process:
● Applications must be submitted electronically to [email protected] with the subject
line: “Application for ELNA Endline Evaluation.”
● The deadline for submission is March 15th, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.
