Conducting a feasibility study for “where futures grow: strengthening child nutrition and climate-resilient local food systems in Somaliland”

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR “Where Futures Grow: Strengthening Child Nutrition and Climate-Resilient Local Food Systems in Somaliland” CARE Deutschland e.V. and HAVOYOCO are developing a project aimed at strengthening sustainable and locally driven school feeding, nutrition and food systems in the Maroodijeex and Togdheer regions. Prior to finalizing the project design and submitting the funding application, an independent feasibility study will be commissioned. The study will provide CARE and HAVOYOCO with an evidence-based foundation for critically assessing and improving the proposed project concept. It will examine the prerequisites, opportunities, constraints and risks affecting implementation and determine whether the proposed intervention can plausibly achieve its intended outcome and contribute to anticipated longer-term impacts under the prevailing conditions. The study is not intended merely to confirm the proposed design; it shall critically examine the intervention logic, assumptions, proposed measures, implementation arrangements and alternatives and recommend modifications where necessary. I. About CARE Deutschland e.V. and HAVOYOCO Within the global CARE International confederation, CARE Deutschland e.V. was founded in 1980 and works closely with CARE entities and partner organizations. CARE Germany is committed to creating lasting change, with gender justice at the heart of its humanitarian and development programming. Its approaches include strengthening individual and community agency, supporting economic empowerment, strengthening civil society organizations and advocating for the rights and needs of marginalized populations. The proposed project will be implemented with the Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO), a regional non-governmental, non-partisan humanitarian and development organization headquartered in Hargeisa and operational in Somaliland, Somalia and Ethiopia. HAVOYOCO will serve as the local project partner and will support contextualization, stakeholder engagement and implementation planning in the target regions. II. Project Information The project aims to improve the nutrition, health and learning outcomes of vulnerable school-age children in the Maroodijeex and Togdheer regions by establishing resilient, locally based, climate-smart school feeding systems using locally grown produce (Home-Grown School Feeding). The project intends to support schools, local authorities, and school nutrition committees to plan and implement gender-sensitive nutrition programs aligned with relevant standards. Smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, are expected to be supported through climate-smart agriculture, market access, post-harvest processing and drought preparedness so they can supply nutritious food to schools and local markets. School gardens and farmer field schools are envisaged as practical learning environments for nutrition and sustainable agriculture. The project also promotes community participation, nutrition education, hygiene, and shared responsibility for sustainable, locally driven food systems. III. Impact Population and Target Groups CARE and HAVOYOCO have preliminarily identified vulnerable school-age children attending selected schools in Maroodijeex and Togdheer as the primary target group, particularly children affected by food insecurity, poverty, drought, limited access to nutritious diets and other barriers affecting educational participation and well-being. The project also intends to work with smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people, who may be supported to produce, process and supply nutritious locally grown food to schools and local markets. Other relevant groups and stakeholders include teachers, school management and nutrition committees, parents and caregivers, community representatives, women and youth groups, farmer groups and producer organizations, local traders and processors, local and regional authorities, and relevant government institutions. IV. Purpose and Objectives of the Feasibility Study The primary purpose of the consultancy is to critically assess whether the proposed project approach can plausibly achieve the intended project outcome and contribute to anticipated impacts under the existing conditions in Maroodijeex and Togdheer. The study shall independently validate the evidence and assumptions underlying the project design, identify critical gaps and provide practical recommendations for refinement before implementation.

1. Feasibility Assessment

- Assess the technical, economic, social, environmental, institutional, security and operational feasibility of the proposed project components. - Evaluate the proposed project according to the OECD/DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact/significance and sustainability. - Assess the plausibility of the causal pathways linking school feeding with nutrition, well-being and educational participation, and linking local procurement with local production, farmer income and resilient local food systems. - Assess whether the proposed targeting, implementation arrangements, partnership roles, resources and timeframe are realistic under the prevailing context.

2. Risk Identification and Mitigation

- Review and validate the Do-No-Harm and risk analysis prepared by CARE and HAVOYOCO and assess whether relevant political, social, conflict-related, safeguarding, environmental, climate, institutional, financial and operational risks have been adequately considered. - Identify critical gaps or additional risks emerging from the feasibility study and, where necessary, complement the existing analysis and recommend practical mitigation measures.

3. Actionable Recommendations

- Provide clear, practical recommendations for refining the project design, including the Theory of Change/results logic, outcome, outputs, activities, targeting, implementation arrangements, partnerships, procuremen