Consultant

Terms of Reference (ToR)

End-of-Project Evaluation

Project: Resilient Livelihood Empowering Smallholder Farmers (RELIEF) Implementing Organization: New Apostolic Church Relief Organization (NACRO) Project Duration: 01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026

Project Area: Choma District, Southern Province, Zambia (Simacheche, Nakeempa, Mutandalike and Chilalantambo Wards)

1. Introduction

The New Apostolic Church Relief Organization (NACRO) is a faith-based Non-Governmental Organization established in 2002 and registered in Zambia under the NGO Act. NACRO implements development programs in Education, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Household Income, Nutrition and Food Security, and Disaster Mitigation, with gender equality and climate resilience integrated as cross-cutting themes.

NACRO seeks to commission an independent external consultant to undertake the End-of-Project evaluation of the Resilient Livelihoods Empowering Smallholder Farmers (RELIEF) Project in order to assess its achievements, effectiveness, impact, sustainability, and lessons learned for future programming.

2. Project Background

The RELIEF Project is a 12-month livelihood intervention implemented in Choma District targeting 560 smallholder farmers and an estimated 2,800 direct household beneficiaries. The project was designed to strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacity of farming households affected by climate variability through climate-smart agriculture, improved access to water, crop diversification, organic soil fertility management, and nutrition-sensitive school gardens.

Project goal

To contribute to improved and resilient livelihoods for 560 smallholder farmers in four wards of Choma District.

Main outcomes

• Increased adoption of climate-smart agriculture and sustainable environmental management.
• Improved access to water for productive and domestic use.
• Increased crop diversification through legume production.
• Increased use of compost and other organic manures.
• Improved health and nutrition of learners through seven productive school gardens.

3. Purpose of the Evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to independently assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the RELIEF Project and determine the extent to which the project achieved its intended results. The evaluation will also generate practical recommendations and lessons to inform future livelihood and climate resilience interventions by NACRO and its partners.

4. Evaluation Objectives

4.1 Overall objective

To evaluate the overall performance and results of the RELIEF Project during the implementation period (01 October 2025 – 30 September 2026).

4.2 Specific objectives

The consultant shall:

1. Assess the extent to which the project achieved its planned outputs, outcomes and overall objective.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of project implementation.
3. Assess the project’s impact on livelihoods, food security, climate resilience and nutrition among targeted households.
4. Examine the relevance of project interventions to community needs and national agricultural priorities.
5. Assess the sustainability of project benefits, including institutional, technical, financial and environmental sustainability.
6. Identify key lessons learned, best practices and challenges encountered during implementation.
7. Provide actionable recommendations for future programming and potential scale-up.

5. Scope of the Evaluation

The evaluation will cover all major project interventions implemented in the four target wards of Choma District.

Geographic scope

• Simacheche Ward
• Nakeempa Ward
• Mutandalike Ward
• Chilalantambo Ward

Thematic scope

The evaluation shall assess the following components:

6. Key Evaluation Questions

Relevance

• Were the project interventions responsive to the needs of vulnerable farming households?
• How well did the project align with district and national agricultural and climate resilience priorities?

Effectiveness

• To what extent were planned outputs and outcomes achieved?
• How many farmers adopted climate-smart agriculture practices?
• Did the seed distribution improve crop diversification?
• Were school gardens established and functioning as intended?

Efficiency

• Were resources utilised economically and in a timely manner?
• How effective were project management, coordination and monitoring systems?

Impact

• What changes occurred in agricultural productivity, food security and household resilience?
• How did improved water access affect domestic and productive livelihoods?
• What nutritional benefits resulted from the school garden initiative?
• What differences were observed among women, men and vulnerable households?

Sustainability

• Are communities capable of maintaining the boreholes and water systems?
• Will farmers continue practicing climate-smart agriculture after project completion?
• Are local government structures and farmer groups able to sustain project outcomes?

7. Evaluation Methodology

The evaluation shall adopt a participatory mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques.

Desk review

Review relevant project documents including:

• Project proposal and logical framework
• Baseline and monitoring data
• Quarterly and annual progress reports
• Training reports
• Distribution records
• Financial and procurement reports
• Monitoring reports

Primary data collection

The consultant is expected to use:

• Household surveys
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
• Direct field observation
• Infrastructure verification (boreholes and school gardens)

Suggested stakeholders

• NACRO management and project staff
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
• Choma Town Council
• Traditional leaders
• School administrators
• Farmer groups
• Water users and WASH committees
• Community members and beneficiaries

8. Expected Deliverables

The consultant shall submit the following:

The final report should not exceed 25 pages excluding annexes and should include an executive summary.

9. Consultant Qualifications

The lead consultant should possess:

• Minimum Master’s Degree in Development Studies, Agriculture, Project Management, and Monitoring & Evaluation or related Social Sciences.
• At least 7–10 years of experience conducting evaluations of donor-funded development projects.
• Demonstrated experience in livelihoods, climate-smart agriculture, food security or rural development.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills.
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills in English.
• Experience working with NGOs and international donors in Zambia.

10. Work Schedule

The assignment is expected to be completed within 10 working days. Starting 17 September, 2026 and ending on 30 September 2026.

11. Management of the Assignment

The evaluation will be managed by NACRO through the Country Program Coordinator. NACRO will:

• Provide relevant project documents;
• Facilitate introductions to district stakeholders;
• Coordinate field visits;
• Organize the validation workshop; and
• Review and provide feedback on draft reports.

The consultant will remain fully responsible for the evaluation methodology, data quality, analysis and final report.

12. Proposal Requirements

Interested consultants should submit separate Technical and Financial proposals.

Technical proposal

• Cover letter
• Understanding of the assignment
• Detailed methodology
• Work plan
• Team composition and CV(s)
• At least two references for similar evaluations

Financial proposal

The financial proposal should clearly indicate:

• Professional fees
• Travel and transport
• Accommodation and subsistence
• Data collection costs
• Any other related operational expenses

13. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be assessed using the following weighted criteria:

Annex 1: Project Results to be evaluated

Contact Details

New Apostolic Church Relief Organization (NACRO)-Zambia

Plot No. 109A, Marrapodi,

Villa Lima Garden,

Off Manchinchi Road

P.O Box 32297

Lusaka

Submit technical proposals and budgets to: Apply Now and copy Apply Now

All proposals and budgets must be submitted before 17 hours on 15 September, 2026.