Terms of Reference

 Activity title: COOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT MATRIX

Project: PSAC - Promoting Smallholder Agro-Export Competitiveness Project.

Assignment period: (21^st to 30^th November 2024)

 1. Background

The Promoting Smallholder Agro-Export Competitiveness (PSAC) Project is a key initiative funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), with co-financing from the Government of Rwanda, the Government of Spain, CORDAID, and Heifer International. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), led by the National Agriculture Export Board (NAEB), and is aimed at improving the income and livelihoods of rural communities through inclusive and sustainable agro-export value chains.

The project primarily targets smallholder farmers, aiming to enhance their participation in export-oriented value chains such as coffee, tea, and horticulture, while focusing on increasing climate-resilient production and facilitating market access. The initiative also focuses on addressing cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, youth employment, and climate adaptation.

To achieve the objectives of the PSAC Project, it is vital to assess the performance of existing cooperative within the targeted value chains. This assessment will help identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, as well as provide insights into the cooperatives’ organizational development needs. The Cooperative Assessment Matrix (CAM) will be utilized as the main tool for evaluating the cooperatives, measuring critical aspects such as governance, internal controls, financial management, and market access.

After the CAM we will be able to conduct a capacity needs assessment to help us designing interventions to responds to the Gaps identified.

2.Rationale

The NAEB availed the list of cooperatives working in different value chains including Coffee, Tea and Horticulture. However, those cooperatives have varied levels of performance and there is a need to conduct a performance assessment which is very crucial so that we can be able to know where to start. The CAM tool is designed to provide a systematic and objective assessment of cooperatives in various value chains, including coffee, tea, and horticulture, by categorizing them into three key performance levels: advanced, moderate, and low. This categorization will allow for targeted interventions that prioritize cooperatives in need of the most support while recognizing those that are performing well and could serve as models for others.

In addition, the use of CAM to assess aspects such as internal controls, governance, access to finance, and access to markets will provide a comprehensive view of each cooperative’s functional capacity. This data will be crucial for making informed decisions on where to focus capacity-building efforts and ensure that PSAC Project activities are effectively aligned with the goals of improving agro-export competitiveness, sustainability, and inclusivity. We are using enumerators not consultants due to the cost efficiency of this approach.

3.Objective

The main objective of this assignment is to evaluate key aspects of cooperative performance. The results of the assessment will inform where to start the implementation and tailor interventions aimed at strengthening cooperative governance, improving financial management, enhancing market access, and improving internal control processes, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the PSAC Project.

4.Specific objectives

1.  Assess the performance of cooperatives across key areas such as governance, internal controls, financial management, access to finance, and market access using the CAM tool.
2. Categorize cooperatives based on their performance levels (advanced, moderate, or low) across the aspects, identifying areas where improvements are needed.
3. Identify areas of weakness and provide actionable recommendations for each cooperative to improve their operational capacity, governance structures, and access to finance and markets.

5. Scope of Work and Approach

5.1.  Project staff will ensure:

1. Organize and facilitate a two-day training session for the enumerators on the data collection tool to ensure they are well-equipped to use it effectively.
2.  Upload the questionnaire to the Kobo Collect platform to ensure smooth data entry and collection.
3. Provide overall supervision of the enumerators to ensure that the data entry process meets the standards of accuracy and integrity, in line with the project’s objectives.
4. Continuously review the data entered by the enumerators to ensure consistency, accuracy, and completeness. Conduct periodic checks and audits to identify and resolve any discrepancies in the data.
5. Provide ongoing guidance and support to the enumerators throughout the data collection and entry process. This includes troubleshooting any challenges and reinforcing the proper use of the tools and systems.
6. Ensure smooth coordination among the enumerators, consultants, and other project stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is aligned with the overall project timeline and objectives.
7. Review the data entered by the enumerators and consolidate it into comprehensive reports that will guide the PSAC Project's capacity-building strategies.

5.2. Enumerators will ensure:

1. Actively participate in the training session on the data collection tool, ensuring that they understand its use and the required data entry standards.
2. Making appointment with cooperatives (Data collection appointment).
3. Assist in the data collection process by engaging with at least three members from each cooperative’s committee. The enumerators will use KoboCollect to gather relevant data on cooperative performance, as per the tool’s specifications.
4. Double-check data for consistency and accuracy before submission, correcting any errors or inconsistencies during the data entry process

6. Enumerators Qualifications and Experience

We plan to recruit 14 enumerators, who have completed their bachelor’s degrees in agriculture, Development Studies, Cooperative Management, Economics, Statistics, or other relevant fields. These enumerators will be assigned to various districts, preferably in locations where they reside includes: Bugesera (1), Rwamagana (1), Rulindo (1), Nyabihu (1), Rutsiro (1), Karongi (1), Nyamasheke (1), Rusizi (1), Nyamagabe (1), Nyaruguru (1), Huye (1), Nyanza (1), Ruhango (1), and Musanze (1)

7. Enumerators' Deliverables

1. At the end of the training all enumerators should demonstrate understanding of the tool, its structure, and how to use it via a small quiz or practical exercise during training
2. One day after the training, all enumerators must schedule (In the template shared by CORDAID staff) interviews with at least three members from the cooperative’s committee, ensuring that the appointments are made in advance.
3. By the day of data collection, enumerators should complete and submit data collection forms for each cooperative
4. Ensure the use of GPS coordinates for cooperative locations
5. After data collection, enumerators should perform a quick check for completeness and accuracy. If discrepancies are found, they should be noted and rectified before submission.
6. After ensuring that the data is accurate and complete, enumerators must upload the data to the KoboCollect platform for further review by project staff
7. If project staff identifies discrepancies in the uploaded data, enumerators will be required to follow up with the cooperatives for clarification or re-collection of specific data points
8. After the data is fully collected, enumerators should assist in reviewing and consolidating the collected data to ensure all cooperatives have been assessed, all forms are complete, and all issues have been addressed.

SUBMISSION

Applications should be submitted via email to apollinaire.nshimiyimana@cordaid.org no later than 5:30 PM on November 19,2024

Patrick BIRASA

Country Manager

Cordaid Rwanda.