Individual Consultancy: Consultant to support development of the Nutrition Intervention Package for the Agricultural Sector

Contract

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Purpose and Objective:

Malnutrition is a serious public health problem that affects people in different parts of the world, with undernutrition being a problem especially in developing countries, and especially affecting children.

Mozambique is one of the 22 African countries with the highest rates of chronic malnutrition among children, resulting in significant threats to human development due to its implications for decreased cognitive and learning capacity, increased predisposition to diseases and reduced economic productivity. Overall, child and maternal malnutrition accounts for 45% of infant mortality. Growth retardation, caused by chronic malnutrition, can begin from conception and be irreversible after the first two years of a child's life. In Mozambique, the rate of chronic malnutrition is 38% (IOF, 2019/20), and is considered "high" by World Health Organization (WHO) standards (30-39%).

The causes of malnutrition are multifaceted, with immediate determinants related to diseases and inadequate food intake, which in turn are linked to food insecurity, poor knowledge of caretakers about healthy care and eating practices for children under-five, lack of hygiene, poor sanitation, poor access to health services and unhealthy domestic environments. As such, overcoming malnutrition requires action from multiple sectors, and the Government of Mozambique has outlined these priority actions in the Multi-sectoral Action Plan to Reduce Chronic Malnutrition (PAMRDC) and the current Food and Nutrition Security Strategy (ESAN-III) and its associated action plan. One key programme of the Ministry of Health is the Nutrition Interventions Package (PIN), designed to deliver seven key nutrition interventions (counseling on exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, WASH, deworming, supplementation with Vitamin A and MNP and Growth Monitoring Promotion) to remote communities, with financing under the Disbursement Linked Indicator -DLI4 initiative of the Government of Mozambique and the World Bank, through the Global Financing Facility.

The implementation of the PIN package aims to improve access, coverage and quality of nutrition interventions available in communities by capacity building and extending the coverage of a package of high-impact interventions aimed at children under two years of age

Maternal malnutrition, poor child feeding practices, poor food quality, combined with frequent infections, especially during pregnancy and in the first two years of life (the "first 1,000 days"), all contribute to chronic malnutrition. Although poverty and food insecurity play an important role, a quarter of Mozambican children living in the wealthiest households still suffer from chronic malnutrition. This finding suggests that factors unrelated to food security including inadequate child feeding behaviour, limited access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services, early pregnancy and poor access to early childhood development services play an important role in malnutrition.

PIN interventions are related to counseling in the context of infant feeding, water, hygiene and sanitation of the environment, growth monitoring and supplementation with MNPs, Vitamin A and deworming.

The PIN was initially designed as a package for community health workers and volunteers to provide essential nutrition services in the community, with a vision of expansion to other sectors, such that community level agents of all nutrition-sensitive sectors are aware and able to align their respective community level interventions towards the goal of optimal maternal and child nutrition, and improved nutrition outcomes, in the first 1,000 days. In 2019/20 the PIN was adapted for “permanentes” of the Child Cash-plus-Care grant for all children under two years of age. In 2022, the adaptation of the PIN for implementation in the Agriculture Sector will contribute to a large measure to mitigate the percentage of chronic malnutrition and Food Insecurity.

Objectives, Purpose and Expected Results

The main objectives of the consultancy are:

• Provide technical support and assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture to develop a Package for Nutrition Interventions Nutrition Package (PIN) for the Agricultural Sector, including all SBCC approaches aimed at different audiences;

• Contribute to capacity building in implementation of the Nutrition Intervention Package( PIN) at different levels (Provincial, District and Community) within the Agriculture sector.

  Methodology and Technical Approach:

The work carried out by the consultant should be led and guided by the focal points of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADER) and the Ministry of Health( MOH) Infant Feeding technical working group. The consultant will complement and contribute to its expertise in the issues raised as crucial. A UNICEF nutrition specialist will be responsible for overseeing the work done.

The consultant will have to work at UNICEF one day a week to align all activities with the Nutrition Team.

A monthly work plan will be prepared by the consultant and jointly reviewed by UNICEF, FAO, SETSAN MISAU and partners members of Infant Feeding Technical Group, where the objectives and products will be described.

Activities and Tasks:

• Desk Review of Literature: Review the training and IEC materials existing in the area of Nutrition for the agricultural sector and PIN Packages for Community workers (APE) and INAS Permanent, map and document the information gaps and the possible interconnection of activities between the permanentes, APEs and agriculture extensionists;
• Mapping of existing Extensionists. Obtain a current mapping of agricultural extensionists from MADER (nationwide, assuming it already exists in MADER, or at a minimum, for UNICEF focus provinces of Sofala, Zambézia, Nampula, and Cabo Delgado);
• Develop a PIN package for the Agricultural sector: Develop/adapt a PIN training package for agriculture extensionists, composed of Training Manual, participant and serial album taking into account the different levels (training of trainers for provincial, district and community level).
• Test training and review material: Test the training material (one for each level National/Provincial and district level) in at least two districts of Nampula, Zambézia and Sofala Province and according to the results, properly finalize the material. Clear, easy-to-use training materials that include methodology, processes, lessons learned, and relevant attachments to be used by MADER and partners to conduct cascading training in other districts.
• Develop training assessment tool: The training assessment tool will help assess the quality of training through feedback from trainees and identify aspects to be improved.
• Develop a training plan: Based on the profile of trainees, develop a training plan taking into account the role and profile of extensionists, which will guide in the preparation of training material based on the audience. The training plan includes: a) an implementation schedule, b) methodologies to be used, c) monitoring and evaluation (Training and monitoring of all training processes, including trainers at provincial, district and community level) with a view to guaranteeing their quality;
• Final consulting report: Complete and submit recommendations and report lessons learned from the implementation of the first phase training. Provide recommendations that will enable the improvement of the training provided by SETSAN and that will be incorporated into the subsequent trainings

Expected Products

• Desk Review, documenting the links of interconnection between the different Community actors, related actions (other existing materials/tools) and the complementarity of the action
• Draft of the PIN Training Package for agriculture extension workers developed and tested during the Training of Trainers.
• Instruments and training methodology adjusted for each target group (Provincial, District and Community Level).
• Training Plan that includes a) an implementation schedule, b) methodologies to be used, c) monitoring and evaluation (Training and monitoring of all training processes, including trainers at provincial, district and community level)
• Final training package that include methodology, processes, lessons learned and relevant attachments to be used by MADER and partners to perform cascading training in other districts and according to the results, properly finalize the material.
• Final report of the consultancy and the first phase of implementation of the training, with recommendations to improve subsequent roll-out and expansion.

Deliverables and Payments****:

Payments and Products

Payments will be processed upon acceptance of the corresponding deliverable and against an invoice that will make reference to the contract reference and deliverable number. Payments will be approved by the respective section chief.

The consultancy will take place in a period of 4 months (estimated July – October 2022).

Product 1:

Timeframe: 15 August2022

Deliverable

• Desk review and detailed timeline/workplan for the consultancy.
• Table with proposal of contents to be included in the PIN package;
• Mapping of agricultural extensionists;
• Documentation of the extensionist's information gaps in the nutrition component and the interconnection and contribution of the different Community actors

Payment: 15% of the total value of the Contract

Product 2:

Timeframe: 15 September 2022

Deliverables

• DRAFT of the Training Package (Training Manual, participant and serial album)

Payment: 30% of the total value of the Contract

Product 3:

Timeframe: 01 October

• Testing of training Material (Trainings at central/provincial level); One Training for Central or Provincial Level Participants (National TOT) and one training in Zambézia and Nampula Districts;
• Report of the pre-test of the training package;
• Final version of the training material after incorporation of the inputs of the trainings;
• Training Plan, including a) an implementation schedule, b) methodologies to be used, c) tools to evaluate the training.

Payment: 40% of the total contract amount

Product 4:

Timeframe: 31 October

• Final report of the consultancy and the first phase of implementation of the training, with recommendations to improve subsequent roll-out and expansion.

Payment: 15% of the total contract amount

Management and Supervision****:

The consultant will report to the Nutrition Officer, UNICEF with supportive technical oversight and guidance from the Nutrition Manager. The Consultant is expected to work an estimated 60% of his time at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and 40% at UNICEF, which means that the consultant has to work at UNICEF once a week.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Academic qualifications:

  Master’s degree in Nutrition, Public Health or relevant discipline. Having a degree or specialization in a related area (Education, Agronomy, Anthropology, Social Science, etc) can be an asset.

  The required qualification must be proven by declarations and diplomas issued by accredited public or private entities, national or foreign.

  Work experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in Nutrition in developing countries;
  • Experience in developing nutrition sensitive materials and Infant and Young Child Feeding tools;
  • Experience in conducting training ensuring the Pedagogical Quality Assurance;
  • Experience working with communities;
  • Excellent communication skills in both written and oral presentations;
  • Fluency (verbal and written) in Portuguese and English.

  Skills required:

  • Good ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and in multicultural environments.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.