Job Description

Over the past five years, Practical Action has completed the implementation of four transformational projects under the Sustainable Energy for Rural Communities, Renewable Energy Empowering Women Farmers, Enhanced Agricultural Productivity and Resilience to Climate Change through Solar Powered Irrigation and Planting for Progress projects. Thousands of smallholder farmer households in the Matabeleland Districts of Gwanda, Matobo and Bulilima participated in the projects implemented by Practical Action and partner development organisations. Projects were conducted under three of Practical Action’s four change ambitions.
1. Agriculture that Works
2. Resilience that Protects
3. Energy that Transforms
Practical Action is seeking the services of a consultant to conduct post-project documentation of the above-mentioned change ambitions as championed in the projects implemented in Matabeleland South Province. The documentation outputs are expected to be in non-technical language easily understood by funders, national authorities and development partners for positioning purposes. The consultant is expected to develop case studies and success stories from interviews and conversations with project participants, community leaders and relevant sub-national authorities. These will be packaged in a format that is easy to read and understand while communicating the impact and sustainability of Practical Action’s ingenious innovations and interventions under the change ambitions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives and Scope of the Assignment
1. Generate knowledge products that demonstrate evidence of the positive outcomes (both intended and unintended) that can be attributed to Practical Action or where Practical Action has made contributions.
2. Assess the extent to which these outcomes have been sustained beyond the completion of Practical Action's engagement.
3. Compile comprehensive documentation of knowledge and background information for the development of concept notes and proposals, including impact, experience, and evidence.
4. Capture key learnings that inform the ideation of future interventions for programmes/projects, while simultaneously contributing to strategic updates and expanding general knowledge pertaining to working with communities in the fields of agriculture, energy, and climate resilience.

Output and communication approach
A booklet will be produced detailing case studies highlighting the ingenious approaches that were employed by Practical Action to achieve results under the three above-mentioned change ambitions. These case studies are to discuss clear practical examples of how approaches used in the implementation of the projects generate results. Finally, the case studies should use available data to show the impact that these projects are making on their targeted communities.
Each case study will be accompanied by two success stories and relevant photographs. Each success story will be built around the testimonial of a select project participant (s) and extend the narrative to the wider impact: personal level, household level, organisational level, and community level. Stories are expected to showcase the success, what was the situation, what activity was done, what the current situation is now and the way forward. It will highlight who and what catalysed the change.

Deliverables
a. Detailed Methodology, Plan and Budget
b. Agriculture impact brief including lessons learnt
c. Energy impact brief
d. Climate resilience impact brief
e. Infographics for the change ambitions
f. Case studies for the change ambitions

Timeline and final deadline for output
20 working days
Due Date Deliverables
Day 1-3 Inception processes
Day 4- 10 Data Collection
Day 11 -20 Compilation of case study booklet

Qualifications and Experience

The assignment is best conducted by a team that is composed of the following expertise and skills:
1. Experience in writing about or implementing agriculture, energy and climate resilience interventions.
2. Experience in developing and writing case studies for development interventions.
The lead consultant should meet the below expectations.
- Degree in Journalism, Agriculture, Development Studies, Climate change and resilience, and Economics accompanied by 3 years of work experience.
- Demonstrable prior experience in documentation of development work.
- Ability to deliver products according to the specified technical requirements.
- Attach or provide link to sample similar or related output from previous work (where available) and speak to the sample.
- Indicate if you have the added advantage of the opportunity of publishing or disseminating the case studies and success stories when completed.

How to Apply

Applications shall clearly identify a team leader, who will be responsible for delivering the outputs of the assignment and liaising with Practical Action. Interested parties must submit their technical and financial proposals clearly labelled: “Post Project Documentation and Impact Briefs” to the following email address:
The Procurement Committee
Practical Action
Email: [email protected]
Deadline for submission: Wednesday 18th of October 2023.
Applications should include:
1) Technical proposal- 2 pages maximum detailing the understanding of the assignment, Proposed Methodology, Relevant previous experience, Timetable/schedule, and Proposed budget.
2) CV(s) of the consultant(s)