Summary
Purpose
To assess the overall satisfaction and perception on financial and non-financial services in line with STARS intervention at farmer and partner level
Introduction
Background
The program ‘Strengthening African Rural Smallholders’, abbreviated STARS, is a program implemented by ICCO Cooperation and ICCO Terrafina Microfinance in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to support rural finance and value chain development in four African countries: Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ethiopia and Rwanda. The program aims to increase the income of smallholder farmers including women by improved access to finance, markets and agricultural extension. STARS is a five-year program from 2016 to 2020.
In Ethiopia, the program has three approaches to achieve its objectives
Develop Crop Specific Financial Product to the Agriculture Sector in Partnership with MFIs
MFIs will implement agri-financial services for individuals and groups of smallholder farmers. The project builds the capacity of the local MFIs through crop-specific product development, risk mitigation to agriculture loan, saving mobilization and coaching on the targeted product development process. The financial services from the MFIs are envisaged to be available and accessible for the smallholder farmers.
Strengthen the Value Chain and Link Smallholder Farmers to Markets, Agriculture Extension and Financial Services
The project adopts a market-based approach to value chain development. To each selected value chains, an in- depth value chain analysis was conducted. In parallel with this process of value chain development, interventions have been designed to strengthen producer organizations (POs), facilitate access to inputs & outputs as well as financial products. At the PO level, farmers will be strengthened and capacitated.
The program is currently facilitating contract farming in the potato value chain by taking one step the level of market linkage intervention. The contract has been held between POs and big buyer-Senselet chips making factory. The POs take the role on behalf of members who are willing to join the contract farming with the big buyer.
Program Embedded Research and Learning
Program embedded research and learning expands the knowledge base on rural agricultural finance, value chain development and disseminate lessons learned. Approaches, business models and lessons learned will be shared and replicated inside and outside the target countries. Particular attention will be given to understanding how women can remain active and fully participate in rural agri-finance as well as in different value chains.
Targets and outcome of the satisfaction assessment
STARS project is working together with 5 microfinance institutions (Buusaa Gonofa, Metemamen, Wasasa, Harbu and SFPI) and one state-affiliated MFI-OCSICO, 20 producer organizations (7 in potato and 13 in malt barley) and various value chain actors ( Senselet, Farm Service Center, Heineken, Assela Malt Factory, Habesha, and independent consultants). The goal of working together with these various stakeholders is to have smallholders in the selected areas improve their access to services that allow them to generate more income from agricultural activities. This assignment is set-out to assess to what extent smallholder farmers are benefitting from the support STARS is giving to service providers (MFIs, POs, and processors). The outcomes of the assessment should help STARS improve its interventions to farmers and its partners.
The objectives of the survey
Due to the need for continuous service delivery improvement in STARS program, that meet farmers needs as well as partners ́ is the primary area of focus. Therefore, there is a need to measure the satisfaction level of STARS’ targeted farmers regarding the quality of the services received from partners supported by STARS program and the manner in which those services are benefiting them. To that end, the approach should be simple and friendly for partners to replicate it on their own for the future.
The main objectives:
Clients’ satisfaction
To assess whether farmers ( with specific focus on women) are receiving adequate financial and non-financial services that meet their expectations. E.g. adequate loan amount, timeliness of loan, affordable cost of loan, customer services, distance, access to inputs and equipment, price offer, quality standard etc)
The specific topics of the clients’ satisfaction assessment:
A2F - Financial products and capacity building interventions
Partners Satisfaction both to VCD and A2F
To find out the value added of STARS program and what can be improved through the analysis of feedback provided by partners on services received and benefits gained through STARS intervention.
The specific topics of the partners satisfaction assessment:
To find out the value added of STARS program and what can be improved through the analysis of feedback provided by partners on services received and benefits gained through STARS intervention.
The specific topics of the partners satisfaction assessment:
The long-term objectives of this assessment:
Scope and context of work
Clients satisfaction
The assignment is not a survey per se, therefore, the consultant shall recommend an innovative and creative approach to collect information and analyze about client’s satisfaction. The approach should be simple and friendly for partners to replicate it on their own in the future. The selected consultant must undertake the following activities:
Develop a composite measure of customer satisfaction and use it to determine the overall rating of the current level of satisfaction;
Partner satisfaction
The assessment of partners satisfaction will look into STARS support given interventions to the partners on the services and benefits gained. The consultant shall come up with a suitable approach that will yield effective results. To present the findings, conclusions and recommendations from both clients and partners satisfaction surveys the consultant will facilitate one day workshop. For this to be successful the selected consultant shall take these activities:
Suggested Sampling approach
We are not looking for a big client’s assessment. Sample size to be surveyed could not be below 50 farmers and not above 100 farmers. This number serves both for VCD and A2F clients. For the partners assessment the sample size would vary from 1 to five individuals. This depends on the type of engagement and responsibility level of individuals at the partner level.
Expected Deliverables for the Assignment
Timeline and Operational area
Start of the assignment
Final Results and Report
Budget Source
Reporting to
Applicant requirements