Introduction This document is the Terms of Reference which describe the production of research report on gender disaggregated investment in the agricultural sector and budget allocation by government that OXFAM (America) is planning to commission via an open and competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process. This document provides a background to the work and why this is being commissioned. More importantly it also provides an outline to the timing, the effort and the scope of works for the consultant and it will be an integral part of the contract, describing the deliverables required from the consultant.
Background and Rationale Oxfam America is an international Relief and Development Organization which has been operating in Ethiopia as Horn of Africa Regional Office (HARO) since 2001, HARO works with and through local partners to deliver development programs and emergency relief services, and for changes in global practices. OXFAM lead an initiative called Together for a Food Secure Ethiopia. The initiative works to change the terms of the debate by recognizing the critical role that women food producers play in ensuring household and national food security. The initiative explores and unveils success and challenges rural women food producers face in accessing agricultural inputs, land, and financial and extension services. We also promote investment in women farmers and pastoralist to close the gender gap in the agricultural sector. Ethiopia has established a strong vision to transform its agriculture into a sustainable market-led sector, and thereby achieve enhanced food security, environmental conservation, gender inclusion and equity; and contribute to the country achieving middle-income status by 2020. Attention to gender equality remains an important development goal. The importance of gender equality is highlighted in its prominence in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have been commonly accepted as a framework for measuring development progress. Within policy circles too there is increased recognition that investing in gender equality and women’s empowerment is critical and that it has huge potential to abet the realization of other development goals, including alleviating poverty, enhancing human security and increasing livelihood options.
The budget allocation at national, regional and local level reflects the values of a country - who it values, whose work it values and who it rewards and who and what and whose work it doesn’t. The budget is the most important economic policy instrument of government, and as such it can be a powerful tool in transforming our country to meet the needs of the poorest. Similarly, agricultural investment and expenditure analysis can be a powerful tool for gender equity when gender-disaggregated analyses of the budgeting and expenditure expose gender sensitivity in macroeconomic policy.
Expenditure patterns and the way that government raises revenue have a different impact on women and girls as compared to men and boys due to their different location in the family and in the economy. Agriculture is a sector where gender gaps are of critical concern as it is a sector women have a large presence and how policies in touch such sectors framed are matters of importance to women. What is happening to agriculture and women’s position with in in it is a matter of deep concern for not only women and men in agriculture but also for economy in so far as its growth and productivity aid the development of other sectors. However, relatively little research has explicitly considered the gendered nature of government expenditure and investment in the agricultural sector though the success of agricultural investments often depends on equitable access to services.
Audience and Use of Report The research report is directed at multiple audiences, including government officials, especially at the technical level, who are responsible for planning and managing public expenditures in the agricultural sector particularly officials from Ministries of Agriculture, related ministries and agencies, donor agency practitioners who are responsible for carrying out and/or supporting public expenditure analysis of the agricultural sector. Expenditure analysts from academia, research institutes, and the private sector (including farmer organizations) and the media
Research Purpose and Objectives Oxfam is committed to improving gender equality and women’s empowerment in agriculture and rural areas, and to strengthening women’s leadership and decision-making participation. The goal of this consultancy is to assist Oxfam and its allies in developing an evidence-based approach to promoting gender equity in smallholder agriculture that empowers the most marginalized and vulnerable women to participate in and benefit from engagement in Agriculture. The specific objectives of the research are:
To capacitate Oxfam and key stakeholders with knowledge and substantiation on the impact of resource allocation decisions;
To gather evidence that can bring about change to policies and budgets that promote gender equality and seeks to empower a broader and more inclusive set of actors to transform budgetary structures and processes;
To inform the national debate about policy and the appropriate allocation of public resources;
To ensure that the policies and programmes of ministries and local government provinces take into consideration the specific constraints, options, incentives and needs (COINs) of women and girls, men and boys; to ensure that resources are allocated accordingly;
To raise awareness of the gendered impact of polices and corresponding budget allocations
Research outputs will be used
To develop a comprehensive perspective on the gender resources provided by the Government of Ethiopia to women in the agriculture sector;
To assess how government budget addresses the needs of women in the agricultural sector;
To examine the budgeting process and budgeting allocation in agriculture and how they impact on women;
Research Plan and Suggested Methods
The consultant is expected to come up with methodologies which serves to respond to research questions and serves the overall objectives of the research and to be further discussed and agreed.
Research Questions
What level of resources is being directly targeted to women in agriculture?
What tools/resources/processes exist to assist the budgeting process to ensure women’s needs are addressed?
How are women and men benefiting from expenditure on agricultural investment?
How do investments in agriculture address women’s and men’s farmers different needs and priorities?
Does the government provide information on the actions to reduce gender inequalities in the annual budget statements?
In what ways are polices and their associated resource allocations likely to reduce or increase gender inequalities?
Scope of the work
A trend and critical analysis of the agricultural sector budget, highlighting the extent to which the budget addresses the women farmers need for the past 5 years in three major regions i.e Amhara, Oromia and Tigray.
Review all relevant documentation on gender analysis of national budgets undertaken by different organizations in Ethiopia
Critically review agricultural budget announcement by the different Ministries, sector Bureau and other related with women and agriculture.
Provide an analysis of the agriculture budget across ministries over the past 5 years
Analyze the level of priority given to gender programmes in agricultural sector
Submit a draft of the report for review
Following comments from Oxfam produce a second draft of the report
Present the findings of the analysis at a post budget analysis workshop or validation workshop
Make appropriate adjustments to the analysis following its presentation to key stakeholders’.
Reporting and time frame The consultant will report directly to EJ Policy and Research Coordinator.
Inception report by December 31, 2014
First draft February 5, 2015
Validation workshop February 19, 2014
Final Report March 5, 2014
Job Requirement
Required Qualifications The team of consultants or consultancy firm are expected to demonstrate the following:
MA degree in Agricultural Economics, Development Economics, Management, and Gender studies;
Recognized expertise and experience in Gender Budgeting, development Economics, Finance and budgeting , Gender, Public Policy;
The team should consist of one expert in the area of budget review, analysis and budget trucking, another in gender budgeting and analysis
Experience in Joint Budget and Aid Review in Ethiopia
Knowledge of the Ethiopian national policy making and budgeting processes
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English