Consultancy for Feasibility Study for a project proposal with the preliminary title Empowering Farming and Rural Livelihoods in the Bekaa Valley through Strengthening the Cereal Incubator in Baalbek (Extended)

Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is a private, non-profitmaking, politically independent and non-denominational organization that supports people living in deprivation and poverty, irrespective of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs or their worldview. WHH is working in the fields of development cooperation and humanitarian aid, relief aid, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. In Lebanon, WHH implement projects through local implementing partners with agriculture, livelihoods, food security and social stability as the main working fields.

Basic information regarding the project:

Location: 

Baalbek-Hermel, Bekaa, Lebanon

Project title (preliminary): 

Empowering Farming and Rural Livelihoods in the Bekaa Valley through Strengthening the Cereal Incubator in Baalbek

Project period: 

01/04/2025 - 30/07/2028 (40 months)

Donor/funding line: 

BMZ, funding line Private Agencies (PA)

Partner: 

LOST

Objective of the Consultancy:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to conduct an independent and comprehensive feasibility study of the proposed actions based on the previous project actions and outlined in the concept note and by the project team of WHH and LOST. This study aims to critically assess which actions should be discontinued, which should be maintained, and which should be initiated. Additionally, it will incorporate best practices and lessons learned from previous projects. The consultant will evaluate the feasibility of continuing or implementing these actions, taking into account available resources and current on-ground conditions, to determine their potential for achieving the project's intended outcomes.

The study will also present the context of the planned project at all relevant levels (micro, meso, macro) and include essential project-relevant data on the initial situation. Based on this context, the consultant will analyze the extent to which the chosen approach can address the problems of the target groups and other stakeholders. Additionally, the project will be critically evaluated against the OECD DAC criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability.

The consultancy will involve identifying and recommending alternative feasible actions, providing concrete recommendations for adjustments to the project concept, including the impact matrix and measures. Recommendations should address the actors and stakeholders to be involved, propose fields of observation for measuring results and impact, and consider opportunities and risks.

Key questions for the study should include:

• Which current problems / gaps / challenges in the life situations of the target groups in the targeted Value chains (wheat and pulses) have been identified and are relevant to be addressed in the project design? Which of the causes are prioritized and addressed in the project?
• Are there any approaches and results from previous development measures? If so, how are they being built on?
• What other framework conditions, such as conflict dynamics, need to be taken into account in the context of the planned project?
• What type of feasible activities can be planned for the different target groups (processors, farmers, workers, youth etc.) taking into consideration the project budget and resources?

For more guiding questions please refer to the Annex ‘Guidelines for conducting feasibility study’.

The project explicitly wants to use the results of the feasibility study required by the donor to create a final and detailed proposal building on the existing concept note. The findings and recommendations will be integrated into the project concept and planning process. The consultant will also provide detailed information on expert selection, implementation, and services delivered, including data and results, upon request.

Specific focus of the assignment includes:

• - Context and problem analysis

- Target group (including an analysis how women, youth, refugees and people with disability can be well included in the activities)

• - Stakeholder analysis

- Analysis of existing farmers, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), cooperatives, purchasing and selling committees their successes and gaps within the incubator

- Risk analysis (social, economic, ecologic) and recommendation of mitigations

- Analysis of the proposed resource for the project implementation (Human, financial, logistics) for project management and detailed activity implementation

- Recommendation regarding project approach, stakeholder inclusion as well as activities

- Analysis of and recommendations for improvement of logframe including indicators and tentative numbers for current state and target

Methodology:

The consultant is required to outline the methodology in the technical proposal, with further refinement in the inception report. The methodology must incorporate focus group discussions with representatives of the target groups and key informant interviews to gather insights from relevant stakeholders. Additionally, the use of qualitative and quantitative tools is encouraged to deepen the analysis.

The methodology should employ participatory methods and tools for both data collection and analysis. It is essential that these methods capture diverse perspectives and provide a comprehensive evaluation of the project’s feasibility. The consultant must identify and engage a range of actors with varied backgrounds and interests, clearly defining their roles in the data collection and analysis process.

This approach will ensure a thorough and inclusive assessment, yielding a clear and actionable evaluation of the project's feasibility.

Documents of consultancy:

The following important documents are attached for better understanding and smooth facilitation of the consultancy work:

• Donor Templates for feasibility study report and guideline (mandatory to follow)

In addition, when the consultant engages in the actual work WHH will provide:

• Project concept and budget
• Documents of the preliminary project like proposal, final report etc. (to understand what the future object will be build up on)
• Previous feasibility study
• Relevant WHH Documents (WHH success indicators etc.) as well as donor requirements (e.g. Rio Markers, donor logframe format, OECD DAC criteria definition)
• Evaluation reports and other relevant documents of projects following similar approaches
• Donor guidlines

Consultancy Context:

The previous project Mitigate the impact of food insecurity in local communities by strengthening the capacities of local producer, funded by GIZ, was implemented from 01 November 2022 – 31 October 2023. The project aimed to strengthen the agricultural value chains by supporting more farmers and solidarity-based groups in North/Akkar area like cooperatives and committees and strengthen social stability/social cohesion.

The new project proposal for which this feasibility study is required should build on this previous project. The aim is to build on the positive outcomes, but above all to work on the remaining gaps and close them. It is therefore particularly important that the feasibility study identifies which needs and gaps have emerged from the previous project and provides recommendations as to how these can be implemented in project activities within the framework of the new project.

Deliverables of the consultancy must include the following:

1. Short inception report (draft and final) stating the understanding of the project idea and proposed methodology for the feasibility study after document review and discussions with WHH and LOST – to be revised after feedback of WHH
2. Feasibility study report draft and final – the main report must follow the structure, content and length of the donor requirements (including 1hard copy of final report to be submitted together with final payment request)
3. Summary of the feasibility study covering the main findings and recommendations (approx. 3 pages)
4. Detailed recommendations, including regarding logframe and additional information not fitting in the official reporting format
5. List of used secondary references and additional relevant background literature, where possible submission of documents themselves

Payment is contingent upon the satisfactory and complete delivery of the outputs, as confirmed by the WHH Area Manager, and is linked to the deliverables and milestones specified in the contract.

Confidentiality: All documents and data acquired from documents as well as during interviews and meetings are confidential and to be used solely for the purpose of the feasibility study.

The deliverables as well as all material linked to the feasibility study (produced by the consultant(s) or the organisation itself) is confidential and always remains the property of WHH.

If pictures from the process or from the project location are taken, they should as well be given to the WHH team. Prior informed consent of the concerned persons is mandatory (guidelines and templates can be provided by the WHH team).