Project Name:

FOOD SECURITY NETWORK (RESAL)

REF: 98/653/ EUROPEAN UNION

Country:

Bangladesh

Project Location within Country:

Throughout the country

Approx. Project Value : USD 70 million

Name of Client:

European Union

Professional Staff Provided:

No. of Staff: 1

No. of Person-months:36

Start Date (month/year):

                         09/1998

Completion Date:

(month/year)

09/2001

Approx. Value of Services:

US$ 300,000

Name of Associated Firm(s) if any:

GOPA Consultants, Germany

No. of Person-months of Professional Staff Provided by associated Firm(s): 55

Name of Senior Staff (Project Director / Coordinator, Team Leader) Involved and Functions Performed:

Dr. Ekramul Ahsan, Agro-Economist

Detailed Narrative Description of Project:

This project is undertaken under the European Food Security Network programme. The main objectives are:

-          Provide a diagnostic, analytical and decision making tool for Food Security and Food allocation operations in Bangladesh;

-          Help define, mount and monitor Food Security policies in Bangladesh;

-          Underpin the EU's Food Security operations;

-          Improve dialogue and co-ordination between the Commission, donors, governments, NGOs and researchers on the preparation and monitoring of Food aid strategies.

Detailed Description of Actual Services Provided by the Company:

Responsible for collating and centralising information from different sources and checking its reliability. The consultant will:

-          Liaison with Government, donor and other agencies to gather basic information which can be used to monitor food storage’s in the area in question on the basis of relevant indicators

-          Assist the expatriate experts to undertake regular analysis of these indicators in order to identify the type of problems encountered the situation in Bangladesh, structural problems and how the situation will evolve

-          Undertake Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and research on food security in Bangladesh

-          Monitoring of the food security situation in Bangladesh. Regular and systematic data collection according to a list of selected indicators including participatory monitoring system.

-          Build up and maintenance of a reference database which will provide time-series data of key statistical information and relevant reports prepared by various organizations and consultants, related to the Bangladeshi economy and food security situation in particular.

-          Maintenance of a close working relationship with the staff of the EC Delegation in Bangladesh (in particular with the person in charge of food security issues) and the Food Security Unit.

-          Liaison with all relevant government institutes, donor organizations, NGOs, research institutions, and other stakeholders, which are either directly or indirectly involved in food security issues.

-          Participation in the meetings of the LGC sub-group on food security and regular reporting to the team leader on the issues discussed.

-          Elaboration of specific studies and technical notes on request by the team leader.

-          Execution of field visits to monitor the food security at beneficiary level and to visit/ monitor specific food security projects.

-          Organizational support and preparation of missions of short team experts. Assistance in the execution of field visits of short term experts.

-          Conveyance of important documents, report, studies (such as WFP) Food grain Digest, Statistical Bulletins etc.) to the team leader.

-          Elaboration of a monthly report.

-          Review the selection process of beneficiaries participating in the project and their profile.

-          Review which effect new farming practices and new land use systems, promoted by the project, had on food production and the income situation of the beneficiaries. Assess ,if the capacity of the beneficiaries, to generate additional  income, could be increased

-          Assess whether the nutritional status of the beneficiaries and their household members could be improved through increased caloric intake and diversification of their diet.

-          Look into the quality and frequency of training courses provided to the beneficiaries  Review the impact training activities has on the knowledge and farming practices of beneficiaries

-          Assess the commercial viability of nurseries.

-          Assess the effectiveness of field-extension and follow-up supervision of implementing NGOs

-          Look in to the credit component and assess the availability of credit for the beneficiaries.

-          Assess the project monitoring process including the execution of baseline surveys and impact evaluation studies

-          Review the gender related issues of the projects selection and involvement of men/women in different project activities. Assess the effects the project had on their specific social and economic situation.

-          Review the transparency of the allocation of project resources and their utilisation

-          Make recommendations how the effectiveness of the projects can be increased in particular with regard to sustainability of food production and income generation.

-          Make proposals for the project design for a possible second phase

-          Assess whether Income Generating Activities (IGA) are and effective instrument also for ultra poor households to bring them out of food insecurity and poverty employing participatory.

-          Identify the limits of this specific instrument

-          Identify support measures and complementary actions to improve the impact of these program with regard to the ultra poor.

-          Study on the EC rural Employment Opportunities Programme (for casual labour and landless poor)

-          Feasibility study on the Utilization if the EC sponsored VGD Credit fund.

-          Review the Current Agricultural Policies and Practices their Influence on Food Security in Bangladesh.

-          Study on “Emergency Rehabilitation Programme” executed by Christian Aid.

-          Study on the Gender Dimensions of EC Assisted Food Security Programmes in Bangladesh Empowering Ultra Poor Women.

-          Study on “Social Forestry Programme”