External consultant in charge of the mid-term evaluation of the SESA UMWUMBATI WACU program at Caritas International Belgium

General Context

The SESA UMWUMBATI WACU (Support for Entrepreneurship in the Agricultural Sector) program, funded by the European Union (EDF/2023/446-899), is being implemented from 2023 to 2027 in the former provinces of Makamba, Rutana, and Bujumbura-Mairie. Coordinated by Caritas International Belgium, in consortium with six other partners (Louvain Coopération, Vétérinaires sans frontières, INADES Formations, FLORESTA, UCODE-AMR, CAPAD), this program aims to contribute to the creation of added value and jobs in rural areas of Burundi.

Burundi, particularly in the provinces of Makamba and Rutana, faces significant socio-economic and environmental fragility that limits the driving role of the agricultural sector. Although central to food security, rural employment, and household incomes, this sector remains marked by low productivity and disorganization in key cassava, vegetable, and poultry value chains, limited access to means of production and financing, weak economic diversification, insufficient consideration of post-harvest challenges, and a lack of associative structure and coordination among stakeholders. These constraints are exacerbated by the low integration of women and youth, the limited adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices, and high unemployment.

The program's objectives and expected results aim to stimulate the agricultural sector by promoting entrepreneurship in the cassava, vegetable, and poultry value chains. Firstly, the project intends to address these challenges by strengthening the production, processing, and marketing capacities of agricultural products within selected value chains. This will be achieved by reinforcing links between the various segments and by promoting the development of a circular green economy, while also encouraging the use of climate-resilient farming methods. Secondly, training and support for entrepreneurs will significantly contribute to strengthening the technical and organizational capacities of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Intervention Zone, enabling them to increase their access to means of production, with a particular focus on women and youth. Third, the subsidizing and improved access to financing for entrepreneurs supported by the project will diversify household economic resources, effectively addressing the area's needs in terms of access to financing. These last two aspects also aim to contribute to improved employment in the area by strengthening agricultural entrepreneurship. Fourth, the cross-cutting promotion of good nutritional practices is a necessary lever to guarantee both food and nutritional security in the industrial zone, as well as sustainable markets for products from the promoted sectors. Finally, a strong governance system and close monitoring of activities and their impacts will ensure the quality of the intervention.

The program operates through five pillars:

1. Improving technical capacities for agricultural production, processing, and marketing;

2. Developing a comprehensive training, support, and entrepreneurial coaching service;

3. Access to cost-shared subsidies and inclusive financial services;

4. Improving community nutrition;

5. The implementation of complementary actions: literacy, environment, social cohesion and local governance.

2. Evaluation Objectives

The overall objective is to conduct an external, rigorous, and participatory evaluation of the program's progress and performance over the period October 2023 – December 2025, with a view to effectively guiding the second phase until September 2027.

Specific objectives:

• Evaluate the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and potential impact of the program according to the criteria of the Development Assistance Framework – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD-DAC);

• Analyze progress against the expected results of the logical framework, particularly the intermediate targets to the end of September 2025;

• Identify good practices, obstacles encountered, and opportunities for improvement;

• Evaluate the integration of cross-cutting themes: gender, nutrition, human rights, green economy, social cohesion, and decent work;

• Assess the program's capacity to generate lasting positive change for the beneficiary agricultural MSMEs;

• Formulate strategic recommendations to strengthen impact by 2027.

3. Scope and content of the evaluation

• Period covered: October 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025

• Geographic area: 12 communes in the former provinces of Makamba and Rutana + Bujumbura City Hall

The evaluation will cover all program results:

1. Output 1: Technical improvement of agricultural value chains.

2. Output 2: Training and support services.

3. Output 3: Cost-shared subsidies and financial inclusion.

4. Output 4: Promotion of nutritional practices.

5. Output 5: Complementary actions and strengthening of local capacities.

Priority areas of analysis: This mid-term evaluation will be based on the OECD-DAC criteria, focusing on relevance, coherence, effectiveness, and efficiency, while also analyzing initial observable effects, potential sustainability, and the program's adaptability to risks and changes in the context.

• Relevance of the intervention strategy in relation to the needs of MSMEs and the local context;

• Internal and external coherence of the program (complementarity with other interventions, public policies, and partner strategies);

• Governance, accountability, partnerships, and coordination mechanisms of the consortium;

• Performance of the MSME selection, financing, and support mechanism;

• Functioning and reliability of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) system;

• Beneficiary participation, inclusion of women and youth, and local institutional anchoring;

• Adaptability and flexibility of the program in the face of risks and changes in context and operational constraints.

4. Expected Methodology

The consultant will propose a mixed, participatory, and inclusive approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses and involving program stakeholders, beneficiaries, local authorities, and technical and financial partners.

The methodology should include:

• A thorough document review (logical framework, narrative and financial reports, operational plans, SERA data, existing studies);

• Field surveys (questionnaires, focus groups, semi-structured interviews) with a representative sample of stakeholders (MSMEs, AVEC, local authorities, and implementing partners);

• Rigorous, transparent, and traceable processing of collected data, as well as presentation and validation of results with stakeholders;

• A list of key evaluation questions, for guidance purposes:

o To what extent is the program relevant to the needs of the targeted agricultural MSMEs and the local context?

o Are the MSME subsidy, selection, and support mechanisms effective, equitable, and appropriate?

o To what extent does the SERA framework allow for results-based and learning-oriented program management?

Do women and young people effectively and equitably benefit from the opportunities created by the program?

What initial effects and impact trends can be observed at the mid-term point at the beneficiary and territory levels?

How has the program adapted to the shocks, risks, and changes in context encountered since its inception?

What strategic and operational adjustments are needed to maximize the program's impact by 2027?

The evaluation process will be coordinated by Caritas International Belgium, in close collaboration with the consortium members. Program partners will be involved in the various stages of the evaluation, particularly to facilitate access to information, data, and stakeholders.

5. Expected Results and Deliverables

The key deliverables will be reviewed and validated by the program's steering bodies, respecting the consultant's independence and objectivity. They will include:

1. Methodological Note (max. 10 pages);

2. Provisional report (max. 40 pages excluding annexes), structured according to OECD DAC criteria;

3. PowerPoint presentation for the feedback workshop;

4. Consolidated final report;

5. Processed survey data (Excel or compatible format) and methodological documentation.

6. Timeline: The desired period for the mission is the month of March, for an estimated duration of twenty (20) working days.

Interested candidates are invited to submit their complete offer electronically to cibe.burundi@caritasint.be, clearly indicating "FED/2023/446 EVALUATION_MID-TERM" in the email subject line.

The application file must include (1) a technical proposal (maximum 10 pages) demonstrating an understanding of the Terms of Reference and the feasibility of the field study, the proposed methodology and the objectively verifiable indicators (OVIs) on which it is based, the analysis tools, and the implementation schedule; (2) a list of similar assignments carried out and the CVs of the consultants comprising the evaluation team; and (3) a detailed financial offer, expressed in EUR (excluding and including VAT).

The deadline for submitting offers is March 6, 2026.

Any offer that does not comply with these guidelines (submission address, email subject line, file content, or deadline) will be rejected.