Consultant for Outcome Monitoring Study (FASA Project) - Zambia

About WorldFish

WorldFish is an international research organization working to transform aquatic food systems to reduce hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. It collaborates with international, regional, and national partners to co-develop and deliver scientific innovations, evidence for policy, and knowledge to enable equitable and inclusive impact for millions who depend on fish and other aquatic foods for their livelihoods and nutrition. Our work in countries advances progress on multiple 2030 Sustainable Development Goals through science and innovation, with a vision of healthy people, healthy planet, and shared prosperity.

Purpose & Objectives of the Consultancy

The objective of this consultancy is to support WorldFish and its partners under the Development and Scaling of Sustainable Feeds for Resilient Aquatic Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (FASA) project to implement the Outcome Monitoring Study assessing the effects of FASA-supported capacity-building activities in Zambia. FASA is a five-year initiative (2022–2027), funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and implemented by WorldFish in collaboration with national, regional, and international partners to strengthen the sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness of aquafeed systems in Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia.

The consultancy will support a mixed-methods outcome monitoring process combining structured surveys and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), anchored in the FASA Theory of Change. The assignment will assess whether and how FASA-supported capacity-building activities are contributing to changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence, practices, application of training, cascading of knowledge, and institutional integration. It will also assess changes related to gender-responsive practice, youth inclusion, climate-smart aquaculture, feed formulation, feed-making, and the use of locally available feed ingredients, while identifying the institutional, technical, market, gender-related, resource, policy, and environmental factors that enable or constrain sustained application of these outcomes.

The expected outcome of the consultancy is a credible and systematically documented body of quantitative and qualitative evidence showing whether, how, and under what conditions FASA-supported capacity-building activities are contributing to meaningful change. The assignment will generate analysis-ready datasets, validated outcome evidence, and actionable recommendations to strengthen program learning, accountability, adaptive management, future capacity-building interventions, policy engagement, and sustainable aquafeed development.

Scope of Work

• Inception Plan and Study Implementation Framework. The consultant will prepare an inception plan outlining the methodology, activities, milestones, deliverables, quality-assurance procedures, coordination arrangements, and timeline for the FASA Annual Outcome Monitoring Study in Zambia. The plan will cover the structured survey, feed-miller assessment, and KIIs, aligned with the approved protocol, analytical framework, and FASA Theory of Change. It will specify how evidence will be generated on knowledge, skills, confidence, practices, training application and cascading, institutional uptake, gender and youth inclusion, climate-smart practices, local feed ingredients, and aquafeed-business resilience.
• Support Research License Application and Regulatory Compliance. The consultant will support WorldFish in preparing and submitting the required research license application and associated documentation for implementation of the FASA Annual Outcome Monitoring Study in Zambia. This will include providing the necessary study information, fieldwork details, researcher documentation, institutional information, and other supporting materials required by the relevant national authorities. The consultant will also support responses to any queries or requests for clarification and ensure that field activities are conducted in accordance with approved research, ethics, and data-protection requirements.
• In collaboration with WorldFish MELIA scientists, conduct enumerator and facilitator training and submit a brief report documenting the recruitment and training of suitably qualified enumerators and facilitators.
• Structured Outcome-Monitoring Survey. The consultant will support implementation of a structured survey among FASA project participants in Zambia, including trainers, extension and gender officers, researchers, students, farmers, feed millers, ingredient processors, partner staff, and other relevant stakeholders. Responsibilities will include respondent identification and verification, field planning, KoboCollect administration, supervision, and daily data-quality checks.
• Key Informant Interviews. In addition, the consultant will conduct at least 40 KIIs with other FASA stakeholders. Interviewees will include trainers and trainees, extension and gender officers, researchers, students, research and training institutions, farmers and farmer organizations, ingredient processors and suppliers, implementing partners, government institutions, and other relevant actors. KIIs will examine how FASA-supported knowledge and practices have been applied, adapted, cascaded, sustained, or institutionalized and identify key enabling and constraining factors.
• Feed-Miller Assessment. The consultant will conduct 50 in-depth interviews with feed millers to assess feed-formulation practices, ingredient sourcing and substitution, business adaptation, and resilience. The assessment will examine formulation and reformulation decisions, ingredient use, flexibility to adopt locally available alternatives, and factors influencing these decisions, including nutrition, price, availability, quality, and technical knowledge.
• Fieldwork Documentation and Data Quality Assurance. The consultant will maintain systematic documentation of fieldwork progress, respondent profiles, training exposure, field observations, emerging findings, data-quality issues, and implementation challenges.
• Data Management, Analysis, and Reporting. The consultant will organize, quality assure, anonymize where required, and prepare all quantitative and qualitative data for analysis in accordance with WorldFish procedures. The consultant will support quantitative analysis, thematic analysis, and triangulation to identify outcome patterns, training application and cascading, institutional uptake.

Key Milestones & Delivery Timeline:

1. Submit detailed implementation plan: Develop and submit an implementation plan outlining the methodology, sampling and respondent verification procedures, fieldwork arrangements, quality-assurance measures, key milestones, timeline, and coordination mechanisms for the FASA Annual Outcome Monitoring Study in Zambia. The plan will cover the digitally enabled structured survey, feed-miller assessment, and KIIs and explain how evidence will be generated against the FASA Theory of Change, including gender equality, youth inclusion, climate-smart practices, local feed-ingredient use, and institutional uptake.
2. Research License Application Support: Support WorldFish to prepare and submit the required research license application and supporting documentation for the FASA Annual Outcome Monitoring Study in Zambia, including responses to any regulatory queries or requests for additional information.
3. Enumerator training and report: Conduct enumerator and facilitator training and submit a brief report documenting the recruitment and training of suitably qualified enumerators and facilitators.
4. Conduct Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and report: Conduct at least 40 KIIs with other FASA stakeholders. Interviewees will include trainers and trainees, extension and gender officers, researchers, training and research institutions, farmers and farmer organizations, ingredient processors and suppliers, FASA partners, government institutions, and other relevant actors. KIIs will assess application, adaptation, cascading, and institutionalization of FASA-supported knowledge and practices and identify key enabling and constraining factors.
5. Implement structured outcome-monitoring survey and report: Complete the structured survey with participants reached through FASA-supported capacity-building activities. The consultant will support respondent identification and verification, questionnaire administration through KoboCollect, field supervision, and daily data-quality checks.
6. Conduct feed-miller interviews and report: Conduct 50 in-depth interviews with feed millers and other feed manufacturers to assess feed-formulation and reformulation practices, ingredient sourcing and substitution, flexibility to use locally available ingredients, and coping and adaptation strategies in response to price increases, supply disruptions, exchange-rate pressures, and other shocks.
7. Prepare cleaned outcome-monitoring datasets: Organize, clean, quality assure, anonymize where required, and submit the structured survey dataset, feed-miller interview materials, KII notes/transcripts, respondent tracking records, and supporting field documentation. All datasets will be clearly labeled and prepared for integrated quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with WorldFish data-management standards.
8. Submit preliminary Outcome Monitoring Study report: Analyze and triangulate quantitative and qualitative evidence and submit a preliminary report presenting key outcomes, training application and cascading, institutional uptake, feed-formulation practices, local ingredient use, business resilience and coping strategies, enabling and constraining factors, illustrative outcome stories, lessons, and recommendations.

Requirements

The consultancy team should collectively demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:

• At least one team member must hold a master’s degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Rural Development, Development Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation, or a related field; a PhD will be an added advantage.
• Demonstrated expertise across the team in outcome monitoring, monitoring and evaluation, quantitative and qualitative research, aquaculture and aquafeed systems, value chain analysis, and Theory of Change–based assessment within the CGIAR frameworks.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing structured surveys and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), including digital data collection using platforms such as KoboCollect, with farmers, feed millers, ingredient suppliers, extension officers, researchers, training institutions, private-sector actors, and other aquaculture stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of capacity-development outcomes, including assessment of changes in knowledge, skills, confidence, practices, application and cascading of training, institutional uptake, and enabling and constraining factors.
• Familiarity with the socio-economic, institutional, and market dynamics of aquaculture and aquafeed systems in Zambia, including gender equality, youth inclusion, climate-smart practices, and private-sector engagement.
• Proven capacity to coordinate and supervise multi-site fieldwork, undertake data-quality assurance, manage quantitative and qualitative datasets, and deliver high-quality outputs within tight timelines.
• Demonstrated knowledge of aquafeed formulation, feed ingredients, feed-milling practices, ingredient sourcing and substitution, use of locally available ingredients, and feed-sector responses to market and supply shocks will be a strong advantage.
• A strong track record of producing analytical and synthesis reports, integrating quantitative and qualitative evidence, and communicating findings clearly to technical, program, policy, and private-sector audiences.

Consultancy Duration

The duration of the contract will initially be for 2 months.