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TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONDUCTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR “Where Futures Grow: Strengthening Child Nutrition and Climate-Resilient Local Food Systems in Somaliland”
CARE Deutschland e.V. and HAVOYOCO are developing a project aimed at strengthening sustainable and locally driven school feeding, nutrition and food systems in the Maroodijeex and Togdheer regions. Prior to finalizing the project design and submitting the funding application, an independent feasibility study will be commissioned. The study will provide CARE and HAVOYOCO with an evidence-based foundation for critically assessing and improving the proposed project concept. It will examine the prerequisites, opportunities, constraints and risks affecting implementation and determine whether the proposed intervention can plausibly achieve its intended outcome and contribute to anticipated longer-term impacts under the prevailing conditions. The study is not intended merely to confirm the proposed design; it shall critically examine the intervention logic, assumptions, proposed measures, implementation arrangements and alternatives and recommend modifications where necessary.
I. About CARE Deutschland e.V. and HAVOYOCO
Within the global CARE International confederation, CARE Deutschland e.V. was founded in 1980 and works closely with CARE entities and partner organizations. CARE Germany is committed to creating lasting change, with gender justice at the heart of its humanitarian and development programming. Its approaches include strengthening individual and community agency, supporting economic empowerment, strengthening civil society organizations and advocating for the rights and needs of marginalized populations.
The proposed project will be implemented with the Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO), a regional non-governmental, non-partisan humanitarian and development organization headquartered in Hargeisa and operational in Somaliland, Somalia and Ethiopia. HAVOYOCO will serve as the local project partner and will support contextualization, stakeholder engagement and implementation planning in the target regions.
II. Project Information
The project aims to improve the nutrition, health and learning outcomes of vulnerable school-age children in the Maroodijeex and Togdheer regions by establishing resilient, locally based, climate-smart school feeding systems using locally grown produce (Home-Grown School Feeding). The project intends to support schools, local authorities, and school nutrition committees to plan and implement gender-sensitive nutrition programs aligned with relevant standards. Smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, are expected to be supported through climate-smart agriculture, market access, post-harvest processing and drought preparedness so they can supply nutritious food to schools and local markets. School gardens and farmer field schools are envisaged as practical learning environments for nutrition and sustainable agriculture. The project also promotes community participation, nutrition education, hygiene, and shared responsibility for sustainable, locally driven food systems.
III. Impact Population and Target Groups
CARE and HAVOYOCO have preliminarily identified vulnerable school-age children attending selected schools in Maroodijeex and Togdheer as the primary target group, particularly children affected by food insecurity, poverty, drought, limited access to nutritious diets and other barriers affecting educational
participation and well-being. The project also intends to work with smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people, who may be supported to produce, process and supply nutritious locally grown food to schools and local markets. Other relevant groups and stakeholders include teachers, school management and nutrition committees, parents and caregivers, community representatives, women and youth groups, farmer groups and producer organizations, local traders and processors, local and regional authorities, and relevant government institutions.
IV. Purpose and Objectives of the Feasibility Study
The primary purpose of the consultancy is to critically assess whether the proposed project approach can plausibly achieve the intended project outcome and contribute to anticipated impacts under the existing conditions in Maroodijeex and Togdheer. The study shall independently validate the evidence and assumptions underlying the project design, identify critical gaps and provide practical recommendations for refinement before implementation.
1. Feasibility Assessment
Assess the technical, economic, social, environmental, institutional, security and operational feasibility of the proposed project components.
Evaluate the proposed project according to the OECD/DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact/significance and sustainability.
Assess the plausibility of the causal pathways linking school feeding with nutrition, well-being and educational participation, and linking local procurement with local production, farmer income and resilient local food systems.
Assess whether the proposed targeting, implementation arrangements, partnership roles, resources and timeframe are realistic under the prevailing context.
2. Risk Identification and Mitigation
Review and validate the Do-No-Harm and risk analysis prepared by CARE and HAVOYOCO and assess whether relevant political, social, conflict-related, safeguarding, environmental, climate, institutional, financial and operational risks have been adequately considered.
Identify critical gaps or additional risks emerging from the feasibility study and, where necessary, complement the existing analysis and recommend practical mitigation measures.
3. Actionable Recommendations
Provide clear, practical recommendations for refining the project design, including the Theory of Change/results logic, outcome, outputs, activities, targeting, implementation arrangements, partnerships, procurement approach, sustainability strategy, assumptions, indicators and risk mitigation measures.
Provide an overall feasibility judgement and identify components that should proceed as proposed, be modified, be significantly redesigned or be reconsidered where feasibility cannot be demonstrated.
4. Key Feasibility Questions
Is the proposed project Outcome and causal logic, including key assumptions and the links between project components, plausible under the current context in Maroodijeex and Togdheer?
Which proposed components should be retained, modified, sequenced differently, scaled, or omitted based on evidence of needs, feasibility, risks, and likely effectiveness?
Are the proposed target groups, targeting criteria, geographic focus, and participation mechanisms appropriate, inclusive, conflict-sensitive, and operationally feasible?
Can the proposed interventions be delivered within the anticipated budget, staffing, timeframe, and institutional capacities, and are the planned resource allocations proportionate to the expected results?
Does the local partner have the necessary capacities and ownership arrangements, and is an additional technical or implementing partner or other technical support required for any component?
What are the critical assumptions and risks affecting feasibility or sustainability, and what changes to the Theory of Change, results framework, indicators, targeting, implementation arrangements, or risk mitigation measures are required?
Please download the complete document at www.care.de/media/websitedateien/care-allgemeines/publikationen/oeffentliche-ausschreibungen/care-deutschland-ausschreibung-feasibility-study-somaliland.pdf
How to apply
XI. Application Requirements
A technical proposal, including understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology and sampling approach, team composition and division of responsibilities, work plan and quality-assurance approach.
A financial proposal clearly indicating consultancy fees, anticipated travel and field costs, accommodation where applicable, data-collection costs, translation/interpretation costs where applicable and any other anticipated costs.
Curriculum vitae of the consultant and/or all proposed team members.
Examples of relevant previous assignments, preferably feasibility studies or comparable studies.
Contact details for relevant professional references.
A statement of independence and disclosure of any potential conflict of interest.
Applications shall be submitted to [email protected] no later than September 14th, 2026.
