BHA/TPQ/SPADe Somalia RFSA Design

Project Information:

Title of Project: BHA/TPQ/SPADe Somalia RFSA Design

USAID Sector: Agriculture & Food Security

Country: Somalia

Lead Institution: Consilient Research

Project Length: 5/1/2023 – 03/22/2024

Research Objective:
The purpose of the BHA/TPQ/SPADe Somalia RFSA Design project is to inform the design of future multi-year Resilience and Food Security Activities (RFSA) in Somalia. The project is supported via a buy-in from USAID’s BHA/TPQ/SPADe into the Long-Term Assistance and Services for Research (LASER) Project currently in place between USAID/IPI/ITR/R and Purdue University under a cooperative agreement # 7200AA18CA00009. The BHA/TPQ/SPADe Somalia RFSA Design project has been executed by Consilient Research under a sub-contract with Purdue University. The project has two studies: Desk Review and Market Study (DRMS) and Political Economy Analysis (PEA).

Project Description:
Background
Somalia has significant and ongoing humanitarian caseloads due to recurrent shocks, such as conflict, droughts, and economic crises; and underlying or chronic drivers of food and nutrition insecurity, such as poverty and poor feeding practices. BHA RFSAs seek to reduce the need for ongoing and future food and nutrition security humanitarian assistance and build resilience among households and communities vulnerable to recurrent shocks. BHA intends for some or all of the analytical products to be posted publicly and complement relevant solicitations so that potential applicants can use the analysis to better inform their understanding of context and of key demographic profiles, and sectoral themes relevant to food and nutrition security, poverty, and resilience in two provinces in Somalia. More broadly, the analytical products will contribute to the BHA and USAID goals of improving the quality and impact of food security programming, saving lives, and reducing the need for humanitarian assistance.

The project has two studies: Desk Review and Market Study (DRMS) and Political Economy Analysis (PEA). The purpose and objectives of each study are presented below.

Study 1: Somalia Context Desk Review and Market Study (DRMS)

DRMS Purpose
BHA proposes a resilience, food, and nutrition security desk review and market study (DRMS) and the associated deliverables to inform the BHA multi‐year activity design process and serve as a publicly available resource for implementing partners developing concept notes and applications to BHA multi‐year RFSA solicitations in Somalia.

DRMS Objective
The DRMS has two specific objectives:
– To provide BHA and potential implementing partners with a deep contextual understanding regarding the resilience and food and nutrition security context, stakeholders, and key activity design issues for consideration.
– To explore how current market systems, conditions, and operating environments may influence implementation of the Graduation Approach, with a particular focus on livelihoods, asset transfer modality, and consumption support.

Study 2: Somalia Political Economic Analysis (PEA)

PEA Purpose
USAID/BHA proposes a resilience, food, and nutrition security Political Economy Analysis (PEA) to inform the design of a potential RFSA solicitation in Somalia and to serve as a publicly available resource for implementing partners for applications responding to a RFSA solicitation. BHA will require one report, with clearly delineated sections for each geographic area of focus should there be more than one geography (exact locations to be determined). The PEA(s) will provide context‐specific situational awareness.

PEA Objectives
BHA seeks a synthesis of existing information regarding:
– The interests and behavior of key actors and institutions.
– The patterns and causes of the conflict.
– How governance, political instability, and conflict impact the resilience of local populations.
– The sociopolitical context in which key actors and institutions are situated.
– Political‐economic dynamics in Somalia and how they influence patterns of vulnerability and chronic food and nutrition insecurity.

Outputs (click here)