CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTERESTS

INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO ADDRESS UNDERNUTRITION CHALLENGE IN PAKISTAN

ACTION AGAINST HUNGER
Action Against Hunger (ACF) is an international humanitarian organization committed to end world hunger. We work under three
international pillars to achieve this:
 Mitigating the consequences of hunger;
 Addressing the causes of hunger;
 Changing the way hunger is viewed and addressed
Action Against Hunger has been present in Pakistan since 1979, working with communities, partners and Government of Pakistan to
ensure Nutrition, Health, WASH and FSL assistance to emergency-stricken communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.
In addition to this, ACF is working closely with the Governments at Federal, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa level to enable improved
multi-sectoral programming to address undernutrition in the country. Our interventions include service delivery, technical assistance,
evidence generation, capacity building and advocacy. ACF is currently implementing different nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive
projects in Sindh with support of international donors and local partner organizations. Programme for Improved Nutrition in Sindh
(PINS) ER2 is nutrition specific project funded by EU to provide nutritional treatment services to severe acute malnutrition (SAM)
children and women in Sindh. In PINS ER3 project ACF is addressing the underlying causes of malnutrition through nutrition sensitive
(FSL and WASH) interventions in Sindh. ACF other current programmes includes saline tolerant fodder program, Adolescent Girls
Nutrition Champion project and strengthening disaster resilient communities through nutrition sensitive interventions at Sindh.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Action Against Hunger is launching a call for submission of expressions of interests from potential partners to develop initiatives,
capable of generating a series of related innovations, which together can address stunting, wasting and undernutrition challenges from
the country. We are looking for innovative ideas/solutions possess potential to tackle severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate
malnutrition using relevant, feasible, affordable and sustained approaches. We are interested in how your project will help solve the
problem we have identified. Ideas should be sustainable, realistic and relevant to address undernutrition challenge in Pakistan.
Innovations meeting the ACF set criteria will be contacted for developing joint programmes to major donors.
THEMATIC PRIORITIES
1. Low weight portable boards to measure height/growth of baby/child for outreach workers
Devices for height and length measurements of infants and children are key instruments in household surveys and field activities of
outreach workers. Current devices / boards used to measure height and length of infants and children are quite heavy, difficult to carry
and transport by outreach workers especially during field activities and households visits.
ACF is looking for innovative ideas / proposals focusing on the development of portable, low weight, accurate and precise
height/growth measurement boards to measure height / growth of baby / child needed to support regular ACF programming. The health
workers will carry these low weight boards in the community.

2. Agriculture linked to nutrition outcomes

Pakistan’s agriculture sector is increasingly becoming fragile due to climate change induced losses in terms of sustained drought leading
to loss in land fertility and crop productivity. In peri-urban areas, fertile land is being sold for the housing and urban infrastructure
development projects. The irrational use of agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticides), improper disposal of city waste, sewerage and
industrial water are polluting food production systems and environment. Pesticides have brought positive results in boosting production
but many chemicals have caused resistance in pest species; its intensive and indiscriminate use has caused diseases among humans such
as cardiac, diabetics, indigestion, and kidney failure etc. It has also resulted in the environmental pollution, besides, contaminating food
and ground water. The households living in urban cities cannot grow their own food and are mostly dependent on food procured from
the markets that are mostly un-regulated with no food quality checks and safety standards. The urban household needs to learn to grow
fruits and vegetable in urban setting for fulfilling their food needs.
ACF is interested in concepts aiming at improving the lives of poorest households facing food insecurity and poverty. Ideas aiming at
adapting agricultural practices for nutrition outcomes in a sustainable manner such as sustainable technologies in the agriculture and
related sectors clearly elucidate the promotion of home based and/or commercial agriculture development/practices to improve the
nutrition deficiencies of poor people living in the rural, peri-urban and urban areas. Ideas focusing on integrating nutrition into climate
smart agriculture practices and the food systems to ensure healthy diet at every stage of development.

3. Livelihood options for youth linked to nutrition

In the rural areas, the vast majority of the population directly or indirectly depends on agriculture and vast majority of the workforce are
engaged as unskilled manual workers. Resultantly the available skills sets do not directly lead to income or productivity enhancement
for the youth belonging to small and subsistence farming households. The main hurdles for youth, particularly young women’s to seek
high end employment and/or entrepreneurship in the agriculture sectors are social customs and traditions, illiteracy and limited access to
certified vocational and technical skills learning possibilities. Besides, encouraging youth to pursue high-end career pathways, youth
should be encouraged to undertake community volunteerism work on malnutrition in terms of identifying families with malnourished
children and referring them to health system and linking with the Government social safety nets.
ACF is seeking innovative ideas to pilot the possibilities of promoting an integrated model to create decent job opportunities for rural
youth by creating high-end decent work employment and entrepreneurship options for youth (young women & men) in the agriculture
sector including agri-value chains. Concepts should aims at creating market oriented jobs and decent work conditions (jobs which offer
adequate wages, safe working conditions, job security, reasonable career prospects, and workers’ rights) in the primary and secondary
sectors related to agriculture including climate smart agriculture along with instilling spirt of community volunteerism.

4. Agro ecology based solutions suited for different crop zones/geographical areas
The growth in the agriculture sector seems to be built around conventional agriculture model of producing surpluses through adopting
mono cropping practices, extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In Pakistan, farmers spray toxic chemicals (pesticides) on
cotton, vegetables, oilseeds and fruit crops. Contrary to the conventional agriculture mono-cultural systems, agro-ecology promotes
farm crop diversification for producing healthier and balanced diet among smallholder producers and improves the nutritional status of
all family members including children.
ACF is looking for proposals emphasizing on agro-ecology based solutions (Integrated Pest Management, Crop rotation, Inter cropping,
Cover crops etc.) to support smallholder farmers and small family farming, thus playing a central role in supplying rural, urban and peri-
urban consumers with organic food commodities. Agro-ecology promotes the sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity to cope with
the climate challenges and uncertainties, including the decreased availability of natural resources. ACF promotes an agro-ecological
approach that places support to small family agriculture as it produces about 70% of world food production, thus playing a central role
in supplying rural, urban and peri-urban consumers with food commodities.

5. Integration of nutrition specific services into Primary Healthcare Systems

Several evidence‐based nutrition specific interventions could significantly impact nutritional status of children and PLWs in Pakistan.
However, vertically scaling up the coverage of existing interventions in isolation will not suffice unless as a temporary measure or a
rapid response; therefore, integrating these nutrition interventions into existing health system programmes has to be further explored.
The literature has proposed various definitions of integration, differing according to the context and ranging from a package of
preventive and curative health interventions to multipurpose service delivery points.
ACF is seeking for innovative ideas / proposals focusing on integrating nutrition interventions into existing primary healthcare system to
ensure adequate, efficient service delivery.

6. Adolescent health, nutrition and hygiene solutions

At present around 40 million people of Pakistan are adolescents (aged 10-19), equivalent to 23% of the total population. Evidence
suggests that malnutrition among adolescents can lead to adult malnutrition, NCDs, poor maternal health and birth outcomes. These
outcomes have direct and indirect bearing on national development and economy. The disease puts burden on the health care system and
hence creates a burden on economy. National Nutrition Survey 2017-18 highlighted the alarming situation related to adolescent
undernutrition in Pakistan as before this survey nutrition data on adolescents in Pakistan was limited in scope and quality. Currently,
Government of Pakistan is focusing on the youth population as Adolescent Health and Development Strategy and Adolescent Nutrition
Strategy are currently in development stage.
Being such a large cohort of population and having such an undeniable impact on country’s social and economic development,
adolescent health, nutrition and hygiene deserve specific attention and strategic interventions. ACF is looking for concepts aiming at
innovations focusing on adolescent health, nutrition and hygiene solutions considering the local context.

7. Climate smart agriculture and livelihood interventions in drought affected areas

Pakistan like other regional countries is witnessing changing climate patterns due to global warming. Vulnerability to climate change is
increasing at an alarming rate in Pakistan thus threatening stability in the food supply across Pakistan. Pakistan often experiences
periods of severe droughts, followed by devastating floods. In recent years, the agriculture sector is facing range of impediments caused
by the climate change induced factors. Fresh water availability is fast becoming a critical factor with extreme consequences for
Pakistan’s agricultural productivity, which is dependent upon the timely availability of water. The changed patterns of seasonal rain fall
has considerably lowered actual rainfalls and considerably impacted soil fertility and productivity. Investment in Climate Smart
Agriculture is required to ensure a stable food supply for the burgeoning population.
ACF is inviting proposal based on innovative approaches to mitigate the impact of climate change on livelihoods and agriculture sector
(crop, livestock, fruits, vegetables etc.) productivity because sustained drought is affecting livelihoods of poor farming communities and
degrading productivity potential in the agriculture sector. The concept needs to relate to Sustainably increasing agricultural productivity;
Adapting and building resilience of agricultural and food security systems to climate change at multiple levels; and Reducing
greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture (including crops, livestock and fisheries).

8. Promotion of food security and livelihoods in the mountain regions

In Pakistan, food insecurity is significantly higher in the mountain areas than in the plains as a result of a range of geographical and
socioeconomic factors Livelihoods in the mountains of Pakistan are based mainly on subsistence agriculture, livestock, common pasture
and rangeland, forest, and some non-farm activities. The amount of cultivable land is limited and average landholdings are generally
small and insufficient to fulfill the food requirements. Currently, a substantial share of household income living in mountain areas is
derived locally, with livestock the main source of food and livelihoods.
Factors associated with the Climate Change are posing significant challenges to the mountain agriculture and livelihoods have led to a
loss of soil fertility, reduced agricultural productivity, and increased food insecurity. Livelihoods in the mountains areas are mainly
subsistence agriculture, livestock keeping and non-farm activities. Suggest innovative solution to enhance food security; diversify
income of the poor household and address negative effects of climate change.
GEOGRAPHICAL PREFERENCE
The proposed innovations / solutions should be applicable in the context of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Following National and International applicants will be eligible for submission of EOIs:
 Entrepreneurs
 Private industries / companies
 INGOs/NGOs
 Academia / Universities
 Technical nutrition, health, FSL experts / individuals
 Consultancy firms

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION

 EOI will consist of Technical and Financial Proposals on attached template.

 Technical Proposal should be maximum of 2 pages and submitted on the prescribed format. (Annex-A)
 The budget / financial proposal should be submitted on the standard format. (Annex-B)
 Interested applicants can submit one or more than one EOI for the call
 EOIs / proposals will be submitted electronically to ACF programme development unit
(email: [email protected])
 ACF technical team will evaluate submitted EOIs on pre-determined selection criteria.
 ACF Pakistan mission will ensure full adherence to the ACF core values during the evaluation and selection of partners.
 After consultations with program and operations team, ACF can do MOU with the Technical partner and consider paying
technical fee upon the approval of joint projects.
 Formal Teaming agreement will be signed, before applying for relevant funding agencies. The Technical committee will decide
the partnership agreements before and after funding.  

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
31st January 2020, 5:00 PM PST

CONTACT DETAILS
In case of any clarification or query, contact Mr. Muhammad Ismail ([email protected]; +92-0333-9891081)
 Annex-A: EOI – Technical Proposal Template

A. General Information (max. 1/2 page)

A.1. Project Title
(max. 20 words)

☐ Low weight portable boards to measure height/growth of baby/child for outreach

workers
A.2. Thematic areas for
☐ Agriculture linked to nutrition outcomes
the project (single or
integrated) ☐ Livelihood options for youth linked to nutrition
☐ Agro ecology based solutions suited for different crop zones/geographical areas
☐ Integration of nutrition specific services into Primary Healthcare Systems Nature
conservation with climate co-benefits
☐ Adolescent health, nutrition and hygiene solutions
☐ Climate smart agriculture and livelihood interventions in drought affected areas
☐ Promotion of food security and livelihoods in the mountain regions

A.3. Indicative total

Amount: Euros A.4. Co-financing Yes ☐ No ☐
project cost

A.5. Estimated
project duration ☐ One year ☐ Two years ☐ Three years
B. Project description (max. 2.0 page)
B.1. Context and Baseline (max. 1.5 page)

- Describe the relevant background, impact scale, challenges and urgencies, needs for innovation and proposed
innovative solution to address issues.

- Describe the main root causes and barriers (regulatory, institutional, technological, financial, social, gender,
partnerships, etc.) that need to be addressed.

- Please indicate how the project fits with in the country’s national and local priorities, action plans and programs,
and how it helps to achieve the SDGs of the 2030 related to nutrition (Specific & Sensitive)

- Describe the results/outcomes framework of the innovative project, as well as the planned set of components and
activities to address the above barriers identified that will lead to the expected outcomes.

- Describe in what way the applicant is well placed to undertake the planned activities and what would be the
implementation arrangements of the implementation applicant and other implementing partners.

- Brief breakdown of the planned project budget.

 Annex B: EOI – Financial Proposal / Budget Format
Project Title:
Applicant Name:
Unit Budge Budge Total
Quantit Duratio Share
Heading Unit Unit Cost t t Budge
y n d
PKR PKR Euro t Euro
Personnel                  
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
Project Activities                  
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
Operational Cost                  
                   
                   
                   
Total