The overall objective of this assignment is to reduce food insecurity and poverty in the ASAL through sustainable improvement of agricultural productivity (crops and livestock) and improved natural resource management (NRM).

In particular, the Programme purpose is improving access to innovative and environmentally sound development relevant, validated agricultural knowledge and technologies for the rural populations in the arid and semi arid zones in Kenya. Access includes the necessary information, knowledge, hardware (e.g. seeds, technology), institutional arrangements and infrastructure. Agricultural knowledge and technologies include commercially oriented technical and non-technical production, management as well as value chain aspects.

The purpose of this MTE is to conduct a mid term review at the end of the second implementation year of the KASAL Programme as foreseen in the Financing Agreement. The mid term review will come up with  recommendations for the further implementation of KASAL.

In order to achieve the purpose of the MTE, the following specific tasks are foreseen:

• analyse the progress of activities against the KASAL Programme’s logical framework, the original financing document, work programmes, ROM report, M&E reports and other documents
• assess to what extent the KASAL programme has enhanced the integration of KARI into the ASAL development process
• assess the identification of ASAL relevant information and knowledge gaps by KARI and the generation of appropriate information and technologies by KASAL projects to fill these gaps and to also address ASAL policy issues
• assess the degree of implementation of KASAL projects and KASAL activities against the OVIs included in the logical framework
• focus on beneficiaries and on development stakeholders in ASAL to provide a view of the current and expected impact of KASAL-supported projects, activities and partnerships