Agriculture
RESI – Rural Economic Sustainability Initiative
The Rural Economic Sustainability Initiative (RESI) aimed to support inclusive and sustainable rural economic development in four target municipalities in Kosovo: Prishtinë/Priština, Novo Brdo/Novobrdë, Kamenicë/a and Ranil(l)ug. It was financed by Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and the Municipality of Prishtinë/Priština and implemented by CARE International in Kosovo.
The approach utilised built on a very successful previous project and featured grants to MSME in agriculture, capacity development of municipality agriculture departments and a special focus on empowerment of women and socio-economically vulnerable groups.
The final evaluation of the RESI took place between 6th October and 11th November 2019. The evaluation aimed to make an independent assessment of the outputs, outcomes and impact of the project towards the end of its 36 month cycle. The evaluation also set out to identify lesson learned, avenues for replication and practical recommendations for the future. Read More...
The approach utilised built on a very successful previous project and featured grants to MSME in agriculture, capacity development of municipality agriculture departments and a special focus on empowerment of women and socio-economically vulnerable groups.
The final evaluation of the RESI took place between 6th October and 11th November 2019. The evaluation aimed to make an independent assessment of the outputs, outcomes and impact of the project towards the end of its 36 month cycle. The evaluation also set out to identify lesson learned, avenues for replication and practical recommendations for the future. Read More...
Integrated Basic Emergency Assistance to Conflict-Affected and Vulnerable Communities in Yemen Project
CARE Yemen has been implementing an OFDA-supported “Integrated Basic Emergency Assistance to Conflict-Affected and Vulnerable Communities” project in four districts (Sudah, As Sawd, Jabal Yazid, and Maswar) of Arman Governorate; two districts (Ash Shagadirah and Ku’aydinah) of Hajjah Governorate; and three districts (Alrujum, Jabal Mahweet, and Hafash) of Al-Mahweet Governorate Yemen. The goal of the project is to improve the basic living conditions, and facilitate early recovery and resilience of internally displaced persons and host communities affected by conflict in Yemen. This project seeks to meet the critical WASH and basic living needs of the most vulnerable households living in the targeted districts so that lives are saved, suffering is alleviated, and human dignity is maintained. The specific objectives of the project are: reduce morbidity from WASH-related diseases of vulnerable IDPs and host communities; enable the most vulnerable IDPs and host communities to meet their basic and immediate needs, and increase their asset base; and improve the food security and nutritional status of the most vulnerable host communities. Read More...
BASELINE STUDY REPORT: AGRO-SOURCE: LAST-MILE AGRICULTURAL INPUT SUPPLY SYSTEMS
The Agro-Source project in Ghana is a two and half (2½) year project (July 2018 to December 2020). The overall goal of the Agro-Source project is to improve the productivity of 30,000 smallholder women farmers in five (5) districts i.e. Garu, Tempane, Bawku West, Lambussie-Karni and Nandom in the Upper East and West regions of Ghana through increased availability, access and use of good quality agricultural inputs by 2020.
The baseline study was to establish a benchmark against which to measure the progress and achievements of the project. It was to generate: information on the current status on the availability of quality agro-inputs in the target locations and information regarding smallholder women farmers’ access to and utilization of agro-inputs to improve their productivity.
Read More...
The baseline study was to establish a benchmark against which to measure the progress and achievements of the project. It was to generate: information on the current status on the availability of quality agro-inputs in the target locations and information regarding smallholder women farmers’ access to and utilization of agro-inputs to improve their productivity.
Read More...
Rapport de la revue interne-Projet de Recherche-Développment pour la Sécurité Alimentaire et l’ Adaptation au Changement Climatique
L’objectif stratégique du projet REDSAACC vise à appuyer les efforts du gouvernement dans le domaine de la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle en contribuant à mettre les populations Nigériennes à l’abri de la famine et à leur garantir les conditions d’une pleine participation à la production nationale et à l’amélioration de leurs revenus.
L’objectif global de cette revue interne est de montrer et mesurer les changements opérés du fait des actions du projet REDSAACC à travers l’évaluation des effets/impacts de la mise en œuvre de l’approche du projet dans le transfert des technologies et le partage des innovations locales pour une adaptation des systèmes de production agricole aux changements climatiques. Read More...
L’objectif global de cette revue interne est de montrer et mesurer les changements opérés du fait des actions du projet REDSAACC à travers l’évaluation des effets/impacts de la mise en œuvre de l’approche du projet dans le transfert des technologies et le partage des innovations locales pour une adaptation des systèmes de production agricole aux changements climatiques. Read More...
Informe Final de Evaluación Proyecto Nutriendo el Futuro Fase II
El Proyecto Nutriendo el Futuro Fase II se ejecutó en el marco de la alianza CARE y Cargill, en apoyo a cuatro países del área centroamericana: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua y Costa Rica.
Su objetivo fue contribuir a que los productores/as y microempresarios/as de las áreas rurales y periurbanas del área de influencia de Cargill mejoraran la calidad de vida de sus familias, garantizando su seguridad alimentaria y el manejo sostenible de sus recursos naturales. El mismo se implementó por un período de 36 meses, entre septiembre de 2016 y agosto de 2019. El Proyecto brindó apoyo directo a un total de 84 comunidades, 1,606 pequeños productores/as, 968 microempresarios/as y 25,968 niños y niñas en edad escolar. Más del 50% de los beneficiarios (12,863) fueron mujeres y niñas. Read More...
Su objetivo fue contribuir a que los productores/as y microempresarios/as de las áreas rurales y periurbanas del área de influencia de Cargill mejoraran la calidad de vida de sus familias, garantizando su seguridad alimentaria y el manejo sostenible de sus recursos naturales. El mismo se implementó por un período de 36 meses, entre septiembre de 2016 y agosto de 2019. El Proyecto brindó apoyo directo a un total de 84 comunidades, 1,606 pequeños productores/as, 968 microempresarios/as y 25,968 niños y niñas en edad escolar. Más del 50% de los beneficiarios (12,863) fueron mujeres y niñas. Read More...
5 Game Changing Initiatives for Transformative Agricultural Extension
The USAID Agricultural Extension Support Activity (AESA) project is a key part of Bangladesh-centered Feed the Future (FtF) initiative addresses this challenge. Implemented by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) with technical partners CARE Bangladesh and mPower Social Enterprises Ltd., the goal of the project which started at late 2012 is to strengthen the existing extension system in southwest and central Bangladesh to sustainably improve food security and nutrition for smallholder farmers. This translates to the enhancement of access to and utilization of agricultural extension services by smallholder farmers – both women and men. Key interventions under this project works to build capacities and creating support to a demand-driven extension system, synergized by the use of ICT. Geographically distributed in the central and southwest Bangladesh, the project operates in 12 districts, covering 26 upazilas, under Jessore, Khulna and Barisal regions as primary intervention areas.
This report identifies 5 game changing initiatives for transformative agricultural extension. Read More...
This report identifies 5 game changing initiatives for transformative agricultural extension. Read More...
Gender Equity and Women’s Empowerment: The Journey So far; The Experience of the ENSURE Program
The ENSURE Food Security Program is a USAID-funded, five-year intervention designed to profoundly and sustainably impact 215,000 vulnerable and food- insecure Zimbabweans in Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces. The program is a shared commitment by four partners and one service provider—World Vision, CARE, SNV, SAFIRE and ICRISAT—who work together to mainstream gender equity and natural resource management in the three key areas of maternal and child nutrition and health, agricultural production and marketing, and community resilience.
The success of ENSURE can be portrayed through the accounts of thousands of women and men whose lives have been changed through its various programme interventions. Tangible gender transformative changes can be noticed on several dimensions: joint household decision making; reduced violence against women; increased women’s leadership in community leadership; men assisting women with household chores and childcare; women’s ownership of high value productive assets; and increased access and control over income.
Read More...
The success of ENSURE can be portrayed through the accounts of thousands of women and men whose lives have been changed through its various programme interventions. Tangible gender transformative changes can be noticed on several dimensions: joint household decision making; reduced violence against women; increased women’s leadership in community leadership; men assisting women with household chores and childcare; women’s ownership of high value productive assets; and increased access and control over income.
Read More...
Evaluation Finale “Dans les Zones de Feed the Future” du Projet USAID/Nutrition et Hygiène/ CARE dans la Région de Mopti – Mali
L’objectif de cette évaluation finale est d’apprécier le niveau d’évolution des indicateurs du Projet entre l’étude de base et étude finale. De façon spécifique il s’agit d'évaluer les niveaux actuels des indicateurs agricultures, les indicateurs Santé/Nutrition/WASH d’une part, et d’autre part, de mesurer l’impact des émissions radiophoniques sur les communautés bénéficiaires.
De façon globale des résultats forts encourageants sont notés, car la plupart des indicateurs ont
connu des améliorations par rapport à leur valeur de base en 2016. La synthèse de ces résultats
est présentée ci-après. Read More...
De façon globale des résultats forts encourageants sont notés, car la plupart des indicateurs ont
connu des améliorations par rapport à leur valeur de base en 2016. La synthèse de ces résultats
est présentée ci-après. Read More...
Village Savings and Loan Associations as Economic Drivers
Exploring impacts of Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) at micro level to understand their potential to contribute to the Tanzanian economy
Savings-led microfinance innovation aims to improve access to financial services in remote areas, especially among women. CARE International has been the leading innovator in the field and has initiated Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) programmes across Tanzania. CARE aims to increase members in Tanzania to 8 million by 2025 with the vison to help improve the national economy. CARE thus commissioned SFTZ to carry out a study that investigates the potential of VSLA contributions to local and national economies.
METHODS. The study was implemented in six villages in Mufindi district, Iringa region; four of which were assigned as treatment and two as control. Treatment villages had 9 to 15 NGO-facilitated VSLAs, and control villages had only two comparable VSLAs.
RESULTS. Analysis of the data at the village level did not provide evidence that VSLA initiatives have contributed to large-scale economic growth except for one risk mitigation sub-indicator. A number of issues hindered the village-level comparison: First, microfinance savings groups were also present in control villages. Secondly, the penetration of savings groups within all treatment villages was low (below 30%, except for one village).
However, at the household level, VSLA membership showed significant impacts on a number of micro-level measures of economic growth. VSLA households had higher household savings, drew on VSLA savings to overcome negative impacts of household shocks, attained greater food security and more diverse diets, achieved better agricultural and business outcomes, and enjoyed greater economic status. Although these differences cannot be directly attributed to the VSLA programme without before-and-after comparisons with a meaningful control group, the positive household impacts suggest that a VSLA programme scaled to a high density within each village could have a positive impact
on the local economy. Read More...
Savings-led microfinance innovation aims to improve access to financial services in remote areas, especially among women. CARE International has been the leading innovator in the field and has initiated Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) programmes across Tanzania. CARE aims to increase members in Tanzania to 8 million by 2025 with the vison to help improve the national economy. CARE thus commissioned SFTZ to carry out a study that investigates the potential of VSLA contributions to local and national economies.
METHODS. The study was implemented in six villages in Mufindi district, Iringa region; four of which were assigned as treatment and two as control. Treatment villages had 9 to 15 NGO-facilitated VSLAs, and control villages had only two comparable VSLAs.
RESULTS. Analysis of the data at the village level did not provide evidence that VSLA initiatives have contributed to large-scale economic growth except for one risk mitigation sub-indicator. A number of issues hindered the village-level comparison: First, microfinance savings groups were also present in control villages. Secondly, the penetration of savings groups within all treatment villages was low (below 30%, except for one village).
However, at the household level, VSLA membership showed significant impacts on a number of micro-level measures of economic growth. VSLA households had higher household savings, drew on VSLA savings to overcome negative impacts of household shocks, attained greater food security and more diverse diets, achieved better agricultural and business outcomes, and enjoyed greater economic status. Although these differences cannot be directly attributed to the VSLA programme without before-and-after comparisons with a meaningful control group, the positive household impacts suggest that a VSLA programme scaled to a high density within each village could have a positive impact
on the local economy. Read More...
Mid-Term Strategic Review of the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity
CARE commissioned a Mid-Term Strategic Review (MTSR) of the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity to formulate recommendations for the remaining life of the project to increase effectiveness in achieving sustainable impact. The Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is being implemented in 27 Woredas in the three regions of Tigray, Amhara, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples and is just over the midway point in its five-year life from December 5, 2016, through December 3, 2021. The purpose of the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is to reduce food insecurity and increase resilience for 97,900 chronically food insecure households that are enrolled in the fourth cycle of the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP4), enabling them to graduate with resilience from the PSNP4.
The MTSR for the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity was a formative evaluation exercise intended to provide guidance on ways to improve the effectiveness of the program in achieving intended impact.
Relative to the four global learning questions for the MTSR (see page 4), the MTSR found that the model that the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is implementing is effective for achieving graduation with resilience, but because frontline delivery is constrained by the number of staff, their technical capacities and the degree of supervision and support that they receive, interventions are not always going deeply enough to ensure behavioral change. The program is empowering women both economically and socially through the VESA platform, but there are significant variations between regions; and outside of the VESA, there is some evidence to suggest that women’s empowerment has not yet been well incorporated, especially in value chain participation and MFI linkages. Progress is certainly being made in transferring ideas and knowledge to PSNP counterparts, but that has not yet translated into practice mainly because of resource constraints. Key approaches that need to be added or strengthened in the coming two years include expanding frontline delivery capacities, expanding efforts to ensure that strategies and approaches are well understood by implementation staff at all levels in all partners, ensuring that women’s empowerment is included in all approaches by all partners, and looking for new ways to facilitate access to jobs, either through self-employment or wage employment, for youth from PSNP households.
The Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is already doing some very nice work in starting to achieve sustainable impact. The project has strong potential to be recognized as a “great” project if it can make some adjustments.
Read More...
The MTSR for the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity was a formative evaluation exercise intended to provide guidance on ways to improve the effectiveness of the program in achieving intended impact.
Relative to the four global learning questions for the MTSR (see page 4), the MTSR found that the model that the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is implementing is effective for achieving graduation with resilience, but because frontline delivery is constrained by the number of staff, their technical capacities and the degree of supervision and support that they receive, interventions are not always going deeply enough to ensure behavioral change. The program is empowering women both economically and socially through the VESA platform, but there are significant variations between regions; and outside of the VESA, there is some evidence to suggest that women’s empowerment has not yet been well incorporated, especially in value chain participation and MFI linkages. Progress is certainly being made in transferring ideas and knowledge to PSNP counterparts, but that has not yet translated into practice mainly because of resource constraints. Key approaches that need to be added or strengthened in the coming two years include expanding frontline delivery capacities, expanding efforts to ensure that strategies and approaches are well understood by implementation staff at all levels in all partners, ensuring that women’s empowerment is included in all approaches by all partners, and looking for new ways to facilitate access to jobs, either through self-employment or wage employment, for youth from PSNP households.
The Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is already doing some very nice work in starting to achieve sustainable impact. The project has strong potential to be recognized as a “great” project if it can make some adjustments.
Read More...