Food Security

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...

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.
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« ETUDE SUR LES DETERMINANTS DANS LES DROITS D’ACCCES DES FEMMES A LA TERRE DANS LES REGIONS DE SEGOU MOPTI ET TOMBOUCTOU »

Le Mali comme plusieurs pays de la sous-région ont entrepris des reformes, visant à assurer à tous les citoyens, y compris les femmes et les autres groupes marginalisés, un accès plus sécurisé à la terre et aux ressources naturelles. Malgré ces actions efforts, l’application sur le terrain des lois relatives au foncier connaît de sérieuses difficultés. C’est ainsi que depuis quelques années, les institutions internationales, les ONG dont Care, les groupes de pression et les associations de femmes réclament une meilleure prise en charge
par les autorités des véritables problèmes qui entravent l’accès équitable des femmes à la terre et aux autres ressources naturelles et qui constituent un obstacle à une meilleure productivité économique et au progrès social.
Pour Care les sociétés ne peuvent prospérer durablement quand la moitié de leur population voit ses droits bafoués. Il est donc nécessaire d’équilibrer les relations entre les femmes et les hommes. C’est dans cette perspective que CARE Mali a commandité une l’étude « Accès des femmes et des filles au foncier dans les zones d’intervention du projet PFE-GS », étude dont les résultats attendus sont les suivants :
o Les cause socio-culturelles et politiques qui déterminent les difficultés d’accès des femmes
et filles à la terre sont cernées ;
o Les causes/déterminants potentiels sont analysées et des leviers (axes d’intervention) sont
proposés au projet ;
o Les manifestations/conséquences de cette difficulté d’accès des femmes à la terre sur
leurs conditions de vie sont identifiées ;
o Les lacunes qui persistent dans ces stratégies/actions de plaidoyer sont identifiées et des
propositions de solutions pertinentes sont identifiées ;
o Les femmes ont donné leurs appréciations de cette situation ;
o Les actions de plaidoyer menées par les femmes sont identifiées ainsi que les effets de ces
actions ;
o Les solutions sont proposées pour améliorer leur situation. Read More...

ROM Review: Initiative REVANCHE: Résilience et Adaptation aux Variabilités Climatiques, pour une Sécurité Alimentaire et Nutritionnelle Durable au Tchad, Régions de Wadi Fira, Guera et Ouadaï.

PERTINENCE. La mise en oeuvre de l’action REVANCHE a confirmé la pertinence de la stratégie PRO-ACT Résilience qui a été à l’origine de sa conception et du choix du mode d’exécution du projet permettant la sortie de l’urgence et l’ancrage d’un développement durable au sein des communautés cible. Les réponses proposées sont appropriées pour satisfaire les besoins des bénéficiaires et soutiennent la Plan nationale de renforcement de la résilience des populations tchadiennes. La pertinence est maintenue tout au long de l’exécution car le projet répond aux besoins des plus vulnérables par des actions à effets immédiats par du cash qui permet l’accès
à l’alimentation et aux soins de santé.

EFFICIENCE. La mise en oeuvre s’est révélée efficiente et propice à une bonne progression vers la réalisation des résultats recherchés. Le projet a connu un retard dans son démarrage mais dont les causes relèvent, pour la plupart d’entre elles, de facteurs externes au projet lui-même.

EFFICACITÉ. Le projet a été efficace à livrer la majeure partie des produits planifiés, notamment ceux consistant en travaux et réalisations d’ouvrages physiques et en appuis méthodologiques et logistiques aux parties étatiques et ONG partenaires.

DURABILITÉ. La problématique de la durabilité se pose encore en termes de capacité des communautés à s’approprier les apports du projet. Quatre ONG nationales ont pris part à l’exécution du projet REVANCHE et ont bénéficié d’un paquet de formations et du coaching progressif de CARE et OXFAM. Mais les organisations communautaires de base (organisations paysannes, groupements féminins, artisans réparateurs de pompes, groupe pour le système d’alerte précoce, GIE d’ouvriers maçons, …) qui constituent le socle de la stratégie de durabilité de l’action sont encore à un stade embryonnaire et requièrent des appuis et une mise en réseau entre eux et avec les services publiques Read More...

Kore Lavi Safety Net Beneficiary Resilience Assessment

As part of its mandate, the Kore Lavi program has developed and established a food voucher-based social safety net model for the poorest households in conjunction with the Haitian Government – through the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST). This Resilience Assessment contributes to a stronger understanding of the current food security and resilience situations of the most vulnerable program beneficiaries.

Based upon the data collected, the social safety net members – which is considered as the study sampling universe – are mainly affected by Illness, death and drought, respectively. The experiences shared by the respondents also revealed that they often face several types of shocks and stressors simultaneously.

The food voucher had a very positive impact and helped a lot during each key moment: before the shock or stressor affected the respondent, immediately after, sometime after and now. In the different stories that were shared, a certain number of respondents mentioned that they have no other means to ensure their food security - other than the Kore Lavi food vouchers. With regard to the food vouchers indirect contribution, it is important to highlight that 59% of
respondents used the money they saved to pay school fees and 28% to pay medical fees. 36% save it in their Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA). Yet, there is also an emerging group that used the money to invest in agricultural endeavors and start-up income generating activities.

When comparing the three main types of assets (personal, social and physical-financial resources), it could be observed that especially vulnerable respondents tended to rely on social resources. Generally, the respondents used more negative coping mechanisms that compromise their food security like eating less or less preferred meals per day (58%), reducing expenditures related to household needs (32%), producing charcoal (33%), reducing agriculture production area (20%) and livestock (19%) or selling assets.

The study identified that 22% of VSLA members followed resilient pathways versus 16% of non VSLA respondents. In almost all the signifier questions, there were found small differences between both groups, but not as much as it was initially expected by the Kore Lavi team. Read More...

Kore Lavi Title II Program Haiti – Midterm Evaluation

This reports presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations related to the Kore Lavi mid-term evaluation.

DESCRIPTION OF KORE LAVI. Kore Lavi’s Theory of Change holds that positive and lasting transformation must happen within interrelated domains: (1) where the effective social safety net programming and complementary services reach the most vulnerable populations and protect their access to food while building self-reliance; (2) that achieve breadth and depth in behavior and social change needed to tackle under-nutrition among vulnerable women and children; and (3) that institutionalize accountability, transparency and quality of delivery for mutually reinforcing social protection programs under the leadership of MAST.

EVALUATION METHODOLOGY. The evaluation employed three data collection methodologies: document review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions.

PRIMARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS.
At the time of the MTE, Kore Lavi had completed data collection in 16 communes demonstrating the ability to adapt and innovate to address the initial data quality problems that existed at the beginning of the program.

In terms of its implementation on the ground, the food voucher scheme is operating well in identifying voucher recipients and enrolling them in the program, distributing food to beneficiaries via paper or electronic vouchers, recruiting and managing the network of collaborating vendors, enforcing policies governing the scheme and overseeing operations. Food received by beneficiary households from both paper and electronic vouchers is inevitably shared with non-household members, including neighbors and even strangers. The VSLA scheme has effectively provided a mechanism by which large numbers of vulnerable women and men living in program communities can save and access small loans at reasonable interest rates to invest in their businesses or children’s education or for other purposes.

SO3 social behavioral change communications interventions are, on the whole, well designed and well implemented. Care Groups, moreover, appear to be an effective methodology for mobilizing women and communicating critical SBCC messages. Community health agents and Lead Mothers play a critical role in SO3 activities. While they are, for the most part, doing a good job and are satisfied with their roles, they also have a number of legitimate concerns related to the lack of monetary compensation and reimbursement for expenses incurred. The program has done a good job identifying and reaching the targeted women and infants.

Kore Lavi has taken a holistic approach to gender integration from design to implementation and has made a conscious and good faith effort to integrate gender considerations in each of the four program SOs.

Kore Lavi has prioritized information management and has demonstrated a clear institutional interest in improving knowledge and learning.

Read More...

Baseline Study of the Title II Development Food Assistance Program in Haiti

In fiscal year 2013, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Food for Peace (FFP) awarded funding to CARE International and its partners, Action Contre La Faim International (ACF) and the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP), to implement a Title II development food assistance program in Haiti.1 The four-year Kore Lavi Program directly supports the Government of Haiti’s (GOH) social protection efforts. The overall objective of the program is to reduce food insecurity and vulnerability by supporting the GOH in establishing a replicable safety net system and expanding capacities for preventing child undernutrition.

KEY FINDINGS.
The Title II program area residents face challenges in all four pillars of food security: (1) availability of food, (2) access to food, (3) utilization of food and (4) stability.

Survey results indicate that 57.5 percent of households suffer from moderate hunger and 13.5 percent of households suffer from severe hunger.

An HDDS of 6.2 indicates that households in the Kore Lavi Program area typically can access and consume 6 of 12 basic food groups. Qualitative data indicate that food consumption is pragmatic at the household level. Individual families eat what is available, what they can grow or what they can afford to purchase. Despite these challenges, many respondents spoke ardently to beliefs about the cultural significance of certain foods, while also holding strong opinions on imported food in comparison to locally produced food.

The household survey data show that 69 percent of all households have an adequate level of food consumption, 22 percent score at the borderline level, and 9 percent score at the poor level.

Across the Kore Lavi Program area, 43.6 percent of households currently live in extreme poverty (less than the international poverty line of USD$1.25 at 2005 prices), with average daily per capita expenditures of constant USD$ 2.10.

The household survey data show that 40 percent of households use an improved drinking water source and 16 percent of households use a non-shared improved sanitation facility.

As measured by body mass index (BMI), the nutritional status of women 15-49 years of age who are not pregnant or two months post-partum is generally satisfactory despite a lack of dietary diversity.

The survey data reveal that 8 percent of children under five years of age in the Kore Lavi Program area show signs of being moderately or severely underweight, and 19 percent of children under five years of age are stunted.

Across the qualitative data, views about gender equality tended to be polarized, rooted historically and in tradition. 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...

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...

PROGRAMME EUROPÉEN DE SÉCURITÉ ALIMENTAIRE ET NUTRITIONNELLE ASARA

L’Union Européenne finance les Programmes ASARA (Amélioration de la Sécurité Alimentaire et Augmentation des Revenus Agricoles) et AINA (Actions Intégrées en Nutrition et Alimentation) dans le cadre de son initiative visant à accélérer l’atteinte de l’Objectif du Millénaire pour le Développement (OMD) 1c, « réduire de moitié, d’ici 2015, la proportion de la population vivant dans l’extrême pauvreté et souffrant de la faim ».

ASARA et AINA pilotés respectivement par l'USCP (Unité de Suivi et de Coordination du Projet) et la FAO (Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’Alimentation et l’Agriculture) visent la réduction de l’insécurité alimentaire des familles vulnérables dans les zones ciblées. Le programme AINA vise en plus l’amélioration de la sécurité nutritionnelle de ces familles. Les Régions Androy, Anosy et Atsimo Atsinanana sont des zones communes aux deux programmes si AINA intervient également dans les Régions Amoron’i Mania, Vatovavy Fitovinany et ASARA dans le District de Fort-Dauphin. Read More...

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