FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT Building community preparedness and resilience to disasters in Nakapiripirit (Uganda) and North Pokot (Kenya)

Transcription

1 FINAL NARRATIVE REPORT Building community preparedness and resilience to disasters in Nakapiripirit (Uganda) and North Pokot (Kenya) 1. Description 1.1. Name of Service Provider: Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) 1.2. Title of the Project: Building community preparedness and resilience to disasters in Nakapiripirit (Uganda) and North Pokot (Kenya) 1.3. LoA reference number: OSRO/RAF/011/EC - PR No Start date and end date of the reporting period: 25 July July Target countries or regions: Karamoja, Uganda and West Pokot, Kenya 2. Assessment of implementation of Action activities 2.1. Executive summary of the Project On 25 July 2011, a Letter of Agreement (LoA) was signed between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) for the implementation of a project under the FAO EC Food Security Thematic Program (FSTP) entitled Building Community Preparedness and Resilience to Disasters in Nakapiripirit (Uganda) and North Pokot (Kenya). The overall objective of the project was to contribute to the reduced vulnerability of (agro) pastoral communities in the North Pokot district of north western Kenya and the Karamoja area of eastern Uganda. The specific objective of the project was to better prepare communities to mitigate the risks posed by droughts and other disasters through community based planning, capacity building, and action. The project targeted six communities across the two areas, namely the communities of Kosike, Lotaruk and Moruita in Nakapiripirit district (UG), the community of Loroo in Amudat district (UG), and the communities of Kasitot and Kases in North Pokot district (KE). In line with the LoA, the final report covers all project activities implemented between 25 July 2011 and 24 July 2013, including: - Completion of a baseline survey - Mobilization, sensitization, identification and registration of the beneficiaries/members - Facilitation of 6 Community Disaster Management Plans. - Facilitation of Rangeland Management Plans - Formation and training of Agro-Pastoral Field Schools (APFSs) in each of the six selected communities - Facilitation of the APFS Grant Process - Formation and trainings of Village Community Banks (VICOBA) and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) in each of the six selected communities - Facilitation of 15 exchange visits (6 PFS, 6 CDMC and 3 government) Through the completion of the above-stated project activities, ACTED successfully achieved all project outputs, including: Page 1 of 22

2 - 6 Community Disaster Management Plans - 6 Rangeland Management Plans - 12 Agro-Pastoral Field Schools (APFS) - Facilitation and Monitoring of six APFS Grants - 12 Operational VICOBA/VSLAs - 15 Exchange visits 2.2. Activities and results Baseline Survey A baseline survey was carried out in September 2011 by ACTED s Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (AMEU), targeting a representative sample of 342 respondents from all six of the project s target communities The baseline survey found that the communities lacked the knowledge and skills to both properly access and manage their natural resources as well as take full advantage of the potential benefits of their livestock rearing and crop production activities. The need to diversify incomes and enhance community s savings was also identified as central to ensuring their resilience to preparedness and resilience to natural disasters. Please refer to the full baseline survey report, submitted to FAO in February 2012, for greater detail on the findings and recommendations. Mobilisation, sensitisation, identification and registration of the beneficiaries/members Following project mobilization in August 2011, ACTED proceeded to mobilize and sensitize the six project communities on the project, its objectives, and methodology. ACTED first engaged community leaders and local authorities, and then, between September and October 2011, conducted a series of community meetings to directly sensitize the communities themselves. In November 2011, ACTED recruited a first set of 6 Community Based Facilitators (CBFs), one for each community, to act as a liaison between ACTED and the communities, supporting ACTED community mobilizers to facilitate the formation, training, and facilitation of Agro-Pastoralist Field Schools (APFS) and Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMCs) under the project. More specifically, the CBFs were responsible for performing the following duties: Facilitate the formation of PFS and CDMC groups Design PFS and CMDC training schedules Work with APFS members to develop their APFS curriculum Conduct APFS sessions with a focus on training APFS members on comparative experiments and pastoral ecosystem analysis, and ensure they meet established schedules Support ACTED to train the APFSs and CDMCs in Natural Resources Management (NRM) and facilitate the development of NRM plans Support ACTED to train the APFSs and CDMCs in the Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) methodology and facilitate the development of Community Disaster Management Plans (CDMPs) Support ACTED to train the APFSs and CDMCs in grant proposal development To ensure proper coverage of each community s CDMC and AFPS, an additional set of CBFs was recruited in each community in August 2012, bringing the total number of CBFs to 12. CBFs were recruited in close consultation with community leaders and Sub-county officials, who participated in the interviews of candidates identified by ACTED, and provide final validation of all those selected. To enable the CBFs to effectively undertake their role, ACTED provided three rounds of training to the CBFs, with each session lasting a total of 5 days. Table 1 below provides an overview of the training provided to CBFs throughout the project. Page 2 of 22

3 Table 1 - Summary of CBF training Date of training Location Topic of training Conducted by 1 st set - December 2011 Nakapiripirit, Uganda 2 nd set - September st set - February nd set - November st set - April st and 2 nd set May Kacheliba, Kenya Kapenguria, Kenya Project objectives and activities Approaches to community mobilization and beneficiary selection PFS concepts and facilitation methods CMDRR approach and methodology Refresher in PFS and CMDRR methodologies Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) concepts and methodology Introduction to good agronomic practices ACTED PFS and Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) coordinators ACTED PFS Coordinator and ACTED CMDRR Coordinator External PFS trainer, ACTED PFS coordinator, and ACTED CMDRR Coordinator In January 2012, following the selection and training of the CBFs, ACTED, together with the CBFs, supported the communities in the selection and formation of their respective CDMCs, each composed of 10 individuals. To ensure the CDMCs were representative of their communities, ACTED assisted the communities to make sure at least two traditional leaders, two youths, two women, and two APFS members were selected. Following their formation, ACTED signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUS) with each CDMC as well as officials from their respective districts and Sub-counties. Table 2 below presents a summary of the composition of each CDMC, disaggregated by sex. Table 2 CDMC group members District Community Male Female Date formed Kosike 5 5 January 2012 Nakapiripirit Lotaruk 6 4 January 2012 Moruita 5 5 January 2012 Amudat Loroo 5 5 January 2012 Pokot North Kasitot 5 5 January 2012 Kases 4 6 January 2012 In total, ACTED selected 452 direct beneficiaries to participate in the project, with 60 beneficiaries participating in CDMCs, 12 CBFs and 380 APFS group members. The gender breakdown of all direct beneficiaries reveals a 51% female composition, highlighting the success in ensuring female participation in all project activities. Table 3 below provides a summary of project beneficiaries, disaggregated by sex. Table 3 Summary of direct beneficiaries in all project activities Activity Male Male % Female Female % Total No. beneficiaries CDMCs CBFs All 12 CBFs participated in the refresher training in May Page 3 of 22

4 APFS % % 452 Total Reason for modification for the planned activity: Of the six initial communities selected, ACTED replaced three communities. This change in communities was necessary to ensure that the project s target communities migration patterns and conflict dynamics were aligned with the cross-border component of FSTP. Table 4 below presents an overview of the original and final communities included in the project. Table 4 Original and final project communities District Original communities Final communities Nakapiripirit Kosike Kosike Nathinyonoit Lotaruk Moruita Moruita Amudat Loroo Loroo Pokot North Chemorongit Kasitot Apuke Kases ACTED originally planned to form all CDMCs by October 2011, however, this activity could not be undertaken before the CBFs had been recruited. As Sub-county officials only validated the recruitment of the first set of selected CBFs in November 2011, they were subsequently only trained in December 2011, thereby enabling ACTED to then form the CDMCs in January Results: - 12 Community Based Facilitators (CBF) selected and trained. The CBFs played a key liaison role between ACTED and the project communities, and the training they received enable them to undertake tasks which are integral to the success of the project such as the formation and support of CDMC and APFS groups. Furthermore, ACTED s previous experience demonstrates that the CBFs will continue to play a leadership role in their communities following the closure of the project. CBFs involved in previous projects have continued to play a key role in mobilizing and organizing their communities to continue CDMC and APFS activities, including carrying out assessments to update Community Disaster Management Plans (CDMPs) and supporting proposal writing to seek government and NGO support for their implementation. - 6 Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMCs) formed. The CDMCs provided a local, community-based and community-driven platform for project activities. Selected by the communities themselves, the CDMC members played a crucial role in representing and ensuring the project was entirely driven by community needs and interests. ACTED s previous experience in the implementing similar projects has demonstrated that the CDMCs are highly valued by their communities as local governance structures through which they can channel their needs and seek enhanced engagement with local government and development partners. Past projects have shown that the CDMCs remain in place and active beyond the duration of the project, supporting communities to update their CDMPs to reflect changes in the community s development needs, applying for grants, and advocating towards the inclusion of CDMPs into local government development and contingency plans. Page 4 of 22

5 Facilitation of 6 Community Disaster Management Plans With all CDMCs in place, in March-April 2012, ACTED provided a first round of training on the Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR) methodology to all six CDMCs. The objective of the training was to empower the CDMC members to better understanding, plan for, and manage disaster risk reduction activities in their respective communities. The purpose of the training was to introduce the CMDCs to CMDRR concepts, principles and practices as well as CMDRR methods and processes. The outline below provides an overview of the topics covered under CMDRR training: Concepts, principles and practices in CMDRR Disaster and development: reflections from the ground Definition of terms Evolution of DRR Community-based DRR and community-managed DRR CMDRR methods and process Facilitating CMDRR: methods and process Preparation for entry and establishing trust relations Facilitating community participatory disaster risk assessment Subsequently, to ensure CDMCs adherence to the CMDRR methodology, ACTED conducted four additional rounds of refresher training in August 2012, November 2012, February-March 2013, and July Each CMDRR training session lasted 3 days and was attended by the 10 CMDC members, Sub-county officials, and an average of 10 additional community members invited by ACTED to participate. Community members were included to enhance local knowledge of CMDRR concepts and methods, and to ensure greater transparency of the project. Following the first round of training, in August 2012, ACTED successfully supported each of the six CDMCs in the development of their Community Disaster Management Plans (CDMPs). Each CDMP was developed through a participatory approach in which CDMCs used their training to engage communities to identify hazards and vulnerabilities, determine community priorities, and design a detailed action plan with for addressing those hazards. For example, the communities of Kasitot, Kases and Loroo developed plans to better preserve and manage grazing land during the dry season. The areas included in their plans are now under strict surveillance by community elders and the CDMCs, who monitor the use of pasture to mitigate overuse and ensure proper distribution of livestock. This preservation has meant that there is less need for cattle to migrate during the dry season to other, potentially insecure, areas for pasture and water as they can use their own, better preserved land. In Kases, for example, over 500 cattle did not have to migrate out of the area during the last dry season because of the pasture that had been preserved through the implementation of the CDMP. Furthermore, in Kasitot, the community s nutrition levels saw an improvement, as milk and other dairy products were still available in the area during the dry season, as a result of non-migration of livestock. Sensitisation on CMDRR has also encouraged community members, beyond the scope of the project, to undertake their own DRR activities in the community. For example, community members in Kasitot dedicated a 5-acre plot of land to grow food for the elderly and vulnerable after learning about how it is the communities themselves who are responsible for looking after their most at-risk populations. It was reported that since the introduction of this piece of farmland, the number of elderly who had died due to lack of food has decreased. In October 2012, once the CDMPs were completed and approved by the communities, they were submitted to and reviewed by the Sub-county and location officials before being shared with the district officials for final validation. To ensure the CDMPs remained up-to-date, ACTED facilitated a second round of revision of the CDMPs by Sub-county/location and district officials. ACTED has also been actively engaging Sub-county/location governments to include the CDMPs in their local development plans in order to ensure the plans are sensitive to and enhance disaster risk reduction among communities in each area. Discussions with Sub-county officials during the last month of the Page 5 of 22

6 project (July 2013) have indicated that they plan to include the CDMPs in local development plans and will discuss the means of doing this with relevant district officials in upcoming sector steeringgroup meetings in October and November Furthermore, the Kenyan National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) has also shown an interest in the CDMPs. In July 2013, the NDMA visited ACTED project communities and asked for the CDMPs to be sent to them for possible inclusion into their community-based development and contingency plans. The CDMPs were still under review at the time of the visit; however, the plans are now ready to be shared. As part of its intervention, ACTED also focused on improving rangeland management in target areas. Poor rangeland management was identified through the baseline survey as a central obstacle to income and resource management as well as a driver of conflict between communities. To improve rangeland management among project communities, ACTED provided training in rangeland management to all six CMDCs in May-June 2012 in order to assist in the development of rangeland management plans. The training covered topics including identification of rangeland resources and users, strengthening traditional rangeland management institutions, designating rangeland management advisors, and designing and building participatory monitoring and evaluation systems. One round of refresher training was provided in September 2012 to ensure the CDMCs knowledge and implementation of proper rangeland management practices was further strengthened. Following the first round of training, in August 2012, ACTED successfully supported each of the six CDMCs in the development of their Community Rangeland Management Plans (CRMPs). As with the CDMPs, each CRMP was developed through a participatory approach in which CDMCs used their training to engage communities to, among others, identify resources, nominated community rangeland advisors, and design a detailed plan with for better managing. In October 2012, once the CRMPs were completed and approved by the communities, the CRMPs were submitted to and reviewed by the Subcounty and location officials before being shared with the district officials for final validation. As with the CDMPs, ACTED facilitated a second round of revision of the CRMPs by Subcounty/location and district officials ensure the CRMPs remained up-to-date. Further to the planned project activities, ACTED was successful in supporting the signing of a resource-sharing agreement (RSA) in April 2012 in between Pokot and Karamojong communities. The RSA was built upon the concepts and practices identified in the project s CRMPs, and have set the foundation for truly inclusive rangeland management which mainstreams conflict resolution into broader frameworks and includes grazing plans for the dry and rainy seasons, the support of traditional leadership structures, and the eventual reduction of insecurity. Additionally, ACTED, with the support of FAO, was instrumental in initiating a cross-border animal health agreement between the Ugandan and Kenyan governments. The MoU was signed on 24 April 2013 by the Director of Veterinary Services from Kenya and the Director of Animal Resources from Uganda. This MoU is expected to reduce the prevalence of animal diseases in this region, thereby improving the livelihoods of these vulnerable communities as animal health is a vital component to the livelihoods of pastoralists in the semi-arid border regions of Uganda and Kenya. The routine movement of cattle across the borders leads to a high degree of transmission and spreading of transboundary animal disease. Results: - 6 CMDCs trained in CMDRR and rangeland management. Through training in CMDRR and rangeland management, ACTED has empowered CDMCs and their respective communities with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand their environments and vulnerabilities, assess their own level of risk, establish their priorities and properly plan for the implementation of measures that can enhance their resilience to drought and other natural disasters and hazards. This training has allowed them to develop actionable and long-term CDMPs and CRMPs, which will help guide and strengthen community resilience far beyond the duration of the project. Page 6 of 22

7 - 6 Community Disaster Management Plans (CDMPs) developed. The impact of CDMPs varies between communities, as it depends on each community s identified risks and priorities. Their impact is also seldom noticed in the short term; the impact varies over time, according to the number and quality of activities and measures implemented. However, some significant shortterm impacts have been noted among project communities. In Kasitot, for example, community members dedicated a 5-acre plot of land under their CDMP to grow food for the elderly and vulnerable after learning about how it is the communities themselves who are responsible for looking after their most at-risk populations. It was reported that since the introduction of this piece of farmland, the number of elderly who had died due to lack of food has decreased. Also in Kasitot, the community s nutrition levels saw an improvement, as milk and other dairy products were still available in the area during the dry season, as a result of non-migration of livestock. Sensitisation on CMDRR has also encouraged community members, beyond the scope of the project, to undertake their own DRR activities in the community. In Kases, the community has been following their CDMP to engage in controlled stocking, utilizing weather forecasts to sell their cattle before the lean season and restocking during the rainy season. And, in Loroo, the community has been following their CDMP to support a school feeding program to lower the drop-out rate by collecting and donating maize and beans from the community on a routine basis. - 6 Community Rangeland Management Plans (CRMPs) developed. The CRMPs have supported the communities in identifying and adopting good rangeland management practices, which have in turn helped enhance their livelihoods. For example, the CRMPs for the communities of Kasitot, Kases and Loroo aim to better preserve and manage grazing land during the dry season. The areas included in their plans are now under strict surveillance by community elders and the CDMCs, who monitor the use of pasture to mitigate overuse and ensure proper distribution of livestock. This preservation has meant that there is less need for cattle to migrate during the dry season to other, potentially insecure, areas for pasture and water as they can use their own, better preserved land. In Kases, for example, over 500 cattle did not have to migrate out of the area during the last dry season because of the pasture that had been preserved through the implementation of the CRMP. - 1 Resource-Sharing Agreement (RSA) signed by Pokot and Karamojong communities. The RSA has already yielded positive results. In line with the key provisions in the agreement, communities have begun settling and farming in the areas included in the RSA, which had previously been left unused due to insecurity. In addition to the livelihood benefit, as now more land is being used productively than before, there has been increased cross-border/intercommunity mobility and trade. The number of cattle raids between the communities involved in the RSA has also drastically decreased. - 1 cross-border animal health MoU signed by Kenyan and Uganda governments. The animal health MoU has paved the way for greater coordination between the Kenyan and Ugandan Governments on matters related to animal health. A Joint Programme Steering Committee (JPSC) and a Joint Project Coordination and Management Unit (JPCMU) have been established, with clear terms of reference, and they have since agreed on the strategic objectives and priorities of a joint cross-border animal health program. With the strategy in place, the JPSC has designed specific work plans and budgets for the program and have begun reaching out to partners and donors to raise the necessary funding for its implementation. Formation and training of Pastoral Field Schools (PFS) in each of the selected communities In January 2012, ACTED formed six Agro-Pastoral Field Schools (APFS), one in each of the project s target communities. Subsequently, in August 2012, ACTED supported the first six APFSs to establish an additional APFS in their respective communities, bringing the total number of APFSs under the project to 12. The members of the APFSs were selected in close consultation with the communities themselves, with ACTED playing a facilitation role and ensuring the criteria were met. To ensure the APFSs success, ACTED ensured selected members were from the same community, included vulnerable members of the community (women, youth, elders, persons with disabilities), were willing to learn until graduation, and were able to participate in experimental activities. Page 7 of 22

8 Following their formation, ACTED s PFS Master Trainer (MT) conducted a 3-day training session with each APFS to fully sensitize them on the APFS methodology, including pastoral ecosystem analysis and comparative experiments. Each APFS also received additional, refresher training to ensure their adherence to the methodology and allow ACTED to clarify any questions on the APFS process. ACTED s PFS MT played an important role in the implementation and management of the APFS through the following activities; Creating PFS awareness in areas of intervention Assisting in the formation of PFS groups Training the CBFs Training the groups on PFS concepts and methodology Training the field staff on PFS concepts Training District staff on APFS concept Following up of all APFS groups and offering technical advise The PFS MT continues to provide technical assistance and support to the PFS groups, and it is anticipated that the Kases, Kasitot and Kosike APFS groups will graduate by the end of Until the attendance of the remaining groups increases above the threshold for graduation (75%), they are unable to graduate. Table 5 below presents a summary of the APFS members, disaggregated by sex, as well as the dates of training sessions. Table 5 - PFS members by gender District Community APFS Group M F Date formed (month) APFS methodology training Refresher training Kosike Kosike Jan 2012 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Kosike Aug 2012 Dec 2012 June 2013 Nakapiripirit Lotaruk Lotaruk Jan 2012 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Lotaruk Aug 2012 Dec 2012 July 2013 Moruita Komoret Jan 2012 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Komoret Aug 2012 Dec 2012 March 2013 Amudat Loroo Loroo Jan 2012 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Lopedot Aug 2012 Dec 2012 March 2013 North Pokot Kasitot Kasitot Jan 2012 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Alany Aug 2012 Dec 2012 March 2013 Kases Kases 9 32 Jan 2012 Mar 2012 Feb 2013 Melee 5 16 Aug 2012 Dec2012 March 2013 ACTED community mobilizers and CBFs played a central role in monitoring APFS activities, providing advice when necessary, helping guide and facilitate experiments and ecosystem analyses, and emphasizing the importance of group dynamics and adherence to weekly meeting schedules. Page 8 of 22

9 Reason for modification for the planned activity: The original Letter of Agreement (LoA) stated that the six APFS trained in the first year would receive a grant to support the experimental learning process and the six APFS trained in the second year would receive incentives such as fodder seeds and commercial veterinary medicines. However, it was determined by both ACTED and FAO that it was more cost-effective, in terms of processes and procedures, to provide all 12 APFS with proposal development training and a grant. This increased the number of APFS trainings from the proposed 18 to 24. There was often a fluctuation in the attendance of beneficiaries during training sessions, as this activity often coincided with those of other development agencies and government activities. To address this problem, ACTED encouraged coordination with the different development agencies and government officials including Sub-county Chiefs and village-level Local Council 1 (LC1) members. This resulted in the latter participating in community mobilization meetings to address the issue of absenteeism during trainings. Results: - 12 Agro-Pastoral Field Schools (APFS) formed. The APFSs have had positive impacts on both individuals and their wider communities, especially with regards to gender participation and development. After learning animal husbandry skills through the APFS, women APFS members have taken the lead in managing livestock in their communities, a role traditionally undertaken by men. Female participation in decision-making has also improved as it has been reported that women are increasingly speaking freely, independently and without fear of men in APFS meetings as well as wider community meetings and events. The inclusion of women in the APFS has also greatly improved the unity of the communities who have acknowledged that overcoming local development challenges is easier when both genders are centrally involved. In addition to improved gender relations, the APFSs have also promoted good agronomic practices and management of livestock, in particular the introduction of homemade salt licks which has proven to increase disease-resistance of goats; as the goats are no longer using natural salt-licks used by all goats in the community, they are less likely to contract community diseases. This has succeeded in raising the income of households as the health of goats has improved, fetching a higher price in the market, and families spend less money on drugs for their livestock. Figure 1 Woman APFS member gives a goat the home-made salt lick 24 APFS training sessions conducted. All of the APFS members received training in the United Nation s Food and Agricultural Organisation s (FAO) Pastoral Field School Methodology. The training covered pastoral eco-system analysis (PESA), comparative experiments in PFS and PFS learning activities, including how to recognise a healthy animal, being prepared for drought and animal feed and nutrition. The training sessions provided APFS members with the necessary knowledge and skills to assess their eco-systems, engage in experimental learning, and develop actionable grant proposals for support from external stakeholders. The focus of the APFS experimental learning varied among groups and their experiments were determined by their Page 9 of 22

10 identified eco-system needs, vulnerabilities, and priorities. Experiments included, for example, trying different de-worming drugs, supplementary feeding for goats and fertilisation of farmlands. In Loroo, the APFS experimented with a confined grazing system where they provided supplementary feeding to one set of goats (locally made mineral licks) and allowed the other set to graze freely as performed traditionally. The PFS noticed that the body condition of the goats improved with the salt lick which increased their market value as they were much healthier and bigger in size than the goats which had been left to graze freely. Furthermore, in Kases, the PFS learned that good farm management can increase yields after they experimented with two demonstration plots; one with farm manure and the other without. Figure 2 shows a Kases PFS member standing next to her manured farmland which produced a high yield. Figure 2 Kases PFS member with her high yield after adding manure to farmland Facilitation of the PFS grant process In September 2012, ACTED trained the first 6 APFSs formed in January 2012 on grant proposal development. Subsequently, in February 2013, ACTED provided the same training to the second APFSs, formed in August The training aimed at ensuring that the APFS members were supported drafting grant proposals for carrying out experiments and provided the groups with knowledge on how to utilize the grants, financial handling and management, local procurement of items and record-keeping. The focus on local procurement encouraged the members to be accountable to their wider communities. Following training, ACTED supported each APFS to develop their grants, seek approval from their communities, and receive validation from Sub-county officials. With the grants approved and in placed, ACTED provided a grant in the value of UGX 2,115,000/KES 68,893 to each of the twelve APFS in June The grants were used to support each APFS to implement the experimental activity of their choice, as detailed in their respective grant proposals. Table 6 below provides an overview of the grant amount and intended use of each APFS. Table 6 PFS grants and uses APFS Group Grant amount Grant use Kosike 1 Kosike 2 Lotaruk 1 Lotaruk 2 Komoret 1 UGX 2,115,000 UGX 2,115,000 UGX 2,115,000 UGX 2,115,000 UGX 2,115,000 Cereal banking Cereal banking Cereal banking Cereal banking Cereal banking Page 10 of 22

11 Komoret 2 Loroo PFS Lopedot PFS Kasitot PFS Alany PFS Kases PFS Melee PFS UGX 2,115,000 UGX 2,115,000 UGX 2,115,000 KES 68,893 KES 68,893 KES 68,893 KES 68,893 Cereal banking Goat rearing Goat rearing Goat rearing Buying cows Goat rearing Goat rearing Reason for modification for the planned activity: As noted above, the original Letter of Agreement (LoA) stated that the six APFS trained in the first year would receive a grant to support the experimental learning process and the six APFS trained in the second year would receive incentives such as fodder seeds and commercial veterinary medicines. However, it was determined by both ACTED and FAO that it was more cost-effective, in terms of processes and procedures, to provide all 12 APFS with proposal development training and a grant. As a result, ACTED decided it would be best, considering the constant interaction between APFSs, that all groups receive their grants at the same time, rather than in a phased approach. For this reason, the grants were only disbursed in June 2013, after all 12 APFSs had been trained and their grant proposals had been developed, reviewed, and fully approved by their communities and Sub-county officials. This led to a delay in the disbursement of the grants and unfortunately limited the number of months of APFS grant monitoring to one. Results: - 12 APFS grants disbursed to support market-based experimental learning Considering the good progress of their regular agronomic and livestock experiments, the APFS groups chose to use the grants received under the project to experiment with marketable approaches to their economic activities. The groups that selected cereal banking essentially wanted to purchase grain at low prices and then measure the cost fluctuations at given periods of time following the harvest. The goal was to identify the best time and markets for selling their agricultural products, thereby providing them with a better understand of the market and marketing approaches to improve their livelihoods. Similarly, the cow and goat rearing groups wanted to experiment with marketable livestock approaches (e.g. fattening, limited grazing, etc.) to identify practices that increase livestock prices, thereby also providing them with key information for improving their incomes. Formation and trainings of VICOBA/VSLA in each of the six selected communities In October 2012 and December 2012, ACTED provided training in the VICOBA (Village Community Bank) and VSLA (Village Savings and Loans Association) methodology, in accordance with the CARE model, to the first-formed and second-formed APFS groups, respectively. The objective of VICOBA/VSLA training is to enable communities to expand their knowledge of and practice in savings and loans, for both resilience as well as income-generation support activities. However, particular attention was paid towards sensitising communities on the benefits of saving and planning for times of drought and other shocks. ACTED is continuing to support the VICOBA/VSLA by monitoring the groups, building capacity, and providing technical support to them in the form of onthe-spot assistance. The 2-day training covered topics including self-screening, the 3 pillars of group formation, selecting group members, group leadership, record-keeping, types of group funds, and developing a group constitution. To allow each VICOBA/VSLA to engage in savings and loans Page 11 of 22

12 activities, ACTED provided each group with a VICOBA/VSLA starter kit consisting of a metal box, a padlock, a record-keeping notepad and pens/pencils. Reason for modification for the planned activity: The VICOBA/VSLA starter kits were delivered late due to a delay in the procurement process. Furthermore, once the kits were delivered, there were problems with some of the materials which impeded groups from using them straight away. ACTED therefore decided to give some groups VICOBA/VSLA kits from another ACTED project to ensure all APFS had access to the same equipment and could start using the kits at the same time. Results: - 12 VSLA/VICOBA kits delivered - 12 operational VICOBA/VSLAs were established and monitored. The VICOBA/VSLAs have significantly improved the communities access to finances necessary to support them during emergencies as well as provide seed funding for income-generating activities. At individual level, the VICOBA/VSLAs allowed group members to take out loans, which have been used for several productive commercial purposes including supporting the raising of poultry and goats for sale, cereal trading, and opening grocery shops and small restaurants/hotels. These small activities have increased individuals income and increased the funds available at their respective VICOBA/VSLAs through the application of interest rates, thereby increasing the potential for further loans. The VICOBA/VSLAs have also enhanced and improved group dynamics through joint decisions on loans and joint monitoring and management of savings. This has also improved the groups financial management skills, which have been useful in managing their respective income-generating activities. Facilitation of exchange visits ACTED successfully facilitated all 15 exchange visits throughout the project period, six between CDMCs, six between APFSs, and three between government officials. The six APFS exchange visits aimed at strengthening the capacity of the PFS, remind members of the PFS approach, discuss cross-border challenges and share ideas for cross-border trade. Each APFS exchange visit included four representatives from each APFS (two men and two women), 15 participants from the host communities, and local government officials. The visits were praised by the respective government officials in attendance who appreciated the importance of these meetings in enhancing peace amongst the communities. The CDMC visits provided a platform in which the CDMCs could share their understanding of the CMDRR methodology, discuss the hazards they face and exchange coping strategies that they employ in dealing with disasters to which they are most vulnerable. The CDMCs also discussed how to implement the various interventions they would undertake to mitigate drought. Sub-county officials attended these exchange visits and highlighted the importance of these meetings in reducing violence amongst the cross-border communities. ACTED also successfully organised three government exchanges, which included community development officers, district natural resource officers, district forestry officers, and Sub-county chiefs from Nakapiripirit, Amudat and North Pokot districts. The government exchange visits aimed at enhancing and increasing government officials participation in the project, discussing cross-border resource- sharing, cross-border rangeland management issues, and identifying modalities for including community CDMPS and CRMPs into government development plans. Table 7 below provides a summary of the 15 exchange visits. A more detailed version of this table including objectives of the visits, what was learnt and benefits to the community can be found in Annex 1. Page 12 of 22

13 Table 7 - Summary of exchange visits Type of exchange visit Location Date CDMC Kosike, Nakapiripirit May 2012 CDMC Alale, North Pokot June 2012 CDMC Loroo, Amudat September 2012 CDMC Cherangan, North Pokot March 2013 CDMC Alale, North Pokot May 2013 CDMC Nabilatuk, Nakapiripirit June 2013 APFS Loroo, Amudat March 2012 APFS Kosike, Nakapiripirit May 2012 APFS Alale, North Pokot June 2012 APFS Cherangan, North Pokot October 2012 APFS Namalu, Nakapiripirit January 2013 APFS Amudat, Amudat May 2013 Government Nakapiripirit November 2011 Government Amudat April 2012 Government Moroto February 2013 Reason for modification for the planned activity: The main challenge experienced during this activity was the busy schedules of government officials, which sometimes hindered their full participation in activities as planned. However, ACTED addressed this problem through early and consistent communication to ensure a high level of government participation in the exchange visits. Results: - 6 CDMC exchange visits conducted. The primary outcomes of the exchange visits were the transfer and sharing of knowledge and good practices in drought preparedness and resilience among the participating CDMCs. CDMCs learned from each other s CDMPs and resilience activities, including improved rangeland management, proper use and management of water resources, proper food storage, how to take advantage of community animal health workers, and proper animal housing. For example, from the learning visits, the Pokot were encouraged by the Karomojong to use oxen for ploughing which they did not traditional use. This would help increase production for the Pokot community. The visits also had a social and economic impact on the participating communities. By establishing channels of communication and enabling the forming of inter-community relations, the exchange visits have helped improve trade between the Karomojong and Pokot communities, especially between the Loroo (Pokot) and Kosike (Karamojong). The Loroo community sells their cattle in exchange for the sorghum sold by the Kosike community. The visits, in collaboration with the RSA, have also Page 13 of 22

14 improved the security situation in the region, as they have helped to remove misconceptions about each other. During the exchange visit at Nabilatuk, for example, a female CDMC member condemned the violence between the communities and hoped for a more peaceful coexistence in the future. - 6 APFS exchange visits conducted. The primary outcomes of the exchange visits were the sharing of experiments ideas and results among the different APFSs. During the visits, APFS representatives presented the different types of experiments they had been carrying out, demonstrating the experiments findings, and recommendations for replication. The APFS exchange visits also provided participants the opportunity to discuss specific topics, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is practiced in Pokot, but not in Karamoja. The Pokot women were surprised that the Karamojong women, who did not practice FGM, could still lead a normal life. This has assisted the Pokot in re-discussing the supposed benefits of FGM, contributing to anti-fgm campaigns in the area. Cross-border trade is another benefit of the visits, where the communities discuss how they can trade amongst themselves, across the border and at mutual market points. This has helped the Lopedot, Kasitot and Loroo PFS groups who have started buying maize in Uganda and selling it in Kenya where the selling prices are higher. During the Nabilatuk exchange visit, a woman had been empowered, through her involvement in the PFS, to openly stand up in front of men and condemn the violence between the two communities and blaming men for cattle-rustling across the border. This is an important step in improving gender relations both within and between the communities, especially as the Karamojong and Pokot communities are generally less responsive to women. Figure 3 shows the woman from Pokot expressing her opinion on the conflict. Figure 3 - APFS female member expressing her opinion on the conflict - 3 Government exchange visits conducted. The inclusion of government officials has been key for all activities under the project. Government officials have played a central role in mobilizing/sensitizing communities, monitoring the progress of activities, and supporting ACTED in any ad hoc meetings with communities and community leaders. As such, ACTED also carried out exchange visits between government officials, both to enhance their coordination, but also to allow them to share best practices in support APFS and CDMCs in their respective jurisdictions. The first exchange visit focused on identifying natural resources in project areas, which should be included in CDMPs and NRMPs. This allowed government officials to gain an overview of the resources at stake and gain a better understanding of the reasons for the CDMPs and NRMPs. The second exchange visit focused on the role of government in supporting community projects, and equipped the participants with a better understanding of how they, as government officials, can provide guidance and encouragement to communities in implementing their plans. The last visit focused on cross-border animal health coordination and allowed officials to understand the challenge as well as discuss Page 14 of 22

15 possible areas of collaboration. It has equipped local government officials with the knowledge necessary to support the implementation of the April 2013 Animal Health MoU Activities that have not taken place All project activities have taken place as planned What is your assessment of the results of the Project? Include observations on the performance and the achievement of outputs, outcomes, impact and risks in relation to specific and overall objectives, and whether the Project has had any unforeseen positive or negative results. (Please quantify where possible ; refer to indicators in the ToA). The project has significantly strengthened the target communities preparedness for and resilience to disasters, especially droughts. ACTED has a strong experience in implementing similar projects and can confidently state that the CDMPs and CRMPs developed under the project are of a high quality. Furthermore, the level of local ownership and interest in implementing and improving their respective plans will ensure their sustainability and impact far beyond the project s duration. The APFS experiments conducted have also allowed for a significant improvement in the communities knowledge and use of good practices in livestock rearing and crop production. Experiments have, for example, highlighted the importance of animal disease surveillance and free grazing for goats as well as the importance of timely weeding for enhanced crop production. The grants provided have also allowed the communities to test new income-generating activities, which, when coupled with the VICOBA/VSLAs established, will allow communities to explore further livelihood diversification for greater resilience. In addition, the project has supported increased peaceful cross-border and inter-community relations, as evidenced by the signing of the RSA and the cross-border animal health MoU. ACTED has also noted a significant increase in the volume of trade and movement between communities and a decrease in cattle-raiding. Unfortunately, ACTED lacks the resources to quantify this noted increase Describe if the Project will continue after the support from FAO has ended. Are there any follow up activities envisaged? What will ensure the sustainability of the Project? ACTED will continue to operate in districts under the project and will, through this ongoing presence, endeavour to follow up with the communities to ensure CDMP and CRMP activities are being implemented, that VICOBA/VSLA savings and loans activities are ongoing, and to ensure the grants provided are monitored. To further ensure the project remains sustainable, the local government officials shall be encouraged, through a handover report, to integrate some of this project s activities into their routine field movements Explain how the Project has mainstreamed cross-cutting issues such as promotion of human rights, gender equality, democracy, good governance, children's rights and indigenous peoples, environmental sustainability and combating HIV/AIDS (if there is a strong prevalence in the target country/region). The project has mainstreamed cross-cutting issues such as gender, good governance, and environmental sustainability. Gender ACTED ensured the full and active participation of women in all project activities, including in leadership positions in the CDMCs and the APFSs. ACTED also ensured that women s voices were heard during the CDMP and CRMP development processes as well as during the selection of APFS experiments and grant proposal development. Page 15 of 22

16 Good governance ACTED thoroughly engaged local government officials in all project activities, facilitating and enhancing communication between communities and their local leaders. ACTED has also advocated for community plans to be included in local government development plans, and will continue to advocate for this beyond the project. In addition, ACTED has worked primarily through local governance structures such as the CDMCs and APFSs as a means of benefitting and enhance good governance for the benefit of the entire community. This is why community members were always invited to CDMC meetings and asked to provide feedback and approve plans and proposals developed by these structures. Environmental Sustainability Through its natural resource and rangeland management activities, ACTED has emphasized the importance of proper environmental conservation and management as a means of ensuring communities sustainable resilience and increased income-generation. Through improved management of the natural resources and rangeland available to them, communities will ensure the sustainability of their natural environments How and by whom have the activities been monitored/evaluated? Please summarise the results of the feedback received, including from the beneficiaries. ACTED s Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (AMEU) undertook regular assessments of project activities to provide accurate data on achieved outcomes including a baseline survey, regular monitoring of activities and grants monitoring. The baseline survey measured food security indicators such as coping strategies and food access scales as well as other relevant indicators to measure project outcomes in relation to food security and livelihoods as well as PFS and VSLA programming. Information was collected on both direct and indirect indicators and monitored over the duration of the project. The regular monitoring visits and spot-checks presented another occasion to assess progress as well as creating an opportunity to provide on-the-spot advice including group performance and outcome of training activities and exchange visits. The monthly field-reporting structures also enabled AMEU staff to monitor the performance of project activities as well as to identify beneficiary needs which arose during the project. Periodic qualitative assessments of project activities were conducted to provide in-depth information and insight into project outcomes. The qualitative assessments also allowed for a better understanding of the target communities and how they were responding to key activities. The combination of both quantitative and qualitative data collection ensures triangulation and robust results. For example, grants monitoring exercises were also supported through ad hoc field monitoring visits. Training on accountability was also provided to those receiving grants to ensure all accountability measures were incorporated into the grant process and understood by all beneficiaries. VSLA/VICOBA performance indicators were also collected to assess how the groups were functioning and to determine saving patterns, assess group performances and identify, as well as respond to, individual needs. ACTED established an information management system for capturing VSLA data and provided training to staff members to enable effective information collection. In addition to ACTED s internal monitoring, FAO also supported the project through monitoring visits through which FAO provided key technical input to the project. Between July 2012 and July 2013, FAO visited the project four times. The visits purposes varied, but included verification of progress on APFS activities, adherence to FAO s PFS methodology, assess the quality and progress of experiments, and a final audit of ACTED APFS in July 2013, facilitated by FAO, but conducted by an external auditor. FAO, through their expertise in PFS, has provided key input into the project, assisting ACTED staff to identify and address gaps, and helping guide the experiments conducted by ACTED s APFS groups. Page 16 of 22