COMMISSION DECISION. of XXX. on the special measure in favour of the Republic of The Gambia to be financed from the 11 th European Development Fund

Transcription

1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, XXX [ ](2016) XXX draft COMMISSION DECISION of XXX on the special measure in favour of the Republic of The Gambia to be financed from the 11 th European Development Fund EN EN

2 COMMISSION DECISION of XXX on the special measure in favour of the Republic of The Gambia to be financed from the 11 th European Development Fund Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2015/322 of 2 March 2015 on the implementation of the 11 th European Development Fund, and in particular Article 9(1) thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EU) 2015/323 of 2 March 2015 on the financial regulation applicable to the 11 th European Development Fund, and in particular Article 26 thereof, Whereas: (1) For ACP countries, the scope and modalities for humanitarian, emergency and post emergency assistance in situations of crisis are described in articles 72 and 72A of the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement as well as in Annex IV, art. 3.2(b) and 3.4(a). (2) The objective pursued by the special measure to be financed under the 11 th European Development Fund (EDF) Internal Agreement 1 (ʻInternal Agreementʼ) Envelope B is to contribute to the reduction of stunting among children 0-24 months in food insecure households in The Gambia. The measure has been necessary because during the 2014/2015 agricultural season, The Gambia suffered two shocks that have impacted on household food security and in turn, children s nutrition. First, the late and erratic rains during the planting season in 2014 led to a significant drop in crop production impacting particularly rural households. Second, the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) scare during the same period, led to a massive drop in tourism income which is a major forex earner for The Gambian economy. The special measure is a Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) action ensuring food and nutrition security needs of communities are met, particularly as a follow up to the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department's (ECHO) interventions in The Gambia in The special measure is adopted in the context of this post crisis situation. (3) In response to the two shocks of 2014/2015 and with the aim of supporting vulnerable households, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), in co-delegation with UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP), will manage the special measure to support vulnerable households through a mix of interventions aimed at improving food security and promoting good caring and hygiene practices for children to drive nutrition outcomes, both acute and chronic. 1 Internal Agreement between the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Union, meeting within the Council, on the financing of European Union aid under the multiannual financial framework for the period 2014 to 2020, in accordance with the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement, and on the allocation of financial assistance for the Overseas Countries and Territories to which Part Four of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union applies (OJ L 210, , p. 1). EN 2 EN

3 (4) It is necessary to adopt a financing decision the detailed rules of which are set out in Article 94 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/ applicable in accordance with Article 2(1) and Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2015/323. (5) The Commission should entrust budget-implementation tasks under indirect management to the FAO, UNICEF and WFP as specified in this Decision, subject to the conclusion of a co-delegation agreement. FAO will act as the coordinating agency. In accordance with Article 60(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012, applicable in accordance with Article 2(1) and Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2015/323, the authorising officer responsible needs to ensure that these entities guarantee a level of protection of the financial interests of the Union equivalent to that required when the Commission manages Union funds. (6) FAO is currently undergoing the assessment under Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. In anticipation of the results of this review, the authorising officer responsible deems that, based on the entity s positive assessment under Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/ and on the long-standing and problem-free cooperation with it, budget-implementation tasks can be entrusted to this entity. (7) UNICEF is currently undergoing the assessment under Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. In anticipation of the results of this review, the authorising officer responsible deems that, based on the entity s positive assessment under Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/ and on the long-standing and problem-free cooperation with it, budget-implementation tasks can be entrusted to this entity. (8) WFP is currently undergoing the assessment under Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. In anticipation of the results of this review, the authorising officer responsible deems that, based on the entity s positive assessment under Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/ and on the long-standing and problem-free cooperation with it, budget-implementation tasks can be entrusted to this entity. (9) It is necessary to allow the payment of interest due for late payment on the basis of Article 92 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 and Article 111(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012, in accordance with Article 29(1) of Regulation (EU) 2015/323. (10) Pursuant to Article 94(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012, applicable in accordance with Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2015/323, the Commission should define changes to this Decision that are not substantial, in order to ensure that any such changes can be adopted by the authorising officer responsible. (11) The measure provided for in this Decision is in accordance with the opinion of the European Development Fund Committee set up by Article 8 of the Internal Agreement Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 of 29 October 2012 on the rules of application of Regulation No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L 362, , p. 1). Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 248, , p.1). Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 248, , p.1). Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 248, , p.1). EN 3 EN

4 HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 Adoption of the measure The special measure in favour of the Republic of The Gambia to be financed from the 11 th European Development Fund, as set out in the Annex, is approved. The measure shall include the following action: Annex: Post-Crisis Response to Food and Nutrition insecurity in The Gambia. Article 2 Financial contribution The maximum contribution of the European Union for the implementation of the measure referred to in Article 1 is set at EUR and shall be financed from Envelope B of the 11 th European Development Fund. The financial contribution provided for in the first paragraph may also cover interest due for late payment. Article 3 Implementation modalities Budget-implementation tasks under indirect management may be entrusted to the entities identified in the attached Annex, subject to the conclusion of the relevant agreement. The elements required by Article 94(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 applicable in accordance with Article 26 of regulation (EU) 2015/323, are set out in the Annex. Article 4 Non-substantial changes Increases or decreases of up to EUR not exceeding 20% of the contribution set by the first paragraph of Article 2, or cumulated changes to the allocations of specific actions not exceeding 20% of that contribution, as well as extensions of the implementation period shall not be considered substantial within the meaning of Article 94(4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012, applicable in accordance with Article 26 of regulation (EU) 2015/323, provided that they do not significantly affect the nature and objectives of the actions. The authorising officer responsible may adopt such non-substantial changes in accordance with the principles of sound financial management and proportionality. Done at Brussels, For the Commission Neven Mimica Member of the Commission EN 4 EN

5 This action is funded by the European Union ANNEX of the Commission Decision on the special measure in favour of the Republic of The Gambia to be financed from the 11 th European Development Fund Action Document for Post-Crisis Response to Food and Nutrition insecurity in The Gambia 1. Title/basic act/ CRIS number 2. Zone benefiting from the action/location 3. Programming document 4. Sector of concentration/ thematic area 5. Amounts concerned 6. Aid modality(ies) and implementation modality(ies) Post-Crisis Response to Food and Nutrition insecurity in The Gambia CRIS number: GM/FED/38780 financed under 11 th European Development Fund (EDF) West and Central Africa Region, The Gambia. The action shall be carried out at the following location: The project will focus and target the most food insecure districts in Upper River, North Bank, Lower River and Central River regions. 11 th EDF Envelope B Food and Nutrition Security Total estimated cost: EUR Total amount of EDF contribution EUR Project Modality Indirect management with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in co-delegation with the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF. FAO will act as coordinating agency. 7. DAC code(s) Markers (from CRIS DAC form) General policy objective Not targeted Significant objective Main objective Participation development/good x governance Aid to environment x Gender equality (including x Women In Development) Trade Development x Reproductive, Maternal, New x born and child health RIO Convention markers Not targeted Significant objective Main objective Biological diversity x Combat desertification x Climate change mitigation x 1

6 Climate change adaptation x 9. Global Public Goods and Challenges (GPGC) thematic flagships N/A SUMMARY During the 2014/2015 agricultural season, The Gambia suffered two shocks that impacted on household food security and in turn, children s nutrition. The late and erratic rains during the planting season in 2014 led to a significant drop in crop production impacting particularly rural households. Second the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) scare over the same period, led to a massive drop in tourism income which is a major forex earner for The Gambian economy. Furthermore, economic stagnation and local currency volatility has led to price increases, resulting in a greater percentage of household income being spent on food. These developments occurred in a country where food security is already fragile and nutrition indicators have been progressively worsening in recent years. The phenomenon of the illegal Back Way migration of Gambia youths is increasing significantly. Although there is limited data on the number of youths, especially from rural areas, choosing to attempt the land crossing, mainly via conflict-torn Libya, there is widespread anecdotal evidence of rural communities in which a major proportion of, particularly male, youths have left. In response to these shocks and with the aim of supporting vulnerable households, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF and World Food Programme (WFP) are proposing a joint intervention to support vulnerable households through a mix of interventions aimed at improving food security and promoting good caring and hygiene practices for children to drive nutrition outcomes, both acute and chronic. Using the UNICEF Conceptual Framework of Malnutrition as the basis of interventions, the proposal aims to contribute to a reduction of stunting through supporting household income, agricultural production, food diversification, treating acute malnutrition and promoting optimal care practices, particularly in areas with high levels of stunting. Recognizing also that a key concern is the day window of opportunity for child nutrition, the proposal will address the environment in which this window presents itself, notably within the context of multiple siblings and within the wider household economy. Furthermore, women are central as key beneficiaries of this project. The majority of Gambian women are rural and it is estimated that 63% of female headed households fall below the poverty line (WFP, Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis CFVSA, 2011). In the short term, the project will respond to the food insecurity situation through provision of food, cash, and treatment of acute malnutrition as well as the prevention of all forms of undernutrition. In the medium term, the project will support households to increase food production through provision of farm inputs, value addition and addressing marketing challenges. In the long term, the project will build capacities of beneficiary households and communities to ensure sustainability and resilience in food and nutrition security. This is expected to contribute to reduce the migratory pressures. The project will ensure food and nutrition security needs of communities are met, particularly as a follow up to the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department's (ECHO) interventions in The Gambia in The project is an additional and complimentary activity to the planned 11 th European Development Fund (EDF) Sector 1 2

7 ''Agriculture for economic growth and food security/nutrition'' interventions. It is also complementary to the Economic Partnership Agreement Development Program (PAPED) for West Africa CONTEXT 1.1 Sector/Country/Regional context/thematic area The Gambia is located on the West African coast and extends about 500 km inland, with a population density of 174 persons per square km. The width of the country varies from 24 to 28 km and has a land area of square kilometres. The Gambia is classified as a low-income economy country, with Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of USD 486 in Low-income economies by World Bank Classification are countries with a GNI of less than USD In 2014, the Gambia was ranked 172 out of 187 in the United Nations Development Programme s Human Development Report (HDR). The main drivers of economic growth for The Gambia remain the agriculture sector and tourism industry 2. Food insecurity is high in The Gambia and the country remains heavily reliant on food imports. In 2010, about 48.5 percent of the population was identified as being below the national poverty line of USD 1.25 a day. Since 2010 there have been a number of shocks (principally flooding, drought and economic stagnation), which have particularly undermined the ability of vulnerable poor communities to withstand further shocks. There has also been an increase in the number of migrants leaving the country, particularly over the last year. In 2012, the EU made a policy commitment 3 to contribute to building the resilience of vulnerable communities by addressing the root causes of food insecurity. In the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), food and nutrition insecurity is generally seen as being chronic and structural in nature. The EU is supporting the Global Alliance for Resilience (AGIR) initiative in the Sahel and West Africa, which aims to help develop country based frameworks for tackling factors underlying food and nutrition crises. Furthermore, both the geographical and thematic instruments of the EU's Multi-annual Financial Framework are presently requested to contribute to the EU's approach to resilience Public Policy Assessment and EU Policy Framework The proposed action is in line with the Gambian Government s drive towards food selfsufficiency as articulated in its development framework Vision The project will also complement the National Nutrition Policy coordinated by the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) which the EU supports, through promotion of optimal maternal, infant and young child feeding, promotion of micronutrients and dietary diversity, prevention of stunting and treatment of acute malnutrition. A future challenge will be to support its essential role in setting direction and monitoring progress, as well as coordinating inputs from donors, NGOs and UN partners. Furthermore, the project will also contribute towards the achievement of the objectives of the Gambia National Agriculture Investment Plan (GNAIP) especially in promoting access of 1 Country Classification July 2014 World Bank 2 Programme for Accelerated Growth and Employment ( ) 3 COM(2012)586 final The EU approach to Resilience: Learning from Food Security Crises 3

8 youth, men and women, to quickly adopt appropriate agribusiness, entrepreneurial, leadership and management knowledge and skills. The EU-Gambia's development policy framework is characterised by partnership supported by the principles of the Paris Declaration, the EU Agenda for Change and commitments on Aid effectiveness through improved support to aid planning and awareness of international development trends and objectives in the context of the post 2015 agenda, increased national ownership and enhanced alignment with government policies through joint multi-annual programming and enhanced donor complementarities. Within this framework, the strategic objectives of the EU s relationship with The Gambia for the period (11th EDF phase 1 of EUR 33 million) will focus on Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security/nutrition. The decision to focus on this area was taken because agriculture remains a key pillar of the Government's economic strategy, whilst at the same time there is recognition that food and nutrition security is an issue of concern for vulnerable populations. The EU has placed itself as a frontrunner in global efforts to fight undernutrition. In 2012 the Commission announced the commitment to support partner countries in reducing cases of stunting in children under 5 by at least 7 million in A specific policy framework was developed around this target in the form of the Communication "Enhancing Maternal and Child Nutrition in External Assistance" (COM (2013) 141), which was adopted in March 2013 with Council Conclusions issued in May Shortly afterwards, during the Nutrition for Growth conference organised by the UK in London in June 2013, the EU pledged to allocate EUR 3.5 Billion, within , to attain its nutrition target. In July 2014 the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) Directorate C prepared a Nutrition Action Plan describing how the EU intends to reach its nutrition goal. This plan was shared with the Council, which agreed Council Conclusions on 12 December 2014, welcoming the plan and agreeing to coordinate actions among EU and Member States in this area Stakeholder analysis The main stakeholders of the proposed action are the three UN Agencies (FAO, WFP, and UNICEF), government institutions, civil society and communities. FAO successfully implemented programmes and projects in agriculture, food and nutrition security, natural resource management and rural development over the years. These projects and programmes contribute to reducing hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive, climate smart and sustainable; reduce rural poverty, enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, and increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises. FAO places particular emphasis on supporting women, youth, and people living with disability to participate in agriculture, livestock, forestry and fisheries value chains through its Country Programming Framework. In addition FAO facilitates government and civil society participation in international fora and initiatives related to nutrition and food security, including those related to food quality and safety, regional and global commissions on food security, forestry, fisheries and genetic resources among others. As one of the world s leading organizations on Social Protection/Transfers, child poverty and nutrition, UNICEF has strong and long-standing technical expertise and concrete programming experience in addressing these issues in developing countries. In nutrition, 4

9 UNICEF adopts an integrated approach to nutrition programming, combining both nutritionspecific interventions and nutrition-sensitive approaches, focusing on the most disadvantaged. UNICEF focuses on stunting in the first days of life, which is the most crucial time to meet a child s nutritional requirements and prevent the short and long-term consequences of undernutrition. UNICEF supports the scale up of nutrition interventions, such as promotion and protection of exclusive breastfeeding, delivery of vitamin A and micronutrient supplementation and prevention and management of malnutrition, within the broader context of the principles of the Scaling Up Nutrition movement. WFP has been supporting the Government in pursuing both development and humanitarian objectives for the past 45 years. While WFP is committed to help meet the needs of the most vulnerable, it is also assisting the Government in its efforts to meet national priorities and contribute to achievement of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). WFP started a Development Project in August 2012, with the goal of establishing the foundation for a transition towards a nationally owned and managed sustainable school feeding programme. The project, which focuses on capacity development, also aims to ensure that the gains seen in increasing access to education under previous development projects are consolidated and improved upon, especially in regions with significantly low rates of enrolment and retention. WFP started implementing a Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) in June 2013 as a follow up to Immediate Response - Emergency Operation (IR-EMOP) and EMOP in 2013 that provided food assistance to drought and flood affected populations across the country. Further, implementation partners include: The National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will work closely with UNICEF and WFP on nutrition sensitive interventions. The Ministry of Agriculture will work closely with FAO in input distribution as well as farmer capacity building. FAO also has many years of experience working with Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs). The most recent partnership was under the EU funded MDG 1c project as well as Forestry Farm Facility. Such partnerships will continue through the proposed action Priority areas for support/problem analysis Rains in The Gambia during the 2014 planting season were both late and unsubstantial. Field trips from upcountry were repeatedly reporting on lost seed and potential low production for the 2014/2015 harvest. This was reflected in the pre-harvest assessment of November 2014 undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture with support from the Permanent Interstates Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), FAO and WFP which indicated that the season would see a 50% reduction on the 5 year average of all cereals and paddy rice. This data was confirmed through field work undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) field workers. Despite these worrying indicators, no post-harvest survey was undertaken by the Government although publicly a reduction of 15% was being quoted by the Ministry of Finance Economic Affairs (MoFEA) to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission in early This figure is highly debatable though, it should be noted. Furthermore, due to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) scare in the region over 2014/2015 season, tourism income declined significantly, with bookings reportedly dropping by 60-70% from the seasonal average 4. As a result, there was a crisis in the tourism sector which is 4 IMF Press release, April

10 estimated to be responsible for 15% of gross domestic product (GDP) and a significant source of internal remittances for Gambians operating as seasonally employed workers. Additionally, the rural poor in The Gambia have been impacted significantly by rising commodity prices, falling domestic agricultural production as a result of climate change (droughts, floods and erratic rains) and unsustainable production systems, and declining income streams of the country s largest income earner, tourism. There has been a negative trend for a number of years which was particularly acute in the 12 months period up to October The recently concluded pre-harvest assessment by CILSS, Government, EU, WFP and FAO, indicated that although the land area under cultivation has increased by 7.7% compared to 2014, the projected harvest will reduce by 6% or more compared to the 5-year average as a result of late start of rains, droughts, flash-flooding, soil erosion and weed infestation. Even if there is a 'bounce back' of the tourism and other non-agricultural sectors, it will take much more than one successful season to reverse the negative trends of the last few years. The cumulative impact of recent shocks, both agricultural and non-agricultural, has led to the current negative trends in nutrition and food security. Under-nutrition is a major public health problem in the Gambia, exacerbated by increasing poverty levels and food insecurity, poor coverage of nutrition interventions, poor dietary habits, poor sanitation and hygiene, and increased disease burden. The Gambia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2013 showed that 24.5% of children under five were stunted while the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2005 reported 22.4% stunting. Worryingly, wasting among children under five has also significantly worsened from a rate of 6.4% (MICS 2005) to 11.5% (DHS 2013). Indicative preliminary data from the recently finalised national nutrition surveys in the Gambia undertaken by NaNA also suggests that both chronic and acute malnutrition rates are on the increase. Coverage of micronutrient supplementation is also low, with only 17% of the under-fives being supplemented for iron and 69% for vitamin A (DHS, 2013). This trend is similar for deworming with 34% of children 6-59 receiving deworming tablets (DHS, 2013). Poor sanitary and hygiene conditions, coupled with inadequate access to safe water, are among the major factors contributing to deteriorating levels malnutrition status of children in The Gambia. Both the MICS 2010 and DHS 2013 reported that Upper River Region (URR) and Central River Region (CRR) have the lowest access to improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) services. In addition CRR has the highest levels of the population practicing open defecation (21%) compared to national average of 2%. Concerning food security, the WFP's 2013 Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) food security baseline study identified that about half of households spend more than three quarters of their total disposable income on food of which rice is the most purchased commodity. Households are therefore highly vulnerable to market price increases of major staple foods. In 2013, the WFP PRRO project already experienced price increases of imported basic foods, such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, flour, potatoes and onions, of up to 18%. 85% of indebted households surveyed during the 2013 PRRO survey indicated the reason for borrowing was to buy food (PRRO 2013). Further, education around critical care practices, good smallholder farming practices and basic household financing are weak which in turn go to amplify nutrition and food security shocks, particularly amongst a population which has high levels of illiteracy and poor weaning practice. 6

11 2 RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS Risks Risk level Mitigating measures Volatility in prices (food, fuel, exchange rates) L Continuously monitor market food prices and review the support mechanisms from cash to in kind in circumstances where the local markets are not functional and there are sudden price hikes. In the medium term, the project will support with agriculture inputs for dry season production Low capacity of local community workers may influence the project implementation process given their important role in promoting advocacy work at community level. No interest, participation and involvement of youths, Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs) and beneficiaries. Procurement and supply of inputs delayed. A high turnover of government staff which may make any sustained progress in capacity development a challenge. L L L L - Regular capacity building and guiding for national partners and communities. - Day-to-day monitoring and reporting mechanism in place. Conduct sensitization of youths, FBOs and beneficiaries. Timely scheduling of procurement and input delivery. The action will look at 30 months to cater for unforeseen delays. Ensure that all government personnel trained by the project conduct step-down training thereby increasing the number of trained personnel. Strengthen institutional memory via continuous documentation of procedures and best practices in writing. Ad hoc government policy shifts. L Continuous engagement of government partners and key decision makers on policy matters. Assumptions The availability of credible and timely data to inform targeting of beneficiaries will influence the effectiveness of the project. Up to date data on poverty distribution, malnutrition, and educational achievements have become available in The Gambia, but gaps remain concerning the levels of food security and nutrition at decentralized levels. The Thematic Groups on food security, data and statistics under the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) will also play an important role in coordinating activities to meet critical information needs for policy design and decision making. No large scale disasters exacerbating food insecurity and poverty levels No excessive price volatility Government and donors commitment assured Adequate implementation of sectoral policies (agriculture, food and nutrition security, and education) in place 7

12 Other programs in the target areas will be complementary. The human resources capacity of UN agencies is adequate in terms of number and technical background to guarantee the follow up and steering of the project. 3 LESSONS LEARNT, COMPLEMENTARITY AND CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES 3.1 Lessons learnt Due to high levels of attrition within the civil service, programmes have in the past been susceptible to problems with ownership and leadership. At the national level, there is a need to broaden implementation partnerships to include non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and to work with government agencies under wider frameworks (e.g. Results Based Financing model as supported by the World Bank) to mitigate these risks. The mid-term evaluation of the EU-funded MDG 1c also highlighted the importance of partnerships to strengthen project implementation. The proposal thus aims to widen participation through broad engagement to strengthen ownership and mutual accountability. The increased availability of comprehensive data on vulnerability and the tracking of inputs for social protection at the level of the national budget are critical steps towards reducing vulnerability. By taking a common approach under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework UNDAF, the UN agencies have supported the work of the National Social Protection Steering Committee (NSPSC) in providing a cross-sectoral platform to drive more inclusive and pro-poor socio-economic development strategies. In addition, major lessons were identified through two EU independent evaluations 5 and the mid-term review of the current school feeding project. These include: (i) development of a formal school feeding policy and strategy; (ii) the need to gradually shift from international to local procurement 6 ; (iii) continuation of the school garden programme based on positive lessons learned (iv) improving the nutritional value of meals through modification of the food basket and decentralised cash transfers (iv) community approach to school gardens/orchards and the need to ensure continuous availability of water (v) the need to cater for special nutritional needs of pre-school children (Early Childhood Development Centres - ECDC); (vi) provide adequate institutional support for sustainability and eventual handover to government; (vii) linkages to farmers supported by other projects in the agricultural sector for continuous supply of food commodities. The UN agencies have very good experiences supporting phasing of projects to the Government. For example FAO successfully phased over to the government a number of projects including the following: Food Security though Commercialization in Agriculture; Rural Aquaculture Development; National Forestry Program Facility, National Forest Assessment, Improving the Hygiene of Village Milk Production (since 2002) etc. UNICEF works primarily with the government to integrate nutrition interventions like the management of severe acute malnutrition, promotion of maternal, infant and young child feeding practices in government health care system. 5 The 2010 Urban School Feeding Project (end project evaluation) and the MDG Initiative mid-term evaluation 6 International procurement is only conducted to form a reserve that is used to supply to schools in the event of a pipeline break/unavailability of commodities in the local markets 8

13 3.2 Complementarity, synergy and donor coordination In utilising the conceptual framework of malnutrition, the proposal recognises the complementarity between activities driving results in the health sector which in turn address the public health side of the framework. As such, work in health sector reform and primary health care improvement complement the proposals' objective of improving nutrition outcomes. This action is a Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development (LRRD) project and compliments ECHO's 2015 integrated emergency support to communities affected by acute food insecurity in Niani and Nianija districts in CRR North and ECHO's emergency funding for the treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) across the country. The project will also complement the EU funded 10 th EDF MDG 1c food security project. While the EU MDG 1c project builds and sustains medium to long term food security and incomes of the participating households, this project will ensure that short term needs of the communities are met as a follow up to European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) interventions in Cross-cutting issues The role of women is recognized as being central for the building up of resilience against food crises, as well being responsible for reducing undernutrition amongst children. Women are the main producers, processors and sellers of grains and horticultural crops and as such, the success of the programme is driven by women s participation. Climate change adaptation is mainstreamed in current strategic planning to build smallholder farmers capacity to adapt and/or mitigate to climate change and its effects. More globally, environment degradation is considered as one of the main reasons for the lack of sustainability of food systems and, thus it is one of the cross-cutting elements to be taken into consideration to ensure long term resilience building. Furthermore, providing post crisis support to vulnerable groups is expected to reduce the recent growing trend of migration out of the Gambia. As part of good governance agenda UN advocates for and promotes result-based management and evidence based-policy making by strengthening capacity of all key duty bearers participating in the project. 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION The action shall be carried out at the following location: Upper River Region (URR), North Bank Region (NBR), Lower River Region (LRR) and Central River Region (CRR) where the project will focus and target rural areas that have stunting rates above the national average according to the recently concluded SMART Survey, 2015 conducted by the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA). 4.1 Objectives/results The overall objective of the intervention is to contribute to the reduction of stunting among children 0-24 months in food insecure households. Low agricultural production and the economic pressures have placed a significant strain on households' economic and coping strategies. The programme aims to ensure positive nutrition outcomes targeting particularly 9

14 vulnerable households where children are most at risk from malnutrition, both chronic and acute Specific objectives are: Objective 1: Improve household food security in targeted regions by promoting employment in the agricultural sector through cash for work programmes, and increased food diversification through processing and fortification of locally available food crops. Objective 2: Improve nutrition and care practices in targeted regions by promoting better nutrition and health among target groups. These objectives address the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition as expressed in UNICEF s Conceptual Framework 7 which serves as the conceptual framework for intervention. Result:1.1: Result:1.2; Result 1.3: Result 1.4: Result 2.1: Result 2.2: Result 2.3: Purchasing power of vulnerable households increased (FAO); Household access to more diversified food improved through processing and fortification of locally available food crops (WFP); Household access to diversified farm inputs and production equipment increased (FAO); Knowledge and skills of vulnerable households in climate-smart agriculture and horticulture practices increased (FAO); Knowledge and skills for pregnant women and caregivers of children under 2 in nutrition and care practices improved (UNICEF, WFP, FAO); Recovery rates of severely and moderately acute malnourished children, pregnant and lactating mothers increased (UNICEF, WFP); Prevalence of acute malnutrition among children under 2 reduced during lean seasons (WFP). 4.2 Intervention logic and main activities Ensuring household food security, driving adequate care and health environments at a household and community level in addition to food supplementation and ensuring appropriate treatment of acute malnutrition at individual child s level will contribute to addressing inadequate dietary intake and disease prevention, the two immediate causes of malnutrition. Results in the intervention logic are driven by these two underlying causes, where interventions are aimed at addressing household food security and improving care and environmental health. There is also recognition that complementary activities being undertaken by other partners, donors and programmes in the Gambia also address the third underlying cause, notably the household environment and provision of health services. Understanding that the period between conception and 2 years of age is crucial in defining the future nutrition and health status of the individual has been an important advance in recent 7 See: and annexed. 10

15 years. This period provides a critical window of opportunity in which the impact of interventions to improve maternal and child undernutrition, including measures to improve micronutrient intake in the under two year olds, in the survival, growth and development of young children is maximized. The provision of clean drinking water and improved sanitation conducive to the prevention of diseases spread through faecal-oral transmission can all contribute to preventing malnutrition and improving the overall health of children. Activities to support result 1.1: - Rural cash for work FAO will work with communities in communities with high child malnutrition rates, to engage labour endowed households in productive temporary employment to drive income at a household level. Activity to support result 1.2:- WFP - Support food diversification and fortification initiatives to produce local alternatives for super cereals. Activity to support result 1.3: -FAO - Production support to farmers where provision of agricultural inputs will be undertaken in support of household productivity, thus enhancing households ability to produce their own nutritious food for both consumption and income from the sale of surpluses. Activity to support result 1.4: -FAO - Farmer skills trainings comprising of facilitators on climate smart agriculture and best agricultural practices in an integrated horticulture and poultry system. Collectively, the facilitators will conduct stepdown trainings to an additional farmers following farmer field school approaches in communities with high incidence of child malnutrition. Activities to support result 2.1: - Pregnant women and caregivers of children under 2 acquire knowledge and skills in Infant and Young Child Feeding practices through promotion of optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding practices (IYCF); UNICEF - Community nutrition education to support strong utilization of foodstuffs, the importance of diversity in diet; FAO/WFP - Sanitation and hygiene behavior promotion within communities in regions with high levels of stunting; UNICEF Activities to support result 2.2: - Treat children under 5 with severe acute malnutrition by strengthening the implementation of the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM); - UNICEF - Delivering WaSH minimum package in health/nutrition centres (access to safe water and latrines, hygiene promotion); - UNICEF - Targeted supplementary feeding with the use of Plumpy Sup and/or locally-produced super cereal where possible to treat children with moderate acute malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW); - WFP Activities to support result 2.3: 11

16 - Blanket supplementary feeding, through the use of Plumpy Doz and or locally-made super cereal where possible for all children aged 6 23 months; - WFP 5 IMPLEMENTATION 5.1 Financing agreement In order to implement this action, it is not foreseen to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country referred to in Article 17 of Annex IV to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement. 5.2 Indicative implementation period The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in section 4.2 will be carried out and the corresponding contract and agreement implemented, is 36 months from the date of the adoption by the Commission of this Action Document. Extensions of the implementation period may be agreed by the Commission s authorising officer responsible by amending this decision and the relevant contracts and agreements; such amendments to this decision constitute non-substantial amendment in the sense of Article 9(4) of Regulation (EU) 2015/ Implementation components and modules NA 5.4 Implementation modalities for an action under project modality or for a complementary support of an action under budget support Indirect management with an international organisation. This action may be implemented in indirect management with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF in accordance with Article 58(1)(c) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. FAO will act as coordinating agency. This implementation entails responding to major post-crises scenarios promoting structural and resilient actions aiming at improving the capacity to prepare for, to withstand and to bounce back after shocks or stressors. This implementation is justified because of FAO's comparative advantage in food security and nutrition as well as a strong partnership with UN agencies (UNICEF, WFP), the Government and civil society organizations (NGOs, Farmer s organizations). FAO is also the lead agency for the Food and Nutrition Security Pillar of the Gambia United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), to which group both WFP and UNICEF also belong. FAO will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the other two UN agencies (WFP and UNICEF) and a letter of agreement with other possible partners to facilitate the implementation of the project. Due to the nature of this post emergency crisis, programme funds will not be directly channelled through government by the EU. The entrusted entity will carry out the following EDF-implementation tasks procurement of goods and services, contracting of partners for the implementation of the activities in The 12

17 Gambia. This includes launching calls for tenders; definition of eligibility, selection and award criteria; evaluation of tenders and; award of contracts; concluding and managing contracts, carrying out payments, recovering moneys due etc. The entrusted entity would undertake the following activities in The Gambia (specific indicators of success will be provided within the single integrated project log frame): FAO will provide the overall leadership including signing this contractual agreement with EU, coordination, monitoring and reporting. Consistent with a Co-delegation agreement, each agency will have financial responsibility over their own budget and for the part of the Action implemented by each agency. FAO will ensure effective coordination of the project components. FAO is currently undergoing the ex-ante assessment in accordance with Article 61(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 applicable in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2015/323. The Commission s authorising officer responsible deems that, based on the compliance with the ex-ante assessment based on Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1605/2002 and long-lasting problem-free cooperation, FAO can be entrusted with budgetimplementation tasks under indirect management. In addition FAO in collaboration with partners will be responsible for food security related support through intensification and diversification of existing food production patterns, protection of productive resources, including land, support better access to income via cash for work and social protection safety nets. Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs) and the Ministry of Agriculture will be important partners for the inputs distribution, provision of extension support and will participate in farmer skills trainings. FAO has experience working with the Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture as well as with FBOs. The Department of Agriculture has Regional Offices and village extension staff who will support the distribution, production and monitoring at field level. The Department and its field offices provide technical and extension support to farmers through Farmer Based Organizations. Most recent partnership was under the MDG 1c project. Such partnerships will continue through the proposed action. UNICEF will partner with The National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to promote optimal maternal and child health and nutrition, as well as strengthening the access to improved water and sanitation services at the community and health facility level in all the targeted regions. UNICEF will strengthen the capacity of NaNA and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) to scale up the treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition. NaNA and MoHSW will be the major implementing agencies for the nutrition component of the project and will leverage on their experience and ensure complementarity with World Bank project Result Based Financing for Maternal, Nutrition and Child Health (MNCH). Accelerating interventions aimed at improving Infant and Young Child Feeding practices (IYCF) at the community level is a key priority in the effort to improve survival, growth, and development of children with equity. Optimal IYCF practices (initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour, exclusive breastfeeding for 6 full months followed by the addition of safe and appropriate complementary foods and continued breastfeeding for 2 years or more) protect children from malnutrition, disease and death. UNICEF will also work with MoHSW to scale up interventions to ensure WaSH in Nutrition minimum package is delivered to most vulnerable population to prevent diarrhoea diseases in children under 2. 13

18 UNICEF is currently undergoing the ex-ante assessment in accordance with Article 61(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 applicable in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) N 323/2015. The Commission s authorising officer responsible deems that, based on the compliance with the ex-ante assessment based on Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1605/2002 and long-lasting problem-free cooperation, FAO can be entrusted with budgetimplementation tasks under indirect management. WFP will be responsible for nutrition specific and sensitive interventions focusing on food fortification and diversification and prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition. WFP will partner with the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Nutrition Without Borders, and Red Cross in the implementation of blanket supplementary feeding during the lean season. On the diversification and fortification of super cereals, collaboration will be sought with the Food Technology Services at the Ministry of Agriculture as well as a Women's Health, Productivity and the Environment NGO, BAFROW. WFP will also principally work with NaNA and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to provide nutrition specific and sensitive interventions focusing on food fortification and diversification and prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition, including blanket supplementary feeding (during lean seasons) for children under 2 and targeted supplementary feeding for children under 5, pregnant and lactating women. WFP activities will entail blanket supplementary feeding (during lean seasons) for children under 2 and targeted supplementary feeding for children under 5, pregnant and lactating women. To address some of the underlining factors that drive malnutrition, Social Behavioral Change Communication on health and nutrition will also be intensified for the targeted communities and households. The nutrition products super cereal, Plumpy Doz and Plumpy Sup will be procured internationally within the region as a priority. Efforts will be made to procure locally in the later stages, with the provision of technical support from FAO to farmers in processing and fortification. Cereals for fortification will be procured from local production. A total of Metric Tons (mt) of nutrition commodities will be provided to beneficiaries. WFP is currently undergoing the ex-ante assessment in accordance with Article 61(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 applicable by virtue of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2015/323. The Commission s authorising officer responsible deems that, based on the compliance with the ex-ante assessment based on Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1605/2002 and long-lasting problem-free cooperation, FAO can be entrusted with budget-implementation tasks under indirect management. 5.5 Scope of geographical eligibility for procurement and grants The geographical eligibility in terms of place of establishment for participating in procurement and grant award procedures and in terms of origin of supplies purchased as established in the basic act and set out in the relevant contractual documents shall apply. The Commission s authorising officer responsible may extend the geographical eligibility in accordance with Article 22(1)(b) of Annex IV to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement on the basis of urgency or of unavailability of products and services in the markets of the countries concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where the eligibility rules would make the realisation of this action impossible or exceedingly difficult. 14

19 5.6 Indicative budget Budget Total (EURO) 1. Staff and other personnel costs Supplies, Commodities/Cash, Materials, Equipment, Vehicles and furniture including Depreciation Contractual Services Travel Transfers and Grants to Counterparts General Operating and Other Direct Costs Monitoring and Evaluation Visibility (FAO to lead visibility for the Action) Total Direct costs of the Action Indirect costs (7%) Total Eligible costs of the Action Evaluation and Audit of this action TOTAL Organizational set-up and responsibilities The project recognises children s vulnerability as its core driver where, within a household, children s nutrition is a priority, and within children s nutrition, the day window is a priority. As such, the project aims to target rural populations where vulnerability drives beneficiary determinants and will be managed by FAO as the lead agency. The FAO will recruit an International expatriate coordinator through the regional FAO office based in Ghana. This is expected to take 2-3 months during the initial start-up phase of the project. For the implementation of the action a local infrastructure is needed. FAO will be responsible for the overall management and coordination of the project in accordance with EU and its own policies and procedures. FAO will facilitate coherent coordination and monitoring, reporting, evaluation and effective learning in line with "One UN" principles. FAO will ensure that project implementation is aligned to the Government's strategy and plans for addressing stunting in the Gambia. Meetings will be established at the UN Country Team (UNCT) level including heads of three participating UN agencies. A Project Steering Committee (PSC), mirroring the model set up under the FAO/WFP MDG1c project will be set up comprising the key project stakeholders (EU Delegation, government, NGOs, and civil society). The PSC will be responsible for oversight, policy guidance and coordination. This group will meet on quarterly basis. 15

20 A technical work group (TWG) will be set up involving respective technical and monitoring and evaluation experts from each participating UN agency. The TWG is responsible for day to day coordination of field activities. This group meets on monthly basis. The TWG will be in charge of compiling the information from all the components in order to present one single report. The TWG and the PSC will contribute to ensuring coordination among UN agencies as well as implementation of the project. 5.8 Performance monitoring and reporting The day-to-day technical and financial monitoring of the implementation of this action will be a continuous process and part of the implementing partner s responsibilities. To this aim, the implementing partner shall establish a permanent internal, technical and financial monitoring system for the action and elaborate regular progress reports (not less than semestrial) and final reports. Every report shall provide an accurate account of implementation of the action, difficulties encountered, changes introduced, as well as the degree of achievement of its results (outputs and direct outcomes) as measured by corresponding indicators, using as reference the logframe matrix. The report shall be laid out in such a way as to allow monitoring of the means envisaged and employed and of the budget details for the action. The final report, narrative and financial, will cover the entire period of the action implementation. The cost for preparing the final report will be incurred after the implementation period and will follow the cost reimbursement rules of direct management. The Commission may undertake additional project monitoring visits both through its own staff and through independent consultants recruited directly by the Commission for independent monitoring reviews (or recruited by the responsible agent contracted by the Commission for implementing such reviews). The performance monitoring will rely essentially on the joint project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system designed under this project. The joint M&E system manual will specify the impact, outcome and output indicators, the activities to be performed, the methodology, and clarify actor s roles. An indicative set of performance indicators are provided in the logical framework. FAO will be designated as a leading focal point for better operationalization and coordination of the join M&E platform. FAO will coordinate and conduct joint project supervision missions supported by WFP and UNICEF. At least four supervision missions will be organized, approximately every 6 months. FAO will transmit to the EU bi-annual and annual reports. FAO has the primary responsibility for all project monitoring and reporting and will provide technical assistance for the measurement of outcomes related to production and household income increase. WFP and UNICEF will provide technical input for the measurement of outcomes related to nutritional status and food security. 5.9 Evaluation Having regard to the importance of the action, a final evaluation will be carried out for this action or its components by independent consultants contracted by the Commission. The final evaluation will be carried out for assessing the overall impacts of the action with regard its objectives, impacts and also to document learned lessons and recommendations for further designing similar interventions, as well as assess sustainability and capacity development impact. 16

21 The Commission shall inform the FAO at least 60 days in advance of the date foreseen for the evaluation missions. The FAO shall collaborate efficiently and effectively with the evaluation experts, and inter alia provide them with all necessary information and documentation, as well as access to the project premises and activities. The evaluation reports shall be shared with the partner country and other key stakeholders. FAO and the Commission shall analyse the conclusions and recommendations of the evaluations and, where appropriate, in agreement with the FAO and partner country, jointly decide on the follow-up actions to be taken and any adjustments necessary, including, if indicated, the reorientation of the project Audit Without prejudice to the obligations applicable to contracts concluded for the implementation of this action, the Commission may, on the basis of a risk assessment, contract independent audits or expenditure verification assignments for one or several contracts or agreements. Indicatively, 1 contract for audit services shall be concluded in the 2 nd semester Communication and visibility Communication and visibility of the EU is a legal obligation for all external actions funded by the EU. This action shall contain communication and visibility measures that shall be based on a specific Communication and Visibility Plan of the Action, to be elaborated at the start of implementation and supported with the budget indicated in section 5.6 above. In terms of legal obligations on communication and visibility, the measures shall be implemented by the Commission, the partner country, contractors, grant beneficiaries and/or entrusted entities. Appropriate contractual obligations shall be included in, respectively, the financing agreement and delegation agreements. The Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union External Action shall be used to establish the Communication and Visibility Plan of the Action and the appropriate contractual obligations. A visibility and communication strategy will be developed for the project, building on the existing strategy for the MDG 1c project. The following activities will be implemented by the FAO and their implementing partners: (i) publication presenting project achievements including posters. (ii) production of visibility items (e.g. t-shirts, sign posts); (iii) joint visibility events including field visits and handing over ceremonies at beneficiary communities); and (iv) bagging (i.e. ensuring that the EU logo is printed on all commodity packaging procured under this action). Regular advocacy and communication campaigns will be conducted by the project implementers for broader awareness raising and enhancing knowledge of both service providers and demand side on cash transfer programme, reproductive health and good nutrition practices. The FAO will use Communication for Development (C4D) tools for developing and disseminating advocacy materials among beneficiaries and key stakeholders. The EU will be recognized in press releases, media engagement and in public events reflecting progress. Visibility of EU s contribution will also be provided through all printed materials (IEC and promotional materials) as well as media pieces developed as part of the Communication component. 17

22 The logo of the EU will be affixed to supplies and equipment provided to partners as part of Program implementation. 18

23 Overall objective: APPENDIX I - INDICATIVE LOGFRAME MATRIX (FOR PROJECT MODALITY) 8 The activities, the expected outputs and all the indicators, targets and baselines included in the logframe matrix are indicative and may be updated during the implementation of the action without an amendment to the financing decision. The indicative logframe matrix will evolve during the lifetime of the action: new lines will be added for listing the activities as well as new columns for intermediary targets (milestones) when it is relevant and for reporting purpose on the achievement of results as measured by indicators. Wherever applicable all indicators will be sex disaggregated. Intervention logic Indicators Baselines (incl. reference year) OO: The overall objective of the intervention is to contribute to reduce stunting among children 0-24 months in food insecure households.* OO I: Prevalence of stunting in children under 5 years of age in the targeted areas reduced. OO B: Boys: 26.2%; Girls:22.7% (SMART survey, 2013 Targets (incl. reference year) OO T: 5% reduction of stunting in children <5 years (boys and girls) Sources and means of verification OO SOV: - National food security/ nutrition surveys e.g. Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound (SMART) etc - Project end line survey Assumptions No large scale disasters exacerbating food insecurity and poverty levels Government and donors commitment 8 Indicators aligned with the relevant programming document are marked with '*' and indicators aligned to the EU Results Framework with '**'. 19

24 Specific objective(s): Outcome(s) SO1: Improve household food security in targeted regions. SO1 I: Proportion of food insecure households reduced in targeted regions. SO1 I1 B: CRRS 27% CRRN 13% LRR 24% URR 7% NBR 21%, (Source WFP PRRO) SO1 I1 T: 5% decrease from the baseline SO1 I1 SOV: -Food security profiles -Progress/ monitoring/evaluation reports -Adequate implementation sectoral policies (agriculture, food and nutrition security, and education) in place. -No excessive price volatility SO2: Improve nutrition and care practices in targeted regions SO2 I2: Prevalence of acute malnutrition in boys and girls under 2 SO2 I2 B: Gender disaggregated data to be collected as part of the project baseline survey SO2 I2 T: 10% reduction of the baselines SO2 I2 SOV: Project end-line survey SO2 I3: Percentage of infants (male and female) 0-6 months of age fed exclusively with breast milk SO2 I3 B: Gender disaggregated data to be collected as part of the project baseline survey SO2 I3 T: 5% increase against baseline for boys and girls SO2 I3 SOV: Project end-line survey SO2 I4: Percentage of children (male and female) 6-24 months of age who were fed at least four (4) times a day SO2 I4 B: Gender disaggregated data to be collected as part of the project baseline survey SO2 I4 T: 50% increase on baseline value Disaggregated by gender SO2 I4 SOV: DHS and project end line report 20

25 Outputs R 1.1: Purchasing power of vulnerable households increased in targeted regions (FAO). R1.1 I1: Number of males and females from vulnerable households benefiting from Cash for Work. R1.1 I1 B: 0 beneficiaries R1.1 I1 T: beneficiaries (50% female) Project Report/Annual Report R 1.2: Improve food diversification through processing and fortification of locally available food crops in targeted regions (WFP). R1.2 I1: Tonnage of locally fortified super cereal. R1.2 I2: Quantity of Super Cereal distributed for prevention and treatment programs. R1.2 I2 B: 0 tonnes R1.2 I2 B: 0 tonnes R 1.2 I2 T: 100 MT R1.2 I2 T: MT Project Report/Annual Report Project Report/Annual Report R1.3: Household access to farm inputs and production equipment increased in targeted regions (FAO). R1.3 I1: Number of households assisted with agricultural production inputs R1.3 I2: Number of communities assisted with production/ processing equipment. R1.3 I1 B: 0 HH R1.3 I2 B: 0 communities R1.3 I1 T: HH(15% female headed) R1.3 I2 T: 20 communities Project Report/Annual Report Project Report/Annual Report R1.4: Knowledge and skills of vulnerable households in climate-smart agriculture and horticulture practices increased in targeted regions (FAO). R2.1: Knowledge and skills for pregnant women and caregivers of children under 2 in nutrition and care practices improved in targeted regions (FAO, UNICEF, WFP). R 1.4 I1 Number of men and women acquiring increased knowledge and skills in climate-smart agriculture and horticulture practices. R2.1 I1: Number of pregnant women and caregivers of children under 2 demonstrate knowledge and skills in Infant and Young Child Feeding practices. R2.1 I2: Number of pregnant and lactating women practicing improved sanitation and hygiene behaviour. R1.4 I1 B: 0 Men; 0 Women R2.1 I1 B: 0 R2.1 I2 B: 0 R1.4 I1 T: HH (60% Women) R2.1 I1 T: pregnant and lactating mothers R2.1 I2 T: Project Report/Annual Report Project Report/Annual Report Project Report/Annual Report 9 This figure accounts for PLW under MAM treatment (21 526) and IYCF activities for other Pregnant Women (12 000). 21

26 R2.2: Higher Recovery rates of children with severe and moderate acute malnutrition and moderately acute malnourished pregnant and lactating mothers in targeted regions (UNICEF, WFP). R2.2 I1: Percentage of children (boys and girls) who graduate from the programme. Baseline/target to be disaggregated by gender R2.2 I2 Percentage of children (boys and girls) who default R2.2 I1 B: < 75% R2.2 I2 B: > 10% R2.2 II T: >75% for boys and girls R2.2 I2 T: >50% Project Report/Annual Report Project Report/Annual Report R2.2 I3 Number of nutrition centres providing minimum WaSH package R2.2 I3 B: 14 centres R2.2 I3 T: 20 centres Project Report/Annual Report R2.3: Prevalence of acute malnutrition among children under 2 reduced during the lean season in targeted regions (WFP) R2.3 I1 Prevalence of wasting among children under 2 R2.3 I2 Number of children (boys and girls) under 2 registered blanket supplementary feeding Baseline/target to be disaggregated by gender R2.3 I1 B: CRR (9.2%) NBR (11.4%) LRR (8.6%) URR (13.6%) R2.3 I2 B: 0 R2.3 I1 T: Reduction R2.3 I2 T: (60% girls) Project Report/Annual Report Project Report/Annual Report 22

27 APPENDIX II. UNICEF conceptual framework identifying three levels of causes of undernutrition 23