Evaluation of Improving Household Food Security and Nutrition in The
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Evaluation of Improving Household Food Security and Nutrition in the Luapula Valley Project (IHFSAN) Report of the Evaluation Mission November 2001 Preface The following draft report represents the views of the independent evaluation mission on the performance and achievements of the IHFSAN (Improving Household Food Security and Nutrition in the Luapula Valley) project. The evaluation was initiated with a view to providing the donor, collaborating agencies and FAO with an independent and objective assessment of the current status of implementation of the project, including a review of problems faced. The mission started on 16 September 2001 and ended on 5 October 2001; nine communities involved in the IHFSAN project were visited and numerous collaborators at field, district and provincial level were met. In addition, the mission visited relevant offices in Lusaka. The evaluation was a challenging task given the complex history of the project, the amount of reports, correspondence etc. produced, as well as the relative scarcity of information available on the project’s outcomes and impact. The evaluation mission is most appreciative of the efforts made by the staff and management of IHFSAN, the GRZ officers in the districts visited, and the FAO representation, as well as a range of other individuals who provided information and discussed issues in a frank and constructive manner. The community groups met provided valuable insights and always gave a warm welcome to the mission. In the districts, brainstorming sessions were organized with district officers and Community Support Staff (CSS), which produced sometimes surprising results. The draft report has also benefited from briefings and discussions with ESNP (nutrition), AGPC (crop production) and AGSM (marketing and rural finance) staff members at FAO headquarters in Rome. The IHFSAN Evaluation Mission Bernd Bultemeier, Evaluation Service, FAO, Rome Margaret McEwan, Independent Consultant, Lusaka Crispin Chanda, Department of Field Services, MAFF, Lusaka Mukelabai Ndiyoi, FASAZ, Lusaka Table of Contents PREFACE ................................................................................................................................................................ I TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................................................................... II LIST OF ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................ IV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................................ VI CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................... VIII GOVERNMENT SPHERE ......................................................................................................................................... VIII Government involvement.............................................................................................................................. viii Government funding ..................................................................................................................................... viii Working arrangements.................................................................................................................................. viii PROJECT SPHERE ................................................................................................................................................ VIII Project documents ........................................................................................................................................ viii Project supervisory arrangements ..................................................................................................................ix Technical backstopping ..................................................................................................................................ix Operational backstopping ...............................................................................................................................ix Reporting and M&E arrangements .................................................................................................................ix Project management........................................................................................................................................x RESULTS SPHERE ................................................................................................................................................... X Community Action Plans..................................................................................................................................x Community Development Fund (CDF)............................................................................................................xi Micro projects .................................................................................................................................................xi Empowerment.................................................................................................................................................xi Improved food production and availability......................................................................................................xii Household-level knowledge and practices related to dietary intake and nutrition.........................................xiv Vulnerable groups......................................................................................................................................... xiv Gender sensitivity ..........................................................................................................................................xv Better understanding by CSS of food security, nutrition and other issues .....................................................xv Improved access to, and quality of, health care within the communities........................................................xv THE WAY FORWARD .............................................................................................................................................. XVI Consolidation of results and preparation of follow-up ...................................................................................xvi 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 1 2. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN........................................................................................................ 1 2.1 INDICATORS , ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS ............................................................................................................ 2 2.2 BENEFICIARIES .............................................................................................................................................. 2 2.3 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 2 3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION STATUS ...................................................................................................... 3 3.1 PROJECT BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE .............................................................................................................. 3 3.2 ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS ............................................................................................................................... 4 3.2.1 Increased year-round food production of specific oil crops, staple crops, fruits and vegetables........ 4 3.2.2 Improved food availability and decreased seasonal variation through the introduction of appropriate storage, processing, preservation and preparation techniques and practices ................................................ 7 3.2.3 Communities empowered to ensure household food security and adequate nutrition for the most vulnerable (includes ALF objectives 1, 2, 6, 9) ............................................................................................... 8 3.2.4 Local knowledge base of communities, extension and other support services strengthened towards improved household food security and nutrition (includes ALF objectives 7, 10).......................................... 10 3.2.5 System of sustainable participatory monitoring and evaluation established .................................... 12 3.2.6 Improved access to and quality of health care within the communities presently served by the project (includes ALF objective 8 – see also section on health and nutrition knowledge above) ..................... 12 4. GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT, TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL BACKSTOPPING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 13 4.2 TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL BACKSTOPPING ............................................................................................... 13 4.3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................................... 14 5. ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL RESULTS ......................................................................................................