Multi-sector programmes at the sub-national level: A case study of the communes de convergence approach in Maradi, Niger n o t l a W e n i a h p i T / P F W / D A F I / O A F Multisector programmes at the sub-national level: A case study of the communes de convergence approach in Maradi, Niger Authors Ambarka Youssoufane, Tui Swinnen, Natalie Sessions, Jeremy Shoham and Carmel Dolan Acknowledgements Acronyms ENN carried out a case study on multisector 3N/I3N les Nigériens nourrissent les Nigériens programming at sub-national level as part of our work ALIMA The Alliance for International Medical Action under the Technical Assistance for Nutrition (TAN) AREN Association of Livestock Development in Niger programme funded by the UK Government through C2C Communes de convergence UK Aid. This work has been facilitated and made CLTS Community led total sanitation possible by the many stakeholders we met throughout CMAM Community management of Acute Malnutrition this case study, whom we would like to thank. DC/AT Direction du development communautaire et aménagement du territoire We would like to give special thanks to Ali Bety (3N ENN Emergency Nutrition Network initiative High Commissioner), Dr Nassirou Ousmane EU European Union (SUN Movement Focal Point and Director of FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation nutrition), Dr Mahamadou Aboubacar (nutrition GTTR Groupe Technique de Travail sur la Résilience specialist, 3N High Commission), Saley Mahamadou (former C2C Coordinator, 3N initiative) and Dr HC3N 3N High Commission IAOMD Initiative d'Accélération des Objectifs du Maidadji Oumarou (SUN Civil Society Coordinator; Millénaire pour le Développement NGO ALIMA National Coordinator), who have IFAD International Fund for Agricultural facilitated and contributed to this study. Development Our thanks also go to Moutari Zezi Dade (UNICEF, IYCF Infant and Young Child Feeding Monitoring and Evaluation Officer), Boureima KMS Knowledge Management Specialists Adamou (WFP, Resilience Officer) and Abdoul Malick M&E Monitoring and Evaluation Fourera (FAO, National Nutrition Officer), whose MoU Memorandum of Understanding participation and support was essential to the NGO Non-Governmental Organisation success of this work. OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Lastly, we want to acknowledge all our stakeholders PAA Plan d’Action Annuel in the field whose testimonies contributed to the PCM Maradi Joint Programme richness of this study: Mamane Saley (WFP, Regional PDES Economic and Social Development Plan Resilience Officer), Amadou Cissé (UNICEF, Regional SMART Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Coordinator), Dr Hamza Elh Djibril (FAO, Regional Relief and Transition Coordinator), Kiari Boukar Sadik (UNDP, Regional SUN Scaling Up Nutrition Movement Coordinator), Ousseini Issoufou (Mayor, Chadakori), TAN Technical Assistance Programme Boubacar Seydou (Mayor, Djirataoua), Boubacar ToR Terms of Reference Soumana (Regional Director, Community UN United Nations Development and Land Management Service), UN United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Yacouba Abouda, (Regional Director, Agriculture) WOMEN the Empowerment of Women and Dr Rabo Souley (Regional Nutrition Focal Point). UNCDF United Nations Capital Development Fund UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance This field study was conducted with full support and Framework knowledge of the Government of Niger. Unfortunately, UNDP United Nations Development Programme as a result of various constraints, the Government was UNFPA United Nations Population Fund not able to input into the final write up of findings and UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for officially endorse this report. We however, warmly Refugees thank them for allowing us to explore the very UNICEF United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund valuable lessons learnt within the country. UNV United Nations Volunteers Programme WASH Water, Hygiene and Sanitation WFP World Food Programme WHO World Health Organisation Multisector programmes at the sub-national level: A case study of the communes de convergence approach in Maradi, Niger Contents Executive Summary 1 Section 1: Multisector programming in Niger 3 Introduction 3 Outline 4 Background 4 Forces behind changing the ways of working 5 The communes de convergence approach 7 Examples of activities undertaken under the C2C approach 10 An example of joint programming in Maradi 10 Overall findings 11 Specific findings and learnings 12 Some challenges to implementation 14 Key recommendations 19 Conclusion 19 Annex 1: Institutional arrangements and responsibilities in the C2C 20 approach Annex 2: 2018 annual action plan of Chadakori commune 21 Annex 3: Stakeholders interviewed 23 o Executive summary t a T s i u L / P F W A group of woman / D A F working at sorghum I / O crops in Maradi, Niger A F iger has one of the highest rates of which specific activities are to be carried out, and a undernourished children in the Sahel region timeline. The UN has played a critical and central role and is regularly confronted with episodes of in developing and designing the C2C, including food insecurity. As a result, it has a changing its own ways of working to support the N convergence approach. The UN, implementing actors patchwork of humanitarian and development actors working across the country, with limited government and government partners worked together to design oversight. The limited government funding and and plan nutrition programmes to be delivered in the oversight makes implementing large-scale, chosen communes. multisector programming very challenging. However, In August and October 2018 ENN’s team of regional the ‘communes de convergence’ (C2C) approach that knowledge management experts visited Niger to began in 2013 has offered a promising example of document the progress of the approach at national government and partner agencies improving and commune level. The visits offered a broad convergence and multisector collaboration in nutrition understanding of the work that has been done so far by working through communes (the lowest level of to reduce stunting in the regions, as well as the governance in the country). The approach came from challenges of the approach. The findings from the the 2012 establishment of ‘les Nigériens nourrissent visits offer other countries unique insights into les Nigériens’ (3N initiative or I3N). This high-level multisector programming at a sub-national level. body sits in the President’s office and has a mandate to coordinate nutrition across different sectors and The findings reveal that, while many challenges exist, implementing agencies in the country. the C2C approach offers a promising mechanism for ensuring coordination at a local level and avoiding Led by the 3N High Commission (HC3N) and UN duplication of services. Having all actors align around agencies, the C2C approach was rolled out in 35 pilot development work and providing a platform for communes in Niger over a four-year period from communication have been extremely valuable. 2013-2018. Communes were selected based on Stakeholders reported that improvements in planning vulnerability, with the most nutritionally vulnerable and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) at the commune communes given priority. The core concept of the level are already being seen as a result of the approach involves each commune developing its own approach. It has enabled joint UN programming, with annual plan through a consultative process, bringing all UN agencies slowly beginning to develop common together all main agencies involved in implementing programmes with common funding and shared nutrition activities in that commune. This is formalised responsibilities. It has also led to the strengthening of into a commune plan, which aims to provide a pre-existing programmes in the communes, such as complete picture of what is to be done, how much the ‘Initiative d'Accélération des Objectifs du each agency is committing to spending on what, Millénaire pour le Développement‘ (Millennium 1 Multisector programmes at the sub-national level: A case study of the communes de convergence approach in Maradi, Niger Development Goals Acceleration Programme), and horizontal and vertical coordination frameworks. That has enabled a local, contextualised focus on nutrition being said, Niger is a very challenging context in programming. Another positive aspect of the C2C which to conduct multisector programming and it has approach is that it has led to greater resources being been encouraging to see the C2C approach make channelled into priority communes. One example of strides in developing coordination mechanisms for this is the extra human resources being provided to joint planning and programming. This case study the communes through the UN Volunteers offers useful learnings to other countries in the West programme. Africa region and to a broader global audience on ways that local-level governments can drive However, there have been a number of challenges to coordination and avoid programme duplication, even implementation of the approach. These include: overall when initiatives are set up by partner organisations, as programming is still being largely led by the national well as how longer-term planning can be introduced level, despite the focus on the local level; multiple into humanitarian, short-term interventions. overlapping governance structures in the country remain, which creates duplication and confusion; and coordination meetings have been discontinued due to logistical issues