Development for Food Security Activity (DFSA) Targeted Response for Agriculture, Income and Nutrition (TRAIN) Project Fifth Year Quarter I Report October to December 31, 2020 Submission Date: January 29, 2021 [Contract/Agreement] Number: [AID-FFP-A-16-00007] Activity Start Date and End Date: Sep 30, 2016 – Sep 29, 2021 [COR/AOR] Name: Clifford Davison Submitted by: Girma Deressa Chief of Party Addis Ababa Tel: +251 911 676324 Email: [email protected] Targeted Response for Agriculture, Income and Project Name: Nutrition Activity Start Date And End Date: Sep 30, 2016 – Sep 29, 2021 Name of Prime Implementing Partner: Food for the Hungry (FH) [Contract/Agreement] Number: AID-FFP-A-16-00007 Amhara Credit and Saving Institution (ACSI), Amhara Name of Sub-contractors/Sub- Development Association (ADA) and Sun Mountain awardees: International (SMTN) Major Counterpart Organizations Zonal and district level government line offices Seven Districts in Ethiopia, Amhara Regional State Geographic Coverage [Lay Gayint, Tach Gayint, Sede-Muja, Simada, Abergele, Sahila and Ziquala] Reporting Period: October 1-December 31, 2020 Table of Contents 1. Project Description 1 2. Activity Implementation Progress 2 Purpose 1: Improved Resilience of HHs/Communities to Shock 2 Purpose 2: Increased Availability of Sage, Diverse, Nutrition and High Value Food 7 Purpose 3: Increased Equitable Income for Men, Women, and Youth 11 Purpose 4: Improved Nutrition or CU5, PLW, and WRA, including Adolescent Girls 20 3. Integration of Cross-Cutting Issues 24 4. Management 29 5. Program Monitoring and Evaluation 29 6. Planned Activities for Next Quarter Including Upcoming Events 30 7. How TRAIN Has Addressed FFP Comments from the Last Quarterly Report 31 8. Annexes 31 Table of Tables Table 1: To-date Result of Selected Indicators 1 Table 2: Location Information of Social Infrastructure Construction 5 Table 3: Details of SSIs 10 Table 4: Key Gender Achievements 25 Table 5: Key Youth Achievements 25 Acronyms ACSI Amhara Credit and Saving Institution BHA Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance ADA Amhara Development Association ANC Antenatal Care BoQ Bill of Quantity CFSTF Community Food Security Taskforce CG Care Group CLTS Community Led Total Sanitation CLTSH Community Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene CRM Climate Risk Management CSA Climate Smart Agriculture CSO Civil Society Organizations CVF Community Volunteer Facilitator DA Development Agent DFSA Development Food Security Activity DRR Disaster Risk Reduction ENA Essential Nutrition ESMF Environment, Social and Management Framework EW Early Warning FDP Final Distribution Point FGD Focus Group Discussion FP Family Planning FTC Farmers Training Center FY Fiscal Year GBV Gender-Based Violence GMF Gender Model Family GoE Government of Ethiopia GoG Gender Outreach Group GSD Gender and Social Development HEW Health Extension Worker HH Households HNA Health and Nutrition Animator HNO Health and Nutrition Officer HSF Health and Sanitation Facilitator IO Intermediate Outcome IWU Irrigation Water User J-SMR Joint Structured Monitoring Review KAC Kebele Appeal Committee KFSTF Kebele Food Security Taskforce LG Livelihood Group M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MCHN Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition MOU Memorandum of Understanding MT Metric Ton NRM Natural Resource Management NRME Natural Resource Management and Environment PDS Permanent Direct Support PIM Programme Implementation Manual PIRMS Pandemic Impact Remote Monitoring Survey PLW Pregnant and Lactating Women PME Planning Monitoring and Evaluation PNC Postnatal Care PSNP Productive Safety Net Programme PW Public Work RH Reproductive Health RPASS Rural Payroll and Attendance Sheet System RuSaCCo Rural Savings and Credit Cooperative SA Social Accountability SAC Social Accountability Committee SGIWP Sectoral Gender Integration Work Plan SHG Self Help Group SMTN Sun Mountain International SOP Standard Operating Procedure SSI Small Scale Irrigation SWC Soil and Water Conservation ToT Training of Trainer TRAIN Targeted Response for Agriculture, Income and Nutrition TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training USAID United States Agency for International Development VIP Ventilated Improved Pit WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WHDA Women Health Development Army 1. Project Description FH, in partnership with ADA, ACSI and SMTN, has been implementing the DFSA-TRAIN project in seven woredas of Amhara regional state since September 2016. The project is financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). The overarching goal of TRAIN is to enhance resilience to shocks and livelihoods and to improve food security and nutrition for rural households (HHs) vulnerable to food insecurity. This goal is supported by four multi- sectoral purposes, eleven sub-purposes (SP) and associated intermediate outcomes (IOs). This first quarter report captures the progress of project implementation from October-December 2020. The report was consolidated using data sources from regular process and output monitoring and presented by purpose, SP and IO following the project’s results framework. 1.1 Summary of to-date results selected annual indicators In the reporting quarter, accomplishment of activities contributed primarily to four performance indicators as indicated in Table 1. The first two indicators are related to area treatment as a result of implementation of soil and water conservation activities (SWC). The third indicator combines varieties of training on natural resource management (NRM), crop management and financial aspects that contribute to food security. The fourth indicator relates to improving the physical access to markets via road construction or rehabilitation. Table 1: To-date Result of Selected Indicators Annual On Annual Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Indicators Performance Track Target Achieved (%) Y/N Total area closed through PSNP PW activities 11,007.2 1012 9.2 Y (ha.) Hectares of closed areas with improved 9,067 633. management practices as a result of USG 5 7* N assistance Number of individuals who have received USG 7,403 905 12** Y supported short-term agricultural sector productivity or food security training Males 4,063 625 15 Females 3,340 280 0.8 Kilometers of roads improved or constructed 200 161 80.5 Y as a result of USG assistance DFSA-TRAIN AID-FFP-A-16-00007 Submission date: January 29, 2021 1 *Majority of SWC activities that are converted to areas for this indicator are underachieved. It is mainly attributed to the fact that PW activities tend to increase in magnitude in the second and third quarters. **The percentage is lower than its logical value (25%) partly because we follow a cascading approach in which DAs, and lead farmers receive training first and then they would in turn train follower farmers. Moreover, some of the training activities are planned in the second quarter. 2.0 Activity Implementation Progress 2.1 Progress Narrative Overall program progress for year The project intends to implement over 262 activities (listed in the Detailed Implementation Plan) during this reporting year. This reporting quarter covers approximately 56% of the activities. Of the 142 planned activities for the quarter, the project carried out 111 diverse activities during this quarter (42% of the annual target; 78% of the quarter target). Of the total planned activities, 30% were not implemented mainly due to the security situation in Tigray region and its impact on neighboring Wag-Himra. Of the total activities carried out in the quarter, 28% are within acceptable range of accomplishment (+/-10%), 54% are under the expected achievement, and 18% have surpassed expectations. In addition, four activities that were not planned for the quarter were completed. In the next quarter, the project will prioritize the activities missed during this reporting period. To ensure rapid implementation in the second quarter, preliminary activities, such as purchases, were completed. FH anticipates that as long as the security situation continues to improve, it will be able to accomplish all missed activities in the second quarter. In order to minimize the impact of COVID-19, FH developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for staff and government officers to follow when implementing activities. At each kebele, in collaboration with the Woreda Offices of Health, awareness was raised on the necessary care measures. FH and government staff closely monitored adherence of the SOPs during community gatherings. As part of the SOPs, community members maintained social distancing, avoided sharing hand tools during PW activities, limited the number of people gathering, encouraged the use of PPE (alcohol and or sanitizer and facemasks), established handwashing stations, and enforced handwashing practices in public places. 2.2 Implementation Status The implementation status of activities carried out in the reporting quarter is discussed under this section. The narrative follows TRAIN’s results framework and discussion goes under each IO. The conflict between the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and Tigray People Liberation Front in Tigray region impacted implementation in neighboring Wag-Himra projects (Abergele, Ziquala and Sahila). Staff were relocated to avoid potential harm, full and partial travel restrictions were put into place, cell phone, internet and power were down and released intermittently. PURPOSE 1: Improved Resilience of HH/Communities to Shocks SP 1.1: Improved Relevance, Function, Responsiveness of Existing/New DRR Committees IO 1.1.1: