Restoring Food Security and Building Resilience in Crisis- Affected Communities in Mopti and Timbuktu (RECUPERATE) NEAR EAST FOUNDATION Partners for Community Development since 1915 Final Report Near East Foundation MALI: Rue 321, Porte 75, BP93, Sévaré Millionkin Region de Mopti, Mali (+223) 21.42.16.78 NEW YORK: 110 West Fayette Street, Suite710 Syracuse, NY 13202 ⋅ (315) 428-8670 www.neareast.org Project RECUPERATE Final Report Awardee Name and Host Country Near East Foundation Award Number AID-FFP-G-15-00055 Restoring Food Security and Building Resilience in Crisis-Affected Activity Name Communities in Mopti and Timbuktu (RECUPERATE) Activity Start Date June 1, 2015 Activity End Date November 30, 2017 Submission Date February 28, 2018 Awardee HQ Contact Name Dr. Charles Benjamin 110 West Fayette Street, Suite 710, Awardee HQ Contact Address Syracuse, NY 13202 Awardee HQ Contact Telephone +1 (315) 428 8670 Number Awardee HQ Contact E-mail [email protected] Address Host Country Office Contact Name Yacouba Dème Host Country Office Contact 223 21 45 20 23 Telephone Number Host Country Office Contact E-mail [email protected] Address Activity: Restoring Food Security and Building Resilience in Page | 2 Crisis-Affected Communities in Mopti and Timbuktu Award Number: AID-FFP-G-15-00055 Date of Submission: February 28, 2018 [Final Report] Project RECUPERATE Final Report Table of Contents ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ 4 A. ARR NARRATIVE ....................................................................................................................... 5 i. Interventions and Results ............................................................................................................. 5 ii. Direct Participating HH by Sector Table ................................................................................. 10 iii. Challenges, Successes, and Lessons Learned ........................................................................ 10 B. SUCCESS STORIES ................................................................................................................... 13 C. IPTT ............................................................................................................................................. 15 D. IPTT Indicator Data Source Descriptions ...................................................................... 15 E. Baseline/Evaluation, Assessments and Study Reports .............................................. 17 Activity: Restoring Food Security and Building Resilience in Page | 3 Crisis-Affected Communities in Mopti and Timbuktu Award Number: AID-FFP-G-15-00055 Date of Submission: February 28, 2018 [Final Report] Project RECUPERATE Final Report ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS FCFA West African CFA Franc FFP Food for Peace FMNR Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration ICRAF International Center for Research in Agroforestry IGA Income-Generating Activity NEF Near East Foundation NGO Non-Governmental Organization REI Rural Economic Institute SDR Soil Defense and Restoration SWC Soil and Water Conservation USAID United States Agency for International Development Activity: Restoring Food Security and Building Resilience in Page | 4 Crisis-Affected Communities in Mopti and Timbuktu Award Number: AID-FFP-G-15-00055 Date of Submission: February 28, 2018 [Final Report] Project RECUPERATE Final Report A. ARR NARRATIVE i. Interventions and Results a. Objective 1: Agriculture and Food Security. 19,627 (11,177 women) vulnerable individuals meet acute food needs through increased food access during the lean season and improved agricultural productivity. Activity 1.1 (FV): Provide seed protection food vouchers to 6,450 (3,870 women) vulnerable individuals to prevent consumption of seeds during the lean season. In the first year of the project, NEF implemented 2 rounds of seed protection voucher distribution (the first during the period from July-August 2015 and the second during the period from April-June 2016), distributing the equivalent of 1150.2 tons of millet in vouchers (235,059,050 FCFA) to 12,900 individuals (7,740 women) – 6,508 (3,893 women) of whom were unique – through our network of local grain suppliers. No seed protection food vouchers were distributed during the second year of the project. Activity 1.2 (FV): Distribute commodity-fixed food vouchers to 5,044 (2,496 women) participants in project NRM training and implementation activities using a food-for-assets and food-for-training approach. In the project’s first year, NEF distributed 79,570,700 FCFA worth of food vouchers to 6,446 unique beneficiaries (3,623 women) who participated in trainings or implemented activities involving SWC, SDR, and FMNR techniques. Beneficiaries exchanged these vouchers for 500.4 tons of millet through NEF’s network of local grain suppliers. Vouchers served to offset beneficiaries’ daily wages foregone by virtue of their participation in project activities, which included training for forestry cooperative members (1.3.1), construction of “living fences” around market gardens and fishponds (1.3.3), and stone and earthen dike construction (1.3.7) During year two, NEF distributed food vouchers worth a total of 4,795,200 FCFA to 432 unique beneficiaries. • In the project’s seventh quarter, the team distributed 52 millet vouchers to nursery workers identified in the communes of Dangol Boré, Korombana, Koubewel, Koundia, and Youwarou. Each nursery worker received a 50kg bag of millet, with a total quantity of 2.6 tons of millet distributed. • 380 individuals participating in activity 1.3.7, the implementation of soil and water conservation activities, received vouchers for 50 kg of millet. These beneficiaries, located in the three villages in the commune of Dangol Boré and three villages in the commune of Tédjé, received a total of 19 tons of millet for their SWC efforts. Activity 1.3 (CS): Introduce natural resource management/sustainable agriculture practices in support of livelihoods restoration, protection of production, and resilience 16,545 (9,601 women). 1.3.1: Capacity building for nurseries. In the project’s first year, NEF trained 78 unique individuals (18 women) belonging to 18 nursery cooperatives. The trainings sought to bolster food security among arborist households through a series of hands-on capacity-building exercises. For their efforts, Activity: Restoring Food Security and Building Resilience in Page | 5 Crisis-Affected Communities in Mopti and Timbuktu Award Number: AID-FFP-G-15-00055 Date of Submission: February 28, 2018 [Final Report] Project RECUPERATE Final Report trainees received vouchers to be exchanged for 50 kg of millet at shops. 21 of the 78 individuals were trained in as part of a 4-day event co-facilitated with the World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF). The training sought to increase the sustainability and productivity of agroforestry operations in Mopti region. Following the training, all 21 participants received samples of 10 different seed varieties, kits, wheelbarrows, shovels, and watering cans. During the second year of the project, the team continued its efforts to support the capacity building of local nursery workers. As part of the training in the project’s first year, each of the 78 participants had developed an individual plan to implement during the 2016- 2017 season. The project team followed each nursery worker to provide support and guidance in the implementation of their plans, and to monitor the effectiveness of their work—especially given the different agro- ecological areas in which they operate and the varied challenges they face. Based on the monitoring of 52 nursery workers (10 women), the project team found that 100% of those trained were able to develop their sites, and also to produce—with the seeds received— various species of trees of local interest. Nursery workers produced Moringa, Acacia Senegal, Acacia Albida, Baobab, Grafted Jujubier and Eucalyptus. Although the project team noted that water is a major constraint to increasing production of trees in the localities targeted by the project, beneficiaries were able to produce the following yields: . 12% of workers had produced approximately 500 plants. 62% of workers had produced approximately 850 plants. 26% of workers had produced approximately 1,200 plants. In addition to the monitoring and support provided to year one beneficiaries, 61 nursery workers (4 women) were trained during the project’s eighth quarter. A total of 3 training sessions were organized in Dangol Boré, Koubewel-Koundia and Tédjé in the cercle of Douentza. Each took place over the course of 4 days. Participants learned about techniques for soil conservation and applied anti-erosive techniques in the field. 1.3.2: Distribute trees to households (subsidized). In Year 1, NEF distributed 13,400 shade and fruit trees to 3,360 unique beneficiaries (2,794 women) to strengthen ecological diversity, and generate additional sources of revenue for local producers and institutions in the project’s first year. Trees were planted in and around household courtyards and public schools, health centers, and markets to create public green spaces and indoor gardens, improving quality of life for local residents and familiarizing communities with concepts for eco-conscious living. Year two of the project saw the distribution of 12,000 shade and fruit trees to 3,080 unique beneficiaries (2,240 women) across 14 communes to strengthen ecological diversity, and generate additional