USAID URBAN GARDENS PROGRAM FOR HIV/AIDS- AFFECTED WOMEN AND CHILDREN FINAL PROGRAM REPORT OCTOBER 2012 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI. USAID URBAN GARDENS PROGRAM FOR HIV/AIDS- AFFECTED WOMEN AND CHILDREN FINAL PROGRAM REPORT – OUTCOMES AND LESSONS LEARNED Program Title: USAID Urban Gardens Program for HIV/AIDS Affected Women and Children Sponsoring USAID Office: PEPFAR/USAID/Ethiopia Contract Number: 663-C-00-08-00427-00 Contractor: DAI Date of Publication: October 8, 2012 This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development/Ethiopia. It was prepared by DAI for the USAID Urban Gardens Program for HIV/AIDS- Affected Women and Children, Contract 663-C-00-08-00427-00. The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. This project has been supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through USAID/Ethiopia under the terms of Contract 663-C-00-08-00427-00. CONTENTS CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... I TABLES AND FIGURES ..................................................................................................... III PREFACE ............................................................................................................................ V ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................... VII ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................. IX EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... XI OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM ......................................................................................... 1 SUCCESSES AND RECCOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................... 3 1.1 IMPROVED GARDENING CAPACITY ..................................................................................... 3 Findings .......................................................................................................................... 3 Achievements.................................................................................................................. 4 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 6 1.2 IMPROVED LAND MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................... 7 Findings .......................................................................................................................... 7 Achievements.................................................................................................................. 7 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 9 1.3 IMPROVED WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION ............................................................. 9 Findings .......................................................................................................................... 9 Achievements................................................................................................................ 10 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 11 1.4 EXPANDED KNOWLEDGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES AND TECHNIQUES ..................... 12 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 12 Achievements................................................................................................................ 12 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 14 1.5 STRENGTHENED QUALITY AND MANAGEMENT OF SCHOOL GARDENS ................................ 16 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 16 Achievements................................................................................................................ 16 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 18 2.1 IMPROVED ACCESS TO GROUP SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND INCREASE FINANCIAL LITERACY ............................................................................................................................. 19 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 19 Achievements................................................................................................................ 19 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 20 2.2 IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF MARKET DYNAMICS AND RECOGNITION ............................ 20 USAID URBAN GARDENS PROGRAM FOR HIV/AIDS-AFFECTED WOMEN AND CHILDREN – FINAL REPORT i Findings ........................................................................................................................ 20 Achievements................................................................................................................ 21 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 23 2.3 IMPROVED AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES THROUGH BACKYARD POULTRY PRODUCTION PROGRAM ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 23 Achievements................................................................................................................ 24 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 24 3.1 STRENGTHENED AND EXPAND GARDEN HEALTH REFERRAL NETWORKS ........................... 25 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 25 Achievements................................................................................................................ 26 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 26 3.2 IMPROVED HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES .................................. 27 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 27 Achievements................................................................................................................ 27 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 28 4.1 IMPROVED CAPACITY OF IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS TO PLAN FOR LONG-TERM INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY ................................................................................................................... 29 Findings ........................................................................................................................ 29 Achievements................................................................................................................ 30 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 31 MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING ............................................................... 33 ANNEX A – TRAINING MANUALS .................................................................................... 35 ANNEX B –IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS ......................................................................... 37 ANNEX C – SUCCESS STORIES ...................................................................................... 41 ANNEX D – SCIENTIFIC POSTERS .................................................................................. 43 ANNEX E – MEDIA EXPOSURE ........................................................................................ 45 ANNEX F – VIDEO CLIPS .................................................................................................. 47 USAID URBAN GARDENS PROGRAM FOR ii HIV/AIDS AFFECTED WOMEN AND CHILDREN – FINAL REPORT TABLES AND FIGURES TABLE Table 1: Total Number of Gardens and Technical Support .............................................. 2 Table 2: Total Number of Gardeners ............................................................................... 4 FIGURE Figure 1: Five-Step Urban Garden Dialogue ................................................................... 5 Figure 2: USAID Urban Gardens Program Operational Areas ......................................... 8 USAID URBAN GARDENS PROGRAM FOR HIV/AIDS-AFFECTED WOMEN AND CHILDREN – FINAL REPORT iii PREFACE The USAID Urban Gardens Program for HIV-Affected Women and Children was an innovative approach to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable and marginalized populations. Although this was technically