Food Security and Nutrition Network Knowledge Sharing Meeting
Maputo, Mozambique September 21-23, 2011
The USAID/Office of Food for Peace (FFP)-funded TOPS Program held its second Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Network Technical Meeting to bring together food security and nutrition grantees, donors, and researchers for peer learning, knowledge sharing, and networking around improved food aid implementation. This meeting was open to participants from throughout the food security and nutrition implementing community. Please see below the list of sessions and presentations (if available). Please note that not all sessions had power point presentations.
The FSN Network meeting was preceded by two days of capacity strengthening workshops by TOPS technical specialists in agriculture, nutrition and food technology, monitoring and evaluation, and social and behavioral change. For more information and materials from this meeting please click here.
Overview
Session Presentations
Improving Consortium Working Relationships: A First Step
Co-facilitators: Karen LeBan, Director, CORE; Lisa Kuennen-Asfaw, Director, Public Donor Group, CRS
Many Title II and other food security programs now operate with a prime leading a consortium of international and local NGO sub-recipients. The consortium arrangement allows for greater geographic coverage, inclusion of technical and sectoral strengths from multiple organizations, and the potential of much greater impact through the synergy of the collaboration as well as the greater coverage. However, working in a consortium is also managerially more complex than handling a project alone. This session explored different components of consortium, using input from primes, subs and perhaps organizations that have yet to participate in a consortium arrangement. After reviewing different aspects of work in consortium, the session participants selected two areas for further discussion of possible improvements, bringing to bear their practical experience and any tools or resource materials. CRS’s CAFÉ manual was provided on CD in English, French and Spanish to all participants for future reference. The group identified some key ways forward for improving consortium work in the future.
Conservation Agriculture:Obstacles and Opportunities
Facilitator: Penny Anderson, Director of Food Security, Mercy Corps Presenters: Moffatt Ngugi, Climate Change Advisor, USAID/Bureau for Food Security; Jonathan Mkumbira, Technical Quality Coordinator, Agriculture/Natural Resource Management, WALA Malawi
Conservation agriculture aims to combine improved and sustainable rural livelihoods with climate-smart agricultural techniques, ensuring both short-term and long-term benefit to participating communities. In the past few years, conservation agriculture has been more and more widely practiced, and is actively promoted by groups such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Comprehensive Africa Development Programme. This session examined experiences with conservation agriculture in the field. What benefits have farmers encountered? What obstacles have they faced? What lessons have been learned about the appropriateness and sustainability of this methodology in Title II programs?
Next Steps for Food Aid Quality Review (FAQR) Recommendations
Presenter: Nina Schlossman, President and Co-Principal Investigator of the Food Aid Quality Review, Global Food and Nutrition Inc
The session included a brief presentation of the recommendations of Phase One of the FAQR project. This was followed by a discussion of the next steps as projected for Phase Two, and opportunities for stakeholder involvement in the implementation process.
Integration of Agriculture and Nutrition
Moderator: Penny Anderson, Food Security Director, Mercy Corps Presenters: William Fiebig, TOPS Agricultural Senior Specialist, Mercy Corps; Adugna Kebede, Director for Health, Nutrition and HIV and AIDS for Southern Africa Region, World Vision
Strengthening of agricultural productivity, livelihoods and improving household nutrition are both common objectives of Title II programs, and essential components for reducing food insecurity. Yet, programs are sometimes challenged to integrate these approaches effectively, with technical experts in agriculture and nutrition implementing activities separately even when working in the same communities. This session explored the opportunities for linkages between these two disciplines, and present examples of successful integration in current Title II programs.
Outcome Monitoring and the World Food Program’s Community Household Surveillance Survey
Presenter: Lara Da Silva Carrilho, Vulnerability Assessment and Mapping Officer and Coordinator of the Bi-Annual Community and Household Surveillance System, World Food Program (WFP)
During this session, participants were introduced to the Community and Household Surveillance (CHS) system developed and implemented by WFP. The CHS system provides information on the food security and nutrition situation at critical times of the year. A specific feature of the system is that it allows the measurement of short and longer-term effects (outcomes) of food assistance interventions by capturing comparable data from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. The system has been tested over many years in seven countries in the Southern African Development Community region. The main objective of CHS is to help WFP and its partners taking an informed decision to develop and refine its strategies to enhance the household food security status (e.g. unconditional or conditional transfers). It enables food security and nutrition trend analysis of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries over time and allows for impact assessment of different program categories and transfer modalities. In addition, the system could be useful to measure outcomes of blanket nutrition feeding programs targeted at children under-5 and children under-2. Besides outcome monitoring, the system also covers post-distribution monitoring information including household perceptions on targeting, access to assistance, satisfaction with the quality, and use of food.
Care Groups: Field Experiences and Adaptations in Food Security Programs
Facilitator: Tom Davis, TOPS Social and Behavior Change Senior Specialist, Senior Director of Program Quality Improvement, Food for the Hungry
Discussants: Adugna Kebede, Director for Health, Nutrition and HIV and AIDS for Southern Africa Region, World Vision; John Chimpukso, Program Manager, Emmanuel International; Hilda Kawala, Program Manager, World Vision International; William Kawenda, Program Manager; Project Concern International; Doris Mphande, Health and Nutrition Program Coordinator, Save the Children
A Care Group is a group of 10‐15 volunteer, community‐based health educators who regularly meet together with NGO project staff for training and supervision. Each of these volunteers then go out at least monthly to do promotion of behaviors with a small cohort of mothers of young children. They are different from typical mothers groups in that each volunteer is chosen by the 10‐15 of her neighborhood mothers she serves and then is responsible for regularly visiting these mothers, sharing what she has learned and facilitating behavior change at the household level.
During these roundtable discussions, participants discussed how they have used and adapted Care Groups in their food security programs. The latest Care Group criteria document was presented and participants discussed ways in which they have adhered to - and deviated from - the criteria, and the results they are seeing in their adaptations. This was an excellent session to attend to further your knowledge of the use of Care Groups, to ask your questions about best practice concerning Care Groups, and to share your experiences with this model with other food security implementers. A brief presentation on the latest results seen by multiple organizations using Care Groups was included.
Developing Context-Relevant Trigger Indicators
Facilitator: Jen Peterson, Chief of Party for the SALOHI MYAP, Catholic Relief Services
In November 2007, USAID’s Office of Food For Peace released Occasional Paper #5: Trigger Indicators (TI) and Early Warning and Response Systems in Multi Year Title II Assistance Programs. This paper introduced the concept of early warning and response mechanisms (including TIs), reviewed previous country program experience with TIs and included recommendations to operationalize the use of TIs within Title II Programs. The idea behind the use of these indicators is to facilitate the transition from development to emergency programming without undermining existing development outcomes.
The purpose of TIs is to identify when a shock (or series of shocks) may undermine food security sufficiently to warrant either adjustments in programming of Title II resources or additional emergency food resources. A TI plan should include: a list of the most common shocks, their immediate effects, response strategies in times of stress (coping mechanisms); dietary and nutritional effects, as well as thresholds and baseline levels, a Monitoring and Evaluation plan, a reporting plan, a partnership plan and an action framework. TI’s should only target MYAP beneficiaries.
This session focused on sharing country program experience working with TIs; what specific indicators and thresholds levels are being used as well as data collection methods. Participants were asked to consider how they have found TIs to be helpful for their programming, as well as what kinds of challenges partners have encountered and how they overcame them. Technical and procedural questions will be collected and partners will develop an action plan to improve the TI process.
Communicating Effectively to Get Your Message Across
Facilitator: Jessica Hartl, Information Officer, Food for Peace, USAID
USAID partners working on food assistance programs have great stories to tell – yet often we forget to do so. For those focused on the day-to-day implementation of food assistance programs in particular, external communications may not be a high priority. Yet, a key part of demonstrating our impact is the messaging and effective communications of the work that we do. So how do we communicate effectively and consistently about food assistance programs? This session focused on several means of communicating effectively about our work including: messaging, telling our story more effectively and the branding and marking of projects.
Sharing Early Experiences with the Prevention of Malnutrition in Under Twos Approach (PM2A)
Facilitator: Joan Jennings, TOPS Nutrition and Food Technology Senior Specialist, Save the Children
In an informal roundtable setting, participants as peers will share and discuss their early experiences with the PM2A approach – identifying strengths, challenges and possible solutions to challenges.
Promoting Dialogue between Food Security Implementers and Policy Makers and Donors
Facilitator: Christopher Szecsey, CORE Consultant
Fostering communication and building relationships between key food security stakeholder groups represented here is essential in laying a firm foundation for mutual understanding and successful future collaboration. By listening to and learning from each other, stakeholder groups are more likely to inform food security policy and improve field level implementation, with enhanced project results. The rationale for this session is that openness; trust, dialogue and relations are a pre-condition for collaborative learning, innovation and positive change. How we converse with each other often determines the success of what we are striving to achieve together.
This introductory session provided an opportunity for food security field implementers and policy-makers or donors to share their perspectives with each other. This was done, first, as separate stakeholder groups reflecting on respective strengths, best practices and what they appreciate about the work of the other stakeholder group; then as mixed stakeholder groups, to discuss with each other expectations for future work together.
Influence of Grandmothers and Men on Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices During the First 1,000 Days
Presenter: Faith Thuita, IYCN Nutrition Technical Advisor, Kenya, PATH
From recent experiences in the IYCN Project, the presenter shared lessons learned about the role of grandmothers and men in infant and young child feeding practices. Discussion centered on when and how the influence of grandmothers and men may vary in relation to specific recommended practices within the first 1,000 days of a child's life (such as women's nutrition during pregnancy, immediate initiation of breastfeeding, or introduction of complementary foods). Participants were encouraged to consider whether the role and influence of grandmothers and men identified are similar or different within the context of their countries and projects.
Does the Value Chain Approach Help the Most Vulnerable?
Moderator: Paul Sommers, Senior Agriculture Technical Consultant, Mercy Corps Presenters: Charles Chikwiramadara, Value Chain and Marketing Specialist, ACDI/VOCA; John Nyirenda, Director Food Security, Save the Children; Wales Mgumbi, SANA Agriculture Manager, Save the Children
Upgrading existing agricultural supply chains is a popular activity within MYAP programs. There are numerous success stories as supply chain actors generally see an increase in the value of their product. However, the picture for vulnerable households identified and main target group of MYAP assistance is less clear.
MYAP participants want to learn about successful push/pull strategies for engaging and integrating marginal participants in value chains. What works and what doesn't? What are the key barriers to participation by vulnerable households and how do you overcome those barriers?
- Way Forward
- Presentation Slides-1
- Presentation Slides-2
- Presentation Slides-3
- Presentation Slides-4
- Handouts
Exploring Forms for Beneficiary Tracking
Presenters: Marumbo Ngwira, Learning Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, World Vision, Richard Lankas, Field Support and Developer- Last Mile Mobile Solutions (LMMS), World Vision, Nazmul Kalam, Management Information Systems Manager, Save the Children
Beneficiary tracking without duplication has been identified as a challenge by many PVOs in different forums. This session explored some of the promising tools that are in practice by different organizations in tracking beneficiary households.
World Vision presented its LMMS system that utilizes mobile computing technologies and better humanitarian business practices in an effort to promote greater efficiencies and heighten accountability in food aid programming at the last mile of its humanitarian work – that point of transaction between end beneficiaries and the humanitarian agency.
The automated LMMS system uses improved procedures in delivering aid through photo verification of households or proxies authorized to receive aid. LMMS issues computer readable photo identification cards to primary beneficiaries (capable of being printed in the field). The system works in conjunction with a central database of all beneficiaries and the machine-readable photo identification (ID) card. With the swipe of a ID card, families receive the right amount of food without all the waiting and the paper work. LMMS eliminates the reliance on paper-based systems, automatically calculates accurate food rations and delivers faster web-based reports to donors and stakeholders.
Save the Children presented its McAID system, which registers all beneficiaries and gives each beneficiary a unique ID. The information is recorded in a centrally managed database, which is accessible through intranet. McAID uses smartphones to communicate with the central server to update the registration, service information, food distribution and other information.
Designing for Behavior Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management, Health and Nutrition
Presenter: Tom Davis, TOPS Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Senior Specialist; Senior Director of Program Quality Improvement, Food for the Hungry
During this session, participants were introduced to the new manual and training on Designing for Behavior Change for Ag, NRM, Health, and Nutrition. The DBC training responds to community development project managers’ and planners’ need for a practical behavioral framework that aids them in planning their projects strategically for maximum effectiveness. Participants learned the overall approach, changes made to the DBC training to adapt it for use with multiple food security program sectors, how using the framework can improve their results, and several opportunities TOPS is making available for improving food security staff members’ skills in a DBC approach.
Operationalizing Gender Integration for Food Security Programs
Moderator: Sylvia Cabus, Gender Advisor, USAID/Bureau for Food Security Presenters: Penny Anderson, Food Security Director, Mercy Corps; Adugna Kebede, Director for Health, Nutrition and HIV and AIDS for Southern Africa Region, World Vision; Melvin Siwale, Deputy Country Manager, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
There is a growing realization that gender equality and empowerment of women and girls are key to attaining food and nutrition security. It is also increasingly clear that better understanding the roles of women, men, girls and boys in farming and marketing systems, in health systems, and in household and community decision-making can often serve to make food security and nutrition programs more cost efficient and impactful. As a result, organizations are actively exploring how best to incorporate gender into their programming. During this session, participants heard a panel of representatives from Title II grantee organizations share their experiences with integrating gender considerations into their food security efforts. The short presentations were followed by a highly interactive exchange of participants' experiences, questions and ideas.
Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition
Presenter: Tina Lloren, Regional Nutrition Advisor, Save the Children
In recent years, an exciting new strategy to address acute malnutrition has been adopted by many countries. The approach called, Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), grew out of the advent of nut-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF), with Plumpy’nut being the most well known name brand. CMAM involves both community and clinical interventions. It has had great success in reducing deaths, improving how quickly children are cured, improving the coverage of services, and even helping to identify children with HIV. During this interactive session, participants became familiar with acute malnutrition, RUTFs like Plumpy’nut and the CMAM strategy.
Local and Regional Procurement
Moderator: Lisa Kuennen-Asfaw, Director, Public Donor Group, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Presenter: Joshua Poole, Public Donor Liaison, CRS
A LRP approach offers donors and PVOs an alternative tool to address rising food aid costs and the issue of delivery time. While challenges do exist with this approach, evidence and data are being collected from a growing number of projects currently being implemented globally. This data will help shed light on quality standards, product specifications, impact on local markets and prices, as well as potentially sustainable benefits.
This session explored how LRP is being used for emergency as well as development efforts, what are some examples of efforts in the field and how PVOs are working together to document data and findings for future advocacy related efforts. Additionally, the next Farm Bill was discussed as far as how the current data can be used to influence policy.
Leveraging the VSL Concept for Agriculture and Nutrition Outcomes
Moderator: Paul Sommers, Senior Agriculture Technical Consultant, Mercy Corps Presenters: Alloys Omolo, Agricultural Programs Coordinator, Food for the Hungry; Inacio Jossitala, STRIVE Manager, Save the Children Mozambique; John Nyirenda, Director, WALA Malawi
The VSL concept is becoming an increasing integral part of MYAP programs. Most projects report VSLs to be a popular and successful activity amongst those participating in their community. MYAP staff are asking if the VSL concept can move to the next stage to that of being fully integrated with the other agriculture and nutrition components. This session looked at what are successful strategies for leveraging the VSL concept so that it is strategic in addressing specific agricultural issues within a value chain, that has led to improved food security. Successful examples of how to engage and integrate marginalized and vulnerable households into VSLs were examined as well as the barriers to integration and how to overcome those barriers.
How to Monitor Quality of Social and Behavior Change
Moderator: Tom Davis, TOPS SBC Senior Specialist; Senior Director of Program Quality Improvement, Food for the Hungry.Presenter: Adugna Kebede, Director for Health, Nutrition and HIV and AIDS for Southern Africa Region, World Vision
Do all of the workers in your project have the same vision of perfect performance? Do they ever enjoy being supervised? Quality Improvement and Verification Checklists (QIVCs) provide a detailed check of development workers’ performance on their key processes in order to monitor and improve their performance, identify “system problems,” and to encourage them. QIVCs are being used in many countries throughout the world to improve key processes. QIV checklists can be used in a way that provides an opportunity for positive monitoring while sharing a vision of what perfect performance looks like.
Participants in this session learned how to create QIV checklists and use them in a way that helps food security staff members to grow personally and professionally, and to be encouraged. In this session, we focused on the use of QIVCs for improving SBC key processes. Several other SBC quality tools were also highlighted.
Sharing What We Know: Strengthening Implementer Capacity
Facilitator: Christopher Szecsey, CORE Consultant
Successful development efforts can be accelerated through peer cross-sharing and learning. What do you know from your experiences as field implementers about building food security technical capacity, both within your own organization and with your partner organizations, which you can share with others? In learning from others; what can you adopt to your own efforts? This session was designed to first share lessons learned across organizations about food security technical and management and implementation capacity building; and then to work on as one organization, to plan further capacity strengthening of your organization and your partners. We were interested in learning, for future planning and networking: what further capacity building can you carry out within your own organization, with your own internal resources, and what might you carry out with possible external resources?
Networking Together in the Future
Facilitator: Christopher Szecsey, CORE Consultant
This plenary session provided a final opportunity for identifying possibilities for follow-up regional networking - building upon our time together during the meeting. We wanted to understand how key stakeholders, suggest we sustain the momentum generated to support follow-up across the region. We first asked participants to share your best experience with networking, and identify the factors that make networking successful, which we want to carry forward into the future. Then we asked participants to self-select to emerging Common Interest Areas in the region, join with others to assess interest in participation, and plan follow-up regional networking in your Interest Area. Lastly, the FSN Network shared how regional networking might link to the global level.
