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Lao PDR: Strategic Support for Food Security and Nutrition Project

19th April 2016

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Goal

Contribute to reduced malnutrition and poverty in poorest rural communities

• Incidence of child malnutrition (height for age) amongst two-year old children in Project villages, reduced from 60% at present to 50% by project completion (disaggregated by gender and ethnicity). Current level of stunting to be confirmed through Project baseline survey.

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Project Development Objective Improved and diversified agricultural

production and household nutrition enhance life prospects.

• 21,000 HH out of poverty by increasing per capita income from the current level to more than $270/yr. by Project-end (inflation adjusted and disaggregated by gender and ethnicity)

• At least 21,000 households with improved food security (measured as a HFIAS score of 7.0 or lower (disaggregated by gender and ethnicity)

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Project interventions • Focus on the implementation of the four agricultural

nutrition-sensitive activities within the 22 priority interventions under the NNSPA:

1. expanding and intensifying the production of nutritionally-rich plant-based foods

2. production and promotion of animal-based protein for household consumption

3. improved post-harvest handling and food processing to strengthen year-round food security

4. promotion of income-generating activities, with a focus on women.

Map of the Project area

Oudomxai Phongsaly Namor Lah

Mai Boun-Tai Samphan Khua

Xieng Khouang Houaphan Kham Nonghet

Huamuang Xam-Tai Kuan Xon

The Project will be implemented in approximately 400 villages, 12 districts in 4 provinces in Northern Laos.

Project Components/Outcomes

Three main components/outcomes:

1. Outcome 1: Strengthened public services. There is 1 output, 2 activities,

2. Outcome 2: Community-driven agriculture-based nutrition interventions established. There are 2 outputs, 4 activities,

3. Outcome 3: Sustainable and inclusive market-driven partnerships established. There are 2 outputs, 4 activities,

There is also a Project Coordination outcome which will establish the capacity in public sector agencies necessary to implement the project activities fruitfully.

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Outcome 1: Strengthened Public Services Output 1: Build government staff capacities, procedures and technical packages to support and converge community implementation of selected National Nutrition Strategy interventions

MAF

MoH

Build project management capacity

District line agencies

Empowered Prov. and District Nutrition Committees

Build capacity of district administrations to manage participatory development

DAEC, TSCs, NAFRI

Build capacity of GoL service providers to deliver nutrient sensitive agriculture

technologies

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Output 1 (Cont’)1. Activity 1: establish a tiered Project planning, supervision,

monitoring, knowledge management and learning system within MAF, supporting nutrition investment convergence strategies in target districts: led by NPCO.

2. Activity 2. Build GoL service provider (DAEC, TSCs and NAFRI) capacities to develop and deliver sustainable climate-adapted and nutrition-sensitive agriculture and natural resource management technologies and training programmes and monitor their impact: led by DAEC.

– Participatory action research: contract with NAFRI– Forage development– Technical Service Centre (TSC) development– Farmer-to-farmer technology transfer- Farmer Field Schools

(FFS)

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Outcome 2: Community-driven agricultur-based nutrition interventions established

• Will be supervised by the World Food Programme (WFP) under the GAFSP Technical Assistance (TA) grant.

• Lead Agencies: District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO) and District Health Office (DHO)

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Outcome 2 (Cont’)

Output 2. Planning for Improved Nutritional Outcomes:1. Activity 1: District multi-sectoral convergence planning• At district level, the SSFSNP will facilitate “planning for nutrition

investment and service delivery convergence” to accelerate the implementation of the NNSPA, including the mapping of different stakeholders’ programmes and infrastructure assets, to identify gaps at village level towards 22 priority interventions under the NNSPA.

• The Project will also facilitate the joint work of relevant Districts Committees: District Nutrition Committee, DSEDC, DRDO, DHO, DPI, DAFO other GOL line agencies, development partners, private sector where appropriate

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Output 2 (Cont’)

2. Activity2: Village development planning• The Project will build the capacity of village stakeholders

to lead the development process in their communities by investing in strengthening their ability to collaborate, plan and act effectively.

• Enable villagers to prepare three-year, multi-sectoral nutrition-sensitive village development plans supporting the implementation of the NNSPA agricultural intervention and associated infrastructure requirements.

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Outcome 2: (Cont’)

Output 3. Women-led improvement in household nutrition:1. Activity 1. Farmer nutrition schools.- A social behavioural change communication (SBCC) programme,

jointly supported by SSFSNP and the World Bank-financed Health Governance and Nutrition Development Project (HGNDP), - focus on encouraging nutrition-enhancing behaviour change , project co-financed investments in the four NNSPA agriculture interventions.

- Project will support the establishment of monthly village-level “farmer nutrition schools” (FNS) aiming to balance agriculture production, wild food, food purchase throughout the year, food processing and preservation and link with health sessions on WASH, infant and young children feeding, indoor air pollution, maternal care and nutrition. FNS will target women: reproductive.

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Output 3 (Cont’).

2. Activity 2. Household availability and utilization of nutritious food.

• Building off the VDP data, LWU representatives, with DHO, DAFO and Project gender/nutrition expert support, will facilitate a FNS-led discussion with village women to increase, diversify and seasonally improve household supply of nutritious food, particularly household vegetable and small livestock production ─ NNSPA intervention 15 and 16.

• Project will support: - production of vegetables/fruits containing fats, plant-iron and vitamins

and crops with nutritional added value that could also be marketed.- The production of small livestock and aquaculture products for

improved household protein supply.

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Outcome 3: Sustainable and inclusive market-driven partnerships established

Output 4: Profitable investment in nutrient-sensitive climate adapted agriculture:1. Activity 1. Strategic Investment Planning:

- Identification of profitable agriculture and natural resource based investments (selected commodities).

2. Activity 2. Village development fund (VDF). The Project will co-finance VDP-identified community and farmer group investment.

• Nutrition-sensitive agriculture Infrastructure: irrigation, village roads, marketing facilities, soil and water protection, fish ponds and aquatic resource protection, etc); Project funding 70% , Beneficiary contribution 15% (in kind), and GoL funding 15%.

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Output 4, activity 2 (Cont’)

• Productive farmers’ organizations:- To support increased agriculture production and

productivity, improved nutrition and climate adaptation, support gender-inclusive farmer groups/associations.

- The project will encourage farmer group investment in the most profitable commodities for their location

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Outcome 3: (Cont’)

Output 5: Linking Farmers to markets:

1. Activity 1. Contract farming review: Strengthen contract farming legislation:

- Assessing the challenges and weaknesses and propose adjustments to government legislation, regulations and implementation procedures to establishing fairer, more equitable and more productive contract farming agreements and programmes, benefiting farmer and investor alike.

- This will include technical assistance in support of: (i) improved contract farming policy, regulatory framework and contractual proceedings; (ii) preparation of training material and training of District staff and farmer groups to strengthen their contract negotiation skills, and (iii) assistance to contract farming investors to link with Project-supported farmer groups.

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Output 5: (Cont’)

Activity 2. Public-private Collaboration (PPC)-financing: 1. Competitively co-financed agri-businesses engaged in

profitable collaboration with smallholder farmers.• Project will catalyse private sector agro-enterprise and

contract farming investments in the project area by co-financing up to 49% of investments

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Project Duration

• The SSFSNP will have a duration of 6 years, starting from 2016 to 2021.

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Project costs.

Total Project costs estimated at USD 38.8 million.• GAFSP funding USD 30 million (77.3%). Administered

by IFAD 24 million and 6 million by WFP.• GoL contribution is estimated at USD 5.4 million

(13.8%),• Private sector contribution is estimated at

USD 0.5 million (1.3%) and• Beneficiary contribution at USD 2.9 million (7.5%).

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Programme Processing• The draft final design report available by mid-

October 2015.• The GAFSP review in Nov.-Dec. 2015.• IFAD Quality Enhancement review will be

conducted in Jan.-Feb. 2016,• Financial negotiations in early April 2016.• The Project is expected to be presented to the

IFAD Executive Board in mid-April 2016.• Grant effective in June-July 2016.

National Project Coordination Office Project Director Finance & Admin. Manager (Nat.) Assistant Financial Officer Procurement Manager (Nat.) Knowledge Management Manager

(Nat.) Monitoring & Evaluation Manager Administrative staff (2) Driver (2)

DAEC Technical Support Team Technical Team Coordinator Chief Technical Adviser (Int.) Cropping Technical

Coordinator Livestock Technical

Coordinator Farmer Group Coordinator Accountant

Key Project Support.• Short term Int. TA Nutrition coordinator (Nat.) Gender specialist (Nat.) Agribusiness Devel. Adviser

(Nat.)• Office and extension

equipment/ materials• Vehicles• Training of trainers• Travel and Field allowances,

PAFO• PAFO Head: Project Focal Point• Provincial crop adviser• Provincial livestock adviser• Provincial Farmer Group

Coordinator• Provincial M&E and KM specialist

(Nat.)

National Project Steering Committee

Provincial Project Steering Committee Key Project Support.• Short term Int. & Nat.

TA• Office materials• Vehicle• Training of trainers• Travel and Field

allowances, including for provincially-managed short to medium term staff transfers from HQ

DAFO• DAFO Head: Project Coor. Office• DAFO Technical Team• Accountant

Strategic Support to Food Security and Nutrition Project (SSFSNP)

Multi-sectoral

Technical Advisory

Group (TAG)

DAFO• DAFO Head: Project Coor. Office• Technical Team (DAEC, DoA, DoLF, DoI,

NAFRI, DoALM, MoH, MoES, NGOs, DPs, Private, LFN)

• Accountant (Nat.)

Key Project Support.• Short term Nat. TA• Service providers deliver experiential

learning in participatory planning/implementation;

• Service providers support agri-business development

• Office materials and equipment• Vehicle• Training• Travel and Field allowances including for

district-managed short-term staff transfers from Provincial offices

Kum ban Management Team (KMT)(10-12 elected village representatives)

Key Project Support.• Service providers/district support to

participatory planning and investment implementation;

• Funds for community force account procurement

• Grants to support innovative, climate adapted, nutrition -ich agriculture production by farmer groups

• Support for farmer-to-farmer extension• Training in financial management, group

dynamics, contract management, etc.• Technical training• Office materials• Travel and field allowances to meet other

KMTs/VITs/farmer groups• Linkages to agri-businesses and markets

Village Implementation Team(6-8 elected village representatives)

Male and female farmers engaged in nutrition rich

agriculture production and supporting behavioural

change

District Socio Economic Development Committee

1. Food security and nutrition (convergence approach)2. Natural resource Management 3. Environmental management (smart

agriculture/climate change adaptation,…)4. Marketing and valued chain 5. Public- private partnership6. Ecotourism7. Livestock focusing on ruminants

Key areas for COSOP Mission consideration

Thank you