Providing food security and livelihood support to vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons and host communities

Objectives

The project will support vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and host communities in North Baidoa to achieve immediate access to food and adequate nutrition. It will target an estimated 2,220 people from 7 settlements who require immediate food assistance. The one year project will contribute to the achievement of the 2016 HRP strategic objectives as outlined in the project logical framework. During project life-cycle, SYPD will distribute food vouchers to 200 most vulnerable households with malnourished children under 5 years, those categorized to be in IPC 3 and 4, women headed households, and pregnant and lactating mothers. The food voucher value of $50 will enable target households access 78% of the minimum food Basket per month for a series of 3 months. In the facilitation of the food voucher program, SYPD will adapt best practices including identification of local vendors and beneficiaries throughout a transparent and accountable process. Barometric data pertaining to selected beneficiaries will be loaded in electronic databases and serialized ID cards will be provided with each household to ensure that only intended beneficiaries are targeted. Beneficiaries in this category will also undergo sensitization on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices with emphasis on the benefits of breastfeeding and on household dietary diversity in an effort to improve nutrition levels among target households. Cognizant of the fact that livestock is among main livelihood assets for pastoralists in target IDP settlements and host communities, SYPD will provide 5 goats to 150 vulnerable households. This will create economic sources and improve food security and nutrition status among the target beneficiaries. Restocking will target pastoral households who lost most of their livestock due to drought and displacement and those who demonstrate the capacity and desire for effective animal husbandry. While no negative environmental impact is expected with the proposed restocking, SYPD will enhance IDPs awareness on controlling pasture and grazing to prevent land degradation, improving animal diets to reduce enteric fermentation and adapting appropriate recycling of manure to mitigate any potential environmental impact. In tandem with animal restocking, this project will also protect and promote target beneficiaries' livestock assets through training of select community animal health workers on livestock treatment and vaccination of the same against common diseases. 20 agro-pastoral households from the IDPs and target host communities will be supplied with donkey carts to further diversity household income sources. Provision of these carts will also help beneficiaries to carry a wide range of goods to district markets which will reduce overall costs on transportation thereby contributing to improved income levels and consequently food security. In the implementation of project activities, SYPD will coordinate with other partners active in the area, especially those with activities to improve food security, to maximize impact and avoid duplication of efforts. In the selection of beneficiaries, SYPD will utilize its vast field experience and familiarity with the context of Baidoa to ensure that the selection process is gender sensitive and that beneficiaries represent diverse clans and social backgrounds.