Provision of Food Security and Livelihoods Support for Conflict Affected populations in kutum and Al-Waha Localities, North Darfur State – Sudan. Ops Code: SUD-18/F/126824

The project will target 18,263 direct beneficiaries comprising of IDPs, rural under served communities, nomadic pastoralists and host communities experiencing protracted crisis. With this proposed FSL intervention under this action, activities will complement the ongoing Health and Nutrition as well as WASH interventions, holistically addressing the ongoing critical situation in Kutum and Al Waha localities.
The project’s overall objective is to improve household food and livelihoods opportunities for vulnerable populations in target areas. With SHF funding, the project aims to contribute to an improvement in food and livelihoods security for IDPs, poor and marginalized women, men and children in North Darfur State, using an integrated approach, covering the sectors of health and nutrition, WASH and women’s empowerment. 
The proposed activities under this action will address access to food sources which will impact on both food insecurity and thus dietary uptake. The FSL approach adopted by GOAL for North Darfur recognizes that food security cannot be treated as a basic need, separate from wider livelihoods considerations. Households may go hungry in order to preserve seed, tools, animals or other assets. GOAL is thus proposing the interventions below, which will strengthen the resilience and adaptability of vulnerable households.
Improving access to food sources and food availability will be provided by increasing access to locally adaptable improved crop seeds and varieties through the implementation of seed voucher and fairs as an alternative seed distribution approach (seed fairs have been acknowledged as one of the best mechanisms to assist farmers in emergency and early recovery situations, such as currently in North Darfur). These inputs will be utilized in micro gardens, group gardens and on staple and cash crop farms (micro gardens are particularly beneficial in Kutum where women can be at serious risk if they leave the confines of the IDP camps). Besides, vegetable seeds for micro gardens will be distributed to vulnerable households attending nutrition supplementary feedings programmes. This activity enables families at risk or suffering from malnutrition to increase their food intake and their nutritional diversity, both of which play a role in the prevention of malnutrition, whilst not requiring access to land or significant water availability. This is particularly appropriate in this context in camps and towns in Darfur where both land and water availability are limited, but malnutrition still prevalent.
In Darfur, it is noted that for many households livestock plays an important role in promoting food security by diversifying food sources and providing a potential source of cash income. The importance of small ruminants in improving food security among women and children is especially great.  Therefore, GOAL proposes to distribute small ruminants (goats) as well as chickens to target communities. GOAL will also work with vulnerable and disempowered women to provide training, support and mobilisation in livelihoods diversification and income generation through implementation of Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLAs).  
In North Darfur, because of recurrent drought and high demand for firewood, foliage coverage is poor. GOAL will work with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Forestry to plan tree seedlings (for sheds/fruit tree) in targeted areas and around water yards. GOAL will work with the community to establish 6 Nursery sites located in strategic locations.