ACF, IRC, DRC: Sustained climate resilience-nutrition/food security 2024-2027 ACF, IRC, DRC: Hållbar klimatresiliens-nutrition/livsmedelstrygghet 2024-2027 Action Against Hunger/USA (ACF)-ledda konsortiet av INGOs (Danish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee) projekt "Food security and climate resiliency in disaster-affected households and communities in Tigray, Afar, Somali, Amhara and Oromia regions, (Ethiopia)" gynnar direkt 79.000 hushållsmedlemmar och indirekt 510.000 samhällsmedlemmar i 12 woredas, under en varaktighet av 36 månader 2023-2027. 

Projektet syftar till att "stärka flera områden samtidigt för att ta itu med grundorsakerna till sårbarhet för att skapa mer motståndskraftiga samhällen som i sin tur kommer att kunna frigöra fler fördelar och kapacitet att motstå och återhämta sig från krisens effekter". 

Projektets "korsande domäner är:
1) Agro-pastoral livsmedelsproduktion och produktivitet (individuella färdigheter och tillgångar);
2) Diversifiering av försörjningsmöjligheter och marknadstillträde (system, färdigheter och nätverk);
3) Lyhörda och inkluderande samhällsinstitutioner för fred, katastrofriskreducering och naturresursförvaltning (strukturer, styrning, färdigheter och nätverk);
4) Förvaltning av naturresurser (tillgångar)".
Projektets förändringsteori formuleras på följande sätt:
"Hållbar livsmedels- och näringstrygghet kan säkerställas OM klimatresilienta och näringskänsliga försörjningsmöjligheter på och utanför gården främjas och OM lokala system stöds och institutioner har kapacitet att vara lyhörda och OM naturresursbasen skyddas OCH NÄR Riktade hushåll och samhällen kommer att ha ökad kapacitet att hantera, mildra och återhämta sig från chocker OCH kan bidra till mer inkluderande och fredliga samhällen med ökad motståndskraft och välbefinnande."

Var och en av de tre partnerna i konsortiet genomför liknande, men lokalt anpassade, insatser enligt triple HDP nexus-strategin i de woredas som tilldelats dem där de redan är aktiva med humanitära insatser 2023 (DRC 3 i Somali (Dollo Ado, Filtu) och Afar (Berhale); IRC 5 i Afar (Abala), Amhara (Sekota, Zequala) och Oromia (Kersa, Fedis); ACF 4 i Oromia (Bedeno, Girawa) och Tigray (Abergele Yechila, Samre). 

Konsortiepartnerna delar med sig av sina specifika expertområden till varandra (t.ex: ACF för livsmedelssäkerhet och nutrition, IRC för ekonomisk egenmakt och jämställdhet, DRC för konfliktkänslighet och fredsbyggande), genom att bygga upp varandras kapacitet och dela tekniska verktygslådor och ett gemensamt ramverk för övervakning, utvärdering, analys och lärande för att följa upp prestationer och resultat av projektgenomförandet. Action Against Hunger/USA (ACF)-led consortium of INGOs (Danish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee) project "Food security and climate resiliency in disaster-affected households and communities in Tigray,  Afar, Somali, Amhara and Oromia regions, (Ethiopia)" is benefiting directly 79,000 household-members and indirectly 510,000 community-members in 12 woredas, for a duration of 36 months in 2023-2027. 

The project aims "to strengthen multiple domains simultaneously to address root causes of vulnerability to create more resilient communities which, in turn, will be able to unlock more benefits and capacity to resist, and recover from impacts of crisis". 

The project's "intersecting domains are:
1) Agro-pastoralist food production and productivity (individual skills and assets);
2) Livelihoods diversification and market access (systems, skills and networks);
3) Responsive and inclusive community institutions for peace and Disaster Risk Reduction and Natural Resource Management (structures, governance, skills and networks);
4) Natural resources management (assets)".

The project's theory of change is articulated as follows:
"Sustainable food and nutrition security can be ensured IF Climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive On- and Off-farm livelihoods are promoted And IF local systems are supported and institutions have the capacity to be responsive And IF the natural resource base is protected AND WHEN Targeted households and communities will have increased capacity to manage, mitigate and recover from shocks AND are able to contribute to more inclusive and peaceful communities with enhanced      resilience and well-being."

Each of the three partners of the consortium is implementing similar, although locally adapted, interventions along the triple HDP nexus approach in the woredas that are allotted to them where they are already active with humanitarian interventions in 2023 (DRC 3 in Somali (Dollo Ado, Filtu) and Afar (Berhale); IRC 5 in Afar (Abala), Amhara (Sekota, Zequala) and Oromia (Kersa, Fedis); ACF 4 in Oromia (Bedeno, Girawa) and Tigray (Abergele Yechila, Samre). 

The consortium partners share their specific domains of expertise with one another (respectively: ACF for food security and nutrition, IRC for economic empowerment and gender, DRC for conflict-sensitivity and peace-building), by building each other's capacities and sharing technical tool kits and a common monitoring, evaluation, analysis and learning framework to follow up performances and outcomes of the project implementation. The project goal is to contribute to the food security and climate resiliency of households and communities affected by conflicts, displacements, natural disasters and climate change-induced vulnerabilities.

ACF and partners have defined a set of revised outcomes and outputs, as quoted below, on the basis of Sida's and Norway's comments and questions:

Outcome 1: Enhanced food and nutrition security for vulnerable households in targeted areas

Output 1.1: Farmers and agricultural extension workers (AEWs) supported on climate smart agriculture (CSA) and nutrition sensitive agriculture (NSA) practices and networks

Output 1.2: Farmers supported to access improved crop production technologies and climate smart agriculture technologies and inputs

Output: 1.3 Farmers/pastoralists/agro-pastoralists supported to increase livestock production and productivity through climate smart animal husbandry practice

Output 1.4 Awareness campaigns on nutritious food production and consumption in targeted households

Output 1.5 Improved Natural Resource Management (sustainable land management) for sustainable crop and livestock production

Outcome 2 Enhanced community-based, gender-sensitive disaster risk management (DRR) and resilience

Output 2.1 Local institutions and governance structures supported to early detect and implement early action (EWEA) (as per criteria)

Output 2.2 Disaster preparedness fund established, including the committee structure and the conditions on the use of the fund and formalities

Outcome 3 Increased income and diversified livelihoods of vulnerable members of the communities particularly women and youth

Output 3.1 Targeted households supported to join VSLAs and provided with technical and financial assistance to engage in non-farming/alternative livelihoods

Output 3.2 Women, Youth owned businesses are supported through tailored business and life skill training (Learn to Earn (L2E), coaching, mentoring, business startup support, and VSLA methodology

Output 3.3: VSLA groups capacitated in digital technologies and services.

Outcome 4 Enhanced social cohesion through participatory peacebuilding plans and reduce conflict-related risks

Output 4.1 Capacity building support provided to communities to prevent and resolve conflict constructively

Output 4.2 Clients (women, men, girls, and boys) are safe in their communities and receive support when they experience harm

Outcome 5 Increased Collaborative learning and coordination among HDP actors humanitarian, development, and peace actors in the realms of HDPN and MEAL

Output: 5.1 Robust evidence base for the Nutrition-Centric Nexus Approach established

Output: 5.2 Learning and knowledge sharing on HDP- Nexus

Output: 5.3 Inclusive and harmonized HDP Nexus MEAL framework

Sida and Norway had a battery of questions that guided the revision of application:

Partners decided to include market system approach for selected outputs under outcome 1 and outcome 3 as follows: 

Market system assessment for critical crops and livestock systems included (output 1110)

Private sector engagement in agriculture input supply to avoid direct delivery of inputs (Output 1111)

Provide capacity building training for stakeholders (project staffs, other partner staffs, government staffs, private sectors actors, community representatives, local community organizations) included to facilitate smooth implementation of the market system approach (output 1110)

Micro-enterprise market assessment included, market system approach described, private sector training service providers will be engaged (for output 1311).

In the agreement, Sida has added the Special Condition to provide market system assesments for all woredas by 31 May 2025.

On questions regarding VSLAs, ACF answered that both DRC and IRC innovative financing solutions are included in the revised proposal.

Revolving loan fund included for VSLAs based on the experience from DRC (output 1111; output 1311)

Loan guarantee fund is included to support farmers to access loan without collateral requirement based on the IRC experience (output 1111 page 14; output 1311).

On questions regarding opportunities of expanding digitalisation, partners answered that the consortium members found digitalization is important to gain equitable financial inclusion, early warning communication, and access to agriculture services and market information. Digitalization is included in the revised proposal under the following outputs:

New output added under outcome 3 (Output 1313: VSLA groups capacitated in digital technologies and services.)

Early warning system digitalization included to support data collection, analysis, early warning communication) (output 1210)

Support digital agriculture extension service (output 1111)

Support digitalization of local conflict alert systems such as Dagu in Afar (output 1410) - "Dagu" is a traditional information sharing custom associated with exchanges of greetings when two persons meet, including the obligation to report on current conflicts, tensions, remarkable events and potential risks.

On questions, regarding the incidence of post harvest losses, estimated at 40% in Ethiopia, partners answered that post-harvest loss management, preharvest agronomic practices, value addition and market linkage activities are given emphasis in the revised proposal under the following sections included under the context description

Capacity building training on post-harvest loss and management planned (output 1111)

Post harvest technology market development planned (output 1111),

Value addition and market linkage activity planned (output 1111),

Pre-harvest (best agronomic practice training) (output 1110).

Regarding questions on irrigation and access to water, partners propose to include Solar powered pumps, small scale drip irrigation and other micro-irrigation technologies that will be introduced, and market linkages that will be created to ensure sustainable access to these technologies (output 1111). The project will work with private businesses, work with government sectors such as Bureau of Agriculture, ATA, research centers, and regulatory bodies to create alliance with existing programmes, including those supplying water (output 1111).