ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS
Last July Pakistan was hit by the worst
flooding in its history.
Monsoon rains swept away homes, bridges,
and roads, leaving millions displaced and in
need of immediate assistance.
Since the floods ACF emergency programs
reached some 550,000 Pakistanis whose
lives were turned upside down.
The first priority was to contain the spread of
water-borne illnesses by providing access to
clean water and emergency sanitation while
working to rehabilitate water networks and
distribution systems.
ACF also assisted families get back on their
feet through access to small cash grants to
restart businesses, purchase inputs and
cover labour costs for the new agricultural
season, buy fishing equipment and repair
boats.
Cash for Work, unconditional cash grant and
food assistance programs provided food and
income to the landless and most vulnerable.
© N.Sobecki
© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011
© N.Sobecki
A snapshot of ACF‟s immediate response to
the flood emergency in Pakistan :
27,400 basic hygiene kits delivered
in make-shift camps to prevent
outbreaks of deadly water-borne
illnesses
5,000 food rations distributed to
flood-affected families struggling to
get back on their feet
1,100 emergency latrines and
showers constructed, benefiting
nearly 42,000 displaced Pakistanis
78 million liters of clean
water trucked in and 325 water points
rehabilitated, providing clean water
access for over 300,000 people
2,630 cash grants disbursed to small
business owners to re-start their
micro-enterprises after the floods
The recovery phase response has broadened
to include a greater focus on livelihood
recovery including women‟s livelihoods,
capacity building, disaster risk management
and integrated surveillance activities.
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 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS
NEWS FROM THE HEADQUARTERS
DID YOU KNOW...?
QUESTIONS ASKED TO
ZOOM ON A PROJECT
RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT
WHAT HAPPENED? Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
WHAT’S NEXT? Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
WHAT CAN YOU FIND IN THE PREVIOUS & NEXT NEWSLETTERS?
This Newsletter was prepared in New York with the participation of all headquarters and missions. Thanks to all for your
contributions.
NEWS FROM THE HEADQUARTERS
New York
• New York Ops department welcomes Nyauma
Nyasani, who has joined us as Regional Nutrition
Advisor with oversight for Kenya, South Sudan and
Uganda missions. Nyauma is based in Nairobi,
Kenya.
Canada
• John Seaman who developed the Food Security
module of the SMART methodology is now working
to develop the capacity of ACF-CA SMART experts
on the model, with the aim of ACF-CA progressively
training ACFIN personnel.
• There are still further enhancements to be made
and ACF-CA will be assessing new funding options
to improve and enhance the model so that it
responds to real needs in Food Security
assessments.
Madrid
• The FSL department welcomes Joaquin Cadario
who has been deployed to Tunisia shortly after
© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011
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3
4
5
10
11
13
14
joining the Emergency Pool as the new Food
Security and Livelihoods coordinator, replacing
Samantha Sarria – good luck to both of you!
• One “new but old” desk officer has been appointed
for managing Eurasia and Middle East: Jean-
Raphaël Poitou, who has also led the Timor-Leste
exploratory mission.
Paris
• Geraldine le Cuziat has started a three months
contract on “Aligning Food Security with Nutrition”.
The project will produce simple guidance for field
workers on how to maximise the positive nutritional
impact of food security projects, and how to
eliminate or minimise the potential negative effects.
• Helene Deret returned from maternity leave on 4
April and has taken her position as senior food
security advisor.
• Martin Rokitzki will leave his position as the food
security advisor in Paris and will be replaced
rapidly.
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 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS
DID YOU KNOW… ?
CaLP
The Cash Learning Partnership, funded by ECHO, has
moved into its active phase. The CaLP team hosted by
Oxfam GB in Oxford comprises a coordinator, a finance
person, a communications person and 2 capacity builders,
plus respective country focal points based in Niger, Kenya,
Pakistan, Zimbabwe and the Philippines. The training plan
for the Level 1 and 2 Cash and Voucher Transfer
Programme is available on the homepage.
Besides the global CaLP grant, ACF has received a sub-
grant for cash and voucher related work, administered by
the ACF Cash working group. The activities include:
- evaluations of innovative and strategic cash and
voucher programmes
- material development
- learning and training events
A learning event in Uganda has been facilitated and the CBI
guidelines translated into French and soon into Spanish.
Evaluations in Bolivia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and a Meta
fresh food voucher evaluation are planned. Learning events
are planned in Central America and Central and West
Africa.
For more information, visit the CaLP homepage:
http://www.cashlearning.org/. If you have any ideas or
questions don‟t hesitate to contact Silke,
spietzsch@actionagainsthunger.org
Food Aid Convention – in renegotiation
What is the FAC? The Food Aid Convention (FAC) is an
international binding treaty first signed in 1967. Within the
FAC, member states make a legal commitment to provide a
predictable amount of food and food related resources to
respond to food emergencies in developing countries. The
FAC member states currently commit to provide around 5
million tons of food each year. Last version of the FAC was
signed in 1999 and since then extended each year. In 2010,
signatories committed to renegotiate the treaty. Informal
discussions have started, and the first formal negotiation
meeting occurred in December 2011.
What is at stake? ACF, through the TAFAD (Trans-Atlantic
Food Assistance Dialogue), has been advocating during the
last 5 years for the renegotiation and improvement of the
FAC. One of the main demands is to move from the current
logic of resources-based approach, where commitments are
made based on the quantities signatories can provide,
towards a needs-based approach (based on humanitarian
needs). The other crucial shift required is to reinforce the
quality value of commitments, in place of the current
measurement made in quantity of wheat-equivalent, in order
to account for the nutritional requirements of food aid,
especially regarding micronutrients.
© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011
Other key questions include the inclusion of broader food
assistance activities funded under the FAC, enforcement
mechanisms and governance of the treaty. For more
information, visit TAFAD website: www.tafad.org
Aligning Food Security and Nutrition
This new initiative was launched in March 2011 and aims to
produce practical and simple guidance on how to maximise
the positive impacts and minimise the negative impacts of
ACF food security and livelihood activities on nutrition. For
additional info contact Hanna at:
hmattinen@actioncontrelafaim.org
Catalogue of FSL training modules
A catalogue of FSL trainings listing internal and external
training opportunities, e-learning and self training modules
has been placed on the web, a number of which are free of
charge. The catalogue is available in both French and
English and can be directly accessed at:
http://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/service-
formation/accueil/technique/food-security/fsl-training-
catalogue/. The listing can also be accessed by going
through the ACF web page at:
http://www.actioncontrelafaim.org/service-formation/
Nom d‟utilisateur (user name): formation
Mot de passe (password) : formation
Then:  technique  food security  fsl training catalogue
Committee on Food Security – reformed
The Rome-based Committee on Food Security (CFS) is an
intergovernmental panel on food security. Its chairmanship,
currently assumed by the Philippines, is rotating. The CFS
was relatively dormant in the last decades, but it was
reformed in 2009 after the food and price crises of 2007-08
which showed that a global body on food security was
needed. This gave CFS renewed political relevance and
civil society a prominent place in the structure. Its main
expected outputs are i) learn from experience around the
world; ii) adopt policy orientations on key issues; and iii)
hold governments and other actors accountable for
applying them.
The 36th session took place in October 2010. The
thematics discussed included protracted crises; land
grabbing, and risk and vulnerability. In addition, the CFS
agreed to set up a Global Strategic Framework, to be
submitted for the 37th session (2011) and a subsequent
Plan of action. Linkages between food security and
nutrition, and nutrition security were highlighted throughout
the discussions.
For additional info contact Hanna at:
hmattinen@actioncontrelafaim.org
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO…

Paula Tenaglia
Director of the Regional Training Center (RTC) in Nairobi, Kenya

In 2009, ACF-USA established a Regional Training Center (RTC) in Nairobi, Kenya with the objective to develop and
expand training opportunities to ACF-USA staff in East Africa. While national staff capacity building is one of the
primary objectives of the Center, a number of different types of learning events have been supported over the course
of the past year. This was discussed when we last caught up with Paula Tenaglia, Director of the RTC:

In 2009, ACF-USA established a Regional Training Center (RTC) in Nairobi, Kenya with the objective to
develop and expand training opportunities to ACF-USA staff in East Africa. While national staff capacity
What type of learning events does the Regional Training Proposal and Report Writing, and the Food Security and
building is one of the primary objectives of the Center, a number of different types of learning events have
Center support in the region?
been supported over the course of the past year. This Livelihoods Assessment Guidelines training package. New
was discussed when we last caught up with Paula
At the moment, the RTC is focusing
Tenaglia, Director of the RTC: on the delivery of learning types of trainings will be developed in 2011 depending on
events for ACF internal purposes. We carry out management expressed needs of the missions and already established
trainings for different levels of staff and also support the delivery plans.
of technical trainings in collaboration with the Technical Advisors
from our headquarters in New York. 2010 was quite a busy What else does the RTC do?
year for ACF International regional workshops and ACF-USA The RTC also maintains a database of training providers and
annual departmental meetings and trainings which took place in courses or training opportunities in the region. People
Nairobi. interested in something specific can contact the RTC and we
can assist in finding appropriate opportunities. We also assist
Are all of your events being held in Nairobi? missions to source technical consultants when a specific
No. Part of the roles of the RTC is to coordinate with the technical training needs to be developed or delivered. The RTC
missions to deliver tailored in-country trainings. Our training also produces a quarterly newsletter „Impact‟.
team can travel directly to the missions and carry out trainings in
the capital or at bases. This is not only cost effective for the You mentioned that the RTC works with the technical
missions but also allows for a larger number of staff to be departments for trainings, what types of events
trained at the same time. specifically?
Last year the technical departments were quite busy here in
Are your events only for ACF staff? Nairobi. The RTC worked with the FSL department to develop
Although our main focus is on ACF staff and ensuring learning training materials and deliver a regional training for the launch
opportunities for them, the RTC has also been involved in a of the ACF FSL Assessment Guidelines. Later in the year we
number of training events whereby participants from partner worked with the CaLP to roll out a cash training level 1. The
organizations are invited to attend ACF events. Additionally, RTC also collaborated with ACF International WASH
through specific global and regional technical initiatives such as departments to put on a joint ACF/CARE Disaster Risk
the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) and Cash Learning Management learning event in Nairobi. Last but not least the
Partnership (CaLP) the RTC has acted as a regional partner for ACF International Kit Log V3 roll out took place in Nairobi.
the support and facilitation of national and regional level
trainings and events. What new initiatives is the RTC looking at for 2011?
Building on experiences from our headquarters in Spain and
Are the trainings open to ACF France and Spain mission France with training grants for ACF staff, ACF-USA launched a
staff? national staff development fund for our missions in 2010. This
We are currently formalizing a ToR with ACF France so the will be evaluated in 2011. We are also exploring the opportunity
trainings will be regularly open to ACF France staff as well. As of developing a national staff leadership programme based on
we run international and regional events often we have people this experience.
from Spain missions as well. So in a nutshell, yes we are open
for all! Close collaboration with technical departments have put a
number of technical events on the Nairobi agenda including
What type of trainings does the RTC develop? Monitoring and Evaluation, Nutrition and Security Management
There has been a huge amount of work done on training trainings on the outlook for the second half of the year.
materials by ACF International. The RTC has been looking at
the specific needs of missions and in 2010 developed training Finally the RTC looks to expand their inter-agency training
packages such as an Introduction to ACF Management training, collaboration in the region through a number of formalized
Training of Trainers, Basic Training, Facilitation and Coaching, consortia and informal training collaboration.

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 4
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

ZOOM ON A PROJECT
Inter-agency EMMA in Port-au-Prince, February 2010
Most of the content of this article has been extracted from a capitalisation note produced by Emmeline Saint, who was
part of the ACF Food Security Team during the emergency response in Haiti and participated in the inter-agency
EMMA exercise.

The aim of this article is to briefly recall the main principles and aims of EMMA (Emergency Market Mapping & Analysis)
methodology and to present and discuss ACF‟s practical experience in participating in an inter-agency EMMA in Haiti. The
EMMA was carried out in February 2010, shortly after a massive earthquake hit its capital Port-au-Prince, killing more than
220,000 people and displacing more than 1.5 million.
th th
The Haiti inter-agency EMMA took place over 11 days from February 7 to 17 under the supervision of Karry Goeldner Byrne,
Head of Economic Recovery & Development at IRC (International Rescue Committee). 18 people, from different organizations,
participated in the assessment. Four teams were established to study 4 critical markets: rice, beans, corrugated galvanized iron
(CGI) and construction labour.
The market analysis was carried out as no such assessment had been recently implemented, and was justified by the fact that
a weak knowledge of market issues can have serious consequences and weaken the impact of programs in the long-run. On
one hand, in a broader context, a rapid increase in the number of monetary interventions can generate a blockage or a rupture
in the market chain and thus prevent the circulation of essential goods. On the other hand, attempting to bypass these ruptures
without adequate information on the markets can damage these markets in the long-run.
Within the specific context of the Haitian emergency, a major part of
Port-au-Prince and the surrounding metropolitan area were
destroyed, including both housing and infrastructures. Beyond the
enormous human and material losses suffered, from an economic
standpoint the population was also severely affected. Problems
related to the loss of financial capital, the loss of merchandise and the
destruction of infrastructures related to markets (stocks, stores,
roads, etc…) also arose. Access to essential goods and services, and
their availability on the market were both greatly diminished, which
threatened the livelihoods of both the populations living in the area
directly affected by the earthquake as well as those living in the rest
of the country, as the Port-au-Prince metropolitan zone is the focal
point of most markets in Haiti.
What is EMMA?
Markets are a crucial component of how people survive. So understanding how they are functioning and disrupted is critical to
any analysis of hunger, and vulnerability to food and livelihood insecurity or poverty. Paul Harvey, Humanitarian Policy Group,
ODI, in EMMA Toolkit (2008)

Market-systems play a vital role in supplying critical goods or services to ensure survival and protect livelihoods, in both the
immediate aftermath of a disaster and the longer-term. Before, during and beyond any crisis, emergency-affected women and
men also depend on market-systems as sources of income and remuneration.

The rationale for EMMA is that a better understanding of the most critical market-systems in an emergency situation enables
humanitarian agencies to consider a broader range of responses. As well as conventional in-kind distributions and cash-based
interventions, these responses options can include local procurement and other innovative forms of market-system support that
enable humanitarian programs to make better use of existing market actors‟ capabilities, while understanding the risks.

The results of using EMMA therefore are:

• More efficient use of humanitarian resources
• Less risk of prolonged dependency on outside assistance
• Encouragement for the transition to economic recovery

The EMMA toolkit is a set of tools and guidance designed to assist front-line humanitarian staff in sudden-onset emergencies to
better understand and, where appropriate, make use of market systems. The ultimate purpose of EMMA is to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the early humanitarian actions taken to ensure people‟s survival, protect their food security and
restore their livelihoods. EMMA uses background research, interviews, and graphic representations of market systems to help
inform humanitarian response options.

The toolkit can be used by within 2-3 weeks of a sudden-onset emergency. Using EMMA, non-technical staff can collect useful
market and necessary economic livelihood information that is needed to identify opportunities and inform decision-makers.
Extracted from EMMA Toolkit (2008)
© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 5
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

///CONTINUED
The main objective of implementing an EMMA is to identify
Organisation and main step of EMMA in Haiti:
the most relevant responses (cash, in-kind, market
support) for short and medium term responses, from STEPS ACTIVITIES
emergency to early-recovery, at early stages after a shock.
1.Preparation Preparation work
The main questions to be answered are the following:
2.Market Selection Consultation of participants depending on the
How has the disaster affected key-markets? priorities set by one‟s own criteria (or those of
the organization). 6 market systems were
What is the impact of the first wave of humanitarian selected (rice, beans, construction labor, water
emergency aid on these markets at the time of the sellers, construction material, and cooking
analysis? combustible). These were reduced to 4 critical
3.Preliminary markets due to time constraints.

Day 1
What recommendations should be made regarding the Analysis Constitution of working teams
actions to be carried out by all the actors (local and Elaboration of analytical key questions to which
the analysis will have to answer and elaborate
international organizations) to counteract the negative
recommendations on:
impact of the quake on these markets? First draft of market mapping using the
How to integrate the markets into the humanitarian response information already known by the team: market
map before the earthquake, and market map as
so as to contribute to the more immediate, and medium- affected by the quake
term, recovery? First draft of seasonal calendar
The EMMA Toolkit was developed between 2008 and 4.Preliminary Secondary data collection on the situation prior
2010 based on pilots in Haiti, Myanmar, Kenya, and Analysis to the quake
Pakistan. It is based on 4 main tools, 10 key steps & 3 Key information selection
D2

5.Field visit Interview and visit planning

main principles. preparation Elaboration of surveys, interview check-lists (for
key informants, wholesalers, local producers,
households, importers, vendors)
Lessons learnt from the Haiti experience
6.Field Work Information and data collection
From a general standpoint, the EMMA was well Interviews with key informants and importers
implemented, thanks to good organization and good Market visits, interviews with vendors and
D 3-4-5

coordination between members. The multi-agency Madame Saras

characteristic was a strong point of this work as it allowed
for complementarity of the various agencies. The challenge
of time constraints was overcome thanks to an excellent
reactivity of participants.
The EMMA methodology follows a logical and rapid
sequence. The necessary training was completed very
D 6-7-8
Cancellation of visits planned outside of the
metropolitan zone (Artibonite region for local
producers and co-ops) due to time constraints
and official mourning period.
Lack of time for planned household surveys
7.Field Work National mourning day: activities were delayed
8.Market mapping and reduced
Consolidation of collected data, verification of

quickly and thanks to the coordination of Karri Byrne, no 9.Gap Analysis data and missing interviews
group had difficulties understanding the tools as they were First data analysis, update of tools (market
maps and seasonal calendar)
rolled out on the field. Meetings with other working teams to cross-
check common data
Furthermore, the conclusions of the study were coherent
between the different market systems and the 10.Field Work Final interviews: wholesalers, and Madam
recommendations made by each working group reflected Saras
11.Gap Analysis Household visits in different camps
this coherence and were relevant, as highlighted by
Data analysis, needs analysis
representatives of the multiple agencies with who the Establishment of household profiles to analyse
studies were shared. the differences in HH income and spending
D 9-10

12.Market Analysis before and after the quake

 Simplicity of the implementation of the tools: the EMMA tool 13.Response Finalization of market maps (before/after) and
was created to ensure its ready use by non-specialists. analysis of the season calendar
Indeed, the Port-au-Prince experience (where the team was Elaboration of matrix of different response
options
highly heterogeneous in terms of skills and competencies) Write-up of recommendations
demonstrated that the tool is accessible to most actors. Even Write-up of report, consolidation of the 4 teams
if many had already worked on market analyses, some
14. Communication Presentation of conclusions and
participants were not familiar at all with these types of
recommendations (NGOs, local and
approaches. However, even if the tools do not require
D 11

international organizations, donors, government

advanced knowledge, a certain level of awareness of institutions, producers)
common market issues is an advantage. Finalization of reports.

F-F nutrition programs in Darfur. His main tasks are 1e

technical support to medical teams when weaknesses are
identified 2/ provide trainings 3/ follow up the pharmacy
and the use/consumption of drugs 4/ participate in different
© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 6
coordination meetings to represent ACF-IN.
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

Emergency-affected fresh food market map, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (ACF, 2010)

 Timing: In theory, this is a simple and succinct tool, which was developed for the speed of analysis required in emergency
contexts. However, this was the first time that EMMA was implemented in an urban zone as well as in a highly chaotic context. A
lot of time was spent in traffic jams which limited the possibility of visits, especially outside of the city. For instance, a visit to local
producers and other key actors in the rice market in the Artibonite region was cancelled due to lack of time. In addition, none of
the working groups was able to collect information regarding households as planned – notably due to lack of time and because of
the three days of national mourning.

 Volume of information: The principle of “optimal ignorance” specific to the EMMA represents a true challenge. Indeed, a
considerable amount of information was available on the four markets in which the teams were working. We therefore had to be
very specific as to precisely which information we were looking for, meanwhile ensuring that important details were not
overlooked. Similarly, we constantly had to verify and update findings as the conditions could easily change in such a context.

 Communication of results: During the presentation of findings, only one hour had been planned to present the conclusions of
four teams, in two languages, and to answer the questions of an audience of about 100 people. It was therefore very difficult to
sum up the result of each study in five minutes, and the time allotted for discussion and exchanges was too short. The written
reports were however widely diffused and a presentation took place during the „Early Recovery‟ cluster meeting.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 The EMMA is adapted to general backgrounds and non-  Adaptability to urban areas? The planning must be adapted to the
specialists context and the environment
 Allows for a good complementarity of backgrounds within a  The principal of « optimal ignorance » can be a bit tricky when
team most of the information collected appears important and when it is
necessary to target crucial points on market systems in general to
 A multi-agency team can improve the credibility of results avoid drowning in a sea of information and data. (As a reminder,
 Speed of assimilation of the method and therefore rapid more detailed information on a particular subject can
implementation. subsequently be collected in a more targeted assessment.)

 Allows for market information to be synthesized and  The format of the report can be a constraint to broad diffusion
recommendations made within a very short time frame after (always try to keep the report concise to allow for a better
a disaster for a better coordination of organizations and understanding by partners).
integration of existing market strengths.

The EMMA assessment allowed for a good understanding of the four critical markets in the aftermath of the earthquake and gave
insight into recovery perspectives. It helped stakeholders and decision makers define the most appropriate responses, which led to a
number of cash based interventions and rapid decline in in-kind support, especially for staple food. The experience gained in the
exercise led ACF to implement another market assessment based on the EMMA methodology focusing on local fresh food markets,
and the design of a large fresh food voucher program in Port au Prince.

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 7
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

ZOOM ON A PROJECT II
Community paddy banks: Providing access to food and reducing debts, an
experience from ACF in Kayah State, Republic of the Union of Myanmar
(Burma) by Nicolas Guillaud, FSL Coordinator ACF-Myanmar, reviewed by Victor Kiaya, FSL Advisor
Project Area Background
Kayah State is located in the Eastern part of Myanmar, bordering Thailand. Following a 2007 assessment, ACF intervenes
in this area to provide support to vulnerable populations, with a focus on mitigating conflict related vulnerabilities. FSL
projects with the support of the SDC, mainly tackle problems related to food production (decreasing access to productive
land, losses of soil fertility and soil erosion amongst other) and debts. In parallel, generally for the same beneficiaries groups,
ACF also intervenes in the WASH sector, by providing access to water and appropriate sanitation by the construction of GFS
(Gravity Flow Systems), rain water collection tanks, hand dug wells, school and low cost family latrines, completed by
hygiene promotion campaigns to limit risky practices related to personal hygiene.
So far, activities are mainly directly implemented by ACF but involvement of local organizations will be fostered in the
coming 3.5 years WASH and FSL integrated project are to be launched coming May.

Rationale for implementing community paddy banks

The precarious food security in Kayah State results from:
 Low agricultural production: Constrained access to
productive land due to displacement, combined with
inadequate practices to conserve soils and improve
production, limit the quantity of food produced at
household level.
 Limited job opportunities and insufficient food intake:
Limited job opportunities hinder capacity to complement
access to sufficient food through the market. Households
are not able to produce enough food to cover their yearly
food needs. It is estimated that 85% of rural households
face chronic food shortage, on average lasting two to five
months.
 Debt: Coping strategies include borrowing food and/or money on interest basis, drawing families into endless debt cycles.
Interest to be paid on a loan of food (rice) can reach up to100%, while 10% is common when money is borrowed. 10 to 20%
of the harvest can be mobilized to reimburse debts, reducing the quantity of food available for own consumption.
The paddy bank system offers a way to alleviate the impact of debt on household access to food through community
empowerement. It targets indebted paddy farming households affected by long periods of food shortage and with limited off
farm incomes. The banks provide beneficiaries with better options for coping with the food gap than those offered by
money/food lenders. They include a recognized management committee and set of rules and regulations defining modalities
for loans and reimbursement (quantities and timeframe) and resolution of conflict (in case of default of loan recovery e.g.).
ACF facilitates the definition of rules and regulations and provides an initial capital in paddy equivalent to two months food
consumption. To provide a sense of ownership, beneficiaries are actively involved in the decision-making process and
contribute building materials while ACF provides materials not easily available in the communities (such as cement and iron
bars for the foundations. This capital is not intended to be reimbursed to the project. However, whenever possible
beneficiaries will be encouraged to eventually transfer it to other villages willing to establish similar structures.

Achievements to date
In 2010, four structures were implemented which benefited over 200 HHs. Five new structures are currently being developed
and by 2014, ACF plans to support the establishment of 18 additional structures that should benefit up to 1,200 households.
Early monitoring results revealed that:
The interest rate settled by the bank is in average 28% lower than what is practiced by the usurers
26% of borrowers mentioned that as a result of the bank loan, they worked less in others field during the lean
season to generate income or get food. Thus, they could free additional time for their own farms
21% of them said that borrowing paddy enabled them to save money and buy more food on the market
33% of them mentioned that they did not have to borrow any food outside
67% of households borrowed the maximum quantity and covered 2 months of rice needs. The remaining 33%
decided to borrow half the quantity first and would make a second loan later
Initial monitoring has found that at least on short term, paddy banks facilitate an increased access to food by vulnerable
farmers during the lean season. The results also suggest that banks will eventually have greater impacts on the overall
livelihoods of the family and increase the productivity of local production systems.

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 8
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

ZOOM ON A PROJECT III

Research
Safety Nets & Technical Development
for Seasonal Hunger: the case for locally-adapted
Nutritional Causal Analysis
welfare programmes to address recurrent climatic events in Guatemala
by Jose Luis Vivero Pol, Central America Regional Coordinator, Acción contra el Hambre – España.
Even though chronic hunger is largely predictable, the international community and national governments tend to respond with
unpredictable emergency relief that is generally provided at a time when people have already lost the assets that they need in
order to be productive. Chronically hungry people need long-term, predictable social assistance if they are to meet basic needs and
protect their livelihood assets, in addition to policies and programmes that help them develop sustainable livelihoods and lift
themselves out of poverty. Whilst the main aim of a safety net is to protect consumption and productive capacity, it has been found
that even relatively small amounts of cash transferred on a regular, predictable basis can have promotional effects on people‟s
livelihoods as they feel more confident to take risks and invest in productive activities.

Guatemala is very rich in poverty and hunger. It has an under-five stunting rate (chronic malnutrition) of over 52%, placing it in the
fourth-worst position in the world and the worst among Latin American and Caribbean countries (even higher than Haiti). Acute
malnutrition does not equal chronic malnutrition, although in 2009 alone it killed 250 children and this year more than 2400 wasted
children have been detected thanks to the new Governmental scheme that makes wasting notification compulsory for health posts.
On top of that, Guatemala is also one of the poorest countries in Latin America, as 56% of the population live below the poverty
line (24% on less than USD 2/day). Guatemala is also disaster-prone, with an annual average of over 136,000 people affected by
natural disasters over the past five years.

Most of Guatemala‟s acute hunger and malnutrition occurs in the annual, predictable “hunger season”, when the previous year‟s
harvest stocks have dwindled, food prices are high, and jobs are scarce. Most of the Guatemala´s poor and hungry people are
either landless rural laborers or members of small farm households. Their poverty is driven by seasonal cycles, worsening
especially in the pre-harvest months. During this „„hunger season‟‟ period, household food stocks from the postrera harvest begin to
run out: low production levels, inadequate storage facilities, and accumulated debt all combine to force families to sell or consume
their agricultural production well before the new harvest. That is the usual scenario in the semi-arid tropical areas of the Dry
Corridor. Household level food deficits translate to general shortages at the local economy level, so food prices on the open
market increase considerably during the hunger season. At the same time, temporary labour markets are flooded with hungry
families seeking work in cinnamon, coffee and sugar cane plantations, or in Honduras or El Salvador. Even for those lucky enough
to find employment, wages are low due to the high supply of labour. The net result is that households are forced to reduce the
diversity and quantity of food they consume, setting the stage for macro- and micronutrient deficiencies. In addition, the pre-harvest
hunger season is also often the rainy season, when malaria, diarrheal diseases, and other illnesses strike hard.

On the other side, drought is a recurrent phenomenon in Guatemala, and it will hit harder and more frequently in the coming
decades according to data released during the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December 2009. Water-related climatic
hazards (drought and floods) have been constant in the region and it will continue to be, negatively affecting thousands of rainfall-
dependant small-scale farmers.

Therefore, long-term solutions supported by development instruments are needed to address these structural deficits. Disaster
Risk Adaptation and Mitigation actions should be considered as they could also be supported from the humanitarian budget, to an
extent. In that sense, a Drought preparedness approach to recurrent hunger-producing climatic hazards shall be pursued in the Dry
Corridor of Guatemala, with activities such as drought-tolerant seeds, micro-watershed management (to increase water harvest
and soil moisture), seed banks, cash-based safety nets, well construction, small dams, reforestation, etc. As a means to
consolidate a welfare system in the country, Seasonal (time-limited) Cash-based Safety Nets for Food Security should be planned
in advance, to be undertaken for drought in a regular basis and, perhaps, to be included in the contingency plans for hurricanes.

Seasonal Hunger Safety Nets are a must in drought affected areas, combining different schemes:
 Cash-for-Work, needed as generating employment and distributing cash seem to be the most limiting factors to achieve
food security in many areas.
 Food for work, in the event of damaging hurricanes, as there is plenty of food in the region even in dry seasons. There is
no need for food distribution in most cases.
 Conditional Cash Transfers, as the ongoing programme in Guatemala called “Mi Familia Progresa”.
 Weather-related Crop Insurance, to compensate small farmers for heavy losses
 Input-based Programmes, such as the Programa de Granos Básicos y Fertilizantes (agricultural inputs distribution).

The implementation of these kinds of safety net programs would reduce the need to provide emergency aid whenever high chronic
malnutrition turns into high acute malnutrition due to sudden climatic hazards.

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 9
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Research & Technical Development

Nutritional Causal Analysis

Nutrition Causal Analysis (NCA) is an approach that has been implemented by ACF and a handful of other
organisations over the last 10 years. These studies have had the objective of identifying the underlying causes of
malnutrition based on the UNICEF framework using a variety of different methodologies (case/control surveys; KAP
surveys; qualitative assessments…).

Since 2010 ACF is funding a research project in close collaboration with the US-based TUFTS University to identify
and promote a methodology that suits ACF objectives:

- To identify main underlying causes of malnutrition in a local context

- To identify the pathways leading to malnutrition
- To prioritise the main causes of malnutrition by importance

The idea is not to try to prove that a link exists between, for example, diet diversity and malnutrition as it has already
been demonstrated; but rather to identify the main causes in a specific local context and to identify the priorities for
action.

Given the complexity of the causes of malnutrition, the challenge is to find a methodology that is comprehensive
enough to achieve its objectives but that also falls within the capacity of NGOs (not too scientific, not too expensive,
not too time-intensive).

ACF is currently testing a methodology in two countries which consists of a cross sectional survey including
anthropometric measurements and qualitative analysis. In Zimbabwe, Sophie Bruneau is conducting the field study in
the mountainous Chivi district focusing on causes of chronic malnutrition. Preliminary data analysis is complete and
more detailed analysis is ongoing. In Bangladesh, Julien Chalimbaud is conducting the study in the Char areas of the
north (Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts, near the India border) affected by river erosion, focusing on the causes of
acute malnutrition.

A more complex and detailed statistical analysis will be conducted in April and May 2011 with the support of a
professional statistician in order to validate the method. Aggregate analysis, articles and draft guidelines are to be
produced by June 2011. The draft guidelines will be field tested in a number of missions prior to their finalisation in
September 2011. At its completion this project will provide ACF and other NGOs with an innovative tool to support the
causal analysis of malnutrition and build locally appropriate programmes for the prevention of malnutrition.

The project is handled by the Paris FSL department (Julien Chalimbaud) and research department (Myriam Aït Aïssa).
For further information or if your mission would be interested to test the draft guidelines, please contact Julien
Chalimbaud at nca@actioncontrelafaim.org.

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 10
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

WHAT HAPPENED?
Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
Urban Learning Event - Oxford, October 2010 /// Julien Morel, ACF-France
On October 4-5, 2010, Oxfam GB and WFP co-hosted a learning event focused on Urban and Food Security, bringing together
NGOs (Oxfam, Save the Children UK, Concern, World Vision, ACF), UN (WFP, FAO), Research bodies (ODI, ENN, FNSAU)
and donors (ECHO) to share experiences and learning on urban food security and livelihoods interventions, from assessment to
response. ACF presented its emergency response in Port au Prince and shared lessons learnt and recommendations.
The main objective was to outline gaps in understanding around urban settings and adapting response analysis, and to agree
on a way forward and means for interagency collaboration. The motivation was to address the limited knowledge, evidence
base and tools and to respond to a clear and increasing interest from a range of actors. Several themes were discussed,
including: indicators and thresholds for measuring vulnerability in urban settings; assessment approaches and tools; targeting;
specific or adapted response options; policy and funding.
 For more information on the event, a report is available at: jmorel@actioncontrelafaim.org
 For more information on urban & food security, visit Food for the Cities D-group: http://dgroups.org/fao/food-for-cities
 Also refer to ACF Guideline : Identification of vulnerable people in urban environments, available in French and English

Launching the way forward in Biofortification /// María Bernárdez, ACF-Spain

The beginning of research on biofortified foods (foods with increased micronutrient content) started late 1990‟s, and in 2004 the
CGIAR started its HarvestPlus programme, leading research with funds from USAID and the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.
The First Global Conference on Biofortification was organized in November 2010 in Washington DC and aimed at defining the
way forward as the products of biofortification research are now starting to be released. Main conclusions were:
- the need to create evidence on the nutritional impact of biofortified foods
- the need to start the delivery of existing biofortified products to the population is intended for
- the need to create alliances with implementing partners
- continue research for increasing micronutrients contents and bioavailability
ACF is engaged in this direction, with 2 interventions using biofortified foods to be implemented this year in Peru and Bolivia, in
collaboration with local research centres attached to HarvestPlus/ Agrosalud. For more info, contact mbernardez@achesp.org.

IPC /// Silke Pietzsch, ACF-USA

ACF attended a regional IPC meeting in November 2010 in Nairobi, in which a review of the past 3 years of IPC roll out in the
region was facilitated. IPC is currently submitting new proposals for continuous funding to ECHO, EC and Dfid. As ACF is still
not an official partner, we have repositioned ourselves as being available to reinforce and support data analysis and
interpretation and supporting quality assurance, and capacity building for data collection in the Horn of Africa as well as in other
regions, e.g. Southern Africa, West Africa, Latin America. The global IPC team is waiting on funding to move forward with the
formalization of an official ACF partnership in the IPC. The IPC Manual 2 is under public review.

IFPRI Conference - New Delhi, 10-12 February 2011 /// Hanna Matinnen, ACF-France
Leveraging agriculture for improving nutrition and health was a major forum bringing together over one thousand policy makers,
practitioners, politicians, NGOs, international organisations, academics, researchers and government representatives which
looked at how to leverage agriculture for better nutritional and health outcomes. Worth mentioning was the presence of a
good number of representatives from countries, which facilitated peer to peer exchanges. The conference was part of the
CGIAR initiative, piloted by IFPRI. Key message: The linkages between agriculture, nutrition, and health are obvious: adequate
levels and qualities of food produced and consumed promote good nutrition and robust health, but the positive linkages between
agriculture, nutrition, and health are not realized and opportunities are missed. Addressing the current problems of hunger and
undernutrition will require solutions to be developed at the intersection of the agriculture, health, and nutrition sectors. Much has
been learned in recent years about how the three sectors are connected. Nonetheless, significant information and knowledge
gaps remain. Many policymakers and practitioners in the agriculture, nutrition, and health sectors continue to work in isolation
despite the potentially strong synergies among initiatives to improve nutrition and health through agriculture.
The conference website has a wealth of information, including 2-4 page briefs on key thematics discussed by the panel
members: http://2020conference.ifpri.info/ and http://2020conference.ifpri.info/publications/

DVD ON PASTORALISM /// Martin Rokitzki, ACF-France

ACF has produced an interactive DVD on pastoralism which contains a wealth of information on a vast range of pastoral related
topics. The 300+ resources compiled encompass ACF capitalisation reports, evaluations, project reports, studies,
guidelines and assessment reports as well as information resources by partner organisations. The structure of the DVD is
guided by the two overarching concepts of Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and Drought Cycle Management.
For more information, please contact Martin: mrokitzki@actioncontrelafaim.org.
© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 11
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WHAT HAPPENED? (continued)

Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
The ACF FSL Technical Library: All ACF Food Security & Livelihood in one DVD! /// Julien Morel, ACF-France

In 2010, ACF-F Food Security Sector worked on producing a virtual FSL Technical Library listing and grouping
together all ACF internal and some external technical documents that are useful to FSL staff. The virtual Library has
now been finalised and is currently being sent to every ACF mission in the form of a DVD-Rom.

The objective of the virtual FSL Technical Library is to group together and make accessible a set of reference
documents, internal and external, to the Food Security and Livelihoods field teams.
The rationale of this project built on the fact that:
 Previous ACF capitalisation CDs dated back to 2006, with no possibility to update them. They therefore became
obsolete with many new documents missing while part of the content was not relevant anymore ;
 ACF produces regularly many documents, such as policy papers, technical guidance, best practices/field
capitalisation reports…., of which some are essential and have to be known and used by field teams when
implementing projects and/or representing ACF ;
 These documents are more or less extensively disseminated, while dissemination and communication on newly
released material is usually done once only, when the document is finalized: in the end, many of us don‟t even
know the existence of most internal literature.
There was a need to provide a single exhaustive list of ACF reference documents, and to make these documents
more accessible, whether you are a Programme Manager based in small remote base or an advisor in HQ. The
virtual library DVD is made up of the following:
 HOME: interactive home page, giving access to the different library components;
 a. ACF Reference Documents Library: Excel database listing all existing ACF reference documents useful to
FSL teams. You can make a search using AutoFilters and access most of the identified documents through
hypertexts links;
 b. ACF Technical Library: Excel database listing some technical documents, internal and external, classified
by technical subjects. This database is far from being exhaustive, but can provide a first insight and give quick
access to key documents related to each subject. You can make a search using AutoFilters and access most of
the identified documents through hypertexts
 A.ACFIN REFERENCE DOCUMENTS : Thematic folders (sorted by document types) grouping together most of
the documents listed in the ACF Reference Documents Library;
 B.TECHNICAL LIBRARY : Thematic folders (sorted by technical subjects) grouping together most of the
documents listed in the ACF Technical Library

The project is not complete: the library aims to be a living tool,

continuously updated with new inputs from the field. An
updated DVD-Rom will be printed annually and disseminated to
each ACF mission. Meanwhile, a quarterly newsletter will be
produced and sent by e-mail to each mission in order to share
a set of newly released documents. These documents will be
made available either online or through your HQ technical
advisor.
Finally, it should be noted that this DVD is a first version only,
aimed at improvements to better fit user needs in the coming
years. For this reason, user feedback is of utmost importance
and you are kindly requested to send your comments,
questions and recommendations to Julien at:
jmorel@actioncontrelafaim.org.

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 12
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Publications, surveys, reports, meetings, fora…
- The ACF FSL Monitoring and Evaluation guidelines are in the final stages of development. In April 2011 a peer review
will be facilitated with representatives of peer organizations, donors and academic representatives. Once the guidelines are
finalized, training materials will be developed to support the roll out and application of the developed M&E indicators and
systems to all missions. For any further information and updates please contact Silke, spietzsch@actionagainsthunger.org.

- The ACF Surveillance guidelines are currently in the validation stage. The development process has incorporated field
experiences and comments gathered from participants of the 2010 ACF FSL international workshop in Burkina-Faso and
including inputs from a multi-sectorial working group from all three operational HQs. In the meantime, training materials have
been developed to support the roll out to all missions. For further information please contact Julien, jjacob@achesp.org

- DRM Institutional platform: A DRM Institutional Platform designed for all HQ and missions has been set up to address
cyclical hazards and climate risks, comprised of a (i) Policy (ii) Programming Guideline and (iii) Strategy. The policy and
accompanying field guideline „DRM for Communities – A Programming Guideline‟ on how to integrate disaster risk management
(DRM) into our existing undernutrition and disaster work have been formulated to provide better programming outcomes.
This DRM Programming Guideline (see outline below) is designed as an interactive CD that allows the reader to read as little or
as much as they want. It guides the reader through the logic of a programming and disaster cycles giving the reader the flexibility
to have a broad vision or to go into detail on specific subjects.
They are written for:
1. Senior management team of missions and HQ staff who want to incorporate DRM into their country strategies.
2. Technical coordinators who want to run a DRM programme comprising a range of different projects.
3. Programme managers who want to run single or multiple DRM projects.
4. DRM experts who want to update themselves on some of the best internal and external practices.
This preliminary guideline will be updated at the end of 2011 based on review of implementation and lessons on integration of
DRM into programmes and projects (DRM and undernutrition, DRM for insecure contexts and DRM for urban livelihoods).
The DRM Institutional Strategy has the following objectives, with the following impact on the Food Security service:

Objective 1: All ACF mission consider DRM in their actions, striving for an integrated DRM action working towards
community resilience against disaster, conflict and undernutrition wherever possible.
Integration of DRM within the next generation of NCA and early warning systems.
Contingency planning to better manage livelihoods under emergencies.
Key Paris focus on boosting DRM capacity for Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Haiti, Zimbabwe.

Objective 2: ACF becomes a reference humanitarian DRM organisation with a focus on undernutrition, insecure
zones and the urban context.
Pilot programmes in Ethiopia and Bangladesh providing a merged livelihoods, nutrition and DRM approach methodology.
Positioning being developed on how to better manage the risk to livelihoods under insecure and conflict contexts, and at a
household level in urban contexts – research and partnerships with UK NGOs.

Objective 3: ACF actively contributes to national and international advocacy on humanitarian DRM issues
Follow-up work positioning ACF within global and regional DRM, food security and nutrition platforms, and donor networks.

Objective 4: ACF promotes shared DRM action across its network, striving for operational partnerships between
ACF headquarters, regions and countries where ACF intervenes.
DRM feeding into the developing West Africa and East Africa strategies, with an informal revision of shared interest in Asia.
Multi-sector week-long workshops on basic DRM for missions previewed for Dakar and Nairobi, a mini-workshop in Dhaka,
with a fourth global workshop for experts on DRM applied to undernutrition, insecure context and urban livelihoods.
Development of a global human resources list and capacity building plan: DRM experts and technical mainstreaming
resources.
DRM exchange network, connecting HQ with regions and missions, with a synthesised report outlining thematic, stakeholder
and donor trends.

Please don‟t hesitate to contact Andrew Mitchell with any questions: drr-cca@actioncontrelafaim.org

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 13
 ISSUE N°12 – APRIL 2011 //// FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOODS

WHAT CAN YOU FIND IN THE PREVIOUS…

Issue Sector Release date HQ Main articles

#1 WASH September 2008 Paris  Caracoli en medio de la sed cuando se esta rodeado de agua - ACF Colombia
 Groundwater quantification in coastal area - ACF France

#2 FSL October 2008 Madrid  Fuel efficient stoves or not? – when we are able to follow up our own
recommendations - ACF Uganda
 Can the environment absorb our activities? The “acadjas”, a pilot fish
production project on Lake Tanganyika - ACF RDC
 Integrated Nutrition and Food Security Surveillance in Malawi - ACF Malawi
 Projects including the concept of value chain - ACF Paraguay
#3 Nutrition January 2009 Paris  Nutrition communautaire et sécurité alimentaire au Niger, les défis de
l‟intégration - ACF Niger
 What is Research? – ACF France

#4 FSL June 2009 New York  Direct cash after the Post Election Violence in Kenya - ACF Kenya
 Direct cash project in Lira, Uganda – ACF Uganda

#5 WASH July 2009 Madrid  Sustainability factors for Water points in Liberia – ACF Liberia
 Light casing for rapid rehabilitation/construction open wells
#6 Nutrition January 2010 New York  Integrated Nutrition and FSL activities in Southern Sudan – ACF
Southern Sudan
 Projet de support nutritionnel et de sécurité alimentaire des Personnes
Vivant avec le VIH - ACF RDC
#7 FSL December 2009 Paris  Direct Cash transfer in Uganda: results & lessons learnt – ACF Uganda
 Partnership in program implementation: an experience of ACF in
Barguna – ACF Bangladesh
 Changing general food distributions into cash based interventions,
Cyclone Nargis experience – ACF Myanmar
#8 WASH May 2010 New York  Hygiene promotion in emergencies: Capitalisation of ACF experiences in
Nakuru and Molo IDP Camps, Kenya - ACF Kenya
 Groundwater research in Uganda - ACF Uganda
#9 FSL July 2010 Madrid  Seed Fairs in Eastern DRC – ACF Congo
 Sentinel Sites in Central America –ACF Central America
 CFW: Food Processing Activity for Women in Palestine – ACF Palestine
 Réponse au séisme en Haïti : spécificités d‟une réponse d‟urgence en
milieu urbain – ACF Haïti
#10 Nutrition September 2010 Madrid  Management at remote control in Gao – ACF Mali
 Integrated Approach –ACF Perú
 Bhami History – ACF India
 Climate change and malnutrition – ACF Int
#11 WASH March 2011 Paris  Piloting sanitation solutions for periurban UlaanBaatar – ACF Mongolia
 Emergency sanitation: where are we and what needs to be done?
#12 FSL April 2011 New York  Inter-agency EMMA in Port-au-Prince – ACF Haiti
 Community paddy banks – ACF Myanmar
 Hunger Safety Nets – ACF Central America

… AND NEXT NEWSLETTERS?

Issue Sector Release date HQ If you want to contribute to the next NUT edition of Tech
The News, to be released in June 2011 and piloted by
#13 Nutrition June 2011 Paris
ACF-France, please contact :
Anne-Dominique Israel – adisrael@actioncontrelafaim.org

© Action Contre la Faim International /// Newsletter N°12 /// April 2011 14