Thursday, October 18, 2012

Flood recovery programme comes to an end


USAID’s Nepal Flood Recovery Programme (USAID-NFRP) draws to a close this month after more than four years of working to improve incomes and food security for rural households in the Terai and Hill districts.
The programme, implemented by Fintrac as part of the US government’s Feed the Future Initiative, began as a disaster recovery effort in the aftermath of the devastating 2007 and 2008 floods, helping flood-affected communities 'build back better'.
Since the programme’s beginning, it has enabled more than 12,000 Nepali farmers to increase their net sales by 800 per cent, more than tripling household incomes. It has also supported the establishment of 4,500 home gardens that produce fruits and vegetables for home consumption, and trained more than 6,000 people, primarily women, on health and nutrition. This successful programme grew out of terrible circumstances. The floods of 2007 and 2008 caused severe damage to infrastructure, livelihoods, and health of more than 800,000 people.
USAID-NFRP began to help flood victims generate income through commercial farming and rebuild small-scale infrastructure. It was extended in 2009. Under its first two phases, USAID-NFRP completed 119 small-scale infrastructure projects that directly benefited more than 830,000 people; generated 165,000 person days of employment; and injected more than $ 330,000 into local economies.
In March 2011, recognising USAID-NFRP’s record of its success and its ability to leverage local partnerships to carry out programme activities, USAID extended the programme for an additional 18 months under Feed the Future, the US government’s global hunger and food security initiative.
In its current phase, the programme has transitioned into improving the affordability, accessibility, and availability of nutritious food to rural households. Taking an integrated approach to agriculture, nutrition, hygiene, and infrastructure, USAID-NFRP delivered impressive results and built local capacity to allow for continued development.
The programme worked with 51 local NGOs and private organisations. "It proves that, with a dedicated staff and integrated approach to fighting hunger and poverty, we can and we will make lasting improvements to the quality of life for the rural poor," said USAID mission director David Atteberry.
"This has set the foundation and the standard for future Feed the Future programming in Nepal," chief of Party Joe Sanders said, adding that it's incredibly rewarding to see the far-reaching impact of our integrated approach. "By focusing on agricultural assistance and community development first, we earned the trust of small-scale farmers who have seen a bridge repaired or experienced significant increases in crop productivity."
"Witnessing the successes, families gain confidence in our abilities and are more likely to trust our advice in other areas," he added.
The programme piloted several innovative activities, including a voucher programme that links agriculture input suppliers with smallholder farmers, allowing farmers to access inputs at an affordable price, and increases sales and profits for local small businesses. The programme’s cost-sharing system ensured farmer buy-in and commitment, paving the way for future agricultural and food security projects.

No comments: