Community Based Livelihood Development (CBLD) for Women and Children: HORTICULTURE midline survey

The program integrates livelihoods, gender equality, and child protection interventions with community development approaches to achieve sustainable improvements in the social and economic well-being of women and children in communities in Swaziland. CBLD implements holistic programming that includes education, psychosocial support, household economic strengthening, health and nutrition, child protection and gender-based violence programs, and legal protection. Within the CBLD program, value chain development focuses on increasing the income-earning potential of vulnerable households, including female-headed households and those caring for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and living with HIV, by introducing them to value chains or improving their position within those value chains. The program has been implementing horticulture value chain programming in Herefords and Ndzingeni since February 2013 and August 2014, respectively. A baseline survey was conducted in 2013 to evaluate the sustainability of horticulture production with Herefords and Ndzingeni farmers under the CBLD Program. The survey aimed to monitor programming decisions and determine effectiveness in the value chain component. The information collected at each project stage will be used to build the evidence base on household economic strengthening programs, potential impacts on the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable households. The midline survey was conducted in March 2015 to evaluate the sustainability of horticulture production with Herefords and Ndzingeni farmers under the CBLD Program. The survey aimed to assess the effectiveness of the program's interventions in increasing the income-earning potential of vulnerable households. The survey collected data on household members by sex and age, the person making the final decision on the use of profits made during sales, and other relevant information. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire developed for all CBLD value chain interventions. The questionnaire was adapted to the specific value chain, irrespective of community, and data was collected by CBLD-trained enumerators. The survey managed to elicit a 100% response rate, with data collection conducted through mobile devices to ensure ease of data collection. The results of the survey showed that the program's interventions have been effective in increasing the income-earning potential of vulnerable households. The survey found that the average sales in Emalangeni for 2014 were higher than in 2013, indicating an increase in income-earning potential. The survey also found that the program's interventions have been effective in improving the livelihoods of vulnerable households, with 60% of farmers reporting an increase in income. The survey also found that the program's interventions have been effective in improving the decision-making capacity of farmers, with 70% of farmers reporting that they make the final decision on the use of profits made during sales. The survey also found that the program's interventions have been effective in improving the access to markets for farmers, with 80% of farmers reporting that they sell their produce to the Swaziland National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBoard). Overall, the results of the survey indicate that the program's interventions have been effective in increasing the income-earning potential of vulnerable households and improving their livelihoods. The survey provides valuable information that can be used to inform programming decisions and improve the effectiveness of the program's interventions.