Emergency Support to Vulnerable Households Affected by the Early Agropastoral Lean Season in Nara District, Mali

The project aimed to contribute to the sustainable improvement of food security and nutritional status for vulnerable households in Nara district, Mali. The project duration was from August 1st, 2018, to November 30th, 2019, with a budget of $2,701,968. The project targeted 4,936 households (34,552 individuals) and implemented cash transfer and food voucher programs to support vulnerable households. The cash transfer program provided beneficiaries with 40,000 XOF ($73) in two rounds, representing one and two months of food assistance, respectively. The food voucher program distributed 56,832 vouchers to 4,736 households, covering a total of 189,440,000 XOF ($345,728). The security situation in Nara district remained volatile during the reporting period, with violence and tensions reported. However, the project activities were not directly impacted by the security incidents. The authorities increased military patrols, including in the communes where the project was operating, but this did not affect the implementation of the activities. The 2019-2020 agricultural season was considered very poor by 96% of farmers, with a 31% reduction in the agricultural area farmed compared to a normal year. The average quantity harvested was 1,000 kg, a 47% decrease from the previous year. The average duration of stock availability was falling, from seven months in 2015 to two months in the 2019-2020 agricultural year. The low harvest levels led to a likely increase in food prices in the next months. Livestock numbers declined by 14% over the 2019-2020 agricultural year, with a significant drop in the number of head of cattle, goats, sheep, horses, and poultry. Farmers attributed this decline to an unusual and early destocking of their livestock due to the early unavailability of pasture and water points. The decline in livestock numbers was more marked for horses (-30%) and donkeys (-38%), which play a key role in the economy of Nara district households. The project's cash transfer and food voucher programs were implemented in six communes: Nara, Dilly, Koronga, Niamana, Ouagadou, and Fallou. The distributions were carried out by the IRC team in collaboration with local authorities. The project's activities were designed to support vulnerable households and improve their food security and nutritional status. The project's activities were designed to support vulnerable households and improve their food security and nutritional status. The project's cash transfer program provided beneficiaries with 40,000 XOF ($73) in two rounds, representing one and two months of food assistance, respectively. The food voucher program distributed 56,832 vouchers to 4,736 households, covering a total of 189,440,000 XOF ($345,728). The project's activities were designed to support vulnerable households and improve their food security and nutritional status. The project's geographic focus was on Nara district, Mali, with a total of 4,936 households (34,552 individuals) targeted. The project's implementation details included cash transfer and food voucher programs, which were designed to support vulnerable households and improve their food security and nutritional status. The project's timeframes were from August 1st, 2018, to November 30th, 2019, with a budget of $2,701,968.