Enhanced Homestead Food Production for Improved Food Security and Nutrition in Burkina Faso

The project is implemented by Helen Keller International, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). The project's primary goal is to improve the nutritional status of infants and young children and their mothers through enhanced homestead food production, nutrition, and economic status. The project focuses on the Fada district of the Gourma Province in the Eastern Region of Burkina Faso, where food security is a significant concern. The project's two main objectives are to improve household food security and agricultural outputs by increasing awareness, production, and consumption of micronutrient-rich plant and animal foods, and to improve the nutritional status of children and mothers by improving household nutritional practices and nutritional services in the communities. The project's monitoring indicators show significant progress in the training of mothers on animal husbandry techniques, with 628 women in 16 villages benefiting from the training. The training of community volunteers on nutrition education and behavior change communication (BCC) techniques has also been completed, with 180 community volunteers trained to promote behavior change in maternal, infant, and young child nutrition in their communities. The project has also made progress in the start of vegetable production in the 30 village model farms, with a total of 3,634 vegetable plots planted, covering a total surface area of 2 hectares and an estimated production of 16,970 kilograms. The project has also provided agricultural inputs, including yellow corn seeds, and poultry to the village model farms, with each model farm receiving an improved breed rooster and 10 local breed hens. The project's monitoring and evaluation system is being developed, with baseline data collection completed and data entry nearing completion. The project has also organized the first provincial technical steering committee meeting, which brought together stakeholders to discuss the project's progress and challenges. The project's indicators show significant progress in the number of people benefiting from seed systems and agricultural input activities, with 4,390 beneficiaries to date. The project has also trained community leaders in homestead food production, with 120 community leaders trained, and has trained NGO partner staff and provincial agricultural and poultry staff as homestead food production master trainers. The project's nutrition indicators show progress in the number of beneficiaries receiving nutrition education, with 178 beneficiaries to date. The project has also trained community health workers in essential nutrition actions (ENA), with 90 community health workers trained, and has trained grandmothers in ENA and food processing, with 90 grandmothers trained. Overall, the project has made significant progress in its first year, with a focus on training, vegetable production, and the provision of agricultural inputs and poultry to beneficiary households. The project's monitoring and evaluation system is being developed, and the project is on track to meet its objectives and improve the nutritional status of infants and young children and their mothers in the Fada district of Burkina Faso.