Final evaluation : CRS Malawi WALA program 2009-2014. Volume I - main report

WALA targets the most vulnerable communities and households, ensuring holistic provision of services to the selected groups. In the original design, targeted groups are comprised of households that have small and marginal farms, are female-headed, host chronically ill persons (tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS), are food insecure, and/or host orphans. WALA is implemented in the eight most food insecure districts of southern Malawi: Nsanje, Chikwawa, Thyolo, Mulanje, Zomba, Machinga, Chiradzulu and Balaka. The goal of WALA is to improve the food security of 214,974 chronically food insecure households in 39 Traditional Authorities in eight districts in southern Malawi by 2014 through strategic objectives in: (1) maternal and child health and nutrition (MCHN); (2) agriculture, natural resource management (NRM), irrigation and economic activity; and (3) disaster risk reduction. The evaluation assessed the results of program and how the program management and implementation affected and/or supported program achievements. This will inform future Food for Peace and USAID development programming in Malawi. The specific program objectives were: (1) to carry out a comparative analysis (bivariate and multivariate) of baseline and endline surveys to assess the changes in the indicators (program result) as outlined in the indicator performance tracking table (IPTT); (2) to identify program strategies, structures, systems and interventions that contributed to or impeded the achievement of intended results of program interventions and links between inputs and results with gender focus; (3) to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of technical, managerial and resource management strategies; (4) to assess progress made in responding to the midterm evaluation recommendations; (5) to assess the synergy between various WALA program components including linkages with Government of Malawi and other development programs (e.g., Positive Action for Community Transformation (IMPACT), Water for Irrigation for Life Advancement (WILA), MCHN+), and how the linkages enhance the program performance; (6) to assess the sustainability of the program outcomes; (7) to list the major successes and challenges faced by the WALA program and how well these challenges were addressed; (8) to extract and report on lessons learned to inform future Food for Peace program designs; and (9) to make specific recommendations on improving strategies and program interventions for future programming and/or scale-up. Specific evaluation findings, conclusions and recommendations are provided with detailed analysis for each evaluation question. (Excerpt, modified)