Food Aid Quality Review Phase II: Technical Report No.15

The report was prepared under the terms of contract AFP-C-00-09-00016-00 awarded to the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. The report covers the period from April 2015 to June 2015. The report is part of a series of activities aimed at enhancing product choice under Title II of Public Law 480, improving quality control and assurance, and updating technical guidance and the evidence base for programming approaches. The present contract builds on work performed under the original FAQR and focuses on implementing recommendations made in Phase I for changes in food aid products, programming, and processes. The report highlights the development of specifications for updated Fortified Blended Foods, including Corn Soy Blend 14, milled flours, enhanced vegetable oil, and micronutrient premixes. Laboratory and pilot production testing, acceptability trials, and assessments of supply chain and related issues are also being conducted. Field studies are underway in Malawi, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new food aid commodities in preventing moderate wasting, stunting, and promoting adequate growth in children. The studies are also evaluating the impact of packaging changes and behavior change messages on correct use of food aid commodities. The report also focuses on the formation of an Interagency Food Aid Technical Committee and implementing regular meetings with major food aid agencies to address the need for harmonization of food products and related procurement and quality assurance processes used in Title II food aid. During the quarter, the following activities were undertaken: accelerated shelf life study, product introduction and rollout, technical assistance on product specifications and templates, and commodity guidance update. The FAQR team also provided technical assistance to USAID/FFP and worked on documents, specifications, and templates related to future product introduction and rollout. In addition, the report highlights the data analysis, results dissemination, final report writing, and manuscript preparation for the Malawi study, beneficiary enrollment, data collection and entry, data entry template revisions, porridge sample analysis, and financial workshops in the Burkina Faso study, and final report writing and manuscript preparation for the Sierra Leone study. The report also mentions scoping activities for the relocation of the treatment study that was terminated in Sierra Leone. The FAQR team continued to provide USAID/FFP quarterly updates of the Commodity Reference Guide Fact Sheet updates and assist USAID/FFP on Fact Sheets in progress or Fact Sheet revisions.