Food Aid Quality Review Phase III: Quarterly Technical Report No. 17

Government's humanitarian agenda by establishing evidence-based information systems, tools, and data-gathering and evidence-sharing platforms on food aid for nutrition. The project's goal was to enable government-wide actions and public/private engagement around food aid to achieve greater cost-effectiveness for decades to come. During the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2020, the FAQR team advanced its objectives in several areas. Three peer-reviewed journal articles were published in February 2020 related to the Burkina Faso Four Foods Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness Study on Prevention of Wasting and Stunting. The articles compared four specialized nutritious foods (SNFs) and their effectiveness in preventing stunting and wasting in children aged 6-23 months in Burkina Faso. The FAQR team also submitted the Bringing the USAID/FFP Food Assistance Resources Webpages Up to Industry Standards report to USAID/FFP for review. The report included a USAID/FFP Website Content Map and Resource Database, which catalogs all of the resources currently available on the Food Assistance Resources webpages. The report provided key recommendations for improving the website, including implementing a process for information updates and link checks, improving technical guidance and analysis, and promoting education on the procurement process and product innovation opportunities. In addition, the supply chain optimization team continued to build on the global warehousing and inventory positioning model and developed additional scenarios for optimizing in-country distribution networks and selection of discharge ports in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The team also began advising the TraceAID working group on supply chain factors impacting traceability. The Food Assistance Cost-Effectiveness Tool (FACET) interface and user manual were updated based on extensive feedback from a panel of external expert reviewers. Final versions of the interface and user manual were prepared for USAID/FFP review. The FAQR Reports and Manuscripts Published January 1, 2020-March 31, 2020 section listed four peer-reviewed articles published during the quarter. The articles were related to the Burkina Faso Four Foods Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness Study on Prevention of Wasting and Stunting and compared four specialized nutritious foods (SNFs) and their effectiveness in preventing stunting and wasting in children aged 6-23 months in Burkina Faso. The FAQR team's activities during the quarter were organized around several key areas, including research updates, USAID/FFP website report and content map, supply chain updates, and FACET updates. The team's work focused on advancing the FAQR objectives and providing evidence-based information systems, tools, and data-gathering and evidence-sharing platforms on food aid for nutrition. The FAQR project's geographic focus was on Burkina Faso, with a specific emphasis on the prevention of stunting and wasting in children aged 6-23 months. The project's timeframes were focused on the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2020, with a focus on advancing the FAQR objectives and providing evidence-based information systems, tools, and data-gathering and evidence-sharing platforms on food aid for nutrition. The FAQR project's recommendations included implementing a process for information updates and link checks, improving technical guidance and analysis, and promoting education on the procurement process and product innovation opportunities. The project's implementation details focused on advancing the FAQR objectives and providing evidence-based information systems, tools, and data-gathering and evidence-sharing platforms on food aid for nutrition.