Mitigating the Food Security Shock in MOPTI & DJENNE CIRCLES

Funded by USAID/FFP and Latter-Day Saint (LDS) Charities, Inc., the project aimed to improve access to food for 7,525 vulnerable households through food voucher coupons, seed vouchers, and direct distribution of Title II commodities. The project's geographic focus was on the 62 intervention villages of the 9 communes in the Circles of Djenné and Mopti. Initially, the project was planned for the Circles of Djenné, Tenenkou, and Youarou, but due to security concerns, the project was reoriented to Mopti. The project's activities included the distribution of food vouchers, seed vouchers, and Title II commodities, as well as information and awareness campaigns to reach the beneficiary population. During the reporting period (July-August-September 2012), the project achieved several outcomes, including the identification of 4,900 Title II beneficiaries, the distribution of ration cards, and the establishment of village distribution committees. The project also conducted 52 Information Education Communication (IEC) sessions, reached 8,558 people, and collected data on indicators for the project's targeted beneficiary households. The Food Voucher activities accomplished during the April-May-June 2012 period included the signing of agreements, recruitment and training of project staff, and information and awareness campaigns that reached 1,921 individuals. The project also established 100% of village-based committees and identified 7,525 beneficiaries, of which 95.5% were above 18 years old. One of the biggest challenges faced by the project was vendor repayment due to bank closures in the intervention zones. This created a challenge for timely vendor repayment, and some vendors had to wait 10-15 days for repayment. Despite this challenge, the project continued to work with the beneficiary population and monitor programming. Looking forward, the project will continue to work with the beneficiary population and monitor programming from October-December. A final evaluation will be conducted in December/January, and a final report will be submitted after December 31st. The project's conclusion highlights the successful distribution of food vouchers during the last quarter, with 7,449 (99.65%) beneficiaries receiving food and seed vouchers out of 7,525 registered beneficiaries. The project's geographic focus was on the Mopti and Djenné Circles of Mali, with a total of 62 intervention villages in 9 communes. The project's activities were implemented by CRS-Mali and implementing partner AMPRODE/SAHEL, with funding from USAID/FFP and Latter-Day Saint (LDS) Charities, Inc. The project's outcomes and challenges provide valuable insights into the implementation of emergency food security projects in vulnerable communities.