Quarterly Performance Report: CRS, Development Food Aid Program in Niger

The program's geographic focus was on the three communes in Mayahi district in Maradi and in Kantche district in Zinder. The program goal was to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition in rural households in the Maradi and Zinder regions of Niger. The program's strategic objectives included reducing chronic malnutrition among households, particularly pregnant and lactating women and children under 5. This was achieved through various activities, including improvement of collaboration with key players and deciders within the ministry of health and department of nutrition, screening of all children under 6-59 months within the targeted zone, and community-based growth monitoring and promotion in 396 centers. The program also focused on improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices, including awareness-raising tours through the use of theater in 200 villages, commencement of work on 12 boreholes, and certification of 5 WASH-friendly schools. Additionally, the program promoted appropriate health, hygiene, and nutrition behaviors among households, particularly pregnant and lactating women and children under 5. The program's cross-cutting objectives included improving gender equity, increasing basic literacy and numeracy skills, and strengthening governance of targeted communities and national structures. The program reached a total of 185,803 beneficiaries in the nutrition sector, 132,577 beneficiaries in the water supply and sanitation sector, and 81,921 beneficiaries in the agricultural sector capacity. The program's management plan was tailored to ensure efficient implementation and strengthening of the capacity of relevant government structures, community organizations, local NGOs, and the private sector. The Government of Niger was a key partner in the project at all levels, and CRS implemented the program in full ongoing partnership with three key implementing partners, including the Government of Niger extension services, International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), and GRET. The program's performance updates from the quarter included the completion of a tour of 200 communities in Mayahi, which focused on promoting the inclusion of men in health, nutrition, and WASH decisions within their households and the consumption of balanced diets within households. A total of 83,970 individuals, including 23,510 women and 24,325 young girls, were reached through this activity. The program also conducted research on the identification of barriers within households to prevent childhood illnesses and the development of innovative strategies to help women balance work and childcare and the impact on inter-household food distribution. The researches were conducted in the last quarter of FY15.