Quarterly Performance Report: Sustainable Agriculture and Production Linked to Improved Nutrition Status, Resilience and Gender Equity (SAPLING) October to December 2019

The initiative is led by Helen Keller International (HKI) and is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). SAPLING's goal is to increase household availability, utilization, and access to nutritious foods and income, enhance maternal and child health and nutrition, and improve resilience of families who are under constant threat of natural and human-induced shocks and stressors. In the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2020, SAPLING was heavily involved in preparing for and carrying out planned activities, including recovery support, Integrated Enhanced Homestead Food Production (IEHFP), Income Generating Activities (IGA), Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC), and Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) sessions. SAPLING completed the six cash for work (CFW) repairs of the original 16 creek and valley water systems that were damaged in the July flooding events. Rehabilitation of the 25 water systems SAPLING also committed to repairing was also undertaken. SAPLING converted Learning Centers (LC) to Family Nutrition Centers (FNC), which involves a more collaborative approach with producer groups, who commit to planting, sharing knowledge and skills, as well as resulting seedlings, saplings, and produce from the FNCs. LC Leaders transitioned into Family Nutrition Leaders and began receiving support in motivation, leadership, and group negotiation. The FNCs also received a conditional cash transfer (CCT) to purchase the inputs needed to restart the shared plot following the flooding. SAPLING identified those extreme poor individuals who lost poultry during the floods, and after ensuring capacity for successful rearing, issued them a CCT for poultry provision. These participants were linked to those SAPLING had already trained as poultry rearers. Finally, SAPLING initiated livestock health campaigns with the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), 85 IGA livestock health workers (LHW), and vaccinating over 90,000 animals. To support market facilitation, small sector IGA monitoring was undertaken to identify blockages and help plan for more targeted capacity development, while training of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) entrepreneurs and local non-governmental organizations (NGO) was conducted on market assessment and business development. To increase incomes and market access of all subsector producers, market structures continued to be strengthened through support to Local Business Advisors (LBA) and Union Market Committees (UMC). SAPLING continued supporting the Government of Bangladesh's (GOB) Little Doctors initiative, with sessions on food groups, safe water use, hand washing, tippy-tap use, deworming, and other health-related topics. The initiative aims to improve the health and nutrition of children under five years of age, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls. SAPLING also supported the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MOCHTA) in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals by implementing activities in the upazilas (subdistricts) of Ruma, Bandarban Sadar, Lama, Thanchi, and Rowangchhari. The estimated total target population of 285,118 is comprised of 11 minority ethnic groups and Bengalis. SAPLING's activities are designed to increase household availability, utilization, and access to nutritious foods and income, enhance maternal and child health and nutrition, and improve resilience of families who are under constant threat of natural and human-induced shocks and stressors.