Review of developmental aspects of the Cathwel program in Burkina Faso with options for future program directions

480 Title II programs implemented in Burkina Faso by Cathwel (the local name for Catholic Relief Services). Evaluation covers the period through 7/86 and was conducted by USAID/BF, Cathwel, and Government of Burkina Faso (GOBF) personnel based on document review, site visits, and interviews with program personnel. For the past 20 years, Cathwel has conducted three food aid programs. (1) A Food and Nutrition Program operates at 162 sites, reaches about 75,000 children and their mothers, and includes growth surveillance, health and nutrition education, food rations, and associated development activities. (2) A School Feeding Program serves a noon meal to some 240,000 students at 1,338 rural schools (75% of Burkina"s primary schools); a development-oriented "education-production" program operates at 23 of the schools. (3) A much smaller Food for Work (FFW) program includes 101 development projects, most of them run by village groups and involving construction or water development. FFW was reorganized in 1985 to increase cooperation with the GOBF in choosing projects. Three factors have recently combined to encourage changes in the Cathwel program. (1) The GOBF has become increasingly critical of food aid, which it fears may increase dependency and discourage development activities that are not supported by food aid; food distribution in health facilities is particularly opposed by provincial and national health officials. However, these positions contrast with positive village-level attitudes. (2) Changes in P.L. 480 and Title II regulations allow new, developmental uses of food. Multi-year programs, monetization, and new commodity sources encourage innovative, development-oriented activities. (3) Cathwel itself is looking for approaches that emphasize development rather than relief while expanding the management role of local people. A gradual shift from three separate program areas to a single village-level integrated FFW program is recommended. Such a program would allow villagers to address a number of development needs, including health and education. Villages which choose not to participate could be phased out over a 5-year period, with food-surplus regions being given priority for phase out. Cathwel should collaborate closely with the GOBF in planning and executing these changes, which should: (1) increase flexibility in the use of food aid for an integrated spectrum of development activities; (2) respond positively to local government criticisms of the program by linking it directly to Burkina"s development goals; and (3) streamline Cathwel operations and thus facilitate management.