Sustainable Agriculture and Production Linked to Improved Nutrition Status, Resilience and Gender Equity (SAPLING) Quarterly Performance Report January – March 2018

SAPLING presented its progress at the first National Program Steering Committee (NPSC) meeting, organized awareness raising events for World Water Day, International Women's Day (IWD), and National Disaster Preparedness Day (NDPD), and hosted a high-level program visit led by the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director, and the Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MOCHTA). Under Purpose 1, SAPLING continued with Integrated Enhanced Homestead Food Production (IEHFP) activities, which reached approximately 47,000 households, including all pregnant and lactating women and the poor and extreme poor. This quarter, IEHFP reached over 62,000 men, young women/mothers, and senior women/grandmothers with its gender transformative household empowerment sessions designed to improve intra-household trust and communications and underscore improved resilience capacity and food security. The first phase of poultry production training began, with participants learning about consumption of poultry, nutrition, and potential for earning income. Winter harvest was successfully completed, summer seed distribution was initiated with over 2,000 participants receiving vegetable seeds, and vermi-compost was established at 12 Learning Centers. The income generating activities (IGA) strategy and training modules were completed through a contract with iDE, and a training of trainers (TOT) was conducted with 12 technical officers, three Learning Corps Fellows, and 171 Field Facilitators. Selection for IGA participants continued for a total of 8,326 producers selected for banana, turmeric, ginger, papaya, pumpkin, and weaving, and 604 producers for aquaculture. Additionally, 15 IGA participants and five LCFs were trained in mushroom cultivation, 20 beekeepers were assimilated from another project into SAPLING and continued their training, and 195 coffee producers were trained in microenterprise development. Finally, 40 staff received basic training on aquaculture, and 47 staff were trained in aquaculture extension methodologies. Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) activities formed 262 SILC groups and delivered a total of 1,586 sessions. Under Purpose 2, SAPLING provided training and/or introductory sessions to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) staff, other Government of Bangladesh (GOB) staff, and Union Disaster Management Committee (UDMC) members on the Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) - Essential Hygiene Actions (EHA) framework and lactation management at district and union levels, as well as ENA-EHA training for traditional birth attendants (TBA) and community-based skilled birth attendants (CSBA). This training was provided to support improved maternal and child health and nutrition (MCHN) practices at the para level. The SAPLING development food security activity continued to implement its activities in Bangladesh, with a focus on increasing income and access to nutritious foods, improving nutritional status, and promoting gender equity and resilience. The activity reached a significant number of households and individuals, providing training and support in areas such as homestead food production, income generating activities, and maternal and child health and nutrition. The activity also continued to engage with local stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and other development partners, to ensure that its activities are aligned with national priorities and are contributing to the overall development goals of Bangladesh.