Sustainable Agriculture and Production Linked to Improved Nutrition Status, Resilience and Gender Equity (SAPLING) Quarterly Performance Report October – December, 2017

The project aims to improve nutrition status, resilience, and gender equity in Bangladesh through sustainable agriculture and production practices. Between October 1 and December 31, 2017, significant activities were accomplished under the SAPLING project. A household census was completed, covering 58,851 households from 1,609 paras, with 77% identified as poor and extreme-poor. Formative research, a Value Chain and Market Governance Assessment, winter seed distribution, maternal child health and nutrition group formation, and a barrier analysis on exclusive breastfeeding were also conducted. The project emphasized strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, finalizing the household census, and revising project strategies based on findings from baseline, formative research, assessments, barrier analysis, and census. Data collected during this period will inform project strategies, which will be shared with USAID in the second quarter. Preparatory work for income-generating activities was completed, and participant selection for off-farm activities continued. A total of 238 new integrated enhanced homestead food production groups were formed, and 55 Savings and Internal Lending Communities groups were established, receiving two training sessions. Field facilitators, community health service workers, government officials, and SAPLING participants received training on various topics, including micro-enterprise development, fisheries management, and the Essential Nutrition Actions-Essential Hygiene Actions framework. Community-level activities intensified, with SAPLING supporting the government of Bangladesh's Little Doctors program by implementing orientation sessions in 19 primary schools on nutrition, health, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. Regular community-level sessions for maternal child health and nutrition groups, adolescent girl groups, and growth monitoring promotion sessions were also conducted. Community health service workers provided household counseling sessions, and SAPLING continued to implement a barrier analysis on exclusive breastfeeding. The project's focus on strengthening monitoring and evaluation systems, revising project strategies, and conducting community-level activities will contribute to improved nutrition status, resilience, and gender equity in Bangladesh. The findings from this quarter will inform project strategies, which will be shared with USAID in the second quarter.