Takunda FY23 Annual Results Report Award #72DFFP20CA00007

The Activity's goal is to achieve equitable and resilient food and nutrition security in Zaka, Mutare, Chivi, and Buhera Districts. The Activity targets 301,636 vulnerable and poor rural households, with a focus on strengthening the resilience of these households. The food security risk profiles for Takunda's operational provinces at the end of FY23 remained moderate for Masvingo Province and high for Manicaland Province. Masvingo Province was characterized by less than 40% prevalence of insufficient food consumption and households using food-based coping strategies, while Manicaland Province was above 40% for both indicators, indicating a risk of significant deterioration. Rainfall patterns in the region were normal, with a combined annual cumulative amount of 616 mm, exceeding the annual average of 500 mm. Cyclone Freddy brought improved pastures for livestock, but areas such as Mutare District experienced leaching of sandy soils. The food situation remained unstable, with participants relying on their harvests while others resorted to coping strategies like fruit-picking, reduced meal amounts, and livestock sales. Annual blended inflation dropped to 7.2% in August 2023 from 101.3% in July 2023, due to policy measures by the Government of Zimbabwe and the Central Bank. Approximately 84% of surveyed households across Zimbabwe used the United States Dollar to purchase food and non-food commodities. The youth unemployment rate stood at 12.37% at the end of the 2022 calendar year. Takunda's implementation focused on strengthening the resilience of households and targeting 301,636 vulnerable and poor rural households. In FY23, the Activity reached 56,615 men, 130,984 women, and 34,143 female youth aged 15-24. The Activity engaged communities in finding solutions to challenges affecting their livelihoods, with a focus on agriculture-based livelihoods, non-agricultural livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction. The Activity's performance successes included: * 56,615 men and 130,984 women reached through the Activity * 14,633 male and 34,143 female youth aged 15-24 reached * 56,615 men and 130,984 women trained in agriculture-based livelihoods * 56,615 men and 130,984 women trained in non-agricultural livelihoods * 56,615 men and 130,984 women trained in disaster risk reduction The Activity's performance challenges included: * Limited access to markets and infrastructure in some areas * Limited availability of inputs and resources in some areas * Limited capacity of some local government leadership to implement the Activity's objectives The Activity's key lessons included: * The importance of engaging local government leadership in the Activity's implementation * The need to strengthen the capacity of local government leadership to implement the Activity's objectives * The importance of addressing the limited access to markets and infrastructure in some areas The Activity's feedback loops included: * Regular meetings with local government leadership to discuss the Activity's progress and challenges * Regular meetings with community members to discuss the Activity's progress and challenges * Regular monitoring and evaluation of the Activity's progress and challenges The Activity's key expected FY24 activities included: * Continuing to strengthen the resilience of households and targeting 301,636 vulnerable and poor rural households * Continuing to engage communities in finding solutions to challenges affecting their livelihoods * Continuing to implement the Activity's objectives in agriculture-based livelihoods, non-agricultural livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction.