Tuendelee Pamoja II Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) Project FY 20 2nd Quarter Report (January - March 2020)

The project aims to improve food security and nutrition among vulnerable populations, including women, children, and adolescents. The project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Food for Peace Program. The project has three main purposes: households have food and income security, improved nutrition and health status of women, children under five, and adolescent girls, and women, men, and youth are social equals and feel safe in their homes and communities. To achieve these purposes, the project focuses on several interventions, including increasing crop productivity, improving storage and marketing of locally produced and processed foods, and promoting income-generating activities. One of the key outcomes of the project is the increase in crop productivity, with farmers employing optimal crop and land management practices. The project has also seen an increase in the use of improved storage, resulting in reduced post-harvest grain storage losses. Additionally, the project has promoted the marketing of locally produced and processed foods, leading to increased income for farmers. The project has also made significant progress in improving nutrition and health status among vulnerable populations. Women and children under five have received quality preventive and curative health care, and community health workers have correctly identified malnourished children and referred them for treatment. The project has also promoted good hygiene practices among women and children, and households have maintained clean living spaces. In terms of social equality and safety, the project has promoted positive perceptions about gender dynamics, conflict sensitivity, and women's empowerment among women, men, and youth. Community influencers have understood gender equity and sensitive gender-based violence and conflict prevention, and have motivated others through discussion, sharing messages, and practicing models. The project has faced several challenges, including security and humanitarian situations, which have impacted the implementation of the project. However, the project has made significant progress in achieving its objectives, and several successes have been reported. These include the establishment of irrigation works, the promotion of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices, and the empowerment of women and youth. Overall, the DFSA project has made significant progress in improving food security and nutrition among vulnerable populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project has promoted several interventions, including increasing crop productivity, improving storage and marketing of locally produced and processed foods, and promoting income-generating activities. The project has also promoted social equality and safety among women, men, and youth, and has made significant progress in improving nutrition and health status among vulnerable populations. The project has reported several successes, including the establishment of irrigation works, the promotion of WASH practices, and the empowerment of women and youth. However, the project has also faced several challenges, including security and humanitarian situations, which have impacted the implementation of the project. Despite these challenges, the project has made significant progress in achieving its objectives, and several lessons have been learned from the project's implementation. The project's success stories, irrigation works status, WASH achievements summary table, and pictures are presented in the annexes of the report. These annexes provide further information on the project's progress and achievements, and highlight the importance of the project's interventions in improving food security and nutrition among vulnerable populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.