Convergence and Layering
The aim is to identify areas with likely geographic overlap and discuss strategies for convergent technical approaches to maximize benefits to target communities, leveraging the relative strengths of each partner.
Key Progress in Project Year II
Growth through Nutrition worked closely with USAID Development Food Security Activities (DFSAs), Livelihoods for Resilience Activities and Transform PHC to avoid duplication and ensure complementary use of USAID investment for better nutritional and health outcomes and coordinated system strengthening of the sectors. Growth through Nutrition and these partners developed five woreda-based joint plans. They selected one model woreda per region using the level of overlap, partners’ engagement, and availability of multiple interventions as main criteria. The model woredas will be used to learn from synergy effort through conducting frequent monitoring and visit.
In Tigray region, Growth through Nutrition, DFSA, Livelihood for Resilience, Value Chain Activity, Transform PHC and other USAID projects (such as POTENTIAL) conducted two follow up and joint monitoring visits to share best practices and lessons among partners. Growth through Nutrition and its partners conducted seven joint review meetings in Tigray, Amhara and SNNP regions.
Growth thought Nutrition in collaboration with FMoH and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (FMoANR) organized a four-day Sustainable Undernutrition Reduction in Ethiopia (SURE) program training, on Infant, Young, Child Nutrition (IYCF)/NSA materials, for 26 USAID supported partners staff. The project in collaboration with FMOH and Transform PHC for USAID supported partners staff also organized a one-day Blended and Integrated Nutrition Learning Material (BINLM) knowledge orientation and five-day skill based BINLM training. Sixteen of the 21 staff who received the knowledge orientation also completed the skills training. USAID implementing partners have adopted the standard training manuals in their projects.
In Tigray and Amhara regions, Growth through Nutrition and partners established Feed the Future coordination forum, conducted coordination meetings, and agreed to have quarterly joint review meetings and monitoring visits.
Key Progress in Project Year III
Growth through Nutrition developed woreda-based joint plans in Year Il which were updated in Amhara and Tigray Regions based on Year III targets and one new woreda-based plan with Value Chain Activity was developed in Oromia.
The project conducted a total of six joint monitoring visits in collaboration with DFSA and Livelihoods for Resilience in selected model woredas of SNNP and Oromia Regions, observing that the collaboration was effective for rolling out trainings using similar training materials such as Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA), Adolescent, Mother, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (AMIYCN), and Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) manuals, to harmonize messages at the ground, avoid targeting duplication, and increase sector support.
Additionally, it organized a central level review meeting with partners to assess the overall Year II collaboration, joint plan progress, and challenges; prioritize collaboration areas for Year III; and draft action points.
Key Progress in Project Year IV
Growth through Nutrition continued to work with DFSAs, L4Rs, VCA, and Transform PHCU in geographically overlapping locations and activities. For example the project updated woreda-based joint plans in Amhara where it, in collaboration with DFSA, L4R and VCA, provided NSA Basic Training for project facilitators and animators, supported woreda level multi-sectoral review meeting, and established a nutrition village. In Tigray region, beneficiaries received technical support on vegetable production and vegetable seeds from L4R community facilitators in the overlap woredas. USAID supported partners and other NGOs with lessons from Growth through Nutrition such as the Koekoek poultry breed distribution to 72 farmers by Cascap-MU project in Enda-Mehoni woredas.
In the second half of the year, convergence activities were limited as most partners had movement restrictions because of COVID-19 and different timelines for resuming implementation. Attention was given to activities implemented at health facilities and COVID-19 prevention support rather than the livelihood related and nutrition sensitive activities.
