Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Strategy 2015-2019

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) Strategy 2015 - 2019 Kabul, Afghanistan, 2015 Contents 0. Summary................................................................................................................................. 1 1. Background and Purpose of the MAIL FSN Strategy .............................................................. 3 2. Objectives and guiding principles of the FSN Strategy .......................................................... 4 3. Strategic fields of action ......................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Measures to increase food production / availability ....................................................... 5 3.2 Measures to improve access to food ............................................................................... 8 3.3 Measures to ensure stable food supplies ........................................................................ 9 3.4 Measures to improve food utilisation and nutrition ..................................................... 10 4. Cross-cutting issues .............................................................................................................. 11 4.1 Gender and Food Security and Nutrition ....................................................................... 11 4.2 Environment, Climate Change and FSN ......................................................................... 12 4.3 Food security and nutrition data and information ........................................................ 13 4.4 Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................. 13 5. Organizational and coordination structures ........................................................................ 14 5.1 FSN Coordination Unit & Focal Point ............................................................................. 14 5.2 FSN Technical Working Group ........................................................................................ 15 5.3 Sub-National / Provincial Coordination Structures ........................................................ 16 Log frame-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17 Abbreviations and Acronyms AFSANA Afghanistan Food Security and Nutrition Agenda ANDMA Afghanistan National Disaster Manage ment Authority ANDS Afghanistan National Development Strat egy ARD Agriculture and Rural Development CBNRM Community based natural resource man agement CDC Community Development Council CFW Cash for Work CPI Consumer Price Index CSO Central Statistics Organization CSOs Civil Society Organizations DAIL Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock DDA District Development Assembly DoE Directorate of Education DoPH Provincial Department of Public Health DRM Disaster Risk Management DRR Disaster Risk Reduction DRRD Directorate of Rural Rehabilitation and Development EC European Commission EFSA Emergency Food Security Assessment FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FEWSNet Famine Early Warning Systems Network FFL Food for Life FFW Food for Work FSN Food Security and Nutrition FS Food Security FSAC Food Security and Agriculture Cluster FP Focal Point GDP Gross Domestic Product GIEWS Global Information and Early Warning System (FAO) GoIRA Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan HDI Human Development Index HLFSNC High Level Food Security and Nutrition Steering Committee IDP Internally Displaced Person INGO International Non-Governmental Organi zation IPC Integrated Food Security Phase Classifica tion M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MAIL Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock MDG Millennium Development Goal MIS Management Information System (MAIL) MoCI Ministry of Commerce and Industry MoE Ministry of Education MoEW Ministry of Energy and Water MoF Ministry of Finance MoFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MoLSAMD Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled MoPH Ministry of Public Health MoWA Ministry of Women’s Affairs MRRD Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Devel opment NAF Nutrition Action Framework NADF National Agriculture Development Frame work NDMC National Disaster Management Commission NEPA National Environmental Protection Agency NGO Non-Governmental Organization NNS National Nutrition Survey NPP National Priority Programme NRAP National Rural Access Programme NRVA National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment NSP National Solidarity Programme NWNRD National Water and Natural Resource Development OCHA UN Office for the Coordination of Humani tarian Affairs PDC Provincial Development Council PFNC Provincial Food and Nutrition Committee PPD Policy and Planning Department (MAIL) PND Public Nutrition Department (MoPH) SGR Strategic Grain Reserve SPS Social Protection Strategy TF Task Force TWG Technical Working Group UN United Nations UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNDP UN Development Programme USAID United States Agency for International Development VAM Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping WB World Bank WFP World Food Programme WHO World Health Organization 1 Foreword Food and nutrition insecurity is a severe and widespread problem in Afghanistan. About 30% of the populations are food insecure. A result and manifestation of the critical state of food insecurity is widespread malnutrition. 40% of Afghan children under five years of age suffer from chronic under nutrition. Under nutrition in early childhood is very critical since it affects the physical and mental capacity of the people throughout their life time. It also depresses economic growth of the country as a whole by up to 3 % per year. The predominant causes of food and nutrition insecurity in Afghanistan are multifold: limited food production and availability of food supplies, climate change, insufficient access to food due to widespread poverty, food shortages arising from disasters or price shocks, poor diets, poor health, water and sanitation conditions as well as insufficient knowledge of nutrition issues which prevent proper food utilization and others. Through a number of policies, strategies and programmes, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghani stan has expressed its commitment to enhancing food security and nutrition for the Afghan people. With the Afghanistan Food Security and Nutrition Agenda (AFSANA), adopted in 2013, a comprehensive and cross sectoral policy and strategic framework for food security and nutrition was established. In order to make it implementable and to achieve food and nutrition security, the overall framework set out in AFSANA needs to be broken down into sector strategies and programmes. Since the majority of vulnerable and food insecure people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and livestock as their main source of liveli hood, this poses a particular challenge for MAIL to act upon. To improve food security, MAIL had already prepared the “Food-for-Life” (FFL) National Priority Programme 2 in 2012. However, the FFL Programme focused largely on aspects of production and productivity increases, hence on the issue of food availability, while the other aspects of food and nutrition security (access, stability, utilization and nutrition) have only been partly addressed. Therefore the FFL programme needed to be com plemented by a FSN strategy that is based on the comprehensive concept of FSN and sets out relevant fields of action by MAIL which contribute, besides production, also to improve access to food, strengthen the resilience of farmers and ensure sufficient food supplies also in disaster situations, improve the quality of diets and food utilization, which all will lead to better nutrition. MAIL’s FSN strategy creates synergies, fills gaps, expands the scope and reinforces impacts of MAIL actions for improving the food and nutrition security situation of the Afghan population in general and for the large seg ments of poor farmers and rural households in particular. Although the strategy focuses on MAIL actions to improve food and nutrition security, in implementing the strategy, MAIL will closely cooperate with other min istries and agencies concerned with improving the food and nutrition situation in our country. I believe the food security and nutrition strategy will guide MAIL to plan and implement appropriate decisions in order to improve the food security and nutrition status of Afghan population in the country. Thank you. H.E. Assadullah Zamir Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 2 0. Summary Food and nutrition insecurity is a severe and widespread problem in Afghanistan. About 30% of the population is food insecure, and 40% of Afghan children under five years of age suffer from chronic under nutrition. With the Afghanistan Food Security and Nutrition Agenda (AFSANA), adopted by the Government in 2013, a comprehensive and cross-sectoral policy and strategic framework for food security and nutrition (FSN) was established. Yet, to become operational, AFSANA needs to be broken down into sector strategies and pro grammes. Since the majority of vulnerable and food insecure people live in rural areas and depend on agricul ture and livestock as their main source of livelihood, this forms a particular challenge for MAIL to act upon. Acknowledging its mandate and responsibility, MAIL had already prepared the “Food-for-Life” (FFL) National Priority Program 2 in 2012. However, the FFL Programme focuses largely on aspects of production and produc tivity increases, hence on the issue of food availability, while the other aspects of food security and nutrition (access, stability, utilization and nutrition) have only marginally been dealt with. The FSN strategy fills such gaps. Being based on the comprehensive concept of FSN, it sets out relevant fields of action by MAIL which contribute, besides production, also to the other aspects of FSN security. Thus, MAIL’s FSN strategy provides a common framework for MAIL actions aimed at improving FSN, helps to identify and fill still existing gaps, and creates synergies among MAIL actions that will enhance the impacts on FSN. The strategy document is structured as follows: Chapter 1 explains the background and purpose of MAIL’s FSN strategy. Chapter 2 presents the goal, objectives and guiding principles of the FSN strategy. Chapter 3 sets out MAIL’s strategic fields of action in terms of measures aiming at increasing food production and availability, improving access to food, ensuring stability of food supplies over the year and in disaster situa tions, and improving food utilization and nutrition. It is also shown that many of the agricultural sector inter ventions can have multiple effects on different aspects of FSN. Chapter 4 deals with relevant cross-cutting issues related to FSN, such as, gender and FSN, the implications of environment and climate change for FSN, the FSN data and information system at MAIL and FSN monitoring and evaluation. The final chapter 5 defines the organizational and coordination structures of MAIL related to FSN, including a FSN Coordination Unit and a FSN Working Group. The FSN Coordination Unit will also serve as FSN Focal Point under AFSANA and link with the National FSN Secretariat established at the 2 nd Vice-President’s office. 3 1. Background and Purpose of the MAIL FSN Strategy Food and nutrition insecurity is a severe and widespread problem in Afghanistan. According to the National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA 2011-12), 30% of the population are food insecure. They are consum ing less than an average of 2,100 kcal/ person/day which is below the minimum average daily food energy requirements. Moreover, there are also severe deficiencies in terms of diversity and quality of the diets, lead ing to insufficient protein and micronutrient consumption. A result and manifestation of the critical state of food insecurity is widespread malnutrition, which is further aggravated by a poor health, sanitation and caring environment. 40% of Afghan children under five years of age suffer from chronic under nutrition 1 , and deficiencies of essential micronutrients affect up to over 90% of the population (National Nutrition Survey, NSS 2013). It has been found that under nutrition in early childhood can never be made up later. It affects the physical and mental capacity of the people throughout their lifetime, and depresses economic growth of the country as a whole by up to 3 % per year. The predominant causes of food and nutrition insecurity in Afghanistan are multifold: limited production and availability of food supplies, climate change, insufficient access to food due to widespread poverty, food short ages arising from disasters or price shocks, poor diets, poor health, water and sanitation conditions as well as insufficient knowledge of nutrition issues which prevent proper food utilization and others. Through a number of policies, strategies and programmes, and as party to several international covenants, the GoIRA has expressed its commitment to enhancing food and nutrition security for the Afghan people. With the Afghanistan Food Security and Nutrition Agenda (AFSANA), adopted in 2013, a comprehensive and cross sectoral policy and strategic framework for food and nutrition security was established. In order to make it implementable and to achieve the food and nutrition security objectives, the overall FSN framework set out in AFSANA needs to be broken down into sector strategies and programmes. Since the ma jority of vulnerable and food insecure people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and livestock as their main source of livelihood, MAIL has a highly important role to play in supporting the farmers and their families to improve their FSN situation. Acknowledging its mandate and responsibility in this field, MAIL had already prepared the “Food-for-Life” (FFL) National Priority Programme 2 in 2012. However, the FFL Programme focuses largely on aspects of production and productivity increases, hence on the issue of food availability, while the other aspects of food and nutrition security (access, stability, utilization and nutrition) have only been partly dealt with. Therefore, it was felt that the FFL programme needs to be complemented by a FSN strategy that is based on the comprehensive concept of FSN and sets out relevant fields of action by MAIL which contribute, besides production, also to the other aspects of FSN security. MAIL’s FSN strategy serves several purposes: • To establish a common framework for MAIL actions aimed at improving FSN; • Putting strings together and creating synergies of MAIL actions aimed at improving FSN; • Expanding the scope and filling gaps of MAIL actions in the field of FSN; • Reinforcing impacts of MAIL actions on FSN; • Strengthening the resilience of small farmers against shocks; 1 Down from over 60% chronic malnourished children in 2004, but still very high in international comparison. 4 • Expanding the scope of nutrition sensitive agricultural development measures; • Improving capacities of MAIL and DAIL staff in designing, planning, implementing and monitoring FSN interventions. 2 2. Objectives and guiding principles of the FSN Strategy MAIL’s FSN Strategy is expected to make a substantial contribution to the Overall Goal: Achieving food security and nutrition at national and household level. By particularly targeting areas with food gaps or high food security risks and vulnerable and food insecure rural households, the following strategic objectives are being pursued: 3 1) Ensure the availability of sufficient food for all Afghans. 2) Improve economic and physical access to food, especially by vulnerable and food insecure population groups. 3) Ensure stable food supplies over time and in disaster situations. 4) Promote healthy diets, adequate food utilization and good nutrition practices particularly by women and children. In designing and implementing the FSN strategy, the following guiding principles are applied:  Strategy is based on and consistent with AFSANA, the existing overall national policy framework for FSN, broken down for MAIL  Identification and removal of existing constraints to food production, access to food, stability, food uti lization and nutrition which farmers and rural households face;  Strengthening the resilience of farmers and their ability to cater for the food and nutritional needs of their families,  Strategic actions based on experience on best practices,  Avoid duplication, create synergies,  Intersectoral and interdepartmental coordination and cooperation,  Maximum use of multiple effects of MAIL actions on different aspects of FSN (availability, access, utili sation, stability). 3. Strategic fields of action Diagram 1: Strategic Fields of Action for Improving Food Security & Nutrition Impacts on Availability, Access, Stability, Utilisation and Nutrition 2 Reference is made to the „ MANUAL for Planning and Implementation of Food and Nutrition Security Projects and Programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), draft 30-12-2014 3 Cf. AFSANA 5 Diagram 1 above illustrates issues that are highly relevant for designing, implementing and monitoring FSN measures. It shows what type of measure has an impact on which of the four aspects of FSN. It also shows that many of the actions, particularly those in the central column that is related to agriculture and falls under the mandate of MAIL, (can) have impacts on more than one aspect of FSN at the same time. 4 Promotion of irrigation is one example of such possible multiple effects on different aspects of FSN: Irrigation is expected to lead to productivity and production increases (impact on availability), to bring about increased farm income (impact on access), and to have a positive effect on stability, since agricultural production and farm income are less dependent on rainfall and less exposed to the risk of drought. To have positive multiple impacts on FSN, the measures must be particularly targeted at the poor and vulnerable population groups. 3.1 Measures to increase food production / availability Agriculture and food production in Afghanistan is constrained by a large number of factors, such as recurrent droughts and other natural disasters, years of conflict, land degradation, poor technology, lack of inputs, de stroyed and poor infrastructure, poor knowledge, deficient agricultural support services, and many others. Strategic fields of action, aimed at increasing agricultural production and productivity comprise the whole spec trum of measures to address such constraints and to promote crop and livestock production (research, exten sion, training, input supply, agric. marketing, services etc.). Such measures are already well set out in the “Food-for-Life” (FFL) component of the “National Priority Programme Two” (NPP2, 2012). Therefore, and to avoid repetition, for measures to increase food availability, reference is made to the FFL programme. Some of the main features of the FFL programme are presented in the following Box 1. 4 Measures in the central column in Diagram 1, contributing simultaneously to two, three and some of them even to all four aspects of FSN. 6 Box 1: FFL - Overall goal, objectives and sub-components Overall goal: To increase agriculture production and productivity of cereal crops and legumes, horticulture and livestock in an integrated and targeted approach that will improve rural livelihoods and will contribute to national and house hold level food security and nutrition. Objectives: 1: To reach farmers through farmer groups, associations and cooperatives with customized and adapted pack ages of agriculture inputs and services. 2: To strengthen and expand decentralized research and extension for irrigated and dry-land agriculture, and livestock production systems for increasing production and productivity. 3: To strengthen delivery of agriculture inputs, mechanization and extension services through public and private sector service providers. 4: To build and rehabilitate the Strategic Grain Reserves and establish a SGR network and management system for an efficient and effective emergency response. 5: To strengthen a coordinated Agriculture Statistics and MIS capacity in MAIL that will efficiently and effective ly collect, analyse and disseminate required data for public information and for evidence based planning and decision making. 6: To promote in cooperation with other stakeholders, through education and extension the diversification in food production and consumption. Sub-Components: 1) Data and Information Base 2) Cereals and Legumes 3) Horticulture 4) Livestock 5) Food Nutrition 6) Emergency Preparedness and Response 7) Dry Land Farming 8) Integrated Pest Management FFL objectives 1 – 3 and sub-components 2, 3 4, 7, 8 aim at increasing production and productivity, thus directly at increasing food availability. Objective 4 with sub- component 6 is geared towards ensuring stability in disas ter situations (see section 3.3 below), objective 6 and sub-component 6 particularly aims at improving food utilization and nutrition (see section 3.4 below), and objective 5 with sub-component 1) is instrumental to all other objectives and will be discussed under cross-cutting issues in section 4.3 below. MAIL actions to boost agricultural and food production comprise a wide range of promotion measures, such as:  Applied and farming systems research,  Agricultural and livestock services (extension, information, marketing, veterinary, pest and disease control, product specific support services, etc.)  Training / capacity building of farmers and of MAIL/DAIL staff;  Promotion of agric. technology development and transfer,  Agricultural input supply (quality seeds, fertilizer, agro-chemicals),  Promotion of farmers’ organizations,  Fodder production and supply,  Promotion of value chains, food storage, marketing and processing;  Reduction of post-harvest losses. 7  Providing access to productive resources (land, water). Irrigation Apart from the fields of action defined in the FFL programme, promotion of irrigation plays a key role in in creasing food production and productivity. While, for example, the yields of rainfed wheat range around 1 MT/ha, with wide annual and local variations, yields of irrigated wheat reach 2.5 up to 3 MT/ha. 5 Formerly, in the 1970s, some 3.3 million hectares were cultivated, using various irrigation methods, while at present around 2 million hectares are being irrigated. Of these, only 10% are being irrigated using properly engineered systems and up to a third of irrigated land is presently not cultivated due to water constraints. Many of the irrigation structures have been damaged and not maintained during the long period of conflict and war, and inappropri ate irrigation technologies and poor management lead to a waste of scarce water resources. Strategic actions to increase and improve irrigated agriculture are defined in the National Water and Natural Resource Development Programme (ARD NPP 1). They include the following approaches:  Expansion of irrigation systems,  Rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems,  Establishment of water storage facilities,  Introduction of improved irrigation technologies,  Improved water and irrigation management. Strategic approaches that have to be applied in designing, planning and implementing agricultural develop ment interventions are:  promotion of appropriate land use practices in irrigated and dry-land farming (e.g. watershed man agement);  building capacities in planning, management, technical fields and monitoring and evaluation at nation al, provincial and field levels;  developing and promoting improved production technology packages, based on farming systems re search, which take into account the specific needs, constraints, capacities, resources, livelihood condi tions, and coping mechanisms of farmers and their households, the environmental conditions as well as aspects of quantity and quality of production;  increasing the diversity of food production to enhance households’ resilience to disasters and enable them to maintain a more diversified and balanced diet; and  accompanying food production expansion interventions with improvements in agricultural and rural service delivery in relevant fields (i.e. extension, credit, input supply, veterinary, pest and disease con trol, marketing),  advocating a close, two-way interaction between research and extension to improve farmer advisory services and supporting adequate number and requisite capacity building of support staff.  pursuing an approach that combines MAIL/DAIL leadership and community participation to determine whether innovations and other forms of support match farmers’ interests, needs and capacities, and devising options to adjust promotion packages whenever necessary;  promoting farmers’ organizations (self-help groups, common interest cooperatives, special women farmers associations) in order to link farmers to markets and strengthen their bargaining powers.  intensifying cooperation with the private sector, particularly in fields of input supply, agricultural sup port services and marketing; Explore and promote agricultural products where Afghanistan or certain areas have a comparative advantage, 5 MAIL, Agricultural Prospects Report, July 2012. 8 Promotion of nutrition sensitive products One of the critical FSN issues in Afghanistan are micro-nutrient deficiencies, so-called “hidden hunger”. Micro nutrient deficiencies occur as result of poor diets and low dietary diversity, particularly lack of micro-nutrient rich food items like fruit and vegetables. MAIL promotes the production of such nutrition sensitive food items which can be well grown in backyard gardens, also in urban and semi-urban environments, and in school gar dens. The promotion of nutritive food products in school gardens has also important demonstration effect on students, parents and teachers. 6 3.2 Measures to improve access to food Sufficient availability of food is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for FSN. If, due to increased produc tion, more and sufficient food is becoming available, it also must be ensured that those people who need it actually get it. This is the issue of getting sufficient access to food. Insufficient access to food is closely related to poverty and is particularly prevalent in the rural areas of Afghanistan. Farmers, due to lack of resources, knowledge or other constraints, are not able to produce enough food on their own to adequately feed their families and there is a lack of alternative or complementary employment and income earning possibilities. Measures to increase food production and agricultural productivity will also contribute to improved access to food, as shown in Graph 1 above, if they are directed to and benefitting those people who are, though involved in agriculture, suffering from food and nutrition insecurity. This refers to the large group of small farmers and agricultural labourers. Through intensification of production, farmers gain improved access to food from a larger volume of produc tion that can be either consumed at home or sold. Agricultural labourers will benefit, if the intensification of agricultural production brings about increased employment and income opportunities. Since small farmers are the majority of MAIL’s clients and constitute the majority of the vulnerable and food insecure people of Afghanistan, MAIL will apply specific strategic approaches to improve their FSN situation, such as:  Promote farming systems research to analyse, design, develop and promote suitable and sustainable smallholder farming systems;  Develop and promote improved and adapted agricultural technologies that are applicable and afford able by small and poor farmers;  Develop and provide support packages, based on existing smallholder production systems and the specific environmental and climatic conditions;  Targeted input subsidies, based on well justified and transparent criteria of eligibility;  Expansion of farmers’ field school approach;  Promotion of value chain development and agricultural marketing.  Promotion of farmers, pastoralists and irrigation groups, associations and cooperatives.  Encourage and support IDPs and returning refugees to move back to their villages and resume farm ing.  Explore the potential of fishfarming for improving FSN through income . In principle, if the strategic approaches set-out in the section 3.1 above will be pursued with a focus on the small farmers’ needs, capacities and livelihood conditions they will contribute to both, increased availability and improved access. Moreover, such measures will help farmers to build resilience against shocks and thus also contribute to the strategic FSN objective to ensure stable food supplies (see following paragraph). 6 See also paragraph 3.4 on utilisation. 9 3.3 Measures to ensure stable food supplies Food and nutrition insecurity, resulting from structural factors such as insufficient food production, poverty and insufficient access to food, is further aggravated by supply instabilities and food shortages arising from natural disasters (recurrent droughts, floods, earthquakes, landslides, harsh winters, pests and diseases, etc.), man made disasters (security threats, war and conflict), volatility in agricultural commodity markets and prices, and temporary scarcities during the annual production cycle when household food stocks from the previous harvest are depleted (“hungry season”). Fields of action to mitigate supply instabilities at national, regional, local and individual household level com prise the following strategic approaches: 1) Establishing an effective system of emergency preparedness and disaster risk management (DRM), in cluding the following components:  Early warning system – expanding and building on existing initiatives (e.g. FEWSNet),  Disaster management and contingency plans at national, provincial and local levels;  Expanding and improving the strategic grain reserve, to effectively respond to food emergencies, (see NPP2-FFL document); consideration of other foodstuffs too;  Emergency food and nutrition assistance.  Establishing an emergency fund. In these fields of emergency preparedness and response, MAIL will closely coordinate and cooperate with other relevant Government and international organizations (e.g. ANDMA, MRRD, UN etc.). 2) Promotion of proper irrigation As stated before, the production and productivity gains from irrigation will not only contribute to in creased food availability and improved access; irrigation also contributes to more stable food supplies, since cropping is less vulnerable to rainfall variation and droughts. The strategic measures to improve and increase irrigation are, as pointed out before:  Expansion of irrigation systems,  Rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems,  Establishment of water storage facilities,  Introduction of improved irrigation technologies,  Improved water and irrigation management. 3) Promotion of food processing, conservation and storage  for agricultural and livestock products;  incl. cold storage facilities for horticultural products;  productive use of by-products;  exploring possibilities for cooperation with the private sector. 4) Productive safety nets /temporary public employment schemes during critical times of food shortages/ after disasters (cash-/food-for-work schemes). Such strategic approach kills two birds with one stone: It provides access to food to the people affected by food shortages, and improves the productive capacity of the natural and infrastructural resources, by investing the works in e.g:  Rehabilitation and expansion of rural infrastructure (roads, irrigation, markets),  Soil and water conservation,  Afforestation. 10 Close cooperation between MAIL and MRRD and their provincial and district departments is required in planning and implementing such schemes. 5) Strengthening resilience of farmers against shocks is highly important to reduce the vulnerability of farmers who are exposed to the risks of natural disasters and changing weather conditions due to climate change, and who have little or no reserves to cope with such situations. Strategic measures by MAIL to strengthen the resilience of farmers include:  Support to farmers to resume their farming business after shocks (provision of seeds and other inputs, rehabilitation measures on farmland, restocking);  Promotion of applied research in drought and pest resistant varieties, and arrangements that the re search results are transmitted to the farmers via the extension services;  Cross-boundary pest management;  Promotion of crop diversification, with a mix of crops and varieties with different degree of resistance to adverse production conditions.  Promotion of sustainable land use practices (watershed management);  Vaccination of animals against common diseases. To be effective, all these measures will require expansion and capacity building of the extension services. 3.4 Measures to improve food utilisation and nutrition Utilization means the ability of a person to consume healthy and balanced diets according to the individual nutritional requirements, and to fully absorb the nutrients contained in the food consumed. Even if sufficient food in quantitative-caloric terms is consumed, under- and malnutrition occurs if the diets don’t provide a bal anced supply of macro- and micronutrients according to the needs, and/or if the nutrients are not absorbed by the body due to infectious diseases (diarrhea, respiratory infections, worms etc.). Although nutrition indicators have improved over the last decade7, there are still very high rates of under- and malnutrition recorded. There are multiple causes contributing to widespread under- and malnutrition in Afghanistan: food insecurity, poor diets and limited dietary diversity, infectious diseases, limited access to health services, little knowledge of mothers on health and nutrition issues, no access to safe drinking water, lack of sanitation, poor hygiene, inadequate caring practices, and weak food quality control. In addition to the measures to improve food security in terms of availability, access and stability, set out be fore, also some of the issues related to improving food utilisation and nutrition fall under the mandate of MAIL 8 and are being addressed with the following strategic approaches, with particular focus on women as target group: • Promotion of diversification of production with regard to nutrition sensitive products, • Promotion of home based farming practices (horticulture, home gardening, livestock, including as pects of safe recycling and management of household wastes through composting or as animal feed, utilizing waste water) in rural, semi-urban and urban environments, • Demonstrations (school gardens, home gardens, home based food processing and conservation), • Promotion of organic farming, • Information campaigns on food and nutrition issues, 7 National Nutrition Survey data 2013 compared with 2004. 8 While the bulk of activities related to health, food utilization and nutrition interventions fall under the Man date of MoPH and are subject of the Nutrition Action Framework (NAF) adopted in 2012. 11 • Nutrition education and training, also including nutrition issues in primary, higher and adult education curricula. • Food safety standards and control. Nutrition and health issues are closely linked, and actions related to health, food utilization and nutrition inter ventions are set out in AFSANA and the Nutrition Action Framework (NAF). Therefore, in designing and imple menting measures in the field of food utilization and nutrition, MAIL liaises and closely cooperates with the Ministries of Public Health, Education, Women and Youth Affairs, UN organizations (FAO, UNICEF, WHO, WFP) as well as other development partners concerned with health and nutrition issues. 4. Cross-cutting issues 9 4.1 Gender and Food Security and Nutrition The role of women and their contribution to family welfare, food and nutrition security cannot be overrated: they produce and harvest food crops, manage livestock, prepare meals, generate family income from house hold products, collect water and fire wood, ensure household sanitation, collect provisions from nature such as wild foods and medical plants, care for family health and wellbeing and educate their children on health and nutrition issues. 10 Due to still persisting gender inequity, particularly as regards education and social status, women face major challenges in complying with all these essential functions and are discouraged or even hindered to develop their capacities further. Their contribution to agriculture and household food security is not adequately recog nised. Often they suffer themselves from under- and malnutrition. Women are found to have a disproportion ate inferior access to adequate food, even if the household to which they belong is not considered vulnerable: 21% of the women in reproductive age group are malnourished. If a pregnant women is malnourished, she very likely will give birth to a malnourished child. Micronutrients deficiency and other types of malnutrition are more common among illiterate women who do not have access to primary education. Moreover, women have little nutrition awareness. Recognising the challenges that women face and acknowledging their vital role in agriculture and livestock production and in ensuring household food security and nutrition, MAIL has designed strategies and pro grammes 11 aimed at strengthening the role of women and enabling them to fulfil their role in catering for food security and nutrition of their family members. The strategic measures of MAIL in this field include:  Promoting of home based food production (see section 3.4 above);  Promotion of home based food processing, storage and conservation;  Promotion of suitable technologies for women;  Support to women’s agricultural enterprises;  Extension services for women (agriculture, home gardening, livestock keeping, household food securi ty, nutrition, food processing);  Increasing female staff in MAIL, particularly home economics directorate and DAILs female staff to provide agriculture extension services for women.  Capacity building, training in business management and technical fields;  Nutrition education; 9 The following sections are partly based on the deliberations of the AFSANA document, updated and with a focus on strategic approaches applied by MAIL. 10 Cf. UNEP, Women and Natural Resources in Afghanistan, 2009. 11 Gender Mainstreaming Strategy, October 2009; Home Economics Strategy, October 2011; Strategy in Provid ing Agricultural Services to Women, July 2013. See also NPP2 – FFL, p. 38. 12  Health and nutrition information, such as booklets, campaigns etc.  Support to establishing and managing women’s cooperatives and associations; Precondition and key strategic measure for actions in all of these fields is an expansion and upgrading of wom en’s extension services. 4.2 Environment, Climate Change and FSN Food and nutrition security challenges also arise from environmental conditions and climate change that affect food production and availability, access to food, and lead to short- and long-term instabilities in food supplies. These factors have contributed to a severely aggravating situation in recent years, as stated in a NEPA/ UNEP Report. 12 “The disruption of traditional practices that has resulted from insecurity, migration, a breakdown of social struc tures, poverty, population pressure and natural disasters have led to over exploitation of the natural resource base. Today, we can observe a situation of biodiversity loss, land degradation, denudation of bio-physical pro tection which accelerates wind and water erosion, and a real lack of productivity in the arid zones. Impoverished soils are reducing carrying capacity, resulting in overstocking, use of unsuitable land for cultivation, and expo sure of soils to wind and water erosion. Conflicts are generated by competing land uses and decreased natural resource and water availability. The consequences have included severe flooding, soil and wind erosion, deforestation, desertification, loss of pastures and reduced pasture quality, reduction of wildlife populations, air pollution, decrease in the quality and quantity of water for irrigation and drinking, and so on, all compounded by macro level climatic changes, espe cially those related to precipitation.” MAIL will address the FSN challenges arising from environmental stress and climate change by proactive ac tions, which include:  Effective disaster preparedness and management (see section 3.3 on stability above);  Promotion of sustainable land use practices (agriculture, pastures, agro-forestry, e.g. Community based natural resource management (CBNRM) approaches), based on a systematic assessment of the suitability of current land use practices in different ecological environments, identification and propa gation of best practices through extension service and training;  Protecting local varieties and breeds which are well adapted to the local conditions;  Research and extension in climate change adaptation strategies (e.g. research and dissemination of drought or pest resistant crops and varieties);  Improving water management, reducing water waste;  Protecting forests, wetlands, pastures and areas for biodiversity (e.g. enclosures);  Promote afforestation (incl. woodlots for fuel wood and construction) MAIL will closely collaborate with the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) for the development of comprehensive and cohesive strategies for increasing agricultural and food production through an effective and sustainable use of natural resources. 12 UNEP, NEPA, GEF, Afghanistan, National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment for Global Environmental Man agement (NCSA) and National Adaptation Programme of Action for Climate Change (NAPA), Final Joint Report, February 2009. 13 4.3 Food security and nutrition data and information Many agencies and organizations provide relevant data and information on the FSN situation in Afghanistan. They include the National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA) of the CSO and MRRD; agricultural statis tics from MAIL and nutrition data from MoPH and UNICEF; early warning information and vulnerability data generated by Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS-Net), WFP’s Vulnerability Assessment and Map ping (VAM) unit, the IPC unit in MAIL, and rapid emergency assessments by ANDMA, WFP and NGOs. The wide range of information sources and different standards applied make it difficult to obtain a comprehen sive and consistent picture of the food and nutrition environment, rendering it very difficult to design and im plement appropriate response strategies, to monitor progress and results of interventions, and to gauge trends and changes. An effective FSN information system provides countrywide baseline information on FSN determinants, regular updates on the FSN situation, early warning information on hazard risks and likely implications for FSN security, and rapid emergency need assessments when a disaster strikes. Typical steps and features consist of data col lection, data management, data analysis and communication. Planned measures to improve the agricultural data and information base already include: 13 (i) strengthening data and information base institutional framework; (ii) undertaking land cover change analysis; (iii) collecting and disseminating agricultural production, marketing, trade and export data; (iv) improving agro-meteorology and early warning system; (v) strengthening management information systems; (vi) developing an information gateway to geo-spatial information system; and (vii) improving the system for surveys. These measures will bring substantial improvements to agricultural data generation and information manage ment if complemented by relevant FSN data and information from other sectors, particularly non-farm and social sectors, and conceived in the context of an overall monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for food and nutrition security 14 which is planned to be established under the FSN Secretariat housed at the 2 nd Vice Presi dent’s office. Such a system would link FSN situation analysis and response analysis along the lines of the Inte grated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) which has been introduced in Afghanistan. By utilizing available information to classify the nature and severity of the FSN situation, IPC serves the needs of decision makers and renders food and nutrition security actions more effective, needs-based, strategic, and timely. 15 MAIL will  strengthen the capacity of MAIL staff and agents to collect data, design and conduct FSN surveys, and to analyse data and survey results. and  further strengthen the Statistical Department and Management Information System (MIS) in order to fulfil its functions to collect, store, manage and provide the relevant agricultural, food and nutrition data gener ated by MAIL, and to link with the other FSN data bases. 4.4 Monitoring and Evaluation Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in the context of MAIL’s FSN interventions will help to verify whether and to what extent the FSN programmes and projects implemented by MAIL are on track in reaching the FSN objec tives. M&E will particularly focus on the results of these measures, i.e. the changes induced by an intervention on the food and nutrition security situation as to improved availability, access, stability, utilisation and/or nutri tion. 13 “Data and Information Base” of the ARD NPP 2 “Food for Life” Programme 14 See section 4.4 below. 15 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, Technical Manual Version 2.0, Final Review Draft, October 2011 14 Results monitoring and evaluations are considerably facilitated if the objectives of an intervention, the planned results and related indicators are defined in a consistent way and clearly spelled out, using the Logframe for mat and a set of standard indicators to measure the effects of an intervention on the different aspects of FSN. Therefore, result monitoring, based on the Logframe format and relevant standard indicators will be performed by project management for each FSN intervention. MAIL project and programme management will be assisted in applying these formats by the FSN Coordination Unit and FSN working groups established under the Policy and Planning Department of MAIL (see section 5 below). Such strategic approach to FSN M&E will also allow to carry out consolidated results monitoring and evalua tions for geographical or thematic clusters (e.g. specific target groups) and for all relevant FSN interventions by MAIL as a whole, and to feed the results into the overall national FSN M&E system to be established for AF SANA under the FSN Secretariat at the 2 nd Vice Presidents office. 5. Organizational and coordination structures For furthering and coordinating FSN issues, MAIL will establish a FSN coordination unit which will also serve as FSN focal point for AFSANA and a FSN technical working group. Furthermore, there will also sub-national FSN structures being established. 5.1 FSN Coordination Unit & Focal Point A FSN coordination unit will be established under the Office of the Deputy Minister – technical affairs. In an initial phase, it will be composed of as Head of unit, a FSN Coordination Officer and a FSN M&E officer, and fulfill the following functions:  Facilitate the coordination of planning and implementation of food security and nutrition interventions;  Promote integrated and consistent responses to emergency and structural food and nutrition insecurity problems;  Ensure that sector plans, programs and projects with implications for food and nutrition security are consistent with the FSN Strategy and NPP2-FFL;  Assist MAIL departments and management of FSN projects and programmes in designing, planning and monitoring FSN projects and programmes.  Assess the performance of FSN interventions on the basis of monitoring and evaluation reports and oth er reviews and analyses prepared by stakeholders;  Review the FSN interventions when and where deemed appropriate;  Facilitate the planning, implementation and evaluation of action plans of the FSN interventions carried out by various departments of MAIL;  Interact with and provide all necessary information to stakeholders including liaising with development partners on FSN issues;  Ensure the smooth flow and exchange of FSN information among all stakeholders;  Receive, review and disseminate to the Directorate/ MAIL monitoring and related reports of food securi ty programs and projects.  Prepare sensitization material for DAILs at the sub-national level. The FSN coordination unit will also act a secretariat for the FSN technical working group (see below) and serve as the FSN Focal Point of MAIL. 15 Under AFSANA, each core ministry will appoint a FSN Focal Point. The Focal Point has three basic functions: to (i) coordinate implementation of the AFSANA at the technical level within the respective ministry or agency; (ii) serve as the hub for food, nutrition and vulnerability information within the ministry or agency; and (iii) liaise with the national-level Food and Nutrition Secretariat which is established at the 2 nd Vice President’s office. Exerting the role of MAIL’s FSN Focal Point under the AFSANA framework implies some additional activities, such as:  Provide advice on food and nutrition security policy and strategic issues;  Coordinate with various departments of MAIL for the interaction with other relevant Ministries (MRRD, MoEW, MoPH, MoWA, MoEd, MoHE) and FSN stakeholders;  Ensure that food and nutrition security concerns are well reflected in the policies and programmes of the ministry;  Prepare reports on progress being made by the various departments of MAIL on FSN interventions;  Ensure synergy amongst various FSN interventions/ projects and other strategies, programmes and plans in the food and nutrition security domain to avoid duplication 5.2 FSN Technical Working Group Under the Planning and Programme Coordination Directorate, MAIL will establish a FSN technical working group (TWG). Members of the TWG will be Technical Directors of all departments of MAIL as well as FSN Advis ers and Managers of relevant FSN projects being implemented under the ministry.  Review and coordinate implementation of the MAIL FSN projects, programmes and policies;  Assess progress and results related to the implementation of the FSN related interventions and approve adjustments in design and implementation when deemed necessary;  Define strategic food security and nutrition priorities at MAIL level;  Plan appropriate responses to short term food security and nutrition crises and related shocks in coordi nation with the MAIL disaster response mechanisms;  Identify where inter-departmental and inter - sectoral coordinated action is needed to address long term food and nutrition insecurity issues and propose solutions for tackling such developments;  Promote FSN awareness among all departments of the ministry;  Devise ways to incorporate FSN strategic actions into the work programs in line with FFL of NPP2;  Advise the Planning and Programme Coordination Directorate of MAIL on food security and nutrition matters including how to comply with international commitments and obligations;  Facilitate the design and implementation of joint food security and nutrition programmes;  Communicate policies, priorities, targets and results of the FSN interventions to stakeholders.  Develop standard approaches for planning and monitoring of FSN interventions.  Oversee and provide programmatic guidance to the IPC activities being rolled out under the Planning and Programme Coordination Directorate of MAIL. The TWG may establish sub-committees and/or special working groups to for specific purposes (e.g. FSN as sessments, monitoring) as deemed necessary. 16 5.3 Sub-National / Provincial Coordination Structures At provincial and district level, DAIL will assign a staff member as provincial / district FSN Focal Point. The pro vincial / district Focal Points will be member of the provincial / district FSN Committees which are being estab lished under AFSANA. The provincial / district FSN Focal Points will be in charge of  Reporting on the FSN situation in the district resp. province,  Facilitating and monitoring FSN projects implemented by DAIL at regional / district level,  Liaising and coordinating with the FSN Coordination Unit at MAIL, and  Liaising and coordinating with other FSN initiatives in the district / province. ANNEX Logframe Matrix MAIL FSN Strategy –Part A: Overall goal and strategy objectives 16 Strategy Indicators Data sources Assumptions/risks 16 Based on AFSANA and NPP2-FFL 17 Overall Goal: Food security and nutrition at national and household level Food supplies (staple and other foods) sufficient to cover national needs (in calor ic terms: 2100 kcal/person/year) No. of food insecure and bor derline households decreased by 5% p.a. Acute food shortages (sea sonal and in disasters) avoid ed Prevalence of chronic malnu trition reduced by 5% p.a. MAIL statistics Food balance sheets NRVA M & E of disaster preparedness and management National nutrition surveys Security situation does not further deteriorate Strategic objectives: 1. Availability of sufficient food for all Afghans through in creased food production 2. Adequate economic and physical access to food, espe cially by vulnerable and food insecure population groups. 3. Stable food supplies over time and in disaster situa tions. 4. Healthy diets, adequate food utilization and good nutrition practices particularly by women and children. Increase food production by 20% within five years Decrease the proportion of food insecure rural house holds by 5% p.a. Disaster preparedness and response strategy in place Food consumption scores (composite index based on dietary diversity, food fre quency, and the relative nutri tional importance of different food consumed) Reduced rates of malnutrition (Stunting, wasting, under weight, micronutrient defi ciencies) in children and women/adults MAIL Statistics, Food balance sheets NRVA Strategy document and implementation procedures Food consumption and nutrition surveys No major natural disaster. No major upsets on domestic and world food markets Collaboration among relevant agencies (ANDMA, MAIL, MRRD, etc.) Safe water supply, sanitation and health services im proved (under man date of MRRD & MoPH) For Strategic Fields of Action related to the strategic objectives see detailed listing below. Logframe Matrix MAIL FSN Strategy –Part B: Strategic Fields of Action 17 Strategy / Fields of action Indicators Data sources Assumptions/risks Strategic Objective 1: Availability of sufficient food through increased food production 1.1 Measures to increase pro duction and productivity of cereal crops. legumes, horti culture and livestock (ref. to NPP2-FFL, subcomponents 2,3,4) 1.1.1 Wheat and Rice productivity in MT per hec tare aggregated by irrigated and rain-fed 1.1.2 Total production of cereals and legumes (na MAIL statistics No major natural disaster 17 Strategic fields of action on cross-cutting issues (gender and environment) are integrated into the four fields of action related to availability, access, stability and utilization. 18 tional/ regional/ province), MT 1.1.3 Amount of livestock production (milk, meat, egg) and/or Number of Livestock (Cows, Sheep, Goats) 1.1.4 Production of horticul ture (8 fruits & 3 vegetables) MT 1.2 Promotion of irrigation, including:  Expansion of irrigation sys tems,  Rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems,  Establishment of water storage facilities,  Introduction of improved irrigation technologies,  Improved water and irriga tion management. Irrigated land (ha) No. /type/capacities of wa ter storage facilities Irriga tion technologies applied Rating of quality of water and irrigation management MAIL statistics Irrigation Directorate Report MAIL GIS Security situation allows investments in irrigation and M & E of irrigation projects Close cooperation with MoEW 1.3 Promotion of appropriate land use practices in irrigat ed and dry-land farming, incl. community based natu ral resource management (CBNRM) No. of Integrated watershed management/CBNRM schemes established MAIL statistics Irrigation Directorate Report MAIL GIS MAIL NRM direc torate 1.4 Building capacities in plan ning, management, technical fields and M & E at national, provincial and field levels No. of MAIL and DAIL staff trained in relevant technical fields MAIL HR MAIL MIS 1.5 Developing and promoting improved production tech nology packages, based on farming systems research Farming systems research conducted No. of farmers applying improved production and technology packages Research, Exten sions, Mechanization and cooperative, irrigation direc torates. MAIL GIS 1.6 Improvements in agricultural and rural service delivery in relevant fields (i.e. extension, credit, veterinary, pest and disease control, marketing) One mapping of rural ser vices P.a Extensions, live stock, plant protec tion, Mechanization and cooperative directorates MAIL GIS Security allows out reach of rural ser vices 1.7 Promotion of input supply (quality seeds, fertilizer, agro-chemicals, fodder), incl. through cooperation with Inputs delivery system in place and operational No. and role of private com panies involved Extensions, livestock, plant protection, Mechanization and cooperative direc 19 private sector torates MAIL GIS 1.8 Promotion of agricultural value chain development and marketing, incl. through cooperation with private sec tor Type, no. & capacity of pro cessing, storage and market ing facilities; No. and role of private com panies involved Value added through pro cessing, storage and market ing. Extensions, livestock directorates M & E Assessment, ex pressed in Afs/US$ 1.9 Promotion of farmers’ or ganizations (cooperatives self-help groups, , special women farmers associa tions) Type and no. of farmers’ organizations Extensions, Coopera tive directorates M & E 1.10 Providing access to produc tive resources (land, water) Land distributed (ha, no. of farmers) No. of farmers with secure land tenure (irrigated and rainfed land) Coordination with Arazi MAIL statistics M & E 1.11 Protecting local varieties and breeds which are well adapted to the local condi tions No. Seed banks include local varieties Applied research and exten sion in adapted local varie ties and breeds Research, Extension, cereal and industrial crop Directorates. Seed secretariat directorate M & E 1.12 Research and extension in climate change adaptation strategies Type and no. of drought and pest resistant crops and varieties developed and made available to farmers Research, Extension, PPQ, NRM Direc torates. Seed secretariat directorate M & E 1.13 Protecting forests, wetlands, pastures and areas for biodi versity No. protected areas estab lished (Ha) NRM Directorate M & E 1.14 Promote afforestation (incl. woodlots for fuel wood and construction) Forests / woodlots estab lished (type, ha) Forestry Directorate M & E Strategy / Fields of action Indicators Data sources Assumptions/risks Strategic Objective 2: Adequate economic and physical access to food, especially by vulnerable and food inse cure population groups (small farmers, poor rural households, rural women) 2.1 Develop and promote im proved and adapted agricul tural technologies that are No. of small farmers /women applying improved agricultur Extensions, Ma chanization, Home 20 applicable and affordable by small and poor farmers, and by women al technologies. Production (in MT) increases by small farmers /women. Income gains by small farmers /women from agric. produc tion economics diret M & E 2.2 Develop and provide adapted support packages, based on existing small holder production systems and the specific environ mental and climatic condi tions No. of promotion packages provided to small farmers. No. of farmers benefitting. Production and income in creases MAIL Statistices, extensions . MIS M & E 2.3 Expansion of rural exten sion services, incl. farmers’ field school approach and special extension service for rural women No. of farmers’ field school events No. of farmers /women reached No. of female extension staff in MAIL and DAILs Extensions, PPQD, Home economics MIS M & E 2.4 Promotion of value chain development and agricul tural marketing See 1.8 above M & E 2.5 Promotion of home based food processing, storage and conservation, particu larly for women No. of households/women practicing home based food processing, storage, conserva tion. Increase in production and household income Extensions, home economics directors. M & E 2.6 Promotion of farmers, pastoralists, irrigation groups, associations and cooperatives. No. of farmers / women farmers etc. associations, cooperatives or enterprises established and operational MIS Private sectors de velopment Direc torate M & E 2.7 Promotion of rural women associations and coopera tives, capacity building in business management and technical fields No. of associa tions/cooperatives and mem bers Trainings conducted (type, subjects, no. of participants) No. of businesses set-up and operated by rural women Extension, HE, coop eratives, Private sector devel opment. MIS M & E 2.8 Promotion of home based food production, particu larly by women Type and amount of products from home gardening. Changes in consumption and income of households Extensions, HE MIS M & E 21 2.9 Encourage and support IDPs and returning refu gees to move back to their villages and resume farm ing No. of IDPs and refugees re suming farming SGR MAIL Provincial affairs directorate M & E Security situation in rural areas does not further deteriorate Strategy / Fields of action Indicators Data sources Assumptions/risks Strategic Objective: 3: Stable food supplies over time and in disaster situations. 3.1 Establishing an effective system of emergency pre paredness and disaster risk management (DRM), (Refer to NPP2-FFL, section 1.4.6) 3.1.1 Early warning system upgraded. 3.1.2 Availability of disaster management and contingency plans at national, provincial and local levels. 3.1.3 Strategic grain reserve. 3.1.4 Arrangements for emer gency food and nutrition assistance to disaster affected populations. SGR, provincial af fairs directorate, MIS M & E Cooperation with FEWSNet Cooperation with relevant agencies (ANDMA, MRRD, UN, donors, NGOs) 3.2 Promotion of irrigation (see 1.2 above under stra tegic objective 1) See 1.2 above 3.3 Promotion of food pro cessing, preservation and storage Improved storage facilities (incl. cold storage) Food processing facilities (type, no.) Food preservation technolo gies applied Horticulture, HE, Extensions M & E Cooperation with private sector 3.4 Productive safety nets /temporary public employ ment schemes during criti cal times Number of temporary em ployment opportunities cre ated during …..months. Assets created by public em ployment schemes (rural roads, irrigation, soil and water conservation, afforesta tion) SGR, provincial af fairs directorate Close cooperation with MRRD 3.5 Strengthening resilience of farmers against shocks Type and amount of assis tance provided to farmers to get reestablished after shocks. Applied research and propa gation of crop diversification with drought and pest re sistant varieties. Cross-boundary pest man agement; Animals vaccinated against common diseases Schemes for sustainable land use practices (watershed SGR, provincial af fairs directorate, Research, extension, seed sectariate, animal health, PPQD. Irrigations. 22 management, see 1.3 above). Strategy / Fields of action Indicators Data sources Assumptions/risks Strategic Objective: 4: Healthy diets, adequate food utilization and good nutrition practices particularly by women and children. 4.1 Promotion of diversification of production with regard to nutrition sensitive products No. of demonstrations (school gardens, home gardens, Expansion of production of nutrition sensitive products (vegetables, fruits) in home gardens (see also 4.2) and on agricultural land. Home economics, extension MIS 4.2 Promotion of home based farming practices in rural, semi-urban and urban envi ronments No. of home gardens estab lished. Horticultural products and livestock produced. Home economics, extension, horticul ture, livestock. MIS 4.3 Promotion of home based food processing, and preservation, particularly for women Spread of home-based food processing and preservation practices Home economics, extension MIS 4.4 Promotion of organic farm ing Spread of organic farming practices Extensions 4.5 Information and education on food and nutrition issues Information campaigns on food and nutrition issues Nutrition education and train ing, particularly for women Food and nutrition subjects included in primary, higher and adult education curricula Home economics, extension MIS Close cooperation with MoPH and UNICEF 4.6 Food safety standards and control Food safety standards and control mechanisms estab lished Animal health Coordination with MoPH Close cooperation with MoPH and UNICEF . .