Evaluation of ECHO-Funded Cash and Voucher Food Assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo

In November 2011, ECHO decided to pilot an alternative approach to food security in Eastern DRC. They funded three NGOs (NRC, AVSI and IRC) to develop cash and voucher approaches to food security in order to secure rapid assistance and preserve the food consumption of IDPs and returnees. The objective of the pilot was to set up food security projects which complemented the rapid response in NFI (RRMP) by securing impact for both food and non-food items assistances. An independent evaluation was undertaken to provide ECHO with robust evidence about the results of their emergency food assistance (C&V pilot) to inform learning and decision making for their future food security programme in DRC. NRC managed the evaluation process on behalf of ECHO. The evaluation identified a number of important lessons learnt and made specific recommendations which will be taken forward by the individual agencies.