Pro-Resilience Action – PRO-ACT 2015: Supporting the Poor and Food and Nutrition Insecure to React to Crises and Strengthen Resilience in Liberia

The present evaluation isthe final evaluation of the Pro-Resilience Action – PRO-ACT 2015 “Supporting the poor and food and nutrition insecure to react to crises and strengthen resilience in Liberia”. This project aims to revitalize and build resilience of food systems in rural areas. As a matter of fact, the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) crisis of 2014 provoked the failure of markets for agricultural outputs and inputs, and the collapse of many income generation activities (IGA), on which the majority of the population of the area relied. The project concerns 4 out of the 15 political administrative counties in Liberia: Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Margibi, and Montserrado. It is more specifically focused on 4589 vulnerable households highly hit by the EVD. The action carried out in these counties by Action Against Hunger and its partners is part of a framework set up for all the post-EVD integrated food security interventions. This framework is based on the revised National Food Security and Nutrition Strategy 2015 and the Liberia Economic Stabilization and Recovery Plan.

Starting on 1st September 2016, the PRO-ACT 2015 action ends on 31st August 2017 (12 months). The overall objective of the project is to improve the food and nutrition security status of vulnerable population groups. The specific objective is to enhance the capacities of vulnerable groups to improve their food crisis resilience thanks to sustainable production and better food access. In a transversal way, the project also aims to reduce gender inequalities, impact on the environment and to foster the community participation.

PRO-ACT 2015 project is implemented by the Liberia Food Security Consortium composed of three international organizations (Action Against Hunger, ZOA and WHH), as well as an implementing partner: We4Self. The consortium members have their teams in the targeted areas, and they regularly liaise together in order to ensure mutual knowledge and experience share. Moreover, a customized online central database system has been set up. Three results are proposed to reach the overall objective: (i) better resilience against food crisis for the targeted population by preventing negative coping mechanisms; (ii) enhancement of access to sufficient and nutritious food by addressing temporary-permanent market failures and improved access to income opportunities; (iii) promotion of access to a dietary balanced intake in post crisis situations.