August 23, 2011
New Project Won: Burkina Faso—Victory Against Malnutrition
USAID’s Office of Food for Peace recently awarded ACDI/VOCA a five-year, $35 million Title II program in Burkina Faso.
Working with Save the Children and the Netherlands Development Organization, ACDI/VOCA will implement the Victory Against Malnutrition Project. The project will be known locally as Projet Victoire sur la Malnutrition (ViM) and Project Vim (vim means “life” in Moore, the local language of the targeted communities).
Reducing Malnutrition, Improving Livelihoods
ACDI/VOCA and its partners will apply a comprehensive approach to reduce food insecurity and chronic malnutrition and to link vulnerable households to sustainable livelihoods in the Sanmatenga province, which has some of the highest rates of childhood malnutrition in the country.
The project is designed to have significant impact on local food security. Over its life, ViM will reach approximately 155,000 direct beneficiaries and over 37,000 indirect beneficiaries. In addition it will target more than 29,000 unique households in livelihood interventions.
Burkina Faso Faces Challenges, Retains Opportunities for Growth
Until several years ago, Burkina Faso appeared to be on the road to becoming one of Africa’s success stories. Political stability and sound government policies led to a growth rate of around 6 percent in the decade preceding 2007.
However, in recent years, a series of external shocks, including floods and droughts, the international food and fuel crises, and the ongoing global financial crisis have slowed growth and increased the national poverty rate to above 45 percent.
Activity Will Take Integrated Approach
The program’s activities are designed around three integrated objectives:
- increase and diversify agricultural production
- improve household incomes
- reduce chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years of age and pregnant and lactating women
The project will also address gender equity and environmental stewardship across the other objectives.
For more information on ACDI/VOCA’s work in Burkina Faso.
